Writings of Shaker Apostates and Anti-Shakers, 1782–1850

This three-volume collection of writings by Shaker apostates and anti-Shaker individuals brings together thirty-nine texts spanning 1782–c. 1852, comprising the bulk of the corpus of the genre. Texts were selected for inclusion in these volumes based on their relative rarity in institutional and electronic repositories, as well as the lack of a readily available critical or reprinted edition. The goal in the present collection is to offer printed sources that survive in very few copies (in three cases only one) and are therefore largely inaccessible to the public. Each account is prefaced with a headnote that explains its geographical and social context, provides biographical information about the author (where known), delineates key themes or accusations and examines the popular impact of its publication, as well as the particular impact on the Shakers in general, or on a specific Shaker community. Editorial annotations appear throughout the original source texts. These notes provide specific information on individuals, events, or larger concepts in Shakerism.https://digitalcommons.hamilton.edu/books/1070/thumbnail.jp