"The Sleeping Prophet"
Edgar Cayce
1877 - 1945

Edgar Cayce was born near Beverly, seven miles south of Hopkinsville, March 18, 1877. At an early age he gave evidence of his budding talent: he was able to master his school lessons by sleeping on his books. In early manhood he experienced a seemingly incurable loss of voice. When doctors were unable to find a cause for his condition, Cayce entered the same hypnotic sleep that had enabled him to learn his school lessons years before. Through self diagnosis while under hypnosis, he prescribed simple treatment which ultimately restored his voice. It was soon discovered that he could do the same for others. From the first psychic reading given in Hopkinsville in 1901 until the last at Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1944, Edgar Cayce gave 14,256 clairvoyant medical and life readings. 

The first thirty-five years in the life of Edgar Cayce were spent in Kentucky, nearly seventeen passed in his native south Christian County, ten in Louisville and Bowling Green, and over eight in Hopkinsville, the county seat of Christian. It was there in the formative years of his life that this native son developed his remarkable psychic talents and embarked upon a lifetime of service to God and to mankind. The talented man returned to his homeland for many visits, but the years 1877 to 1912 marked the foundation for his courage and strength.



Today, "The Work," as he called it, is carried on by the Association for Research and Enlightenment, a non-profit open-membership organization with headquarters at Virginia Beach. Its basic purpose is to make practical use of the readings though dissemination of information by providing library facilities, lectures, seminars and publications. 

• 1817 - William Cayce, paternal great grandfather of Edgar Cayce, moved from Cumberland Co., Va., to Christian Co., Ky.
• 1828 - Charles Major, maternal great grandfather of Edgar Cayce, migrated from Culpeper co., Va., to Christian Co., Ky.
• 1877- Edgar Cayce born near Beverly, seven miles south of Hopkinsville, March 18.
• 1883 - Began formal education in a school house behind Liberty Christian Church.
• 1888 - Confessed faith in Christ and united with the Liberty Christian Church, October 13.
• 1889-93 - Attended Beverly Academy, located between Beverly store and Liberty Church.
• 1890 - Vision, followed by incident of spelling book clairvoyance.
• 1893 - Moved with family to Hopkinsville in December, occupied home at 705 West Seventh, southeast corner Seventh and Young Street.
• 1894 - 1898 - First job at Richards Dry Goods Store, then in Hopper's Bookstore both located on Main Street.
• 1897 - Became engaged to Gertrude Evans, March 14.
• 1898 - Moved to Louisville, Kentucky to work for J. P. Morton & Co., August 1.
• 1899 - Home for Christmas and decided to remain in Hopkinsville.
• 1900 - Formed business partnership with father L.B. Cayce to sell Woodmen of the World Insurance; severe illness in March; lost voice on April 18; went to Louisville June 8 to take a business course at Bryant & Stratton Business College; returned to Hopkinsville in the fall and began work in the photograph studio of W. R. Bowles at corner of Ninth and Virginia.
• 1901 - "Hart-The Laugh Man," a hypnotist, put Edgar Cayce to Sleep on the stage of Holland's Opera House and his voice returned - February 12, gave first psychic reading (physical), March 31; recovered voice. Began readings for patients of Al. C. Layne.
• 1902 - Frank H. Bassett Sr., obtained for him a photographer's position in Bowling Green with Lucian D. Potter's Bookstore in May; roomed in the Boarding House of Mrs. Hollins with Dr. Hugh C. Beazley; gave readings in the Dietrich case.
• 1903 - Married Gertrude Evans, June 17.
• 1904 - Formed photographic studio partnership with frank J. Potter, cousin of L. D. Potter, in July.
• 1905 - Dalton case, resulting from fall sustained by George Dalton at the construction site of new L & N Railroad Freight Office, May 31.
• 1906 Cayce Studio on College Street in Bowling Green conducted a $40,000 art exhibit of paintings, carbon prints, and water colors, opened in November; studio destroyed by fire December 23.
• 1907 - Son Hugh Lynn Cayce born March 16; State Street Studio burned in September.
• 1909 - Moved family back to Hopkinsville, August. Worked that fall in Gadsden, Alabama; home for Christmas; conducted first psychic reading to be held in the Dalton Building, corner of Virginia and Seventh, in December.
• 1910 - Worked for Russell Brothers, Photographers, Anniston, Alabama, January to July 4; then associated with H. P. Tressler, of Montgomery, Alabama, July to October; New York Times article appeared October 9; moved back to Hopkinsville and formed the Psychic Reading Corporation with Dr. Wesley Hl Ketchum, Albert D. Noe Sr., and L. B. Cayce; photographic studio opened on second floor of Thompson Building, Main Street between seventh and Eighth; gave readings daily for first time as "Psychic Diagnostician." Rented Mrs. Arnold's cottage at 1910 South Main Street.
• 1911 - Roswell Field, brother of Eugene Field, with Hearst's Chicago Examiner, came to Hopkinsville in February to write a feature article on Edgar Cayce for the paper; in March Edgar Cayce, L. B. Cayce and A. D. Noe Sr., made a ten day trip to Chicago to give readings for the paper; son Milton Porter Cayce born March 28 and died May 17; wife Gertrude suffered tuberculosis, much improved by first of year.
• 1912 - Investigation by Dr. Hugo Munsterberg, of Harvard University; broker partnership with Dr. Ketchum and A. D. Noe Sr., filed suit against them for $28,000 in Christian Circuit Court for breach of contract, (settled out of court in March 1913), family moved to Anniston, Alabama in March; then to Selma to open photographic studio.
• 1918 - Son Edgar Evans Cayce born February 9.
• 1923 - Gladys Davis secured as secretary September 10; Family moved to Dayton, Ohio in November.
• 1925 - Family settled in Virginia Beach, Virginia, September 16.
• 1927 - Association of national Investigators organized May 6.
• 1931 - Hospital closed February 28. A.R.E. organized June 6.
• 1942 - THERE IS A RIVER published in March.
• 1944 - Last psychic reading given September 17.
• 1945 - Death of Edgar Cayce January 3. - Death of Gertrude Evans Cayce April 1.