The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-03-14
THE ECONOMITE SOCIETY
A QUAINT SECT RICHER IN MILL.
IONS THAN IN MEMBERS
The Queer Society that George Rapp
Established in Pennsylvania
Their History and Habits

Economy is the quaintest village in the
United States. II IS situated on the
Fort Wayne Railroad, eighteen miles be
low Pittsburg, yet it is as unlike an
American town as il it belonged to an
other part of the globe Ne ther the
hustle of the near by city nor the railroad
and steamboat lines ever penetrate the
heart Of the sleepy town. 1t is the home
of the Economics, a society founded by
George Rapp in Germany many, many
years ago What all their beliefs were
is more than any outsider can ever tell.
! Their chief aim was to live as the earli
est Christians did, asporirayed in the
writings of the apostles. Driven from
Germany by religious prosecutions, they
emigrated to America in 1905 and settled
in Pennsylvania.
They bought land and built village
which they called Harmony They dubbed
themselves Ilarmonites, and gave what
earthly goods they possessed to their
founder and leader, George Rapp, who
was their father, banker, adviser and
preacher.
George Rapp decided that it would be
more in conformity with the teachings Of
the disciples 20 live life of celibacy.
| Several OF the members who had wives
and sweetheaTts rebelled against this.
| Those who were true to Rapp moved
with him to Indiana. where another
Harmony was founded. Disease attacked
| the new village and red iced the number
of its inhabitants so greatly that the
remaining ones fed back to Pennsyl
van;a In 1922 they bought ,, 800 acres
/ of lind IL, most Iaautifnl valley ppor
Pittsburg Here they settled and here
| those of them who are still alive, live
to-day. The misfortunes that befell
them in the two Harmony settlements
caused them to change the name. They
called their new home Economy and
themselves Economics. The members
who deserted the Harmonites either died
out or became as other citizens of the
globe. Many of their descendants are
well-known people in and around
Allegheny City. About one thousand
members first settled in Economy, but as
their number was never increased by
birth or by adoption, and as death
oc asionally invaded their homes there
remain "a the present time not more
than eighteen members, the youngest of
whom is siXty-two years d. When
they first took vows OF celibacy they be-
lieved that the world was nearing its end,
and so they lived simple lives, preparing
| for the mysterious hereafter. George
Rapp, Just before he died, told the
Others the world would surely end before
the last member died. They believe it.
On entering the village one sees plain
houses, wide, well-kept streets, lined on
either side with large shade trees and
chickens-nothing else.
The houses are all alike. They are all
built with the gable end towards the
street, AMI cannot be entered except
through the yards.
Everything in Economy is run by rule
and regulation much as at boarding
school. At o'clock in the morning the
| bell on the one church rings, aud every
one in the village rises. At 6 o'clock
every dweller sits down to breakfast, and
what is eaten in one house is eaten in all.
There is day for milk soup and one
for "wine soup" and for every other dish
peculiar to the place The bell rings
again at o'clock for all to go to work /;
at 8 it brings them back to lunch, at -
to dinner, at to lunch again, at 6 to
supper, and at 0 it rings for every one to
put out his light and go to bed. No
member ever rebels or disobeys.
There is a wine cellar in Economy IA
nous for its old liquors, but it is never
sold except to invalids. None of the
Economics drink water, and their en-
ployes are given wine and cider.
The only paper published in Economy
is anovel one on wheels. 1t is the side
of the milk wagon which carries to each
dweIler, as we'll as the milk, the work to
be done, "The apples will be gathered
tomorrow" "The cherries will be gath
cred tomorrow, or "Such field will be
reapedn is inscribed on the wagons
side, so that when all are supplied with
their daily portion of milk they know
what labor awaits them.
No family names are used among the
members. Jacob and Gamma" and
dorothy" are sufficient. If there are
two of a name, they distinguish them by
the locality where they live. Thus, there
are dorothy near the mili' and a
dorothy near the orchard. 4"
On Sunday no excuse is accepted for
absence from chur, b. 1t is a quaint lit
tie chapel painted blue and white, and
in keeping with the people who gather
in it to worship according to their belief.
Miss Gertrude Rapp, the granddaugh-
ter of the founder, although at least
eighty years old, still plays the organ
and leads the singing twice every sun
day. She is yet "A pretty woman, rather
petite, has large blue eyes aud the
whitest of white hair, which tucked un-
der her quaint little blue Normandy
cap makes her perfect picture of ye
Olden days She occupies the Rapp
House-the White House of Economy
1t contains many costly, beautiful and
curious relics.
When an Economic dies he is
wrapped in winding sheet and buried
in the white graveyard near the orchard,
No tombstone ever marks his resting
place. In the centre of the orchard is
mound where the Ind Jams buried their
fallen after battle with the French.
The Economy Hotel faS many visitors.
One large room is always reserved for
tramps. They are always treated Just
the same as the citizens They are kept
over night, and after being given some
money in the morning, are started ou
therway. No one ever leaves Economy
hungry.
People often wonder what will become
of their wealth, for they are very
wealthy. Everything they engage in
prospers, and il has become a saying that
an Economite is always wealthy.
The world does not seem nearer its