4 - 1 |lffi3f^^J<j*4^ T-h; , \ Cornell University Library HX 653.H62 American communities. 3 1924 002 674 665 THE LIBRARY OF THE NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL OF INDUSTRIAL AND LABOR RELATIONS AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY B Cornell University y Library The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924002674665 AMERICAN COMMUNITIES RBVISBD EDITION Enlarged to Include Additional Societies, New and Old, Communistic, Semi=Communistic and Co-operative By WILLIAM ALFRED HINDS, Ph. B. CHICAGO CHARLES H. KERR & COMPANY 1902 Copyright by William Alfred Hinds, Kenwood, N. Y., 1902. All Mights Reserved. CONTENTS Pages. Introductory 7, 8 Communism In Early American Colonies: James- town, Plymouth and the Moravian Settlements 9-11 The Bphrata Community: 169 years old; its Begin- ning, Growth and Decadence; its Buildings, like Solomon's Temple, made without use of Iron. .. 12-20 Jemima Wilkinson and her Jerusalem: her Astound- ing Claims; 500-mile March to a strange country and people; Eccentricities; Unknown Sepulchre. 21-25 The Shakers: 15 Societies and 35 Families; one of them 114 years old; Origin and Early History; their Founder and her "full Cross;" Shakerism as de- fined by the Shakers; Different Orders; Govern- ment; Progressive Changes; Celibacy; Returning , Prodigals; Longevity; Literature; Shaker Worship 26-62 (^he Harmonistsi) their First Community founded in I805^~l;0€l^ Tn'embers; Early Hardships and Suc- ceeding Prosperity; Removal to Indiana and Re- turn to Pennsylvania; Present Trustee and his Financial Work; Trials with Seceders; their Liber- ality; Characteristics of George Rapp and of his adopted son Frederick; Adoption of Celibacy; Dis- use of Tobacco; Destruction of the Property-Rec- ord; the Great Schism under the bogus Count. 03-90 The Separatists of Zoar: their Village founded in 1817; Why they adopted Communism; Questions frankly answered as to their History, Regulations, Practical Life, Future Expectations; Articles of Faith and Conduct; Zoar's Conditions Criticised; Dissolution; How the Property was divided; the most Democratic of Religious Communities 91-123 Robert Owen and his Communities: "Father of American Socialisms;" his Princely Liberality; Marvelous Changes under his Management at New Lanark; Radical Views on Education; Scheme of Socialistic Villages; Purchase of the Rappite Vil- lage and founding of the New Harmony Commun- ity of 90O members; Causes of its Failure; Yellow Springs and other Owenite Communities; Owen's Vast Plans and Noble Motives 124-14.3 CONTENTS The Perfectionists and their Communities: their Founder's Religious Zeal; New Doctrines; Ms Putney Community at first a Bible School; its . Bevelopment; the Hegira from Putney and its Causes; Oneida Community; its Log-Hut Begin- ning and Early Privations; Questions of Visitors answered as to Membership, Employments, Re- ligious and Social Principles, Race-Culture, Bear- ing of its Cliildren, and Rules of Admission; the System of Mutual Criticism; Daily Evening Meet- ings; Branch Society; Clerical Crusade against the Community; Good-Will Utterances of the Press; Change of Social Platform; Change to Joint-Stock; Present Prosperity; Co-operative Privileges 144-213 Hopedale Community: its existence of 17 years; Principles, Objects and Achievements as explained by its Founder; his great worli on Christian Com- munism; Dissolution and Reorganization 214-220 Fourieristic Associations and Phalanxes: the God- fathers of American Fourierism, and its Brilliant Apostles; their brave Words and brave Deeds; Horace Greeley's Consecration of his Entire For- tune; List of Experiments that lived and died be- __ tEeen, 1841 and 1858 ; . .221-225 VBrooli Farmj its Transcendental Origin; its noble Founders and their great Purposes; Beautiful Site; Communistic Features; Conversion to Fourierism; Causes of Failure; Founder's Noble Character 226-239 North-American Phalanx: Longest-lived of the Four- ier Experiments; Prosperity; Varied Industries; many Favorable Conditions; Financially Success- ful; Causes of its Dissolution 240-249 Fruitlands: the most Transcendental of Communi- ties: founded by A. Bronson Alcott and others; Contrasted with Brooli Farm ; Principles and Daily Life; Alcott's Zeal for Social Reform 250-254 Slianeateles Community: Radicalism of its Founder; Classes attracted to such Experiments; Internal Dissensions; Short Life; not a Financial Failure. .255-262 The Amana Community: the Largest and most Pros- perous of Existing Communities; its History and Early Persecutions; First Settlement near Buf- falo, N. Y.; Removal to Iowa; its Constitutional Principles and Regulations; Daily Life; ''Inspired CONTENTS Instruments;" Questions answered by