The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Delaware  19735

Telephone: 302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:         Ephrata Cloister         

Title:               Hymnals

Dates:             ca.1747-1850.

Call No.:         Col. 318

Acc. No.:        65x554, 65x555, 65x556, 65x558, 65x559, 65x560, 65x561, 65x561

Quantity:        8 volumes

Location:        40 A 2

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Ephrata Cloister, a Protestant German religious community with both celibate and married members, was founded in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, in the 1730s by Conrad Beissel (Georg Conrad Beissel).   He was born in 1691 in Eberbach, Palatinate, Germany.  During his apprenticeship as a baker, he enjoyed dancing and learned to play the fiddle. As a journeyman he wandered from city to city in Germany before setting sail for America in 1720.  He chose Germantown, Pennsylvania, as his first place of residence but left soon after for Mill Creek, Pennsylvania, and thence, seeking refuge and solitude, to Ephrata, Pennsylvania, where he founded the Ephrata Cloister, a German language Seventh-Day Baptist community, in 1732.

 

Although without any formal training in playing the fiddle, Beissel (whose new religious name was Friedsam) created his own style of musical composition.  Under his guidance, Ephrata became known not only for its magical, beautiful music but also for its hymn writing and manuscript illuminations.  The artists of the latter craft will probably remain unknown, although two sisters, Anastasia (Anna Thomen, who may also be Sister Athanasia) and Iphigenia, have been identified as the principal ornamental writers.   The community also established a printing press. 

 

Conrad Beissel died on July 6, 1768 and is buried in Ephrata, where one can find his tombstone with this inscription:

Here Rests an Offspring of the Love of God,

FRIEDSAM,

a Solitary, but later become a Leader, Guardian and Teacher of the Solitary and of the Congregation of Christ in and about Ephrata.  Born at Eberbach in the Palatinate, called Conrad Beissel: Fell asleep July 6th, Anno 1768; aged according to his spiritual age 52 years, but according to his natural, 77 years and 4 months.

 

Ephrata Cloister is now open as a historic site.

 

Around 1800, Barbara Karper and her husband Andreas Schneeberger were inspired by the example of the Ephrata Cloister and started a similar community called Snow Hill Cloister (or Snow Hill Nunnery), with both married and celibate members, in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.  Although never large, the community maintained a comfortable enough existence until the last member died in 1895.  The members composed music and sang in the Ephrata Cloister style.  After the community closed, the buildings continued in use for many years by a German Seventh-Day Baptist community.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

Consists of eight hymnals with manuscript musical notations of melodies, which were to be used in conjunction with the printed volumes of hymn texts which were published by the Ephrata Cloister.  (A very few of the compositions in these manuscript volumes do include words as well as music.)  Each of the volumes also features examples of fraktur art, chiefly flowers, leaves, and trees, and fancy letters.  The first volume is an adaptation of Ziontischer Weyrauch's Hügel, with an illustration by Athanasia.  The name of Matilda F. Weir appears on the front fly leaf, and the date of 1747 is written at the end of the hymnal.  The second volume contains music for hymns from Turtel Taube.  The name of Obed Fahnestock is penciled in and a list of nuns is laid in (the list is now in a separate folder).  The third volume appears to be a copy of a 1792 Ephrata hymnal, probably for the Snow Hill Cloister; the dates 1849 and 1850 are written in it.  The fourth and fifth volumes are imprints of Paradisisches Wunderspiel from 1754 with different illustrations in each, but with printed title pages.  A sample alphabet for Frakturschrift is laid in the second (now in a separate folder).  Volume 6 is also entitled Paradisisches Wunderspiel, 1754, but has a handwritten and illuminated title page; a decorated German text; and a two page drawing featuring Gabriel blowing his horn and the Agnus Dei.  Volumes 7 and 8 are both Ephrata products, ca. 1747 to ca. 1749, but have not been linked with known hymnal titles.  Volume 7 bears the name M. F. Weir, while volume 8 bears the name Obed Fahnestock.

 

Notes about Obed Fahnestock and Matilda F. Weir:

 

Obed Fahnestock was born in Ephrata in 1770, the son of Elizabeth Bolthouser and Peter Fahnestock.  He married Anna Marie Gessel and died in Harrisburg in 1840, where he had been a merchant.  A biographical sketch of him reported he was a Seventh-Day Baptist.

 

Obed Fahnestock had a daughter named Mary Matilda, born in 1808.  She was the second wife of John Andrew Weir (1802-1881), a merchant and banker in Harrisburg.  He was an active member of the Presbyterian Church.  Matilda Fahnestock Weir died in 1883. 

