Lancaster County Society of Farm Women of Pennsylvania
Description
This collection contains the Board Minutes for the Lancaster County Society of Farm Women from 1922 to 2004. These minutes include roll calls, treasurer reports, entertainment schedules and activity reports. Minutes from 1922 through 1971 are contained in leather bound books. The following years are in three-prong pocket folders or three-ring binders. This allowed for additional items to be put in with the minutes such as Thank-you cards, newspaper articles of events they sponsored and hand-written notes. By the 1990's the minutes are more sporadic, only a few or one from each year. There are programs from the annual convention of the County Society starting with the 13th convention in 1929 through the 60th convention in 1977. The following years are missing: 1934; 1943-1944; 1949-1954; 1957-1958; 1961-1962; 1965-1971. Some of the minutes also contain a copy of these programs. Later years and some of these missing programs may be found in the minutes themselves. There are four typed up documents that comprise the history of the Society that were drafted between 1929 through 1982. This includes a summary of the past years written in what they call a "skit." The final years also contain documentation regarding the duties of the officers of the society-elected board members.
Admin/Biographical History
The Society of Farm Women of Pennsylvania was established by Flora Black from Berks County, Pennsylvania, in 1914 when she invited her female neighbors to her farm for lunch. Mrs. Black began the meeting for fellowship, but she also wanted to establish a support system for women living in rural communities. It was also a goal of the society to teach women to take on leadership roles and help contribute to society. Their numbers grew rapidly making it necessary for County chapters. (Reading Eagle. 8 Oct 2014. Society of Farm Women of Pennsylvania Celebrating 100th Anniversary. http://www.readingeagle.com/berks-country/article/society-of-farm-women-of-pennsylvania-celebrating-100th-anniversary) The Lancaster County Chapter was formed in January, 1917. It was very popular and eventual grew to 33 separate societies throughout Lancaster by the 1980s. They founded many successful charity drives and scholarship programs, but also provided entertainment for their members, such as bus trips and vacation tours.
The Dr. Elizabeth Bricker Collection contains papers from the Bricker family of Cocalico Twp., Brickerville, and Lititz. Included are genealogical charts, correspondence, family histories, wills, photographs, land surveys, legal papers, and Bricker Store account books. There are also advertising fliers, merchant catalogs, political papers and pamphlet, and two almanacs.
The Jeremiah B. Haines Collection contains papers pertaining to the establishment of a post office in Little Britain, and regulation and certification of the postmaster. There is also personal and legal correspondence, a photograph, original stock certificates, bonds, receipts, and a statement. Various legal papers include surveys and warrants, indentures and deeds, land drafts and a plan of land, and other land agreements. There is a trespass notification, a power of attorney, and a resolution passed by the Conowingo Bridge Company.
The Conestoga Church of the Brethren Records contain photocopies of the baptism records of the Conestoga Church of the Brethren from 1734 to 1849. The Conestoga Church of Brethren was founded in 1724.
This collection contains transcribed copies and carbon copies of the letters to and from Col. Henry Bouquet from 1758-1765. All of these letters are dated in Lancaster as mentioned in the 1930 letter from Lucien Brault of Ottawa, CAN, to C. H. Martin Esq., of Lancaster, also included in this collection. The letters mainly detail wants and needs of the troops and Bouquet, including the need for supplies, troops, ammunition and the case of Bouquet's personal needs, a new pair of trousers. These are recurrent in the letters as are the continuous requests for discharges and promotions.
This collection contains papers of Paul W. and Janet Eshelman. Paul W. Eshelman was a skilled wood turner as well as Associate Professor of Industrial Arts at Millersville State College (1947-1972). His wife, Janet Eshelman, was the crafts curator at the Landis Valley Fram Museum, specializing in weaving.
The William Wright Collection contains the papers of William Wright and his descendants. The papers include wills, land drafts, inventories, releases, receipts, correspondence, genealogical information, photographs, and copies of obituaries.
(It appears there is a correlation between this Wright family and the John Wright who petitioned the Philadelphia courts for the formation of Lancaster County in 1729. Further research must be done on this link. There were several interesting envelopes containing documents in bad repair. These envelopes all had the return address of C. J. Rainear & Co., Inc, 210 N. 21st Street, Philadelphia 3, PA. One envelope has been retained with the collection. Further investigation is necessary to determine the relationship between this company, the donor and the Wright family.)
