USA > Indiana > Posey County > History and directory of Posey County [Indiana] : containing an account of the early settlement and organization of the county : also a complete list of the tax-payers, their post-office addresses and places of residence, together with a business directory of Mt. Vernon and New Harmony also biographical sketches of prominent citizens of the county > Part 9
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NEW HARMONY, HARMONY TOWNSHIP.
SETTLEMENT OF THE RAPPITES-A PECULIAR BUT EXCELLENT CLASS OF PEOPLE-SALE OF PROPERTY TO AND SUCCESSION OF ROBERT OWEN -DISTINGUISHED MEN-NEWSPAPERS-POSTMASTERS-SECRET AND OTHER SOCIETIES-THE PLANK ROAD -- THE TOWN'S GROWTH AND CONDITION.
No place in the County has a more interesting history than New Harmony, and it is probably more widely known than any other town of its size in the country, solely due to the relations which the Rappites and the Owens bore towards it. In 1805 Michael Hahn and George Rapp, dissenting from the doctrines of Lutherianism, were made the objects of persecution by the supporters of that religious faith until they were, for personal liberty, compelled to seek a land where they could promulgate the tenets of their peculiar belief without restriction. Early in that year "three ship-loads of colonists, under Rapp's leader- ship," left their home in Wurtemberg, Germany, and sailed for America, settling in Butler County, Pennsylvania, where they pur-
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chased lands, erected houses and began life according to the manner which they had previously planned. "Imitating the example which was first set, perhaps, by the Pythagorean College at Cretona, and which followed, five hundred years later, by the early Christians, they threw their entire possessions into a community stock, resolving thence- forth to have all things in common; adopted a simple and uniform style of dress, and built their dwellings nearly alike. Two years later, following Paul's suggestions, they adopted the principle of celibacy."
In the year 1812 George Rapp visited the Southern portion of Indiana and was so well pleased with the Northern locality of Posey County that he resolved upon removing, with his colonists, to the present site of New Harmony. In June, 1814, he and one hundred others emigrated to their new home, followed by the whole colony in the Summer of 1815. During the ten years of their residence in Pennsylvania, by steady industry and rigid economy, the colony accumulated considerable property, consisting of herds and flocks, a woolen factory and 6,000 acres of land. Before they took their final departure, this property was sold for $100,000 cash, though its value was supposed to be much greater than that sum. The colony included one hundred and twenty-five families, or about seven hundred persons. When they had erected places of business and their residences they gave the place the name of Harmonie, which was changed to New Harmony when the property was purchased by Robert Owen, a few years afterward, during which the Rappites acquired, by purchase and entry, 30,000 acres of land, of which they entered at the land office at Vincennes, at different periods, 17,022 acres. Robert Dale Owen, a man of splendid literary attainments, in his Autobiography, in speaking of this peculiar class, says :
"Here they remained ten years, clearing several thousand acres of land, engaging in manufactures, chiefly of woolen and cotton goods; planting vineyards, and increasing rapidly in wealth and prosperity. Though comporting themselves as quiet, inoffensive citizens, they had several unpleasant collisions with their neighbors, the early settlers of the country. It was this, probably, that induced them, when erecting a large granary, to build its lower portion of stone, two feet thick, with loop-holes as in a fortress; to make the building fire-proof, roofing it with tiles; and to excavate a subterranean passage communi- cating from this fortress-granary to the large dwelling occupied by George Rapp and his family. The passage has fallen into disuse and is choked up; but the building remains as originally put up, except that large windows have been cut in it. It is now occupied by the machinery of a thriving woolen factory.
"They erected also, in the form of a cross, a very spacious Hall, chiefly used for religious meetings. On a pediment of freestone sur-
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mounting the principal entrance of this Hall, is still to be seen a some- what rude bas-relief of a rose and wreath surrounding it, the date 1822, and, beneath, the inscription " Micha 4, v. 8" This building is now occupied partly as a produce warehouse, partly as a library room, and partly as the place of meeting of the 'Working Men's Institute,' a literary society established in April, 1838.
" Besides Rapp's spacious dwelling (since accidentally destroyed by fire) and many smaller buildings, some framed and some of brick, the Harmonites erected four large brick buildings that were used by them as common lodging and boarding houses. Of these one has since been pulled down and the remaining three are now occupied, one as a hotel, another as a dry goods store and warehouse, (but containing also a printing office, an Agricultural Society's room, an Odd Fellows' Hall and a Masonic Hall,) while the third is used as a public hall, ball room, and occasionally as a theatre.
