| bio | Phelps, Bertha Lillian (1876-1973), of Canterbury, NH, was born in East Boston, MA. Her parents had five
daughters and four sons. She joined the Shakers at 16, when coming for health reasons and also to visit her two
brothers already there. She took turns in the kitchen and taking care of the elder sisters. She signed the covenant in
1899 and assisted in selling trips of fancy goods for many years (1909-1940). She became 2nd eldress in 1918,
working at the Trustees' Office from 1965 on. She was involved in the sweater trade, finishing off sweaters; in the
poplar box construction; was in charge of the gift shop; gave Thursday and Sunday afternoon services for young
people; helped with entertainments, and was one of the community photographers. Through her lifetime she took
care of over 50 children, many of whom remembered her lovingly. Coming from a family of organists and having had
professional training with a German professor, she played the Canterbury chapel pipe organ, installed in 1922;
trained the famous Canterbury "Qui Vive Quartette," and taught instrumental music at both Canterbury and Enfield,
NH. When 90 years old, in 1967, she obtained a "table model stereo." "Subsequently the Shakers spent many
evenings listening to hours of delightful music" (Sr. Bertha Lindsay, 1973). She also wrote pamphlets about Shakers,
one of which, titled" Industries and Inventions of the Shakers. Shaker Music... ", written together with Eldress Bertha
Lindsay, was published in 1968 (based on a seminar talk delivered in 1961).
|
---|