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Material in the Immaterial World: Material Culture and the Realization of Utopia in Communities of Shakers, Mormons, and Oneida Perfectionists A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts at George Mason University by Kelsey Kim Bachelor of Arts Brigham Young University, 2013 Director: Jennifer van Horn, Professor Department of History of Decorative Arts Summer Semester 2016 George Mason University Fairfax, VA This work is licensed under a creative commons attribution-noderivs 3.0 unported license. ii DEDICATION I dedicate this thesis to my husband, Dan, who willingly spent our first three years of marriage sharing me with this Master’s program. His unwavering support in every way made this possible. Thank you, love, for giving me “wings to fly.” iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Countless helpful hands supported this project. I would like to thank, first and foremost, my adviser, Jennifer van Horn, who took on this project without knowing that I would write so much! Her encouragement and advice has truly made this project what it is. Second, to Dr. Angela George, for answering all of my questions, reading drafts of grant applications, and signing off on the first independent study that would become this thesis project. I express my immense gratitude to the Cosmos Club Foundation and the Rita O’Hara Fellowship board who believed in this thesis enough to fund three incredible research trips and allowed me to actually see all the objects! Resounding thanks as well to Kari Main at the Pioneer Memorial Museum, Alan Morrell at the LDS Church History Museum, Tony Wonderley at the Oneida Community Mansion House, Jerry Grant at the Shaker Museum Mount Lebanon, and Lisa Seymour at the New York State Museum; not only did they all provide countless informed insights into these three communities, they also allowed me to share my passion and bask in history with them. Another grateful thanks to the staff of the Library of Congress, the Church History Library in Salt Lake City, and the George Mason library system, who facilitated countless hours of research. Finally, thanks to all of my family and friends, including my husband, to whom I dedicated this project, for bearing with me through all the self-doubt, stress, and cancelled plans these last two and a half years. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page List of Figures ................................................................................................................... vii Abstract .............................................................................................................................. ix Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter One: Shakers ....................................................................................................... 11 Background ................................................................................................................... 11 Religious Beliefs ........................................................................................................ 11 Attitudes on Material Goods ...................................................................................... 13 Material ......................................................................................................................... 17 Furniture .................................................................................................................... 23 Textiles ...................................................................................................................... 32 Saleable Goods .......................................................................................................... 50 Chapter Two: Oneida Perfectionists ................................................................................. 62 Background ................................................................................................................... 64 Religious Beliefs and Practices ................................................................................. 64 Attitudes on Material Goods ...................................................................................... 67 Material ......................................................................................................................... 72 Furniture .................................................................................................................... 80 Textiles ...................................................................................................................... 94 Saleable Goods .......................................................................................................... 98 Chapter Three: Latter-Day Saints ................................................................................... 106 Background ................................................................................................................. 113 Religious Beliefs and Practices ............................................................................... 113 Attitudes on Material Goods .................................................................................... 115 Material ....................................................................................................................... 123 Furniture .................................................................................................................. 128 Textiles .................................................................................................................... 135 v Saleable Goods ........................................................................................................ 155 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 166 References ....................................................................................................................... 170 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page Figure 1. Shaker chair, hung on pegs. .............................................................................. 24 Figure 2. Patent Model for Button Joint Tilter ................................................................ 26 Figure 3. Four Shaker-made chests ................................................................................... 28 Figure 4. Washstand, ca. 1830 ......................................................................................... 32 Figure 5. Shaker male costume ....................................................................................... 37 Figure 6. Shaker Man’s Costume ...................................................................................... 39 Figure 7. Blue Shaker worship clothing .......................................................................... 40 Figure 8 Shaker female costume ...................................................................................... 42 Figure 9. The March, Shaker Worship, Lebanon, Aug. 16, 1856 .................................... 44 Figure 10. Watervliet South Family, 1916 ....................................................................... 47 Figure 11. Shaker rag rug ................................................................................................. 49 Figure 12. Shaker seed packets ........................................................................................ 54 Figure 13. Shaker dusting gloves. .................................................................................... 59 Figure 14. Crocheted animals .......................................................................................... 59 Figure 15. Miniature sewing basket ................................................................................. 61 Figure 16. Traditional Shaker sewing basket ................................................................... 62 Figure 17. Oneida Community Mansion House, ca. 1870 ............................................... 80 Figure 18. An Evening in the Social Hall. Oneida Community ...................................... 82 Figure 19. Vestibule “cabinet of curiosities” ................................................................... 85 Figure 20. Upper Sitting Room, Oneida Community Mansion House ............................ 88 Figure 21. Bedroom, Oneida Community Mansion House ............................................. 90 Figure 22. Miniature bureau #1 ....................................................................................... 92 Figure 23. Miniature Bureau #2 ....................................................................................... 92 Figure 24. Chair and Whatnot .......................................................................................... 93 Figure 25. Oneida Community “work bee.” .................................................................... 96 Figure 26. Oneida Community photograph ..................................................................... 98 Figure 27. Newhouse Trap advertisement .................................................................... 105 Figure 28. Section of chairs in the Pioneer Memorial Museum .................................... 129 Figure 29. Beehive House mantelpiece ......................................................................... 132 Figure 30. Room at the Pioneer Memorial Museum. ..................................................... 135 Figure 31. Mormon pioneer costume. ...........................................................................
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