Georg Rapp, founder of the sect of Harmonists, born in Würtemberg in 1770, died at Economy, Pa., Aug. 7, 1847. Believing that he had a divine call, and was charged with the restoration of the Christian religion to its original purity, he organized a community on the model of the primitive church, with goods in common. A difficulty with the government in regard to worship impelled Rapp to transplant his community in 1803 from Würtemberg to the United States. They settled first on Co-nequenessing creek, in Butler co., Pa., where they founded the village of Harmony, and employed themselves in agriculture and manufactures. They acquired considerable wealth, and in 1815 removed to the territory of Indiana, where they had purchased a tract of 27,000 acres on the Wabash. The settlement of New Harmony here was even more prosperous than their former establishment, but in 1824 they sold the property to Robert Owen, and emigrated to Beaver co., Pa., where the town of Economy was laid out on the right bank of the Ohio, 17 m. N. W. of Pittsburgh. It is an agricultural and manufacturing community. Members of both sexes are admitted, but they do not marry; they profess Protestantism, observe strict morality, and pay much attention to education.

There was a secession of about 200 members in 1832. The village of Harmony (pop. in 1870, 225) was in 1851 set off from the township of Economy (pop. in 1870, 1,324).