Jacob L. Beilhart

Jacob L. Beilhart (March 4, 1867 – November 24, 1908) was the founder and leader of a communitarian group known as the Spirit Fruit Society. Beilhart believed that jealousy, materialism, and the fear of losing another's love were at the root of much of the illness in the world. Under his direction, the Spirit Fruit Society sought to model and practice those beliefs.

Beilhart was born in Ohio and raised in the Lutheran faith. He moved to Kansas when he was 18 and embraced Seventh-day Adventism. He later attended college to become a licensed preacher. Eventually, Beilhart came to believe that it was more important to put faith into practice helping others so he left preaching to study nursing and work in a sanitarium. He returned to Ohio in 1899 to start the Spirit Fruit Society, an intentional community based on his experiences, learning, and views. Beilhart led the group for nine years before he died of appendicitis and peritonitis in 1908. Beilhart's commune survived for another 22 years making it one of the longest surviving communes in America. The ninth of 11 children, Beilhart was raised in the Lutheran church and his early home environment was strictly religious. Jacob did not receive much in the way of formal education. His father died when he was six or seven years old so Jacob attended only elementary school. At the age of 17, Beilhart went to work at his brother-in-law's harness shop in southern Ohio and, when they moved to Ottawa, Kansas, Jacob went with them.

Beilhart left his brother-in-law's home a year later and went to live and work on a sheep farm. The family he lived with were devout Seventh Day Adventists. During this time, he became convinced that their view of the Bible and its teachings were quite different than what he had been raised to understand, but he accepted their religion entirely.

Although it is not known for certain, it is possible that the sheep farmer was the father of Olive Louema Blow, whom Beilhart married in 1887.

After the birth of their daughter, Edith in 1896, Louema revealed that the father of both Edith and her older brother, Harvey (1893), was C. W. Post. Though Post offered him financial interest in La Vita Inn and his prospective famous breakfast drink, Postum, provided Beilhart he would stay and work at the Inn. Outraged at his friend's betrayal, Beilhart ordered Post out of his house and left Battle Creek for Ohio. Louema left Jacob and took the children back to her family in Kansas in 1897. This experience undoubtedly had a profound effect upon Beilhart's view of marriage.

In accordance with his beliefs, the Society buried Beilhart in an unmarked grave on the farm overlooking Wooster Lake. Although most of the area is now covered by a residential development, Beilhart's grave site has been preserved, surrounded by brush.