author
Bertha Lindsay
1897–1990
Raised by the Canterbury Shakers from childhood, she became one of the community’s last elders and a warm, clear voice for its daily life, music, and cooking. Her books preserve traditions that might otherwise have been lost.
1 Audiobook
Industries and Inventions of the Shakers: Shaker Music, a Brief History
by Bertha Lindsay, Lillian Phelps
About the author
Born in Massachusetts in 1897 and raised in New Hampshire, Bertha Lindsay joined the Canterbury Shaker community as a child after the death of her parents. She spent most of her life at Canterbury Shaker Village and later became an eldress, helping lead one of the last surviving Shaker communities.
Lindsay is remembered not only as a religious leader but also as a careful keeper of Shaker culture. She shared songs and memories in interviews, and she coauthored Industries and Inventions of the Shakers: Shaker Music, a Brief History with Lillian Phelps, helping record musical traditions from within the community.
Her best-known book for many readers is Seasoned with Grace: My Generation of Shaker Cooking, first published in 1987. Blending recipes with firsthand recollections, it offers a simple, vivid picture of Shaker work, worship, and everyday meals. She died in 1990, leaving behind an unusually direct record of a disappearing way of life.