Chronology of Dr. Randolph Stone
Assembled from available sources by John Chitty in 1985, updated periodically thereafter. Please contact me via email if you have additional information!
For those interested in Dr. Stone, the Polarity Museum offers a wealth of additional information and resources.
1890 Feb. 26 – Born Rudolph Bautsch in Engelberg, Austria, on the Hungarian border. Youngest of six children in Catholic family (one brother (Maruti), four sisters (one named Julie)). An apparent stillborn baby, he came to life after funeral candles were lit.
1892 – Mother died.
1903 – Moved to U.S. with father and one sister. Father established home in Elgin, Illinois and temporary home in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin with Austrian friends. Two other sisters joined them later. Rudolph worked as a farm hand in Turtle Lake. He studied English by comparing the German Bible with the English version.
1906 – Graduated from Sorento High School. Matriculated at Concordia Lutheran College, St. Paul, Minn. on scholarship from Turtle Lake Lutheran congregation, studying to be a minister. In college he fell ill with typhoid fever and returned home to Elgin, beginning training in the machinist trade, probably at the Elgin Watch Factory. To rebuild his health he then took a long trip out west, through Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, Washington, California, and Arizona, supporting himself as a laborer at mines, ranches, and shops.
1909 – Seeking spiritual meaning beyond orthodox religion, took Nazarene Vow, experimenting with diets and fasting, seclusion and meditation. Decided to go into health field. Attended Universal Institute of Mental Healing (St. Louis, Mo.), receiving Doctor of Mentology May 1909.
1912 – Moved from Elgin to Chicago, continuing health studies.
1914 – Completed study, receiving O.P. (Other Practitioners) License after passing State Board Examinations. Degrees received: Doctor of Osteopathy (International College of Chiropractic, Elgin, Ill.); Post-Graduate Certificate (Palmer-Gregory Chiropractic College, Oklahoma City, Ok.); Two Year Program Certificate (Dr. R.G. Shroth School of Drugless Healing and Osteopathy, Chicago, Ill.); Doctor of Chiropractic (National School of Chiropractic, Chicago, Ill.).
1914 – After completing studies and before establishing practice, took an extended trip into the wilderness of northern Wisconsin and Canada to relax and enjoy solitude.
1914 – Returning to Chicago, opened O.P. practice.
1915 – Studied and taught at Eclectic School of Drugless Healing In Chicago, receiving degrees of Doctor of Neuropathy (1915) and Doctor of Physiological Therapeutic (1916).
1916 – Received Midwife license. Married Mrs. Anna L. Stone, Practical Nurse, head nurse at Washburn’s Sanitarium in Elgin. They met at Washburn’s “Esoteric Study Center.” Previously she was head nurse at Lindhlar Nature Care Sanitarium (1912). Divorced, Danish, she was twenty years older than Dr. Stone.
1918 – They bought a home in Chicago.
1919 – Legally changed name to Randolph Stone from Rudolph Bautsch.
1920 – While practicing medicine, continued to search for spiritual truth. Attended lectures, read books, joined organizations, including Masonic Order, Rosicrucianism, Sufism, Philosophical Research Society. Studied works of Swami Rama Tirtha, Yogananda, Krishnamurti, Swedenbourg, Madam Blavatsky, Manley P. Hall, and many others. Though often disappointed, he continued this search along with his medical inquiry. More information on the sources of Dr. Stone’s ideas can be found here.
1924 – Studied with Benjamin Paul Potter, D.C., D.O.
1928 – Attended Psychology of Nature Institute, studying under Elsie Louise Norris, N.D. Also studied with Thomas Norris, D.O.
1935 – Anna died of heart failure at age 65. Her sister continued to live in the house as housekeeper.
1938 – Anna’s sister died. Dr. Stone’s niece Louise Hilger (daughter of his sister Julie, 1888-1936, and Heinrich Hilger, d. 1934) became Dr. Stone’s secretary. Louise Hilger continued in this position for 43 years. Louise Hilger’s siblings’ descendents live in the Ft. Wayne, IL area. She died in 1997 at Dera Baba Jaimal Singh, Punjab, India.
1945 – Introduced to Sant Mat spiritual path.
1947 – Received Doctor of Neuropathy from Philadelphia College of Neuropathy and Naturopathy.
1948 – Published first book, The New Energy Concept of the Healing Art.
1953 – Published second book, The Wireless Anatomy of Man.
1954 – Published Easy Stretching Postures, Polarity Therapy, and completed his series of Charts.
1955 – Took long European tour, visiting ancient sites and museums including Egypt and Greece. He continued on to India for six months, studying practicing, and teaching in Bombay and Jalandhar. Every year, Dr. Stone and Louise Hilger spent six months in Chicago practicing and teaching, and six months in India in the Sant Mat colony and nearby areas.
1963 – Met Pierre Pannetier. During this period Dr. Stone taught Polarity Therapy at seminars In Chicago & California. Some audio tapes of these workshops have survived.
1971– Moved to Santa Ana, California, to live with Pierre Pannetier in preparation for retirement. This move ended his private practice in Chicago after 58 years.
1974 – Appointed Pierre successor as main teacher of Polarity Therapy, and moved to India to retire at Dera Baba Jaimal Singh, Beas, Punjab. His last nine years were devoted to meditation and his spiritual life. Louise Hilger accompanied him to India.
1981 Dec. 9 – Dr. Stone died, age 91, Punjab, India. Louise Hilger continued residence there until her passing in 1997.
1983 – Pierre Pannetier retired due to poor health (series of strokes beginning in 1982), convalescing for a year at Murrieta Hot Springs, California. He died in 1984, survived by his wife Maxine who lives in Orange, CA.