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.
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
Hand-done Birth and Baptisimal Certificate, on tan paper with cursive English, for William Coleman by Henry Keim. Design inspired by the printed angel-type fraktur, although this one is horizontally oriented. Main text at center within a rectangular line border. There is also very faded text above and below box, apparently religious. Text is flanked by two confronting angels with lyres standing on polka dot clouds. Strong-jawed angels with black cap-like hair have yellow skirts and wings and black vest. Also taken directly from the angel B&BCs, are the two birds perched on flowering stems in each lower corner. Entire fraktur is edged with a striped border. Colors used are yellow, green, blue teal, black, brown and cream.
The main central text reads: "Certificate of birth and babtism(sic)/ William a son of George Coleman/ Catherine Lowry was born on the 20th/ day of March in the year of/ our Lord 1820 in the/ Township of Elizabeth in the/ the County of Lancaster in the/ state of Pennsylvania in north/ America; and was babtised(sic)/ in the year of our Lord 1820/ by the Revd Mr Shaffner/ of Marietta". Signed "Henry, Keim" at lower corner within squiggled box.
See NOTES.
Lancaster County, perhaps Marietta or Elizabeth Twp.
Fading in text. Pronounced breakage & small holes through vertical fold line at center has been mended (see reverse). Darkened in this area from top to bottom. Short breaks also mended, eg. between bottom edge and breast of left bird. Wrinkles throughout. Paper darkened overall due to soiling and acid or light damage. Liquid staining. Blotchy stains particulary in left half.
Frame: Moderate wear with scratches and chips. Removed from frame due to acidic mount. Remains mounted on tan matboard with hinges at top corners.
Object ID
P.00.19.1
Notes
See copy in file of Pastoral Records 1808-1835 of Henry B. Shaffner, Reformed Pastor, p. 100. Listed under Baptisms of Manheim is son William Coleman, whose birth is recorded as 29 March 1820 & baptism on 4 June. The witness/sponsor was "Gorg Long w Fr (Frau?)." Most significantly, in the column listing parents, Shaffner writes "Gorg Coleman with / his housekeeper". In other words, Wm. Coleman was an illigitimate child, born to unwed parents, likely creating a scandal in this important, wealthy Coleman family. The grandparents were ironmaster Robert Coleman and his wife Anne Coleman.
George Coleman (1790-1821) only lived to age 31 and is buried in Brickerville United Lutheran Cemetery. Note that the Find A Grave record for George Coleman also lists a son William (1820-1890), buried in Mt. Lebanon cemetery. 1860 census for Lebanon, PA lists William married to Maria McCloud, working as a shoemaker and having 6 children, the oldest of whom was named George Coleman, apparently after his father.
The scrivener/artist, Henry Keim, may possibly lived at one time in Chester County. See letter in file.
Within a twisted foliate border is a central block depicting Adam & Eve flanking a tree with a serpent wound around the trunk offering Eve an apple. This is an engraving executed by Gabriel Miesse of Reading; his name appears at lower right followed by "sc" for "sculpsit", indicating the engraver. Two columns of verse flank the central block, telling the story of "the Fall" in conversational form. At top of broadside is the title in German: "Adam und Eva im Paradies." A subtitle reads: "Mel. Herzlich thut mich Verlangen, etc."
At bottom is: "Gedruckt in der Druckerey des Adlers von H.W. Villee, Lancaster, Pa. allwo alle Sorten Bilder, Bucher,/ Schriebmaterialien und Arzneyen zu haben find." This indicates the broadside was printed in the Lancaster Eagle's printshop (a newspaper started by Villee and Jacob Baab on Oct. 26, 1826). Villee was also selling pictures, books, stationery and even medicines out of his shop on N. Queen St.
See biographical info about Villee from Klaus Stopp's book in this file. He was born in France, served as a captain under Napolean, had to leave France in 1815 and ended up in America in 1820. Villee entered the printing business by working at "the Eagle," a newspaper in Reading. Villee was not successful as a printer in Lancaster, and he left sometime in 1832 or soon after, going to places like Lewisburg, Sunbury and Milton. After moving to Northumberland Co. and becoming a teacher, he finally died in 1842.
The Earnests note that Adam & Eve were popular fraktur subjects, especially among German-language printers of SE PA. They note that there are only about a half dozen Adam & Eve broadsides by Villee known.
Exhibited in Fraktur Exhibit in Masonic Lodge circa 2004 through 2007 (removed spring 2008).
See also P.01.60.1 and P04.48 for examples of a Heaven & Hell broadside by Villee.
North Queen St., Lancaster (printer); Reading, PA (engraver). Villee, Herman W., printer; Gabriel Miesse, engraver; unknown colorist
Paper darkened and soiled overall, wrinkled with fold lines and rough-edged with minor tears and folds. Stains scattered over surface with darkest stains within right text above center. Small hole at center of top foliate border.
Frame is homemade of stained and varnished tiger maple. Acidic cardboard backboard replaced with acid free matboard.
Object ID
P.04.48.1
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of Irene N. Walsh, Heritage Center Collection
Profile of man in a high collar uniform, believed to be Napoleon Bonaparte, cast in chalkware as a framed representation under glass. Rectangular frame has conforming recessed area with cast profile in relief. Old glazing on frame covers image. Chalkware frame is painted dark green with a wire hanging ring imbedded at top center. Profile has black-painted, forward-swept hair with sideburns and pink-rouged cheek. Uniform is of red and black with high red collar and gold epaulette. Created as a memento and sold likely via peddler.
Inscriptions on back in pencil are faint. It appears to be "John M. Snavely/ picked April the 19/ A.D. 1863/ John S(nave)ly." Research reveals a John M. Snavely born 12/17/1843 and died 9/22/1883. 1880 census records him living at home with his farmer parents, Michael and Fannie, and working as a laborer. Obit notes funeral held at Denlinger's Mennonite Meeting House.
Interior profile appears in good condition due to glazing. Outside frame suffers the most with extensive paint loss and significant wear to frame corners. Strong soil on back and other unpainted area.
Object ID
G.04.23.16
Place of Origin
Eastern US
Credit
Gift of Sarah Muench, Heritage Center Collection, LancasterHistory.org
Figure of a woman with brown hair wearing an ochre broad-rimmed hat, long-sleeved, full-skirted dress painted blue-green with ochre trim on bodice only, and unpainted pantaloons with black shoes. She is also holding a hankerchief in her right hand and flowers in her left hand. Square plinth with clipped corners is lightly dabbed with tannish-brown. Back side is inpainted.
Inscription inside base is pencilled "PRC".
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx in Pennsylvania during their visits back East from CA. Donation to the Heritage Center.
Moderate soiling and paint loss. Small chips throughout; large loss on back right corner of base. Mended break in the left skirt. Several paint splatters on skirt front.
Object ID
G.98.51.75
Place of Origin
Pennsylvania
Credit
Given in memory of Harpo by Susan Marx, Heritage Center Collection