Gavel and block made from Donegal Witness Tree. Sycamore head encircled by silver metal band engraved with names of church trustees: Samuel Evans, Henry H. Wiley and Sol(omon) Hoover.
Engraved on one side of the metal band:
"Presented by Trustees of
Donegal Church
Samuel Evans
Henry H. Wiley Sol Hoover"
On the other side:
"Historical Society
Lancaster County, PA
Taken from Witness Tree at
Donegal Church June 16, 1777"
Provenance
See LCHS minutes of January 7, 1897. Presented to LCHS by trustees:
Samuel Evans (1826- ? ) who wrote "History of Donegal Church" in 1878, published in newspaper. Also writer of "History of Lanc. Co." with Evans.
Henry H. Wiley (1832-1897) and Solomon Hoover (1846-1912).
Religious text by Christian Strenge on wove paper, pasted on Kraft type brown paper and mounted in a hinged window mat. Horizontal orientation.
Within heavy black borders with red corner blocks are multiple lines of text, each separated by several motifs resembling a sideways ampersand. Top line is "Preiset mit mur den herren und lasset uns" done with large open letters and decorative infill. Followed by 3 lines of fraktur red lettering, ending with the reference Psalm 34 verses 4, 5 and 6. Remaining text is script, ending with "April 1788."
Dominating fraktur design are two very large distinctive, colorful flowers drawn with a compass. Main stem with drooping tulips & other flowers at sides and is rooted in a heart containing verse. A bold red predominates
First line translation is "Praise with me the Lord and let us...". On fraktur back is printed "property of Lancaster County Historical Society."
Extensive damage. Very dark with overall acid burn. Multiple losses, especially at left side and upper left corner with very ragged edges and holes. Additional heavy paper losses at bottom, right of center and significant holes extend across area above "Preiset". Paint is chipped, abraded and missing, especially black. Thin wrinkle extends across bottom about 1 inch from bottom. Pasted to acidic Kraft type paper.
"Needs restoring" according to Pastor F. Weiser (appraisal of 1988)
Object ID
2003.077
Notes
Appraisal conducted by Pastor Fred Weiser, Sept. 2, 1988. He suggests looking at article by David Johnson in Reggeboge for early examples of Strenge.
Fraktur birth certificate for Lydia Glasz / Glass, daughter of Leonard Glass and wife Christina, nee German. Hand drawn and colored on paper. Unusual confronting women with yellow dresses and red parasols flank central textblock within border. Tree of life above textblock; undulating plant w/ flowers sit on shelf at sides. Triple-line outside border.
German text translates to "Lydia Glasz daughter of Leonard Glasz and his wife Christina a born German. Was born 25th day of Jan. in the year of our Lord 1811.
Some buckling of paper overall. Some bleeding of ink, causing brown marks around letters; also in entire upper left corner. Small 1.4" brown streak below the word "Christina" in center panel.
Condition report of 1986 by the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts in Phila. in file. No documented treatment. Matted and framed in 1996 by conservator Brian Howard.
Object ID
P.77.12
Notes
Similar to designs of Plate #61 in Weiser & Heaney, Penna. German Fraktur of The Free Library of Phila., v.1.
Research: Ancestry.com gives the marriage of fraktur recipient Lydia Glass to John Kempfer on 20 Nov. 1828 in Ephrata at the Bethany United Church of Christ. Husband John was born 19 Feb. 1809, died 4 April 1865. Lydia died 24 June 1853. Their daughter Elizabeth Kempfer (1836-1909) married David Rudy Buch (1834-1925) and lived in Lititz.
Ancestry also gives the 1810 Census in Earl, Lancaster Co. that lists Leonard Glase with 4 household members under 16 yrs., 1 at 16-25 yrs., and 2 over 25 yrs. Total of seven in home. Lydia was born the following year in 1811.
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Gift of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Fraktur presentation piece on wove paper, horizontal orientation. Green and brown designs and lettering. Has a foliate border w/ flowers at top center and corners. Large heart dominates design with 5 lines of religious text, and signed at the bottom stating fraktur was made for Anna Funck on 15 Dec 1824 by J. Eberman, schoolmaster. Acanthus like leaves surround heart with several flowers. Five baskets with flowers complete design.
Text: "Jesus ist der schonste nam / Aller, die von himmel kommen, / Huldereich, prachtig, tugendsam, den Gott / Selber angenommen, seiner grossen / lieblichkeit, gleicht kein name weit und breit. / Gemacht von Anna Funck, den 15ten December 1824. J. Eberman / Schul Meister".
