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).
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, with printed 3-heart form with text in all three hearts. Blank spaces infilled by hand in thin red ink by Speyer. Fraktur done for Peter Scholl, son of Peter Andreas and his wife Elizabeth Margretha, nee Illick. Son Peter was born September 7, 1772, in Heidelberg Township, Lancaster Co. (Now Berks Co., likely in Stouchsburg area of Marion Twp.)
Infill & decoration Berks Co. (formerly Lancaster Co.) by Georg Friederich Speyer (active c. 1774-1801) and printers Barton & Jungman, Reading.
Densely paint-decorated by Speyer with cross-legged angels in the top corners and bottom center, mermen and winged heads of angels in lower corners, parrots along the sides, a crown at top center, and birds holding flowers in their beaks at the top of the main text block. Dominant colors are red, green, yellow, and blue.
Certificate printed on laid paper with an "FS" watermark, indicating papermaker Frederick Schutz(Scheetz) of Lower Merion Twp. in Montgomery Co. (See American Watermarks). Mounted with window mat in a brown frame
Provenance
Fraktur was given to the Lancaster County Historical Society by donors with the understanding that it would become part of the Heritage Center collection when that institution was established.
Significant horizontal crease across the middle, and three vertical creases. Smaller creases and crinkles appear overall. The paper has browned, and there are stains in the lower half.
A treatment proposal was offered by the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts in 1986, followed by treatment in 1988-89 -- consolidated pigment, dry and wet cleaned, mended and reinforced, filled losses, flattened, and matted. More details available in the object file.
Object ID
G.77.50.12
Notes
Earnests note that "neatness was of little concern to Speyer, but he did seem concerned about filling white space." He normally infilled with words done in a thin red ink which does not stand up well over time. He worked mostly in northern Lancaster Co.and in southern Berks and Dauphin Counties. Speyer used the 3-heart print more frequently from about 1790 on.
On-line Nissen family genealogy (internet, 2010) states Peter Scholl married Eva Elizabeth Rieth on Apr. 28, 1800 in Reeds Church, Stouchsburg, Berks, Co. He died Feb. 25, 1839. His parents were also married in Stouchsburg.
References:
Klaus Stopp, Printed B&BC of the Pa Germans, Vol. IV, pp.. 81 & 89.
Earnests, "Papers for Birth Dayes", pp 722 ff.
Gravell, Miller & Walsh, American Watermarks, 1690-1835, 2002, pp. 79 & 305.
Slide # 27-1-4 in Archives West
Role
Artist
Credit
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Richard Flanders Smith, Heritage Center Collection
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
Large fraktur is both a Vorschrift & Taufschein, done on laid paper, for Johan Philip Grunewalt, born June 17, 1756, in Cocalico Twp. Mounted in modern red-painted frame with window mat. Has watermark of a shield with a fleur-de-lys at top and "GR" at bottom.
Large religious text at top begins: "Dass walt der Trey Einige Ewige un Endliche und Allmachtige gott der gott, Abraham der gott, Isaac der gott, Jacob der heylige In Israel Auser welche..." followed by 2 more lines of in smaller font, then13 lines of German script filling center of fraktur. Below this is a line of large fraktur style alphabet, then numerals, and finally a line of German script.
At bottom is the taufschein section noting Johan's birth and baptism. German script at bottom right Alan Keyser identifies as simply completing the previous sentence due to running out of space. It is "auffer stehung(en)" which ends the thought of eine seelige... "toward a blessed after-life" (or resurrection). Following the mention of holy baptism are sponsors names, Jorg Weber and his wife Ann Eliza. No date of baptism.
Around entire fraktur is a 3-line border of red, yellow and blue, with a religious text dated 1767 between red & yellow lines. Decoration at top, within border, are simple leafy vines with stylized tulips of red, yellow, green and black.
Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin Co., p. 300 ff.
Height (in)
19
Width (in)
23.875
Dimension Details
Unframed dimensions. Frame is 25" x 31"
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2016-08-04
Condition Notes
Damp stains mostly at top border and some foxing across surface. Significant damage to paper from multiple tape repairs at fold lines. (Conserved in 1996 by Marilyn Kemp Weidner of Phila. and placed in a sealed Mylar package on acid-free corrugated board).
Object ID
P.94.21.2
Notes
Recipient of Vorschrift, John Philip Greenawalt, was born in Cocalico Twp. to parents Philip Lorentz and Maria (or Margaret?) (Foesser) Greenawalt. He apparently settled in Ephrata where he was a farmer and a hotel keeper.
Son John Philip served as first lieutenant in the Rev. War (and his father served as a colonel with Washington at Brandywine, Germantown, Trenton, Princeton, etc.). The Dauphin Co. Biog. Encyclopedia, p. 300, states Philip became a hotel keeper at Lebanon after the war. He apparently left Cocalico Twp. no later than 1763.
Place of Origin
Cocalico Twp.
