History of Bishop Hill, Illinois
In 1891, it was written that the small village of Bishop Hill in northwestern Illinois will “always occupy a prominent place in any history of the State of Illinois.” At its founding in 1846, Chicago had a population of barely 14,000, Bishop Hill’s 1,100 settlers composed a quarter of the population of Henry County, and the state of Illinois was newly developing its identity.
Bishop Hill was founded by a group of Swedish immigrants who followed their leader, Erik Jansson, to establish a religious community based on their interpretation of the Bible. The community’s beliefs and practices included communal living, shared property ownership, and rejecting organized religion, politics, and private property. The religious communism experiment in Bishop Hill aimed to create a utopian society that would be free from the societal ills of the time. However, the experiment faced challenges, including conflicts with neighboring communities, leadership struggles, and financial difficulties.
In the modern century, Bishop Hill has become a small tourist town of about one hundred, nestled along the Edwards River between Peoria and the Mississippi. Now, it remains an Illinois State Historic Site and a National Historic Landmark. It is home to numerous museums, shops, and Swedish festivals to commemorate the town’s heritage.
Despite its small stature, it provides a unique case study of religious communism in one of the earliest developments of communism on the American frontier and is partially responsible for the influx of over a million Swedish settlers between 1830 and 1900 in Illinois.
Eric Jansson and the Swedish Lutheran Church
In 1808, a man named Erik Jansson was born in the small village of Biskopskulla in the province of Uppsala in central Sweden. He was the son of a farmer, Jan Eriksson, and his wife, Margareta Persdotter. While growing up, his parents instilled in him a deep sense of religious devotion and a strong work ethic.
However, his religious beliefs were also heavily influenced by the Pietist movement, a Christian revivalist movement that originated in Germany in the late 17th century and emphasized personal piety and a direct, emotional relationship with God.
In this age, the Church of Sweden played a significant role in the religious, social, and political life of Swedes. However, Pietists believed that the Church had strayed both in hierarchy and morality.
During the early 1800s, the clergy in the Church of Sweden held significant power and influence. They were closely tied to the Swedish government, with the monarch serving as the head of the church. This meant that local clergy often had significant influence over issues in their community and were involved in shaping government policies. In some rural and illiterate regions of Sweden, priests were reported to dance the first round with brides at weddings, sell distilled liquor to their parishioners, and impregnate young girls.
Because of these grievances, the pietist group of Devotionalists grew in popularity within the province of Haelsingland. The Devotionalists weren’t their own sect, but rather just individuals who met in one another’s houses to read the Bible and share their dissatisfaction with the Church. Devotionalists wanted to purify the Church from within by supplementing regular worship services with assembly meetings and by emphasizing individual piety by giving up many material amusements. This meant that Devotionalists couldn’t dance, watch or perform in the theater, play cards, gamble, drink, or read indecent literature.
While this may seem extreme, it was not unheard of at the time. Haelsingland at the time was primarily agricultural, with most people being thrifty farmers of rye, flax, and potatoes. Many people couldn’t read or write since modern education hadn’t been introduced. There were no major towns outside of Gaevle, so drunkenness was a common vice. When the temperance movements within Devotionalism were introduced, they quickly spread in the province since they promoted industry and sobriety. As a result, popular Devotionalist figures preached across Haelsingland for almost two decades.
Around this time in 1832, a 26-year-old Jansson claimed he had a profound religious experience that he believed was a direct vision from God. During a prayer meeting, Jansson fell into a trance and had a vision of himself as a chosen prophet of God who was called to lead a group of believers to a new promised land where they would establish a perfect Christian community.
Jansson interpreted his vision as a divine commandment and began to preach to others about his mission. He believed that the established churches in Sweden had strayed from the true teachings of Christ and that a new religious community was needed to restore the purity of faith. He called for a return to the simple, pious practices of the early Christian church and urged his followers to live in accordance with these principles. Several of his specific beliefs included ridding the church of excess devotional literature apart from the Bible and adopting the Methodist perspective on sanctification.
Seeing the success of Devotionalism in Haelsingland, he started preaching in the province ten years after his vision. He would travel from parish to parish in order to conduct revival meetings. During these meetings, he proclaimed himself to be a “Godsend prophet,” “the restorer of the true doctrine,” “the greatest light since the time of the Apostles,” and the vicar of Christ on earth. In his speeches, it was claimed that he could cry on command, did not hesitate to “punish in public the sins of prominent individuals,” and exerted an irresistible control over his audience. Within a few years, he gained somewhere between 1,500 and 4,000 followers.
