[Shakerpedia] [Memoirs]
Entries for Allen, M[innie] Catherine

Photos:Mt Lebanon Hancock Hamilton Richmond

Village:New Lebanon, NY Source:bios:3

id 3
firstname M[innie] Catherine
lastname Allen
birthyr 1852
deathyr 1922
bio Allen, M[innie] Catherine (1852-1922), was admitted to the North F., Mt. Lebanon, NY, in her 13th year, as a
boarder; her brother, Ernest, 10 years old, went to the 2nd order. Her father was Rev. John Allen of Brook Farm fame,
(a descendant of Ethan Allen, closely connected with the Allen families resident in western Massachussetts, and a
cousin of Thomas Allen, founder and donor of the Pittsfield Athenaeum [Library]. Her mother, Ellen Lazarus, was also
well known in the annals of Brook Farm, and was a descendant of "cultured southerners." "The Mordecai family in
North Carolina, who founded and equipped the public high school for girls in the United States, were the immediate
ancestors of Ellen Lazarus." (Leila S. Taylor, in SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN, 1908.) Catherine made her decision to
stay with the Shakers early on. In 1870, at age 19, the US Census had her doing housework, and in 1880, she was
listed as a seamstress. She wrote many poems and essays, and also a biographical sketch of Daniel Fraser, a
prominent Shaker. "As a representative of the North Family she addressed in 1906 the national council of women of
the US, at Toledo, Ohio, and in 1907 she addressed the same body assembled at the Jamestown exposition. Along
with other Shaker Sisters, she was a member of the woman's suffrage league." (Ibid) In April, 1908, she was
appointed by Eldress Harriett Bullard as successor in the Central Ministry to the late Eldress Augusta Stone. By that
time she had been "an active and devoted member" for 43 years - yet her appointment came as a surprise, because
as the youngest Shaker "bishop," she was also .perhaps the only one ever chosen direct from the ranks with no
preliminary training in the eldership." Nevertheless she was deeply respected for her "quick perceptions, clear, logical
thought, striking at once to the deeper strata of philosophical or spiritual truth in every problem, her enthusiastic
reception and ardent following of new and broader conceptions...her coolness of judgment, mental poise and her
pronounced adherence to the foundation principles of the Shaker faith..." (Leila S. Taylor, 1908). She stayed a
member of the Central Ministry until her death. [Eldress Catherine Allen also helped Hugh Wallace Cathcart to collect
Shaker material for the Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland, OH].

	id	3
	firstname	M[innie] Catherine
	lastname	Allen
	birthyr	1852
	deathyr	1922
	bio	Allen, M[innie] Catherine (1852-1922), was admitted to the North F., Mt. Lebanon, NY, in her 13th year, as a boarder; her brother, Ernest, 10 years old, went to the 2nd order. Her father was Rev. John Allen of Brook Farm fame, (a descendant of Ethan Allen, closely connected with the Allen families resident in western Massachussetts, and a cousin of Thomas Allen, founder and donor of the Pittsfield Athenaeum [Library]. Her mother, Ellen Lazarus, was also well known in the annals of Brook Farm, and was a descendant of "cultured southerners." "The Mordecai family in North Carolina, who founded and equipped the public high school for girls in the United States, were the immediate ancestors of Ellen Lazarus." (Leila S. Taylor, in SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN, 1908.) Catherine made her decision to stay with the Shakers early on. In 1870, at age 19, the US Census had her doing housework, and in 1880, she was listed as a seamstress. She wrote many poems and essays, and also a biographical sketch of Daniel Fraser, a prominent Shaker. "As a representative of the North Family she addressed in 1906 the national council of women of the US, at Toledo, Ohio, and in 1907 she addressed the same body assembled at the Jamestown exposition. Along with other Shaker Sisters, she was a member of the woman's suffrage league." (Ibid) In April, 1908, she was appointed by Eldress Harriett Bullard as successor in the Central Ministry to the late Eldress Augusta Stone. By that time she had been "an active and devoted member" for 43 years - yet her appointment came as a surprise, because as the youngest Shaker "bishop," she was also .perhaps the only one ever chosen direct from the ranks with no preliminary training in the eldership." Nevertheless she was deeply respected for her "quick perceptions, clear, logical thought, striking at once to the deeper strata of philosophical or spiritual truth in every problem, her enthusiastic reception and ardent following of new and broader conceptions...her coolness of judgment, mental poise and her pronounced adherence to the foundation principles of the Shaker faith..." (Leila S. Taylor, 1908). She stayed a member of the Central Ministry until her death. [Eldress Catherine Allen also helped Hugh Wallace Cathcart to collect Shaker material for the Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland, OH].

Family members in Wiki (prototype version)
By Name: Allen,M[innie] Catherine
All family members

How to add