Access Conditions / Restrictions
No restrictions. Original documents may be used by appointment--contact Research@LancasterHistory.org prior to visit.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
William Wright Collection (MG-56), Box #, Folder #, LancasterHistory.org
The Willie Siple Collection includes photographs, postcards, correspondence, and newspaper clippings about Siple and related to his business and boxing career.
Admin/Biographical History
Wilbur "Willie" Siple (1904-1966) was the operator of Siple's News Stand for many years. He was originally a professional boxer when he was younger, and he had a successful, but short, boxing career. During those six years, Willie fought in 131 exhibitions with 71 wins, 9 losses, 22 draws and 29 KO's. Willie was what was called a "flyweight," weighing only 102 pounds in his heyday. However, Willie's boxing career was cut short after a 1925 automobile accident. Although many people speculated that Willie's loss of his eyesight was because of his boxing career, Willie explained the accident to a local newspaper. According to a sports news article that can be found in the Willie Siple Collection here at LancasterHistory.org, Willie was attempting to fix a car when a car tire exploded in his face, damaging his eyesight beyond repair and blinding him.
However, despite this tragedy, Willie didn't let the accident and blindness take over his life. On September 28, 1935, during the Depression, Willie made a brave move and opened his news stand in the Lancaster City Post Office, and named it Siple's News Stand. Due to an act of Congress, the Rudolph-Sheppard Act of 1935, Willie became "one of the first blind operators to set up shop in Federal Buildings," according to an article in the Willie Siple collection. Willie's news stand featured free news and weather reports, and sold newspapers, magazines, and candy. Rare coins and stamps, a personal passion of Willie's, were also available for purchase. Willie would travel far and wide in order to acquire rare stamps to be sold to stamp collectors. Willie would travel to places like Washington, D.C. Princeton, New Jersey, and Philadelphia in order to buy what were then called "first day issues" of stamps. One newspaper article even calls him a "philatelist," or a stamp expert, much to Willie's surprise. Siple was also extremely passionate about coin collecting, and could identify and appraise coins without needing to see them. Willie also loved to travel, and had even traveled to Canada and all around Pennsylvania with the help of friends.
Willie then became a well-known public figure. He was known for his friendly, talkative personality, and his eye-catching and "loud" shirts. WDAC-FM radio, then a Christian radio station, featured an editorial on Willie, which was subtitled "the personification of good humor." In this editorial, Willie is said to have had a "flamboyant and winning personality," as well as a "belief in man's basic honesty." Despite the fact that Willie was often taken advantage of because of his blindness, and that he "was the victim of an average of $40 worth annually in pilfered stock or dishonest dealings," Willie held on to the belief in the goodness of mankind all his life. This is not to say that Willie was completely dependent on the honesty of his customers. He was able to read dollar bills with his hands, and could tell the difference between each, much to the wonder of skeptical customers, and probably to the dismay of the rare customer who would try and take advantage of him.
Willie became a well-loved figure in the community, and anyone looking through his collection will be able to see just that. Siple was a philanthropist who supported the Tuberculosis Society with the proceeds from sales of Christmas seals (or stamps) for their charity. Willie would also dress up like Santa Claus every year, and would visit infantile paralysis victims. There are also multiple thank-you notes from school classes and the local boys club for his generous gifts of candy.
Many of Willie's friends also willingly helped him with his business, helping him with bookkeeping, driving him to and from work, taking him to lunch, helping take over the stand during lunch, and much more. He called these people his "assistants," and most of them were local business men and women who would take time out of their days to help. These people were unpaid friends, just willing to give Willie a hand. Their kindness, as well as Willie's generosity, show the kinship and kindness in the community that surrounded him in Lancaster city.
This material was part of the Johnny Hauck Collection, MG-63. Because of the specific nature of the material, it was extracted to create a separate manuscript group.
Photographs transferred to the Photograph Collection, 3 November 2017.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
No restrictions.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at research@lancasterhistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Numbers
MG-6
Classification
MG0006
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
This material was part of the Johnny Hauck Collection, MG-63. Because of the specific nature of the material, it was extracted to create a separate manuscript group.
Cataloged prior to July 1997; added to database 8 February 2018.
Muddy Creek Lutheran and Reformed Church Collection
Description
The Muddy Creek Lutheran and Reformed Church Collection contains church records, property records, legal documents, a songbook, and a liturgy book.
Admin/Biographical History
Peace United Church of Christ was formed in the late 1960s by the joining of St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Adamstown and Muddy Creek United Church of Christ. Muddy Creek UCC is one of the earliest German Reformed churches in the area, its founding marked with the first recorded baptisms in January of 1731.