"Whether because the managers of the Harmony Association found that the members could be more readily governed by occasional change of residence and occupation, or from whatever other motive, George Rapp, aided by his adopted son, Frederick Reichart, after a ten years' residence on the Wabash, determined to make another move; this time eastward instead of westward; 'and, through the agency of Mr. Richard Flower, of Albion, Illinois, the village of New Harmony and upwards of twenty thousand acres of land were sold, in 1825, for a hundred and fifty thousand dollars, to Robert Owen, of New Lanark, Scotland; a gentleman well-known as a philanthropist, and on account of his socialistic views.
"Mr. Owen shared Mr. Rapp's opinion in regard to community of property, believing that to be the most happy and harmonious condi- tion of life; and he made this purchase with a view to such an experi- ment. He differed from Mr. Rapp on the matter of celibacy ; believ- ing that marriage, by a simple rite and with reasonable facility of divorce in case of unsuitability and consequent discord, was the proper rule. In regard to religion he held to the largest liberty; regarding charity in all things as the foundation of the purest system of morals.
"He never succeeded, however, in carrying out an experiment based on these views. He founded a 'Preliminary Society,' as it was called, as the first step, in which the principle of common labor was partially introduced. In a few months the village: was filled; between eight hundred and one thousand persons coming together from all parts of the Union, and some from Europe. Of these a portion; imbued with Mr. Owen's principles, engaged, with honest zeal, in an effort to carry them out; while a larger portion came seeking an easy mode of living, without hard work and secure from all fear of want. Others again there were, determined to speculate on the benevolence and confiding
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temper of the founder and to make private profit out a humanitarian enterprise.
"With such heterogeneous materials, success even in a project far more feasible, would have been hopeless. Little more than a year's experience in the preliminary society proved sufficient to show, even to one so sanguine as Robert Owen, the impossibility of success. He abandoned the undertaking and returned to England, leaving the property under the management of his two eldest sons.
"Thenceforth the career of New Harmony was similar to that of other Western villages; modified, however, by two peculiarities. The one, its isolated position; situated in what is sometimes called 'The Pocket,' being the delta formed near the junction of the Wabash and Ohio rivers; in a rich farming country indeed, but aside from any main line of communication and at a distance from any of the canals, Macadamized roads and railroads that gradually intersected the State : this comparative isolation causing it to make, for many years, but slow material progress. The other was the haven of the original experi- ment, working results favorable to the social harmony and to the literary and scientific education of the place. Many persons, some of distinction, attracted by Robert Owen's reputation for benevolence and by the philanthropic character of his enterprise, settled, at an early day, in New Harmony. Among these was William Maclure, a laborious geologist, principal founder of the 'Academy of Natural Sciences' in Philadelphia, who had made extensive geological and mineralogical collections in all the countries of Europe and in almost all the states of America; who, in 1826, made a considerable purchase of land and houses from Mr. Owen." Mr. Maclure was the author of "Maclures' Opinions," "Essay on the formation of Rocks," Geology of the "West Indian Islands" and the "Outlines of the Geology of the United States." He died at St. Angel, near the city of Mexico, March 22, 1840 : aged 78 years. "There were also Thomas Say," says the same author, "who had accompanied, as naturalist, the United States expedition to the Pacific, by Major Long, and who was regarded as the best entomologist of his day; Charles Leseur, a French naturalist, engaged by the managers of the Jardin des Plantes, at Paris, to make for them collections in the various branches of Natural History ; Pro- fessor Troost, afterwards of the Nashville University ; Robert Henry Faunt Le Roy, one of the principal officers of the United States Coast Survey; together with several friends of education from Europe, in- cluding Joseph Neef, formerly one of Pestalozzi's professors at Iverdun, Madame Fretageot and Wm. P. D'Arusmont, an eccentric Frenchman who afterwards became the husband of Francis Wright." Mrs. Mary D. Fretageot, a lady of great learning, came to New Harmony, at the request of Wm. Maclure, in 1825. She assisted that gentleman until
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1831, when she went to Paris, returning to Mexico, where she soon died of cholera, at the city of Mexico. She was the mother of A. E. Fretageot, a former county commissioner and prominent merchant of New Harmony, who was the father of A. H. Fretageot, Esq.
