Lucy Wright
Encyclopedia
Lucy Wright was the leader of the central ministry of the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, also known as the Shakers
or Shaking Quakers, from 1796 until 1821. Because few women preached at that time, and even fewer led churches, her administration of a religious sect of several thousand members was a radical departure from Protestant Christianity.
), in the Housatonic River
valley of the Berkshire hills, just a few miles from the New York border. Pontoosuck plantation was essentially a frontier settlement. Aside from Jonathan Edwards’ Indian mission
in Stockbridge
, the area had no church until Lucy Wright was almost thirteen. The woods were so thick that newcomers had to girdle trees to clear land for planting.
Lucy was a bright, lively, dark-eyed child. She grew into an attractive young woman, tall, graceful, and energetic, with strong shoulders and arms. She had dark hair, a good figure, and a beautiful smile. She also was popular, a leader among her peers.
In 1779, Lucy Wright and her beau, Elizur Goodrich, participated in the New Light Baptist revival
in New Lebanon, New York. Near the end of the revival, they heard a preacher expound on Romans 8:8 (“Those who are in the flesh cannot please God”), which may have set the stage for their later adoption of a new religion.
, leader of the Shakers, was an extraordinarily charismatic preacher and Elizur was quickly impressed with her new religion despite its requirements of celibacy
and confession
of sins.
Elizur soon made a commitment to the Shakers. Lucy, however, was less easily convinced. She hung back while more than twenty of the Goodrich family confessed their sins and joined the Shakers. After several months of deliberation, Lucy gave up her marriage in favor of a Shaker covenant, which eventually allowed her to rise to leadership with the kind of power and authority that, outside of Shakerism, was usually held only by men. She resumed her maiden name and became a Shaker.
. There Lucy Wright inspired confidence and gained esteem through her diligence, faithfulness, and efficiency. As in Pittsfield, Lucy became a leader among her peers. Ann Lee mentored the young woman accordingly, grooming her for leadership, and Lucy cared for Ann Lee during her final illness.
After Mother Ann died in 1784, Lucy’s responsibilities increased. By late 1788, the society’s new leader Joseph Meacham had summoned her to New Lebanon, New York
, perhaps as a result of his revelation that Shakers should practice equality of the sexes, or gender equality
. She became his female counterpart in the Ministry, and called her Mother Lucy. Together, they began bringing all things Shaker into order, reshaping their religious society to include gender-balanced government, and gathering Believers into their own communal villages.
Lucy Wright worked with Joseph Meacham until his death in 1796. After his demise, Mother Lucy was the acknowledged leader of the Shaker Ministry, a team of two Elders and two Eldresses who governed the society.
Lucy Wright proved to be a brilliant administrator with significant influence at every level of Shaker society. She survived the exit of disaffected young men in the 1790s and successfully sustained “petticoat government.” Her long tenure as the Ministry’s leader meant that she had ample opportunity to establish the principles of gender equality
, and her leadership set an example for equality of the sexes.
Mother Lucy also made the decision to send missionaries out to preach at a number of revivals in New England and upstate New York. After hearing of the revivals at Cane Ridge, Kentucky (the Second Great Awakening
), she sent a team of missionaries into the western wilderness, where they founded new Shaker villages in Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana.
Under her administration, the Shakers increased the publishing ventures that were useful and necessary for standardizing information across their widely-scattered religious society. Their first statement of their beliefs was the Testimony of Christ’s Second Appearing in 1810, followed by a hymnal in 1813.
Lucy Wright remained at the helm of Shakerism until her death, exhorting the faithful and chiding the backsliders. Her influence, however, persisted for many years after her death, because she named her own successors. She died at Watervliet in 1821, and was buried there. Her grave is beside that of Mother Ann Lee, in the Shaker cemetery in the Watervliet Shaker Historic District
, now the town of Colonie, New York.
Shakers
The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, known as the Shakers, is a religious sect originally thought to be a development of the Religious Society of Friends...
or Shaking Quakers, from 1796 until 1821. Because few women preached at that time, and even fewer led churches, her administration of a religious sect of several thousand members was a radical departure from Protestant Christianity.
Childhood
Lucy was born February 5, 1760, the daughter of John and Mary (Robbins) Wright of Pontoosuck plantation (later Pittsfield, MassachusettsPittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...
), in the Housatonic River
Housatonic River
The Housatonic River is a river, approximately long, in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United States. It flows south to southeast, and drains about of southwestern New England into Long Island Sound...
valley of the Berkshire hills, just a few miles from the New York border. Pontoosuck plantation was essentially a frontier settlement. Aside from Jonathan Edwards’ Indian mission
Mission House (Stockbridge, Massachusetts)
The Mission House is an historic house located at 19 Main Street, Stockbridge, Massachusetts and used as a Native American mission in the 18th century...
in Stockbridge
Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Stockbridge is a town in Berkshire County in Western Massachusetts. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,947 at the 2010 census...
, the area had no church until Lucy Wright was almost thirteen. The woods were so thick that newcomers had to girdle trees to clear land for planting.
Lucy was a bright, lively, dark-eyed child. She grew into an attractive young woman, tall, graceful, and energetic, with strong shoulders and arms. She had dark hair, a good figure, and a beautiful smile. She also was popular, a leader among her peers.
In 1779, Lucy Wright and her beau, Elizur Goodrich, participated in the New Light Baptist revival
Christian revival
Christian revival is a term that generally refers to a specific period of increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or many churches, either regionally or globally...
in New Lebanon, New York. Near the end of the revival, they heard a preacher expound on Romans 8:8 (“Those who are in the flesh cannot please God”), which may have set the stage for their later adoption of a new religion.
