South Dakota State University Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange South Dakota State University Agricultural Bulletins Experiment Station 3-1-1980 The uttH erites and Their Agriculture: 100 years in South Dakota J. Satterlee Follow this and additional works at: http://openprairie.sdstate.edu/agexperimentsta_bulletins Recommended Citation Satterlee, J., "The uttH erites and Their Agriculture: 100 years in South Dakota" (1980). Bulletins. Paper 674. http://openprairie.sdstate.edu/agexperimentsta_bulletins/674 This Bulletin is brought to you for free and open access by the South Dakota State University Agricultural Experiment Station at Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Bulletins by an authorized administrator of Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Contents The Hutterite Brethren . .. .. .. .. 3 History .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 South Dakota colonies . .. .. .. .. 4 Beliefs and principles . .. .. .. .. 8 Hutterite principles applied to agriculture .. 10 Hutterite colonies, population, and agriculture . 11 Hutterite colonies in North America . .. .. 11 South Dakota colonies . .. .. .. 15 Major crop and livestock enterprises in 1974 . 16 South Dakota vs Manitoba colonies ......... 17 Update: New colonies and farms, 1974-1979 ... 18 Selected bibliography . .. .. .. .. 21 Cover photo courtesy Jerry Welch. Rochester Post-Bulletin. Published in accordance with an Act passed in 1881 by the 14th Legislative Assembly, Dakota Territory, establishing the Dakota Agriculture College and with the Act of re­ organization passed in 1887 by the 17th Legislative Assembly, which established the Agricultural Experiment Station at South Dakota State University. File: 5.4-1-8,000 at estimated 37 cents each-3-8mb-4871A. South Dakota is the home of the the Protestant Reformation. Yankton) is still in existence and is original American settlement of a The most distinctive feature of the thriving. small religious group known as the Hutterite way of life is the combina­ The second reason for local in­ Hutterite Brethren. The members of tion of communal living and modern terest is that South Dakota has the this religious sect have lived in small agricultural enterprises. That the largest Hutterite population and the agricultural villages (colonies) in Hutterites have been successful is greatest number of colonies in the South Dakota since 1874. Since then, born out by the fact that both their United States and these populations over 200 colonies have been population and their colonies are are growing. established in the farming areas of flourishing. The South Dakota Agricultural Ex­ the northern prairie states and the The Hutterites are important to periment Station has published five western provinces of Canada. other groups because they constitute reports over the last 20 years on the Today the Hutterites still live com­ a rural-farm society based on tradi­ communal farms of the Hutterite munally in their colonies, sharing, tion in the midst of a rapidly chang­ Brethren in South Dakota.1 The pres­ according to their religious beliefs, ing urban-industrial society. South ent report provides an update. Its all their worldly goods_. The Hut­ Dakotans have a special interest in material comes from a 1974 field terites are unique: While using the the Hutterites and their communal survey in which the leaders in all the most modern agricultural tech­ farms for at least two reasons. Hutterite colonies in South Dakota nology, they have isolated them­ From a historical standpoint, were interviewed for population and selves from the main currents of South Dakota is the location of the agricultural information. Also in­ western civilization. The strong first settlements of Hutterites when cluded are revisions and additions to boundary maintenance of their they migrated from Russia in the general information on Hutterite life social system has enabled them to years 1874 to 1879. In fact, the first and colony organization. retain much of their culture and colony they established in North social organization developed during America (Old Bon Homme near 'See bibliography for these publications. The Hutterite Brethren ___ ___________History_ ___ ____ _ out of the Protestant Reformation pret the New Testament literally, in­ Origin of Hutterites struggles of sixteenth century sisting upon the complete sharing of Europe. worldly possessions. It is this princi­ The Hutterites are a very old The founders of the Hutterian ple that provides the basis for their religious sect. 2 They originated over Brotherhood subscribed to the communal living. four centuries ago in 1528 in Austria