Shaker missionary Benjamin Seth Youngs witnessed and wrote about more incidents of the jerking exercise than any other figure in nineteenth-century America. The jerks played a decisive role in the expansion of the Shakers’ distinctive religious beliefs, practices, and communal societies into the western states and territories. Jerkers were often the prime targets of the Shakers’ evangelization efforts and, in many cases, their most committed converts. The following selections from Youngs’s travel journal cover the period known as the “Long Walk” (January–March 1805). After reading about an outbreak of “The Jerks” in Abingdon, Virginia (click here to read the original article), Shaker leaders in New Lebanon, New York, dispatched Youngs, John Meacham, and Issachar Bates on a 1,200 journey to the western settlements. The missionaries traveled south through New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, then up the Shenandoah Valley and over Cumberland Gap into the Kentucky Bluegrass region. Battling frigid temperatures, deep snow and sucking mud, raging streams and seemingly endless mountains, Youngs and his colleagues eventually arrived at the home of Malcolm Worley in Turtlecreek Township, Ohio, on March 22, 1805. During the next several years, the Shakers converted hundreds of frontier revivalers and organized five religious communities in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Youngs kept detailed records of the bodily exercises throughout his extensive journals and correspondence. He recounted rumors, tavern conversations, and news of the jerks related by other travelers; and he penned stunning first-hand accounts of somatic phenomena occurring a wide range of revival gatherings, from neighborhood society meetings to large sacramental festival and camp meetings. For additional reports by the Shaker missionaries, see the author pages for Youngs, John Meacham, and Issachar Bates, the Shakers denomination page, and the related links below. Youngs developed an unorthodox numeric dating system for his journal entries, in which the day of the week was followed by the day of the month and the month. Hence, Youngs’s notation “3–22.1” refers to “Wednesday, January 22.” Conjectural readings, textual defects, and contextual information appear in square brackets. For a more detailed narrative of the “Long Walk” and maps of the Shakers’ route 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): forthcoming (available at www.douglaswiniarski.com).
3–22.1 [Wednesday, January 22, 1805]. At 9 A.M. we set out, N.W. Crossed Dificult Run [in Fairfax County, Virginia]. It is a stream that runs through low wood land, in diferent directions & frequently overflows & makes the passing very dificult.
From Wileys we went 8 miles to [Hummers] where we refreshed ourselves & made enquiry about a S.W. road to Woodstock &c. but the nearest roads are much drifted with snow, & the streams without bridges, that necesity seem to oblige us to still keep on a N.W. course to Leesburg. From Hummers we went 10 miles & refreshed ourselves at a tavern near the toll bridge of Goose Creek which emties into the Potomac 2 miles from here. From Goose Creek went 4 miles to the widow McCabes a Methodist in Leesburg where we come about half past 5 P.M. At 8 we eat a very indiferent supper of Broiled meat & pork warm bread cakes & little else. After Supper we received some information respecting the jerkers &c. but it was amazingly misconstrued. Some of it was that they (the Methodists) had had the same operations & that the people in this place had met with a wonderful revival, & that many were very shining lights &c. but it was dead to us. She also said that she was informed of the jerking exercise being among a people 13 miles from Staunton (Virginia), & also that she was credibly informed last sabbath at Alexandria of a bitter opposer against the jerkers, who first went to a tavern & drank largely & then went [to] meeting. Was seized with 2 jerks. The first broke his back the 2 his neck….
5–24.1 [Friday, January 24]. At 7 we set out & immediately crossed the Shanondoah River on the ice. The River was open above & below, the ice being strong enough was fortunate as the boats were carried off in a flood. From Sniggers ferry we went West by N. 5 miles to Battle town [Berryville, Virginia] may be Strasburg & eat breakfast at Berrys about 9 oclock. (This is 12 miles from Winchester.) From Battle town we went 5 miles to a village of Negros called Newmarket. From Newmarket 5 miles to the White post. From thence 8 miles to Newton where we refreshed ourselves with some cake & cyder. From Newtown 5 miles to Earls in Middletown where we came at half past 8 P.M. weary & wet feet. The greater part of This day has been remarkable comfortable & [easy] traveling over head & under foot. In the P.M. it was again wet, & before night it rain’d & rain’d all the [gap in text].
At this place we were again informed of the jerks being 13 miles S. of Staunton by a nonprofessor. We are now 13 miles from Winchester & 52 from Leesburg that way, & 50 the way we came. So we see that we have gained nothing (considering our [disiention]) by trying to come a nearer way to Newtown than by Winchester. Mountains, blind & [unbeaten paths] & difficult waters, & great obstructions against going any directions we please, & we also suffer by poor inteligence. At 9 we went to bed….
