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..
Family register hand-lettered in black and red, with bronze/gold highlights, all within a frame-like band border filled with decoration including rosettes in corners. Executed for an Old Order Amish family by either John G. Doell or Elizabeth K. Beiler. In a modern frame.
Heading at top reads "The Family of / of [sic] my Father Noah Fisher / He was born on the 14th day of February, 1853 / and my Mother Catharine (Katie) Fisher. / She was born on the 28th day of January 1850." The register gives birthdates of the seven children. Toward bottom is the heading "Deaths" followed by 2 death dates, for Amos (1887) and a stillborn daughter (1894).
Near bottom reads "This was written on the 21st day of September in the Year 1901./for Emma Fisher". Roses drawn in bottom corners.
John Doell was "English" and appears to have worked exclusively among eastern Lancaster Co. Amish families, penning book plates, family records, etc. He likely traveled throughout the communities offering his services. Mennonite historian/collector, Amos Hoover, owner of Muddy Creek Farm Libray, notes that Doell came to America in 1857 and died in Zion's Home in 1908.
Doell's work is similar to Amish artist Elizabeth K. Beiler (see McCauleys' Dec. Arts of the Amish of Lancaster Co., p. 125.)
2009-2011 Amish exhibit, City Hall, 2nd floor.
Provenance
Provenance: Vendor Trish Herr purchased at the Mary H. Fisher sale held at the Paradise Fire Hall, April 19, 1989.
John G. Doell or Elizabeth K. Beiler (see notes in file)
Deep horizontal and vertical creases dividing the register approximately in quarters. Various small brown stains/marks appear overall; an especially dark stain in the upper left, 3 1/2" in from the corner.
Mounted in an off-white window mat and black, flat-profile frame with UV filtering glazing by Lancaster Galleries.
Object ID
P.89.07.4
Notes
See P 89.07.3 and .5 for additional registers of this family.
Earnest, Papers for Birth Dayes, pp.54 and 195-196. The fraktur hand of Elizabeth K. Beiler and John G. Doell are so similar that it can be difficult to attribute.
McCauley, Dec. Arts of the Amish of Lancaster Co., p. 125
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Heritage Center Collection through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation
Stoltzfus family record on wove paper mounted in a thin, molded modern frame of tiger maple. Hand done family record of Lancaster Amish family attributed to David C. Hoke (active c. 1909-1935). Bold and colorful title is "Family Record" done with wide lettering of red and black with metallic gold highlights accompanied by green-leafed scrolling vines. Title continues on 2nd line with "...of Henry U. and Annie M. Stoltzfus." followed by the father's birth date & death date, then birth date of mother. Her death date is added later on same line with pencil. All lettering is black except for large, ornately illuminated upper case letters.
"Children" is the colorful bold heading for the remaining 3//4 of page listing 10 children with birth dates. The death date for 2-yr-old Levi is also recorded. Title has black and white letters, some red as well as metallic gold highlights. Surrounded by the same leafy scrolling vines and three upside down stalks of wheat at each side.
Remaining side borders have a vertical undulating vine with green leaves and blue clusters of grapes. Bottom is filled with a large cluster of three stalks of wheat.
Very minor stain spots, esp. at corners. Strongly creased horizontal fold line across center.
Object ID
P.96.01.1
Notes
Compare with large Esbenshade family record P.99.16.1. Hoke made Bible entries, bookplates and many large family registers in northern Lancaster County and southern Lebanon County. Large, ornate family registers made for the Amish seem to be a specialty of Hoke. He signed and dated much of his work, oftern including his home location of Quentin and later Lititz.
See file for:
1) Stoltzfus genealogy from "Fisher Family History."
2) Information sheet on David C. Hoke by Russ and Corinne Earnest "Papers for Birth Dayes."
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Gift of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Coll
