Harvard Historical Society
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Shaker People from Harvard
For over a century, the Shaker community in Harvard, Massachusetts, operated as a communal society rooted in shared property, pacifism, and equality. Utilizing archival records and manifest journals, we provide biographical data on some of the Harvard Shakers.
Ezra B. Newton
Ezra B. Newton, who has for many years been known as the oldest Shaker in the country, celebrated his 100th…
Ezra B. Newton, who has for many years been known as the oldest Shaker in the country, celebrated his 100th…
Beulah Cooper
Beulah Cooper’s parents had been followers of Shadrach Ireland for several decades before Mother Ann and the Elders arrived in…
Beulah Cooper’s parents had been followers of Shadrach Ireland for several decades before Mother Ann and the Elders arrived in…
Abigail Cooper
Abigail Whipple Cooper and her husband Samuel Cooper from Grafton, Massachusetts, united with the New Light Baptists under Shadrach Ireland…
Abigail Whipple Cooper and her husband Samuel Cooper from Grafton, Massachusetts, united with the New Light Baptists under Shadrach Ireland…
Susannah Daby
Susannah Worster married Nahum Daby in 1767. They had one child before her husband died in 1771……
Susannah Worster married Nahum Daby in 1767. They had one child before her husband died in 1771……
Sarah Salome Barrett
Sarah Salome Barrett, from Lancaster, was still a child when she united with the Shakers. Ten years later she made…
Sarah Salome Barrett, from Lancaster, was still a child when she united with the Shakers. Ten years later she made…
Sarah Kendall
Sarah Kendall was the natural sister to Mother Hannah Kendall, one of the founding parents of the Harvard Shaker Village.…
Sarah Kendall was the natural sister to Mother Hannah Kendall, one of the founding parents of the Harvard Shaker Village.…
Sarah Crouch
Sarah Sterns Crouch came from Littleton, Her husband David united with the Shaker faith soon after Mother Ann arrived in…
Sarah Sterns Crouch came from Littleton, Her husband David united with the Shaker faith soon after Mother Ann arrived in…
Mehitabel Crouch
Mehitable Crouch, also called Hette, was the daughter of Jonathan and Elizabeth Crouch, and one of the few children who…
Mehitable Crouch, also called Hette, was the daughter of Jonathan and Elizabeth Crouch, and one of the few children who…
Sarah “Lucy” Hanum
Lucy Hanum was a young woman when Mother Ann and the Elders came to Harvard……
Lucy Hanum was a young woman when Mother Ann and the Elders came to Harvard……
Mary Jewett
In 1779, Mary Cooper of Grafton married Aaron Jewett. She was frequently referred to as Mary Jr. as her husband’s…
In 1779, Mary Cooper of Grafton married Aaron Jewett. She was frequently referred to as Mary Jr. as her husband’s…
Mary Esther Crouch
Mary Esther Crouch was the daughter of Mary and David Crouch, and united with the Shakers with the rest of…
Mary Esther Crouch was the daughter of Mary and David Crouch, and united with the Shakers with the rest of…
Mary Crouch
Mary Crouch and her husband David were the parents of five children who worked hard to build the Harvard village……
Mary Crouch and her husband David were the parents of five children who worked hard to build the Harvard village……
Jonathan Crouch
Jonathan Crouch and his wife Elizabeth followed his youngest sister, Patience and his parents, Mary and David into the Shaker…
Jonathan Crouch and his wife Elizabeth followed his youngest sister, Patience and his parents, Mary and David into the Shaker…
Grove Blanchard
Elder Grove was associated with the ministry of Harvard and Shirley for more than fifty two years. Born as Babbit…
Elder Grove was associated with the ministry of Harvard and Shirley for more than fifty two years. Born as Babbit…
Elezer Rand
Father Eleazer Rand and Mother Hannah Kendall, the founding parents of the village, became young disciples of Mother Ann and…
Father Eleazer Rand and Mother Hannah Kendall, the founding parents of the village, became young disciples of Mother Ann and…
Deliverance Cooper
Abigail and Samuel Cooper raised their last two children, Deliverance (Dilly) and Beulah, in the New Light Baptist faith as…
Abigail and Samuel Cooper raised their last two children, Deliverance (Dilly) and Beulah, in the New Light Baptist faith as…
Deborah Prentice
Deborah Prentice was born in Cambridge, and sixty-one years old when Mother Ann and the Elders arrived in Harvard……
Deborah Prentice was born in Cambridge, and sixty-one years old when Mother Ann and the Elders arrived in Harvard……
David Crouch
David Crouch and his wife Mary raised a large family in Harvard, six of whom became staunch supporters of the…
David Crouch and his wife Mary raised a large family in Harvard, six of whom became staunch supporters of the…
Caleb Crouch
Caleb Crouch joined the Harvard Shakers with his natural family at age thirteen in 1781, and so was among the…
Caleb Crouch joined the Harvard Shakers with his natural family at age thirteen in 1781, and so was among the…
Abel Jewett
Abel Jewett and his wife Mary moved from Rowley to Littleton, Massachusetts, where they raised their children.…
Abel Jewett and his wife Mary moved from Rowley to Littleton, Massachusetts, where they raised their children.…
Bethiah Prescott Willard
Bethiah Willard is best known as the sister who leapt on the back of Father William during the horrific whipping…
Bethiah Willard is best known as the sister who leapt on the back of Father William during the horrific whipping…
Abijah Worster
Abijah Worster had many gifts as a Shaker. He was one of Mother Ann Lee’s closest disciples in Harvard and…
Abijah Worster had many gifts as a Shaker. He was one of Mother Ann Lee’s closest disciples in Harvard and…
Elizabeth Crouch
When Elizabeth Skinner of Stow married Jonathan Crouch of Harvard, they took up domicile in Stow, to raise their three…
When Elizabeth Skinner of Stow married Jonathan Crouch of Harvard, they took up domicile in Stow, to raise their three…
Aaron Jewett
Aaron Jewett and his wife Mary Cooper Jewett united with the Shaker gospel with their three young children soon after…
Aaron Jewett and his wife Mary Cooper Jewett united with the Shaker gospel with their three young children soon after…
Elizabeth Crouch
Elizabeth Crouch was one of the daughters of Mary and David Crouch. After her sister Patience united with Mother Ann…
Elizabeth Crouch was one of the daughters of Mary and David Crouch. After her sister Patience united with Mother Ann…
Elizabeth Robinson
Elizabeth Robinson, with her sons John and Oliver, was one of a significant number of Harvard Shakers from Petersham, and…
Elizabeth Robinson, with her sons John and Oliver, was one of a significant number of Harvard Shakers from Petersham, and…
Tabitha Babbitt
Babbitt’s, a tool maker and inventor, was a member of the Harvard Shaker community. Inventions attributed to her include the…
Babbitt’s, a tool maker and inventor, was a member of the Harvard Shaker community. Inventions attributed to her include the…