4–30 [Thursday, January 30]. About 8 we set out the weather being very cold & the going very rough & S. wind. From Staunton we went 8 miles through an uneaven country & woods to Browns tavern where we Breakfasted. While here we accidently heard the Relation of [one] Hances a Minister from the Tenessee Indians to Congress, respecting the jerkers of Greenville of that state in his neighborhood. He was an opposer to the work, but doubtless gave a very true account of them &c. &c. From Browns we went 4 miles to Greenville a small village of log houses & put up at S. Finleys a civill & decent house, & took a room while we put our cloths to wash &c. P.M. we again heard of the landlord by enquiry of the jerkers who are about here &c. At 6 we eat at Supper, & in the evening spend some time in writing, having the room to ourselves & something comfortable. 11 went to bed. Put our cloths to wash.
Both yesterday & today Issachar is very unwell at his Stomach &c. but recovers. Thursday & Friday.
5–31 [Friday, January 31]. At 9 we eat breakfast & about 10 we went 3 Miles to Robert Tates a family of Jerkers. He is an elder of a Presbyterian society. 7 of his family have the Jerks with himself. 2 hours had conversations with several, & saw what was very wonderful. The power of God in unsanctified vessels &c. &c. We were treated with great kindness &c. &c. &c. At 3 we returned to Finleys [in Greenville, Virginia] & eat Dinner very good & spent the P.M. & evening very comfortably in writing.
The weather all day was been very warm & South wind. At night some rain & hail. About 11 went to bed.
6, 2, 1 [Saturday, February 1, 1805]. At 8 Morning we Set out the weather being still warm with South wind all day. From Greenvill we traveled chiefly through Water & Mud. The snow & ice that remained was very helpful to keep us clean. 6 miles to Steels tavern where we got an ordinary breakfast (pork & eggs). From Steels 6 miles to Mores in Fairfield a log house village of 12 or 14 houses. From Fairfield we went 5 miles to Kaneers tavern in the edge of Rockbridge County where we refreshed ourselves a little. Here we heard perticularly that the jerks were taken by 1 man who was at Tenessee & took it, went to Kentucky & the first apearance he made in public above an hundred took it at once. From Kaneers we went 3 miles to Rhoads tavern. From Rhodes 2 miles to [Edar] a poor private log house near the fords of the North River (a branch of James River) where we came about 6 P.M. In the evening had some tea with our own victuals.
Some part of the ground setled & like 15 March.
7, 2 [Sunday, February 2]. In the morning after we got [up] the man of the family read a chapter in the bible, sung an hymn & prayed. But we saw none exercised though we were informed that chief of his family had the jerks. They were 8 or 10 in number. From [missing word] we crossed the River below the ford in a flat, & went 1 mile to Lexington a place of about 150 Brick & log houses. Here we bought some cheese & bread, & refreshed ourselves at a Baker womans house. From Lexington we went 6 miles through a rough country & very Muddy & wearisome traveling 6 miles to Cloise’s tavern at Buffaloe creek which we waded, but the water being over our boots we had to pull them off & wring our stockings. From Buffalo creek we went 8 miles to Baileys near Natural bridge where we refreshed ourselves. From Bailey we went 2 miles to James McConkeys & put up at about 5 p.m. S.W. wind all day & clear.
Froze hard last Night the ground break [hump] in the fields & [illeg.] take up being little snow on the ground & in some places setled like 20 March….
4–6 [Thursday, February 6]. At about 11 oclock A.M. we put our letters in the [Fincastle, Virginia] Post office. The Northern post is to come on within 2 hours. We immediately pass on through the wilderness over uneven rising & land as it were between the hills 16 long miles to Peerys a house of Entertainment. Pass by but few huts. From Fincastle we went 9 miles to Cuttaupoh from whence this road takes it name. It is 15 mile nearer to Wythe than Englishes road & not so many waters to cross.
As soon as we left Fincastle it began to snow & snowed a cold damp snow very fast all the P.M. & the going was very roug & wearisome. At half past 5 we put up. At 7 eat supper good supper & at 8 we [Bedded] down in one bed. Before we lay down we heard the landlord speaking about the Jerkers &c….
