Birth & baptismal certificate on laid paper. Printed form with central textblock in German within a multiple line border. Infilled and decorated around textblock by Speyer; cross-legged angel at top, pelicans feeding young at sides and flowers at sides and bottom. Watercolors are red, blue, yellow, green and brown.
Infilled for Johannes, son of Valiendein (Valentine) and Eliesabetha (Elisabetha) Bohmer of Brecknock Township in Lancaster Co., born Dec. 13, 1788.
Georg Friederich Speyer (active 1774-1801) used this printed form produced c. 1789 by Barton & Johnson of Reading. See Notes.
General wear with numerous creases and wrinkles; one pronounced vertical centerline crease. Repaired tears, esp at left edge. All edges are ragged and uneven, esp. at right.
Conserved by CCAHA in 1989 (see report in file). Hinged into window mat & back mat. Relaced in its original frame using UF-3 Plexiglas and acid-free cardboard on reverse with a taped mylar dust shield.
Object ID
G.77.50.1
Notes
Printed form by Reading printers Thomas Barton and Benjamin Johnson, circa 1789 (see Klaus Stopp, The Printed Birth & Baptismal Certificates of the Pa. Germans, v. 4, p. 84). Speyer used this printed form for Johannes Bohmer who was born the previous year in1788.
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Role
Artist
Credit
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Richard Flanders Smith, Heritage Center Collection
Birth certificate is hand done by artist using design elements from printed fraktur. Multicolor text is enclosed in a central arched arbor w/ flame finials. Text names Christian, a son of Jacob and Barbara (KIndig) Bachman, born 1827 in Lampeter Twp. Two confronting angels flank arbor and 2 additional text blocks of religious verse support arbor. A pavilion at bottom is flanked by blue trees & large colorful pinwheel flowers.
Border at sides and top have colorful, repeating floral/foliate motifs; top is arched. Hearts and flowers fill top corners. Above arbor is a large 4-point stylized star flanked by reclining trees.
Artist uses red, blue, light blue, black, yellow, white, green, orange and brown.
Inscribed on reverse in black ink is "No 4 made by Eli Haverstick 1834."
Provenance
Descent in Bachman family to donor. Two nearly identical birth certificates are known, for older sister Anne, b. 1823 (private owner-Barbara Ann Mable) and younger brother John, b. 1832 (G.96.9.1). Similarity suggests all were made at the same time in 1834.
Bachman family genealogy in file. See info on Christian Bachman in Mennonite Arts, 2002, pp. 56-57.
Conserved by Susan Duhl in 2001. Generally worn and discolored. Repair to edge tears & corner loss. Abrasions & paper fill in top right corner were in-painted with watercolor. Tape at back of top edge is now removed w/ remaining stain. See report in file.
Object ID
G.00.23.1
Notes
Haverstick is believed to be a teacher due to being absent on tax rolls for Conestoga Twp.
Christian Bachman (1827-1901) became a prominent cabinetmaker in eastern Lancaster County, just like his father Jacob Bachman (1798-1867). He married Barbara Buckwalter in 1855. After marriage, he moved to Strasburg where he set up his own shop.
Place of Origin
Conestoga Twp.
Role
Artist
Credit
In memory of Charles Bachman, grandson of Christian Bachman, by his son Charles Bachman, Jr. and family.
Family register for Metzger family, hand-drawn, lettered and watercolored, horizontal orientation on wove paper, attributed to Karl Seybold (arctive c. 1813-1846). Format is the English style of register rather than Pa. German. Framed in molded softwood frame with very dark brown finish.
Within an inked double-line border is a grouping at top of rectangles with text re: parents. Father George Metzger born in Conestoga Twp.(1799-1845) and mother Maria Huber Metzger born in Boro of Strasburg (1804-1890), married 1821. Polychrome flowers surround text blocks. Father was Lutheran, mother (daughter of Abraham and Maria Longenecker Huber), apparently Mennonite (unbaptized as a child).
Below text blocks are 8 circles bordered w/ polychrome stylized flowers. Each circle records birth of a child. Birthplaces indicate pattern of residence:1st child born Lancaster Boro (1824), 2nd & 3rd Lancaster Twp (1827-1829), 4th & 5th in Manheim Twp (1831-1833) and last three in Warwick Twp (1836-1841).
