Chapter 13
If the German nation is to gain any distinction at all in that Western continent, as it deserves, then care must be taken above all that its emigrants to the United States no longer spread around in all areas of these states a before scattered and separate and - I cannot repeat it often enough - above all it would have to be thoroughly prohibitive that anyone at all emigrate there who cannot support himself through farming or a trade, even if it would be that he had been called there.
Only of the emigration of whole colonies in which only able, industrious, honest and loyal persons, mostly families, are received is something great and favorable rightly to be expected. There are many examples of what united wills and powers, reasonable communal labor, even with little mean in the beginning, are able to accomplish in a short time in that land. The most remarkable colony of all in the United States is a German one which has the name Harmony and has a certain George Rapp as its founder. The community at whose head he stands, a kind of religious sect, stems originally from Württemberg where it was formed in the year 1785. In this land at that time the Lutheran religion was predominant and no one dared to believe in another religious system than that which was preached by the appointed teachers of the Lutheran religion. But Rapp dared nevertheless; for he asserted that the chief teaching which Luther drew out of the teachings of Jesus Christ and His apostles had fallen into almost complete oblivion and instead of religion's being a help toward bringing forth the rebirth of the spirit and bettering the life of man, it was turned into a machine of power to keep people in subjection to the civil authority.
Rapp soon got many adherents who formed a community. But then they were scorned and persecuted and because they did not want to go to the ruling church they were inflicted with fines and prison. But they still remained unshaken and although the persecutions increased, they multiplied the number of their community more and more. But under such circumstances they sighed for freedom and wished to settle in a part of the earth where they could enjoy religious freedom and could worship God according to the dictates of their heart without being hindered from it by men. Suggestions were made for them to take up a piece of land in France and finally also in their own land; but Rapp said: God showed me America and said: "This is the land where you shall serve me and confess my name." As a result the community decided with one voice to go to North America and chose Rapp, with several others, to travel ahead and look for a suitable area for settlement in that land.
In the year 1803 the delegates converged fortunately in Philadelphia and immediately commenced on the journey to the western country where they selected a place and sent their friends word about it; in 1804 the whole community consisting of 160 families sailed on three ships from Amsterdam. One of them landed in Baltimore and the other two in Philadelphia where Rapp was waiting to receive them. From there they had to make a difficult journey of 325 miles by land. In November forty families of them took to the western land and, regardless of the late season, built new houses of half-timbering where they spent the winter.
Early the next year, 1805, fifty other families followed which then brought the community to ninety families; and in February 1805 they formed a colony whose constitution they based on the words in Acts Chapter 4, v. 32: "Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common."
Under this constitution they built a city and named it Harmony to the perpetuity of their united mind and their brotherly love and continued from then on to conduct their work in brotherly and communal union. In the same year they built 46 houses of half-timbering, each one 18 feet wide and twenty-four feet long; a big barn; a very fine grist mill; 150 acres (225 Morgen) were for growing grain, 40 acres for potatoes and 15 acres for pasture.
In the year 1806 an inn was built partly of stone 32 feet wide and 42 feet long and two stories high, a barn 100 feet long, an oil mill, a blue dye-house and a tannery. They cleared 300 acres of land for farming and 58 acres for pasture.
In 1807 they put up a magazine out of brick, a saw mill and a brewery; 400 acres of land were cleared for farming and pasture and five acres for vineyards. Already in this year they sold of their products and manufactures 600 bushels of grain and 3000 gallons of whiskey.
In 1808 they built a meeting house 70 feet long and 55 feet wide out of brick and several other buildings and cattle stalls, a barn 80 feet long and a bridge over the Connoquenessing 220 feet long. A considerable piece of land was cleared and they sold 2000 bushels of grain and used 1400 of the same to distill whiskey.
In 1809 they built a fulling mill which took care of much work for the neighborhood; a hemp, oil and grist mill, a brick warehouse 46 feet long and 36 feet wide with a completely vaulted wine cellar underneath and another brick building of the same size. Again a considerable piece of land was cleared. The yield of this year was: 6000 bushels of corn, 4500 bushels of wheat, 4500 bushels of rye, 5000 bushels of oats, 10,000 bushels of potatoes, 4000 pounds of flax and hemp, 100 bushels of barley brewed into beer and 50 gallons of sweet oil out of white poppy which was of the same quality as imported olive oil. Of these products they sold 3000 bushels of grain, 1000 bushels of potatoes, 1000 bushels of wheat and used 1600 bushels of rye to distill brandy.
In 1810 a carding machine and two spinning machines for wool, to weave cloth from Merino wool, were set up. A barn was built, 100 feet long, further a house of brick big enough to set up twenty looms in the lower story; the second story was designated for a school.