6–8 [Saturday, February 8]. The ground being froze we set out about 6 oclock A.M. & soon ford Roan oak the last time. Cross the Alegany Mountain from Hendrisons. Go 5 miles to Blacksburg & eat breakfast at Clarks. 7 miles from thence we come to the foot of the Mountain not having [found] a house except in Blackburg all over the Mountain. From the foot we went 1 mile to Strussles creek. Issachar forded it with the horse. J. & B. went over on rotten ice. From Strussles creek we went 2 miles to great Kanhaway River, called here New River, & fortunately crossed at Peppers ferry. None had crossed her for about a week on account of ice. From here we went 10 miles through mostly uninhabited woods, to Maxwells a private house where we came about 7. At 8 eat a supper of venison & corn bread, and at night lay on the floor.
Here we again hear of the jerkers &c. &c. &c….
5–14 [Friday, February 14]. At 9 we eat breakfast [at lodgings in Abingdon, Virginia] & with [interlineated words missing] at 4 we eat an ordinary Supper by ourselves. At 3 Issachar brought our cloth[es] but they were but poorly washed. Of the workers he was informed that the most Jerkers about here lived in Rich valley 4 miles N.W. of this one whole family by the name of Trussell, & one family by the name of Bison. 2 of the young men of the latter were those who run out of town when the Drum beat &c.
As we could not get our boots before night we were under the necesity of staying in this very lost place till next morning & while we staid Issachar bought some bread & sundry articles for our Journey.
Here we are all of such opinion that if it were possibl it woud be best to Sell our horse &c. &c. In the evening our boots came.
The weather cold & stormy last night rained. [Squally]….
7–16 [Sunday, February 16]. At 7 we set out & imediately crossed the line into the State of Tenessee. Went in Severe cold weather & W. wind, & rough going on account of the frost 4 miles to Millers, where we eat a comfortable breakfast at 8 or 9. The people were remarkable kind & feeling &c. M. opened a door to have us all stay free of cost.
We consulted a few minutes & concluded John stays to tend a meeting tomorrow of Jerkers &c. & Issachar & Benjamin went on 10 miles to the block house, & from thence 4 miles to Morrisons [in Sullivan County, Tennessee] where we put up at [illeg.] inn. After 10 A.M. the weather was more Comfortable, & ground some Settled &c. 14 [miles].
1–17 [Monday, February 17]. At Morisons he told us of a man 12 or 14 miles off who lately had given orders to his family that if ever he took the jerks to bind him. He took the jerks & they accordingly bound him, but he immediately expired in their hands. Another instance of a like nature Morisons wife saw about 12 miles off at a meeting. A young woman took the Jerks. An old man tried to hold her, & she immediately fell down for dead, but in about an hour came too & desired if ever she should be taken again, that should touch her. M’s wife said that at this place she saw a woman Dance before the preacher &c. &c.
At 8 A.M. we eat breakfast & soon after we set out in clear & comfortable weather 2 miles to Holston River N. fork & crossed in a Canoe. From thence 2 miles to Crowbergers, a private Dutch house some distance from the road. While here we saw Scattered persons like lost sheep going to a meeting, & we went also but as there was preaching & the people few & scattered. We soon returned.
At 2 we eat Dinner & at 4 we supped. 4 [miles].
The people were very anxious to have people gather for meeting, but we evaded. Also in the evening it felt hard to withhold our faith from the family….
5–21 [Friday, February 21, at home of Joseph Dobson near Greeneville, Tennessee]. Issachar is not well nor has been for many days. Corn bread & fried pork only, appears to be rather hard for him, &c. In the morning [we] concluded to stay here & attend a Society meeting which is to be here this evening. Accordingly about dusk about 40 people assembled young & old. Some were professors & some were not. Soon after candle light the meeting began & was [opened] by Singing, a little previous to which a young woman was taken with the Jerks, & as they were [about] preparing to sing, she arose from her seat and went out doors, & in 4 or 5 minutes returned & sat down again, but continued Jerking so violently that her hat flew off, & she was [soon] Jerked from her seat & on the floor, & from this it increased to swift walking across the floor with a distressed, & quick bucking which coincided with the steps.
In the meantime a young man was violently exercised by Jerking [as] he was sitting on the seat & singing. This increased to a loud & quick barking like a dog, together with the Jerks, which in the time of barking would twitch the head up & down, [partly] Between the knees, & this increased to such violent Jerking that he was taken from the seat, onto the floor & Jerked as if every joint must part asunder, & from this to Shaking, trembling, leaping, & dancing. The person who led the meeting while sitting in a chair & singing was also taken with the barking, nearly the same time.
