Very unusual German edition of a Birth & Baptismal Certificate (B&BC) printed on wove paper by Lancaster printer Herman William Villee. Infilled in red ink by an unknown, unskilled, illiterate hand for William Craus/Crause of Cocalico Township. Glued onto a mid-20th century printed certificate on thin cardboard & mounted in a modern thin, black frame.
Entitled "Geburts und Tauf Schein." at top. Entire frame around main text consists of one single cut (printing block) with the baptism of Christ at top and Christ blessing the children below. Central text block in German has blanks infilled in English with red ink. William Crouse was born August 10, 1828 to parents William and Sarah Craus(e?). He was baptized by Rev. Frederick Harman and the sponsor was John Koch(?). The birth year is scrawled above text three times and below is written "whas Ritten May 21. 1833." Villee's name and location printed at bottom.
Certificate is H: 16.25" x W: 13" It is heavily colored with dark red, black and yellow throughout.
J.J. Strine records the marriage of a William M. Crouse Esq. of W. Cocalico and Nancy Eberly of Reamstown, 12 Oct. 1858. (If the same Crouse, he was age 30.) 1869 Directory lists both Wm. Crouse Sr. & Jr., combmaking in Reinholdsville, while the Business Directory (p. 408) only lists Wm. Jr. as one of two comb manufacturers in Lanc. Co. William M. Crouse & son were manufacturing combs in Reinhold's Station in W. Cocalico Twp. in 1890 Directory. In 1909, only George W. Crouse continued.
Atlas of 1864 has Wm. Crouse Jr. w/ two bldgs. between Reinholdsville & Berks Co. line. The 1875 Atlas shows W.M. Crouse listed only with the bldg. nearest Berks Co. while the other bldg. is gone. The 1899 Atlas shows property labeled "COMB FACTORY".
Ellis & Evans lists William M. Crouse as a Justice of the Peace in 1855-1860 in W. Cocalico Twp. (p. 722).
Printed N. Queen Street; likely infilled in W. Cocalico Twp.
Provenance
Provenance unknown.
See P.01.60.1 for Heaven & Hell broadside by Villee.
See Klaus Stopp, The Printed B&BC of the German Americans, Vol. III, pp. 136-137.
Heavy damage with moderate staining. Extensive tears, wrinkles and holes, esp. at center. Largest losses are scene of Crist blessing the disciples. Many areas mended with tape. Glue & tape apparently used to mount document. Old cardboard backing. NEEDS CONSERVATION.
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
Printed birth & baptismal certificate with infill & decoration by Francis D. Levan, made for the Werts family. Johanes Merts was born 17 Feb 1832 in Cocalico Twp. in Lancaster County and baptized 8 April 1833. He was the son of Jacob and Catharina Schweigart Werts.
Central text is in German with fraktur infill lettering. There is a border surrounding the text. On the top of the page is a cherub flanked by two boxes of text. Flanking the main text are two large angels. Below them on either side of the text are two branches, each with birds. Within the border, but below the main text is an open bible. Below this motif is an emblem with a lute and trumpet superimposed over music. The artist's signature follows, written as, "Francis D. Levane."
Moderate staining overall. Creases, especially at top and left side. Tear at bottom near center. Small loss on left side near top. Small tears and small area of soiling on lower left side. Paper is darkened at lower corners. Framed in archival materials in 2/2000 by Lancaster Galleries.
Object ID
P.00.9.1
Notes
According to Klaus Stopp, this printed form by Ritter was done c. 1843-44. Stopp uses the number 695 for this variant of the form. Papers for Birth Dayes give Levan's working dates as c. 1826-50.
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.
Modern "revivalist" fraktur created by Professor H. J. Kauffman's caretaker/nurse, Arlene Harnish. Mounted in handmade wood frame with corner blocks.
Marriage and birth certificate done on tinted laid paper with various colors. Within a border are three panels, the larger central panel has the text: "Henry Ka/uffman/Son of David and Anna/Kauffman was born on/November 14, 1908 in Yo/ork County, Pa. Married/ Elizabeth Zoe Tomer/July 20, 1938." Signed at the bottom "A Harnish" The two side panels are nearly symmetrical, featuring flowering plants growing out of a colorful pitcher resting on a stepped pedestal. A large colorful bird is perched in each of the plants.
Frame was made by HJK in earlier years.
1704 Millersville Pike, Lancaster
Provenance
Made by Arlene Harnish (b. 13 March 1946), caretaker of Henry J. Kauffman. She stated on 30 May 2000, that she learned to make fraktur by taking a class at Landis Valley Museum taught by Jere Kickerman. This piece was only the second fraktur she made, the first being the project for the class, done for her granddaughter.
Harnish made this fraktur for HJK during working hours at his residence when another was pressing. She copied motifs from a book. When completed, HJK told her to look for a frame in the basement. The one she found turned out to be one made by Kauffman himself. Harnish expressed shock and embarrassment upon learning that Kauffman had donated her fraktur to a museum. Arlene is Mrs. R. Edwin Harnish, 1586 Georgetown Rd. Christiana, PA phone: 5292712.
Modern fraktur and frame in excellent condition. The handmade from has small crack in top left corner block where nailed. Wood stain shows brush marks. Brown paper backing.
Object ID
G.96.37.9
Notes
This fraktur is featured in Irwin Richman's book "Pa. German Arts," 2001, page 14.
