Harvest Home

Even though the World’s Columbian Exposition would not open in Chicago until May 1, 1893, by the early 1890s the Shakers were experiencing a bit of fair fever at the North Family, Mount Lebanon. Elder Frederick Evans was already concerned in 1891 that there was a plan to close the fair on Sunday – seeing it as a conflict between church and state to do so. As harvest time came to a close that same year, the North Family held its own fair for members of their family and other invited guests from the community. The photograph at hand presents a view of a Harvest Home event. A full description of the North Family fair was given in the November issue of the Manifesto – the first paragraph of which provides a good summary:

On Thursday afternoon, Oct. 1^st. at the North family Mt. Lebanon, N Y., an industrial exhibition and harvest home gathering took place, consisting of work produced by the family; mostly of recent date, also of old times. Several Brethren and Sisters from other families were present, among whom was Eldress Eliza Ann Taylor, of the Ministry, and to that aged Sister a hearty welcome was given.

Recently harvested crops – cereals, fruits, and vegetables – were shown. Object manufactured by the North Family were exhibited – knit goods made from their own wool, including gloves of raccoon fur and silk; rye-straw bonnets; specimens of spinning and weaving; and even miniature sets of brothers’ and sisters’ clothing. A small evergreen tree planted by Elder Frederick Evans was decorated with a collection of pamphlets he had written and examples of penmanship, ornamental pen designs, and Brother William Offord’s printing were spread out on a table for inspection. The whole harvest home fair was accompanied by singing and readings of poetry and essays. 

This photograph was possibly made during this event, although it is possible that the North Family and other Shaker families had held similar events previous to the time of the detailed description given in the Manifesto. An inscription on the back of the photograph reads, “Mt. Lebanon, N. Y. Shaker colony. Picture is of Sunday School class taught by Inez Platt about 1888.” Sister Inez was born in 1872 and came to live with the Shakers around 1880. She is known to have attended Shaker school until she was 15 and by 1890 was teaching or assisting in teaching the girls’ school in the summers. In 1892 she became a certified teacher. It is certainly possible that Sister Inez did have a class to bring to see the Harvest Home either in 1888 or in 1891. The presence of both boys and girls in the photograph suggests that it may have been a Sunday school class rather than one of the regular school classes.  

Unfortunately for the Shakers, who must have seen Sister Inez as a most promising and useful sister, she decided to leave the Shakers in 1892, choosing, instead of Shaker life, to marry a young brother, Edward Langford. Brother Edward came from England with his mother and sister to live with the Shakers in 1883 and was about the same age as Sister Inez.