Industries and Inventions
of The Shakers
SHAKER MUSIC
A Brief History
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Sister Bertha Lindsay
Sister Lillian Phelps
Canterbury Shakers
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Canterbury, New Hampshire
The subject for the evening is one of great interest, as datingback 186 years, we find the Shakers to be an exceedingly ingeniouspeople, devoted pioneers of this adventure.
It is rather difficult for one who has been a member of thischurch, to speak of the achievements of this especial group withoutseeming boastful, yet, we, the inheritors can justly be proudof the useful contributions made in early days. It therefore isour duty to inform those interested while we are able.
While different societies originated and manufactured someparticular item, these were shared with all others as, while wewere like one big family, each society was a complete unit withinthemselves, self-sustaining, supplying the necessities for theirown needs. An interchange of goods from one village to anotherwas possible because of frequent visits of the leaders. I willnow try to detail for you some of the early industries and inventions.
Perhaps the most colorful of the early industries was theherb and root industry. This was a natural outgrowth of theShakers’ interest in gardening and agriculture. Eldress AnnaWhite states in her writings that, “the Shakers were the first inthis country to introduce botanical medical practice, the firstroots, herbs and vegetable extracts for medicinal purposes placedon the market having borne the Shaker stamp”.
Thomas Corbett of Canterbury originated the famous Syrupof Sarsaparilla also, the Wild Cherry Pectoral Syrup. Rose-waterwas far-famed, used in cooking as well as medicinally. Iwould not have time to give a complete list of the many herbsand roots, grown, harvested and packaged, but will quote a fewfigures to show the tremendous extent of this industry. Recordsshow this industry started in 1800, reaching its greatest importancearound 1848 when the sisters cleaned and packaged 9,327lbs. of roots. In 1871, 14,079 bottles of Norwood’s Tincture ofVeratum alone was put up. Perhaps the extent of this businessmay be gauged by the fact that in one year more than a millionlabels were cut. How many of you ever heard of “Healolene”?A hand, or after-shave lotion made from quinces, at Mt. Lebanon.
The physics gardens at Mt. Lebanon occupied at one timeover 50 acres, where a variety of 50 plants were raised. Theycollected nearly 200 varieties of indigenous plants, bringing fromthe South, West and from Europe some 30 to 40 other varieties.
Between 1861-62 the extract business flourished, with over100 varieties, both solid and fluid manufactured. The herb industrycontinued on a much smaller scale as late as 1900. Witch-Hazelwas distilled and sold at Canterbury up to 1910. Theherb industry rapidly extended to Watervliet, Harvard, SabbathdayLake, Canterbury, Enfield and Union Village.
It is but a step from the herb industry to the garden seedindustry which flourished from the establishment of this businessin 1794 to the early 1890’s. In its early stages plain paperand cloth bags were used