New Harmony Series III – Bound Records of the New Harmony Community

 

The following information is based on the original finding aid completed by Arthur Bestor in 1950. These volumes concern the New Harmony Community (1825-1827, the Owen experiment)  Volumes 1-14 are considered the New Harmony Community Records.

 

III.v.1 (1825 May 1 to 1826 ca. Mar.) New Harmony Community.  Account Book. 40×27 cm.  Paging varies.  Pages 8-24 on Microfilm.  The remaining pages too incomplete to be of significance.

 

 Comprises the Journal A, 1 May 1825 to 5 Nov. 1825, and ledger accounts for the various branches of industry of the Community, written ca. March 1826. There are 474 pages with the following missing: 1-6, 225-357, 438-439, and a few after 474. This is the earliest surviving book of account of the New Harmony community. The system of bookkeeping for the Community changed on Nov. 6, 1825 and entries in Journal A ceased.

 

III.v.2 (1825 June 27 to 1826 July 27) New Harmony Community.  Petty Journal 1.  30×23 cm.  320 p.  Microfilmed in full.

 

 This is the No.1 Petty Journal from which accounts were carried to Journal A. (III.v.1).  After the commencement of this petty journal, the entries in Journal A represent a consolidation of entries for two weeks or more at a time, carried to it from this Petty Journal.  Entries carried to Journal A stopped on Nov. 6, 1825 when the method of bookkeeping changed.  On 167 dated 6 Nov. 1825, it is noted that after this date, “all Petty Journal entries are to be entered in the new system of keeping accounts.”  This is the same date that Journal A (III.v.1) and Store and Warehouse account book (IIIv.3) are closed.  Of note, on page 237 are entered charges against various persons who had just arrived on the “Boatload of Knowledge.” 

 

 

III.v.3 (1825 Oct. 3 to 1825 Nov. 8) New Harmony Community.  Account Book 6.  30×23 cm.  337 p. Pages 1-61 are microfilmed.  These pages include most of the accounts for branches of industry of the Community and a representative sample of the personal accounts.

 

 This was the charge book or accounts current book of the Store and Warehouse.  It consists of debtor accounts only, for individuals and for branches of industry of the Community.  The totals for each account were carried to Journal A (III.v.1)  This book was discontinued on Nov. 5, 1825 the date of the closing of Journal A and the institution of the new system of accounting mentioned in Petty Journal 1 (IIIv.2)

 

III.v.4(1826 March 6 to 1826 May 29) New Harmony Community.  Account Book.  30×23 cm.  316 p.  Pages 1-51 are microfilmed.  These pages contain a representative sample of the accounts both with branches of industry and individual persons.

 

 This volume consists of charge accounts with individuals and branches of the industry, arranged roughly in alphabetical order. The charges are for goods supplied by the Commissary.

 

III.v.5 (1826 Mar. 7 to 1827 Feb. 24) New Harmony Community.  Account Book.  30×23 cm.  178 p. Pages 1-15 are microfilmed.  These pages show the form of the accounts.  The entries are quite detailed.

 

 This book was opened on 7 March 1826 as a record of daily sales of dry goods and hardware.  Beginning 10 July 1826, the account becomes a complete record of individual sales, or rather deliveries, of goods supplied on orders or requisitions issued by the various branches of the central authority of the community.  Cash sales were kept separately.  Three types of orders are distinguished in this part of the book.  They are General Magazine Orders, Warehouse Orders and Tavern Orders.

 

III.v.6  (1826 Mar. 6 to 1827 ca. May) New Harmony Community.  Ledger.  47×34 cm.  630 pages with various pages missing throughout.  Significant pages microfilmed. 

 

 This was the basic Ledger of the New Harmony Community for the organization of the Community of Equality in March 1826 until the final settlement between Robert Owen and William Maclure in May 1827.  The major accounts in the book – Store, General Magazine, Robert Owen, Education Society and William Maclure – end during April and May of 1827.  Only two accounts are balanced and formally closed, the Education Society and William Maclure.  This ledger, in other words, presents the settlement between Owen and Maclure from the former’s point of view.  The books of Malcure’s Education Society (IIIv.8 and III.v.9) present the final settlement from the other side.

