About this collection
- Drawn and written by Elder Joseph Wicker at Hancock, November 1844. From the Inspired Writings Series. The Shakers were a religious communal society founded and originally led by Mother Ann Lee, who came to America from England in 1774. By 1826 communities were established throughout New England and the Midwest, as well as in Georgia and Florida. In 1911 Wallace H. Cathcart, Director of the Western Reserve Historical Society, began collecting Shaker memorabilia. The collection consists of covenants, laws, legal records, land records, financial records, membership records, correspondence, diaries, journals, testimonies, biographies, addresses, sermons, essays, inspired writings and drawings (also known as spirit drawings), other writings, music, poetry, recipes, prescriptions, school books, instructional texts, scrapbooks, photographs, and miscellaneous material relating to 20 Shaker communities located in 10 eastern States., Featured in the "Cleveland Starts Here" Exhibit
- Handwritten letter. This group of letters "Mt. Lebanon, New York: many of the letters prior to 1810 are addressed to the brethren in Ohio and Kentucky from the elders in the ministry of "New Lebanon in Canaan." Thereafter many of the letters, often in multiple copies, are addressed to the ministries at the other communities and contain directions, instructions, and advice from the ministry at Mt. Lebanon; some of these are titled epistles or circular letters. These touch upon all aspects of Shaker religion, life, and activities. Prior to 1880 the correspondence is mainly among Shakers; after that, these letters reflect the increasing contact both Alonzo G. Hollister and Frederick W. Evans had with non-Shakers. Representative of these are several letters of Leo Tolstoy to Hollister and carbon copies of Evans's letters to friends and publishers. Many letters after 1900 involve Hollister and John P. MacLean, and concern Shaker publications as well as MacLean's bibliography. After 1910 much of the correspondence concerns the activities of M. Catherine Allen, her interests in charitable causes and in assisting Wallace H. Cathcart in preserving Shaker publications and manuscripts 1830-1853
- Handwritten letter, reverse. This group of letters "Mt. Lebanon, New York: many of the letters prior to 1810 are addressed to the brethren in Ohio and Kentucky from the elders in the ministry of "New Lebanon in Canaan." Thereafter many of the letters, often in multiple copies, are addressed to the ministries at the other communities and contain directions, instructions, and advice from the ministry at Mt. Lebanon; some of these are titled epistles or circular letters. These touch upon all aspects of Shaker religion, life, and activities. Prior to 1880 the correspondence is mainly among Shakers; after that, these letters reflect the increasing contact both Alonzo G. Hollister and Frederick W. Evans had with non-Shakers. Representative of these are several letters of Leo Tolstoy to Hollister and carbon copies of Evans's letters to friends and publishers. Many letters after 1900 involve Hollister and John P. MacLean, and concern Shaker publications as well as MacLean's bibliography. After 1910 much of the correspondence concerns the activities of M. Catherine Allen, her interests in charitable causes and in assisting Wallace H. Cathcart in preserving Shaker publications and manuscripts 1830-1853