 

Why or how the hymnals bearing the names of Obed Fahrenstock and his daughter Matilda F. Weir came into their possession is not known.

 

           

ORGANIZATION

 

In accession number order

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in German.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

Collection is open to the public.  Copyright restrictions may apply.

           

 

PROVENANCE

 

65x555, 65x560, 65x561, 65x562: purchased from Charlotte and Edgar Sittig.

 

65x556: purchased from Rosenbach.

 

65x558, 65x559: gift of H. F. du Pont.

 

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

 

Stoudt, John Joseph.  Pennsylvania Folk-Art: An Interpretation, p. 135.  (published 1948)

 

The Winterthur collection of Ephrata's eight bound volumes of music and illuminated material was described and published in Arts of the Pennsylvania Germans, in the chapter written by Frank H. Sommer, "German Language Books, Periodicals, & Manuscripts."

 

In 1975, Thomas L. Gravell studied the different watermarks in these manuscripts, incorporating his findings in his book, A Catalogue of American Watermarks 1690-1835.

 

From Cynda Benson: There are three major collections of hymns produced at Ephrata:

Zionitischer Weyrauchs Huegel

Turtel Taube (short title)

Paradisisches Wunderspiel."

           

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

People:

            Beissel, Conrad, 1690-1768.

            Fahrenstock, Obed, 1770-1840.

            Weir, Matilda F. (Mary Matilda Fahrenstock), 1808-1883.

 

Topics:

            Snow Hill Cloister.

            Hymns, German.

Christian communities - Pennsylvania.

Seventh-Day Baptists - Pennsylvania.

Church music – Seventh-Day German Baptist Brethren.

German Americans - Religion.

Illumination of books and manuscripts, Pennsylvania Dutch.          

Fraktur art - Pennsylvania.

Hymnals.

 

            Added titles:

                        Zionitischer wyrach’s Hügel.  1739.

                        Paradisisches wunderspiel. 1754.

                        Das gesäng der einsamen und verlassenen Trutel-Taube. 1747.

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 40 A 2

 

 


Acc. 65x554: Volume 1:  (museum accession 1961.1140):

 

leather binding is new (1960s?);

name on front fly leaf:  Matilda F. Weir [see also volume 7, also owned by her];

no title page;

4 unnumbered pages of musical scores (double-page spreads);

141 numbered pages of hymns (double-page spreads; page numbers 90-91 not used); all pages have decorative borders and initial letters;

Hymn page 6: colored floral decoration, with two birds;

Hymn page 18: colored floral decoration;

hymn page 21: tipped in errata sheet;

Hymn page 23: colored floral decoration;

Hymn page 29: colored heart, with cross and two birds inside heart, and crown-like decoration above heart; also a decoration similar to a weaving pattern;

Hymn page 36: colored floral decoration;

Hymn page 42: colored floral decoration, with two birds;

hymn page 44: tipped in errata sheet;

Hymn page 50: colored floral decoration;

Hymn page 55: a decoration similar to a weaving pattern;

Hymn pages 57-58: colored floral decorations;

Hymn page 60: colored floral decoration;

Hymn page 61: colored heart, with cross and two birds inside heart;

Hymn page 65: two colored birds and some flowers;  

Hymn page 72: colored floral decoration;

Hymn pages 80-81, 84: small bits of decoration similar to a weaving pattern;

Hymn page 87: it looks like a design has been scribed but if so, it has not been drawn;

Hymn pages 90-91: these page numbers were not used;

Hymn page 93: a design with birds and flowers has been scribed but not drawn;

Hymn page 96: colored floral decoration;

Hymn page 106: design has been partially drawn;

Hymn page 109: colored floral decoration;

Hymn page 120: a decoration similar to a weaving pattern;

hymn page 121: hand-colored floral illustration, with the name of "Athanasia";

Hymn page 131: a decoration similar to a weaving pattern;

Some blank pages between page 141 and the Melodien Register;

At end of volume: printed "Melodien Register," with some corrections in ink and penciled in date of 1747

Liberty watermark, end of paper, some ink charring;

 

remarks from Cynda Benson: “Proper title is Zionitischer Weyrauch’s Hügel (c. 1745?), 1747 o.k.   Same hymns and identical printed register can be found in the Free Library of Philadelphia, although the hand and illumination are different.”