Usage
Grunewalt, Johan Philip, 1756-1834
Credit
Heritage Center Collection, gift of James Hale Steinman Foundation
European "Lettre de Bapteme" is a hand-done fraktur on off-white laid paper, mounted within a window mat. This is a baptismal letter in German script, dated 1811. Most others of this form were printed, not freehand. A running vine of tulips and other flowers -- colored with red, green and blue -- is captured by two line borders, a red outer one and a blue inner line border. At top center of flower border is a heart and another at bottom center. Each has writing within. Small handwritten inscription written later along top above red line border. Middle is illegible; at far left is "Decede / Wolff Jean George" and at far right is "83 ano 8 m. 19 j." The French word "Decede" means deceased.
Centerfield of fraktur has German script text, divided at midline by a thin line border. The text begins: "Werde Fromm und mach le gross werde deiner Eltern..." The child was born April 22, 1811 and baptized April 30, 1811.
Mittelhausbergen, France (just outside town of Strasbourg)
Fold lines, two vertical and two horizontal, with some tears and breakage at intersections of fold lines. General soiling with some foxing; various scattered dark brown to light brown stains. Top has small hole to left of center and at right of center is a break at fold line. One inch down from right top corner at edge is a semi-circular brown stain with edge nick. Streaked line stain near bottom left corner. Colors are still vivid.
Object ID
G.02.10.1
Place of Origin
Mittelhausbergen, France
Credit
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. David T. Mininberg, Heritage Center Collection
White ribbon. In center in black is a profile of James A. Garfield on left and a front facial image of Chester A. Arthur. Above these images is "Garfield/ and/ Arthur." Below is: "Veterans,/ -of-/ Columbia, PA." and in smaller print: "With malice toward none, with/ charity for all, with firmness in the/ right, let us finish the work we are in./ Abraham Lincoln."
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.
Birth certificate done in German for "Anna Schenkin" (Schenk), born in "Connostoge Taunschip Langster County", November 20, 1783. Hand drawn, colored and lettered on laid paper with iron gall ink. No baptism indicates a Mennonite family.
The text is enclosed within a heart, surrounded by various vining flowers and four birds, two above and two below. The design conforms with artist's normal pattern of having the vines emanate from a hole at the top center of the heart. This artist made fraktur for mostly Lancaster County Mennonite families. He was almost certainly a schoolmaster. There are about 15 of his fraktur that are documented.
"Johannes Schopf/Schopp Artist" (active c. 1774-1800)
Note written on frame's dust cover by Smith states this fraktur was exhibited in two shows: Allentown Folk Art Show (Nov. 1974) and William Penn Memorial Museum, F/A Show (Jan. 1975).
Slide #27-2-4 in Archives West.
Provenance
Purchased by Richard Flanders Smith at a public sale along Route 222, north of Willow Street. Given to the Lancaster County Historical Society with the understanding that it would become part of the Heritage Center collection with the establishment of that institution.
Foxing or brown spotting over much of surface. Some tears along the edges. Moisture or adhesive stain at bottom center.
A condition report and treatment proposal was done by the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts in Philadelphia in 1986. Matted and framed by conservator Brian Howard of Carlisle in 1996.
Object ID
G.77.50.11
Place of Origin
Conestoga Twp.
Credit
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Richard Flanders Smith, Heritage Center Collection
Fraktur on laid paper in polychrome lettering. Within a cross-hatched border is a birth record for Andrew Bare done in five lines of German above a heart containing eleven lines of text. Decorated with vining flowers at top and large flowers around heart.
Accompanying translation at right was written and signed by J. Watson Ellmaker (1840-1921), but undated. It states that the text within the heart is a baptismal prayer for Andrew Bare, born March 9, 1768, and gives an English translation.
Fraktur was originally purchased in a vertical frame with the translation below it, both glued to the same backing. Both pieces were conserved, matted and reframed side-by-side by Elizabeth C. Hollyday, April 1981. See NOTES
Fraktur has significant damage. Multiple losses, staining overall and mended tears and creases.
Translation paper has several light brown stains, esp. at top.
Conserved and reframed by Elizabeth C. Hollyday, April 1981. Edges of fraktur appear to be lifting somewhat. There still remain dark, hazy areas over much of surface.
Object ID
P.80.136
Notes
Published in Fraktur: Folk Art and Family, Russel & Corinne Earnest, 1999, p. 30.
Noted genealogist Jane Evans Best wrote a letter 9/27/84 correcting the genealogical info written by Ellmaker. She states that Andreas was not the father of noted publisher John Bear. This Andrew Bear was born 2/9/1768 and died 6/22/1797. He was baptized June 12, 1768 at Zeltenreich Reformed Church in Earl Twp. Best suggests it may have been the schoolmaster of the nearly Laurel Hill school who created this fraktur. The school was mentioned in a deed dated July 22, 1765 and was one of the earliest on record in Lancaster Co.
Also, Andrew Bear Jr. was not married to Mary Showers, but was married 12/22/1790 at New Holland Lutheran Church to Susanna Mayer, daughter of Abraham Mayer of Leacock Twp. The Bears had two children, John b. 7/31/1791 and Christina, born after 1792. The two children were mentioned in their grandfather Andrew's will dated 9/21/1805.
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Gift of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection