The Newtown bee., 1900-04-20
The Shakers In This Count y.

LUTION.- FROM THE NEW YORK SUN l
 "Mother" Ann Lee, the founder of the Shaker fraternity, with eight of her con- gregation, namely Abraham Stanley Cher husband), William Lee Cher brother), Nancy Lee Cher niece) James Whittiker, John Hocknell and his son Richs I'd y James Shepherd and Mary Burlington embarked from Liverpool for America on the 18th of May, 1774, arriving in New York har- bor on the 9th of the following August. They remained in the vicinity of New York City until 1776. when one of the brethren, John Hocknell, who was pos- sessed of considerable means, purchased section of land seven miles out from AL bany, in wilderness called Niskeyuna, now known as Watervliet, N. Y. Here for about 3 1-2 years they lived the life of celibates in comparative SC clusion, hold ing everything in common.
 In 1779 8 large accession of members were added, as the result of religious revival in the adjoining town of New Lebanon and adjacent places, who re. garded "Mother Ann" as the embodiment of the second coming of Christ, thus establishing Shakerism as 8 fixed re- ligious institution in the community. This was the first communistic society in America.
 Occurring as it did during the excite ment of the Revolutionary war, it was quite natural that this little band of Shaker foreigners were regarded with disfavor, at first, no doubt, from their avowed expressions upon every occasion against the sinfulness of war, but later on fostered from the fact of their rapid growth in numbers. They were accused of being tories, and were arraigned be- fore the commissioners at Albany, who required them to take the oath of al- legiance. This they refused to do, on the ground that swearing was contrary to their faith. This resulted in July, 17S0, in the incarceration in the jail at Albany of the leaders and entire board of elders. Soon after 'sMother Ann" was taken from the prison and sent down the Hudson river with the intention of banishing her into the hands of the British army, but as this was found to be impracsicable at tn time, she was lodged in the jail at Pough- keepsie. In December of the same year they were all set st liberty by the order of George Clinton, the governor of New York state. They immediately returned to their homes, prospering largely from their persecution. In very short time their numbers gre so rapidly that it wae found advisable tO establish branches. A society was org nized at New Leba- non, N. Y., which became the parent institution and head of all the Shaker so. cieties, known as the Mount Lebanon community. Although the society at Watervliet was the elder institution, it became the second in the order of it's organization into body corporate. Two families were established here, but both under the immediate jurisdiction of the ministry of Mount Lebanon, as were all the other societies which followed. The Mount Lebanon and Watervliet societies formed what was denominated a bishop ric. Visitations were made from the DAT ent institution into Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Ohio and Kentucky, where societies were all formed, and re- gently one in Florida.
 The third in order of the societies was formed at Hancock, Mass., in 1790. It was here that the first Shaker hymn-book was published in 1913. It was not until the following May of 1791 that 8 con- munity was gathered at Harvard, making the fourth of the Shaker societies estab- lished instead of the first as stated in the Herald.
 In the beginning of the year 17SO the entire Shaker community comprised but nine individuals. In 1889 they numbered 5000. It must be borne in mind that they came entirely from the'1world's people," as there is no ''marrying or giving in marriage" in the Shaker community. It is strictly an association of celibates.
 At the present time there are 15 more or less fourishing Shaker communities in the United States.
 The remains of 'Mother Ann" lie in- tered in the little church cemetery of the society at Watervliet, simply marked by plain marble slab bearing this in scription: "Mo. Ann Lee, born Manches ter, England. February 29, 1736. De- parted this life September 8. 17S4."