The clergy were alarmed by this quick growth, so they tried to punish Jansson and his followers. First, they banned Jansson from the pulpit. Then, his followers were excluded from taking Communion during worship services, and their houses were stoned. To retaliate, his followers began marching along the roads while singing hymns.
Later, Jansson decided to start burning books. In the town of Tranberg, he burned all religious texts commonly used by the Church besides the Bible, hymnal, and catechism. As a result, he was arrested and brought before the court in Gaevle. When he was released after this case, he then conducted a second round of book burning. This time, only the Bible was spared. His trial was moved to the bishop of Uppsala, and this time, his trial was never completed. Instead, Jonas Olsson and his brother paid heavy fines for Jansson’s release.
After that, a price was put on Jansson’s head. He was hunted from town to town. His friends tried to save him by bringing him over the mountains into Norway. From there, he traveled to Copenhagen and sailed to New York. In July of 1846, he arrived in Victoria, Knox County, Illinois.
Communistic Lifestyle within the Bishop Hill Colony
After Jansson arrived in Illinois, his followers slowly emigrated to the region. While Jansson had been hiding in the Norwegian mountains, he planned a new colony within the United States that would assume the form of a socialist theocracy. In America, he planned to build the New Jerusalem. It was written, “As the splendor of the second temple at Jerusalem far exceeded that of the first, erected by the son of David, so also the glory of the work which is to be accomplished by Erik Jansson, standing in Christ’s stead, shall far exceed that of the work accomplished by Jesus and his Apostles.”
Although many Swedes barely knew what the United States was at the time, they were intrigued by the concepts of religious freedom within the new country. Over the next four years, over one thousand settlers emigrated from Sweden to join Jansson’s new colony. They composed over a quarter of the county population. He purchased several acres in a region called “Red Oak Grove” and named it “Bishop Hill” after his parish of Biskopskulla.
The immigrants struggled to reach the United States. It took numerous trips across the Atlantic Ocean since many couldn’t afford the fares. As a result, the wealthy amongst the newfound Janssonists sold their property and used the proceeds to fund the emigration of their society. Once they reached the Bishop Hill Colony, this system was continued.
Their adoption of communism within the colony was interesting. In this case, communism will be defined as a society where most property and economic resources are owned and controlled by the state, rather than individual citizens.
During this time, many of the immigrants were still illiterate and were therefore unaware of the political atmosphere rising around proletariats and thinkers in France at the time. Instead, the basis for their economic system was religion.
In Acts 4:32-35, they believed this passage advocated for a voluntary communal sharing of resources among a group of believers: “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power, the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.”
Life revolved heavily around production and religion within the colony. Members of the community worked long hours and often sacrificed their own personal interests for the good of the community. This spirit of cooperation was reinforced by communal living arrangements, which required members to share living spaces and work together on a daily basis.
Some of these communal housing arrangements included large dormitories, boarding houses, and family houses. One of the most notable examples of communal living in Bishop Hill was the Colony Hotel, which was a large dormitory-style building that housed up to 300 people. The Colony Hotel was designed to be a temporary residence for new arrivals to the community, and it provided basic living accommodations such as sleeping quarters, dining facilities, and a communal kitchen.
However, with everything they did, the people of Bishop Hill had to follow strict adherence to the authoritarian leadership of Erik Jansson. Despite the communist economic structure, there was a hierarchical structure within common living. Single men and women had to live separately, and the men’s dormitories had the most experienced and trusted members of the community occupying the upper floors. Women, on the other hand, were housed in smaller, more private accommodations. A matron was responsible for supervising the residents and maintaining order.
During this time, many people were sick and dying due to poor living conditions. During the first winter, the nearest flour mill was twenty-eight miles away, so their food supply was short. Jansson announced frequent fasts and told his followers, “You ought to be able to live on one-eighth less than you had in Sweden, if you had faith; but you are sick and die because you do not believe what I have prophesied.”
A tabernacle was constructed where the Janssonists participated in worship twice per day. Jansson himself would go around the colony at 5 am to wake up the colonists for their 5:30 am service. Jansson was still described as being “The lion of the tribe of Judah who has eyes like flames of fire and can see into our hearts and reveal all the thoughts of the heart.” When colonists weren’t in service, they were in the fields.
The communal economy of Bishop Hill was mostly focused on agriculture and manufacturing. One of the main agricultural products produced in Bishop Hill was grain. The community’s fertile farmland and access to the nearby Mississippi River made it an ideal location for growing and exporting wheat. However, they also produced corn, oats, rye, and barley.
