126 Ohio Arch. and
Hist. Society Publications.
VALUABLE DONATIONS
OF MSS.
The museum and library of the Society
have been greatly increased
by donations from friends interested in
the progress and enlargement of
the institution. It is but a matter of
justice to note the contributions
recently made by Prof. J. P. MacLean,
one of the trustees, who has been a
very active member ever since he joined
the Society. At different times
he has given books on various subjects,
besides quite a selection of
Shaker publications. We have just
received from him two pairs of
saddle-bags, used by the Shaker
missionaries in their journey from
Mount Lebanon, N. Y. to Ohio in 1805.
Also the family Bible of Mal-
colm Worley, the first Shaker convert in
the West. These had been pre-
sented to him by Miss Susanna C. Liddell
of Union Village. Mr. James
H. Fennessey, manager of the Shaker
community, gave the loom-sev-
enty years old--the two looms for making
bonnets, and a secretary at
Watervliet, besides the North Union and
Watervliet archives, all of
which Dr. MacLean has generously donated
to the Society. Among the
manuscripts of particular value are the
autobiographies of Richard W
Pelham
and David Spinning. The list of bound volumes relating to
North Union embrace seventy in number,
comprising R W. Pelham's
diary, 1837-1840; another for 1852-1867,
which contains a journal of a
tour to the eastern societies in 1852;
and a diary from 1866 to 1872.
Samuel S. Miner's diary embraces six
volumes, covering the periods from
1847-1862; 1854-1861, with account book,
1888, and the breaking up of
North Union. Diaries without authors
named are for the years 1858-
1860; 1859-1863; 1859; 1869; Sept. 1869;
1870; 1871-1878; 1875-1877.
One diary does not designate the year.
James S. Prescott's tour to Union
Village in September and October, 1842;
tour to eastern communities
in September and October, 1860, with an
appendix containing theolog-
ical selections. The same author has
left notes for 1886, which also gives
an account of the blowing up of the
grist mill. Besides these are his
remarkable events for 1845-1846;
selections of calamities for 1847-1850;
and abuse of dumb animals. There is an
account of a visit to White
Water, but without date. There are
nursery and garden diaries and
journals for 1856-1862; 1861-1863, and
1863-1868. There is a book
on aphorisms by R. W. Pelham presented
to Samuel S. Miner. There
are two books of poems, and a selection
in prose and poetry for 1852-
1870. The hymn and tune books number
seven, are for 1833, another
1845-1846, and another for 1855, being
funeral hymns with names of
the departed. Six volumes are devoted to
the novitiate covenant, and
contain the signatures of five hundred
and fifty-six persons, which is
exclusive of the thirty-three signatures
on loose sheets. Spiritualism that
broke out in 1837 among the Shakers,
forms an important episode in the
history of North Union. Five volumes are
preserved, which are reve-
lations in 1843; Life of Christ, January
6, 1843; Margaret Sawyer, Me-
Editorialana. 127
dium; revelations beginning March 11,
1846, closing February 28, 1847;
revelations, 1846-1847; select
communications, 1843-1859. There are
also twenty-three detached
communications. One book contains the
school record for 1869-1874; another the
business meetings for 1870-1886;
anorther the business meetings for
1870-1871, with circular epistles from
Mount Lebanon Ministry for June 23d and
July 25th, 1870; another the
tailor's book for 1849; another, the names
and ages of Believers in 1852,
1858, 1860, 1864; another, the general
index book, 1861; another on the
final sale of chattels in 1889; another
contains list of subscribers to The
Manifesto, with per capita tax for
supporting same in 1876-7; the same
1885, and another on Biblical text books
on death, 1847. Besides all
these there are forty separate
indentures of children. Much history
may be gleaned from ledgers or account
books. Of these, we find for
the East family, the ledgers for 1873-1878;
1880-1881; 1880-1884; day
book without date; and joint accounts of
East and Mill families for
1860-1863. There are ledgers for
1860-1867; 1861-1869; 1868-1869; 1874-
1881; 1882; ledger and daily journal for
1868-1879; deaconnesses of
Center family accounts for 1844-1865;
tannery accounts, 1839-1841; 1835-
1836, with Hermann Kimball's scrap-book;
office day-book, 1871, and
Saluda Iowa account book for 1867, 1868.
The archives of the Water-
vliet Community (near Dayton, Ohio), are
more defective. In short
are quite scant. Among the diaries are
those of Nathaniel Taylor, 1823-
1830; Henry Reynolds, 1853-1856; Moses
Eastwood, 1865-1868, and
1871-1877; diary author unknown,
1890-92. Ledger, 1802-1822; 1840-
1860; 1849-1882; 1857-1872; 1865-1877;
1881-1882; 1881-1884; 1888-
1891; 1892; Ledger North family, 1882;
A. E. Doyle's ledger, 1883;
Moses Eastwood's bank account, 1877;
Hester Frost's "Book of Poems,"
1846, and Frederick Kromer's "Book
of Selections," 1859. On detached
papers there are accounts of
spiritualism, 1838-1847, sixty-eight communi-
cations, Peggy Patterson being the
principal medium; thirty-seven in-
dentures of children; one binding out of
a colored girl as a servant by
trustees of Dayton township, to James Ball,
November 5, 1832; thirty-
seven indentures of children; five
novitiate covenant members; eight
testimonies to Shakerism; three court
subpoenas, etc. There should also
be enumerated thirteen other MSS. books,
such as those containing rules
and government for 1860; also 1887;
instructions concerning schools;
day journals of eight Pleasant Hill,
Kentucky, Shakers' tour through
Ohio in May, 1870; Nathan Sharp's
account book (Union Village),
1824-1829; the famous Shaker
"Harvard Book," revealed in 1841; "Holy
Laws of Zion," revealed by the
angel Vikalen in 1840; Divine Judgments
Concerning Confessions of Sins, 1859;
Youth's Guide in Zion," re-
vealed January 5, 1841;
"Instructions to Gathering Order," revealed Feb-
ruary 26, 1842; "Revelations to
Mount Lebanon Ministry on their re-
sponsibility," given May 3, 1844,
etc., etc. These MSS. contain valu-
able historical matter other than that
relating to the Shakers. The
Society is exceedingly fortunate in
securing so large an amount of mate-
rial that must be of value to the future
historian.