In addition to the produce of the earth they had still many other manufactured wares which they sold, as: shoes, boots, saddles, iron work, cloth etc. and these and other manufactures made rapid progress.
In the morning after sunrise the bells are rung and a quarter hour after that everyone is at his business. Everything is cheerfulness and activity. A wooden bridge decorated splendidly with flowers leads over the Connoquenessing at which the city lies and once one is over this bridge one sees on the left a meadow which is drained with much effort and is now transformed into an excellent pasturing place. At its east end is a pleasure garden named the labyrinth and a botanical garden.
The labyrinth, which is a very tasteful flower garden, is decorated with various bushes which are arranged so that one can easily lose himself in it before he comes to the small temple, the symbol of harmony, which is in the middle of it. The garden and temple are symbols. The labyrinth illustrates the difficulty of arriving at harmony The outside of the temple is rough, to show that from afar it has no charm, inside, however, it is friendly and pretty to show the beauty of harmony when one has once arrived at it. The botanical garden is well stocked with the most valued plants and herbs and captures the attention of each authority.
Right on the other side of the bridge on the side of the stream stand several houses for dying cloth and fulling. On the north side of the stream rises a considerable prominence looking down from which one can view a large part of the holdings of this colony, namely the city, fields, meadows and animal herds. The community has a large herd of sheep; in 1812 they had 1000 head and wanted to multiply them to 3000; they are divided into three groups. The first group consisted of sheep purely of Merino descent of which most are genuine Merinos; the second group of half-breeds and the third of common country sheep and among them Merino rams. These herds were tended by three shepherds who slept with them every night in portable huts or cots; also a watchman from the city was with them during the night.
In the wool areas eight to twelve women were constantly busy sorting the wool for the carding machine which is not far from the stream. From there the wool was brought to the spinning house in the city where close to ten spinning machines are at work. In the weaving house many looms were at work in addition to still more winders and reels. The community had four smiths for the usual work and a nailsmith.
The barns always contained a supply of grain for a year. At the barns is an orchard, 25 acres large, well stocked with cultivated fruit trees. Immediately behind the barns was a hemp brake set up according to the newest model. It is driven by horses and is extremely handy. In the neighborhood stands the brewery which is a very comfortable building behind which lies a hops garden, in which the hops grow very lavishly. The porter which was brewed there ranks not in the least to that of England which Englishmen themselves testify.
All the factories and lines of industry were flourishing in the most lively way and in the warehouse there was a large supply of wares stocked up; among other things 450 pieces of broad and narrow cloth of which a large portion was made of Merino wool and was so good as is scarcely produced in England. The broadest cloth, as soon as it was finished, went in a hurry at ten dollars the ell.
In the evening the community gathered for worship. The church is usually full of people whose number goes over 500. The female sex sits on the one side and the male on the other. The hymn with which the service starts is simple, soft and inspiring. After singing they all fall on their knees for prayer. After the prayer follows the sermon full of much animation which the preacher, or Rapp, delivers. After the sermon a prayer and benediction.
At 10 o'clock in the evening the night watchman calls:
"Again a day is past and a step taken closer to our end; our time passes by and the joys of heaven are our reward!"
They repeat the last stanza at 11, 12, 1 and 2 o'clock and at 3 o'clock they call:
"Again the night is past and the morning is come; our time passes by and the joys of heaven are our reward!"
The vineyards are located at a mountain where one sees a number of terraces which rest on stone walls. A mile from there, to the east, one come into a very well cultivated beautiful valley through which the little Connoquenessing flows. Here the community has built a very sturdy stone house in which a grist mill, hemp mill, as well as an oil and fulling mill and also a carding machine are to be found. In the oil mill they crushed oil out of pumpkin seeds which produced a very good oil and also feed for the cattle. The fields of this community, richly covered with grain, flax, hemp and clover, are a true splendor. It is impossible to get a right idea about the industry and tireless perseverance of this extraordinary people. Everything moves them to perseverance: they all have the same standing with each other and each member shares in the welfare of the community to the same degree.
A distance away from the city the community has a large tile factory and not far distant from that is the burial place which is set in with a good fence; one finds on it no tombstones because the community plants flowers on the graves.
The bee hives are set up across from a large shrub and flower concern which is located close to the path of these insects which are just as industrious and flourish just as well as their owners who in turn accord them great attentiveness and without killing them take just the overflow of their manufactured honey.
The community has a considerable quantity of material for manufacture from their own products and a part of the same from the surrounding area. They get wrought iron from Pittsburgh and cast iron from Beaver. They also keep a supply of manufactured and spice wares which they get for the most part from Philadelphia and since they take only a very modest share from it they have a very extensive market. They make clothing and other things for the country folk 60 miles around.
