Identity, Place, Religion, and Narrative at New Lebanon Shaker Village 1759-1861 by Marcus

420 Pages·2009·17.47 MB·English

HOLY MOUNT:
Identity, Place, Religion, and Narrative at New Lebanon Shaker Village
1759-1861
by
Marcus Réginald Létourneau
A thesis submitted to the Department of Geography
in conformity with the requirements for
the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
Queen’s University at Kingston
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
May 2009
copyright© Marcus Réginald Létourneau
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ABSTRACT
While the Shakers are associated in North American with simplicity and
communalism, an examination of Shaker history reveals a dynamic and complex society.
Shaker life was structured by a powerful metanarrative: the Shakers were the ‘Chosen
People of God,’ who lived in ‘His Promised Land.’ This narrative, which is profoundly
geographical due to its intertwining of people with place, was not static in its
interpretation. Nevertheless, it served as the basis for the discourses concerning the most
appropriate means to live in the World, but not be of it. Few geographers have examined
religiosity and spirituality systematically. This research highlights the interaction
between religiosity, identity, place, and narrative as an essential element of the human
condition. Religiosity is expressed through narratives and rituals and buttresses a sense of
identity and belonging in place. Particular expressions of the Shaker covenantal narrative
were shaped by the places in which the Shakers existed. This work examines the Shaker
experience at New Lebanon Shaker Village (New York) focusing on the antebellum
period. It examines the context in which the Shakers existed, the shifts in the
interpretations of the Shaker covenantal narratives, and the means by which the Shaker
leadership disseminated their ideas.
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For Matthew Emile:
“I must study politics and war that my sons may have the liberty to study mathematics
and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural
science, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their
children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and
porcelain.”
John Adams. May 12, 1780
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This project would not have succeeded without the support of many people.
First and foremost I must thank my family. My parents, Réginald and Shirley, have
provided emotional and financial support as well as the necessary criticism throughout
my entire academic adventure. They have been steadfast supporters of me and I could not
have done this without them. My partner (in every sense of the word) Ginny has served
as my editor, my research assistant, my travel companion, and my cheerleader. She is one
of the main reasons I was able to complete such a monumental task. My son Matthew has
served as my muse and as a steadfast reminder that there is much more in life.
I have also been privileged to have studied under the tutelage of Dr. Anne Godlewska.
Her dedication to my work and to me has been remarkable. She has supported me
intellectually and financially, in the process becoming both a colleague and a friend. I
thank my examination committee for their willingness to examine this dissertation and to
provide comment. I must particularly thank Dr. Brian Osborne for the feedback and
support he has given me throughout my academic career.
I must also thank a number of other people. Jerry Grant and Sharon Duane Koomler of
the Shaker Museum and Library introduced me to New Lebanon and to the complex
history of the Shakers. Brother Arnold Hadd and the whole of the Shaker Community at
Sabbathday Lake not only extended their hospitality and their home to me when I visited
on research trips, but also encouraged me to examine the history of New Lebanon
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critically. Christian Goodwillie and the staff of Hancock Shaker Village provided
tremendous support and access to their wonderful archival collection. The staff at
Williams College Archives, the New York State Museum, the New York State Library,
the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Winterthur also contributed to this work in valuable
ways.
To all of you, Thank You. Without all of you, this would not have been possible. Any
errors or omissions are of my own accord.
