Item No: frk00004

Title:
Birth and Baptismal Certificate (Geburts und Taufschein) for Barbara Miller

Category:
Birth and Baptismal Certificate (Geburts und Taufschein)

Creators:
Decorator: Henrich Otto (c. 1733-c. 1799)
Scrivener: Anonymous
Printer/Publisher: Ephrata Cloister

Creation Place:
Town/Township: Ephrata
County: Lancaster
State/Province: Pennsylvania
Note: Based on location of printshop

Creation Date: ca. 1785

Physical Description: Leaf

Dimensions: 32.5 cm x 40 cm

Material: Laid Paper; watercolor; ink

Media Type: Letterpress Prints

Language: German

Scripts/Text: Fraktur; Roman print

Associated Names: Hellmuth, Henrich; Helmuth, Justus Henry Christian; Miller, Barbara; Miller, Leonhart; Miller, Marcretha; Miller, Margaretha; Otto, Henrich; Süs, Emanuel; Süs, Susanna

Secondary Places:
Town/Township: Warwick Township
County: Lancaster
State/Province: Pennsylvania
Note: Based on location of birth

Notes:

Hand-colored, hand-lettered, hand-drawn, letter-press printed, wood-block decorations. The main text is printed by letter-press, with blanks infilled by hand, all in Fraktur. The artist’s name is in Roman print. The text is surrounded by a woodcut textile border at top; woodcut bird and floral panels to sides, and hand-drawn flowers at bottom, all with hand-colored decoration.

This fraktur was one of four from the FLP collection that were exhibited in the Face of America exhibit at the 1958 World's Fair in Brussels.  FLP 53, 713, and an unidentified certificate dated 1812 were the other three fraktur.

Transcription:

Diesen beyden Ehgatten, als Leonhart Miller und seiner ehlichen \ Hausfrau Marcretha ist eine Tochter zur Welt gebohren, als: \ Barbara Millerin ist zur Welt gebohren im Jahr \ unsers HErrn JEsu 1777 den 23ten Tag Aprill um 6 Uhr Morgens im Zeichen de [blank] \ Mithin diese in den Gnadenbund Gottes einverleibet, und von \ Henrich Hellmuth Prediger und Diener des Worts Got= \ tes den 19ten Tag mey getauft und genennet worden, wie \ oben gemeldt. Tauffzeigen sind Emanuel Süs und seine Frau\ Susanna. die oben gemeldete ist gebohren in America, im Staat \ Pensylvania in Lancastar Caunty in Warwick Taunschip.
Wann wir kaum gebohren werden: Ist vom ersten Lebenstritt bis ins kühle Grab der Erden, Nur ein Kurtz gemessener \ Schritt. Ach mit jedem Augenblick! Gehet unsre Kraft zurück, Und wir sind mit jedem Jahre, allzu reiff zur Todten= \ bahre, Und wer weiss in welcher Stunde, uns die letzte Stimme weckt: Dann GOtt hat’s mit seinem Munde, Keinem \ Menschen noch entdeckt. Wer sein Haus nun wohl bestellt geht mit Freuden aus der Welt. Da die \ Sicherheit hingegen; Ewigs Sterben kan erregen. \ Henrich Otto. 
 

Translation:

To these two married people, namely Leonhart Miller and his lawful wife Marcretha was born into the world a daughter, namely Barbara Millerin in the year of our Lord Jesus 1777 on the 23^rd day of April at 6 o’clock in the morning in the sign of [blank]. Whereby this child was engrafted into the covenant of grace with God, and baptized and named by Henrich Hellmuth, preacher and servant of God’s word on the 19^th day as mentioned above. Sponsors were Emanuel Süs and his wife Susanna. The above mentioned was born in America, in the state of Pennsylvania in Lancaster county in Warwick township.
Scarcely born into the world, it is only a short measured pace from the first step to the cool grave in the earth. O with every moment! Our strength diminishes, and we grow ripe for the bier. And who knows in what hour the final voice will awaken us, because God has not revealed this to anybody yet. Who tends to his house will depart from the world with joy. Because surety, in contrast, can provoke eternal death. Henrich Otto.

Provenance:
Henry S. Borneman
Julius Sachse

Bibliography:

"Fraktur at the World's Fair," The Magazine Antiques (May 1958);  published on p. 476.

"Henrich Otto" in Russell D. and Corinne P. Earnest, Papers for Birth Dayes: Guide to the Fraktur Artists and Scriveners (East Berlin, Pa.: Russell D. Earnest Associates, 1997), 2^nd ed., vol. 2, pp. 594-600.

Klaus Stopp, The Printed Birth and Baptismal Certificates of the German Americans (East Berlin, Pa.: Russell D. Earnest Associates, 1997) vol. 2, p. 246.

Weiser Number: 282

Subjects:

• Animals
• Birds
• Flowers
• Ornaments
• Parrots
• Rosettes
• Vines

Source:
Rare Book Department