Moravian Archives Collections

The papers contain several letters received by James Birkby, receipts issued to James Birkby, a marriage certificate issued by James Birkby, James Birkby's Last Will and Testament, a memorandum of James Birkby, and a letter several years after his death regarding his mortgage. 5 folders James Birkby was born on August 21, 1732 in Wyke/Yorkshire, England and joined the Moravian community in Fulneck in 1742. In 1768 Birkby married Sister Hannah Brook and served as the minister in Wyke for the next ten years. In 1776, James Birkby received a call to serve as a missionary in St.

Charles L. Moench was born on February 20, 1855 in Lititz, Pa., to William N. and Louise Schneider Moench. He married Gertrude N. Schultz in 1879. Moench was educated at the Moravian College Theological Seminary and the Union College Theological Seminary. Upon graduation and his ordination as a deacon in the Moravian Church, Moench served as the pastor for the congregation at Blairstown, Iowa (1878 -1881) and then for Hopedale, Pa. (1881-1886). He then served as the minister for the Second Moravian Church of Philadelphia (1886-1889) and the Lititz, Pa. congregation (1889-1901).

Martin Hauser was born Sept. 23, 1799 in Bethania, NC. He was awakened during a revival in 1827 and emigrated to Indiana, where he founded the Moravian congregation of Hope. He served as exhorter and liturgus, 1830-1833. He was ordained in 1833 and continued to serve as minister at Hope until 1847. He was minister at West Salem 1847-1852 and home missionary in its vicinity. From 1858-1861 he was English minister at West Salem. After his retirement he lived in Olney, West Salem, and Hope, where he died on Oct. 25, 1875. 1 box The papers contain his autobiography (cont.

Jakob Jonathan Hoch was born on March 9, 1826, in Basel, Switzerland. After completing his education in Europe, he spent time as a missionary in Nigeria, and then taught for a short time at Nazareth Hall in Nazareth, PA. He then married Francis "Fanny" Erisman in 1859, after being called to a missionary position in Central America. The couple worked as missionaries on the Mosquito Coast and the Bluefields in Nicaragua, on the Corn Islands off the coast of Nicaragua, in St. Thomas, and in Barbados before returning to the United States. Hoch died on November 1, 1869 in Emmaus.

Robert Rau was born November 4th, 1844. Rau moved with his family in 1849 to Bethlehem where he remained for the rest of his life. Robert Rau was a pharmacist by profession working for the family business Simon Rau & Co, yet his real passion was in historical records and local affairs in Bethlehem and the surrounding areas. Robert Rau was a member of the Moravian Historical Society from 1883 until his death in 1906. Rau was also elected Provincial Archivist for the Moravian Church in 1901, and helped create one of the most complete English-Moravian hymn books from 1888 to 1900.

William Eugene Kreider was born on May 8th, 1828. in Lititz, Pa. In Lititz, he was a member of the trombone choir. He married his wife, Josephine Demuth, in 1855. Ten years later, the couple moved to Lancaster, Pa. While living there, Kreider served as an elder and a trustee of the Moravian congregation. He also taught Sunday school and was treasurer of the Foreign Ministry Society. After retiring in 1890, Kreider moved to Nazareth, Pa. He died there on August 29th, 1895. 1 folder One bound notebook belonging to William E.

This collection contains descriptions written by George Bahnson about his trip from hometown Christianfeld, Denmark to school in Niesky; "Tagebuch"/diaries of daily life in Niesky between the dates 1820 and 1824, in Gnadenfeld in 1825, and Kleinwelke from 1826 to 1829, "Notes for a Diary -1831," diaries of George Bahnson dating between the years 1830 and 1867, including two diaries on his work as a representative/delegate at the Synod in 1848; a notebook containing schoolwork from 1822, including "Phaedon," geography, mathematics, and history and loose leaf not

Johannes von Watteville was born Johann Michael Langguth to Johann Michael Langguth and Anna Elizabeth Farbarius Langguth in Walschleben, Thüringen, Germany on October 18, 1718. He was educated at both the University of Erfurt and the University of Jena between 1734 and 1737. During this period, Christian Renatus von Zinzendorf (1727-1752), the son of Nikolus von Zinzendorf, introduced von Watteville to the Moravian Brotherhood.