The city of Harmony lies on the south side of the Connoquenessing River and the property of the community stretches round about the same; to the west about half a mile, to the east two and a half miles, to the north about three miles and to the south three miles. They owned about 9000 acres (13,500 Magdeburg Morgen) of land of which 2500 acres are cultivated and in addition three hamlets which do farming and several farmsteads in distant parts of the settlement. The earth is very fruitful and brings forth grain, grass, hemp and flax richly.
The city is laid out according to a regular plan. In the center is an open square 100 paces long and 75 wide; three streets run east and west, three south and north which intersect at right angles. The main street is 50 feet wide and the others 32 feet. The city is divided up into lots each containing a quarter acre and each family owns its own house and grounds with a couple of milk cows and as many pigs and poultry as it wants to keep. Whatever it needs otherwise in the way of foodstuffs and clothing the community provides, towards which their pay goes into the common till. Each family is therefore really independent of others insofar as domestic affairs go and at the same time everyone is bound into one body and this fact assures their common work an infallible success.
The working members of this community were approximately the following: 100 farmers, three shepherds, ten masons, three stone masons, three tile and brick makers, ten carpenters, two woodcutters, ten smiths, two wheelwrights, three turners, two nailsmiths, seven coppersmiths, three rope makers, ten shoemakers, two saddlers, three tanners, seven tailors, one soap boiler, one brewer, four brandy distillers, one gardner, two flour millers, two oil pressers, one butcher, six joiners, six dyers, preparers and shearers, one fulling miller, two hatters, two potters, two warpers (?), seventeen weavers, two wool combers, eight spinners, one rover (?), one clergyman, one schoolmaster, one doctor, one manager in the stores with two helpers, one innkeeper with one helper.
The basis of the community is religion and all its temporal relationships are conducted accordingly. The greater part of the same has been brought up in the Protestant religion and its religious principles are rather consistent with the same; one expresses the principles that hold the community together thus: love for God; goodwill toward men; purity of life and communal goods. One regards the preacher as called by God. His prayers and addresses he gives extemporaneously and if he is sick or absent then the congregation gathers nevertheless and discusses religious things. He is supported in the execution of his religious affairs by elders and deacons that are chosen from the community.
The children of the community are kept in school until they are fourteen years old. The school hours are in the morning and the afternoon is scheduled for such work as they can take care of easily. This arises out of an economic principle of the community to teach working just as well as reading and writing. They are instructed in the German and English language as also in writing and arithmetic.40
On Sunday the congregation assembles with religious intent at 9 o'clock in the forenoon in the schoolhouse to test the children who give various examples of their work. They assemble in the church at 12 o'clock and conduct the exercises already mentioned above which last about an hour and a half. They have another meeting in the evening at 6 o'clock and in addition to the Sunday gatherings they have religious gatherings in the evening twice a week. There is no example of any who are healthy and able to come to church that have neglected it. It is the greatest joy for them to come and the moral conduct of the congregation is above reproach. Among them one finds no wicked habits in currency, one hears no cursing, swearing and lying, one notices nowhere any excesses; and they are not tempted to deceits which are carried on so frequently in civilized society. As individuals they need no money and fear no shortage.
The worldly businesses are conducted in an orderly manner since over every branch of management they have employed overseers who stand under the general direction of the community They have five master farmers, one master mason, one master shoemaker (who cuts all of the leather), one master tailor and to the same degree in other handicrafts. Rapp takes care of the oversight of the factories and under the community has the general direction of all money matters and selling businesses.
When this community settled in Pennsylvania in Butler County, thirty English miles distant from Pittsburgh, their total resources after deducting travel expenses came to approximately 20,000 dollars which was soon exhausted through purchase of land and through the expense of having to support themselves until they could realize the fruits of their labor. Thus without money and credit they endured for a time great deprivations which had the consequence that many of their members, scared away by the encumbrances, settled in the state of Ohio and, thus separated from the community, cared only for their own fortune. Since they asked to get back what they had put into the common till, the restoration of the capital caused the community some difficulties; but they were soon brushed aside and the community then put together several written articles which had to be signed by those who wished to join it, whereby they thought they could avoid all difficulties of this kind for the future. According to these articles those who wish to withdraw from the community have the right to ask back everything that they put into the common till in stipulated installments, but without interest. Anyone can join the community and the act of reception is just as easy as their remaining provisions. The one entering indicates his intention and is taken for a trial period of a month during which time he lives in the inn. Then if he likes it and wants to adapt himself to the principles of its morality, he is immediately received as a member (they have no religious oath) and is entitled to all the privileges of the community If he is rich he disposes of all his resources to the common till; if he is poor he suffers no want, all of his needs are satisfied from this till.
