Difference between revisions of "Alfred,ME"

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* [http://www.alfredshakermuseum.com/ Alfred Museum Site]
 
* [http://www.alfredshakermuseum.com/ Alfred Museum Site]
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* [http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/shaker/alf.htm National Park Service Alfred Page]
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* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Shaker_Historic_District Wikipedia]
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* [http://memoirs.shakerpedia.com/index.php/mem/index/Alfred,%20ME/ Bios in Shakerpedia Memoirs Database]
  
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[https://books.google.com/books?id=oQhY03JJvTAC&pg=PA2&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false More on Page 2]
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From [[Paterwic_Dictionary | Shaker Dictionary]]
  
−
{{Category:Village}}
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<!--
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  SPIRITUAL NAME: Holy Land.
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  FEAST GROUND: Holy Hill of Zion,
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  BISHOPRIC: Maine,
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  FAMILIES: Church, Second, North, MAXIMUM
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  POPULATION AND YEAR: 200 in 1823.
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;
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INDUSTRIES: Woven cloth, seeds, herbs and
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herbal medicines, brooms, brushes, saw and grist mill, horsehair sieves,
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woodenware, spinning wheels, wagon wheels, oval carriers, and fancy
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goods,
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;
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NOTABLE SHAKERS: R. Mildred Barker, John Vance, Elisha Pote,
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Harriett Coolbroth, Henry Green,
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;
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UNIQUE FEATURES: In 1900, Alfred was a
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typical Shaker community-small numbers, mostly old and seemingly
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doomed to die out within the next 20 years. Between that time and 1920,
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through the efforts of Eldress Harriett Coolbroth, Eldress Mary Ann Walker,
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and their companions, a tremendous Shaker revival took place at Alfred. In
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1920 almost the entire community consisted of young women-the vast
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majority of whom would stay faithful. Alfred was very poor, but rich in
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young Shakers who had a fervor not seen in other Shaker societies for
 +
decades. In every way, the fact that Shakerism survives to the present day
 +
was due to the strong faith that the Alfred Sisters brought to Sabbathday
 +
Lake when they moved there in 1931.
 +
; 
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BRIEF HISTORY: Until 1820, the district of Maine was part of the
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Though there was a low population and
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plenty of empty land, Maine had been settled for more than 150 years. The
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waves of religious enthusiasm that affected those who had become
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dissatisfied with the standing order of Congregationalism in older parts of
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New England had their representation in Maine as well. In Alfred around
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1780, the religious community was ripe with revivalism of all sorts. John
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Cotton had only recently moved to the town and was caught up in its
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enthusiasm. When the revivalism waned, he, like many others sought to go
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west in search of a better life. On his way, he traveled through Canterbury,
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New Hampshire, where some of his New Light Baptist friends lived. From
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there he got as far as Enfield, New Hampshire, where he came under the
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influence of James Jewett, a Shaker missionary. Filled with the Shaker
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testimony, Cotton returned to Alfred to open the gospel to his friends John
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and Sarah Barnes.
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;
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Cotton met with great success and soon hundreds were gathering to hear
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his testimony. In March 1793, the Shaker community at Alfred was
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organized under Father John Barnes, Brother Robert McFarland,
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Mother Sarah Kendall, and Sister Lucy Prescott. Although the seat of the Maine
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Ministry, Alfred was always one of the smaller Shaker communities. In fact, it
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peaked very early in the 19th century. As time went on, economic conditions
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steadily worsened as numbers gradually diminished for most of the 19th
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century. In 1870, the community decided to sell out and move to Kansas. The
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entire village was put up for sale, but no buyer came forth. The Shakers then
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decided to reorganize their village and stay put. Sale of a lot of timberland gave
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them a financial boost, but later losses and the premature deaths of Frank Libby
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(1870-1899) and John Vance (1832-1896) left the community virtually without
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industries or sufficient men by 1900.
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;
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For many years, the relatively large number of sisters remaining in various
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Shaker communities had been making fancy goods to sell in the Office stores
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as well as at resorts during the summer. This trade became a mainstay of the
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Alfred community and Elder Henry Green made annual sales trips for decades.
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In addition, teams of sisters went out to the seaside and to the mountains to sell
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fancy goods. This industry kept Alfred afloat financially. Unfortunately, two
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fires destroyed their small fund of accumulated wealth and made it inevitable
 +
that the community would have to close. The first of these fires took place in
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1901 and destroyed the Church Family dwelling, the Meeting House, and the
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Ministry shop. Valuable records and irreplaceable manuscripts were lost.
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Incredibly to most other Shakers, the Alfred society decided to build a
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replacement dwelling. Elsewhere, Shakers could barely fill one dwelling, and
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the Central Ministry gave the Alfred Shakers the option of dissolving their
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community. The Alfred Shakers refused to even think of going to live
 +
anywhere else and resolved to rebuild. At the time it seemed like folly since
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Alfred did not have many young members and few men. Much to the surprise
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of many, not only was a new dwelling built, but many young women became
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Shakers. Much of the credit for the latter goes to Eldress Harriett Coolbroth of
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the Second Family. Her deeply religious vision was one of hard work and a
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total giving of oneself in service to the community. Through her ministrations,
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R. Mildred Barker, Ethel Peacock, Della Haskell, the Philbrook sisters, and
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many other women became lifelong Shakers.
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;
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In 1912, a fire set by a girl only recently taken in by the Shakers destroyed
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the new dwelling at the Church. It was the construction of
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the third dwelling to replace the one lost in this fire that pushed the
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community over the financial edge. Even the presence of so many young and
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faithful Shakers could not make up for the lack of cash. Various ways were
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tried to make money, but these all fell short. In 1927, the Maine Ministry
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was abolished. No doubt the Parent Ministry wished to be in a position to
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sell Alfred if an acceptable price could be received. Finally, in 1931, during
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the early years of the Great Depression, the situation had become so
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desperate that the decision was made to close and consolidate with
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Sabbathday Lake. The decision was announced to the Alfred community on
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14 February 1931. Preparation for the move began immediately, but lagged
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as Elder Henry Green was so ill that they decided to wait for his passing
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before moving; however, he rallied and the consolidation was completed on
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28 May. After the move, an offer was made by the Roman Catholic Brothers
 +
of Christian Instruction. This French Canadian religious order was seeking a
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headquarters for its many grammar and high schools scattered throughout the
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parishes of New England.
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;
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Though Alfred may be no more, the light and the love of Shakerism that
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existed at Alfred lay dormant at Sabbathday Lake until it could find its
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freedom during the 1960s. Since that time, in cooperation with recent
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converts to Shakerism, much of the spirit of the old time faith of the Shakers
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has been able to survive to the present day.
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;
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LAST SHAKER: Minnie Greene (1910-2001) was the last Alfred Shaker. She
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joined the community in 1921 with her younger sister Ellen. In 1931, she
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moved to the Sabbathday Lake society when the Alfred Shakers were
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consolidated with this community. Here she signed the covenant, and for
 +
decades worked in the sewing department and the candy-making industry.
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She also did the baking and helped out in the kitchen and with housekeeping.
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Sister Minnie was a very self-effacing and shy sister. In the 1990s her health
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needs prompted her removal to a nursing home. For the final few years of her
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life, she was constantly visited by community members. When she passed
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into Eternity, the last tangible link to the glorious Alfred Shakers was lost.
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-->
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[[Category:Village]]

Latest revision as of 19:31, 28 July 2016

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