Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-10-26
The Founder of the Patriarchal Society
and His Peculiar ldeas-The ZOarite
Philosophy and Its Satisfactory
Pecuniary Results.
Le,i.r IN Rcs,on Aare,iis.r.

under the leader OF man named Pimier,
who appears to have been a rather remark,
able character. They belong to the sect
known as "Separatists," who acknowledged
no other authority whatever than Jesus
Christ and held all things in common. 1t
is clear that they had no
Very Happy Time
of it in the Fatherland In Philadel phia
they found a man who had 5000 acres OF
land out here to sell. He asked them 49,
900 for sand as they wanted to get as far
away from everybody as possible, they
scraped all their money together and
bought it. Only three Of those who made
the trip over the mountains are now alive.
When the colony arrived here no money
was left, and they were about broken down.
The first thing done was to build big brick
house for Pimler, with walls twenty two
inches thick, which is known all the coun-
try round as the palace. Then they went
to cleaning of the wood, building houses
and shops of all kinds, until they could
boast that not one thing in their simple
life did they buy.
II the world had let Zoar alone, Pimler
and his followers would have been happy.
But the country round about them filed up.
tie boys and girls who had been taught
only German in the little village school,
had to learn English, while some of them
showed a desire to get out Of the humlrum
little village school, where they could look
forwarded to broader life Even in their
rather stupid craniums contact with neigh
bOrs has had its effect, and the old Zoarites
mOurnfully told me that things were going
to the bad. IOar is not what it used to he,
but it is interesting even nov.
Pilmer's Idea
was to isolate the colony from any one else
So woOllen mills were built, Hour mill,
smithy and among the men were always
mechanics of different trades He intend led
to keep his ranks full by additions from
home, but after the first LOT of arrivals in
1888 be gave that scheme up aud intro
duced instead marriage, which up TO that
time had been forbidden. His associates,
or rather servants, seemed to take his orders
without question. For time he tried
taking Americans, but the Zoarites found
out that they were too FESTIVE to be good
for much. So that in late years their num-
bers have been kept up almost entirely by
births. The settlement has numbered as
high as 800, but to-day there are not over
$50, and they are slowly decreasing. While
Pilmer lived he was the Government He
settled all the disputes, held the money.
picked out boys to marry the girls and
preached in church on Sundays 1t was a
nice time that Pilmcr had. The religion
he taught them was simple enough They
were too acknowledge no other authority
outside Of their own magistrates and tho
Bible. The former since his death have
consisted of three trustees elected for
three years, subordinate to committee of
five, which meets only occasionally, and
the trustees really have things their own
way Before his taking of he prepared a
constitution which he carefully kept from
public view, and by which this little republic
is governed.
Its Chief Feature
is that so long as three of the society keep
together the property is indivisble. In the
courts some of the disconnected ones have
tried to have it divided, but it has been
settled that this cannot be done while three
hold out In 1888 Pilmer died For a
good many weeks little else was heard in
the village save the click Of the wooden
shoes OF the people as ahey went slowly
about their tasks Now the other men sit
around their houses at night and mourn for
him. One OF the trustees lives in the pal
ace, but Pilmers rooms are not disturbed
While the children are taught both Ger
man and English, nothing is spoken among
themselves save the former. So far is this
carried that some of the young men have
forgotten how to speak English. One of
them, a sly chap, told me he hoped to be
trustee some time and it was good policy
to pretend not to like English.
i his is the way they live. No one has
any money except the cashier. He is one
OF the trustees Everything that is raised
is brought to them and put into the store
house No one sells a cents worth but
these same trustees. Once year a man is
Sc Mt to Philadelphia to buy the annual sup
plies. They are displayed in a large store
tended By two of the young men. If one
wants q shoe-lacing. a bedstead or bushel
of corn, no matter what, he goes to trustee
and gets an order.
The Trustees
take care that no one overdraws his fair
allowance. II young couple conclude to
marry, Justice is called in, the trustees as
sign them house, and they begin to draw
supplies from the store. Perhaps they have
a baby. The trustees give an order for a
cradle, if none of the old ones happens to
be out of use at the time. When death
occurs the carpenter makes the same kind
Of wooden coffin that the Zoarites have
always used, and they bury him in the little
with a wooden cross at his head.
AS | said above, while Pilmer lived he
to them. Since then they have
had his old sermons read and reread in
turn. so then, if any of them would ever
stop to figure it up, he could tell to a day
lust when the turn of each would come
But one Sunday not more than half the vii
Iage is out to the trim brick church. l
went 10 one of their services. 1t was really
touching to hear the old German songs and
those hard -headed, grsy-haired men listen
ipp 10 the remarks of Pilmer made to some
Of them fifty years ago. They say no min
ster now come up to him, and bewal the
indifference of the youngsters.
This sounds like the story of
A Gloomy Place.
So il would be to most people, yet they
seem to be happy. AT sunset the one hun
ired cows are driven home from pasture,
and all the unmarried glrls take their pals
% 90 milk them. l watched them do it
Some were pretty. They said they were
happy and well contented, though one con
'essed she thought it triae dull. She had
been allowed to visit friends in Pittsburg.
Occasionally boy runs away, but the glriS
10 not dare to. What with their beer max
ing, mills, shops, and other industries, the
Loarites are Obliged to hire most of their
farm work done: Each morning the FIFTY
, u nd ana