Anabaptist beliefs of adult baptism Because of these beliefs, the Hut­ and Moravia. An offshoot of the and separation of church and state. terites were subjected to severe Swiss Brethren, they are one · of In accord with the Swiss Brethren, persecution by both "church" and several Anabaptist groups (believers they were strongly opposed to war. "state." They were imprisoned, flog­ in adult baptism) that arose directly One additional belief distin­ ged, burned at the stake, and driven guishes Hutterites from the Men­ from place to place. At times, it ap­ 'information on the history of the Hutterites is drawn largely nonites and other Ana baptist peared that the group would disinte­ from john Horsch. The Hutterite Brethren 1528-1931: Henry C. groups-the principle of "communi­ grate. Willing Smith. Smith's story of the Mennonites 3rd rev ed: and John to flee rather than to Hostetler. Hutterite society. ty of goods." The Hutterites inter- sacrifice their beliefs, the Hutterites 3 were forced eventually from Russia tected them from attacks by the Colonies in Russia and came to the United States. It is Catholic Church and the Emperor as Prior to Migration only here in the United States and in long as possible. However, the Canada that Hutterite populations power of the nobles was broken in At the time of their migration to are presently found. 1620 and the Hutterites were forced America, the Hutterites were living Jacob Hutter, from whom the sect to flee Moravia. in three villages in the Ukraine. They derives its name, was a hatmaker. were located on the west side of the Prior to joining the Hutterites in For more than 150 years, they Dnieper River about 200 miles nor­ Moravia he had been chief pastor of moved from place to place in thwest of Odessa on the Black Sea. the Tyrolese Anabaptists. Hungary and neighboring countries, One congregation, committed to Although Hutter was not highly often forced to flee for their lives. communal living, had settled at educated, he did possess unique Although of ten close to extinction, a Scheromet under the leadership of a leadership and organizational small group always managed to sur­ minister called "Schmied-Michel" abilities and, in 1533, he became vive and carry on the faith. because he was a blacksmith, and pastor of the Hutterites. consequently, his group was refer­ It was through his leadership and Finally, under the tolerant reign of red to as the Schmiedeleut (the the efforts of his assistants that the Catherine the Great, the surviving Smith's people). well defined pattern of community Hutterites in Wallachia entered into A second congregation, distinct living developed, based on an inter­ a contract with Russian Count from the first group, lived com­ pretation of New Testament prin­ Romanzov in 1770, receiving permis­ munally at Hutterdorf under the ciples. Hutter was burned at the sion to settle on one of his manors in leadership of Darius Walter. It soon stake for his beliefs in 1536 at Inns­ the Northern Ukraine. Freedom of took the name Dariusleut (Darius' bruck, Austria. religion was guaranteed to them, people), after the given name of their and they were granted exemption minister. from military conscription. The third branch of the Hutterites, Hutterites in Europe the Lehrerleut (the teacher's people) An edict nullifying their grant of was not formed until after the ar­ The history 9f the Hutterites in exemption from military service was rival of its members in South Dakota. Europe falls into three general issued in 1871. After an appeal to The members of this branch had at­ periods: (1) approximately a century the crown failed, their non­ tempted to-establish a Bruderhof in in Moravia; ('2) nearly a century and resistance policy demanded they the village of Johannesruh but never a half in Hungary, Transylvania, and emigrate. The Hutterites and the quite succeeded. It was not until Wallachia; and (3) slightly over a Mennonites decided to send delega­ they settled in Sou th Dakota under century in Russia. tions to various countries, including the leadership of Jacob Wipf, an ac­ The Moravian nobles considered America, to look for possible loca­ complished teacher (Lehrer), that the Hutterites good tenants and pro- tions for their settlements. they began to live communally. Settlement in The latter group of noncolony Hut­ miles north of Yankton on govern­ Dakota Territory terites became known as the ment grounds, spending the winter Prairieleut (prairie people). They liv­ in sod houses on the open prairie at ed on individual farms, continued to Silver Lake. In 1875 they moved 12 Between 1874 and 1879 practical­ speak "Hutterisch," and eventually miles west of Freeman in the