The Experimental McKean County German Communist Community

Lost Teutonia, The Experimental McKean County
German Communist Community
Click here to see a newspaper article written about Teutonia
Teutonia Documentations
Excerpts of Teutonia References

The following is an article written by George Rupprecht discussing the foundation and life of the German communist community known as Teutonia:

The organization of the Society of Industry had its inception December 28, 1841 in accordance with the following agreement--

“We, the undersigned William Gilbert, Henry Schweitzer, Henry Ginal and William Wernwag, have entered into a contract to purchase thirty-seven thousand acres of land, situate in the Country of McKean, State of Pennsylvania, of Charles C. Gaskel, Executor of Benjamin Cooper, deceased, which lands are to be conveyed to us as trustees and joint tenants, to hold in trust for the Society of Industry, we, the trustees, aforesaid, do hereby agree that we will hold the aforesaid lands according to the meaning and intent of the constitution, and that neither of us have or will claim any further interest in said lands than we shall be entitled to under the constitution, nor any further or greater interest than---------------, a member of the Society has under the constitution. Witness our hands and seals this twenty-eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and forty-one.” Signed by Henry Schweitzer, Henry Ginal, John Logo, William Gilbert and William Wernwag.

The completion of the land purchase agreement of December 8th, 1841, for the legal transfer of title, took place on May 14, 1842 by a deed of mortgage of Charles C. Gaskill and Ralph U. M. Cooper, acting executors of the Estate of Benjamin B. Cooper to Henry Schweitzer, Henry Ginal, John Logo, William Wernwag and William Gilbert, in trust for the Society of Industry. This document was recorded in the office of Recorder of Deeds for McKean County March 31st, 1843. The number of acres involved was thirty-two thousand four hundred forty-sic and the consideration price was thirty-eight thousand nine hundred fifty-one dollars and eighty-two cents. This amount is the unpaid balance due to the Cooper Estate and is represented by a series of notes, payable in installments signed by the five Trustees and are secured by the Deed of Mortgage above mentioned approximately twelve thousand acres involved in the transaction were in the Instanter District and the balance is in the Stanton District of Hamlin Township near the Marvin Creek valley.

The following is a transcript of the membership certificate--

"This is to certify that-------------------- has been accepted as a member of this Society and as such has a right to all the privileges and rights contained in this constitution.”

“However, if he should leave it of his own free will, or if he is unwilling to conform to the laws of this Society and should be dismissed from it, he shall not be able to claim any damages for work done for the Society, nor for any article belonging to the Society, nor for any part of the property belonging to it.”

“But, he can sell or give away his certificate to any person of the same age and station, if it can be proven that the said person is of good character and standing and worthy of becoming a member. The owner of this certificate may not sell it as long as a member of his family remains in the colony.” Signed by John Logo, Treasurer, August 25, 1842, Philadelphia, Pa.

The Society was started on the plan and by the enterprise of Henry Ginall of Philadelphia. It was founded on the principal of community of property, with the exception of money and furniture. It was to be sustained by the cooperation of its members. An equal distribution of profits was to be made semi-annually.

The stock was divided into six hundred and sixty shares, and was sold for one hundred dollars each. An individual could become a member by purchasing a share of stock, going on the ground and doing his share of the work. Married women were not obliged to work for the community, but were to devote their attention to the care of their families. Children, when grown up, become members by conforming to the rules of the Society.

Agriculture and the raising of cattle were the prominent objects of the Society, but manufactories were established. The members of each trade chose their own inspector and determined the amount of work which should be done by each individual or company of persons.

Marriage was encouraged and each family resided in its separate house. Single persons were furnished a lodging and took their meals in the community kitchen. Clothing of a plain and uniform kind, provision, fuel, medicines and other necessities were regularly distributed by rations from the common stores.

All religions were tolerated. Whenever three hundred share holders voted to maintain a minister, they could do so. The minister would have to buy a share and then would be entitled to a house and support in return for his spiritual labors.

The large area of land purchased was to be divided into sections, in the center of each a town was to be established.

