The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1890-07-16
THE HARMONY COMMUNITY
PECULIAR TOWN OF A STRANGE
PEOPLE ON THE OHIO.
The Basis of Their Intercourse is Har
mOny, and TO This End They Ad.
vocate Celibacy.

ed by peculiar people. Although pos
sessed of many millions of dollars the
people and their town are precisely where
they were forty years ago. Economy is
the name of this town, and its people are
called the "Economites, although they
themselves prefer to be known as the
Harmony community.
The Harmony community was founded
by George Rapp and his band of follow
ers, numbering nearly one thousand, on
| February 10, 1905, at point in Butler
County, Penn, twenty-five miles north
| of Pittsburg, near what is now Zeliano-
! pie. Driven from Germany by religious
persecution, they decided on binding
themselves in perfect harmony and living
only for themselves. All their posses
sions were to be held in common, the pro-
ceeds of their labor to go into one com
mon treasury. For ten years they were
a prosperous and happy people, but be-
gan to realize that the selection of the
site of their town had been ill-advised,
as it was twelve miles from the Allegheny
! River.
After mature deliberation it was de-
cided to go West, so the 5000 acres of
land and their little town were sold in
the spring of 1915 for 800, 900, and the
colony moved'toward the setting sun, final
ly purchasing 80, 900 acres of land on the
Wabash River in what is now Posey
County, Ind. A new town of Harmony
was started. Ten years was spent there, but
the country being new was unheathful,
/ and nnnfhor 1ocilo1
A steamboat was built and the greater
portion of the band, now numbering
about 700, started for the Keystone
State. Several points were examined,
bnt finally the location thoy now occupy
was decided upon. This was in 1925.
Some $500 acres of land was purchased,
and on a commanding plateau fifty or
more feet above the highest waters of the
river, the town was laid out and called
Economy.
From the very first, the third and last
settlements of the Harmonists was sue
cess. Their cattle increased, the crops
brought forth an hundred fold, and the
health of all improved. Thousands of
grape vines were planted, and many acres
were set out with fruit bearing trees. As
time rolled on a wooden mill was erected
1t was followed by cotton mill and
6our mill. The flour of the Economics
was always the whitest, the cotton the
purest and the blankets and broadcloths
were not equaled. 1t was here that the
first silk ever made in the United States
was produced. The silk Eorms were
imported and factory built and filled
with all the necessary machinery, but it
was not success on account of the diff
Guilty in producing the cocobns. How
ever, the silk was of such an excellent
quality that garments made nearly half a
century ago are still to be seen in the
quaint old town. Fifty years ago all
was activity. To-day everything is as
exactly the opposite as can be i'm
agined.
The most distinctive feature of the re-
ligious creed of these worthy people is
their condemnation of the matried state
and their practice of celibacy. During
the first two years of the socisy's exist
ence number of weddings took place,
solemnized by Father Rapp himself.
Among them was that of his own son,
John, whose daughter, Gertrude, pre-
sided at the organ for sixty-ffve years,
and died December 29th last, aged
eighty one years. In 1907 there was a
religious revival in the community, and
soon after it was decided that the mar
ried state was incompatible with the
purity of the soul which they desired to
attain. They finally decided that those
who had wives should be as those who
had none, and that celibacy should be
the sine qua non of membership.
George Rapp, the founder, was laid at
rest meath the apple trees in lS47, and
all his followers are laid with him except
twenty-seven, four having passed away
during the past year. When all of the
original members shall have joined the
silent majority is but a question of an
exceedingly short space of time, and the
perpetuation of the society and the one
hundred millions of dollars in cash,
stocks, bonds and manufactures requires
deep and mature deliberation. The heirs
of members who joined after raising
families outside of the society threaten to
sue the society for share of the
millions, and it is more than probable
that the present generation Will witness
some interesting lawsuits.
When George Rapp died the commu-
nifty decided that there should be two
heads instead of one, and they selected
r. l.. Baker and Jacob F. Henrici, who,
during the latter years of Rapp's life, had
been his trusted advisers and agents in
business transactions. Baker died in
1868, and Mr.. Henrici, by right of Sue
cession, took his place as supreme head
Of the society, Jonathan LEM being
elected as his assistant, Both are men
Of over eighty years, of medium height,
and as sharp and shrewd in business
transaction as it is possible for men to be.
Their dress is as old in style as they are
in age, but on their holidays these old,
white-haired men appear resplendent in
blue silk suits, such as were worn by the
old burgomasters in their native country
when their founder was boy. The
dress of the women is of a uniform
style, but they, too, appear in silk on
state occasions. s.-NetO York Press.
A Bridge Moved by an Earthquake.
! A ,aculiar acci1ant racantIt, occ,,r.ad