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Alfred L. Shoemaker Folk Cultural Documents

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Letter From Harold C. Shank to Alfred L. Shoemaker, January 18, 1961

Harold C. Shank

A handwritten letter from Harold C. Shank addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated January 18, 1961. Within, Shank provides personal stories surrounding the holidays in Berks and Lancaster counties, including "Belsnickles," annual auctions, cherry trees and Santa Claus.
Note on Amish "Old Christmas", January 6, 1961

Unknown Author

A handwritten note on the reverse of a newspaper clipping from the Ohio Daily Record entitled, "'Old Christmas' Today Is Serious 2nd Holiday For Amish Residents Of Area", by Clif Bushnell and dated January 6, 1961. The note speculates about whether the Amish have always used this date or whether it was influenced by changes in the calendar.
Outline for an Article on Apple Butter

Alfred L. Shoemaker

A handwritten outline composed by Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated circa 1961. The list compiles various aspects of apple butter ranging from terminology and history to uses and appearances in rhymes and other literary forms.
Letter From Florence Baver to Alfred L. Shoemaker, August 10, 1960

Florence Baver

A typed letter from Florence Baver to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated August 10, 1960. Within, the author provides various anecdotes from the Lehigh County region, including humor stories and naming lore.
Letter From W. A. Weller to Alfred L. Shoemaker, March 28, 1960

W. A. Weller

A handwritten letter from W. A. Weller addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated March 28, 1960. Within, Weller details the harmful consequences of working the farm on Ascension Day and Good Friday.
Letter From Lois Springer to the Pennsylvania Dutch Folklore Center, February 16, 1960

Lois Springer

A typed letter from Lois Springer addressed to the Pennsylvania Dutch Folklore Center, dated February 16, 1960. Within, Springer inquires about an Amish bell she possesses in her personal collection and whether it found potential use in religious observations.
Notes From "Now and Then" Columns and The Devil in Bucks County

Alfred L. Shoemaker

A set of handwritten notes from a newspaper column and The Devil in Bucks County, compiled and transcribed by Alfred L. Shoemaker, dating from circa 1960. Within, Shoemaker details a variety of topics ranging from a character known as the "rag peddler" to an old verse from Dr. Thomas Wood's lecture book.
Letter From Robert A. Foster to Alfred L. Shoemaker, December 21, 1959

Robert A. Foster

A typed letter from Robert A. Foster addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated December 21, 1959. Within, Foster inquires about Shoemaker's potential help in composing an article on the topic of "bundling" for Woman's Day magazine.
Letter From Susie E. Robinson to Alfred L. Shoemaker, November 6, 1959

Susie E. Robinson

A handwritten letter from Susie E. Robinson addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated November 6, 1959. Within, Robinson requests information regarding the practices of shunning and bundling within the current Amish and Pennsylvania Dutch communities.
Letter from Walter W. Horn to Alfred L. Shoemaker, October 7, 1959

Walter W. Horn

A typed letter from Walter W. Horn to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated October 7, 1959. Horn responds to Shoemaker's inquiry about the similarities between the California Barn and the Pennsylvania Barn and informs Shoemaker of research that might interest him.
Letter from William D. Pattison to Alfred L. Shoemaker, September 20, 1959

William D. Pattison

A letter from William D. Pattison to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated September 20, 1959. Within, Pattison informs Shoemaker of Walter Horn's lectures about the history of Western barns and how they may relate to Pennsylvania barns.
Notes From the Franklin Minerva, 1799

Alfred L. Shoemaker

A handwritten set of notes compiled by Alfred L. Shoemaker from the Franklin Minerva, originally dating from 1799. The notes concern the introduction of a new fashion of bonnets to ladies in a small village and their growing dissatisfaction with this fashion.
Letter From Lester Breininger to Alfred L. Shoemaker, July 9, 1959

Lester Breininger

A handwritten letter and enclosed set of typed note cards written by Lester Breininger addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated July 9, 1959. Within, folk beliefs and sayings surrounding bees, bee stings and beeswax are compiled from the 1959 Kutztown Folk Festival as well as recipes for honey cookies and grafting wax.
Letter From George Allen to Alfred L. Shoemaker, January 31, 1959

