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August, 2019 1
The White WaterRecordAugust, 2019 • Volume 6, Number 2
The newsletter of the Friends of White Water Shaker Village,
Inc.
Basket Workshopby Karen KilgoOn April 28 and May 4, the Meeting
House was the site of our first basket workshop. Three ladies
participated in April and five on the May date. The first project
was a market basket, approximately 6 x13 inches with a fixed, woven
in handle. The class was taught by Karen Kilgo and Patty Schultz,
both board members at White Water Shaker Village. The basket took
approximately three hours to complete and everyone’s basket turned
out beautifully. This first class was open to those who had
expressed an interest by signing the basket workshop sheet, on
display during open houses at the Village. Members will be notified
about future basket workshops.
Save the DateSaturday, September 28 Broom making WorkshopSunday
September 29 Great Outdoor Weekend 2:00-5:00 P.M.Sunday December 8
Meeting House Anniversary CelebrationSaturday April 4, 2020 Annual
Gathering, 10:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M.
Treasurer SoughtDo you love our Shaker village and want to be a
part of its success? Then join the FWWSV board as treasurer. You’ll
record income and pay bills, maintain our books, and prepare
financial statements for the board. An accounting background is not
necessary, but you’ll need to use email and have a basic
understanding of Microsoft Excel and be willing to attend monthly
board meetings at the Shaker village. Time spent is 5-6 hours per
month.
If you would like to join us and make a difference, please send
an email to Rich Spence at
2019-2020 Annual RaffleA Pleasant Hill Package
by Linda PoynterThe Friends of White Water Shaker Village are
pleased to announce the 2019-2020 Annual Raffle – a two night stay
at The Inn at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill in Harrodsburg,
Kentucky.
The winners will receive complimentary admission to The Historic
Centre, The Farm and The Preserve for the length of their stay, as
well as a dinner for two and a breakfast for two at the Trustees’
Table Restaurant.
The Gift Certificate will be valid from the date of the Annual
Gathering on April 4, 2020 (when the winner will be selected)
through December 31, 2020. Tickets are $5 each or 5 tickets for
$20.
This package was graciously donated to the Friends of White
Water Shaker Village by the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill in
support of our restoration efforts. We are most grateful.
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2 The White Water Record
Our website address is
Our mailing address isFriends of White Water Shaker Village
PO Box 62714CIncinnati OH 45262
Our email address is
Look for us on Facebook. Searchfor White Water Shaker
Village.
Our Mission Statement“To preserve, restore, and open the
Shaker buildings and adjacent grounds known as the North Family
of White Water Shaker Village; to collect and
exhibit artifacts related to the site for the cultural
enrichment of the public;
to educate the public about this unique part of our nation’s
heritage.”
OfficersPresident
Richard SpenceVice PresidentEd Creighton
SecretaryDavid KilgoTreasurer
Position open
Board of DirectorsPatrick Allen
Christy ConnellyEd CreightonScott HooverDavid KilgoKaren
Kilgo
Carol MedlicottBruce PoynterLinda PoynterPatty Schultz
Richard Spence
The Friends of White Water
Shaker Village, Inc.A 501(c)(3) corporation
In Passing
W. E. Smith Grants Help Preserve White Water’s Historic
Treasuresby Linda PoynterThe Friends of White Water Shaker Village,
Inc. is pleased to announce that the W.E. Smith Family Charitable
Trust has recently awarded two grants to our organization. As in
previous years, the W.E. Smith Family Charitable Trust has
graciously agreed to help support our adult educational programming
expenses with a $450 grant. They have also awarded us with a
generous $4,950 grant for the conservation and repair of a rare
Shaker manuscript hymnal (created by George Amery, c. 1870 at White
Water), 13 letters written at White Water by Joseph Agnew and his
daughter Hannah between 1849 and 1863, and a calligraphy drawn by
Joseph Agnew in 1844.
Descendants of George Amery, a Shaker Elder who lived at White
Water in the late 19th century, discovered the manuscript hymnal
containing songs, hymns and dance tunes in their possession and
have permanently loaned it to the Friends of White Water Shaker
Village. The hymnal is rare and contains both known and unknown
Shaker songs and hymns and many wordless White Water dance
tunes.
Joseph and Miriam Agnew are credited with being the founders of
White Water Shaker Village in 1823, as they invited the Union
Village Shakers (near Lebanon, Ohio) to share the Shaker principles
with
the locals in southwestern Ohio. Most of the letters in our
possession were written in the 1840s and 1850s by Joseph, detailing
everyday life at White Water, as well as his views on various
theological topics. Joseph Agnew also reports on the weather and
how it affected harvest, as well as crops planted and prices
received. Some letters also detail how, in 1830, the Agnews came to
the decision to go their separate ways, with Joseph staying at
White Water (until his death in 1870) with three of their children
and Miriam leaving and settling in Indiana with their remaining
children. These invaluable letters were used by Tom Sakmyster and
Jim Innis while researching and writing The Shakers of White Water,
Ohio, 1823-1916.
