Title

Birth and Baptism Certificate for Peter Bock

Printer

Henrich Otto

Preview

Scrivener

Friederich Deubler

Decorator

Henrich Otto

Accession Number

PAG1998.151

Creation Date

1788

Description

Taufschein with floral-and-bird borders at sides, textile border at top, and hand-drawn floral-and-vine border at bottom.

Dimensions in Inches

12 3/4 x 15 3/4

Dimensions in Centimeters

32 x 40

Materials

Watercolor and Ink on Paper

Technique

Drawn, Hand lettered

Print Shop Location

Ephrata Cloister, Pennsylvania

Decorator Location

Ephrata Cloister, Pennsylvania

Associated Places

Windsor Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania

Category

Birth and baptismal certificate (Geburts-und-Taufschein)

Motifs

birds, parrots, tulips, flowers, floral

Associated Names

Balthaser Bock, Susanna, Peter, Daniel Lehmann, Michael Hollebach, Margretha Hollebach

Rights

Please contact the Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College for permissions which fall outside of educational fair use.

Source

Ursinus College Library Special Collections and the Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art

Provenance

Pennsylvania Folklife Society

Script/Text

Fraktur lettering

Language

German

Transcription

Diesen beyden Ehegatten, als Balthaser Bock und seiner ehelichen/Hausfrau Susanna ist ein Sohn zur Welt gebohren, als:/PEter von Chrislichen Lutherischen Eltern ist zur Welt gebohren im Jahr/unsers HErrn JEsu 1786 den 8 ten Tag May um 2 uhr/Morgens im Zeichen der Jungfrau/Mithin dieser in den Gnadenbund Gottes einverleibet, und von/HErrn LEmann Lutherischen Prediger und Diener des Worts Got=/tes den 18 Tag Junius getauft und genennet worden, wie/oben gemeldt. Tauffzeugen waren Michael Hollebach und seine Frau Margretha/Oben gemeldeter ist gebohren in America, im Staat/PEnnsylvania in Bercks Caunty in Wintzer 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.

[Lower right] Henrich Otto.

Translation

To both of these spouses, Balthaser Bock and his legal wife Susanna is a son to the world born, Peter of Christian Lutheran parents is to the world born in the year of our Lord Jesus 1786 the 8th day of May at 2 o’clock in the morning in the sign of the Virgin [Virgo]. Thereafter this one was incorporated into the merciful union of God, and by Mister Lemann Lutheran Pastor and Servant of the Word of God the 18 day of June was baptized and named, as given above. Baptismal sponsors were Michael Hollebach and his wife Margretha. The above mentioned was born in America, in the state of Pennsylvania in Berks County in Windsor Township.

When we are just born…

[Name]

Comment

This is one of a very small number of Taufscheine which had the infill printed. The type would have been set specifically for this piece, making it much more time-consuming to print than a standard blank form. Another version of this same edition, for Ana Susanna Kärn born 1762 in Tulpehocken, Berks County, also had printed infill.

Condition

Good

Published

Minardi, Lisa. Roots: Ursinus College and the Pennsylvania Germans (Trappe, Pa.: Historic Trappe, 2019). p 64, fig. 3.38. Stopp, Klaus. The Printed Birth and Baptismal Certificates of the German Americans. 6 vols. (Mainz, Germany, and East Berlin, Pa.: privately published, 1997–99). vol. 2, 148-149.

File Format

.jpeg

Type

image