Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1903-05-07
The Harmonic society

The sale of the property of the H4
monte Society (the practical extinsHlsh-
ment of the society and the .factthat
their first settlement in thfs country
was in Butler county, make some facts
regarding them of interest.
The society originated in Wurtem-
berg. Germany, about the year 11o5.
their belief being that the second ad-
vent of Christ was near at hand, that
this would end all things in this world,
and that all should keep themselves per
fectly pure and free from all passion so
as to beimIne diatdiy ready for the. eter
mai fifs, aud also in the Communistic
ided for which they relied upon Acts
w verse 90
They were prosecuted in Germany;
and in 1903, George Rapp, their pastor,
came to tins country, and bought a tract
of land, at and about the present loca-
ton of the town Of Harmony, and in
the autumn of the following year one
hundred and fifty families came over
and occupied IL @ -+1 sa
These endured many hardships, at
first, but their industry and persever-
| ence soon changed the forests into a
fiourishing settlement Their principal
! occupations were the culture of the
grape, and the raising of sheep, and as
their location was somewhat of disap-
pointment to them for these purposes.
they, in 1913, moved to larger tract
near Mt. Vernon in Posey county, Ind.
Here they built town they called
New Harmonic, planted vineyards,
built mills, churches, etc. and remained
for about dozen years. when finding
their location very unhealthy, they pur
chased and moved to the tract along
the Ohio, that has since been known tc
the world as Economy.
| When they left Butler county they
sold their property to Abraham Zieglel
| for 800, 000 and when they left 1ndi
ana they sold to Robert Owen for sl25,
| 900, and he founded communistic col
ony there.
In 1924 the society numbered 800 ano
in 1850, 300, nearly all old people
In 1881 an adventurer calling himself
Count De Leon made trouble in the so
ciety. Some members leaving and es
tablishing another colony, twelve miles
down the river at Philipsburg, most oi
whom, after the counts fight, returned
to Economy.
In 1923 they began the culture of thu
mulberry tree, and the raising of silk
worms, and in 1910 their manufacturer
silk was considered the best made II
the country, but it, like their cottoI
and wooden manufactures had to b.
abandoned on account of the decrease
| in their numbers.
In 1916 their entire property was val
ued at nearly million dollars, and il
SO at two millions.
In 1894 they lost over million dol
lars in banking enterprise in Beaver
Falls, and it was about this time tina
young Duss became the manager o
trustee of the property.
Now but three of the old members re
main, all old people, and they will
Duss, owned the property. which ha
been sold with some reservations fol
four millions.
The Economics were honest and up
right, peaceable and yirtuous, and thei
attempt at communism was eminentl
successful so far as this worlds affair
were concerned, but they erred IN disre
garding one of the great laws of natur
that of pro-creation-and to this the
owe their end.
| According to the Supreme Court de
cision obtained after the years of recen
litigation all this wealth will go to th
living members, the heirs of the dea
members having no share in it. Th
Court also decided that the living men
bers had at any time full power to win
up the affairs of the society.
Duss is the last remaining trustet
and under the society's law the propert
was held in trust for the society by th
trustees, reverting to the individuals o
its dissolution.