Karl F. T. Seybold came to America in 1806, becoming a school teacher in Northampton Co. by 1813. His desire to join the Harmony Society in Ambridge, Pa. was unfulfilled, so he moved with his wife to Lancaster Co. in the 1830s, reportedly at the urging of his mother-in-law. He taught school and apparently lived in a Menno. community, doing mostly birth records and family registers for them (names like Funk, Hostetter, Herr, Kauffman, Huber, Miller, etc.).
Provenance
Unknown provenance before acquisition from sellers. Earnests do list the source of this fraktur as "Der Kurier" 9/93 p. 4. This is the newsletter of the Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society, published quarterly in March, June, September, and December. It is indexed in the Periodical Source Index by the Allen County Public Library, Ft. Wayne, Indiana and the Genealogical Periodical Annual Index by Heritage Books Inc, Bowie, Maryland
Old cardboard back has mailing label from L.E. Waterman Co. in New York City to W.H. Corey, Jr. of Owego, N.Y. A 12-cent stamp affixed to corner dates from early 20th century.
Paper soiling, foxing and scattered stains overall; significant moisture stains along bottom right border and smaller ones near center as well as along paper edges. Paper has significant spidery, stained cracks extending inwards from both right and left edges, clustered at center. Each side is repaired on reverse with a 2.5" - 3"-wide vertical band of paper tape, causing the dark staining seen at cracks on front. Vertical paper cracks at fold lines extend in from top and bottom. Frame has been recut to current size and has nicks and moderate wear. Corrugated cardboard backing replaced with acid-free board, Dec. 2004..
Birth & Baptismal Certificate for Maria "Temi" (Demmy) printed in German language by "Johann Ritter und Comp." of Reading. Darkened golden oak frame.
Central text within boilerplate border; a putto above, angels standing on clouds at top sides and birds on branches at lower sides. Text infilled by unknown hand states Maria was born Oct. 26, 1806 in Manheim Twp. to Christoph Temi and his wife Catarina, nee Etienne. Maria was baptized May 10, 1807 by Rev. August Miehlenberg and the witnesses were Mathis Wolff and his wife Maria. Infill in printed fraktur hand includes interesting line extensions drawn to fill in gaps
Heavily watercolored with dense reds, blue and green on all images and borders. This version of Ritter's print is one of many variations printed in the early 1820s (see Klaus Stopp, pp. 182-186).
Inscribed "Mary" twice at top of reverse side; once in pencil and once in brown ink with decorative scrolling line surrounding name.
Note: See hand towel (P.04.26.1) done by "Maria Macdallna Damy" in 1836 (Younger sister of Maria). Another nearly identical towel (Plate 14 in This is the Way I Pass My Time) was done by sister Elizabeth Damy in the same year. Both sisters married the following year in 1837, Maria to Henry Fenstermacher, whose initials are on her towel in a central heart. Also included on towel are parents' names "Christopher and Catharine Damy."
Printed by Johann Ritter in Reading, PA; Lancaster County infill by unknown scrivener.
Age darkening & soil overall w/ darkest staining/soiling in upper area. Several small breaks; holes caused by green paint (branch at lower right, upper cornucopia and stalks opposite cornucopia).
Printed taufschein (B&BC) on wove paper by Herman William Villee of North Queen St. in Lancaster, infilled by unknown hand for the Hirsch family and carefully hand-colored. It is one of two German-language editions printed by Villee.
Taufschein has outer border of a stylized floral motif except at bottom which is an entwined, spiraling leaf and flower design. Large text block at center within a border with heading, "Geburts und-Tauf-Schein." Two smaller text blocks at upper corners have religious verse. Two very small blocks with verse are at bottom center. The three Virtues are personified by classically robed females arranged at sides and top of central block. At top is Love holding a heart; at left side is Faith adorned with a cross; at right is Hope leaning on a large anchor. (These 3 images were used by other printers in Reading, Orwigsburg and Pottsville -- see p. 133 in Vol. III of Klaus Stopp). Immediately below central text block is an image of 2 babies reading a book.