" Mr. Maclure," continues our author, "endowed the 'Working Men's Institute,' already mentioned, conveying to them a wing of the hall and laying the foundation for their library. He also gave a por- tion of his valuable collection of fossils and minerals to Dr. David Dale Owen, third son of Robert Owen. Dr. Owen subsequently be- came Geologist of the United States ; holding that position for six or seven years, during which time he surveyed and set off the mineral lands throughout a portion of the United States territory exceeding in extent the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. Dr. Owen and the members of his geological corps were in the habit of giving free lec- tures on scientific subjects to the inhabitants ; and a year or two before his death, he built, at a cost of ten thousand dollars, a library, which is still one of the ornaments of the place. . A younger brother, Richard Owen, was Geologist of the State of Indiana and until recently one of the Professors of the Indiana State University ; While Mr. Owen's oldest son, Robert Dale Owen, was, successively, member of the Indi- ana Legislature, Trustee of the State University, member of Congress, Regent of the Smithsonian Institute and American Minister to Naples, and an author of considerable celebrity. William Michaux, an English- man of very retired habits and for many years a resident of the vil- lage, left, by his will, a thousand dollars to the public library. Alex- ander Maclure, a younger brother of William, also made a considera- ble contribution of books." So, at various times, have other citizens of the place contributed.
It is stated of Michaux, that he, becoming tired of life, and not wishing to destroy himself by personal violence, carried a lightning rod and exposed himself during thunder showers, with the hope that Providence might gratify his wishes in that particular. But, despite his efforts to attract the dangerous fluid, he lived and died a natural death several years afterward.
" The library now contains, as the catalogue will show, about 3, - 400 volumes ; being upwards of four volumes for every inhabitant of the village proper ; the population amounting to eight hundred. It is doubtful if there be, in the United States, a village in which the num- ber of books composing its public library, bears the same proportion to its population.
" These various influences have undoubtedly given tone to the place. Then again, surrounded by some of the finest lands in the State which are occupied, in part, by farmers well-to-do in the world, its business, of late years especially, has been considerable."
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Edward T. Cox, for several years State Geologist of Indiana, was born and raised in this place.
"New Harmony is usually considered a very pleasant place of resi- dence; most of those who leave it and succeed in the world returning to it again. It is noted for the musical talent it contains, of which the cultivation is due in part to a lady, a native of Scotland, daughter of a musician of repute and herself thoroughly trained as a teacher, who resided here many years, in part also to Josiah Warren, an excellent musician, who led its band in early days, and has since become known as the author of a system of "Equitable Commerce." It is a place, too, noted for its love of country amusements-of picnics and straw- berry parties and blackberry gatherings and Fourth of July celebra- tions, and theatre-going about New Year's Day and other festival times. Its chief yearly festival, however, is its Agricultural Fair, one of the most successful in the State, occupying four or five days in the month of September, and usually frequented by six or seven thousand visitors, some from adjoining States. The fair grounds, half a mile east of the village, including twenty-four acres and a covered amphitheatre that will seat nearly, three thousand spectators.
"There are two churches, well attended, Methodist and Episco- pal; each having a prosperous Sunday school attached; the Methodist Sunday school having two hundred scholars, and that of the Episcopal church half that number. There is also a public school with some three hundred pupils, besides several private schools, one of these, for advanced students, being under the efficient guidance of the Episcopal clergyman. There is also a newspaper, conveying to the villagers, once a week, a summary of current events.
"The village of New Harmony, one of the healthiest in the State, will, it is believed, well repay a visit. The traveler will come upon it, romantically situated in a rich, beautifully cultivated valley, sur- rounded by a semi-circular range of undulating hills, some as pasture, some covered with orchards. He will find it literally embowered in trees, rows of black locust marking the street lines. He will see several large buildings standing out above the foliage ; a granary, the woolen factory and two steam mills for the manufacture of corn meal; but chiefly the venerable Old Hall, somewhat falling to decay. He will find two simple churches and several dwellings bespeaking the easy circumstances of the owners; but three-fourths of the houses, small wooden or brick buildings, standing back from the street and scarcely distinguishable, at a little distance, through the mass of orchard and shade trees that cover up the view.