 


Acc. 65x555: Volume 2: (museum accession 1951.0068.001)

 

leather binding is new (1950s 0r 1960s?);

name on front fly leaf and also on back fly leaf:  Obed Fahnestock, written in pencil in both places [see also volume 8, also owned by him];

no title page;

3 unnumbered pages of musical scores (single pages);

150 hymns, numbered (double-page spreads); most of borders are simple, but some are more decorative; some decorative letters as well:

            Hymn page 13: decoration with flowers, not colored;

            Hymn page 27: one of the hymns is written in green ink, with title in red ink;

            Hymn page 44: flower decoration, in shades of brown ink;

hymn page 68: this written: NAEMI . Gottes . Leutseligkeit  [Naemi: God's graciousness], letters in a sampler pattern style, hand-colored; pattern also includes other decorative elements;

Hymn page 71: one of the hymns is written in green ink,

hymn page 80: no hymn on this page;

hymn page 81: page is not numbered, but does have a hymn;

Hymn page 110: decoration with flowers, not colored;

Hymn page 138: colored decoration with flowers;

Hymn page 139: no page number written, no hymns, but does have staff lines drawn;

Hymn page 146: decoration with flowers, in shades of brown ink;

            Unnumbered page with staff lines and some blank pages;

12 unnumbered pages of hymns [designs like weaving patterns on one page];

More blank pages, with staff lines drawn on one double-page spread;

5 double-spread pages of hymns with music and words;

4 double-spread pages of music, not numbered, no titles;

Some more blank pages;

2 double-spread pages of music, unnumbered; one hymn has a title;

printed "Register",

 

watermarks, some ink charring,

 

Removed from volume and now in separate folder: a leaf (in two pieces) listing the names of 35 nuns.

 

remarks from Cynda Benson: "The title of this manuscript should be, may be, Turtel-Taube."

 

For additional comments, see “Information on Ephrata Hymnals” by L. Allen Viehmeyer, Poland, Ohio, 9/13/76.


Acc. 65x556: Volume 3: (museum accession 1959.2816)

 

            board covers, leather spine; stamped in gilt on spine: Ein Vocal Music Buch, 1792;

            No title page;

 

Note: Almost all the initial letters, and sometimes the entire first word or all words, of hymn titles are decorated in color, usually incorporating leaves in the designs;

            8 unnumbered pages of music, and some blank pages;

125 numbered pages, double-page spreads; p. 125: staffs only, no hymns;

124 hymns:

on verso leaf 1 and recto leaf 2 appears the date März 7, 1849, and on margin of p. 124 the date of August 19, 1850, both dates written in red ink.

hymns are numbered but not consecutively;

hymn page 5: floral decoration;

hymn page 12: decoration with dots and lines; also a pointing hand appears on this page;

hymn page 12: decoration with dots and rectangles;

hymn page 25: decoration with dots and also sections similar to weaving patterns; a pointing hand also appears on this page;

hymn page 33: decoration with curved and straight lines;

hymn page 34: decoration with curved lines, dots, and flower stalks;

hymn page 37: decoration with dots, lines, and crosses; also a pointing hand;

hymn page 39: decoration with dots and lines; also a pointing hand;

hymn page 47: decoration with squares and lines; also a pointing hand;

hymn page 48: decoration with dots; also a pointing hand;

hymn page 58: a pointing hand;

hymn page 66: decoration with dots, lines, and circles; also a pointing hand;

hymn page 68: a pointing hand;

hymn page 85: decoration with lines and circles; also a pointing hand;

hymn page 37: decoration with vines; also a pointing hand;

hymn page 104: decoration with vines and squares; also a pointing hand;

hymn page 111: decoration with vines and squares; also a pointing hand;

hymn page 104: decoration with circles; also a pointing hand;

hymn page 124: decoration with flower stalks; also a pointing hand;

 

designs similar to weaving patterns are on these hymn pages: 3, 4, 6, 11, 32, 34, 35 (pointing hand also on this page), 39, 45 (also a pointing hand), 60 (also a pointing hand), 66, 72, 73, 75, 82, 85, 96, 118 (also a pointing hand), 121;

 

hand-written register (index), numbers refer to page numbers not hymn numbers;

hymn 62 entered on p. 26 and not on p. 22;

hymn 100 entered on p. 35 and not on p. 22;

 

one double leaf laid in [vocal score in different keys]

 

Remarks from Cynda Benson: "Probably an 1849 copy of a 1792 copy of an Ephrata hymnal. Perhaps for the Snow Hill Nunnery.  Definitely not paper or binding from 18th century Ephrata (may have revised old Ephrata boards)."

