Edgar Cayce's Life Chronology, 1877-1945

On March 18, Edgar Cayce born near Beverly, 8 miles south of Hopkinsville (Kentucky).

On February 22, Gertrude Evans born in Hopkinsville.

On June 18, Edgar witnesses the horse accident which causes the death of his grandfather Thomas Jefferson Cayce.

He starts school in Beverly.

An angel appears to him. Then, he discovers that he is able to memorize his school books by sleeping on them.

He quits high school and works on the farm of his paternal grandmother. She dies in August.

In January, the family moves to Hopkinsville.

Edgar is hired at Hopper Brothers bookstore.

On March 14, he becomes engaged to Gertrude Evans.

In June, he loses his job and works in a dry goods store.

In July, he is employed in a large bookstore in Louisville (Kentucky) J. P. Morton & Co.

He comes home for Christmas and decides to stay in Hopkinsville.

He forms a partnership with his father, Leslie Cayce, then insurance agent.

Edgar travels from town to town selling insurance, as well as books and stationery for P. Morton & Co.

In March, a partial paralysis of the vocal cords makes him unable to speak beyond a whisper.

In the fall, the Hopkinsville photographer offers him a job as apprentice in his studio.

Hart, a traveling hypnotist and showman, makes him speak normally under hypnosis.

On March 31, Edgar gives his first psychic reading: with the help of Al Layne, he diagnoses his own difficulty and regains his voice.

He starts giving readings for Layne's patients.

In May, he accepts a job in a bookstore in Bowling Green, sixty miles away.

In August, Layne calls him back to Hopkinsville regarding a little girl called Aime Dietrich. Her case will play an essential role in the history of the Cayce readings.

Layne visits him every Sunday to continue the readings for his patients.

On June 17, he marries Gertrude Evans in Hopkinsville. They go and live in Bowling Green.

Layne leaves Hopkinsville in order to become a professional osteopath.

In September, Edgar opens a photographic studio with Frank Potter.

On January 30, Gladys Davis born in Centerville (Alabama).

Local medical doctors study Edgar's psychic ability.

In December, a fire destroys art work he has on consignment.

On March 16, Hugh Lynn, Edgar and Gertrude's older son is born.

In September, another fire wrecks the studio. His partner withdraws, but Edgar reopens it alone.

Gertrude and Hugh Lynn return to Hopkinsville, while Edgar stays in Bowling Green to pay off the debts generated by both fires.

In August, Edgar pays the last bill and leaves Bowling Green.

He spends some time in Hopkinsville with Gertrude and Hugh Lynn, and then finds a job in Alabama as a photographer.

At Christmas, he meets Dr. Wesley Ketchum during a short visit in Hopkinsville.

On October 9, 'The New York Times' publishes a long article on Edgar Cayce's psychic powers.

Edgar comes back to Hopkinsville and opens a photographic studio.

With Dr. Wesley Ketchum, Albert Noe and Leslie Cayce, he forms the 'Psychic Reading Corporation'. For the first time, he gives daily readings on medical cases.

In February, 'Hearst's Chicago Examiner' publicizes Edgar Cayce.

In March, Edgar, L. Cayce and A. Noe go to Chicago for a few days, and Edgar gives readings for the paper.

On March 28, Milton Porter, Edgar and Gertrude's second son is born.

The baby dies on May 17.

Edgar helps solve George Dalton's case, due to an accident on a construction site.

Gertrude develops severe tuberculosis. The readings save her life and will allow her to fully recover

In January, Dr. Hugo Münsterberg, of Harvard University arrives in Hopkinsville to investigate Cayce's psychic talent.

Edgar breaks his contract with Ketchum and Noe and goes again to Alabama to work as a photographer.

He acquires his own studio in Selma (Alabama).

In the fall, Gertrude and Hugh Lynn move to Selma.

In January, Hugh Lynn severely burns his eyes while playing in the studio with flash powder.

He regains his sight thanks to the readings.

On February 9, Edgar Evans, Edgar and Gertrude's youngest son is born.

In order to raise money for building a hospital, Edgar forms a partnership with others seeking oil in Texas.

He spends four years there, unsuccessfully.

Edgar returns to Selma.

On September 10, he hires a permanent secretary, Gladys Davis who was then 18 years old. From that time on, she will be part of the family.

Turning point in the readings: Arthur Lammers, from Dayton (Ohio), requests a reading on astrology. It mentions the concept of reincarnation.

In November, Edgar and his family go to Dayton, invited by Lammers. He gives readings on philosophical, metaphysical and astrological topics.

In October, the stock market crash marks the onset of the Depression.

On September 22, Atlantic University opens its doors.

On February 26, the Association of National Investigators is dissolved.

On the 28th, the Cayce hospital closes.

On July 7, the Association for Research and Enlightenment, Inc. (A.R.E.) was incorporated.

By the end of the year, Atlantic University stops its activities.

In June, Edgar Evans Cayce marries Kathryn Bane.

On October 7, Charles Thomas born from Hugh Lynn and Sally. The readings indicate that he is the reincarnation of Thomas Jefferson Cayce, Edgar's grandfather.

In March, Edgar Cayce's biography "There is a River", by Thomas Sugrue, is published.

On June 29, Edgar Evans Jr. born to Edgar Evans and Kathryn.

On September 17, Cayce gives his last psychic reading, for himself.

On January 3, Edgar Cayce dies at the age of 67.

On April 1, Gertrude Evans Cayce dies at the age of 65.