"And, after his day's journey, he can find comfortable quarters in
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a commodious hotel, that was occupied as dormitory, half a century since, by the followers of George Rapp."*
The hotel referred to by Mr. Owen was partially destroyed by fire in 1880, and has undergone, in rebuilding, changes that have destroy- ed nearly all its original architectural features. In this pleasant old building the early inhabitants whiled away the time during the Winter evenings, and it was under its substantial roof that the private dis- courses of many eminent men and women were found the source of much instruction and entertainment.
In the year 1821, a Mr. Schoolcraft visited New Harmony, and, in an article published afterwards, he said, speaking of the Rappites : "There is not an individual in this society, having arrived at the pro- per age, who does not pay his proportionate share of labor. They have neither spendthrifts, idlers nor drunkards, and during the whole period of their residence in America, about seventeen years, there has not been a single law suit among them. If a misunderstanding or quarrel happens, it is a rule to settle it before retiring to rest, thus literally obeying the injunction of the apostle"-"let not the sun go down upon thy wrath."
During their residence of ten years at New Harmony, the Rappites buried about 600 of their number in the grave yard adjoining the town on the West, which is still owned by the society, it having been re- served when the sale of their lands to Robert Owen and Wm. Maclure occurred.
SOCIETIES.
" As the result, perhaps, of the fraternal feeling that brought many to New Harmony, the Odd Fellows' Order and a Masonic Lodge are in a flourishing state." The former society was organized and re- ceived its charter. in January, 1851, John R. Hugo, Horatio C. Cooper, Joshua H. Variel, George Grant and Aaron Lichtenberger being the charter members. The officers were N. G. Nettleton, Noble Grand; H. C. Cooper, Vice Grand; John Cooper, Jr., Secretary ; John R. Hugo, Treasurer; Michael Craddock, Inside Guardian: George Grant, Warden ; J. H. Variel, Conductor ; Aaron Lichtenberger, R. S. to N. G .; G. W. Saltzman, L. S. to N. G .; R. B. Neal, R. S. to V. G .; Robert D. Owen, L. S. to V. G .; John R. Hugo, G. W. Saltzman and George Grant, Trustees.
The name of the lodge is "New Harmony Lodge, No. 87, I. O. O. F." The name of the Masonic Order is "Arctic Lodge, No. 394, F. A. & A. Y. M." This society was instituted May 25, 1869, the charter members being James B. Cuyler, Richard Brooks, Alfred D. Owen,
#George Rapp died at Economy, Penn., in 1847.
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Richard Fitzgerald, Wm. Cross, Albert Hill and George W. Engler. The first officers were: Alfred D. Owen, Worshipful Master; George W. Engler, Senior Warden, and James B. Cuyler, Junior Warden.
The New Harmony Encampment, No. 78, was instituted May 16, 1866.
The "Working Men's Institute" was organized, "in accordance with the suggestion of the late Wm. Maclure, Esq., in a letter on the subject, addressed to Mr. A. E. Fretageot," on April 2, 1838, when "the constitution was drawn up, approved and signed by thirty mem- bers. We are indebted to Mr. J. C. Wheatcroft, the librarian, for a copy of a sketch of the Institute, from which we take the following graphic account: "The first meetings of the infant Society were held in the Library at the residence of Mr. Alexander Maclure, as expressed by him in a letter to Mr. A. E. Fretageot. Mr. Maclure continued, until his death, to take a lively interest in the affairs of the society. He corresponded with each succeeding Committee on Board of Management, his letters exhibiting the interest he manifested in its welfare. In several of those letters he urged upon the members the benefits to be derived from the combination of an industrial school with the Library, stating that he would either give during his lifetime, or bequeath at his death, buildings and land for continuing such for- ever. In the last letter written by this philantropic man to the Society, he expresses himself as purposing to arange all the necessary prelimi- naries towards making those presentations on the visit to New Harmony which he then contemplated. But his liberal gift was never received, nor his visit paid, as he died on the 22d of March, 1840, at the village of St. Angel, near the city of Mexico, in the 78th year of his age.
"On the news of his death reaching New Harmony a special meet- ing of the members of the Institute was held when it was unanimously adoyted, that in order to show respect for the memory of Mr. Maclure, one of the members should deliver an address expressive of their senti- ments. The address was, accordingly, duly delivered.
