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In 1774, Mother Ann Lee made this life changing decision to go an a journey to America, seeking the freedom to live, work, and worship according to their main religious tenets: celibacy, communal life, and confession of sin
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TheShaker family changes who left England on the ship Mariah searching religious freedom in America reached New York harbor in 1774. Ann Lee and her famiy of eight followers soon purchased land and settled near Watervliet, New York, on the borderline northwest of Albany.
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Mother Ann passed away in 1784, and one of her early English followers, Father James Whittaker, assumed the leadership of the learning society
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After Father James’ death in 1787, Elder Joseph Meacham succeeded as the first American-born leader. Elder Joseph soon assignedd another American-born believert, Mother Lucy Wright, to be his co-leader, and together they worked to gather the scattered groups of Brethren and Sisters into anenlarging network of common villages of Believers.
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The Shaker population reached its peak in the mid-19th century, with an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 Shakers. Today, the Shaker community remains active at Sabbathday Lake in Main
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Hancock joinedn major Shaker communities established between 1783 and 1836 in New York, New England, Kentucky, Indiana and Hancock was the third of what would eventually number nineteen major Shaker community.