People's Pilot, Volume 2, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 December 1892 — FATHER HENRICI DEAD. [ARTICLE]

FATHER HENRICI DEAD.

He was the Leader of the Harmonist Society, Better Known as the Economists —Great Wealth of the Organization. Pittsburgh, Pa., Dec. 27.—Jacob Henrici, father of the Harmonist society, died at his home in Economy, the quaint little village of the community, at 4 o’clock Sunday afternoon. The deceased was born on a farm in Gross, Karlback, Bavaria, on January 15, 1803, and camo to this country when he was 20 years ot age and shortly after connected himself with the Harmonist society. He was received with open arms, and when Father Rapp, the founder of the sect, died in 1868, he succeeded him, and has since been the governing spirit. The Harmonist society was founded in Wurtemberg by George Rape about the year 1800. Rapp believed that he had a Divine call and. was charged with the restoration of the Christian religion to its original purity, and the community was founded on tt«. basis on the model of the primitive chureh, with goods in common. A difficulty with the government in regard to worship impelled Rapp to transplant his community in 1803 from Wurtemberg to the United States. They first settled near Zelienople, Butler county, this state, where they founded the village of Harmony. There were over 100 families in the society and they employed themselves in agriculture and manufactures. In 1824 they sold their property and moved to Beaver county, where they founded the village of Economy. On account of the peculiar religious beliefs of the society, which keeps them from marrying, its members have gradually decreased, until they are a mere handful as compared to what they were formerly. At their most prosperous period, which was about sixty years ago, there were fully 800 persons who acknowledged allegiance to the beliefs held by this society. Trouble came in 1832 and about one-third of their members left the original society and founded a new organization of their own. This split was the result of their beliefs on marriage and as to the amount of work to be done by the different members. By the death of Father Henrici many believe the future success of the society will been dangered, though others strongly maintaii that it will go on as usual and with little change in its affairs. What leads many of its most devoted members to have fears for the society's future is its small membership. Its numbers are becoming less each year and there are only a few who make formal application for membership. The society owns and controls about 2,500 acres of ground in a high state of cultivation. Besides this numerous other industries are operated by it, as there are factories and facU ities for supplying all their needs. They can exist almost independently of outside influences, as it has been their aim to be a communistic community, and they have succeeded in the past. The wealth of the community is Baid to be about 530,000,000, though it has frequently been claimed that it was near 5100,000,000.