 

III.v.7 (1826 July 10 to 1826 Oct. 14) New Harmony Community.  Book of printed order blanks.  40×27 cm.  No pagination.  Sample pages only have been microfilmed.

 

 Order blanks were to be directed to different departments of the community for the delivery of goods or services.  On the stubs are recorded the accounts to be debited and credited, the goods or services delivered and the value.  Most of the transactions are between various branches of industry of the Community, but there are a few charges to personal accounts.  Notations show that sums were carried to a ledger that has apparently been lost.  771 order forms were issued and the data recorded on the stubs.  A number of pages remain unused.

 

III.v.8  (1826 Sept. 18 to 1828 Oct. 4) New Harmony Community.  Education Society Day Book.  32×24 cm.  419 p.  Microfilmed in full.

 

 The Education Society was the branch of the New Harmony Community sponsored by William Maclure.  The Education Society was set up as an autonomous branch of the community by William Maclure, and eventually became completely independent when the breach between Maclure and Owen widened. Every entry in the Day Book has been posted to the Ledger (III.v.9), and careful marginal notations of page numbers in both books make references back and forth possible throughout the entire period.  The Day Book contains the record of settlement between Robert Owen and William Maclure from Maclure’s point of view. 

 

III.v.9 (1826 Sept. 18 to 1832 Nov. 10) New Harmony Community.  Education Society Ledger.  32×24 cm.  Paging varies.  Significant pages microfilmed.

 

 Some time during the 1850’s this book was used as a scrapbook.  Every other page was removed to keep the scrapbook from bulging.  Therefore, many pages are missing.  Clippings were removed from the remaining pages.  These pages may be cross referenced with the society day book (III.v8).

 

III.v.10 (1827 Mar. 12 to 1828 Nov. 8) New Harmony Community.  Account Book.  40×27 cm.  126 p. First seven pages microfilmed to show how accounts were set up and how the book was used by the later businesses.

 

 The account book was ruled to record groceries and other commodities furnished to members.  However, it was never used.  Pages were ruled into 43 columns, each bearing the name of a different commodity.  Member’s names were written at the top of a number of pages, but no entries were ever made.  The book was then used by the businesses, W. George Taylor, Speakman, Taylor & Co. and Taylor, Fauntleroy & Co. 

 

III.v.11 (1826) New Harmony Community. Community Dances, 1826.  32×10 cm.  Paging varies.  Contains airs written on musical staves with directions for performing the figures of more than forty dances.  Includes index.  Also contains marches and Deceiving and Deceived: A Drama in One Act.

 

III.v.12 (1825 Nov.2 to 1826 Feb. 28) New Harmony Community. Proceedings of the Preliminary Meeting.  36×18 cm.  14 p. And, with the book reversed, (1826 Jan. 25 to 1826 Feb. 6) New Harmony Community. Minutes of the Convention for Forming a Constitution for the Society at New Harmony.  36×18 cm. 27 p.  Photocopied in full, and digitized, available on the IU Archives Online here.   

 

 Both documents are contained in the same volume.  They belonged to Mr. Thomas and Sarah Pears.  The minutes of the Preliminary Society were written on one side of the page.  When the Convention was held the volume was apparently reversed and the minutes of its session were written from the other end, also on one side of the page. 

 

 The minutes of the Preliminary Society record actions taken on various affairs of the Community, and is the only record of the sort that is known to survive.  An important document included in the minutes is the “valuation of labour” (8 Feb.1826), part of the process of winding up the Preliminary Society and inaugurating the Community of Equality.

 

The Convention was the one that adopted a Constitution of the New Harmony Community of Equality and thus brought the Preliminary Society to an end.  The minutes include the full text of several drafts and proposals.  The text finally adopted was published in the New Harmony Gazette of 15 Feb. 1826.                 

