St. Paul daily globe., 1892-12-26
FATHER HEINRICH DEAD.
The First Trustee of the Harmon
iSt Society Passes to His
Reward.
About One Of the Most
Remarkable Organizations OF
the Age.

PITTSBURG, Pa, Dec. %. -Ihe bells
of Economy. which were to have rung
out glad Christmas chimes this morn
ing, t0lled instead for the passing away
of Jacob Henrici, first trustee of the
Harmonist society. Although it was
looked for during the past month. the
death was sad tidingS to the members OF
the society. Father Henrici, as he was
generally known, was ninety-tW0
years OF age. Last June the press OF
years began to tell on him, and his
feeble condition compelled him to seek
rest A month ago his condition grew
worse, and at different times his death
was expected His many pious follow
ers did everything possible to restore
their aged leader or prOlong his life, but
a paralytic stroke Tuesday fastened
the end. and at 4 o'clock this morning
he breathed his last. The deceased was
born OH a farm in Gross, Karlbuck, Ba-
varia, on Jan. Is, 1900, and came to this
country when he was twenty years OF
age, and shortly after connected HIM
self with the HarmoniSt society. lie
was received with open arms, and when
Father Rapp, the founder of the sect,
died in 1856, he succeeded him, and has
since been the governing spirit.
The news Of the death of the we'll
known Economic leader quickly spread,
and the quiet little village, all owned by
the society, was at once shrouded ia
gloom. 1t had an important meaning to
the members of the society i'll addition
to the sorrow communicated. They
have depended solely on Father Hen
rici's Judgment and diSregarded busl-
ness matters entirely, and now that his
hoe Ina
PEELED to think for themselves until
successor is appointed.
In all probabilities this will be John
DuSS, the secUhd trustee. who joined
the society six years ago. He is a
young man, but thirty two years of
age. and before entering the society was
a school teacher at Economy. In an
interview tonight he said that he would
be chosen, and that it was quite likely
that the position now held by him would
be abolished. In that event he would
have eutire control of the vast interests
of the society. Duss came to Pittsburg
from Kansas City, where ne formerly
taught school.
The Harmonist society was founded
in Wurtemburg by George Rapp about
the year 1900. Rapp believed that he
had a divine call and was charged with
the restoration of the Christian religion
to its original purity, and the commu-
nifty was founded on this basis on the
model of the primitive church, with
goods in common.
A difficulty with the government in
regard to worship impelled Rapp to
transplant his community in 1903 from
Wurtemburg to the United States. They
first settled In Zelinople, Butler county,
this state, where they founded the vii
lage of Harmony. There were over 100
families in the society, and they en-
ployed themselves in agriculture and
manufactures. In 1904 they sold their
property and moved to Beaver county,
where they founded the village of Econ
Omy.
On account of the peculiar religious
beliefs of the society. which keep
them from marrying, its members have
gradually decreased until they are
mere handful as compared to what they
were formerly. At their most prosper
Gus period, which was a0ovt sixty years
ago, there were fully 500 persons who
acknowledged allegiance TO the beliefs
held by this society. Trouble came in
1882, and about one-third of their mem
bers left the original society and
formed new organization of their own.
lDlS SDllG WAS bIlc vi tllCli UC-
liefs on marriage, and as to the amount
of work to be done by the different
members.
By the death of Father Henrici many
believe the future success of the society
will be endangered, though others
strongly maintain that it will go on as
usual and with little change in its af-
fairs. What leads many of its most
devoted me mbers to have fears for the
society's future is its small membership.
It's numbers are becoming less each
year, and there are only few who
make formal application for member
ship. The society owns and controls
about $500 acres of ground in high
state of cultivation. Besides this,
numerous other industries are op-
Grated by it. AS there are factories
and facilities for supplying all their
needs, they can exist almost indie
pendently of outside influences, as it
has been their aim to be an economical
community, and they have succeeded in
the past.
The wealth of the community is said
to be about S30.0OO.0OO. though it has
frequently been claimed that it was
near Sl0O,00O,000. Father Henrici's fu-
neral will take place Tueseay after
noon. The remains will be buried in
the society'S cemetery at Economy.