A local artist, Olof Krans, depicted in his paintings how both men and women alike would work to plant corn and harvest grain. During their eighteen-hour work days, men wielded cradles, while women bound the sheaves and children placed the sheaves shocks. While they farmed, they would sing native harvest songs.
In addition to farming, the community of Bishop Hill also engaged in milling and manufacturing. The Bishop Hill Colony operated a gristmill, sawmill, and woolen mill, which helped to process the raw materials produced by the community’s farmers. The colony also had a number of enterprises, including a chair factory, brick factory, and wagon factory, which created goods that they traded with the surrounding area.
The Colony was largely self-sufficient, with the members of the community producing most of what they needed for their own use. However, they also engaged in trade with the surrounding area, exchanging goods such as surplus crops, manufactured goods, and handicrafts for other necessary items such as clothing and tools. They saw results for their labor. At the height of their linen production in 1850, they created 28,322 yards of linen and 3,237 yards of mats.
However, some of the strict moral standards took a toll on the immigrants. During the first few years, marriages were forbidden amongst colony members. However, in 1848, Jansson claimed he had a prophecy saying, “The sons and daughters of Israel should enter wedlock, multiply themselves, and replenish the earth,” and the prohibition was repealed. Instead, young men and women were paired up, regardless of personal feelings toward one another, and it’s said that one day, fourteen couples were married.
By the spring of 1850, many settlers started to openly voice dissidence. They were dissatisfied with Jansson’s leadership style and the strict discipline that he imposed on the members of the community. Their leader was a man named John Root. Previously, he had married a woman named Charlotta Louisa Jansson, who was Erik’s cousin. Root had the intention to leave the colony with his wife, but Jansson forced them to sign a document at their wedding saying that if she left the town, their marriage would be void.
On May 13, Jansson was ambushed by an angry Root and his followers while he was at the courthouse in Cambridge, Illinois. Root shot Jansson, and he died several days later. Some colonists wondered: “Might not the same power that raised Jesus from the grave raise up Jansson also? They wept and prayed and waited three days for the manifestation of resurrection power.”
The Colony’s Decline and Impact on Galva
Once Jansson died, a man named Berglund was set to run operations in the colony until Jansson’s son was old enough to rule. However, Jonas Olson returned to the colony in 1851 and declared that he was the logical ruler. After much debate between the two, the colony adopted a democratic-republican form of government. Some people were selected to head various activities, many held meetings and jointly decided affairs, and the people of the colony were often consulted in decisions.
As a result, Bishop Hill became chartered in 1853 with seven men named as trustees of the town. Five of them were related, and while they were selected by the people, the charter declared them to be appointed to office. The Bishop Hill Charter said in Article II: “The said Trustees shall have the care and management of all the property, real and personal, belonging to said community of Bishop Hill; shall take charge of all its funds, and the same shall be deposited by them in such bank or banks as they may think proper; and shall have power to make all necessary contracts, and to sell or mortgage any of said property or funds, or any part thereof, as may be deemed necessary for the common welfare and benefit of said community.”
A year later, the town of Galva, Illinois, named after the Swedish port city of Gaevle where many Bishop Hill colonists migrated from, was founded by a group of investors who were interested in establishing a new community in the region. The investors, who were primarily from the eastern United States, saw an opportunity to develop a town in the area due to its proximity to several important transportation routes, including the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad, and the Spoon River.
While the town was forming, the trustees of Bishop Hill decided they needed to invest in its development. Bishop Hill purchased fifty town lots and lent its money to the Galva. The first house was built by the colonists, and by the end of 1855, they helped to build a hotel, general store, and brick warehouse. Soon, Galva became the business headquarters of Bishop Hill.
With the merging of the towns under the same leadership, the trustees were able to build both towns to brief economic prosperity. By 1855, the society owned 8028 acres of land, their town lots in Galva were valued at ten thousand dollars ($346,937.93 in 2023), they had railroad shares totaling one thousand dollars ($34,693.79 in 2023), 586 head of cattle, 109 horses and mules, 1,000 hogs, and other property valuing $37,471.02 ($1,300,011.12 in 2023). There was an average annual increase in personal property alone of $44,042.96 ($1,528,017.34 in 2023).
However, a conflict between the two main leaders within the trustees about whether to take the towns on a more agricultural or manufacturing route started to cause a rift. At first, they were still successful since the Crimean War caused agricultural prices to rise, generating a large profit for the settlers. Railroads were planned using the profits that would create an interstate system. A five-million-dollar contract was signed to construct roads from Indiana to the Mississippi, and a Nebraskan bank was opened in Galva.