 

 When Dr. Bestor cataloged the New Harmony Community Records, he stopped with this volume.  In fact his cataloging was based on the photocopy owned by the WMI.  In 1980 the descendents of Thomas and Sarah Pears gave the original to the WMI.  It was digitized in  2007, and can be accessed at the link given above.

 

The following volume was not cataloged until 1980.  It is considered the final volume concerning the New Harmony Community (Owen experiment).

 

III.v.13 (1825 Oct. 1 to 1826 Sept.) New Harmony Community.  New Harmony Gazette Subscriber List.  32×20 cm.  50 p. Transcript of subscribers. 

 

 Pages reclaimed from later use as a scrap book.  Earliest pages (1-16) date back to 1801 and are concerned with bookselling.  This was William Pelham’s job before coming to New Harmony and being put in charge of the Gazette.  About a dozen pages are missing leaving out around 70 of the then 340 subscribers.

 

III.v.Index 1-13   New Harmony Community.  Index to volumes 1-13.  29×25 cm.  No pagination.           

 

 Originally a card file, this three ring binder is made up of photocopies of that file.  It is an index of all names found in volumes 1-13 with inclusive dates.  Considering the very fluid nature of the New Harmony Community, this is a valuable tool to researchers and genealogists for placing a certain person in New Harmony at a particular time.

 

III.v.14 (ca.1819-1830) Unidentified merchant.  Ledger.32×20 cm.  146 p.

 

This book was originally cataloged as XII.v.25.  However, for various reasons, it was removed and added to series III.  It is suggested that perhaps at least in part, it deals with the Owen Community. 

 This account book, unidentified as to originator(s), covers the period 1819-1830.  The name “Rappelyea” appears both on the cover and in the accounts.  The name “George Sampson” is written on the back end sheet.  The local history file identifies him as having lived in Boarding House No.1 in 1825.

 The book seems to have been used by several different owners.  The years 1819, 1820 and 1821 are written in a hand unlike the later entries.  The larger portion of the ledger is concerned with entries for work in and products of the Tobacco Factory and the persons who purchased the snuff, twists, and “segars”.  Names appear that are known to have been in New Harmony during the formal Owen Community period and the several years after. There are several different handwritings scattered throughout the book, and varying bookkeeping systems. 

 One is tempted to assign at least portions of this ledger to the formal Owen Community period because of names listed and procedures used.  There is a detailed outline accompanying the book.   

 

 The records that follow have been cataloged at various times.  They are concerned with the period following the Owen experiment.  They are classified as community records.  They are more correctly records of community groups.  

 

III.v.14.5 (1832) Taylor, Fauntleroy and Co.  Ledger.  30×20 cm.  161 p.

 

III.v.15.1 (1835, 1836-1841, 1843-1847) Posey County Agricultural Society.  Records of Minutes.  30×19 cm. Author unknown.  

Record book of the Agricultural Society of Posey county ; organized 12 September 1835.  Records go to the Sixth Annual Fair and Cattle show on Oct. 30, 1841. 

Turning the book around and starting from the other direction is an Agricultural Journal commenced 1 Jan. 1843.   This daily journal runs to 1864. 

III.v.15.2  (1858-1863) Posey County Agricultural Society.  Constitution, by-laws and minutes.  32×20 cm. Unpaginated.

III.v.15.3  (1859-1893) Posey County Agricultural Society.  Treasurer’s Cash Book. Unpaginated.

III.v.15.4 (1835-1839) Posey County Agricultural Society.  Membership.  30×19 cm. 

III.v.15.5 (1867-1931) Posey County Agricultural Society.  Programs and premiums. 

III.v.15.6 (1867-1931) Posey County Agricultural Society.  Programs and premiums. Duplicates. 

III.v.15.7 (1860-1862) Posey Count Agricultural Society. Floral Hall entries.  32×19 cm.  84 p. 

III.v.15.8 (1872-1883) Posey County Agricultural Society.  Business affairs. 24×19 cm.  21 p.

