TROUBLE IN PARADISE

Gavel Gamut
By Jim Redwine

Karl J.R. Arndt’s A Documentary History of the Indiana Decade of the Harmony Society 1814 – 1824 opens a window on the doubts and certitude of George and Frederick Rapp. George wrote his adopted son, Frederick, a letter from New Harmony, Indiana dated March 10, 1815 (see pp. 106 – 109) and said:

“Your letter (from Frederick to George) convinced me that your presence at home (Pennsylvania) was very necessary, that difficulties had developed. It is with our people as with Israel when Moses was on the Mount of Sinai for forty days. They began to make idols. When will our people learn to be prudent? It is very good that you cleansed the community again (emphasis added). Further, it is astonishing how the enemy (the Devil?) lays out snares and nets where he found occasion in the lusts of marriage. You have done well in putting off a disgrace to me and the congregation for this time.”

The letter provides no other details, but one surmises George saw himself as the modern Moses and, perhaps, saw Frederick’s actions much as those of Jesus in cleansing the temple of the money changers with carnal knowledge being the culprit that needed to be expelled.
In his letter, George further vents his frustrations to Frederick concerning George’s inability to purchase the property that now is Mt. Vernon from the McFaddens:

“Concerning the land sale (in Harmonie, Pennsylvania), you may do as you think best and as fate extends a hand to you. I cannot do anything about McFerle’s (McFadden’s) land (in Posey County, Indiana). They are really stubborn. They believe that the county seat will come there and one party will make a petition for this purpose.”

Posey County’s first county seat was at Blackford, but the McFaddens were campaigning for it to be moved to McFadden’s Bluff (Mt. Vernon). This may explain the largesse of Frederick Rapp’s donation of land to the county in return for the county seat being moved from Blackford to Springfield in 1817. However, it appears the Harmonists were out maneuvered by the “south of Big Creek” faction as Mt. Vernon became the county seat only eight years later.
It is fortunate we have these marvelous letters preserving the details of the Utopian community that has been so significant in our county’s history. As one reads of the purchase of land or the making of whiskey or the hopes for the second coming, it brings to mind what our posterity will have to refer to.
Somehow it just does not seem likely that an email message or a Facebook post will give our descendants of the year 2215 much faith in the value of what we have left them. Let’s see, “R u ok?; Y, u?” coupled with an image of someone T. Bowing, leaves one somewhat less than satisfied.