Kingdom of Matthias

Johnny Laisdell is Matthias’s son. He lives with his mother Margaret in Albany. When Johnny is 11 years old, he spends a short while living in Matthias’s cult, but he’s soon rescued.

Levi Andrew Mills is Sylvester Mills’s brother. Levi grows concerned when Matthias moves into Sylvester’s home. Levi eventually has Matthias arrested for fraud, but Matthias is soon released and he resumes building his cult with Sylvester’s support.

Mr. Thompson briefly makes his family join Matthias’s cult because he admires Matthias’s emphasis on men being in charge. When Mr. Thompson realizes that Matthias and Benjamin are sleeping with multiple women in the cult, though, he takes his family and flees, believing there’s too much “wife-swapping” going on.

Joseph Smith is the leader of the Mormon religion.

The Reverend Mr. Richard is the head of the church in Elijah Pierson’s childhood hometown of Morristown, New Jersey. The Reverend Mr. Richard holds Calvinist beliefs, which focus on fearing god, denying personal freedoms, and obeying father figures (both in the family and in the community).

Edward Norris Kirk is a Finneyite who becomes a radical evangelical preacher. Matthews at one point attempts to join Kirk’s congregation, but Kirk rejects Matthews because Matthews is violent and abusive.

Usual Crane is a destitute man in Elijah Pierson’s childhood community. Elijah’s father Benjamin Pierson makes sure that Usual Crane finds work when Crane falls on hard times.

Frances Folger is a prominent member of the New York city evangelical community. She’s a combative woman who openly chastises other women for dressing too extravagantly. She runs prayer groups from her cousin Benjamin Folger’s home.

Rueben Folger is Frances Folger’s husband.

Mrs. Bolton is a former sex worker who runs Elijah Pierson’s asylum for reforming sex workers who want to become better Christians. She distances herself from Elijah when he joins with Matthias to start a cult.

Arthur Tappan is briefly involved in running Elijah Pierson’s asylum for reforming sex workers. He distances himself from Elijah when Elijah starts having religions delusions.

John Mathies is Matthias’s brother. He’s a painter living in Rochester New York, and he’s skeptical about religious fanatics. John and Matthias briefly reconnect as adults, but they have an argument and never speak again.

James Mathies is Matthias’s brother. He’s a poet who dies of alcoholism.

N. Nye Hall is a lawyer whom Margaret Matthews hires to defend Matthias when he’s charged with several crimes after his cult collapses. He’s briefly involved in Matthias’s defense case.

Henry B. Western is a lawyer whom Margaret Matthews hires to defend Matthias in court after Matthias is charged with murdering Elijah Pierson and assaulting Isabella Laisdell. Western is a prominent and respected lawyer, and he successfully overturns the murder charge, citing lack of evidence.

Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer who lived from 1809 to 1849. Some of his writing was influenced by the scandal over Matthias’s cult.

Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American writer who lived from 1804 to 1864. Some of his writing was influenced by the scandal over Matthias’s cult.

Herman Melville was an American writer who lived from 1819 to 1891. Some parts of his novel Moby Dick were influenced by the scandal over Matthias’s cult.

The Reverend William Creighton buys Matthias’s cult’s former home (“Mount Zion”) in upstate New York after the cult disbands. The Reverend turns the home into a hotspot for celebrity gatherings.

Isadora Duncan is a famous dancer who performs at Reverend William Creighton’s estate (which used to be the home of Matthias’s cult).

Sandra Bernhardt is a famous actress who performs at Reverend William Creighton’s estate (which used to be the home of Matthias’s cult).

Henry Ford was a wealthy business magnate and the inventor of the first mass produced car. He attended celebrity gatherings at the Reverend William Creighton’s estate (which was formerly the site of Matthias’s cult).

Orville and Wilbur Wright are aviation pioneers who invent, build, and successfully fly the world’s first motor-operated airplane. Their flight demonstration takes place on the lawn of Reverend William Creighton’s mansion (which was formerly the site of Matthias’s cult).