Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1916-07-06


the trees when autumn comes, the
members Of the colony OF Shakers at
South Union are leaving off mortality,
to be again reunited in the spiritual
world where there is no more sepa-
ration.
II is with feeling Of sincere sor-
row that we record the passing away
of John Perryman, the oldest in point
Of service if not of years, of all the
members of the Society Of Shakers
founded in the early part Of the nine
teenth century, following what was
known as 'The Great Awakening in
Kentucky and throughout the Middle
West.
The colony Of men and women Sc
lected one of the richest spots in South
ern Kentucky, and acquired it by
purchase when land was the least
valuable of all the resources Of this
section. Community of ownership, a
ipaiernai form Of government, certain
fixed rules Of worship, and celibacy
formed the chief tenets Of the new
Organization.
For the first fifty years the colony
hourished. Men and women, tired of
the life the world gave, withdrew to
this homelike asylum, not altogether
for worship, but to be apart of the
busy beehive of industry. The men
worked in the fields and in the fac
tories. The women attended the
household duties, the spindles and the
looms. Here was made the finest of
silks from the cocoon cultivated on
the trees of the colony. From Shaker
town went out the finest of wooden
and cotton goods. The Shaker garden
seeds had a nationwide reputation.
Seventy years ago to this colony
came the mother of John Perryman
bearing an infant in her arms. What
her life story was probably no one
knows. Her husband had died, and
she felt unequal to the task of buffet
ing with the world. The colony gave
her a kindly welcome, and she soon
became one of the happiest and most
useful of the colony. She lived to a
ripe old age, and never went back to
'the world"
Young John never knew any other
home. Other members of the colony,
F, probably chatting under the restraint
and desiring to know more of what
was going on in the world around
them, left the colony. Most of them
wandered back after their little fling.
John Perryman never had any de-
sire to go away from the life. AL
| though by no means an ascetic, he al
ways wanted to go back to his own
roof tree when the shadows of night
fall came.
Probably his longest journey was
when he went with the delegation of
Southern Kentucky farmers to Louis
vile and the Blue Grass few weeks
ago. He was himself progressive
farmer, and was always on the look
out for new ideas for the increase of |
crops and for the rehabilitation of the
soil.
Many years ago the colony began
to decline in numbers. The factories
and mills went first because there was
no one to operate them. The cultiva-
ton of garden seed was no longer
profitable because of the combinations
in the East. By and by the Shakers
changed their plans, hired much of
their labor, and themselves supervised
the work. Now the finest livestock,
the best of corn, wheat, hay, tobacco
and other products of the farm are
cultivated on the broad acres of the
Shaker colony. In the direction of
the affairs of the colony, Mr.. Perry
man was always a leading factor, al
though the general management was
in the hands of Elder Logan Johns.
He was 70 years old and died of :
apoplexy Tuesday night.
1t is said that he had the largest col
lection of old and rare booksand relics |
in Southern Kentucky. He recently !
made the trip to Eastern Kentucky |
with the Western Kentucky Farmers. !
Bowling Green Messenger.
Look Good---Feel Good