Ann Lisette Schnall Jacobson was born in 1806 in New Fairfield, Canada, to Johannes Schnall (1754-1819) and Margarethe Schnall (1763-1848). Her parents, originally from Bethlehem, worked as missionaries. After her father died in 1819 in Canada, she returned to Bethlehem with her mother. She taught for a time at the Girl's School in Bethlehem. On October 26th, 1826 she married a Moravian minister, John Christian Jacobson (1795-1870). She then spent time living in Winston-Salem, NC; Nazareth, Pa.; and Bethlehem as her husband worked with the church.

Johann Heinrich "Henry" Antes was born to Philip Frederick and Anna Catherine Antes in Freinsheim, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany on July 1, 1701. His ancestors, the von Blumes, were wealthy Protestants, who Hellenized their surname to avoid persecution during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648). Philip Frederick Antes settled his family in Germantown in the English colony of Pennsylvania during Henry's young adulthood. Soon after, Antes moved into the countryside adjacent to the settlement to build his own home.

Ludwig (Louis) David de Schweinitz was born in Bethlehem, Pa., on February 13, 1780, to parents Hans Christian Alexander and Anna Dorothea Elizabeth (nee von Watteville). On July 14th, 1787 L.D. entered Nazereth Hall as a student and remain there until 1798, after completing is school work, in the capacity of both student and teacher. In 1798, Louis David's father Hans Christian was called to Germany and Louis David chose to accompany them in order to further his education. In 1798, Louis David entered the Theological Seminary in Niesky, Germany.

Born September 28, 1861 in Utica, N.Y Frederick was the son of John and Augusta (Bachman) Detterer. He attended Moravian College and Theological Seminary from 1878 to 1884. Upon graduation, he became a teacher at Nazareth Hall from 1884 to 1886. There he met Caroline Huebener (d.1952). They were married November 18, 1886. Together they had three children- Ernst, Edith, and Mary Pauline. Ernst Detterer, born January 3, 1888, became an art professor. The second child passed away at the age of two. Their third child, Pauline Detterer, became a piano teacher. None of the children married.

Joseph Maximilian Hark (known as Max Hark) was born on June 4, 1849 in Philadelphia to Joseph and Maria Louise (Bute) Hark. From 1865-1870 Max attended Moravian College and Theological Seminary. He was ordained as a deacon on September 7, 1873 in Nazareth by Bishop H.A. Schultz. He was married to Pedronilla/Matilda Theresa Crosta on October 7, 1873 with whom he had three children, Hugo Crosta (November 1, 1874), Hilda Theresa (January 1, 1886), and Anna Amelia (August 27, 1890). Hark was consecrated as a presbyter on May 20, 1875 in Lebanon, Pa. by Bishop E. de Schweinitz.

Thomas Noble (? - 1746) was a Presbyterian merchant in New York who met Spangenberg in August of 1736. Through this relationship he was able to provide valuable services to the Moravian colonies and missions.; Noble's wife Mary, whose maiden name was Bayard, was a devout Christian of Dutch descent and was drawn to Moravian teachings and way of life.

Andreas Schoute was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, on May 12, 1700. Although his parents wished for him to work for a merchant, Schoute desired to go to sea and so joined a ship and advanced in short time to captain. His brother was also in the company as a merchant. After 1728 he mostly worked on Dutch ships. They visited many places such as Cadiz, Gibraltar, Genoa, Lisbon, and Algeria. Later, he served as chief helmsman and as captain on another voyage. In 1741 he served as chief helmsman in Russia for two years.