its Secre- tary; Improvements Suggested; Articles of Faith and Conduct; the "Untersuchung" 263-280 The Bethel-Aurora Communities: their Founder; Con- ditions Favorable and Unfavorable; Communism and Individualism blended; the Bible their Consti- tution; Letter of the Deputy-President 287-299 A Community of Swedes: its Founder and his Dis- ciples; Persecuted by the Lutheran Church, he plans a Socialistic, Theocratic Community in the New World; Unparalleled Hardships in its First Years; Assassination of its Leader; Subsequent Prosperity of the Community; Wrecked by one Of its Trustees 300-320 The Icarians: Typical Experiment in Democratic Communism; Careers of Cabet and of Owen com- pared; Propagandism; Hundreds of Thousands of Icarians; First Experiment in Texas Disastrous; Second at Nauvoo, 111.; Cabet's Attempt to regain his relinquished Dictatorship rends the Commun- ity in twain; his Exile and Death; Cheltenham Com- munity; Removal of the Nauvoo Community to Iowa; Icarian Conditions in 1876 Described; Divi- sion into Two Communities; their History traced; End of Icarian Communism 321-354 Second-Adventist Communities: Celesta, or Peter Armstrong's Zion; a Wilderness Mountain-Home for the Saints; a Warning-Signal to Socialistic Travelers; the Adonai-Shomo; another Warning Signal; Fanaticism of its Leaders; the End 355-365 Brotherhood of the New Life: its Founder, T. L. Harris; his Salem-on-Brie Community in New York and Fountain-Grove Community in Califor- nia; Principles and Practical Life of the Brother- hood; its Dissensions; Battle Royal of Pantarchs; End of the Colonies, but not of the Brotherhood. .366-377 Shalam, or the Children's Land: Its Founder and his Oahspee Bible; How the Foundlings of Uz (the World) were to become a Superior Race; Disso- lution after the Expenditure of $300,000 378-381 Woodcliff Commimity, Woodcliff, N. J 382 The Koreshans: their three Communities; Radical Principles; Scientific Religion; New Cosmogony; the Messiah of to-day; Orders of Koreshanity 383-387 CONTENTS The Altruist Community, St. Louis, Mo 388 Ttie Commonwealth of Israel, AduUam, Texas 389 The Co-operative Brotherhood, Burley, Wash 390-396 Equality Colony, Equality, Wash 397-399 Buskin Commonwealth, Ruskin, Ga 400-402 Home-Employment C'ompajiy, Long Lane, Mo. ..... .403-405 Coloraclo Co-operative Company, Pinon, Col 40G-408 Fairhope Single-Tax Industrial Association, Ala. ,. .409-411 Mutual Home Association, Home, Wash 412-414 PYeedom Colony, Fulton, Bourbon County, Kan 415-417 Freeland Association, Holmes' Harbor, Wash 418-419 Co-operative Association of America, Lewiston, Me. .420-423 Projected Colonies 423 American League of Cooperative Associations 424 Inductions 425-426 Advantages of Community Life, by C. Nordhoff. .. .427-428 A Century of Social Progress, by Alfred R. Wallace. 428-429 Will Social Colonies be Multiplied? 430-432 Communism the Ultimate Basis of Society 432^33 ILLUSTRATIONS. Models of Dwellings and Factories of Oneida Com- munity, Limited, facing title page. Sister House and Saal at Ephrata, Pa., facing page. 15 Shaker Village, Mount Lebanon, N. Y., facing page 28 Elder Frederick W. Evans, facing page 41 Shaker Meeting at Canterbury, N. H., facing page 56 Harmonists' Hall of the Annual Festivals, facing page. 74 Harvest Scene at Zoar, Ohio, facing page 91 One of the Earliest Zoar Houses, facing page 95 Father Bimeler's House at Zoar, facing page ng Robert Owen, "Father of Socialism," facing page. ..... 124 John Humphrey Noyes, facing page 144 Dwelling of Oneida Community—an Old View, facing. 173 Brook Farm Phalanx, facing page 226 Dr. Wm. Keil, Founder of Bethel-Aurora, facing page. 287 Etienne Cabet, Icarian Leader and Founder, facing page 321 The Last Icarian Group, facing page 353 Thomas L. Harris, of the New Life, facing page ...... SCQ 6 INTRODUCTORY. Since the first edition of "American Communities" was published in 1878 new Communistic Societies have been established, some of the older ones have ceased to exist, others have been slowly sailing into their last harbor, while still others have undergone such changes that accounts of them written so long ago must be regarded as descriptive of their past rath- er than. their present condition; hence the demand for its revision ; and that it might better serve as a book of reference it has been enlarged to include accounts, not only of additional colonies, old and new, based on common property, of importance because of their numbers, principles or special peculiarities, but of many semi-communistic and co-operative societies. This enlargement appeared the more advisable be- cause of the regrettable destruction, a few years ago, by the fire that reduced to ashes the publishing house of J. B. Lippincott & Co., of the