During their “Long Walk” to the trans-Appalachian frontier during the bitterly cold winter of 1804–1804, Shaker missionaries John Meacham, Issachar Bates, and Benjamin Seth Youngs recorded an extraordinary encounter with a family of “jerkers” in Rockbridge County, Virginia. For several hours, the Shakers interviewed the adult members of Robert Tate’s family about their somatic experiences. Toward the end of the meeting, several family members were “taken with the Jerks,” to the great astonishment of the three visitors. The first of two long letters written during the Long Walk, Meacham, Bates, and Youngs’s January 31, 1805, account of the jerks in Virginia ranks as one of the most illuminating and texts in this collection. Click here for the trio’s next letter; here for corresponding entries in Youngs’s 1805 travel journal; and here for Issachar Bates’s autobiographical reflections on the Long Walk. For an annotated transcription, maps, and an analysis of the Shaker missionaries’ journey to the west, see Douglas L. Winiarski, “Shakers and Jerkers: Letters from the ‘Long Walk,’ 1805, Part I,” Journal of East Tennessee History 89 (2017): 90–110; and Winiarski, “Shakers and Jerkers: Letters from the ‘Long Walk,’ 1805, Part II,” Journal of East Tennessee History 90 (2018): 84–105 (available at www.douglaswiniarski.com).
January 31st 1805
Beloved Elders & brethren,
Notwithstanding we have not been able to obtain information respecting our business which we would wish; Yet as from our long absence, we have reson to believe that by this time our brethren & Sisters have a desire to hear from us, & to be informed of our situation, we think it best to improve the present opertunity to write. We have kept a strict Journel of our travil, and of all our proseedings Since we left Lebanon, which cannot conveniantly have a place in this letter; Yet we think it will not be amiss to Give the following account.
The two days we rode with J.S. He brought us 102 Miles. The next day which is Wednesday the 3d of the Month, is a cold blustering day. Travil 20 Miles and put up in Greens-borough.
Thursday 4. The weather is very cold, and the wind boisterous; the traviling is much obstructed by drifts of Snow & dirt, blown into the road together. Put upon in the Suburbs of the Citty of New York. 28 Miles
Saturday 5. Pass through the part of the City to the River, at a place where we expected to cross, but the passage is obstructed by reson of Ice. Then down to White-hall Slip at the Southwest corner of the City. Here we wait all day for an opertunity to cross but failed; the cause was, there was no crossing yeasterday by reason of the extream wind that blew, for which cause hundreds of people were waiting & watching for the first chance; besides there has been but little crossing today, on account of the multitude of Ice, floating up & down the River with the Tide. It is the General opinion of People, that they have not experienced So cold a turn for a number of Years. 3 Miles
Sabbath 6. About 11 Oclock in the forenoon, we Get into a boat and Set off, and about 12 reach the Jersy Shoar at Powlers-hook, from thence come on 3 Miles to Hackinsack-Bridge where we Stay till Monday morning. This tarry in New York was to us, a very disagreeable Scene and very expensive. We meant to have crossed the River at Fish-kill, but there was no crossing between Poughkeepsy & New York. Perhaps we ought to have crossed at Hudson. 6 Miles
Monday 7. Since we have come So far to the South, we cannot learn as there is any way to Abingdon So direct as the Main post-road to the Washington City. The travilling is not very good. Today we are informed that foot passingers have crossed the River this morning on the Ice; the first instance, as we are informed, Since the year 1780 of Peoples crossing from the York to the Jersy Shoar upon the Ice, oposit the City of New York. 20 Miles
Tuesday 8. The traviling is Good, and the weather pleasant. 34 Miles
Wednesday 9. It has raned a considerable part of the night past, and Still keeps on this morning; after waiting a spell, fering least the ice upon the Delaware River would be so weakened by the rain as to render it impassable, come on. Get very wet. Pass through Trenton & cross the River on the Ice. This is the line between the States of New Jersey & Pensilvania. 20 Miles
Thursday 10. It has rained all the night past without any Sasation, but today it has Snowed the cheaf of the time till Just night and then begins to hail. 15 Miles
Friday 11. The Hail is about 6 about inches deep, corse & dry. It is now a thing next to an imposibility to travil atall; our feet are continually upon the Slide, in one direction or another. Pass through Phillidelphia. 14 Miles
