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From the Ashes of Utopia How Posey County’S New Harmony Society of 1825 to 1827 Changed America

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From the Ashes of Utopia How Posey County’S New Harmony Society of 1825 to 1827 Changed America From the Ashes of Utopia How Posey County’s New Harmony Society of 1825 to 1827 Changed America ELIZABETH FLYNN View of New Harmony, Indiana, during the time of the Owenites, 1825 to 1827 (W. H. Bass Photo Company Collection, P 0130, Indiana Historical Society) On a spring day in 1827, Robert orchards, vineyards, and fields of corn, Preliminary Society of New Harmony Owen made his “farewell address to wheat, and rye that fed and nourished was formed.5 Its constitution stated the the citizens of New Harmony and their communities.3 When Owen ar- basis for the society’s existence, which members of the neighboring communi- rived in Indiana from Scotland in 1824, was “to promote the Happiness of the ties.” His address ended thirteen years Rapp’s Harmonie Society had been World.”6 One of the principles listed in of utopian communal living in Posey operating along the river’s banks for ten a successive draft of the constitution County. Speaking later about the demise years. Rapp offered the village and the was “equality of rights, uninfluenced of his community, he indicated that twenty thousand acres of land for sale by sex or condition, in all adults.”7 he felt regret but not anger.1 Like most and moved his Rappite community to “Owen advocated sexual equality pure nineteenth-century American com- Pennsylvania.4 and simple in education, rights, privi- munal societies, New Harmony failed. Utopian societies dotted the Ameri- leges, and personal liberty.”8 Promised But some of Owen’s ideas rose from can frontier in the 1800s for many real complete equality, the Society of New those ashes to live on and prosper. Two or perceived reasons—the industrial Harmony men and women enjoyed the principles outlined in his constitution, revolution had appeared to diminish same rights. “equality of rights” and “acquisition man’s importance; urban areas were America’s first feminist, Frances of knowledge,” flourished beyond his dirty and overcrowded; and society was “Fanny” Wright, heard about Owen experiment and influenced society long thought by some to be inherently evil. and his new community upon arriving after his farewell.2 Social dreamers saw the new America in America, also from Scotland with New Harmony in Posey County with its vast, open land and proclama- utopian dreams, and she moved to New lies along the banks of the Wabash tion of freedom as the perfect place to Harmony. She was very excited about River in southwest Indiana. The lush pursue their ideals. And so it was in 1825 Owen’s “plan to save the world.”9 At green landscape of summer, towering with Owen, newly arrived from Scotland. New Harmony in 1826 she founded trees, and gently rolling hills must have In front of hundreds of “freethinkers” the Woman’s Social Society, the first contributed to visions of perfection for and others who had gathered in the old women’s organization in America. Owen both Owen and his utopian predeces- Rappite church he announced, “I am completely supported Wright and her sor, George Rapp. The fertile river land come to this country, to introduce an work promoting women’s equality. After was perfect for planting apple and pear entire new state of society,” and the both of their societies collapsed, Wright 96 THG: CONNECTIONS -Connections-GUTS.indd 96 10/9/09 12:21 PM.
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