A collection of textiles believed to have been produced in a German communalistic colony in Bethel, Missouri was investigated. Objectives of the study were to determine which, if any, of the textiles were actually made in the colony and interpret how individuals who made and used the textiles were affected by their German culture and their communalistic experience. Sixteen of the textiles were determined to be of Bethel Colony manufacture. These textiles exhibited very characteristic German patterns, unlike textiles produced among other German immigrant groups who lived in Missouri. It is probable that the communalistic nature of the colony helped maintain traditional German weaving practices.
Bower, J. (July 16, 1858). Letter. Lucille Bower Archive.
2.
Buhl, A.A. (1971). Clothing and household textiles of Aurora Colony, Oregon 1857-1877, Unpublished master's thesis, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR.
3.
Burnham H.B. & Burnham, D.K. (1972). Keep me warm one night: Early handweaving in eastern Canada. Toronto, Ontario: The University of Toronto Press.
4.
Conzen, K.N. (1976). ImmigrantMilwaukee: 1836-1860. Cambridge, MS: Harvard University Press.
5.
Drain, V.D. (1911). The Bethel Colony—A story of communism in Missouri. In H. Taylor Jr. & W. H. Bingham (Eds.). General history of Shelby County, Missouri. Chicago, IL: Henry Taylor & Company, 172-175.
Galvin, N.L. (1961). A German weaver's pattern book 1784-1810. Cuyahoga Falls, OH: Author.
8.
Gehret, E.J. (1976). Rural Pennsylvania clothing. York, PA: Liberty Cap Books.
9.
Hannibal gazette. (Oct. 7, 1847). [n.p.].
10.
Hendricks, R.J. (1933). Bethel and Aurora: An experiment in communism a practical Christianity. New York, NY: The Press of the Pioneers.
11.
Hinds, W.A.(1878/1971). American communities. Oneida, NY: Office of the American Socialists. Glouchester, MA: Peter Smith.
12.
History of Shelby County—Bethel. (1884). History of Monroe and Shelby Counties, Missouri. St. Louis, MO: St. LouisNational Historic Company, 861-869.
13.
Holroyd, R.N. (1976). Jacob Angstadt designs drawn from his weavers patron book. Pittsford, NY: Author.
14.
Homespun textile tradition of the Pennsylvania Germans. (1976 ). Harrisburg, PA: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.
15.
Keyser, A.G. (1988). Early Pennsylvania-German traditions: Beds, bedding, bedsteads and sleep in Lasansky, J. (ed.). Pieced by Mother. Lewisburg, PA: Oral Traditions Project of the Union County Historical Society.
16.
Knorp estate inventory. (1852). Shelby County court records, Shelbina, Missouri.
17.
Miller, M. (1874-1879). Bethel Colony general store ledger. Lucille Bower Archive.
18.
Nordhoff, C. (1966/1875). The communistic societies of the United States. New York, NY: Dover Publications, Inc.
19.
Productions of agriculture. (1860). [United States Federal Census]. Bethel Township, County of Shelby. Microfilm.
20.
Products of agriculture. (1850). [United States Federal Census]. Bethel Township, County of Shelby. Microfilm.
21.
Reinert, G.G. (1948). Coverlets of the Pennsylvania Germans. The PennsylvaniaFolklore Society, 13, 5-75.
22.
Ritter, F. (1848). Textile, linen, and woolweaver's guild diploma , Zeitz, Germany.
23.
Schroeder, A.E. (1977). The survival of German traditions in Missouri in Friesen, G. K. & Schatzberg, W. (eds). The German Contribution to the Building of the Americas. Hanover, NH: Clark University Press.
24.
Schroeder, A.E. (1986). To Missouri, where the sun of freedom shines: Dream and reality on the western frontier. In H. W. Marshall & J. W. Goodrich, (Eds.). The German American Experience in Missouri. University of Missouri-Columbia: Missouri Cultural Heritage Center.
25.
Swan, S.B. (1983). Household textiles in Swank, S. T. (ed). Arts of the Pennsylvania Germans . New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
26.
United States population schedule of Missouri. (1850). Washington, DC: Bureau of the Census Microfilm.
27.
United States population schedule of Missouri. (1860). Washington, DC: Bureau of the Census Microfilm.
28.
van Ravenswaay, C. (1977). The art and architecture of German settlements in Missouri: A survey of a vanishing culture. Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press.
29.
Velhinger estate inventory. (1851). Shelby County court records, Shelbina, Missouri.
30.
Walker, S.R. (1981). Country cloth to coverlets: Textile traditions in 19th century central Pennsylvania. Lewis, PA: Keystone Book.
