These cloth and wooden shoes belonged to a member of the Dorrellites, a utopian society located in Leyden at the turn of the 19th century. The Dorrellites refused to consume or use animal products of any kind, and believed in free love.
As with many Utopian groups at that time, their leader, William Dorrell, claimed semi-divine powers. Dorrell (1752-1846) had fought for the British army during the American Revolution. He escaped after being taken prisoner at Saratoga and settled in Leyden. Dorrell proclaimed himself a new Messiah but later recanted, dying in poverty at the age of 95.
The shoes can be found at Memorial Hall Museum in Deerfield. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, 10 Memorial St., Deerfield. 413-774-7476. www.deerfield-ma.org