Saturday 12. Extreem bad traviling. Pass the line between Pensilvania and Delaware. 29 Miles
Sabbath 13. Not liking the place where we are, proseed on. 7 Miles
Monday 14. Pass the line between Delaware & Mariland. Proseed on and cross the Susquehannah River at its mouth upon the Ice in open vew of the head of the Chesapeek Bay. 27 Miles
Tuesday 15. It Snows very briskly this morning about 2 hours. Make a Stand at McComas’s in Abingdon to Get our cloths washed. 9 Miles
Wednesday 16. Start at about 15 minits past 2 in the afternoon. Come 11 Miles and put up. Here as well as in other plases, there is much Said respecting the Severity of the weather. It is General conclusion that there has not been So cold a winter Since the Year 1780. 11 Miles
Thursday 17. Pass through Baltimore. 29 Miles
Friday 18. A very rainy day. It has rained a great deal the night past; it now Seems, we Stand in need of Ferry boats, to pass, even where there is no other water but what is made by the present rain and melted Snow; but by climbing fences &c. we make a Shift to advance. 10 miles
Saturday 19. The weather has Shifted from warm to very cold. Proseed on. Pass through Washington City, thence 2 Miles to Georgetown, thence 4 miles up the Potomack River where we cross it upon a Toal bridge; in crossing this River we pass the line between Marriland & Virginia. 30 Miles
Sabbath 20. It Snows the cheaf part of the day and the night following.
Monday 21. We think we never experianced much colder weather than the present. The wind is furious, and the Snow flyes like a fogg; the new Snow is dry, & the Ice Under it as Smooth as Glass. We do not travil.
Tuesday 22. The roads are very much drifted. Put up in Lees-bourgh, at a Tavern kept by a woman who belongs to the Methodist Society, and who informs us that there has been a Great revival of Religion in this Town; and that in Greenville which is about 140 Miles from here, and on our way to Abingdon there is a people who are excersised with operations which are called the Jerks, that a Great deal of derision is made of this work, that it falls upon many who are opposed to it, and who fight the Power while it is upon them, that a certain man in Allixandria near the Federal Citty, had presumtously defied the Jerks to Seize him, that not long after, they came upon him, that the first Jerk broke his back, & the Second his neck, & So he died immidiately. 22 Miles
Wednesday 23. The roads are a Good deal blocked up Yet. 22 Miles
Thursday 24. Put up in Middletown; here again, we are informed of the Jerkers in Greenville; and further, that in Kentucky there are Great numbers of People, who have revolted from the Methodists and Presbiterians, and refuse to Join themselves to any Denomination of a former Standing; and that they Give themselves no other name or title than that of christians. 22 Miles
Friday 25. It has rained a considerable part of the night past, and is very warm, which has occasioned a Sudden thaw; the road in Some plases is Quite muddy. 25 Miles
Saturday 26. Come on 6 Miles to the Shanondoah River which by reason of the rain and thaw, is high and impassable, So that we are obliged to tarry here till Monday. 6 Miles
Sabbath 27. When we Got up this morning the Snow had fell about 12 inches deep and it continues to Snow all day.
Monday 28. The River has fallen considerably, and we cross it without much difficulty. Wade through the Snow about 25 Miles.
Tuesday 29. Put up in Stanton. 24 Miles
Wednesday 30. Come on to Greenville and Send our cloths to be washed. 12 Miles
Thursday 31. While we wait for our cloths, we have a feeling to See Some of these Jerkers; but as we think it not expedient for all to Go, Benjamin & Issachar Go today, to See them about 3 or 4 Miles out from this Village while I Stay in the Village. An account of the conversation they had with them is Given as follows, in Benjamin’s own handwrighting.
At about 12 Oclock we came near the House of —— & were met by a couple of young men who received us with kindness, & took us into a room where five or six young men & a young woman were sitting. In there appearance or conversation was nothing extraordinary. We informed them of what we yesterday heard, of a strange work’s being in this place, perticularly in this family. They were very free to give any information they were able. And after some introduction, & a few words of conversation respecting these things, the following took place.
Question. Where, & in what manner did you first meet with these exercises?