"To form a commencement of the Library, Mr. Maclure presented the members with an order for the amount of a debt due to him by O. Rich, a bookseller in London. The sum due to him was £200. This order was duly presented to the person on whom it was drawn, and but partially honored, however. Upon it was received three hundred and sixty volumes of books bound and unbound, and imper- fect parts of books. The order was still unfulfilled at Mr. Maclure's death.
"Mr. Alexander Maclure and his sister Miss Anne Maclure, with their late brother's proved intention to govern their conduct, (and which was afterwards confirmed by the Court,) gave a deed of the lot and building, since that time owned and occopied by the Institute.
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"The first officers elected were, Thomas Brown, President; A. E. Fretageot, Treasurer; C. H. White, Secretary, and John Beal, Wm. Cox, Sr., John Cooper, Sr., Edward Cox, Sr., and James Sampson, Trustees.
"At one of the meetings of the members, one clause in the origi- nal draft of the constitution of the Society was amended by a vote of the majority of the members, as its continuance caused much misun- derstanding, and in its nature it was found to be exclusive and unsatis- factory to put in practice. Instead of Article 6th, "Any working man who gets his living by the labor of his hands," was substituted, "Any man over the age of eighteen, etc."
It was further resolved that the term of subscription for member- ship should always be so low as to be within the means of all working men.
"During the thirty-two years of the Society's existence the number of members has ranged from sixty to twenty-four ; it at present numbers upwards of ninety.
"Of the young men who have grown up during the last six to ten years, there are twenty-six members, while the population of such in town, and youth fast growing up, seem to preponderate in numbers over those of more advanced age. In all intelligent communities the well-wishers of educational or intellectual progress might reasonably expect for a public library, countenance and support from every per- son who sets any value on the dissemination of knowledge.
"Subscribers pay $1.00, half yearly; or if monthly subscribers, 25 cents per month, for a less time than six months. Less payments than for one month not taken.
"As subscribers, the ladies have generally been the most numerous. Orphan children, until eighteen years of age, are allowed the free use of books in the Youth's and Children's Department of the Library.
"On the large building, at different times, a considerable sum has been expended. The rigorous economy necessary to supply the means to give interest to the library, by making an attempt to keep up with the supply of literature and the expense of lights and fuel, has left nothing for keeping the outside and the interior of the premises in the condition our officers would wish. The advanced price of books since the war, and the increasing demand for them in large families, has added most materially to that heavy and constantly recurring expense to a circulating library-book-binding.
The library is open every Sunday and Thursday evenings, and all day Saturday, and by application to the Librarian, at his residence, he will, at any time, attend to, receive or give out books.
The Posey County Agricultural Society was organized September 18, 1858, electing its first officers on the 23d of October, following,
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who were : Magnus T. Carnahan, President; John Woody, Vice Presi- dent ; Richard Owen, Secretary; Julius C. Miller, Corresponding Sec- retary, and Samuel Arthur, Treasurer. The first fair was held in Sep- tember, 1859. The Society now own twenty-four acres of excellent land, one-half mile East of New Harmony, and has $634 in the Treas- ury. Extensive and costly improvements have been made from time to time, and its condition is very flattering to the management as well as to the supporters of the enterprise. In 1881, the Society paid $2,- 242 in premiums.
NEWSPAPERS.
The first newspaper published in Posey County was the New Har- mony Gazette, established by Robert D. and Wm. Owen. It was a weekly publication, a 16 page quarto, its first number issuing October 1, 1825, and its last on October 28, 1828, when its name was changed to the New Harmony and Neshoba Gazette or the Free Enquirer, at which time Robert L. Jennings, Fanny Wright and Robert D. Owen, became the proprietors. It was continued at New Harmony until December 31, 1828, when the paper was removed to New York City. Subscription, $3 per year.
The Disseminator, founded by Wm. Maclure, January 16, 1828, was an octavo of sixteen pages, and was the second paper published in the county. It was edited and printed by the young men of the School of Industry, of which Mr. Maclure was the principal. It was devoted to literature and science and was a very interesting publica- tion. Its suspension occurred May 7, 1840, having been enlarged to a quarto, June 18, 1834.
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