Hannah Agnew, one of Joseph and Miriam’s children, remained a
Shaker for her entire life. In 1836, when Hannah was just 16 years
old, a delegation from the East selected her to return to New
Lebanon with them. It was presented as a “privilege”. Initially,
Hannah was devastated, but having embraced the Shaker principles,
she accepted her fate, as “a gift”. Hannah kept a travel journal
and wrote several poems on her way to New Lebanon. Hannah’s letter
that is in our possession shows her feelings toward her father (“my
Most Worthy Parent”), as well as containing a poem.
Preventing further deterioration by conserving and stabilizing
these treasures will ensure that they can be studied and viewed by
scholars and the public for years to come. Specific steps that will
be taken by the conservator include cleaning, reduction of
accretions and pencil scribbles, reinforcing sewing, repair of
damaged sheets and large tears, attempting to reduce mold growth,
removing pressure sensitive tape and adhesive residues, reducing
brown staining, repairing tears, flattening papers, creating a new
spine on the hymnal, and
continued at the top of the next page
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New MembersSince March 2019-August 9, 2019
William Allen FamilyPaula Arter IndividualJacob Glover
IndividualJoan Gory IndividualHannah Greer IndividualLyndsi Hersch
IndividualMaggie McAdams IndividualJim McKenzie IndividualBJ &
Casey Miller FamilyDavid Neuhardt FamilyJed Portman IndividualSue
Pinto FamilyBertha Schmalfeldt IndividualNancy Waldeck
Individual
Renewing MembersSince March 2019
Mary Abbott Individual Rodney & Charlotte Adams FamilyRomola
Allen FamilyJennifer Bornemann IndividualDale & Barbara
Covington FamilyRoxann Dieffenbach Individual
Tommy Hines IndividualJim Innis IndividualDavid & Karen
Kilgo SponsorIrene Light Sponsor Harold & Kay McCollum
SponsorMichael Miller FamilyDiane Packard IndividualPaul &
Marjo Prinzing SponsorTom Queen IndividualMark Sandefur FamilyDavid
& Judy Savage SponsorDenny & Patty Schultz FamilyMarguerite
Sharp FamilyThomas & Linda Shevlin FamilyJoyce Wiseman
Individual
Meeting House Campaign DonorsPat & Mary AllenRobert
CampbellPaul CrumrineJim InnisAnne & Carl JantzenBill
MooneyPaul & Marjo Prinzing
David & Judy SavagePatricia ScharfJon & Jacqueline
SeymourMarguerite SharpHedda Windisch von Goeben
Unrestricted DonationsMary AbbottDecorative Arts SocietyRoxann
DieffenbachClayton & Ethel HockScott HooverJim InnisPeggy
LandesHarold & Kay McCollumStephen & Miriam MillerBill
MooneyElizabeth PackDavid & Judy SavageDenny & Patty
SchultzMaggie Viverito (in honor of Claire Viverito)Joyce WisemanXi
Eta Iota Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi
Recent DonationsRigid wet/dry shop vacuum. – donated by Allen
and Kay Bornemann
Books on the Shakers, especiallywoodworking. – donated by
Richard Fisher
Sabbathday Lake Drying Rack, maple, assembled from a Shaker
Workshops Kit. – donated by Scott and Elaine Hoover
Tape loom, from an eastern Shaker community. – donated by Scott
and Elaine Hoover
Low back dining chair with red wash, from Pleasant Hill Shaker
Village. – donated by Scott and Elaine Hoover
Six peg hanging shelf. – donated by Scott and Elaine Hoover
for the restroom
Two Shaker swifts, manufactured at Hancock Shaker Village c.
1880. – donated by Elaine Disch
Mt. Lebanon tilter chair and reproduction Shaker gift drawings.
– donated by Margaret Peery &
the estate of Martin & Jean Popelka
Antique quilting frame, hay knife, two horse hames, three wood
singletrees and a dry mounted WWSV article printed in the
Cincinnati Enquirer. – donated by Janet Lockwood
Old green wooden tool carrier in green paint, including old
clothes pins, bits for a hand drill, and three cast iron
clothingirons. – donated by Janet Lockwood
Four boxes of books on the Shakers and Shaker villages,
periodicals, South Union
Shaker Journal transcriptions, Ohio Department of Transportation
report in four volumes on archaeology at the Union Village North
Lot, and two hand painted gourd head dolls. – donated by Lois
Madden
Two Mt. Lebanon armed elder’s chairs, assembled from Shaker
Workshops kits, about 20 books on the Shakers and three posters. –
donated by Sue Pinto
Isaac Newton Youngs reproduction hanging wall clock, graduated
stack of eight reproduction oval boxes, large framed “Heavenly
Tree” spirit drawing poster, a wool shawl woven on Shaker looms by
Pleasant Hill interpreters, Sister Karlyn Cauley spirit drawing
prints, baskets, and a number of books.