Translation: "Jesus is the most beautiful name of all who which came from heaven full of protection, glittering, virtuous, whom God himself, except; His great loveliness is equalled by no name far and wide. Made for Anna Funck 15 December, 1824 (J. Eberman, Schoolmaster)"
Very light age coloring. Two large brown stains / burns at lower left corner. Smaller stains elsewhere. Dog-eared corners. Mounted in a white window mat hinged at top.
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.
Family register for Metzger family, hand-drawn, lettered and watercolored, horizontal orientation on wove paper, attributed to Karl Seybold (arctive c. 1813-1846). Format is the English style of register rather than Pa. German. Framed in molded softwood frame with very dark brown finish.
Within an inked double-line border is a grouping at top of rectangles with text re: parents. Father George Metzger born in Conestoga Twp.(1799-1845) and mother Maria Huber Metzger born in Boro of Strasburg (1804-1890), married 1821. Polychrome flowers surround text blocks. Father was Lutheran, mother (daughter of Abraham and Maria Longenecker Huber), apparently Mennonite (unbaptized as a child).
Below text blocks are 8 circles bordered w/ polychrome stylized flowers. Each circle records birth of a child. Birthplaces indicate pattern of residence:1st child born Lancaster Boro (1824), 2nd & 3rd Lancaster Twp (1827-1829), 4th & 5th in Manheim Twp (1831-1833) and last three in Warwick Twp (1836-1841).
Karl F. T. Seybold came to America in 1806, becoming a school teacher in Northampton Co. by 1813. His desire to join the Harmony Society in Ambridge, Pa. was unfulfilled, so he moved with his wife to Lancaster Co. in the 1830s, reportedly at the urging of his mother-in-law. He taught school and apparently lived in a Menno. community, doing mostly birth records and family registers for them (names like Funk, Hostetter, Herr, Kauffman, Huber, Miller, etc.).
Provenance
Unknown provenance before acquisition from sellers. Earnests do list the source of this fraktur as "Der Kurier" 9/93 p. 4. This is the newsletter of the Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society, published quarterly in March, June, September, and December. It is indexed in the Periodical Source Index by the Allen County Public Library, Ft. Wayne, Indiana and the Genealogical Periodical Annual Index by Heritage Books Inc, Bowie, Maryland
Old cardboard back has mailing label from L.E. Waterman Co. in New York City to W.H. Corey, Jr. of Owego, N.Y. A 12-cent stamp affixed to corner dates from early 20th century.
Paper soiling, foxing and scattered stains overall; significant moisture stains along bottom right border and smaller ones near center as well as along paper edges. Paper has significant spidery, stained cracks extending inwards from both right and left edges, clustered at center. Each side is repaired on reverse with a 2.5" - 3"-wide vertical band of paper tape, causing the dark staining seen at cracks on front. Vertical paper cracks at fold lines extend in from top and bottom. Frame has been recut to current size and has nicks and moderate wear. Corrugated cardboard backing replaced with acid-free board, Dec. 2004..
Fraktur, religious text in German by Adam Siegel (died 1809, active c. 1790-1804), done on wove paper in pen & ink for Martin Bar, framed in old dark brown varnished poplar frame (not original to fraktur).
The name "Martin Bar" fills the upper half in large fraktur-style lettering, illuminated with scrolling filigree. Included in the scrolling are two cartoonish heart-shaped faces with stubbled hair and shaded beards. Underneath name are six lines of religious text in German script, ending with the last line: "Geschrieben von mir ADS d(en) 28ten Mertz 1802."
Double-line border at top and left side only. Last word of fourth line of text appears to have been trimmed. Fraktur thus appears to have been trimmed at right and bottom. Reverse has pencil scribbles and one in ink.
Appears to have been trimmed at right side and bottom. Scattered dark stains, pinholes along fold lines, slightly larger holes at "i" in "Martin" and within the "B" of "Bar." Liquid stain of 1/2" size at center and one at right side at text. A tear 3/4"-long at right edge above center.
Replaced heavy paper backing used by vendors with acid-free matboard, 11/05.
Object ID
P.05.04.6
Notes
Papers for Birth Dayes notes that Siegel immigrated to America in 1774 and was a schoolmaster in Lancaster Co, perhaps in the Strasburg area. Although he made fraktur for Mennonites, he was not Mennonite. His work is usually not watercolored.
Paper included with purchase has the text rewritten in German script with an English translation below (see file). This person translates the recipient's name as Martin Biehr, although it is normally seen elsewhere as "Bare" or "Bear". Ellis & Evans gives numerous references to the name Martin Bare, usually found in the townships of Conestoga, East Lampeter and Upper Leacock.