The first village planned was named Teutonia and was located in the District of Instanter. It was situated in the southern part of Warrant No. 2669 and was adjacent to the eight hundred acre plot of the Town of Instanter promoted by Benjamin B. Cooper in 1817. All unsold lots within the Town of Instanter plan were included in the sale of the large area to the Society of Industry. In the center of the area selected for the location of the village, a parcel of land was set aside for general public purposes. It was a longitudinal plot, and a street, called Main Street was run through lengthwise dividing it into two equal sections; the upper part was reserved for a church and a school and in its extreme southern end, the erection of a hotel was planned.

Along the fringe of the northern side of the community plot, a street called Broadway was laid out, along which a row of houses were built of logs, one and one-half stories high, of uniform design and plan, one room on the first floor and a loft under the roof; a short distance beyond the dwellings, was the general repair shop, the pottery works and the brick plant. This area was known as the North Hill.

The lower section of the public square, bordering on the lower line of Main Street was the site of the warehouse, the general store, the office, the cabinet maker’s shop, the boarding house for single women, and the location of the community kitchen. A lodging house for single men was established in the extreme southern part of the plot. A short distance west of the warehouse, outside of the community plot, was the location of the storage cellar.

A street was also opened along the south border line of the south half of the public ground, along which a row of dwellings had been erected.

The residents of the village had the choice of two routes when going to Clermont, one being by way of North Street from the center of the Instanter Town plot designated on the survey map of Benjamin B. Cooper in 1817. The major part of the land of the Instanter Town District was included in the sale by the Cooper Estate to the Society of Industry; the other route was known as the Five Mile road which approached Clermont village at the overhead bridge of the Shawmut Railroad. At the time the railroad was built it followed the Five Mile road route for a distance of several miles on its way to Clermont.

Immediately south of the village, was the area referred to as the South Hill and on its slope was located the farm, including the large barn reported to be the biggest one in the county; here this vegetable garden, the gardener’s house and a storage cellar were also situated, as well as the site of the tannery.

Among those plying their trades in the community were a weaver, a tailor, a dressmaker, a shoe maker, a baker, a watch maker and cabinet maker; this list should include the farmers, the workers in the pottery works, the brick manufacturing plant, the tannery, the building construction crew and the wood choppers who are continually engaged in clearing the land.

At first the prospects of the colony were so promising that the shares rose in value from one hundred dollars to two hundred and fifty dollars. Quick progress was made by the industry of the workers, but markets were so distant and transportation so difficult that profits were small. The soil was very productive and large quantities of all kinds of vegetables were raised in abundance. The potato crop of 1843 amounted to three thousand bushels.

From available records of the village we learned that farmers charged a dollar a day for the labor of a man and a horse; that wheat was sold at a dollar and a half a bushel; that white flour was bought at Four Dollars and fifty cents a barrel, and corn meal at One Dollar and twenty-five cents a barrel. Forty-six Dollars were paid for a pair of oxen; Ten Dollars for three calves; Ninety Dollars for a flock of fifty sheep and two and one-half cents a pound for beef cattle.

The following data was also obtained from the Society’s records:

August 9, 1843- Ginalsburg seeds four men to begin making a road that should be finished before winter.

August 11, 1843- Messrs. Leidenstiker, Decker, Nuhs and Dr. Miller left this morning for Buffalo where they will purchase the
following order-


	6 bbl. Salt 2 bbl. Fine White Flour 2 bbl. Coffee 1 bbl. Whiskey 50 lbs. Soda 5 lbs. Epsom salts 10 lbs. Tea 4 lbs. Lamp Black 10 lbs. Logwood 10 gal. Courier (?) Oil

Received of O. Hamlin of Smethport two fat steers for $35.00.

August 12, 1843- Bochler, Killmer and Hellman returned today from Nunda (Potato Creek) and brought the following:


23 bbl. Fine White Flour at 4 1/2- $103.50 20 bbl. Corn Meal at $1.24- $25.00 14 lbs. Sole Leather at $0.28- $3.92.

August 18, 1843- Frederick Ribetker today returned from Albany and brought a letter from Gallsted in which he states that he will make us a visit
of several days for the purpose of studying the industries and plan of our colony.

August 19, 1843- Joel Bishop who owns a farm on the North Hill this day entered a complaint against our colony because of the injury done his cattle by our dogs. Received today from Jonathon Colegrove of Potato Creek-

4 Fat Oxen- $87.00 2 Fat Calves- $10.00

August 30, 1843- Received from Hinsdale (New York)-

3 bbl. Salt at $3.00- $9.00
5 lbs. Tea at $0.55- $2.75

September 2, 1843- Mr. Gindel asked for cloth for a pair of trousers. The one pair he has is badly worn. At present there is no cloth in stock. Mr. Gindel must wait until next week.

September 4, 1843- Attorney Henry Schweitzer (one of the Society’s trustees) today delivered an agreement dated October 10, 1841, signed by John Logan, Henry Ginal, Henry Schweitzer and A. Diller. (The first three named are trustees.)
Another agreement dated November 29, 1841, signed by C. C. Gaskell, Executor of the estate of B. B. Cooper, and also signed by William Wernwag, Dr. Ginal, John Logan, W. Gilbert and Attorney Henry Schweitzer, Trustees of the German Industrial Society, was delivered to us today.

September 5, 1843- Mr. White has a threshing machine which we may have in fourteen days at the rate of one dollar for man and horse and one bushel for each one hundred bushels of grain threshed for the use of the machine. Gideon Irons has a machine which threshes 150 to 200 bushels per day. His rates are two dollars a day for one man and two horses and a charge of five bushels of grain per one hundred for use of machine.

A meeting of the officers of the German Industrial Society will be held at Ginalsburg tonight. Purchased from Roland Burdick of Potato Creek road, one pair of oxen for $46.00.

September 12, 1843- In payment of his bill, Mr. Hall wants 3 bushels of wheat at $1.50 and balance in cash.

September 13, 1843- Mr. Buehl wants a stove and wood as soon as possible. Mr. Wolfe moved here today from Ginalsburg. He needs a stove.

September 14, 1843- Walters reported that Taylor of Smethport has 50 sheep which he will sell for $90.00
The milliner, Madam Schmidt, handed in at the office for collection a bill of $0.75 for a ladies’ hat, purchased by Sylvester Young of Potato Creek Road.

September 17, 1843- General Diller of Philadelphia, the agent for our Society came today with Mr. William P. Wilcox. He was greatly pleased with the progress we are making and encouraged us to continue.
Messrs. Sartwell, Bennet and Richmond and their wives came from Smethport today to visit our colony.

September 18, 1843- Sold to Mr. Witte $42.75 worth of leather.

September 27, 1843- Ransom Burdick of Potato Creek Road has cattle for sale.
Mr. Brewer wrote this poem about our barn, the largest in McKean Country:

I think no harm
To call this barn
The best that’s in our land.
A better shade
Cannot be made,
Nor on a better plan.
The bride of McKean
Shall be her name
I am sure she’ll take the county.
This mammoth use,
To speak the truth,
Is the bride of all the county.

September 29, 1843- Hellman brought a load of apples from Bunker Hill.

October 3, 1843- Received a wagon land of applies from Bunker Hill.
Mill day has the following for sale:

50 bu. Lentils at $0.69 1/2 a Bushel.
Fresh Rutabagas at $0.20 a Bushel.

October 5, 1843- P.B. Richmond demands $25.00 on his $60.00 which is three weeks over dur.

October 8, 1843- Drafts have been sent to Baltimore and Philadelphia.

October 11, 1843- Today occurred the death of Emeline, the youngest child of Mr. Meyer.

October 13, 1843- Mr. White came today to thresh our grain. He demands two bushel per 100 instead of one bushel.

October 14, 1843- John King requests five month’s credit on his bill. Bread was delivered to Ginalsburg this morning. Mrs. Catherine paid $250 for a share of our stock. Bought of K. Compton, 2 pr. Oxen for $90.00 each.

October 19, 1843- We are notified by Constable Beckwith to appear before Squire Easterbrook at one o’ clock on Saturday for a hearing on a charge made by Ransom Beckwith.

November 3, 1843- H. Burlingame of Smethport will sell his fatted cattle at $0.2 1/2 a lb.

November 6, 1843- Our draft for $200 sent to Baltimore was not accepted. Medburg will finish carding the wool next week.

November 10, 1843- Miller and Hass went to Smethport today to inspect the cattle offered by Corwin and Smith at $0.2 1/2 a pound.

November 20, 1843- Community assembly tonight.

The second village to be established in accordance with the general plan was Ginalsburg, two miles west of Clermont, on Instanter Creek. The location was at Woodvale, a former railroad station of the abandoned Johnsonburg and Clermont Railroad. A number of log houses, a barn and a large steam powered saw mill had been erected. The community did not exist beyond the early stages of development.