Soon after these were taken 3 young weoman more were taken with the Jerks which increased, to swift walking, sometimes partly running, claping hands, screaming & instantly Jumping, without the least fear of danger, sometimes immediately against the walls, or door, & sometimes falling all along on the floor flat on their backs as far from any shame, & as regardless of any honour or persons, as if they were dead, & would lay motionless. Whenever anyone fell down they would be taken up by some one, or 2, & held till they came to again, & as soon as they came to they would begin to walk back & forth, & every little while take a very sudden start, give a sharp screach & a jerk, & fall down again, though most of the time they would be kept from falling by persons who stood round the room on purpose. Frequently while walking they would begin to turn round, & in this exercises they would always after turning round 3 or 4 times lean backwards & fall down, unless prevented. What appear’d very striking was their swiftly walking from one part of the room to the other, with their eyes fast closed, would turn puntual, & regular, whenever they came near the wall, or near any person, & even when they had walked across the whole length of the room 20 or 30 times without cessation. If the way happened to be blocked up or obstructed by persons steping in their way or the like, they would turn just as regular, & as swift before they toutched the person as they did before, & as well as if their eys were open. One remarkable instance was thus: 2 young women were exercised in walking the floor at one time. They continued walking perhaps half an hour or ¾ & it was beyond a doubt that they were moved by a spirit which saw every obstruction in the way as clearly (if not more so) as if their eyes had been open! One person a young married woman was exercised in making Courtesys with great delicacy. Another who had been exercised in walking would be exercised in a very different manner, by a stately steping across the floor, & then fix herself in a place of eminence, with a solemn air of importance, evidently to see or be seen, but it was not easily to be described which. She would continue in one place it may be half a minute, & then with the same air of importance step to another place. This was done in 5 or 6 directions, much like that of surveying land.
It is impossible to describe either by tongue or pen, the strange & solemn appearance of this mysterious & irresistible power, but they may be summed up in the following. It appears evident to our sense that it stands altogether in [&] preludes wo to the inhabitus of the earth! The blind leaders, & all their followers, are totaly blind & dumb, as touching these things. They go about feeing the pulse, peeping, as it were into the [livers], to find out these things [illeg.] but they remain blind guids still.
It is very worthy of notice that these exercise go immediately to destroy all the order & inventions of men & according to the degree of it throw the whole into [instant] confusion, & not only so, but directly & pointedly treat all voluntary or will worship with the utmost contempt, & yet they are all grossly blind as not to see it! Notwithstanding these powerful operations, the people are yet lost in sin, Joined with the world in most of their pursuits, & many even who are powerfully wrought upon by outward operations, whenever these are off remain the same carnal creatures in all their conversation & conduct!
After meeting was dismissed we for the first time opened our mouths since we came from N. Lebanon being now 883 miles from home. We spake but a very few words, & that in a manner sublimely. They however found themselves more lacking than they were [appris’d] of, & were evidently sensible that they were comprehended notwithstanding Except the blind leader himself.
We conclude to stay. Last night it rain’d. At 8 eat breakfast, at 3 dinner, & at about 2 oclock next morning after the meeting broke up we eat some supper, & in about ½ an hour went to bed before the fire. 883 miles from home….
7–23 [Sunday, February 23]. At 5 A.M. we set out [from lodgings near Russellville, Tennessee] West & turn gradually N. of W. for Kentucky. Went 3 miles still through a sort of pine plains, & found some fire by the side of the woods where we warmed some victuals, &c. From thence 1 mile to Holston River, & were taken across in a flat at Marshalls ferry by a young woman, who by some enquiry answered that she had had the Jerks a year but that it made her no better. The river here is 150 yards wide & a little below this fordable in low water.
From Marshalls ferry we went still on West by N. over very broken & some rocky lands &c. 6 miles to [Bynums] at Beans Station. This is on the road from the North to Knox in this state, to the [frontiers], the Mississippi Territory, & Louissanna, also over into the Wilderness of Kentucky, for all the states, & even the goods from [illeg.] & Philadelphia are brought this way, [illeg.] on account of the many impassable Mountains between Virginia & Kentucky.
Here we got Dinner & at 1 Leave the Road & pass on up a stream of water closely between 2 high Mountains 2 miles to the foot of Clinch Mountain.
From the foot we went in many winding directions 1 long mile to the toll gate at the top of the mountain. Here we have a prospect of part of the Carolinas on the East & S. E. & Georgia Tenessee on the S. E. a vast country put to view. Mountains after mountains, whose ranges lay in directions from N. E. to S. W.
From the toll gate in the Gap we went down the Mountain on the N. W. side 2 miles. It appears next to impossible that ever [a] Loaded team should ever get over this Mountain. Steep & [illeg.] rocks on 1 side, & deep [illeg.] on the other.
