Blackburn was said to have received revelations directly from angels, and, along with her daughter Ruth Wieland Rizzio, believed that she was charged by the archangel Gabriel to write books revealing the mysteries of Heaven and Earth, and life and death.[1][2]
Newspaper articles from the period reported strange rituals including the sacrifice of animals, sex scandals and attempts to resurrect a dead 16-year-old girl.[3] Police found the corpse of young woman Willa Rhoads under the floor at the Rhoadses' residence, wrapped in spices and salt, and surrounded by the bodies of seven dead dogs.[2] Mr. and Mrs. Rhoads later confessed to the police that they had placed their daughter in the tomb fourteen months earlier at the suggestion of May Otis Blackburn.[2] The cult was also accused of killing a member in an oven, poisoning another during a "whirling dervish" ceremony, and making several other members disappear.[4]
In 1929, group leaders were indicted in Los Angeles for grand theft and investigated in connection with the disappearances of several members.[1] These indictments created a sensation after the background of the grand theft was revealed to the public.[3] May Otis Blackburn was charged with twelve counts of grand theft, and articles at that time referred to her as a "cult leader".[5]
According to Time magazine, the Blackburn Cult was also known as "The Great Eleven", and May Otis Blackburn was referred to as the "Heel of God".[6]
The cult collapsed after May Otis Blackburn was imprisoned for stealing 40,000 dollars from Clifford Dabney.[6][7]
Depicted in theatrical productions
In October 2007, actresses playing May Otis Blackburn and Ruth Rizzio appeared in the Ghost Tour in Strathearn Park, in Simi Valley, California. The actress playing Blackburn stated: "May Otis is really fun and flamboyant ... She's a cult leader. Who wouldn't want to play a cult leader?"[8] The Ghost Tour in Robert P. Strathearn Historical Park had previously featured Blackburn in 1999.[9]
Subject of fictionalized history
In 2008, R.J. Baudé, son of the last surviving member of the Great Eleven, published a fact-based novel about the group, The Blackburn Chronicles: A Tale of Murder, Money and Madness. The Kept Girl, [10] Kim Cooper's novel about the cult, was published in 2014.
Non-fiction/historical accounts
S. Fort (2014)[11] wrote a detailed historical account of the rise and fall of the Divine Order of the Royal Arms of the Great Eleven.
References
^ abHavens, Patricia; Appleton, Bill (1997), Simi Valley – A Journey Through Time, Simi Valley Historical Society
^ abcL.A. Exposed: Strange Myths and Curious Legends in the City of Angels, Paul Young, St. Martin's Griffin, May 3, 2002, ISBN0-312-20646-1 , p. 181.
^ ab"Photos of Early Simi Valley Richly Illustrate History Book", Douglas Clark, Daily News, November 29, 1997.
^"Cult of the Great Eleven", Samuel Fort, 2014, ASIN B00OALI9O4.
^"Divine Arm Cult Chief Arraigned: Mrs. Blackburn's Plea Set for Monday on Charges of $28,000 Grand Theft", Los Angeles Times, December 4, 1929.
^"Priestess of Mystic Cult Guilty in $40,000 Swindle: Jury Out Three Days Decides Finally Woman Defrauded Oil Man. Priestess of Cult is Quilty of Fraud", The Washington Post, March 3, 1930, – "Mrs. May Otis Blackburn, high priestess of the mystic cult known as the Divine Order of the Royal Arm of the Great Eleven, was convicted of grand theft today by a jury which began deliberation last Thursday."
^Ghost Tour Brought to Life After Two Years in Suspended Animation October 19, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, by Angela Randazzo, Simi Valley Acorn, Front Page, October 5, 2007.
^"Past Presence; Ghost Tour Opens Tonight, Will Bring Simi History to Life", Sylvia L. Oliande, Daily News, October 22, 1999.
^Fort, Samuel (October 9, 2014). Cult of the Great Eleven (5th ed.). CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN978-150278258-8.
Further reading
Cult leader May Otis Blackburn and her daughter Ruth Wieland Rizzio in Los Angeles, Calif., 1929. Los Angeles Times photographic archive (photograph). Changing Times: Los Angeles in Photographs, 1920–1990. UCLA Library. 1929.
Blackburn, May Otis (1936). The Origin of God.
Baudé, R.J. (2008). The Blackburn Chronicles: A Tale of Murder, Money, and Madness. Lulu.com.