Possible Bar/Bare family connections: See also a birth record for Andreas Bar (Andrew Bear) P.80.136 by an unknown scrivener. This Andreas/Andrew was the youngest son of Andrew Bear and wife Christina Heighley. A desk-and-bookcase P.77.34 has inscription of Adam Bare on its drawer. His father John Bear an older brother of Andreas. Relation of these Bears/Bares to Martin is unknown. Jane Evans Best (see her letter re: Bear family in file P80.136) would be a good source of help.
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Gift of Irene N. Walsh, Heritage Center Collection
Framed vorschrift on laid paper with German text penned on both sides with dark iron gall ink. Paper is folded with two strong creases, creating four quarters of the sheet. Half of "front" side contains illuminated vorschrift with four letter styles.
Top line in very large, ornate letters reads, "Wohl dem der..." Initial letter "W" is oversize and decorated with scrolling acanthus leaves. Arching over this line is a horizontal vine with flowers and pomegranate. The religious text in script ends with what appears to be Psalm 112. It ends with a final line in fraktur lettering reading, "Heinrich Miller, in Canastogen Townschip, Anno 1782."
One quarter of same side states, "Vorschrift Vor Heinrich Miller, in Canastogen Townschip, den 5ten Martz, Anno 1782."
Reverse side has a text in German script framed with a lined border. It has ten lines including numbers and alphabet, and it ends with the same line as above, "Heinrich Miller, in Canastogen Townschip, 1782."
Fraktur scholar David Johnson identified this artist as Friedrich Hartman, likely a schoolmaster. Hartman is found on no records but the 1790 Census, in Conestoga Twp., suggesting that he owned no property. Other Hartman pieces were found in the 1986 Fraktur Harvest (see this file).
This vorschrift relates closely to work done in northern Lancaster County near Ephrata Cloister although the artist is not known to have had connections in that community.
Provenance
HC purchased at Scott's sale through Christie's for $1265.00, Jun 11, 1994. This piece was likely collected by Scott in his usual manner, purchase at sale in Lancaster Co. or region.
Mounted in frame folded in half: H: 8.25" W: 13.125"
Frame is H: 16.25 W: 19.25"
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2016-10-24
Condition Notes
Overall soil with many stains. Edges are ragged, a 2-inch-long sections is cut from one corner. There is breaking at creases and losses where heavily inked. Paper loss where crease coincides with lettering as well as tulip-shaped flower.
Matted and framed by Carlisle conservator Brian Howard in 1996.
Object ID
P.94.13.3
Notes
This fraktur is recorded in the Winterthur Library: Decorative Arts Photographic Collection, NEH 475, 17-19 (per Christie's)
Pictured on p.15, of Fraktur: Folk Art & Family by Corinne & Russell Earnest.
Three leaves of family record pages of the Long family Bible have penwork by Francis Blum, David C. Hoke and Thomas J.Stevens.
P.94.15.02 A: Printed on the front side only, this page is dominated by a huge gold wedding ring and other symbols of marriage. Entries made in ink script state that William Long and Ella E. Shimp were married in East Petersburg, on March 4, 1900, by A.S. Hottenstein.
P94.15.02 B: Framed page shows both sides. Front side repeats marriage info of William and Ella (E. Shimp) Long, done in pen work of Francis Blum whose name is written at the bottom of the page. Elaborately decorated "W" initial letter of William Long. This oversize letter dominates the page. Blum uses various styles of lettering for remaining entries. Decoration is done in red and black ink as well as watercolor.
The reverse side lists the births of William and Ella Long and their five children (Norman S., Mary Edna, Raymond S., William S., and C. Earl Long). The first 3 names are by Blum, but the last two children's entries are done in different hands; William is done by David C. Hoke and Earl is done by Thomas J. Stevens. Signed at the bottom "David C. Hoke, Lititz, Pa., June 21, 1910".
P94.15.02 C: Front side has heading "DEATHS", reverse has "MEMORANDUM". No entries on either side.
Pages have ragged edges where torn from Bible; overall acid burn with some dark stains and soiling; reverse side of page C has residue and paper loss at bottom left corner and top right corner.
Page B was mounted and framed by Brian Howard in 1996. It shows both sides of page.
Object ID
P.94.15.02a-c
Notes
P.94.15.01 A-B records have for more work by Blum and Hoke.
The Long and Walborn families were related due to intermarriage by two children (Alverta Walborn and Raymond Long).
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
