The joiners of the Harmony Society

Abstract

The Harmony Society was organized by German Separatists, under the leadership of George Rapp, in 1805. Reaching its apex in the first half of the nineteenth century, the Harmony Society was one of the most successful American religious communes. After nearly two hundred years of excellent scholarship on this remarkable group, we still lack any comprehension of the lives, even the identities, of individual members. ☐ This study attempts to rediscover the experiences and decisions of individual Harmonists through one subgroup of the community, the joiners. Primary documents, including Mechanic Books, registers, and correspondence, survive to partially reveal the identity and careers of these men. To complete the portrait, surviving furniture, attributed to the Harmony Society, provides insight into the cultural identity of these men through the objects they created. ☐ In conclusion, this study confirmed that the Harmonist joiner maintained his German cultural heritage within the context of settlements in North America. This heritage found expression in the creation of Germanic furniture forms, such as the chest and the schrank. Several factors facilitated the continuation of European traditions. First, the Harmony Society did not export furniture, and thus, the joiners did not need to compete with outside American cabinetmakers. Second, the first joiners were at or over middle-age upon their arrival in the United States. Comfortable with their craft skills, these men continued to practice the trade they first learned in Germany. Since the craft structure of the Harmony Society used the traditional apprenticeship system, these skills were transmitted to the next generation. Finally, the short existence of the joiners' shop prohibited the development of a unique Harmonist style.