Answer. Before I was exercised I felt an enmity in my mind against these things. But about six months ago I was at a meeting 20 miles from home; & while I was standing up with a number & singing, I suddenly fell down; & though I well remember the words I was singing; yet, I never had the least sence of [any]thing extraordinary’s taking place in body or mind, or that one thing was the cause of it more than another. Since then, I have been exercised in laughing; very different from common laughing, because my mind always felt calm & serious; it was involuntarily; & in so powerful a manner that I could not help it. And sometime after the bodily exercise I took the Jerks, & was the first person that had it in these parts. Sometimes I have had it in meditating on serious things when alone, sometimes by seeing the situation of the wicked, sometimes by reading, or hearing some striking expressions, sometimes in going about my common employment, & sometimes while in bed.
Q. In what state is the mind generally left of those who are thus exercised?
A. The mind is always left calm immediately after the Jerks, & even when the mind is going astray, & off her watch; or is in a fretful or discontented condition; these exercises immediately effect a composed mind; & seem as it were to move the person to greater watchfulness.
Q. Do young people who are thus exercised have any fondness for young & vain company, or do they feel an enmity against their proceedings?
A. They are not so fond of these things as formerly; they are more after serious things.
Q. Do these exercises produce an enmity against all sin?
Q. Have any of those in your Society who are thus exercised, received any further light in relation to living free from all sin?
A. They have not, but I can only speak for one. I have not, & the more I have thought of these things, the more I am sensible of the corruptness and depravity of my nature, & my inability to live free from all sin.
Q. But, laying aside your own inabilities, & all self sufficiencies, has it not entered into your mind, that through the power of God, & of Jesus Christ, there might be even a probability of a way to live free from all sin?
A. It has not. (We believe in the Calvinistic doctrine.) I do not think it possible while here in this flesh.
Q. Have those exercises ever created a desire to live free from all sin?
A. They have, & I have had such desires before.
Q. Have any of those in your Society so exercised had any perticular view of the work of God spoken of by the Prophets which was to take place in the latter days?
A. They have not.
Q. It has been observed in most all reformations, that young people who were zealous & under the influence of the Spirit, felt averse to marrying; has it been the case here?
A. It has. Their feelings are contrary to it; & many have even declared they would never marry, but meant to devout their time to serious things, & others that if ever they did marry it would be to none but those who were religious.
Q. It has also been frequently observed of young people who were zealous in those reformations, that whenever they married they lost their zeal & became lifeless. Has this been the case?
A. We cannot tell; the work has not been long enough in this place to determine, though a couple were married who had these exercises before they were married, & continue to have them still, & are very zealous.
Q. Have these exercises produced any alteration in your Ceramonies or Principles?
A. No, they have not; we hold our meetings as usial, & those who are exercised do not make so much disturbance as at the first, neither do people take so much notice of it.
Q. What effect have these things on the minds of opposers?
A. It seizes instantly on opposers as well as on others. It reforms those who become Subjects to it, & the Jerks leave those who continue long to fight against it.
Q. Where was the first rise of the work?
A. The first rise of the bodily exercise began at Kentucky about 3 years ago, from thence it went to Tenesee, but after this, the Jerking first took place at Tenesee & spread from thence to Kentucky, & has also made some progress in these parts. The laughing & Dancing exercises have also been prevalent. I have seen some dance a perfect dance after a tune, & when there was no tune sung, they would with their fingers beat the time on their hands & dance after it.
Q. Have ever any been hurt, as to their health or constitution by reason of these exercises?
A. Not any, but the contrary is supposed. If any alteration, the persons health is better, & their Ideas much quicker & brighter than usial.
Q. How are these things looked upon, as coming through the instrumentality of man, or as immediately from God?
A. Immediately from God, for many have been violently taken with these exercises when they were alone & no one near them, some in one place & some in another, & we are informed that of late abundance of people at Greenbrier over the Mountains, took it into their heads to meet together & were mostly or all seized with the Jerks, & had no one to preach or to pray with them. But now they have praying enough, & one or two Preachers have been to see them, but there is none established among them yet. It is to be observed that the above Answers are not the result of individual situation, or opinions; but general, in this family & Society, as they were candidly given by the head of the family, who is the principal Elder of the Society; by one of his sons, & two of his daughters, & these all call themselves Subjects to this exercise.
