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Collection
Heritage Center Collection
Object ID
P.01.17.1
Date Range
1797
  1 image  
Collection
Heritage Center Collection
Description
Datestone of carved sandstone from mill of Wendell (Vantil) and Anne Bowman. Thick slab of sandstone with tombstone shape. Face is carved in bas-relief. Within a molded edge is a double-headed eagle perched atop a floral/scrolling motif ending in two double-leafed tulips. Below is an incised text in English: "Built by vantil/ & anne boman/ 1797."
According to Our Present Past, Bowman's Mill was on Penn Grant Rd., south side, east of Pequea Creek. It was a three story, three bay by five bay stone mill, with keystone lintels. At the time of the 1985 survey, the mill was abandoned and deteriorating quickly with no roof. After Bowman, the mill was sold to the Brackbill family in 1805 and then to Henry Neff in 1874. The Ellis & Evans account differs in dates and names (p. 1066).
There was a Wendel Bowman (1670-1735) who was among the first party of about ten Swiss Mennonite families who settled in Lancaster Co. in 1710. He immigrated to Germantown in 1707 before coming to Lancaster (Ellis & Evans, p. 685). He had a son Christian, who had a son Christian II (1724-1790), who had a 3rd son WENDELL (1758-1842) who married ANNE and built the mill. Thus, he was great grandson of the immigrant ancestor. Ellis & Evans note that Wendell Bowman operated a tavern in what is now Strasburg Twp. (p. 23) as well as the mill (p. 1066).
Provenance
Since the mill was in a state of disrepair, the owner hired Benuel King, an Amish demolition contractor, to raze the building, apparently sometime within the past year (2000). The datestone subsequently turned up at the Conestoga sale with no explanation as to origin.
Date Range
1797
Year Range From
1797
Year Range To
1797
Last Owner
Bowman, Wendell and Anne and successive mill owners
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
East Wall
Storage Cabinet
Unit 56
Storage Shelf
Shelf 3
People
Bowman, Anne
Bowman, Wendell
Subject
Mills and mill-work
Search Terms
Bowman's Mill
Datestones
Mills
Strasburg Twp.
Object Name
Stone, Date
Material
Sandstone
Height (cm)
73.66
Height (ft)
2.4166666667
Height (in)
29
Width (cm)
66.04
Width (ft)
2.1666666667
Width (in)
26
Depth (cm)
17.78
Depth (ft)
0.5833333333
Depth (in)
7
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2017-11-22
Condition Notes
Overall good condition but heavily pitted. Multiple losses, esp. around outside corners. Small fissures/scars, especially from "B" of Built extending to "e" of Anne, as well as a smaller one at top of arch. Significant portions of the right claw of eagle are missing. Remnants of mortar still attached to sides.
Object ID
P.01.17.1
Notes
Copyright photos provided by Frank Heatwole Dec. 2004
Charles Bauman (descendant) of Michigan visited July 2010 and purchased photo of datestone.
Ellis & Evans History of Lancaster County
Our Present Past
The unusally ornate design depicts the mix of cultures prevalent in Lancaster County. The double-headed eagle, the emblem of the Holy Roman Emperor, is not what one would expect from a Mennonite whose family had fled these very lands to escape the sufferings and deprivations of war and religious persecution. The design unexpectedly includes tulips to accompany the eagle. Finally, the Bowmans wanted their datestone written in English instead of their native German, likely an attempt to connect with their English-speaking neighbors whom they hoped would become customers. (Wendell Zercher)
Place of Origin
Strasburg Twp.
Usage
Bowman's Mill
Credit
Gift of John J. Snyder, Jr., in honor of the Krote cousins, Heri
Accession Number
P.01.17
Images
Less detail
Collection
Jacob Ream Collection
Title
Jacob Ream Collection
Object ID
MG0164
Date Range
1744-1848
: The Jacob Ream collection contains original documents pertaining to business conducted by Jacob Ream and his family of Donegal Township. Includes bonds, receipts, land agreement, mortgage, and fire insurance policy. The surname has various spellings, including Riem, Rihm, and Reeme. Creator: Ream
  1 document  
Collection
Jacob Ream Collection
Title
Jacob Ream Collection
Description
The Jacob Ream collection contains original documents pertaining to business conducted by Jacob Ream and his family of Donegal Township. Includes bonds, receipts, land agreement, mortgage, and fire insurance policy. The surname has various spellings, including Riem, Rihm, and Reeme.
Date Range
1744-1848
Year Range From
1744
Year Range To
1848
Date of Accumulation
1744-1848
Creator
Ream family
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Archives South
Storage Wall
Side 04
People
Baller, Samuel
Balmer, Jacob
Balmer, Samuel
Barthemer, John
Beck, Conrad,
Berringer, Elizabeth
Blaser, Peter
Boll, Jacob
Brightbill, John
Carpenter, Samuel
Coble, David
Colt, James
Cunningham, James
Difenbaugh, Isaac
Eckenrode, Henry
Eckenroth, John
Elliott, Robert U.
Fletcher, John
Greene, Daniel
Hart, Barbara
Huber, Jacob
Hughes, Samuel
Jenkins, David
Lauger, Philip
Myers, Henry
Musselman, Christian
Negely, Leonard
Nicholas, Michael
Parthemer, John
Parthimer, Esther
Patimore, John
Ream, Abraham
Ream, Christina
Ream, Daniel
Ream, Elizabeth
Ream, Isaac
Ream, Jacob
Ream, Samuel
Reem, Jamy
Reeme, Jacob
Riem, Jacob
Rihm, Daniel
Rihm, Jacob
Rihm, Samuel
Sheaffer, Philip
Smith, Samuel
Snyder, John
Stauffer, John
Stump, J.
Subjects
Deeds
Receipts (Acknowledgments)
Search Terms
Agreements
Bonds
Chambersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania
Cocalico Twp.
Deeds
Donegal Twp.
Finding aids
Green Twp., Franklin County, Pennsylvania
Harford County, Maryland
Insurance policies
Letterkenny Twp., Franklin County, Pennsylvania
Letters
Lower Paxton Twp., Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Manuscript groups
Mortgages
Mount Joy Twp.
Presbyterian Church
Real estate
Receipts
Releases
Taxes
West Donegal Twp.
West Hanover Twp., Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Wills
Extent
1 box, 12 folders, .25 cubic ft
Object Name
Archive
Language
English
Object ID
MG0164
Location of Originals
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Notes
Preferred Citation: Jacob Ream Collection (MG0164), Folder #, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
No restrictions.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at research@lancasterhistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Numbers
MG-164
Classification
MG0164
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Processed and finding aid prepared in 1998. Added to database 7 September 2021.
Documents
Less detail