 


Acc. 65x558: Volume 4 (museum accession 1959.2820), and

acc. 65x559: Volume 5 (might have been part of museum accession 1959.2820):

 

Two different copies of Paradisisches Wunderspiel ..., dated 1754.

 

Both have printed title page and “Register.”  The volumes were printed with “Chor-Gesänge” at top of page, with page numbers, with hymn titles, and with staff lines.  The notes, and a little decoration, have been added by hand.  The paper is watermarked for having been made at Ephrata.

 

(illustrated in Arts of the Pennsylvania Germans, Plates 43 and 44).

 

Acc. 65x558, vol. 4:

 

            Board covers, plain paper over newspaper or other printed material; leather spine;

 

            Pages 1-2: floral decorations;

            p. 11: floral decoration;

            p. 31: tree with birds;

            p. 41: floral decoration;

            p. 48: floral decoration with birds;

            p. 63: floral decoration;

            p. 72: floral decoration;

            p. 118: floral decoration;

 

            Decorations resembling weaving patterns are found on almost every page.

 

            Additional music was hand-written on the two pages after the Register.

 

A leaf of music and a leaf with sample alphabets for Frakturschrift and some little sketches have been removed and placed in separate folder.  Two names, maybe Lovett and Anna, have been written at head of alphabet.  Several words have been written in English script on the back of this document, including the names Louisa and Lydia Mentyer[?]. 

 

 

Acc. 65x559: Volume 5:

 

            Board covers, with paper tape along edges; leather spine.

 

            Page 2: floral decoration;

            Page 8: squares and lines, in addition to the weaving pattern decoration;

            Page 11: grape vine;

            Page 31: floral vine;

            Page 48: floral decoration;

            Page 63: floral decoration and sheep on a hill surrounded by stalks of leaves;

            Page 72: birds on branches of flowers;

            Page 86: floral vine;

            Page 92: brown spotted bird;

            Page 118: floral decoration;

            Page 127: extra squiggles on some of the notes of the second hymn;

            Page 135: floral decoration;

            Page 178: floral decoration;

            Page 182: floral decoration;

            Page 187: floral decoration;

            Page 188: tree;

            Page 194: floral stalk;

 

            Decorations resembling weaving patterns are found on almost every page.

 

            Additional music, and decoration involving dots, lines, and weaving-type patters, were hand-written on the two pages after the Register. 


Acc. 65x560: Volume 6: (museum accession 1951.0068.004)

 

Appears to be manuscript form of acc. 65x558 and 65x559, the Paradisisches Wunderspiel, by Conrad Beissel, Ephrata 1754.

 

Board covers, leather spine and corners; on spine, in gold lettering: Paradisisches Wunder Spiel, Ephrata 1754, and floral sprigs; marbled paper paste downs and fly leafs.

 

Title page, handwritten and decorated: Paradisisches Wunder Spiel, [and much other writing], 1754.

 

Two page spread: German text (needs to be translated) and decoration; a bit of this page is detached and is in an archival polyester sleeve.

 

            One hundred thirty-five 135 numbered pages of hymns (two page spreads); page 1 is not numbered.

                        Some initial letters, or even entire words, have been decorated. 

Floral or leaf decorations and decorations resembling weaving patterns are found on almost every page.  Below is described only those decorations which incorporate something other than flowers or leaves:

                                    page 1: floral decorations, with two birds on one page;

                                    page 6: dots and lines, leaves, stalks of flowers;

                                    page 8: flowers, squiggles;

                                    page 21: dots and lines, with a few scrolls;

                                    page 42: Agnus Dei carrying the vexilium (Lamb of God carrying a banner decorated with a cross), with sun, trees, stalks of leaves;

                                    page 44: square flowers, with crosses, and a flowering shrub;

                                    page 48: trees, and vines of flowers;

                                    page 54: bird and flowers;

                                    page 57: trees, grass, and flowers;

                                    page 62: scrolls and flowers;

                                    page 73: trees and flowers;

                                    page 76: trees, shrubs, flowers;

                                    page 78: tree, flowers;

                                    page 79: trees, stalks, flowers, fancy script;

                                    page 85: trees with a bird, flowers;

                                    page 88: trees, flowers;

                                    page 92: trees, flowers;

                                    page 94: tree, flowers;

                                    page 97: tree, flowers, fancy script;

                                    page 111: tree, flowers;

                                    page 119: tree, flowers;

