 Early leaders sent out from the Shakers' central Ministry at New Lebanon, New York, included Elder David Darrow (1750-1825), who began evangelizing in 1805, and Eldress Ruth Farrington (1763-1821), who arrived in 1806 to help stabilize the new Shaker society.An early and influential proselyte was Richard McNemar (1770-1839), who was a central figure among western Shakers for many years.The believers at Turtlecreek signed their first covenant in March 1810.