| bio | Whitcher, Mary (1815-1890), of the Church F., Canterbury, NH, was born in Laurens, Otsego Co., NJ, and came
from an illustrous family, deeply connected with the Shakers. (Her grandfather, Benjamin Whitcher, one of the first
Shakers in the Canterbury area, donated the land known now as the Church F., established in 1792. Her
grandmother, Mary (1752-1797) also joined, and Zilpha Whitcher (1774-1856), was 2nd eldress in 1796, and 1st
eldress in 1807). Mary joined the Shakers in 1826 and signed the covenant in 1836. (Three other sisters of hers also
joined). In 1841 Mary was a member of the order of trustees, and seNed as the North F. eldress up to 1852; during
this very time she was also a highly respected teacher. In 1859 she became the 2nd and in 1860 the 1 st in the
Ministry until 1865, and was a trustee from 1876 to 1880. Her cookbook advertised, among other medicines, the
Canterbury Shaker Sarsaparilla Syrup, distributed by Weeks and Potter of Boston. Besides her famous cookbook she
also wrote poems. "She was an active and interested worker for the peace and prosperity of her religious home for all
of her nearly 65 years as a Shaker.. (Richmond, 1977)
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