Wisconsin Phalanx
A spiritualistic community founded by Warren Chase in 1844. Chase had settled in Southport, Wisconsin, in 1838, and there, with his wife and child, he lived for a time in the deepest poverty. At length, however, their circumstances brightened, and Chase attained to a position of civic honour in Southport. Meanwhile he had studied mesmerism and socialism with the aid of a few periodicals-Laroy Sunderland's Magnet and the New York Tribune--and was filled with the idea of founding a community where his ideals of social order and harmony Witchcraft might be carried out. With the aid of his friends such a community was formed, each member with a share of twenty-five dollars. The chosen settlement-near the town of Ripon-was christened Ceresco, in honour of Ceres. For six years the Wisconsin Phalanx flourished, having as its leader and ruling spirit Warren Chase himself. But at last dissensions arose, and in 1850 it was dissolved. When its affairs were wound up it was found that a considerable profit fell to the share of its members. In all, it was one of the most successful spiritualistic or socialistic communities of the time.