“Noble freedom, noble fortune
here in the liberated land
Yes, when I think back now,
To the sorrowful condition
Where the countryman’s goods and blood
Belonged to the brood of tyrants.”
-Daniel Huber, Zoar, Ohio, 1833
During the early 1800s, the French Empire under Napoleon conquered Württemberg and the noble Friedrich returned to power. The now annexed west bank of the Rhine was under Duke Friedrich’s rule and they (the State) which was commingled with the Lutheran church at the time were not adequately responding to the needs of the congregation given that it was focusing all time and money on war. During that era, a reformist religious sect called Pietism formed, which was a more extreme, more strict form of Lutheran Christianity.[1] It was from Pietism that the separatist movement[2] first formed in German villages such as Württemberg, where the king’s officials attempted to quell rebellious separatist activities.[3] Its supporters began wearing clothing, which was sympathetic toward the French Revolution (colors which represented the French tri-colored flag). They also had begun wearing a bright signal star, which resembled the Star of Bethlehem (and later became the symbol for their new community of Zoar). The authorities were not pleased with either. It was also reported that there were laws, that required lower classes to bow to nobles and members of the church, which the separatists refused to do (“Refusal to doff their caps in the presence of officials”). Due to these reasons (and numerous others), a group of devout German separatists and their leader Michael Bimeler set sail for America to establish a new community in West Ohio.[4] They received much generosity from the Quakers, who had established communities in that area at the time. In 1817, Bimeler led his people into the Ohio wilderness.
They decided to name their community Zoar which is after the place in the Bible where Lot fled after the destruction of Sodom in Genesis. In Hebrew, the name, Zoar, means both “a little one” and “a place of refuge.”
The first articles were established in 1819, the second articles of the community were established in 1824, and a third articles in 1833, which renounced all private property and put it into the hands of a common society (communism) which the community as a whole agreed on without the assistance or permission from State, Local, or Federal governments (intentionality). Although, later on, there were no qualms about Bimeler, their leader requested and supported State projects such as the nearby Canal adjacent to the Tuscarawas River which was beneficial to the community and its crops. However, it appeared that the Zoar community was eager to escape the persecution of German nobles, and Zoar’s location with the support of Quaker communities had very little involvement in American government matters. However, during the Civil War it was reported that some Zoar community members volunteered for the Union Army, despite the Separatist and Zoar community vow of pacifism.3
During Zoar’s thriving years, many of the able-bodied members of the community participated in harvesting crops and others served in other ways such as the operation of the town hotel, manufacturing goods, and light textile work (spinning clothes). They had continued cooperation with other neighboring groups and reached out actively to trade and find fellowship. In a letter dated November 1820, Joseph Bimeler, to Frederick Rapp, New Harmony, IN wrote:
“These and such questions I should very much like to see answered, in order.... to have a correct view of your regulations... I and those with me surely can depend on your friendly attitude.. We all greet all those who heartily wish it.”
In 1852, there was a major case involving Zoar and the US Supreme Court, Gosele v. Bimeler. At some point, the validity of Zoar contracts was challenged and so the community had its first encounter with the courts in 1822. One of the former Zoar leaders, Johann Gottfried Banhoff brought suit against Bimeler and the society. Needless to say, the case was won and was upheld in the Society’s favor in 1852.[5]
The communal society of Zoar dissolved in 1895 shortly after their leader, Joseph (Michael) Bimeler’s death. The society was formally dissolved and the communal property was re-zoned into parcels and sold. In December 1895, Levi Bimeler said:
“We may form the best resolves, and aim to live according to the rules laid down by the founders of the community, but all these vanish like a light morning mist when we see the total corruptness of our whole system.”
He adds, “...that the society for a long time become destructive of the ends for which it was formed: To execute Christian principals, to strive for peace and unity, to unite individual interests into one common stock, to abolish distinctions of rank and fortune, and lastly, “to live as brethren and sisters of one common family.”
Takeaways from Zoar, Ohio
For several decades, the people of Zoar were able to live together as a community with very little help and assistance from the outside world. They had become self sustaining. One of the things they did early on was reciprocate cooperation from other communities such as the Quakers and other nearby communities. New Harmony Indiana had commonalities similar to the communal ideals of Zoar, and there was record (letters) that Zoar society had reached out to New Harmony to establish a connection. Notably, New Harmony was also an intentional community where anarchist socialist Josiah Warren established some of his philosophies of cooperation and beneficial anarchism in the early 1800s.[6] So what might be applied here to other new communities is that cooperation with others seems necessary, not only from a financial and sustainability perspective but also from the perspective of morale. Zoar community members, from the writings, seemed thrilled to be able to have others to connect with and form mutual bonds, most often from religion, but also from a sense of community.
It seemed like location was a very big deal for Bimeler when he purchased the parcels of land in Western Ohio. The area was close to a large body of water, routes of travel, and nearby similar communities (Quakers mostly).
Although others might disagree with Zoar’s formation of a communist society, the key here was that there had appeared to be consensus from the members according to the founding articles. In other words, no one was being forced at the barrel of a gun to enter into this relationship/arrangement. It seemed, for the most part, to suit the community up until its disillusionment, although there were signs that after Joseph Bimeler’s death, the community had slowly become “corrupt” or went against the founding principles of both their religion and communal articles, which appeared that was another motivation for its dissolving.
The size of the community seemed to be another factor. It was a small community of several hundred, which seemed very close knit. There was a hotel where guests stayed but for the most part, the community kept very small. It may have also been because of their strict Separatist religion which many stayed celibate. To prevent security issues and further corruption, new communities might learn that security and vetting are of utmost importance to maintain a thriving community long term.
Zoar, Ohio had managed to stay a thriving communal community from its founding up until 1895 which was several decades. It didn’t seem to mind cooperating with State governments, however, their separatist roots as rebellious individuals most likely led them to become self sustaining on their own, except when they were forced into court involvement. However, one of the larger expediters on the community financial statements, which Bimeler loosely kept track of, was the Canal boat project adjacent to the community. It is uncertain whether or not the community paid taxes but this is before the US Federal decree of income tax (Federal Tax code and 16th amendment officially ratified in 1913) so it is likely that Zoar members paid no tax and all property was communal and divided among the community as a whole. Had Zoar been established later after the massive expansion of the Federal Government, it would have probably been more difficult to avoid Federal Government involvement, however, similar groups such as the Amish and Quakers still thrive in that area to this day.
[1] What is Pietism? https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pietism
[2]Early Separatist Movements of Europe: https://www.ecmi.de/fileadmin/redakteure/publications/JEMIE_Datens%C3%A4tze/JEMIE_Datens%C3%A4tze_2018/Anderson_intro.pdf
[3] Zoar: The Story of an Intentional Community by: Kathleen M. Fernandez, June 2019, Kent State University Press: https://www.kentstateuniversitypress.com/2018/zoar
[4] Letter from Thomas Cope, Philadelphia, to Thomas Rotch, Kendal, Ohio February 6, 1818
[5] Goesele vs. Bimeler 1852: https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/55/589
[6] Josiah Warren, New Harmoney, Indiana: https://www.mutualismcoop.com/contemporary-mutualist-text/josiah-warren-the-most-practical-anarchist