Test – Old Economy Village

1The Harmony Society was founded in 1805 by Johann Georg Rapp. (1757-1847), a farmer and vinedresser born in Iptigen, Germany. Rapp and his followers believed in refashioning their lives around their vision of early Christian communalism during the first centuries of the Christian era. They established their first community called Harmony in the Connoquenessing Valley of Butler County in 1805 where all property was held in common and, in 1807, the group also adopted the practice of celibacy. A small cloth factory was established in 1806 which was followed by a sawmill, tannery, distillery, vineyards, and a two-story hotel.In 1814, the Society sold the property in Butler County and founded New Harmony in Posey County, Indiana where they erected even larger factories. In 1824 the members returned to western Pennsylvania and established the village of Economy in Beaver County where Rapp died in 1847. Under the trusteeship of Romelius L. Baker. (1847-1868) and Jacob Henrici. (1868-1892), the Society became involved in real estate speculation in Beaver Falls, construction of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad, established the Economy Savings Institution and Economy Brick Works, and operated the Economy Oil Company, Economy Planing Mill, and Economy Lumber Company. Following litigation by heirs, the Harmony Society was dissolved in 1905 and seventeen structures comprising Old Economy Village were acquired by the Pennsylvania Historical Commission in 1919 for use as a historic site. Most of the archival records thereafter came into the possession of John S. Duss and Susanna C. Duss, the last trustees and were employed by John Duss to write The Harmonists: A Personal History. (1943). The Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania took custody of part of the records in 1931 and 1933 and the balance were sold to the Pennsylvania Historical Commission in 1937.This manuscript group has been transferred to the PHMC’s Old Economy Village Historic Site, but microfilm copies of most of the materials can be viewed at the Pennsylvania State Archives and at Old Economy Village.For related records see the John S. Duss Papers. (Manuscript Group 310), Old Economy Village Collection. (Manuscript Group 354), Karl Arndt Collection of Harmony Society Materials. (Manuscript Group 437), Knoedler Family Collection. (Manuscript Group 330), and Henry Mohn Family Collection. (Manuscript Group 332), which have also been transferred to Old Economy Village.

Administrative File (Holdings, part 1 and part 3)

Articles of Agreement, 1805-1893. (2 volumes) {#185m.1} microfilm roll #2313
Genealogical Materials, [ca. 1848-1900]. (1 folder) {#185m.2} microfilm roll #2313
Membership Lists, 1832-1869. (7 items) {#185m.3} microfilm roll #2313
Minute Books, 1892-1903. (3 volumes) {#185m.4} microfilm roll #2313
Name Register of Dead and Living Members of Harmony Society, [undated]. (1 volume) {#185m.5} microfilm roll #4950
Register of Births and Deaths, [ca. 1880-1895]. (1 volume) {#185m.6} microfilm roll #356
Registers, 1822,. (8 volumes) {#185m.7} microfilm roll #2314

Music Archives (Holdings, part 1)

Harmony Society Music Archives, 1817-1907. (19 microfilm rolls) {#185m.8} microfilm roll #3844-3862

General File (Holdings, part 2)

Drawings Maps, Sketches and Lithographs, ca. 1751-1951. (8 map drawers) {#185m.9} microfilm roll #3314
Address Book, ca. 1868. (1 volume) {#185m.10}
Addresses, [undated]. (6 items) {#185m.11}
Advertisement Galleys for “Economy Boneset Cordial” (German and English), [undated]. (2 items) {#185m.12}
Aphorisms, Proverbs, etc., [undated]. (1 folder) {#185m.13}
Circulars and Price Lists, 1820-1900. (16 folders) {#185m.14}
Constitution and Minutes of the Economy Literary Society, 1899-1900. (1 volume) {#185m.15}
Cook Book of Philippine Claus, 1880. (1 volume) {#185m.16}
Description of Independence Day in Baltimore, Maryland, 1880. (1 volume) {#185m.17}
Drawings and Blueprints, [undated]. (4 folders) {#185m.18} partially microfilmed: microfilm roll #3314.
Epitaphs and Eulogies, ca. 1830, 1890, 1905, 1938. (1 folder) {#185m.19}
Estella Feicht Autograph / Remembrance Book. (Economy), PA, 1880. (1 volume) {#185m.20}
Instructions for Dyeing Cloth, [undated]. (5 volumes) {#185m.21} microfilm roll #2621
Instructions for Dyeing Silk, ca. 1830-1947. (1 volume) {#185m.22}
Lithographs, [undated]. (5 items). {#185m.23} partially filmed on microfilm roll #3314.
Maker’s Marks, [undated]. (1 folder) {#185m.24}
Manuscript Histories, 1822-1895. (1 folder) {#185m.25}
Medical Books. (Herbs, Plants, and Fruits), [undated]. (8 volumes) {#185m.26}
Medical Books,. (Recipes and Cures), 1814. (2 volumes) {#185m.27} microfilm roll #2621
Meteorological Observations, 1872-1873. (2 folders) {#185m.28}
Miscellaneous Materials, 1798-1951. (16 folders, 1 volume) {#185m.29}
Musical Materials, [undated]. (1 folder) {#185m.30}
Newspaper Clippings, 1817-1905. (1 folder) {#185m.31}
Note Book (Handwritten Encyclopedia / Dictionary). (1 volume) {#185m.32}
Photograph Album, [undated]. (1 volume) {#185m.33}
Play. (Written by Jacob Weingartner) 1804. (1 volume) {#185m.34}
Poems, [undated]. (3 folders) {#185m.35}
Prayers, [undated]. (1 folder) {#185m.36}
Programs, 1871-1903. (1 folder) {#185m.37}
Recipe Book (Instructions for Staining and Varnishing, Making Elixirs, etc.), [undated]. (1 volume) {#185m.38}microfilm roll #2621
Recipes and Instructions (“How to . . .), 1887. (1 folder) {#185m.39} microfilm roll #2621
Recipes, [undated], and Symptoms, 1833-1834. (1 volume) {#185m.40} microfilm roll #2621
Register of Meteorological Observations, 1871-1873. (2 folders) {#185m.41}
Scratch Pads, 1840-1887. (3 volumes) {#185m.42}
Song Books [undated]. (14 volumes) {#185m.43}
Speeches, 1829-1876. (1 folder) {#185m.44}
Survey Questionnaires, 1845-1880. (1 folder) {#185m.45}
Thermometer Books (Economy, PA), 1839-1843, 1845, 1847-1848 {#185m.46}
Untranslated Volumes, ca. 1820-1890. (2 folders) {#185m.47}

