Upholstered wingback commode chair has four turned Sheraton legs. Has replacement of original soiled handsewn homespun linen (remnants in this file), now an orange fabric with potted and vining flower design. Solid pinewood seat under cushion has center hole with fitted removable wooden disc.
This chair was from the Pownall home at Gap, where it was used by Dickinson Gorsuch, Maryland slaveholder, during his recovery from wounds sustained during the Christiana Riot of Sept. 11, 1851. His father and two others were killed during the skirmish at the home of freedman William Parker, and Dickinson was transported to the Pownall home for recovery. William Parker later published his story in the "Atlantic Monthly" in 1866, making it highly publicized.
This incident "is an important example of the struggle over the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act and the escalating tension between the North and the South. This act gave slave owners broad powers to recapture runaway slaves". (ExplorePAhistory.com)
Polaroid photos of chair before re-upholstery, in file.
Likely Lancaster or Chester Co.
Provenance
Provenance: Chair owned by the Pownall family & given in 1973 to the Lancaster County Historical Society by Mrs. Levi Pownall of Lancashire Hall (569-7279).
It was initially loaned to the Heritage Center (# L.77.9 and # 161.64.80) but soon donated to HCLC. Board minutes of Dec. 8, 1975 include Richard F. Smith's Museum Committee report noting a donation of a "Sheraton armed wing chair commode, used by the Pownall home in nursing Dickinson Gorsuch following Christiana Riot in 1851." Later unsigned note (Bruce Shoemaker?) states John Aungst of LCHS was consulted & chair was removed 11/9/84 from list on LCHS loan form, settling an apparent question of ownership.
Certificate, Pennsylvania Business and Shorthand College
Description
Printed certificate for efficiency in rapid calculation awarded to Lydia G. Carpenter presented by the Pennsylvania Business and Shorthand College, Lancaster; dated November 13, 1912. Round gold seal on bottom center. All within a red border.
A) Violin - Label on the interior reads, "MADE BY ROY ZIMMERMAN / STRASBURG, PA / 1984." Spruce front plate, cherry back plate, rib, neck, and scroll. Complete with four strings, bridge, and chin rest.
B) Case - Inside of case is padded with black fuzzy padding, two small storage compartments with lift tabs. Black plastic handle, two metal locks and two rings for a strap on case.
Violin owned by William Conroy.
Provenance
This gift is given in memory of Roy Zimmerman.
Purchased by donor from Roy Zimmerman for $1000, circa 1999. Violins are commonly made from spruce,and maple. Maple is used for the back plate, rib, neck, and scroll. Spruce is used for the front plate of a violin.
This violin is very unusual in that it is constructed of cherry with a spruce front plate.
Referred to as a fiddle by donor who used it when playing "folk" music with various groups, including Stone Soup.
Cassette Tape of Roy Zimmerman and Raymond Burhleu
Description
Cassette tape in clear plastic case. TDK D60 tape. On sleeve in ink: "Roy Zimmerman Fiddler /Raymond Burhleu Guitar." List of music on back sleeve.
A Side:
1. Wheels, 2. St. Ann Reels, 3. Whistling Rufus, 4. Ragtime Anne, 5. Silver and Gold, 6. Silver Bell, 7. Peek-a-Boo-Waltz, 8. Miss Browns Reel, 9. Soldiers Joy, 10. Repaz-Band March, 11. Cowboys Waltz, 12. Blue Moon, 13. Sioux City Sue.
B Side:
1. Love Letters in the Sand, 2. Soldiers Joy, 3. Smash the Window, 4. Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight, 5. Silver Bell, 6. Buffalo Gals, 7. Wabash Cannonball, 8. Red River Valley, 9. Great Speckled Bird, 10. Bill Bailey, 11. Royal Princess, 12. Kentucky Waltz.
Cassette tape in clear plastic case. Memorex dB Series 60 tape. On sleeve in ink: Jehile B. Kirkhuff #1." List of music on back sleeve.
A Side:
Walking Up Town, Little Burnt Potato, Cole McCoglan Reel, My Love is but a Lassie, Riverside Shuffle, How Long is a Lifetime, Buchsleys Favorite, St. Anns Reel, Mouth of the Potomac, Snow Deer, I'm Selling Broken Harts, Buffalo Gals.
Side B:
Clarinet Polka, Ragtime Annie, Cotton Eyed Joe Reel, Fishers Hornpipe, Miss McCloud Reel, Chicken Reel, Leather Britches, Silver and Gold, Flannings Polka, Turkey in the Straw.
Provenance
This gift is given in memory of Roy Zimmerman.
Jehile B. Kirkhuff was 1954 World champion Old-Time Fiddler (contest held in Texas USA). He was a mentor to Roy Zimmerman.
Part of a four-piece dress. Blue velvet laced belt; white mesh stiffener; lined in navy satin. 5/8" wide navy woven tape with tubular metal clamps at both ends for lacing belt closed using 10 round hand-stiched edged buttonholes, 3 metal stays, one in back, 2 at front opening. Velvet tab attached to inside folds across lacing hoes in front. Lower edge tapers to a slight "v" in the back and a deeper "V" in front.
Part of a four-piece dress. Jacket: Short sleeves with cuffs. Dark blue velvet fully-lined in cream-colored silk with batting between two fabrics. 2 small leather-lined pockets on left inside. Hand-stiched strip on linging at lower edge right front. 3 hooks and thread-covered eyes at waist front. Parallel lines of sticthing on body at sleeve openings and at waist and on 3 bands around neck as well as front and silk at opening. Blue velvet strips have buttons in back and at tabbed ends on front. 4 tabbed front closure peices have buttons. Machine and hand-stitching.
Part of a four-piece dress. Blue velvet bodice with pointed lower front edges. Raw edges at collar, sleeves, and along waist/ bottom edge. Fronts have two bust darts. Right front has 21 buttonholes finished in buttonhole stitch. Left front has threads where buttons (now missing) had been sewn on. Front has batting between velvet and lining. Finely finished interior with 11 places for contour stays -4 have stays; 2 each front and 1 behind each underarm seam. 4 1/2 inch long brown fabric piece with 5 hooks inside right front; piece with 5 eyes on inside left front, attached at waist to reduce strain of buttons/ buttonholes. Brown twill tape as backing for buttons.
With garment are two lined tabs, tacked together. Metal pieces inside tips. 3-parallel lines of stitching around outline of both tabs. Top edges are raw, unfinished edges, White mesh stiffener between velvet and lining.
Part of four-piece dress. Skirt: Deep royal blue velvet skirt. Machine and hand stiching. Vertical seams are machine-stitched as are parts of satin band/ tape at waist edge.
Closure back: 2 hooks and eyes one waist edge. 5 shaps on pleated placket.
Decortative band (7/8 inches wide) sewn on with 3 parallel rows of stitching. Interiror seams in back of garments have bound edges. Some other seam edges appear to have been overcast. Hem is lined with 20 inch (at rear of skirt) to 8 1/2 inch (at front) of navy satin. Back panel appears to be a different fabric. 2 black tape tabs sewn onto inside waist.
Tan card stock covered composition book with drawing of Wheatland on the front and Weights and measurement equivalents and multiplication table on back. Brown tape spine. White with blue lined paper pages stitched inside. Corners are rounded. Cover state
Provenance
Used by donor as a school girl in Lancaster in 1939-1941.