Marcus Réginald Létourneau
May 2009
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract i
Dedication ii
Acknowledgments iii
Table of Contents v
List of Illustrations vii
Copyright Act. Section 29: Fair Dealings ix
Note on Manuscript Material x
Preface xi
Chapter 1: Introduction 1
“Origins” 3
Shakerism as a way of life 11
“The Narrow Path to Zion” 15
Research Questions and Outline 17
Chapter 2: The Relationship between Place, Identity, and Narrative 20
Geography and Religion: Criticism and Opportunity 21
Identity, Place, and Narrative 26
Utopia and Religious Communities 36
Narrative Analysis 47
The Inseparability of Narrative, Place, and Identity 49
Chapter 3: Contextualizing the New Lebanon Shakers 51
Shaker Origins 53
A City on the Hill: A Religious Place 61
Borderland: A Contested Place 77
The Yankee Zone 83
The Importance of Contextual Places 93
Chapter 4: Shaping the Shakers and America: Between the Revolution 95
and the Civil War
Building New Lebanon 96
A Dynamic and Transforming Place 102
The Shakers as Dynamic Group 117
A Changing Time and Place 133
Chapter 5: Covenants and Community: A House Founded on a Rock. 134
A Shaker Meta-Narrative. 134
The Covenantal Narrative 135
The Shaker Community 144
The Spiritual Covenant and the Temporal Covenant 148
God’s Places 157
Chapter 6:Engaging the Shaker Meta-narrative 158
Introduction: Engaging the Shaker Meta-Narrative 158
Expressing Shaker Life through Place: A Dynamic Process 159
The Earthly Zion 161
Communal Life 174
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Rules and Regulations 182
The Shaker relationship with the World and its People 191
Conclusion 201
Chapter 7: Building Zion 203
Introduction 203
The Shaker Village and Place 204
Nested Places 208
New Lebanon as a Dynamic Place 219
The Shaker use of landscapes 223
The Dwelling House 234
The Meeting House 242
The Office 255
Agriculture and Industry 257
The Holy Mount 264.
A Model for Others 269
Conclusion: Manifesting Belief in Physical Form 271
Chapter 8: Disseminating the Visions of Zion from New Lebanon 274
Introduction 274
Placing New Lebanon 275
Written Communication 281
Spiritual Exhortation and Emotional Support 282
Government 285
Circular Epistles and Written Regulations 292
Cartographic Works 295
Shaker Publishing 301
Conclusion: Disseminating the Shaker Message 309
Chapter 9: Epilogue 311
Concluding Thoughts 311
Future Research 316
Bibliography 319
Appendix A 365
Appendix B 366
Appendix C 373
Appendix D 378
Appendix E 393
Appendix F 395
Appendix G 398
Appendix H 401
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List of Illustrations
Figure 1-1: Shaker Settlements in the United States 4
Figure 1-2: Dining Room 8
Figure 1-3: Sitting Room 8
Figure 1-4: Infirmary 8
Figure 1-5: Sister Mildred’s Door 10
Figure 1-6: Brother Ted and Arnold at Work 10
Figure 3-1: Columbia and Berkshire Counties 52
Figure 3-2: New Lebanon’s Location Relative to Major Eastern North American 59
Centres
Figure 3-3: New Lebanon’s Location Relative to Albany 59
Figure 3-4: Mother Ann’s Tombstone 61
Figure 3-5: The Yankee Zone 84
Figure 3-6: New York and Massachusetts Land Grants 86
Figure 3-7: Origins - Villages 89
Figure 3-8: Origins - Families 90
Figure 3-9: Location of Homesteads for Early Converts 92
Figure 4-1: Contemporary Image of the Cane Ridge Revival 111
Figure 4-2: Cane Ridge Meeting House - 1934 112
Figure 6-1: Father Joseph’s Model of the Shaker ‘Courts’ 165
Figure 6-2: Shaker Seal 168
Figure 6-3: From Holy Mother Wisdom to Eldress Dana or Mother 168
Figure 6-4: The Holy City of Zion 172
Figure 6-5: Shaker Community Organization - 1787-1788 177
Figure 6-6: Early Sketch of a Shaker Dance (1794) 179
Figure 6-7: Sketch of Father Joseph’s Funeral (1796) 179
Figure 6-8: The Narrow Path 181
Figure 7-1: Bentham’s Panopticon 211
Figure 7-2: An example of Dutch American framing 215
Figure 7-3: Johannes L. Van Alen House c. 1760 216
Figure 7-4: The Bowery 1762 216
Figure 7-5: Spencer-Hinds House 216
Figure 7-6: First Meeting House at New Lebanon. 218
Figure 7-7: First Meeting House at Watervliet, NY 218
