ABSTRACT
A German Protestant sect, headed by George Rapp (1757-1847), preached that the Second Coming of Jesus would occur within their lifetimes. In 1803 several hundred members, fleeing persecution, emigrated to the United States, eventually settling in Pennsylvania at a spot they called Harmonie (now Harmony). In 1814 they moved to southwestern Indiana to reestablish Harmonie on the banks of the Wabash. The village soon became a thriving community with a steady income from the beer, wine, fabrics, and rope which they produced and sold in the United States and in Europe.