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Usage
Kauffman's home
Credit
Gift of Henry J. Kauffman, Heritage Center Collection
Family record written on both sides of a detached page from a Bible. First side has a foliate perimeter border w/ three flowers along top. Additional flowers decorate inside corners. Large oval contains family info, but only the first 1/3 of the page is written in Fraktur style lettering (father, mother, marriage and one daughter). Attrib. to John Eberman who has drawn lines as guides for his scrivening. At top is Johannes Kredi, born 24 Dec 1794, his wife Magdalena, born 16 Jan 1797 and their marriage 20 Feb 1823. Following is daughter Veronica, b. 1824 (later called Fanny).
Additional entries in plain German handwriting. First entry lists both John, born 1826 and death of mother the same year; certainly caused by childbirth. Below a line border entry records John and new wife "Margred" b. 1807, married 11 Oct 1827. Below a line border is birth of Jacob, 1828.
Second side has 4 entries within the bleed-through of the large oval, each separated with a border filled with "X"es and each line hand-ruled. First is Henry, b. 1830; second is "Davit" b. 1834; third is "Benjemin" b. 1836 and fourth is Elizabeth b. 1839.
Yellowed paper has fooxing and fairly dark stains throughout, esp. heavy along bottom border. Vertical and horizontal fold lines are fragile with some breaking at page edges.
Object ID
2017.999.21
Notes
Appraisal done by Pastor Fred Weiser on 2 Sept 1988. Marked fraktur #34 during this event.
Johannes died 31 March 1851. One year before his death, family is listed in 1850 Census in Manor Township:
Printed Birth & Baptismal Record, Christian Schelly
Description
Printed birth and baptismal certificate, pictorial fame with central text block. Infill and hand coloring attributed to Heinrich Keyser, a school mast working in Warwick Twp.
The pictorial frame consists of eight different plates around a perimeter. The four corners each have a Gospel reference withing a floral oval (two from St. Matthew and two from St. John). The other four prints depict scenes of Christ: is baptism, crucifixion, ascension and his welcoming the children to come to him. Prints are hand-colored.
The central text block is printed in German, in traditional form, under the title: "Geburts und TaufSchein." Infill is executed in black ink in both fraktur-style lettering and script.
Certificate was done for the birth and baptism of Christian Schelly, son of Johannes and Catarina Kericher Schelly, born Dec. 18, 1823 (?) in Rapho Twp. and baptized 1833. At bottom of text is written that Christian was born under the sign of Pisces, under which a tiny pen and ink drawing is executed of two fish. (Written by Wendell Zercher.)
(more info on Schoolmaster Keyser in file)
Provenance
From Strasburg Antique Marker, Strasburg, PA for $245.00. Received on Aug. 11, 2000.
Generally acid-burned overall; extreme burn at edges of top and left side. Two liquid stains in lower text block which bleached the paper. Heavy fold lines have resulted in tears. with a triangular loss at terminus of right fold line. Additional tears at end of left fold line as well as two inches above this; also tear along bottom edge, one inch from right corner. Entire piece is pasted to acidic cardboard backing.
Manuscript birth record for John Dunlap Skiles, scrivened, signed and date by William Knox. In handmade walnut frame with old glass and dust cover on reverse.
Done on thin white paper in horizontal format. Executed in black ink in a neat, flowing script is "John Dunlap Skiles,/ Born April 29th, 1829." Eight lines of religious verse follow in a smaller script. Below a double line at bottom is "Done by Wm Knox. April 8th, 1830." No ornamentation or color.
A Wm. Knox is found in Ellis & Evans (p. 79), listed as serving in Capt. Adam Diller's Co. in 1814-15. Note that various Knox families were living in Leacock Twp. at the time John D. Skiles was born and raised there.
(More notes in file.)
Written by Wendell Zercher.
Provenance
Provenance unknown: Per museum instructions, Kinsey Baker of The Book Haven purchased this item for us at Horst Auction Center, Sept. 3-4, 2004.
Slight foxing and staining with overall soiling; area of ragged paper loss at bottom right corner. Center vertical fold line appears to be broken along most of its length. Small tears around surface.
Birth certificate, polychrome on paper, done for the birth of John Bachman of Lampeter Twp. by Eli Haverstick.
Text is enclosed in a central arched arbor with flame finials. Text reads:
"John Bachman A son of Jacob Bachman and wife Barbara A daughter of Christian Kindig was born on the 10th Day of June in the year of our Lord 1832 In the Township of Lampeter in the County of Lancaster in the State of Pennsylvania in North AMERICA.'
Supporting the arbor is a large double-compartmented rectangular base containing eight lines of religious verse.
At page bottom is an unusual temple-like structure, of Moorish or Middle Eastern appearance, flanked by blue trees and large multi-colored pinwheel flowers.
The borders of the page have colorful floral motifs aligned in a similar configuration as the central arbor. Hearts and stars fill the top corners. Above the central arbor is a stylized star/flower sprouting two flowers. Flanking the star are two trees growing horizontally toward the star.
Inscription on reverse, in tiny yellow script, is "Eli Haverstick."
(Written by Wendell Zercher.)
Provenance
Donated by Mrs. Lucy Bell Newlin Sellers of Phila., PA; and her brother, Wm. V.P. Newlin of Washington, D.C. in memory of their parents, Elizabeth and Mortimer Newlin. May 28, 1996, valued at $20,000.00.
Acid burn, soiling, including liquid stains, some crackled paint with minor losses (in black paint of arch of the central 'arbor' and in red motif at bottom right corner.
Conserved and reframed by Marilyn Kemp Weidner, Feb. 1997.
Object ID
G.96.09.01
Notes
Pictured on p. 64 of Corinne & Russell Earnests' book, Fraktur: Folk Art & Family.