Administrative File (Holdings, part 1 and part 3)

Articles of Agreement, 1805-1893. (2 volumes) {#185m.1} microfilm roll #2313
Genealogical Materials, [ca. 1848-1900]. (1 folder) {#185m.2} microfilm roll #2313
Membership Lists, 1832-1869. (7 items) {#185m.3} microfilm roll #2313
Minute Books, 1892-1903. (3 volumes) {#185m.4} microfilm roll #2313
Name Register of Dead and Living Members of Harmony Society, [undated]. (1 volume) {#185m.5} microfilm roll #4950
Register of Births and Deaths, [ca. 1880-1895]. (1 volume) {#185m.6} microfilm roll #356
Registers, 1822,. (8 volumes) {#185m.7} microfilm roll #2314

Music Archives (Holdings, part 1)

Harmony Society Music Archives, 1817-1907. (19 microfilm rolls) {#185m.8} microfilm roll #3844-3862

General File (Holdings, part 2)

Drawings Maps, Sketches and Lithographs, ca. 1751-1951. (8 map drawers) {#185m.9} microfilm roll #3314
Address Book, ca. 1868. (1 volume) {#185m.10}
Addresses, [undated]. (6 items) {#185m.11}
Advertisement Galleys for “Economy Boneset Cordial” (German and English), [undated]. (2 items) {#185m.12}
Aphorisms, Proverbs, etc., [undated]. (1 folder) {#185m.13}
Circulars and Price Lists, 1820-1900. (16 folders) {#185m.14}
Constitution and Minutes of the Economy Literary Society, 1899-1900. (1 volume) {#185m.15}
Cook Book of Philippine Claus, 1880. (1 volume) {#185m.16}
Description of Independence Day in Baltimore, Maryland, 1880. (1 volume) {#185m.17}
Drawings and Blueprints, [undated]. (4 folders) {#185m.18} partially microfilmed: microfilm roll #3314.
Epitaphs and Eulogies, ca. 1830, 1890, 1905, 1938. (1 folder) {#185m.19}
Estella Feicht Autograph / Remembrance Book. (Economy), PA, 1880. (1 volume) {#185m.20}
Instructions for Dyeing Cloth, [undated]. (5 volumes) {#185m.21} microfilm roll #2621
Instructions for Dyeing Silk, ca. 1830-1947. (1 volume) {#185m.22}
Lithographs, [undated]. (5 items). {#185m.23} partially filmed on microfilm roll #3314.
Maker’s Marks, [undated]. (1 folder) {#185m.24}
Manuscript Histories, 1822-1895. (1 folder) {#185m.25}
Medical Books. (Herbs, Plants, and Fruits), [undated]. (8 volumes) {#185m.26}
Medical Books,. (Recipes and Cures), 1814. (2 volumes) {#185m.27} microfilm roll #2621
Meteorological Observations, 1872-1873. (2 folders) {#185m.28}
Miscellaneous Materials, 1798-1951. (16 folders, 1 volume) {#185m.29}
Musical Materials, [undated]. (1 folder) {#185m.30}
Newspaper Clippings, 1817-1905. (1 folder) {#185m.31}
Note Book (Handwritten Encyclopedia / Dictionary). (1 volume) {#185m.32}
Photograph Album, [undated]. (1 volume) {#185m.33}
Play. (Written by Jacob Weingartner) 1804. (1 volume) {#185m.34}
Poems, [undated]. (3 folders) {#185m.35}
Prayers, [undated]. (1 folder) {#185m.36}
Programs, 1871-1903. (1 folder) {#185m.37}
Recipe Book (Instructions for Staining and Varnishing, Making Elixirs, etc.), [undated]. (1 volume) {#185m.38}microfilm roll #2621
Recipes and Instructions (“How to . . .), 1887. (1 folder) {#185m.39} microfilm roll #2621
Recipes, [undated], and Symptoms, 1833-1834. (1 volume) {#185m.40} microfilm roll #2621
Register of Meteorological Observations, 1871-1873. (2 folders) {#185m.41}
Scratch Pads, 1840-1887. (3 volumes) {#185m.42}
Song Books [undated]. (14 volumes) {#185m.43}
Speeches, 1829-1876. (1 folder) {#185m.44}
Survey Questionnaires, 1845-1880. (1 folder) {#185m.45}
Thermometer Books (Economy, PA), 1839-1843, 1845, 1847-1848 {#185m.46}
Untranslated Volumes, ca. 1820-1890. (2 folders) {#185m.47}