The records consist of fifteen extensive reports, written by Cammerhoff from to Zinzendorf, Anna Nitschmann and Johannes von Watteville in Europe. They contain detailed information about Moravian activities in Bethlehem and beyond. Since the letters are of a more confidential nature than the diaries, they contain insight information not to be found in other records. 1 box Johann Friedrich Cammerhoff was born on July 28, 1721, near Magdeburg, Germany. He studied theology in Jena before joining the Moravians in 1743.

Edmund Alexander de Schweinitz was born on March 20, 1825 in Bethlehem to Ludwig (Louis) David and Amalie (Ledoux) de Schweinitz. From 1831to 1834 Edmund attended the Parochial School in Bethlehem, followed by four years at Nazareth Hall. He entered Moravian College and Theological Seminary as a student in 1839 which he completed in 1844, immediately followed by a year as a student at the University of Berlin.

Bethlehem Store, which opened in 1752, offered a wide variety of goods that made shopping efficient and drew many customers; however, these customers were limited to those outside the Economy. The store allowed the Moravians to pursue a profitable trade without compromising either their primary purpose as missionaries or their moral principles. As the Moravians needed to subsidize their missionary activities, they astutely capitalized on the market advantage they had at hand, such as the ability to specialize and to use economies of scale.

Prior to 1792 the Lehigh River was only crossable utilizing ferries located on its banks in Bethlehem. The United Brethren ownded both the land and ferries. In 1791John Schropp petitioned the Pennsylvanian Legislature for permission to construct a bridge over the Lehigh. The Legislature granted John Schropp the right to found a company to build the bridge. Guidelines were established both for tolls and the organization of the company; it stipulated that the company would control 78 shares.

Reuben Samuel Rauch was born on September 30, 1812 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to John Frederick and Mary Catharine Rauch. While his education began at the Moravian Parochial School in Bethlehem, he later switched to Nazareth Hall. After completing his schooling, he undertook an apprenticeship with a hat maker in Bethlehem and later trained with one in Philadelphia. Rauch then returned to Bethlehem to work with his father, who manufactured chip hats. He later moved to Nazareth as the superintendent of a mercantile store. On April 4th, 1839, he married Mary A. Harbaugh.

Joseph A. Maurer was born in 1912. He lived in Bethlehem for the majority of his life. Maurer was a professor of classical languages at Lehigh University for 30 years. He was Associate Dean of the school of Arts and Sciences. In 1973 Maurer received the Lindback award for distinguished teaching and then was named Professor Emeritus of Classics upon his retirement in 1973. Maurer was also an active member of the Moravian Church. He served as the organist and director of music at Central Moravian Church for several years.

The major family ties include the Hüffel, Oehler, Blickensderfer, and Reinke families.; Christian Gottlieb Hüffel:; C.G. Hüffel was born on September 13, 1762, in Kleinwelka and died on June 7, 1842 in Herrnhut. He traveled extensively in the service of the church, often to Berthelsdorf, Barby, and England. He was ordained a presbyter in 1801. He continued his work for the brethren, and was ordained a bishop in 1814. He married Sarah Elizabeth Hunzigker in 1798; she died in Bethlehem on December 29, 1824.

Edith Romig Kilbuck was born April 16th 1865 to Joseph and Margret Ricksecker Romig in New Westfield, Kansas, where her parents served as missionaries among the Native Americans. Edith lived in Kansas at the mission until 1885 when she married John Henry Kilbuck. Shortly after their marriage Edith accompanied her husband to Alaska to serve as a missionary. Edith and John both served as missionaries in Bethel, Alaska, from 1885 to 1898. In 1893 Edith took a brief furlough back to the continental states of America.

Nathanael Seidel was born on Oct. 2, 1718, in Lauban, Silesia, and joined the Moravians when he was twenty-one years old. He was sent to Pennsylvania in 1741 and was present at the organization of the Bethlehem congregation on June 25, 1742. He held various offices, made trips among the American Indians and to the settlers, and oversaw the work in various congregations. He became a presbyter in 1749 (bishop in 1758).