A partial list of surnames of the residents of Teutonia and Ginalsburg is as follows: Herzog; Steinbauer; bayer; H eitman; J. Martin; A. Martin; Roeder; Heinman; Leidenstiker; Decker; Nuhs; Miller; Boehler; Kilmer; Heilman; Ribecker; Gindel; Buehl; Wolfe; Walters; Schmidt; Meyer; Haas; and Hafner.

In the early months of 1844, there were indications that the future of the Teutonia project was becoming a matter of serious doubt in the minds of many Society members.

The organization was controlled by a group of five trustees, at least four of whom were classed in the category of absentee landlords. The trustees apparently did not inform the membership of the details of the land purchase agreement, especially of that portion pertaining to the amount of the unpaid balance of the purchase price of thirty-eight thousand nine hundred fifty-one dollars, secured by a mortgage payable in principle installments plus interest. The membership was not likewise informed of the amount of compensation for the trustees in their capacity as such.

The residents of Teutonia were immigrants from Germany, where living conditions were difficult by reason of the economic, political and religious turmoil existing generally at that time throughout Europe. When they came to this country, they did not know what the living conditions and customs were over here, but they concluded that any change they would face would be a betterment.

The management and operational procedures lacked leadership authority resulting in miscalculation of income and expenditures frequently resulting in scarcity of cash funds. In view of the nature of the operation of the organization it was probably impossible to remedy this condition.

Another source of rising discontent was the equal distribution of supplies and provisions to all the members, including those who failed to do their share of the work in the categories in which the Society was involved.

It may also be assumed that at least some of the members of the colony became disconcerted over the realization that they have surrendered their opportunity of being the architect of their lives and of becoming self sustaining, free and independent citizens. They compared their status as members of the Society of Teutonia requiring the wearing of clothes of a uniform kind and style and the living in houses of similar design and construction, with a single large room on the first floor and a limited area loft under the roof. A comparison of their habitation with the homes they observed throughout the surrounding district did not tend to develop any satisfaction or contentment.

The general atmosphere in the community seemed to be corroding and the members being aware of this situation, requested of Henry Ginal the opportunity of examining the deal and other documents pertaining to the establishment of the colony. Ginal then feigned an important business trip to Olean, from which he failed to return. The next year he turned up in Milwaukee with the Freethinker Society.

The town of Teutonia thereupon completely collapsed and was abandoned, its people scattered to other areas and reestablished their homes and became self sustaining, free and independent citizens.

The Benjamin B. Cooper Estate then adopted legal procedures to reacquire title and possession of the lands of the defunct German Society of Industry according to the mortgage terms. In this process, public advertisement were required, describing the lands and improvements made thereon, a list of the latter items being as follows:

Warrant No. 2666- Ginalsburg- improved 50 acres, chopped 40 acres, seven log houses, blacksmith shop, barn and one steam saw mill; Warrant No. 2602- seventy-one acres cleared; Warrant No. 2669- improved 100 acres, 20 acres chopped, 42 log houses, one log school house, one blacksmith shop, one shoe shop, one slaughter house, one bake house, two log stables, one large frame barn, one tannery, one brick yard, one pottery, one ashery, 368 young fruit trees and two coal beds. This Warrant was the nucleus of the town of Teutonia.

Warrant No. 2573- forty-eight acres cleared, two log houses and one school house; Warrant No. 2677- fourteen acres cleared and one frame barn; Warrant No. 2556- forty-two acres cleared, three log houses; Warrant No. 2664- seven acres cleared, one log house; Warrant No. 2365- fourteen acres cleared, two log houses and twelve young fruit trees. The last five numbered warrants were located in Hamlin Township.

After the Cooper Estate had regained title to the properties purchased, they offered sixty acres to each individual who wished to stay and clear the land. Those who took advantage of the offer, and became permanent settlers were Michael Bayer, Francis Heitman, John Martin, Adam Martin, Philip Roeder and John Steinbauer. The only other member who remained nearby was William Heineman, the shoe maker, who bought a farm at Hamlin.

Written by George S. Rupprecht and
Margaret M. Rupprecht,
Glen Hazel, Wilcox, Pa. with
valuable assistance by Edward
Carlson of Clermont and Mrs.
V. A. Kraft of Ridgeway, Pa.
1980