The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1895-09-14
SHAKERS MOVING TO FLORIDA

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the Mount Lebanon Coloay.
The Shakers of Mount Lebanon. who
have for an age been part of the pic
turesque rural life of New York state,
are soon to abandon their historical
town in the Berkshire hills, to cast
aside old sime tradition and custom,
and remove to pastures new. Within q
few days the Shaker society Of Mount
Lebanon has purchased, through real
estate broker, no less than eight thou
sand acres of land in Florida, ranging
northward from Lake Okeechobee, and
comprising large part of Osceola and
DeSoto counties. The Shakers are now
considering the purchase of eight thou
sand more acres, making sixteen thou
eand in all, which will include an en-
tire township in Florida. Some time
ago the Shakers purchased small tract
in California and another in northern
Ohio, but neither has proved suitable
for the establishment of large colony,
hence they turned their eyes to the
south, and have concluded a satisfac-
tory purchase. As a result of the deal
the Shakers will establish the largest
settlement in this country, and, rs the
land in Florida is rich and fertile, the
settlement will begin with every natu-
raj advantage. -~~s~ '"-as''
The removal to Florida of this his
torical sect, says the Florida Times
Union, will mark an era in the history
of the very remarkable society OF Mount
Lebanon. Originally these Mount Leb-
anon Shakers were an offshoot from
the society of Quakers or Friends. In
1747 some members of that society in
Manchester, England, formed distinct
association under the leadership of
James and Jane Wardly. For several
years the little company was only no
ticeable through being more noisy than
most of the assemblages Of Quakers,
dancing, shouting, trembling, etc., un-
der the supposed influence of the spirit.
But in ITO one of the members, ANA
Lee, professed to receive some peculiar
revelations, test.fying that the carna
nature Of the flesh was the root Of su
human depravity; and. second, that she
herself was Christ, or the lncarnats
deity, in the female form. The new sect
became thoroughly infatuated with Ann
Lees teachings; they called her "Motk-
er Ann," and declared their belief that
no blessing could descend to any per-
son except through her. But outside
of their small circle the new doctrines
were regarded as blasphemous. an6
Ann Lee and her worshipers were ina.
prisoned and fined.
In 1774, therefore, in obedience to an
other Of Ann Lees revelations, she and
several of her followers emigrated to
New York and settled in Niskayuns
(now Watervliet), about seven miles
from Albany. The death of Mother
Ann occurred in 1S47. She estab-
lished the community in the form of
family, and the general plan which she
laid down has ever since been followed.
In 1857 Joseph Meacham, one of AIMS
first converts in this country, collected
her adherents in settlement in Mount
Lebanon. Within few years Meacham
had formed eleven other settlements in
New York and other states. No other
societies were formed until about If
teen years later, when some mission
aries were sent to the west and founded
four communities In Ohio and two in
Kentucky. Part of these settlements
are still in existence; others have been
entirely dispersed. But the Mount
Lebanon settlement has remained the
''home," or original town OF the 10
ciety.