– donated by Maggie Viverito & the estate of Claire
Viverito
housing the hymnal and papers in archival boxes for safe
keeping.
Once conserved, the treasured documents will be safely stored as
recommended by
Laura Moeller, the conservator at Strange Stock Art
Conservation, and will be occasionally placed on view at White
Water in a secure exhibit for all to enjoy.
The Friends are most grateful to the W.E. Smith Family
Charitable Trust for their continued support of our projects and
preservation efforts at White Water.
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4 The White Water Record
Donations fromWarren County Historical SocietyWe are grateful to
Victoria Van Harlingen, Executive Director, and the Warren County
Historical Society for their decision to gift to us a number of
deaccessioned Shaker items from their Shaker Gallery at the Harmon
Museum in Lebanon, Ohio. The artifacts, including a tall cupboard,
work counter, Pleasant Hill and South Union chairs, posters, a
blanket chest, Hancock Shaker Village swift, and a fire place door,
were on display or in storage.
In addition, and of great interest, was the donation of 33
lengths of peg rail and a length of ballister rail that we will use
in the restoration at White Water.
This is truly a very generous gift by Vickie Van Harlingen and
the WCHS board.Blanket chest
Fireplace door
Peg rails
White Water cupboardWork counter
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August, 2019 5
Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill Staff Helps at White WaterOn
April 18, Jacob Glover (Program Manager) and Maggie McAdams
(Assistant Program Manager) traveled north with four team members,
Bertha, Jim, Lyndsi and Hannah, for “Hands to Work” at White Water.
With their help, the peg rail channels in the dwelling southwest
room were cleaned out in preparation for peg rail replacement.
The Hodapp family had removed the peg rail in many rooms and in
its place left a cement-like material to ease the process of
hanging wallpaper. This was dusty hammer and chisel work.
Our new friends also helped wash windows in the meeting
house.
Thanks so much, Pleasant Hill volunteers!
Summer Blooms in theShaker Gardenby Linda PoynterThe Shaker herb
garden has persevered through the extremely rainy spring and our
hot, dry summer. The soapwort and bee balm have flourished.
Soapwort can be used as an herbal remedy for cough, bronchitis,
constipation relief and upper respiratory inflammation. As the name
suggests, soapwort can also be used to make a natural soap. It is
made by boiling the dried and crushed rhizome or leaves in
water.
Bee balm has antifungal and antimicrobial qualities. Those
qualities make it ideal for creating a base for a healing salve. A
tea can be made to ease nausea symptoms. Bee balm is also useful in
easing colds, congestion and sore throats.
Left and above is bee balm. Right is soapwort.
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6 The White Water Record
Ten years ago at White Water
Moving a Millstoneby Scott HooverOn Wednesday July 1, 2009, five
people gathered at the Center Family for the moving of a millstone
from a field behind the Center Family Trustee’s Office to the Wagon
Shed of the North Family. The stone was located about an eighth of
a mile to the west of the Trustee’s Office. The stone had to be
moved about a mile to its new home.
Kay and Allen Bornemann secured help from their good friend, Jim
Rolfes, to use his equipment to make the move. Board members Jim
Innis and Scott Hoover helped in the move.
Jim Rolfes brought his tracked bobcat to try to raise the stone
but the stone weighed over 3000 pounds and the bobcat could move
the stone, but not lift it. Jim returned home to get his backhoe
that had more lifting power.
The second attempt was successful, and the stone was lifted by
the backhoe to reveal a well with stone sides. The well is about 14
feet deep with water filling up about eight feet. The well opening
is angled outward as it goes down and is about three feet wide at
the top. A new wooden well cap was placed over the well, and stones
were added to the top.
Once the millstone was lifted, the trip to the North Family
wagon shed along Oxford Road went very quickly. The millstone was
laid down and placed on boards under the wagon shed. The morning
move took about two and a half hours, and now the millstone can be
seen by people visiting the North Family site.
The stone is 15ʺ thick, 52ʺ in diameter and the center hole is
9ʺ square. The stone is granite with a few holes drilled into the
sides. Some question now remains as to whether the stone is a
millstone or well cap. John Campbell and
Tommy Hines of South Union felt the stone had the look of a well
cap similar to the well caps of the Kentucky Shakers.