 

III.v.15.9 (1863-1952) Posey County Agricultural Society.  Records and minute book.  38×26 cm.  543 p.

 

III.v.15.10 (1904-1925) Posey County Agricultural Society.  Account Book.  38×28 cm.  100 p.

 

III.v.15.11 (1870-1888) Posey County Agricultural Society. Treasurer’s book. 30×19 cm. 190 p.

 III.v.16  (1855-1857) Journal from Division 90 Sons of Temperance New Harmony Indiana 1855.  Minute book.  32×20 cm.  197 p.

 III.v.17.1 (1891-1918)  New Harmony Fire Engine Co.  Accounts and minutes.  34×20 cm.  72 p.

 III.v.17.2 (1846-1869) New Harmony Fire Engine and Hook and Ladder Company.  Records book.  32×18 cm.  141 p.

III.v.17.3 (1869-1874)  New Harmony Fire Engine and Hook and Ladder Company.  Treasurer’s book.  30 x18 cm.  79, [8] p.

III.v.17.4 (1869-1877) New Harmony Fire Engine and Hook and Ladder Company.  Minutes.  30×18 cm.  Unpaginated.

III.v.17.5 (1877-1883) New Harmony Fire Engine and Hook and Ladder Company.  List of members, minutes.  32×20 cm.  89 p.

III.v.18 (1894-1897)  New Harmony Town Docket. 34×22 cm.  87 p.

 

III.v.19.1 (1888-1901) Highman Post GAR. Minute book also 1888 Reunion.  40×22 cm. 

 III.v.19.2  (1885-1892) Highman Post GAR.  Minutes. 30×20 cm.  289 p.

 III.v.19.3 (1885-1894) Highman Post GAR.  Descriptive list.  19×34 cm.  19 p.

III.v.19.4(1901-1906) Highman Post GAR.  Minutes.  34×20 cm.  [68-109] p.

III.v.19.5 (1887-1906) Highman Post GAR.  Membership list.  32×22 cm.  218 cm.

 

III.v.20 (1922-1939) Posey County Historical Society.  34×20 cm.  153 p. The society was formed on Nov. 24, 1922.

 

III.v.21 (1859) Adelphi Union Debating Society.  Constitution and by-lays.  20×16 cm. Unpaginated.

 

III.v.22 (1859-1861) Adelphi Union [Debating Society].  Minutes.  33×21 cm. Unpaginated.

 

III.v.23 (1894) The Boys.  Minutes.  29×18 cm. [5] p.

III.v.24 (1860) Democratic Club, Harmony Twp.  Minutes & Constitution.  19×15 cm. Unpaginated.

 III.v.26 (1851-1853) Temple of Honor.  Minutes.  30×18 cm. Unpaginated.

III.v.27 (1882-1883) Wednesday Night Club.  Minutes.  24×19 cm. Unpaginated.

III.v.28 (1883-1884) Wednesday Night Club.  Minutes.  20×16. Unpaginated.

III.v.28 (1904-1911) Thralls Opera House.  Account book.  30×19 cm.  59 p.

 

III.v.30 (1838) Tom Paine Society.  Accounts.  Photocopies [2] p.

 III.v.33 (1891-1897)  Register of funerals.  20×26 cm.   Unpaginated.

III.v.34 (1897-1906)  Register of funerals.  20×26 cm. Unpaginated.

III.v.36.1 (1871-1917)  New Harmony Burial Ground Association and Maple Hill Cemetery.  Cemetery and death records.

          

•  Maple Hill Cemetery Records, 1887-1917
•  New Harmony Burial Ground Association By-laws, 1871
•  New Harmony Burial Ground Association Register of Deaths, 1873-1916
•  New Harmony Burial Ground Association Blank Bequest Forms
•  New Harmony Burial Ground Association notebook listing lot designations
•  New Harmony Burial Ground Association Treasurer’s Book, 1872-1877
•  Maple Hill Cemetery Funds and Memorandum of Subscriptions, 1872-1873

III.v.36.2(1871) New Harmony Burial Ground Association. Records. Articles of Association.  By-laws. Minutes. 30×19 cm. 101 p.