Figure 7-8: Canterbury Meeting House 218
Figure 7-9: Bishop House 220
Figure 7-10: Restructured Chimney in North Family Brethren’s Workshop 222
Figure 7-11: North Family ‘Second’ dwelling house 224
Figure 7-12: Image of New Lebanon’s Church Family c. 1865 225
Figure 7-13: Diagram of the Water System at New Lebanon 228
Figure 7-14: Early 20th Century Postcard Image of the Shaker Reservoir 229
Figure 7-15: Remnants of Shaker Dam near the North Family site 229
Figure 7-16: View of North Family at New Lebanon from the Great Stone Barn 233
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Figure 7-17: East and North Facades of First South Family Dwelling House 236
Figure 7-18: Detail - New Lebanon’s Church Family’s Dwelling House c. 1865 236
Figure 7-19: East (Front) Facade of North Family Dwelling House 237
Figure 7-20: Cross Section of North Family Dwelling House 239
Figure 7-21: Plan of Basement for North Family Dwelling House 239
Figure 7-22: Cooling System for North Family Dwelling House 240
Figure 7-23: First Floor Plan for North Family Dwelling House 241
Figure 7-24: Second Floor Plan 241
Figure 7-25: Huguenot temple at Charenton 244
Figure 7-26: Birmingham Friends Meetinghouse 245
Figure 7-27: Buckingham Friends Meetinghouse 245
Figure 7-28: Ceiling Beams in Sabbathday Lake Meeting House 247
Figure 7-29: Seventeenth Century Anglo American Interior 247
Figure 7-30: Seventeenth Century Dutch American Interior 247
Figure 7-31: Bracing used in the Shirley Meetinghouse 248
Figure 7-32: Dutch Anchor Bracing Styles 248
Figure 7-33: Second Meeting House at New Lebanon 250
Figure 7-34: Second Meeting House Truss Work 252
Figure 7-35: Detailed drawings of Second Meeting House Truss Work. 252
Figure 7-36: Bridge at Waterford 252
Figure 7-37: Hancock Village Office c. 1880 256
Figure 7-38: Hancock Village Office Showing 1890s Renovations 256
Figure 7-39: Early image of the Great Stone Barn 259
Figure 7-40: 1931 Image of the Great Stone Barn 259
Figure 7-41: Interior of the Great Stone Barn 260
Figure 7-42: Second Family Workshop and Barn 260
Figure 7-43: Image of the Drying and Ironing Room 262
Figure 7-44: Centre Family Blacksmith Shop 262
Figure 7-45: Triphammer in the Collection of the Shaker Museum and Library 262
Figure 7-46: Shaker Factory 263
Figure 7-47: Brethren’s Workshop 263
Figure 7-48: Workshop North Family 263
Figure 7-49: Design for Shaker Signs 265
Figure 7-50: The Shaker Signs 265
Figure 7-51: Late Nineteenth Century Image of New Lebanon Shaker Village 272
Figure 8-1: The Voyages of Mother Ann 279
Figure 8-2: New Lebanon. Attributed to Isaac Newton Youngs 1827-1839 298
Figure 8-3: New Lebanon. Attributed to Henry C. Blinn. c. 1839-49 299
Figure 8-4: Detail from Blinn’s Map Showing North Family Detail 300
Figure 8-5: Detail from Blinn’s Map Showing Details of the Meetinghouse 300
Figure 9-1: Shaker Village Ski Group. c. 1975 317
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COPYRIGHT ACT. SECTION 29: FAIR DEALINGS.
As this dissertation is a non-profit publication, images have been included without
obtaining prior copyright clearance for each individual image. What would otherwise be
an infringement of copyright for a commercial publication is, in Canada, permissible
under the ‘Fair Dealing’ provision in Section 29 of the Copyright Act, which follows.
Fair Dealing
Research or private study.
29. Fair dealing for the purpose of research or private study does not infringe
copyright. R.S., 1985, c. C-42, s 29; 1985, c. 10 (4th Supp.), s. 7; 1994, c. 47. s.61;
1997.
Criticism or review
29.1 Fair dealing for the purpose of criticism or review does not infringe
copyright if the following are mentioned:
(a) the source; and
(b) if given in the source, the name of the
(i) author, in the case of a work
(ii) performer, in the case of a performer’s performance
(iii) make, in the case of a sound recording, or
(iv) broadcaster, in the case of a communication signal.
1997, c. 24, s. 18
The Act can be found online at:
http://canada.justice.gc.ca/FTP/EN/Laws/Chao/C/C-42.txt