According to Rich Spence’s research, the area where the well is
located is about 675ʹ west of the Center Family Trustee’s Office,
on a small hill, on the edge of a farmed field. The original well
may have been placed next to a hen house. The hen house (1854) was
17ʹ by 44ʹ according to Don Janzen’s archaeological survey of 1991.
The stone floor remains about one foot under the soil. Another
millstone is located under the modern porch, as a support of the
Center Family Trustee’s Office. Other millstones associated with
White Water have been removed to private residences.
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August, 2019 7
Response Card for your ParticipationDonations for the Meeting
House Restoration Fund ❏ $25 ❏ $50 ❏ $100 ❏ $500 ❏ $1000 ❏ Other $
Total $
Donations❏ $25 ❏ 50 ❏ $100 ❏ $500 ❏ $1000 ❏ Other $ Total $❏ To
be used at the board’s discretion, or to be used for
❏ I would like my donation to remain anonymous. Total $
Annual Raffle, 2019-2020 – A Pleasant Hill Package# Single
tickets for $5 each # Group of 5 tickets for $20 Total $
FWWSV Membership ❏ $10 Student ❏ $25 Single ❏ $50 Family ❏ $100
Sponsor ❏ $500 Patron ❏ $1,000 White Water Society Total $
Annual Gathering (April 4, 2020 at Fernald Nature Preserve, Tour
of North Family)# Members @ $30 each # Non members @ $35 each Total
$
Total Amount Enclosed $
Name(s)
Address
City State ZIP
Phone Email
Thank you for choosing to support our efforts to conserve and
restore White Water Shaker Village.Friends of White Water Shaker
Village is a 501c3 non-profit organization.
Please mail to: FWWSV, PO Box 62714, Cincinnati, Ohio 45262
Passport tothe Pastby Karen KilgoOn June 27, the White Water
Village was open in conjunction with four other sites in the
Harrison area for our third annual “Passport to the Past”.
Historical venues work cooperatively by coordinating their open
hours one day per year so visitors can see places of importance in
Harrison’s history. People could visit the Othneil Looker Home, the
Passmore Cabin, the Harrison Village Historical Society Museum, the
White Water Shaker Village and, new this year, the Fernald Feed
Materials Production Center, now known as Fernald Preserve. About
25 people braved the 90 degree heat to visit the Village.
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8 The White Water Record
Repairing Meeting House FloorBruce, with help from Linda, Karen
& Dave, covered the Meeting House floor hole left from a
previous tenant’s desire for quick, inside access to the cellar.
The covering will be restored with random width white oak in the
future.
Memorial Day Open Houseby Karen KilgoMemorial Day was celebrated
at the village on May 26 with an ice cream social and open house.
The sky was cloudy, there was some rain and a surprise gust of wind
blew a pop-up tent into the Meeting House downspout!
Despite the excitement with the weather, approximately 40 people
enjoyed homemade vanilla and chocolate ice cream with all the
trimmings plus lemonade and cookies and tours of the village.
Great Outdoor WeekendFor the fourth year, the Shaker Village
will be participating in the
Great Outdoor Weekend, a two day event put on by Green Umbrella
to encourage people to participate in free events throughout the
area that focus on recreation and nature. The village will be
open
The Friends of White WaterShaker Village, Inc.PO Box
62714Cincinnati OH 45262
First Class Mail
on Sunday September 29 from 2:00-5:00 P.M. The theme this year
is “Shaker History on a Sundae” so, of course, there will be
homemade ice cream and plenty of Shaker history. There will also be
a flea market in the wagon shed to benefit restoration at the
village.
Jeffrey L. Werner, 1957-2019Treasurer & Director
by Rich SpenceWe are saddened to report that our former
treasurer, Jeff Werner,
passed away in Louisville on May 11, 2019 after a long illness.
In addition to keeping our books for the last 10 years, Jeff was
always there for projects such as burying the electrical lines, the
propane tank and replacing the dwelling back steps. Looking back,
we appreciate Jeff’s contributions to the Shaker Village and our
thoughts go out to his family during this difficult time.
2019 Membership Dues ReminderJust a friendly reminder that
memberships for the Friends of White Water Shaker Village are due
for this calendar year. Yearly memberships coincide with the
calendar year.
We start accepting memberships for the upcoming year in the fall
of the previous year (October). If you aren’t sure if you have
renewed your membership, you are always welcome to email Linda
Poynter at and she will check and get back with you promptly.
Memberships are vital in supporting the daily operations and
basic needs of the village (such as propane, electric, water and
phone line for the security system). Members of the Friends of
White Water Shaker Village also enjoy a 10% discount in the gift
shop, free or reduced admission to special events (such as the
Annual Gathering and Anniversary Celebration), and issues of our
quarterly newsletter, The White Water Record.
Other things going on...
Aug19