At bottom is: "Gedruckt und zu haben bey/ H. W. VILLEE,/ In der Nordlichen Quien Strasse in Lancaster, (Pa.) Allwo alle Arten/ von Dructer Arbeit verfertigt werden." Mounted in a molded softwood frame with an outside bead and slanting face. Painted black with green-painted face.
Certificate made for birth of Anna Hirsch, daughter of Joseph and Magdalena Metz Hirsch, born Dec. 14, 1821 in Rapho Twp. Reverse has two lines of 19th c. script in black ink: "Amey Hersh Died March the 10/ In the year of our Lord 1844."
Printed by Herman William Villee (b. 1789 in France, d. 1842 in Northumberland Co.), North Queen St. Likely the infill by unknown scrivener in Rapho Twp.
Provenance
See this file and P04.48.1(Adam & Eve broadside) for info about Villee. Additional broadside is P01.60.1.
See Klaus Stopp, "The Printed B & BC of the German Americans", Vol. III, pp. 133-134.
Strong horizontal fold line at center with additional creases. Two 1/2 inch tears at top extending downwards. Top edge very ragged and folded back.
Some overall yellowing, small area of foxing at top right, small liquid stains along top. Corrugated cardboard backing replaced with acid-free matboard back within an old molded wood frame, painted green on face and dark brown at sides. Paint has moderate wear.
Object ID
P.04.48.02
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of Irene N. Walsh, Heritage Center Collection
Framed fraktur birth & baptismal certificate (taufschein/B&BC) for Elisabetha Elser, drawn, lettered and colored by hand on laid paper. Symmetrical, horizontal design is attributed to the "Ehre Vater" artist. Fraktur is mounted on thick paperboard with beveled edges, and is float-mounted on a buff-colored matboard within a modern black frame.
At center is a large circle painted red and green. Inside the circle, set onto yellow ground, is a heart with blue border and pinkish interior. Interior text states Elisabetha Elser was born in Warwick Twp, Lancaster Co. on 19th Nov 1803. Her parents were Peter Elser and wife Elisabetha, born a Wachter. Baptism was held by Pastor Schulz and the sponsors were Georg Wachter and his wife Margaretha (believed to be a sister of Peter Elser). Below circle are two lines of religious verse, translated by Weiser as "A heart that loves Jesus knows no worries -- much cross, need and pain are his days of joy."
At lower right and lower left are two large compass-drawn spheres colored with green, yellow, red, blue and pink. Out of each sphere is a flowering plant on which large parrot-like birds perch, similarly colored.
Attributed to the "Ehre Vater Artist" (active c. 1782-1828).
Some surface soil. Good color retention. Needs to be removed from backing board and conserved.
Object ID
2017.999.1
Notes
Appraised by Rev. Fred Weiser, 2 Sept 1988. He attributes fraktur to the Ehre Vater artist, a prolific artist who travelled far and wide producing fraktur for many years. This fraktur likely related to Johannes Schnierer B&BC, 2004.718, due to Johannes Schnierer (b. 1786) later marrying an Elser (Catharine).
Papers for Birth Dayes notes on page 227 that this fraktur was exhibited as #38 in the , Allentown Art Museum show in Allentown, PA, "Pennsylvania Folk Art," October 20-Dec. 1, 1974.
The Elser, Weidman/Weydmann, and Wachter families were intermarried.
Fraktur is a simple hand done birth record in German for Adam Kindig and Anna Kindig. Page is likely removed from a Bible. Adam was born 17 Sept 1794 in Conestoga Twp. and Anna was born 22 Oct 1799 in Conestoga Twp. Layout of Fraktur lettering with serifs is simple and straightforward but not with an accomplished hand. Letter colors vary from red to ochre to green. No additional decoration except for curlicue lines surrounding the upper case "A" of both Adam and Anna.
Mounted in a brown modern frame with white window mat. Kraft paper dustcover on back. A "#10" is written small in pencil at lower right corner.
Paper has foxing, brown stains and fly specks (bottom right). Two horizontal fold lines across middle; the one with the greater crease shows breaking and some holes at several points.
Object ID
2017.999.6
Notes
See Mylin Family Genealogy 929.M513 in library.
