Samuel E. Dyke was a noted authority on the Pennsylvania rifle and wrote on this subject. Collection consists of articles, correspondence, photographs, research notes, and working papers on firearms. Also included is information on gunsmiths, the Rockford Foundation, the Heritage Center, cabinetmakers, grandfather clocks, and the Armstrong Cork Company. 1670-1985
Inventories of estates show name of decedent and township, date filed, itemized list of possessions and assets, appraised valuation, and signatures and affidavit of appraisers and administrators. Administrators' Accounts and Administrators' Bonds are also filed with this collection prior to 1776. Other estate related papers sometimes included before 1776 were: Orphans' Court papers, Renunciations, and Vendue Lists. Inventories were sometimes filed with the wills and may be at the courthouse. Appraisers often included widow's allotments in the inventories. Any additional information such as occupation, cause of death, or the listing of enslaved persons or indentured servants are noted in the database.
Prior to 1752, documents between the months of January and March were subject to double dating, as a result of the conflict between the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Therefore, documents filed between 1 January and 25 March have two years listed; one from the old Julian calendar and one from the new Gregorian calendar.
System of Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically and then chronologically within each letter.
Fraktur is a hand written New Year's wish from Johann Peter Hornberger to his sister. On laid paper -- now pasted onto acidic paperboard -- is a compass-drawn circle with a 7/8" wide outer border and scrolling penwork within, creating the appearance of a wreath. In interior, apart from the decorative scrolling penned at left center, the interior space is filled with German language script. Only the title is in fraktur script, reading "Neu Jahrs Wunsch an mer(?)." (A New Year's Wish ...). The second line reverts to German script, and includes the words "liebe Schwester" (Dear Sister). The body of the text is 13 lines expressing good wishes. At the bottom is "... / ....Johann Peter / Hornberger. / im Jahr 1725."
Paper has foxing and light brown acid burn stains over all. Three vertical and 3 horizontal fold lines darkened from acid; also large and small holes at most intersections of lines. Largest hole is at center left at the decorative scrolling penwork. It is about 1/4" in size with an irregular shape. Very dark small "burn" about 2.5" from upper right corner. Fraktur was removed from frame, old glass cleaned and thin wood backing discarded. Acidic imprint of wood still visible on back of paperboard.
Object ID
2017.999.5
Notes
The early date of 1725 precedes the founding of Lancaster Co. Appraisal conducted by Pastor Fred Weiser, Sept. 2, 1988. He believes this is European.
Commemorative badge for Postlethwaite's Tavern, "Postlethwaite's 1729"
1.25-inch diameter button featuring a stucture: "Postlethwaite's 1729." Decorative gold-colored metal frame clamped onto center button.Made by Mason Costume Co., Lancaster, PA