Item Info

Scripts/Text: Fraktur; German script
Language: German
Weiser Number: 459
Physical Description: Leaf
Material: Laid paper; watercolor; ink
Transcription:

Diesen beyden Ehegatten, als: Michael Beckley \ und seiner ehelichen Hausfrau Eva \ eine gebohrne Glasbrenre ist ein\ Tochter zur Welt geboren; im Jahr unsers Herrn 1810 \ den 9 Tag January und getauft den 18 Tag January von \ Herrn Georg Lochman Prediger und Diener des Worts nach Christi \ Befehl, Matth. 28, 19. Wobey ihr der Name Maria \ gegeben ward. Die Taufzeugen sind: Anstet Glasbrenner und seine Ehliche \ Hausfrau Elisabeth. \ Diese Maria ist geboren und getauft in Amerika, im Staate \ Pensylvania in Dauphin Caunty Lebanon Township.

Wenn wir kaum gebohren werden, ist vom ersten Lebenstritt bis ins kühle Grab der Erden, Nur ein kuz gemeßner \ Schritt. Ach! mit jedem Augenblick gehet unsre Kraft zurück, und wir sind mit jedem Jahr reif genug zur \ Todtenbahr; und wer weiß, in welcher Stunde uns die letzte Stimme weckt: Denn Gott hats \ mit seinem Munde keinem Menschen noch entdeckt. Wer sein Haus nun wohl bestellt, \ geht mit Freuden aus der Welt: Da die Sicherheit hingegen, ew’ges \ Sterben kann erregen.

[added later within main text frame]
Maria ist verheirathet mit \ Jacob Spengler den 3ten January 1830 \ durch den Ehrwürdigen Herrn \ [ill.] Ernst Prediger

[added later below main text frame]
Frau Maria \ Spengler \ ist gestorben \ den 6 May 1851 \ abends um 7 uhr.

[in left heart]
Ich bin getauft, ob ich gleich sterbe, \ Was schadet mir das kühle Grab? \ Ich weiß mein Vaterland und Erbe, \ Das ich bey Gott im Himmel hab. \ Nach meinem Tod, ist mir bereit, \ Des Himmels Freud= und Feyer=Kleid.

[in right heart]
Ich bin getauft, ich steh im Bunde, \ Durch meine Tauf mit meinem Gott \ So sprech ich stets mit frohem Munde, \ in Kreuz, in Trübsal, Angst und Noth. \ Ich bin getauft, des’ freu \ ich mich, \ Die Freude bleibet ewiglich.

Translation:

To these two married people, namely Michael Beckley and his lawful wife Eva, a born Glasbrenre, a daughter was born into the world, in the year of our Lord 1810, the 9 day January, and baptized the 18 day January by Mister Georg Lochman, preacher and servant of God’s Word, according to Christ’s command, Matthew 28:19, when the name Maria was given to her. The sponsors are Anstet Glasbrenner and his lawful wife Elisabeth. This Maria was born and baptized in America, in the state of Pennsylvania, Dauphin County, Lebanon 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 with every year we grow more 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.

[added later within main text frame]
Maria was married to Jacob Spengler, the 3^rd of January 1830, by the honorable Mister Ernst, preacher.

[added later below main text frame]
Mrs. Maria Spengler died 6 May 1851 in the evening at 7 o’clock.

[in left heart]
I am baptized, and when I die, how can the cool grave hurt me? I know my fatherland and legacy that I will have with God in Heaven. After death, Heaven’s garment of joy and celebration is prepared for me.

[in right heart]
I am baptized, I stand united with my God through my baptism. I therefore always speak joyfully in hardship, sadness, fear and need. I am baptized, that’s a joy for me. The joy lasts eternally.

Category: Birth and Baptismal Certificate (Geburts und Taufschein)
Media Type: Letterpress Prints
Source: Rare Book Department
Notes:

Hand-colored; hand-lettered; printed form. The main text in fraktur, with blanks infilled by hand, is within a circular frame in the center of the document. Two verses are in hearts in the lower corners. From them protrude flowers with a bird sitting on top. In the upper corners are two inward-facing angels playing trumpets. In the upper center is a face or sun with emanating beams of light. In the lower center is a pot with leafy stems of foliage. The entire document is enclosed within a decorative border.
For other copies of this edition, see FLP 263 and 1053.
For the certificate made for Jacob Spengler, husband of Maria Beckley, see FLP 154.

Associated Names: Lochman, Georg
Bibliography:

Klaus Stopp, The Printed Birth and Baptismal Certificates of the German Americans (East Berlin, Pa.: Russell D. Earnest Associates, 1997) vol. 1, pp. 94-95.

Secondary Place Town/Township: Geographic Coverage State/Province:Pennsylvania
Geographic Coverage City/Town/Township:Lebanon Township
Geographic Coverage Note:Based on location of birth.
Geographic Coverage Region/County:Dauphin [now Lebanon]

Creation Place Town/Township: Creation Place Note:Based on probable location of printshop.
Region/County:[Berks]
City/Town/Township:[Reading]
State/Province:Pennsylvania

Creation Year (Single Year or Range Begin): ca. 1807
Image Dimensions Width: 32.5 cm
ShelfMark: FLP 268
Creator Name: Anonymous - Decorator
Anonymous - Scrivener
Anonymous - Printer/Publisher