Presentation piece is a square sheet of wove paper with hand-printed, multicolored lettering. It reads: "To / Miss Catharine Harnish / of West Lampeter Township, / Lancaster County, Pa."
In small, cursive handwriting in blue ink is "From your friend -- When this you sing remember me, / Though many miles we distant be,". Unsigned. Done by the same maker as the 1843 acrostic for Catharine Harnish, 2017.999.24, and probably the same time.
Acrostic for Catharine Harnish on vertically orientated page of wove paper, done by the same maker as the Presentation Piece, 2017.999.23.
Large cursive lettering in both red and blue at top, left and bottom. Top has "An Acrostic.", left side has "West Lampeter" and bottom has "Township, Lancaster / County, / Pa", followed in tiny lettering by "Feb. 26, 1843." Body of text is blue cursive except for ornate, red initial letters. Red letters, read vertically are "CATHARINE HARNISH" and lines compose a clever, original, rhyming poem of religious verse. Additional small writing along left side of poem has "When this you see, remember me, Though many miles, we distant be."
Light soil, smudges, with significant staining, esp. at edges. Dark stain on fifth line. Edges have some nicks. Bottom edge very rough with losses and two 1 1/2" long tears extending upward. A 2" ragged tear at top edge 2 3/4" from left corner; a 1/2" tear 2 1/2" from left corner. Puncture above "love" in first line.
Object ID
2017.999.24
Notes
One of the Fraktur Collection appraised by Rev. Fred Weiser, Sept. 1988. Numbered #41.
Lefever family, possibly on the steps of the Martin K. Lefever homestead near Lampeter. Front row, from left: Verna Lefever Shimp, Martin Lefever, Florence Lefever Dagen. Center, Martin and Amanda Lefever. Back row, from left: Martin Lefever Mylin, John Lefever, Edna Lefever, Harry Lefever, Minnie Lefever Harnish, Aldus Lefever and Mary Lefever.