Marriage
Lucy Wright married Elizur Goodrich on December 15, 1779. Even before they married, the couple sought a new religion; that was what brought them to the revival in 1779, and that was also what brought them to the Shakers in 1780. Mother Ann LeeAnn Lee
Mother Ann Lee was the leader of the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, or Shakers....
, leader of the Shakers, was an extraordinarily charismatic preacher and Elizur was quickly impressed with her new religion despite its requirements of celibacy
Celibacy
Celibacy is a personal commitment to avoiding sexual relations, in particular a vow from marriage. Typically celibacy involves avoiding all romantic relationships of any kind. An individual may choose celibacy for religious reasons, such as is the case for priests in some religions, for reasons of...
and confession
Confession
This article is for the religious practice of confessing one's sins.Confession is the acknowledgment of sin or wrongs...
of sins.
Elizur soon made a commitment to the Shakers. Lucy, however, was less easily convinced. She hung back while more than twenty of the Goodrich family confessed their sins and joined the Shakers. After several months of deliberation, Lucy gave up her marriage in favor of a Shaker covenant, which eventually allowed her to rise to leadership with the kind of power and authority that, outside of Shakerism, was usually held only by men. She resumed her maiden name and became a Shaker.
Life as a Shaker
As soon as Lucy shifted her commitment from her husband to her new religion, Mother Ann Lee found it expedient to separate the young couple. She sent Elizur on the road as an itinerant preacher and missionary. Lucy moved to the Shaker community at Watervliet, New YorkWatervliet, New York
Watervliet is a city in Albany County in the US state of New York. The population was 10,254 as of the 2010 census. Watervliet is north of Albany, the capital of the state, and is bordered on the north, west, and south by the town of Colonie. The city is also known as "the Arsenal City".- History...
. There Lucy Wright inspired confidence and gained esteem through her diligence, faithfulness, and efficiency. As in Pittsfield, Lucy became a leader among her peers. Ann Lee mentored the young woman accordingly, grooming her for leadership, and Lucy cared for Ann Lee during her final illness.
After Mother Ann died in 1784, Lucy’s responsibilities increased. By late 1788, the society’s new leader Joseph Meacham had summoned her to New Lebanon, New York
New Lebanon, New York
New Lebanon is a town in Columbia County, New York, U.S., southeast of Albany. In 1910, 1,378 people lived in New Lebanon, New York. The population was 2,454 at the 2000 census.The town of New Lebanon is in the northeast part of Columbia County...
, perhaps as a result of his revelation that Shakers should practice equality of the sexes, or gender equality
Gender equality
Gender equality is the goal of the equality of the genders, stemming from a belief in the injustice of myriad forms of gender inequality.- Concept :...
. She became his female counterpart in the Ministry, and called her Mother Lucy. Together, they began bringing all things Shaker into order, reshaping their religious society to include gender-balanced government, and gathering Believers into their own communal villages.
Lucy Wright worked with Joseph Meacham until his death in 1796. After his demise, Mother Lucy was the acknowledged leader of the Shaker Ministry, a team of two Elders and two Eldresses who governed the society.
Lucy Wright proved to be a brilliant administrator with significant influence at every level of Shaker society. She survived the exit of disaffected young men in the 1790s and successfully sustained “petticoat government.” Her long tenure as the Ministry’s leader meant that she had ample opportunity to establish the principles of gender equality
Gender equality
Gender equality is the goal of the equality of the genders, stemming from a belief in the injustice of myriad forms of gender inequality.- Concept :...
, and her leadership set an example for equality of the sexes.
Mother Lucy also made the decision to send missionaries out to preach at a number of revivals in New England and upstate New York. After hearing of the revivals at Cane Ridge, Kentucky (the Second Great Awakening
Second Great Awakening
The Second Great Awakening was a Christian revival movement during the early 19th century in the United States. The movement began around 1800, had begun to gain momentum by 1820, and was in decline by 1870. The Second Great Awakening expressed Arminian theology, by which every person could be...
), she sent a team of missionaries into the western wilderness, where they founded new Shaker villages in Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana.
Under her administration, the Shakers increased the publishing ventures that were useful and necessary for standardizing information across their widely-scattered religious society. Their first statement of their beliefs was the Testimony of Christ’s Second Appearing in 1810, followed by a hymnal in 1813.
Lucy Wright remained at the helm of Shakerism until her death, exhorting the faithful and chiding the backsliders. Her influence, however, persisted for many years after her death, because she named her own successors. She died at Watervliet in 1821, and was buried there. Her grave is beside that of Mother Ann Lee, in the Shaker cemetery in the Watervliet Shaker Historic District
Watervliet Shaker Historic District
Watervliet Shaker Historic District, in Colonie, New York, is the site of the first Shaker community. It was established in 1776. The primary Shaker community, the Mount Lebanon Shaker Society, was started a bit later...
, now the town of Colonie, New York.
External links
- Mount Lebanon Shaker Society, http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/shaker/mou.htm
- Mount Lebanon Shaker Village, http://www.shakerworkshops.com/shaker-villages-and-museums/mount-lebanon-shaker-village.htm
- Mount Lebanon, World Momuments Fund, http://www.wmf.org/project/mount-lebanon-shaker-village
- Shaker Museum and Library, http://shakermuseumandlibrary.org/mtlebanon.html