George Allen

A handwritten letter from George Allen addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated January 31, 1959. Within, Allen informs Shoemaker of a manuscript copy he acquired concerning a minister named Peter Stryker who traveled in the eastern United States in 1815.
Letter From Evelyn A. Benson to Alfred L. Shoemaker, January 14, 1959

Evelyn Benson

A typed letter from Evelyn A. Benson addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated January 14, 1959. Within, Benson discusses a book called Christmas Holidays: Or a Visit at Home and provides a photograph depicting a "Belsnickel" from a New Year's Day event in Halifax Township in Pennsylvania.
Letter From John I. Rempel to Alfred L. Shoemaker, January 5, 1959

John I. Rempel

A typed letter from John I. Rempel addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated January 5, 1959. Within, Rempel thanks Shoemaker for information about Pennsylvania barns and considers writing an article about the architecture of German settlers in Ontario.
Letter from Edmund B. Cairns to Alfred L. Shoemaker, October 15, 1958

Edmund B. Cairns

In this typed letter to Alfred L. Shoemaker, Edmund B. Cairns highlights the lack of historical information regarding barns in Pennsylvania. He created a series of oil paintings with the intention to bring interest to Pennsylvania barns. Attached to the letter are five photographs of Cairns' work.
Letter From Mrs. William H. Hess to Alfred L. Shoemaker, August 8, 1958

Mrs. William H. Hess

A handwritten letter sent from Mrs. William H. Hess and addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated August 8, 1958. Within, Hess writes to inform Shoemaker that the information stated on a recent radio broadcast was correct in distinguishing Sand Tarts and A. Piece cakes or cookies.
Letter From Sallie B. Fox to Alfred L. Shoemaker, August 3, 1958

Sallie B. Fox

A handwritten letter sent from Sallie B. Fox to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated August 3, 1958. Within, Fox writes in response to a cookie inquiry made during Shoemaker's program. She includes the recipes for sand tarts and A. Piece cookies.
Letter From Cora Smith to Alfred L. Shoemaker, August 3, 1958

Cora Smith

A handwritten letter sent from Cora Smith addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated August 3, 1958. Within, Smith writes in response to claims made on Shoemaker's radio broadcast about cookies and provides her family's recipe for sand tarts and 'A piece' cookies.
Letter From D. Edward Elder to Alfred L. Shoemaker, July 10, 1958

D. Edward Elder

A handwritten letter from D. Edward Elder of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated July 10, 1958. Within, Elder informs Shoemaker of a rough drawing of a broadside of Adam and Eve that is enclosed within the letter.
Letter From Arthur Weaner to Alfred L. Shoemaker, April 23, 1958

Arthur Weaner

A typed letter from Arthur Weaner addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated April 23, 1958. Within, Weaner writes to inquire about terminology he uncovered in an 1890 sales bill referring to bees.
Folklore Collected at Folk Festival (1958)

Florence Baver

A typed documentation of folklore collected at the Kutztown Folk Festival, Pennsylvania, in 1958. Florence Baver notes the home town and name of each informant as well as the topics ranging from folk remedies and animal lore to Pennsylvania Dutch sayings and rhymes.
Letter From Jim Butterfield and Ike Kaufman to Editors of the Pennsylvania Dutchman, December 30, 1957

Jim Butterfield and Ike Kaufman

A typed letter from Jim Butterfield and Ike Kaufman addressed to the editors of the Pennsylvania Dutchman, dated December 30, 1957. Within, Butterfield and Kaufman write to provide insight into the Wayne County Amish and the similarities they noticed with the Lancaster County Amish in terms of games and pastimes.
Letter From George L. Moore to Alfred L. Shoemaker, November 15, 1957

George L. Moore

A handwritten letter from George L. Moore addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated November 15, 1957. Within, Moore details lore related to Christmas Eve when young men wear masks and scare children, provides details on an old loom that will be going up for sale, and presents a Pennsylvania Dutch rhyme.