Had the financial crisis of 1857 not occurred, Bishop Hill and Henry County might have played a very different part in history. Illinois lost over 200 banks when this happened, and the Janssonists were left in debt without a completed railroad construction. After this, the colonists started to accuse their leaders of squandering their money. Rumors began circulating that their money was gambled away, that money had been used to bribe police officers who discovered one of the leaders attending an orgy, or that one had bought a steamboat in St. Louis and sailed with it to New Orleans to party with slave-owners.
Therefore, in 1861, Bishop Hill was completely individualized, with each colonist being given about 22 acres, one timber lot, one town lot, and an equal part of the livestock in the town. As a result, the Bishop Hill Colony was unofficially dissolved in 1862.
While the colony is small in size today, it still had a profound impact on Galva that has remained despite the financial crisis. Many of the early settlers in Galva were Swedish immigrants who were drawn to the area by the reputation of Bishop Hill. These immigrants brought with them a rich cultural heritage that helped to shape the character of the town.
Many buildings were constructed in a similar style to those in Bishop Hill, with ornate details and distinctive Swedish elements. Still today, Galva practices traditional Swedish festivals, has an operating railroad running through it, and has a population of over 1,000.
Similarities to Early Communist Societies
While Bishop Hill didn’t influence other communist or socialist societies, it is worth noting that it was part of a broader movement of utopian and communal experiments during the same time period. The colony wasn’t created with the intent to change the political landscape, but rather the religious one. Dissent and nonconformity regarding religious beliefs were one of the main reasons why these societies formed, which encouraged mass migration to the United States in the 1800s.
Bishop Hill could be related to the Shakers, Oneida Community, and New Harmony. All of these societies were products of the 19th-century spirit of experimentation and idealism. They sought to create alternative models of social organization that challenged the prevailing norms of the time. They aimed to create more equitable, cooperative, and morally upright communities that could serve as examples for the wider world. They attempted this in several ways.
All of these societies embraced the concept of communal living, where members shared property, resources, and responsibilities. The idea was to create a collective environment where individuals worked together for the common good rather than pursuing individual interests.
The Shakers, Bishop Hill, and to some extent Oneida, had strong religious or spiritual underpinnings. The Shakers were a Christian religious sect, while Bishop Hill was founded by a pietist religious leader. Oneida had religion initially but later shifted toward a more secular ideology. Spiritual or religious beliefs played a significant role in shaping the values, practices, and social structures of these communities.
Because of these factors, these societies faced external skepticism, criticism, and even persecution due to their unconventional beliefs, practices, or communal way of life. They often found themselves at odds with mainstream society and were viewed as unconventional or radical by many.
However, for those who weren’t repelled by the unique practices within these groups, their messages could be found compelling and promised a close-knit community that was enough to convince settlers to emigrate to the United States. Since these societies sought to attract new members, they actively promoted their ideals, beliefs, and way of life, appealing to individuals who were dissatisfied with mainstream society or seeking a sense of belonging. As a result, people migrated from various regions to join them, often traveling significant distances.
Some of these communities established satellite communities or branches in different locations. For example, the Shakers founded numerous communal villages across the United States, attracting settlers to those areas. Similarly, Oneida attempted to expand its community by establishing branches in Vermont and Canada. These satellite communities led to migration as members relocated to these new settlements. While Bishop Hill didn’t have satellite communities, Erik Jansson sent out twelve trained men during the colony’s existence to preach to nearby communities in hopes of recruiting members.
Due to their involvement in cultural discourse, they attracted attention from the wider society. Their radical practices and philosophies sparked discussions and debates. This prominence in social and cultural discourse could indirectly influence migration as individuals became aware of these communities and decided to join or visit them.
Greater Impact on Scandinavian Migratory Communities
Similarly, it should be stated that, like other communal groups at the time, Bishop Hill’s greatest contribution to the world was how it served as a “doorway to Illinois” for immigrants coming to the United States. In 1850, only 1,123 Swedes were counted in the Illinois state census, most of which were residents of Bishop Hill. By 1860, this had increased to 6,460. By 1900, Illinois had almost 100,000 Swedes, containing the second-highest population of Swedish immigrants in the United States.
Letters from Swedish communes portrayed religious freedom in Illinois as a utopia. The region was popular, as half of America’s ninety-nine communes in the 1800-1850s were in the Middle Western frontier. Many letters were published in Swedish newspapers and by street-corner speakers protesting the government. Several from Bishop Hill detailed the advantages of prairie soil and American freedom.
