The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-12-18
THE KENTUCKY SHAKERS.
a SMALL COLONY OF THE DIscI-
PILES OF ANN LEE.
Their Industrial Habits and Religious
Worship-Thc Different People
Who Join the Community.

lucky IS inc NlLuSC Dulil HdllN N'"i'
ago by the Shakers, a curious religious
sect founded by an English woman
named Ann Lee, to whom was revealed
the saving grace Of celibacy. and com
munism. 1t was, perhaps, owing to the
fondness of Americans for new creeds
that the doctrine found its warmest ad-
vocates in this country, and that there
are now some twenty communities OF
Shakers scattered over the Union.
The community in Kentucky, the only
Southern State in which Shakerism eN-
lists, was founded in the wake Of great
religious movement which swept over
the State some eighty odd years ago, and
which had as one of its peculiar features
a curious nervous manifestation of which
old people still speak with awe, but
which went by the undignified and de
scriptive name of ''the jerks. According
to the traditions of that time business
and amusements were alike suspended
The iovial Kenmckians iorebore for
season to either race horses or swap them,
barbecues and burgoos were unattended
and the entire country gave itself up to
the consideration of its soul 1t was
then that the presence of some spiritual
power was made manifest by the sinner
'.under conviction being taken by
violent and painful twitching of the
nerves and muscles that threatned to rend
every bone asunder and made the long
hair of the women crack like whip cords.
OF course all this happened so long ago
that when people talk of it the oldest in
habitant has the floor; but certain it is
that as this religious excitement began to
wane missionaries from the Shaker COM
munities of New York and Ohio came to
Kentucky and found a harvest ready for
gathering.
Taking the vows of celibacy, the idea
of giving up husband and wife, houses
and lands. of owning everything in com
mon and doing daily menial work from
exalted religious motives, seems to have
/ appealed strongly to hearts already aiiame
with spiritual enthusiasm, and so the
Shaker community in Kentucky was com
/ posed of some of the best blood and
wealth Of the State. In short while
! the village was built, with 1000 acres Of
rich blue grass and tobacco land rolling
| off from it. and with stores and mills and
factories that not only supplied their own
wants, but yielded handsome revenue.
For many years all went well. Under
the broad brimmed Shaker hats
were shrcwd business heads that directed
the affairs of the community. The mem
bers worked faithfully ut their tasks, and
Shaker preserves and blankets and seeds
gained deserved reputation for excel.
lencc, but by and by the wise men died
of, and sharpers found the unworldly
little community only too easy to victim,
ize, and the Shakertown Of to-day Is
hardly what it was fifty years ago.
Such. at least, was what they told me
the other day, says correspondent OF
the Picayune, when / drove up the broad,
grassy street of this quaint little village,
and looked about me. The air was full.
of the haze of Indian summer, and il
seemed the quietest and peacelulest spot
on earth, Scattered up and down the
street were the big, bare, barnlike house
in which the families of fifty OF more re
side. each house under the rule of IL head
man and woman and each provided with
its own dairy, poultry, house garden,
etc. Here was the store there the church
or meeting house; under Il broad row OF
maples was walk of white stone, and q
wind mill made point of color against
the forest that skirted the orchards and
meadows.
The big. bare halls Of the houses were
scrupulously clean, as were the rooms
opening of of them-the mems apart
ments being on one side and the women :
-. l.. ia, Il
two heavy tables, at one of which the
women eat after they have served the
men. In all household arrangements the
men are considered first and one could
but wonder that a woman should have
started religion that put her own sex at
such obvious disadvantage. 1t might
Just rs well have been the work of man.
There was hum of gentle voices on
the air and following the sound we
found ourselves at the great preserving
house where the women were busy stir
ring masses Of aromatic ounces slowly
stewine in FURNISHED copper kettles over
furnace fire. 1t was almost the last of
the preserving season, but packed away
in the cellars were tiers and tiers of glass
lars of ruby cherries and plums, and
peaches and pears floating in their own
golden uices-a hive of sweets which
one would think would be a standing
temptation 10 the very young Shakers
who have not yet learned to overcome
the appetites of the world.
The numbers Of pretty rosy children
PLAYING about seemed somewhat out OF
place in this quiet village, but as matter
of fact the Shakers are often left bequeSt,
of children and never refuse to give
shelter to the orphans thrown upon Their
bounty, and curiously enough these
children nearly always leave them when
grown; the great world is too near and
TOO seductive for them to remain in then
quiet retreat Many women who have
no means Of livelihood come with their
children and join the Shakers, but these
too, are apt to return TO the world,
1t is not easy to find out what the pc
culiar creed OF the Shakers is beyond
that they neither marry nor are given in
marriage and hold all goods in common.
I'VE do honestly 10y all men, show
charity where it is needed. keep our
hands busy and our hearts free from
guile, said a sweet old lady, busy weay
ing straw bonnets at loom, and really
it seemed pretty good platform fol
ANYBODY, Shaker or not, 10 stand on.