Adam is the son of Christian Kendig and Barbara Mylin. Anne is the daughter of Michael Haverstick and Eve Bender. Adam Kendig married 1) Anne Haverstick and 2) Mary Helm. Six children by Anne, nine children by Mary Helm. Anne H. Kendig was b. 22 Oct 1799 and d. 17 Jan 1833. Likely buried in Reformed Church, Conestoga Centre or Rush Farm, New Danville.
Adam and Anna's daughter Mary Amanda Kindig was born 1821 and baptised 1837 by Pastor Martin Bruner of the Reformed Church in Lancaster City. Her Taufschein in English is done free hand by Eli Haverstick and is signed on reverse "E Haverstick / No. 11" This document is in the collections of the Evangelical & Reformed Historical Society. Eli Haverstick was likely a relative of the family and was almost certainly a schoolmaster. (See similar examples done for brothers John and Christian Bachman in the Heritage Center Collections).
Appraisal conducted by Pastor Fred Weiser, Sept. 2, 1988. A slide transparency is in file.
Birth & Baptismal Certificate (B&BC) is a printed angel type fraktur on wove paper. Mounted in modern silver frame by The Country Framer of West Chester.
Putto on blue-colored cloud at top; standing angels with paint-decorated clothing stand on blue clouds at sides of center text. Birds on branches at bottom corners. A small block of German verse within border is at each top corner. A large bordered text block at center extends to bottom, entitled "Geburts-und Tauf-schein". Text in upper half has subject's infill done with accomplished hand. At center of text block is a rarely used pair of billing birds. Four stanzas of verse within bottom section have tailpiece of cornucopia & wheat between. Under a line border at bottom is "Reading: / Gedruckt bey Johann Ritter und Comp. / im jahr 1812." Ritter's imprints were never dated except for 1811 & 1812.
Infill gives birth of Elisabeth Lang (Long) born in Rapho Twp. to Johann Lang and wife Margaretha, nee Lindemuth(in). Baptised July 2, 1815 by Pastor Baethis; sponsor was Elisabeth Bartruff.
Reading imprint, Johann Ritter; scrivener and artist unknown, perhaps Lancaster County.
Fraktur is apparently a religious text with multiple flourishes along top and a wide margin at left filled with a large stylized tulip on a thin stem with other flowers and leaves densely filling space. Penwork is black iron gall ink on laid paper. The paper seems to be small pages from a book, pasted together to created a larger sheet. Reverse has strips of paper pasted onto seams (some replaced with later cellophane tape) from a book.
Top line of text is large fraktur lettering "Mein Gott ich Klopff(?) an(?)", with initial "M" enlarged and decorated. Seven lines of script follow, with a line of upper and lower case letters below. Across bottom is "My Child y wil you learned a Was of the bast you must butt (put) your trust of God at last" Final line is tiny script and in the center of this line is written in red ink "Hinerich Sleo(?)". With the alphabet, this piece is like a Vorschrift.
Appears to be 4 small pages pieced together to create a large one. Paper strips pasted on back at seams and some cellophane tape. Multiple problems. Paper overall is age darkened with multiple small brown stains, some large blotches. Holes in iron gall ink, esp. the large tulip. Some paper seams are breaking with with one hole just above center. Edges ragged, torn and folded back. 1' x 2" loss of top left corner; 1" x 3/4" loss of top right corner, and similar loss at bottom left corner. Paper hinged onto matboard with ivory window mat.
Watercolored drawing on wove paper. Symmetrical design has a heart at bottom center with religious text. It reads: "Gottes brune/lein hat wasser / die Fulle Amen." (God's little well has an abundance of water). Growing out of the heart is a tall flowered stem extending to top of page. Top flower is a large tulip of yellow, red and blue. Large, confronting birds perch on small side branches terminating with small tulips. Birds have yellow bodies, blue wings and head, with red beaks and neck ring. Red and yellow carnations on side branching stems below. Heart is flanked at bottom by two birds with blue bodies, yellow wings and red heads. Mounted in an off-white window mat with two paper hinges at top. This is drawn by the same artist as 2017.999.18 and executed at the same time. Colors are the same.
Overall light brown age darkening. Several small brown stains; worst one is under top left bird. Very light creases/buckling across surface. Right edge is wavy. Upper left corner has crease where folded back.
Object ID
2017.999.17
Notes
Appraisal done by Pastor Fred Weiser on 2 Sept 1988. Marked fraktur #28 during this event.
