The
The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and
Printed Ephemera
Henry Francis du Pont
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."