Shakers

The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, more commonly known as the Shakers, established religious communities in the United States in the last decades of the 18th century. Members of this millenarian sect practiced celibacy, publicly professed their sins, and engaged in hard labor—creating a unique style of architecture, furniture, and handicraft, which was distinct in its functional simplicity and fine workmanship.

The founder of the American Shakers was Ann Lee, a Manchester-born woman who moved from England to North America in 1774. Lee, known to her followers as Mother Ann, was perceived as the female embodiment of Christ’s dual nature. Lee’s early influences derived from the Wardley Society, a radical offshoot of the Quakers, which she joined in Manchester in 1758. The members of the Wardley Society distinguished themselves by their unique form of worship, which included shaking, trembling, dancing, shouting, and generally motioning their bodies in a chaotic manner, thus earning them the name “Shaking Quakers.” Lee led a group of eight across the Atlantic to North America, landing in New York in 1774. They established a community near Albany, New York, called Nis-keyuna (now Watervliet) in 1776, although through revivals and preaching tours their influence extended well beyond their modest community.

The Shaker movement was deeply influenced by the prevalent millennial beliefs of the late 18th century. Many millenarian sects believed that the “judgment day” was near, and through their devout faith and practices, they would ultimately be saved. Shakers established celibacy as a principal tenant of their sect—since the end was near, there was no need to procreate. New members came from either conversions or adoptions. Further, Mother Ann believed that sexual relations impeded one’s relationship with God. Between their “shaking” ritual and their celibacy, the Shakers were ridiculed and scorned by other religious denominations of the period. However, they garnered admiration from their contemporaries for the order, simplicity, and prosperity of their farming communities. Their labor and ingenuity resulted in a number of unpatented inventions as well as a distinct design of architecture (usually barns) and furniture. Shakers designed furniture without needless decoration, reflecting their conviction that the appearance of an item should follow its function. Since Shakers viewed the process of constructing goods as in itself an act of prayer, austere Shaker furniture reflected the piety and fine workmanship of its creator.

Mother Ann died in 1784 and, shortly thereafter, elders in the sect structured their followers into a communal pattern that served as the model for Shaker communities throughout the early national period. The first Shaker community, established on this model in 1787, was located at New Lebanon, New York. It served as the center for the Shaker religion as the movement gradually spread to New England, Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana. The period between 1774 and 1820 represents the building stage for Shakerism in the United States; by 1826, there were 18 Shaker villages in eight states. By the end of the 19th century membership steadily declined, and today there are few surviving Shakers.

Further reading: Edward Deming Andrews, People Called Shakers: A Search for the Perfect Society (New York: Oxford University Press, 1953); Stephen J. Stein, The Shaker Experience in America: A History of the United Society of Believers (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1992).

—Linda English