Memorial Day picnic at Lime Spring Farm. Peggy Neff, left, and Nancy Neff Tanger, right, look on at the barbeque pit. Written on back: "Pretty good charcoal fried chicken."
Multicolored Vorschrift done by schoolmaster/fraktur artist Christian Strenge on rectangular laid paper. Bordered in a yellow band with red corners. German script text has an elaborately embellished large upper case letter "K" at upper left and multicolored floral design filling entire right side, surmounted by a distinctive yellow crested bird. Colors are red, yellow, blue and green. Modern frame.
Hand-printed in black ink above the letter "K" is the name of recipient, David Neff. Signed at the bottom by Strenge in German script: "Written in Hempfield Township in the year 1801 by Christian Strenge." Inscribed on reverse in script is "David Neff" in black ink.
The text begins with Psalm 95:1-4, "Kommt lasset(?) uns dem...," followed by two alphabets, the first in upper case and the second in lower case, and finally the numerals 1 - 14. (See translation on copy of nearly identical fraktur in file).
Provenance
Provenance: This Vorschrift was recently found in a book in the library of Sarah Stauffer on Lime Spring farm along the Marietta Pike. Consigned to sale at Conestoga Auction Co. and purchased 29 June 1998 with funds from V. Ronald Smith ($9,725) and the Donegal Chapter of the D.A.R. ($125).
John J. Snyder, Jr. researched Stauffer genealogy to discover a relationship to David Neff. See letters & charts in this file which explain the likelihood that the fraktur may have passed from Neff (probably when he went to Ohio, perhaps unknowingly hidden in a book, even as it was found recently) to his cousins, such as Anna Bear Lehman who is in the direct line of Stauffer descent. David Neff (1791-1866) was the son of Henry & Anna Oberholzer Neff. He would have been about 10 yrs. old when fraktur was made.
Generally good condition, although two folds show some breaking with tangential tears. Other minor tears and one small hole at right center. Some soiling, foxing and minor stains overall. Edges lifting in frame.
Conserved 1998 by Marilyn Kemp Weidner of Phila. Surfaced cleaned and losses repaired. Hinge-mounted on acid free mat and sealed in a package for framing. Mounted in modern black frame by Lancaster Galleries circa 2004.
Object ID
P.98.25.1
Notes
Christian Strenge was a Hessian soldier turned school teacher.
Place of Origin
East Petersburg, East Hempfield Twp.
Role
Artist
Credit
Gift of V. Ronald Smith and the Donegal Chapter of the D.A.R., Heritage Center Collection
Group of women in front of the porch of a farmhouse. Identified are: Irene Henry Shenk, Della Hess Barley, Ella Shenk Barley, Stella Ehrhart, Mae Brubaker, Emma Johe Hauck, Irene Palmer Landis, Catherine Neff Hershock (seated at left), and Mary Graybill Henry.
Provenance
Photographs from the estate of Evelyn Hershock Shaub of Washington Boro. Photographs of Hershock, Weitzel, Neff, Meck and other related families.
Family group in front of porch of farmhouse. Identified are: Edgar Hershock, fourth from left; Catherine Neff Hershock, fifth from left; Elam Hershock, sixth from left; Christian Hershock, seventh from left; Elsie Hershock Eshleman, fifth from right; possibly Mary Graybill Henry, fourth from right; and Florence Hershock Gerlach, third from right.
Provenance
Photographs from the estate of Evelyn Hershock Shaub of Washington Boro. Photographs of Hershock, Weitzel, Neff, Meck and other related families.