August 19, 2023
blackburn, cult, officially, divine, order, royal, arms, great, eleven, great, eleven, club, religious, movement, started, 1922, american, woman, otis, blackburn, started, group, bunker, hill, downtown, angeles, california, later, formed, retreat, southern, ca. The Blackburn Cult officially the Divine Order of the Royal Arms of the Great Eleven or the Great Eleven Club was a new religious movement started in 1922 by the American woman May Otis Blackburn She started the group on Bunker Hill in Downtown Los Angeles California and later formed a retreat in the Southern California Simi Valley Blackburn was said to have received revelations directly from angels and along with her daughter Ruth Wieland Rizzio believed that she was charged by the archangel Gabriel to write books revealing the mysteries of Heaven and Earth and life and death 1 2 Newspaper articles from the period reported strange rituals including the sacrifice of animals sex scandals and attempts to resurrect a dead 16 year old girl 3 Police found the corpse of young woman Willa Rhoads under the floor at the Rhoadses residence wrapped in spices and salt and surrounded by the bodies of seven dead dogs 2 Mr and Mrs Rhoads later confessed to the police that they had placed their daughter in the tomb fourteen months earlier at the suggestion of May Otis Blackburn 2 The cult was also accused of killing a member in an oven poisoning another during a whirling dervish ceremony and making several other members disappear 4 Contents 1 Indicted for grand theft 2 Depicted in theatrical productions 3 Subject of fictionalized history 4 Non fiction historical accounts 5 References 5 1 Further readingIndicted for grand theft EditIn 1929 group leaders were indicted in Los Angeles for grand theft and investigated in connection with the disappearances of several members 1 These indictments created a sensation after the background of the grand theft was revealed to the public 3 May Otis Blackburn was charged with twelve counts of grand theft and articles at that time referred to her as a cult leader 5 According to Time magazine the Blackburn Cult was also known as The Great Eleven and May Otis Blackburn was referred to as the Heel of God 6 The cult collapsed after May Otis Blackburn was imprisoned for stealing 40 000 dollars from Clifford Dabney 6 7 Depicted in theatrical productions EditIn October 2007 actresses playing May Otis Blackburn and Ruth Rizzio appeared in the Ghost Tour in Strathearn Park in Simi Valley California The actress playing Blackburn stated May Otis is really fun and flamboyant She s a cult leader Who wouldn t want to play a cult leader 8 The Ghost Tour in Robert P Strathearn Historical Park had previously featured Blackburn in 1999 9 Subject of fictionalized history EditIn 2008 R J Baude son of the last surviving member of the Great Eleven published a fact based novel about the group The Blackburn Chronicles A Tale of Murder Money and Madness The Kept Girl 10 Kim Cooper s novel about the cult was published in 2014 Non fiction historical accounts EditS Fort 2014 11 wrote a detailed historical account of the rise and fall of the Divine Order of the Royal Arms of the Great Eleven References Edit a b Havens Patricia Appleton Bill 1997 Simi Valley A Journey Through Time Simi Valley Historical Society a b c L A Exposed Strange Myths and Curious Legends in the City of Angels Paul Young St Martin s Griffin May 3 2002 ISBN 0 312 20646 1 p 181 a b Photos of Early Simi Valley Richly Illustrate History Book Douglas Clark Daily News November 29 1997 Cult of the Great Eleven Samuel Fort 2014 ASIN B00OALI9O4 Divine Arm Cult Chief Arraigned Mrs Blackburn s Plea Set for Monday on Charges of 28 000 Grand Theft Los Angeles Times December 4 1929 a b California Cults Time March 31 1930 p 3 Priestess of Mystic Cult Guilty in 40 000 Swindle Jury Out Three Days Decides Finally Woman Defrauded Oil Man Priestess of Cult is Quilty of Fraud The Washington Post March 3 1930 Mrs May Otis Blackburn high priestess of the mystic cult known as the Divine Order of the Royal Arm of the Great Eleven was convicted of grand theft today by a jury which began deliberation last Thursday Ghost Tour Brought to Life After Two Years in Suspended Animation Archived October 19 2007 at the Wayback Machine by Angela Randazzo Simi Valley Acorn Front Page October 5 2007 Past Presence Ghost Tour Opens Tonight Will Bring Simi History to Life Sylvia L Oliande Daily News October 22 1999 The Kept Girl website Fort Samuel October 9 2014 Cult of the Great Eleven 5th ed CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform ISBN 978 150278258 8 Further reading Edit Cult leader May Otis Blackburn and her daughter Ruth Wieland Rizzio in Los Angeles Calif 1929 Los Angeles Times photographic archive photograph Changing Times Los Angeles in Photographs 1920 1990 UCLA Library 1929 Blackburn May Otis 1936 The Origin of God Baude R J 2008 The Blackburn Chronicles A Tale of Murder Money and Madness Lulu com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Blackburn Cult amp oldid 1147317487, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