                                    After page 120: left page: Gabriel blowing horn, with dove and angels in the sky, trees, a heart with flowers, and a German text; right page: Agnus Dei with vexilium, with crowned angel in sky, winged angel heads, two suns, and another lamb standing on a hill, with trees, shrubs, and grass;

                                    page 130: tree and shrubs;

                                    pages 130-131: not numbered, staff lines but no music;

                                               

            After page 135, there is a blank double-page spread (staff lines on right-hand page); an unnumbered page of music (decorated with flowers and the weaving pattern design); and then pages numbered 126-132, which are not duplicates of the earlier pages with those numbers (these are decorated with flowers and weaving patterns); then another unnumbered page of music (on the right hand page of this double-page spread are found the names Charles Hock[?] and Catharine Hock[?]). 

 

            After several blank pages is found the handwritten register, which is only a partial index.

 

on endpaper written in ink: Cartt[?] Book;

 

two leaves found laid in the volume: study of a major scale in seven keys (“Die sieben scharp schlussel”) and another scale.

 

ink charring, some repaired, watermarks;

 

Description of the resurrection diptych, unpaged (but after page 120), in Arts of the Pennsylvania Germans, plate 47, p. 297.

 

Remarks from L. Allen Viehraeyer, Poland, Ohio: "only one seen like it (Library of Congress.")

 

 


Acc. 65x561: Volume 7: (museum accession 1951.0068.002)

 

            Board covers are covered with light bluish-green paper; white spine and corners.

 

Front fly leaf: penciled in name of M. F. Weir [see also volume 1, also owned by her];

 

no title page;  

neither pages nor hymns are numbered; some letters are written in fraktur script; weaving patterns decorate some pages; some red ink was used in writing; but otherwise, this hymnal is not decorated.

watermarks,

 

Remark from L. Allen Viehmeyer: "One similar in Library of Congress."

 

 

 

 

Acc. 65x562: Volume 8: (museum accession 1951.0068.003)

 

Board covers covered with bluish-green paper, leather spine and corners

 

Name on front fly leaf and the next page as well: Obed Fahnestock, both written in pencil. [see also volume 2, also owned by him]

 

no title page;

Fourteen (14) pages of hymns marked a-o (without j):

            Pages a, d, g, h. k: decorations like weaving patterns; fraktur script letters;

A double-page spread, unnumbered (with weaving pattern decoration);

A number of blank pages (with staff lines);
another unnumbered double-page spread;

One hundred twenty-three (123) pages of numbered hymns, but the hymns are not in strict numerical order;

Some decorated bars; weaving patterns on p. 35, 37, 46, 63, 75 (with leaves), 97;

10 or 12 blank pages;

One hundred seventy (170) pages of unnumbered hymns, (some blank pages between pages 10 and 11; an unnumbered and a blank page after p. 20); with these decorations:

            Weaving patterns on p. 4, 8 (also a small cross), 9, 29 (with vines of leaves), 32 (vines of leaves), 35, 41, 58 (leaves), 92, 94, 95, 99, 106 (also pointing hands), 107, 108, 111, 128, 163

            Other decorations: p. 89 (pointing hands), 152 (squiggles), 162 (stalks of flowers)

            Errata slips have been pasted onto page 72 (which also has a pointing hand) and page 135.

 

After the 170 pages of hymns:

A two-page spread with geometric design on left and a tree on right.

Another two-page spread with a title, some notes in green ink, and a flower.

A few blank pages (except for staff lines).

           

Then 12 unnumbered pages of hymns, with titles in fraktur script.

A German text written in green ink (on left page), with a hand colored illustration of flowers and two birds, done in green ink, on right page.

Fifty-three (53) unnumbered pages of hymns, with only a few weaving pattern decorations and one heart and leaves decoration. 

After several blank pages (except for staff lines) is found the printed "Melodien Regiester," with page numbers handwritten in.

 

The name Obed Fahnestock is written on the back fly leaf, in pencil.

 

1 small leaf, laid into the volume (now in separate envelope); text reads:

Demuth hat mich beliebt gemacht,

Beliebung hat mich zu ehren gebracht,

Ehre haet mir Reichtum geben,

Reichtum haet nach Hoffart streben,

Hoffart stuerzt ins Elend nieder,

Elend bracht mir die demuth wieder.

 

 

ink charring, watermarks,

 

 

Remarks from Cynda Benson about acc. 65x561 and acc. 65x562: "definitely Ephrata products.

“O Gott du tiefe sonder grund ...” is an Ephrata hymn; written on Ephrata paper, likely Ephrata bindings, dates c. 1747-1749."