From the N. W. foot of the Mountain we went through a wilderness valley & over a creek 2 miles to Clinch river. This we crossed in a flat drawn over by a rope, though many people ford it. But the fording [at] the lowest water is dangerous, as it consists of sharp ledgy rocks pointing upstream & the water powerful. It is 120 yards & empties into Holston at Kingston &c.
At about 5 we put up at Evan’s on [the] N. West bank. At 9 we went to bed. The weather all day have been clear & very comfortable, settled going….
1–3 [Monday, March 3, 1805]. Early in the morning we changed our cloths & at about 8 we eat breakfast [at the home of a man named Johnson near Crab Orchard, Kentucky], after which we offer’d to pay for our entertainment &c. but the man nor his daughters would not except anything, only as we freely gave 2 quarters to the black woman who washed our cloths.
Having heard of a meeting appointed at Paint Lick Meeting house in [blank] by some of those who have lately revolted from the Presbyterians, we had a desire to Go & hear them. At about 9 we started & went a blind sort of a south circular road through the woods 8 miles to the East, from Johnsons. We did not get there till nearly 1 oclock P.M. A large collection of people were there, to whom the preacher was giving his reasons for renouncing the Calvinistic plan &c. &c. After he got through he opened a door for us to speak if we had anything to say to the people (probably it first came by means of Johnsons daughter), but the matters spoken of were sufficient for the consideration of the people, & they were come together for that purpose. At any rate we did not feel it our duty or freedom to speak.
Immediately after meeting we went where we left the horse & enquired for some plan of entertainment. Everything seems very much shut up. From thence we went North 2 miles to Maxwells & put up. At 4 eat dinner. At sunset we went with the family about 1 mile N. east to a Society meeting at J. Hendersons. Here were some young weoman who were powerfully exercised by Jerking & a black young woman by very proper dancing, for near half an hour at a time, some by screaming &c. The preacher (Hedgerton) comes to us in a very friendly manner & again & again opened a door of us to speak & as the people were anxiously expecting something from us B. spoke a few words. After meeting we understood that these exercises, were more than had been for several months past, & indeed before this we learned that there were but very few exercised, & those but in a small degree of Jerking. We went home with Maxwells family, by candlelight. The weather all day has been clear & comfortable. At about 12 or 1 oclock we went to bed. 10 [miles]….
5–21.3 [Friday, March 21, 1805]. The weather & cold having froze last night & the S. Wind high & uncomfortable. At about 8 we eat breakfast [at the home of New Light Presbyterian minister John Thompson in Springfield (now Springdale), Ohio], & at about noon J. Thompson came home & for some time took us to be Quakers, but we told him we were not of that people, & so by our conversation & a N.Y. Magazine he had in the house he found out what we were called, &c. &c. It appeard some prejudices had been imbibed, but we spake our faith to him with a measure of plainness out of duty though he felt very whole, & against the cross &c. &c. In the evening a Society meeting was held there of about an hundred persons. About 8 or 10 were operated by a sort of jerking & dancing, abundantly mixed with their own [stuff]. A married woman, & a boy of about 12, spake with power in the exercise. They all feel very whole & the word glory & glory to God were perhaps used a thousand times. No door was opened for us to say a word, & if there had been, it was likely we should have said nothing.
Source
Benjamin Seth Youngs, Journal, 1805, 17–19, 22–29, 32–36, 41–42, 53–54, ASC 859, Edward Deming Andrews Memorial Shaker Collection, 1747–1982, The Winterthur Library, Winterthur, Del.
About Benjamin Seth Youngs (1774–1855)
Born in Schenectady, New York, Benjamin Seth Youngs converted to Shakerism with a large contingent of his family in 1794. During the next decade, Youngs worked alongside Issachar Bates as a missionary in western Massachusetts, upstate New York, and Vermont. In December 1804, Shaker leaders appointed John Meacham, Bates, and Youngs to open the Shaker gospel in the west. Youngs’s extensive travel journal of the missionaries’ “Long Walk” to Kentucky and Ohio includes vivid descriptions of the jerks and other bodily exercises that dominated the Great Revival. He emerged as a prominent leader in the development of western Shakerism, evangelizing, organizing communities, and drafting the sect's first comprehensive theological treatise, The Testimony of Christ's Second Appearing (1808). Youngs served as elder of the Shaker village at South Union, Kentucky, for more than two decades before being recalled to Watervliet, New York, where he died in 1855.
References
Stephen J. Paterwic, Historical Dictionary of the Shakers, Historical Dictionaries of Religions, Philosophies, and Movements, no. 87 (Lanham, Md., 2008), 251–253.
