To elaborate on and clarify the Rappite presence in Posey Co: The Rappites were celibate, so you will find none of their descendants with German names in Posey Co. They arrived circa 1816 and departed (what was left of them) back to Butler Co. PA in 1825. Marrs Twp was settled primarily by German Catholics, and there were other German immigrants as late as the 1880's--but Posey was settled primarily by English and Scotch-Irish, many of whom came through KY and spent a generation or two there. The really restless (like the Lincoln family of Spencer Co IN) moved on to Illinois. But back to the Rappites. My GGG grandfather, William Hunter, and my GGGG grandfather, Jesse Nash, knew Father Rapp back in Butler Co PA and visited Posey Co in 1816 at his suggestion. They liked what they saw (although they were not Rappites) and later in 1816 packed their extended families and possessions on a flatboat and went down the Ohio River from Butler co PA to Posey Co IN. Later, in 1824, when Father Rapp decided to give it up, they bought their farmland from him and I have the record of those transactions. This land was still in my family until about 30 years ago when my father retired and moved to Florida. The history of Father Rapp's movement, including all of his papers, are included in a three-volume history of the Harmonist Movement, available in the Indiana State Library and through the Indiana Historical Society. Jean Hunter Lasher Evansville, IN Gene Keusch wrote: > Hi, > Mt. Vernon is in Black Twp and New Harmony is in Harmony Twp. I don't > know how the twps were aligned in 1850. Are these names mostly German > surnames or English? About 1814, if my history memory isn't zapped, > George Rapp brought a group of settlers (Rappites) to the area where New > Harmony is today. They built many of the buildings still there today. > The society was an offshoot a group of Mennonites (I think) in Germany and > came to PA before IN. The group practiced communal living and preached > against marrying since they felt the coming of Christ was imminent. The > Rappites called their community "Harmony" and about 1825 sold the entire > community to Robert Owen and he renamed it "New Harmony". Robert brought > many intelligent people to New Harmony and set up what was suppose to be a > Utopian Society. Many descendants today can trace their lineage back to > Owen and do live in the area. You can find out lots more on New Harmony > by linking onto an Indiana History website. > I wouldn't know why there would be so many per dwelling in 1850 as the > Rappites had all gone and they did live in dorms built separately for men > and women, similar to the Shakers. Helen Zuber Keusch > Snooping in the ZUBER, GOODART, LAND, EDWARDS, > CRABTREE, BENNETT, GOODWIN, CHAPMAN, EAKINS, > FORD, SANDEFUR, MELTON, WALCUP, HANDLEY, > EZELL, and THOMASSON family lines > -----Original Message----- > From: John R Jackson <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] <[email protected]> > Date: Saturday, April 08, 2000 6:11 PM > Subject: [INPOSEY] 40 Surnames per dwelling? > > >Harriette, > > > >Could this be in the New Harmony area? I have a vague recollection about > some kind of > >communal living or large school/ religious institution in that area. I am > >having trouble recalling the discussion. Can somone jump in here and > provide > >a little background on the history of New Harmony? Perhaps it is related to > >this question of 40 surnames per dwelling. Just guessing on > this..........Perhaps I read this on a web site ... > > > > > > > >>----- Original Message ----- > >>From: "Harriette Jensen" <[email protected]> > >>To: <[email protected]> > >>Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2000 7:21 PM > >>Subject: [INPOSEY] Another Census Question > >> > >> > >>> Hi, All. > >>> > >>> I was looking for family members in the transcription of the 1850 census > >>of > >>> Black Township and was struck by the fact that there were so many people > >>> living in each of the dwellings listed, sometimes more than 40, with > many > >>> surnames listed per dwelling. > >>> > >>> I thought at first that they might be hotels, but then realized that > some > >>> family members listed had been in Posey County for years and were known > >>to > >>> be farmers. > >>> > >>> Does anyone have a clue as to what kinds of buildings, institutions, > etc., > >>> they might be? > >>> > >>> Harriette > >>> > >>> > > > > > >==== INPOSEY Mailing List ==== > >This INPOSEY list is currently available for adoption! > >Interested in becoming the list manager? 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