Documents include deeds, manuscripts concerning title transfers of land, and recollections about land use and ownership. Most of the documents refer to land around Pittsfield and Hancock, both in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. However, other documents refer to land in Scituate, Rhode Island, and in various places in New York, but mostly in Canaan, Columbia County. One of the basic beliefs held by the Shakers was that property, including land, should be held in common for the general welfare. Thus, when an individual or family officially joined a Shaker community all personal property had to be given up. These manuscripts reveal two ways in which land transfers occurred: a Shaker either sold his land and gave the community the money realized from the sale, or he deeded his land directly to the community. Frequently, if this deeded land was located near one of their settlements the Shakers would retain it for farming, for raising livestock, as a source of wood, or for some other purpose that might benefit the community as a whole. Land located at some distance from the community was often sold. But as time passed even distant property was retained as Shakers tried to earn additional income from its continued use. Indeed, Shaker leaders had early on sought to increase the Society's land holdings and, it was hoped, thereby increase its income. People from "the world" were commonly hired to work these distant properties. Eventually, however, the acquisition of large tracts, both locally and afar, weakened the financial structure of the Society, as the income the Shakers derived from the land became less than the cost of its upkeep.