The Society consists of about 30 persons, 10 or 12 of whom are called Subjects; & 7 of these belong to this family; the Elder, two of his sons, a son in [law], & three of his daughters. Note: The Society is Presbyterian. The falling down is called bodily exercise; & the fourth question was not promptly answered.
Besides the above we hope it may be proper to add a few observations of our own. A young woman of about 23 who gave the first two answers, and some part of the others, was said to be the greatest Subject to the Jerks, but we saw none of it. The cause to us was plain; but this we leave. During our conversation a young woman of about 16, her married sister, & brother in law; came into the room & sat down. These three were all taken with the Jerks, & to see persons both single, & married; in whom appeared not the least reformation, of Dress or manners, life or conversation; exercised by the Power of God in so extraordinary a manner, is wonderful beyond our expression. While sitting on the chair, their bodies would instantly appear stiff, the hands locked, the eyes closed, & the head jerked backwards over the chair, all as quick as lightning. They would remain thus from perhaps two to five seconds, & then with a simple & composed look, moderately bring their heads forward again. These things we have seen with our eyes.
John Meacham
Issachar Bates
Benjamin S. Youngs
Note the foregoing account of our travil is but a Slighty computation for each day as we traviled; which does not agree with printed way-bills, making the distance considerably less than it is in them; and less than what it really is.
It appears to us that all the Religious movements in Virginia, are but as the outermost twigs of a Tree, or as the distant rayes of the Sun; in comparison of a Greater & deeper work of God in the States of Kentucky & Tenesee; though there is a considerable number of the people which are called Jerkers who are Scattered in the different Societies of the Methodists & Presbiterians and but few in a place. We have therefore felt to make no Stay among them.
In vewing the Maps, it appears to be a Great roundabout; to Go by the way of Abingdon in this State, & from thence to Tenesee, and thence back to Lexington in Kentucky; but by all the information that we can Gether, the difference in the Length of way, between this, and the road by the way of Pitts-bourg, as the roads run, is but trifling. All the travillers to Kentucky, from Virginia, Marriland, Delaware; and I believe the Greatest part from Penslvania, & many from New Jersy take this route.
Our journey hitherto has been very Slow and fateuiging; and our expence, as we believe has been nearly double to what it would have been, in the Same distance, and on the Same road in a favorable time. Owing to the Severity of the weather, and the difficulty in Geting about, there has been but very little travilling, but of the Stages; for which reason the roads have not been So much trodden as they would have otherwise have been; though this in Some respects has been rather condusive to our advantage, as we have had the trouble of meeting but few People on the road; & the Public Houses in General have been very emty.
We are now nearly 600 Miles from Lebanon, and about 200 from Abingdon, about the Same distance from the nearist bounds of Tenesee, and about 470 from Lexington in Kentucky.
We are not in any Situation at present to receive any communication from Lebanon; when that Shall be the case we Shall endeavour to write immediately or before if necessary.
We are all in tollerable health, & comfortable.
My love to all my Elders, Brethren, & Sisters; and in perticular, to Elder Ebenezer S.M., S.W. The Elder Sister, Love & Deborah and all the family. I most Sincerely desire to be remembred by all the faithfull in the Gospel, which I feel to be my only Interest.
J.M.
After my love to my Elders and all the Brethren & sisters I Desire that my family may be informed that I am well and send my love to Levina and the Children Desireing that they wold Be mindfull of what they have bin taught and of what I expect they are taught in my absence from.
I.B.
Though I expect that continual crosses, & abiding trials are in this life alloted me as a peculiar Inheritance; Yet, I sincerely desire that I may have the satisfaction of ever being found, “not doing mine own will, but the will of those who sent me.” To this end I humbly request the prayrs of my most beloved Elders; whose many, & very precious councils, feel to me a present treasure in this wilderness.
My kind love to Elder Ebenezer, Elder Sister, & all my brethren & sisters; perticularly of that family; from the greater part of whom I have received many & kind favours.
As to my health, I feel that I have great cause of thankfulness, that my health has been preserved ever since I left Lebanon; & my strength renewed “day by day.”
I most sincerely desire to be remembered by all the faithful in the Gospel, which I feel to be my only Interest.
Source
John Meacham, Issachar Bates, and Benjamin S. Youngs to “Beloved Elders & brethren,” January 31, 1805, IV:A-66, microfilm, reel 24, Shaker Manuscripts, 1723–1952, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio.
