Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1865-03-29
all gurts of @0uA 8ea0ing.
The sAakors--shakor Work and Religion.


[From the Springfield CAlass.) Republican,
SHAKERv1LLE, in Enfield, Connecticut is a
quiet farming community of four families OF
households. These households number 18O
members divided about as follows: "a men.
100 women, and SO children. Farming is
their general business, and the preparation OF
seeds, herbs extracts, apple sauce, bonnets,
brooms, grain-cradles, and snow shovels their
speeialities: They hold about 1000 acres Of
land here in solid body, or sixteen and two
thirds acres on an average each. They keep
some 500 head of domestic animals, have
plain, practical horses, workshops and barns.
aud barring ccnudbial bliss, arc doubtless con-
tented and happy. Through the courtesy Of
their leaders, we have looked in upon their
homes, partallen of their salt, and gathered,
as we trust, some items Of general interest
The Shakers are a religious sect Of about a
century's growth, originating from the Qua
kers in Manchester, England. They GFst came
to this country in 1773, numbering ten per-
sons, and settled at Watervleit, New York
There the idea of community Of property
was FIRST broaehed, which has since been
adopted by the Shaker families. Self denial
is their cardinal virtue. They believe in
Gods, Christs, heavens and hells duplicated.
They are non-resistants participants in no
earthly government, live frugally and simply,
and consider idleness sinful Those who diff
fer from them are "world's people," Their
name is derived from their motions in wor-
ship, which exercise both soul and body, and
consist, in part, OF marches, dances and sing
ing. Anne Lee, the daughter and wife of
blacksmith, was the author and founder of the
system. Joseph Meacham, a Baptist preacher
Of Enfield, Connecticut. was an early convert
to this faith, and improved its practice
Three missionaries were sent out from Leba-
non, New York, which is considered the pa
rent society, having five hundred members
in 1906. into Ohio and Kentucky and they
made proselytes in those States. There ore
now eighteen societies, and about four thous.
and members in this country, divided as fol-
lows: Four in Massachusetts, one in Con-
nect1cut two in New Hampshire, two in
Maine, three in New York, four in Ohio, and
two in Kentucky. Each society has from
two to eight householders, and averages seven
acres Of land g each member:
The Enfield society was established in
1895, by eight persons, poor and in debt
They have grown to their present form,
though sometimes more prosperous in num-
Oers than now. They are obliged to hire
iarm help more or less, owing to the scarcity
Of numbers The middle or church family
here, which doubtless represents one-tourth
,f the population, cultivated last year forty
acres Of corn, forty acres Of oats, twenty-five
lores of rye, besides spring wheat, vegetables,
&C., and cut one hundred fifty tons of
lay. They keep about one hun Il and if
y head of CATTLE Of which twen,y e are
ows Of the native Durham and Alu,-ney
.rades. These animals are mostly kept at a
lew barn built in 1854. It is forty by nine-
Y feet in size, with high and capacious
manure cellar under the whole, and what is
emarkable, the building is trussed up, so that
4 the cellar there is neither pillar nor post
he building stands on the side of a hill, the S
lain driveway is in the attic, and the hay is {
i,ched down into bays on either side. Un- r
er the barn floor, and connecting with it by t
suttles is the feeding floor, and some eight c
let lower are the cattle, while under all is t
elar at least twelve feet in height I
The Shakers pride themselves on their a
ock and Justly. They feed well, but care v
lily avoid waste. The first thing in the a
forming the COWS have one or two fodder t
lgs of hay, then roots sprinkled with dry v
zeal, then they are watered, then they have L
ay and stalks, then roots and meal as before, t
nd lastly hay Their young stock is kept in t
ledded yards, and is divided according to il
leir age and quality. They all have wide 5
hangers and generally a rack behind, so that s
very spire of hay is saved. I
Their horses are generally very good. We S
w a fine bay breeding mare and four of her 4
Its Of various ages. Three were "Ashlluds," v
I'd all sorrel, and the youngest a bay Hsm-f