The worth of this community was estimated in the year 1811 as follows:
| 9000 acres of land with tillable estates | 90,000 Dol. |
| Supply of foodstuffs for 800 persons for a year | 25,000 Dol. |
| Mills, machines and public buildings | 21,000 Dol. |
| Residences | 18,000 Dol. |
| Horses, cattle, pigs and poultry | 10,000 Dol. |
| 1000 sheep, of which 1/3 are mated by Merino rams, of which 1 ram costs 1000 Dol. | 6,000 Dol. |
| Supply of wares, spiritous drink, manufactures, leather, housewares, etc | 50,000 Dol. |
| 220,000 Dollars |
It must also be noted that the community bought its land for 20,000 dollars, so that it increased 70,000 dollars in price. This comes chiefly from clearing the 2500 acres which increases the worth of the remainder. The rise of land value in this way is always very favorable for new farmers who on the other hand have to endure great deprivations.
The discipline which Rapp introduced there is albeit very strict and it would have been hard for him to succeed at carrying this out, about which thousands are now amazed and gaze at his work, if he had not a long time previously in Württemberg prepared this colony as his great goal. All their religious principles with which he equipped them further his goal and he wisely sees to it that such are inculcated to children and grandchildren.
Several years ago, however, when he made celibacy for the future a matter of religion and the population had grown too much, misunderstandings and dissensions arose in his small state so that he sold the whole property again and moved with the greatest part of the community 600 English miles further inland to the Wabash after this colony in Pennsylvania had made such flourishing progress till into its seventeenth year. There at the Wabash Rapp bought 24,000 acres (36,000 Magdeburg Morgen) of land on which he started anew. The colony blossomed there still far more beautifully and bore the name used, Harmony The cloth factories from Merinos have an excellent reputation. Also the making of wine is supposed to have succeeded with excellent luck.
In the last year of my stay in Pennsylvania I read in the newspapers that Rapp had again sold the colony there for a considerable sum of money and had started farming again in the state of Ohio at the border of Pennsylvania where a new city of more than 100 houses was supposed to have been built already and generally great progress made which elicited the amazement of everyone about this special little folk. Since then I have found out nothing further about this colony.
In addition to this one, yet another German colony which consists likewise of Württembergers became known to me there. Its leader is the former Württemberg government counselor Haller who some years ago led a Württemberg colony of separatists which consisted of fifty families to Pennsylvania and settled in Blooming Glen not far from Williamsport in Lycoming County. In this colony Haller is the preacher, schoolteacher, judge and doctor and the colony also has a favorable, fortunate growth, only naturally not in size as Harmony.
There are there also several Swiss colonies of which New Switzerland in the state of and at the river Ohio and Bevay at the same river deserve to be mentioned. The first was founded in the year 1808 and had an exceptional growth; the second, founded in the year 1813, is now a very flourishing town. The spot on which it stands was still forest for the most part in the year 1814. In February of the same year the first house was built and now they number far over a hundred; a newspaper is also published there. In both colonies the making of wine is carried on with extraordinary, good success. The wine which one produces there, according to all reports, is supposed to be of altogether exceptional quality The banks of the Ohio are everywhere conducive and favorable to the culture of the grape vine. For the farming of all kinds of grain, however, no better place is to be found, also fruit is nowhere more plentiful, bigger and more beautiful than there; peaches especially thrive of which there is annually a great abundance for they also generally grow wild in the forest and the pigs get fat from eating them. For the new colonist in this state the tremendous supply of wild game which is to be found there and for those that settle in the vicinity of the Ohio and other rivers also the great abundance of fish is very commodious.
In such undertakings the French are generally less fortunate. One particular reason for it may be that with them the greatest percentage of heads or leaders as well as of colonists consists of soldiers to whom one can entrust neither great economic wisdom nor a desire to work and that these people introduce a completely military discipline and subordination as well as a division of property and of labor according to the various levels of the lower ranks. Most of the early undertakings of this kind by Frenchmen have failed again and of those who began large undertakings only a short time ago under the most advantageous terms nothing worthwhile is to be expected for just this reason.
The French were more fortunate with the effort to establish various factories which are crowned with a better success. In the United States one is thankful to those who emigrated from the West Indian islands to America in the times of the revolution in France, a beneficial influence toward activity of this kind.
There is no theme extant about which the views in Germany are so varied than about emigration to the United States of North America. The reason for it is that here one has so little knowledge about that transatlantic land. One is too little familiar with it; one praises it too much, and criticizes it too much, according to how the reports which arrive here from emigrants are tailored, which all too seldom are totally unbiased because all too frequently private interests guide their judgments. Yet even with a better knowledge of that land the views about emigration will still always remain varied, for it has many sides.
Source: Edited by Bryan Wright
