Extracts from the Journals of Thomas Mann (May 21–September 21, 1807)
“Dr. Hambleton had the Jurks five time[s] in meeting….”
Extracts from the Diary of John Early (November 18–December 21 1807)
“She…said the Jirks came from the Devil & wou’d go Back to him again. I told her to pray or [I] Did not know But the Jirks wou’d Kill her & she’d go to hell & she said she wished I might to go Hell above all people….”
Excerpt from the Journal of Daniel Boler (ca. 1807)
“[O]ne of the [Shaker] Sisters looked sternly and solemnly at him when all of a sudden he was taken with the jirks and was jirked around the house and thro’ the brush and bushes and would at times be thrown…completely heels over head, flat on his back, and the [hickory] staff which he held in his hand would be thrown 20 or 30 feet from him….”
Excerpt from the Personal Narrative of Joseph Carson (ca. 1807)
“I have seen persons jerked over ground which was rocky and full of stumps, and wonderful to tell, they were never hurt. They would always beg not to be held or touched while thus affected, saying that it caused great pain….”
Excerpt from the South Union Shakers’ “Graveyard Book” (ca. 1807)
“[Robert Pearce] Lived about 79 years; came to believers when about 40 years old, rec’d Faith through one Mikel Dodd; who told him that he was jerked about like a circus actor….”
Excerpt from the Autobiography of Rev. Joseph Travis (ca. 1807)
“I can never forget one Sabbath, standing on a floor to preach: Brother Christie, a pious and upright man, the class-leader, was standing close by me; and while we were repeating and singing the first hymn, he was taken with the jerks, knocked the hymn book out of my hand, and gave my unfortunate nose a hard rap….”