III.v.36.3 (1872)  New Harmony Burial Ground Association. Treausrer’s Book.  34×22 cm.  44 p.

III.v.36.4 (1873-1916) New Harmony Burial Ground Association.  Register of Deaths.  32 cm.  28 p.

 III.v.36.5 (1839-1877) New Harmony Burial Ground Association. Register of Interments.  34×22 cm.  Unpaginated.   

III.v.36.6 (1916-1928)  New Harmony Burial Ground Association.  Records.  6 Folders.  Includes Articles of incorporation, 1916; Correspondence, 1908-1925, Business 1914-1921; Business, 1922-1927; Indentures for lots, 1872-1929; Mr. Dinger’s accounts, 1918-1928.

III.v.36.7 (Undated) Maple Hill Cemetery. Lot book.  35 cm.  240 p.

III.v.37  (1899-1900) Indiana Loyal Temperance Legion, New Harmony Branch.  Minutes.  21×16 cm.  Unpaginated.

 

III.v.38 (1856-1867) Maclurian Association.  Tresurer’s records. 19×15 cm.  [4] p.

 

III.v.39 (1921-1922, 1948-1949) The New Harmony Commercial Club.  Minutes.  32×20 cm

 

III.v.44 (1845-1849) New Harmony Free Land Association.  Journal.  29×19 cm.  Paging varies.

 

III.v.45 (1850) New Harmony Hill-Plank Road.  Accounts book.  19×16 cm.  17 p.

 

III.v.46 (1835-1837) New Harmony Jockey Club.  Minutes, Rules and regulations.  19 p.

  

III.v.51 (1899-1900) Double six progressive euchre club.  28 cm.  100 p.  

 

III.v.52 (1859-1964) License Record Posey County.  32 cm.  Unpaginated.

  

III.v.67 (ca.1880) Unknown origin. Personal journal. 42 cm. Unpaginated. Used for a variety of things. Mostly political information.

  

III.v.73.1 (1932-1941)  Modern Woodsmen of America.  Wabash Camp. Minutes

 

III.v.73.2 (1916-1918) Modern Woodsmen of America.  Wabash Camp.  Minutes.

 

III.v.73.3 (1918-1920) Modern Woodsmen of America.  Wabash Camp. Minutes III.v.73.4 (1908-1914) Modern Woodsmen of America.  Wabash Camp.  Minutes.

III.v.73.4 (1908-1914) Modern Woodsmen of America. Wabash Camp. Cash book.

III.v.73.5 (1895-1900)  Modern Woodsmen of America. Wabash Camp.  Cash book.

III.v.73.6 (1900-1903) Modern Woodsmen of America. Wabash Camp. Cash book.

III.v.73.7 (1900-1908) Modern Woodsmen of America. Camp 3170. By-laws and minutes

III.v.81 (1874-1775) Posey County Sunday School Convention

 

III.v.82 (1869-1987) 1 Box.  Stewartsville church records. 16 bound volumes and 1 folder.  Stewartsville School records, photos and death notices.  

 

III.v.83 (1953-1966) Grace Golden Music Guild.  Minutes.

 

III.v.84 (1966-1977) Grace Golden Music Guild.  Minutes

 

III.v.85 (1953-1977) Grace Golden Music Guild.  Indiana Federation of Music Club material.  Grace Golden Music Guild programs and notebook. 1 box.           

III.v.86 (1865-1899) Julian Dale Owen Farm Account Book

III.v.87 (1870-1871) Cash Record, Recipes, student names, Helen M. Chaffin, St. Mary’s Institute. 148 p. 

 III.v.88  (ca. 1970) Historic New Harmony, Inc. Tour Guide.  Compiled in part by Mr./Mrs. Carl Tooms and owned and annotated by Dorothy Donald.