In 1848, a preacher named Jonas Hedstrom received a letter from a Haelsingland Lutheran clergyman in Sweden. He asked whether there was a minister from the Church of Sweden to guide the growing number of immigrants in Illinois, particularly due to his concerns about Erik Jansson. This preacher moved to America and, in February of 1849, knew 144 others in his region who were leaving.
After the decline of the Bishop Hill colony, a writer studying the colony said the Janssonists had more comfort and security than other pioneers in the area. A colony member explained, “The Americans come in droves to see how we have it, and it surprises them that we can live together like this.”
Although the colony was dissolved, many residents continued living on the farm plots they were given or lived in Galva. The nearby creation of the Illinois Central Railroad quickly prompted thousands of Swedish advertisements, recruited buyers, and brought Swedes to the region in the 1850s and 1860s. In the 1860s, a severe famine hit Sweden, further encouraging Swedes to move to the United States, particularly to form the “Swedish Town” on the north side of Chicago. By 1890, Swedish immigrants formed almost 10 percent of Chicago’s foreign-born population. By 1900, Chicago had the second-highest number of Swedes in the world after Stockholm.
When the Swedish immigrants came, they established various institutions to preserve their culture and support their community. These included Swedish-language churches, schools, newspapers, and social organizations. One was Augustana College, which is located only fifty miles from Bishop Hill in Rock Island, Illinois. This college was created to affirm the Swedish-American identity. These institutions played a crucial role in maintaining Swedish identity, providing social networks, and supporting the needs of the immigrant population.
As time continued, settlers found employment opportunities in urban centers like Chicago. They worked in manufacturing, construction, and transportation. In rural areas, they engaged in farming and agricultural pursuits, contributing to the development of the state’s agricultural sector.
Now, Illinois has the third-highest population of Swedish-American people in the United States at over 240,000 individuals in 2021.
Conclusion
Bishop Hill, once a small village founded by a group of Swedish immigrants in northwestern Illinois, has left a lasting impact on the world, particularly in the realm of migration patterns and the development of communal societies. While it may have transformed into a modest tourist town in modern times, its historical significance as a case study of religious communism and its influence on Swedish migration to Illinois cannot be overlooked.
The establishment of Bishop Hill in the mid-19th century marked one of the earliest experiments with religious communism on the American frontier. Led by Erik Jansson, the Swedish settlers sought to create a utopian society based on their interpretation of the Bible, emphasizing communal living, shared property ownership, and the rejection of organized religion, politics, and private property. Although the colony faced numerous challenges, including conflicts with neighboring communities, leadership struggles, and financial difficulties, it became a testament to the resilience and determination of its inhabitants.
One of the most profound impacts of Bishop Hill lies in its role as a catalyst for Swedish migration to Illinois. The allure of religious freedom and economic opportunity in the United States inspired over a million Swedish settlers to make the journey between 1830 and 1900. The colony served as a beacon of hope for those seeking a new beginning and a chance to establish a better life for themselves and their families. The influx of Swedish immigrants contributed significantly to the growth and development of Illinois, leaving an indelible mark on the state’s cultural fabric.
The economic and social system practiced within the Bishop Hill Colony also deserves attention. While their adoption of communism was not influenced by the contemporary political climate of the time, their communal lifestyle and shared labor reflected a deep-rooted religious belief in the voluntary sharing of resources. Drawing inspiration from Acts 4:32-35, the settlers aimed to create a society where possessions were not claimed as personal property but shared for the benefit of all. This unique approach to communal living fostered a spirit of cooperation and self-sufficiency within the community.
The economic activities of Bishop Hill centered around agriculture and manufacturing, with a focus on grain production, milling, and the creation of various goods. The colony’s fertile farmland and access to the Mississippi River provided favorable conditions for agricultural endeavors, while its entrepreneurial spirit led to the establishment of businesses to process raw materials and create tradable goods. These factors helped to assist the neighboring communities form in the region and attracted many Swedes to the region.
Though its prominence waned over time, the colony has still been preserved as a State Historic Site and a National Historic Landmark. Bishop Hill stands as a testament to the resilience, faith, and pioneering spirit of the Swedish immigrants who founded it. Its religious communism experiment, coupled with its influence on Swedish migration patterns highlights its enduring significance in history that has helped contribute to Illinois being one of the largest Swedish population centers in the United States.
As we explore the story of Bishop Hill, we gain a deeper understanding of the human quest for a better life, the power of community, and the profound impact that small communities can have on the world.