38th Annual Lancaster Family History Conference Saturday, May 20, 2017
Key Components • Scope and content of collections • Accessing and utilizing sources • Navigating German church records
The Moravian Archives Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Who are the Moravians?
Source: Hus, Jan. Ioannis Hus, et Hieronymi Pragensis confessorum Christi Historia et monumenta. Impressa Noribergæ: In Officina Ioannis Montani, & Ulrici Neuberi., 1558.
Count Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf
Source: Unidentified artist, Zinzendorf, Nikolaus Ludwig, oil on canvas, 18th century, 61 cm x 74 cm, PC 43, Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pa.
Where do they come from?
Herrnhut, Germany
A Community of Faith
Source: Christian Hymnbook of the Moravian Church, 1735, 4th ed. (1741)
“First Fruits”
Source: Haidt, Johann Valentin. The First Fruits. 18th century. Oil on canvas. 143 cm x 119 cm. PC 19, Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pa.
Conversion of American Indians
Source: Schussele, Christian. David Zeisberger Preaching to the Delaware [“Power of the Gospel”]. 1862. Oil on canvas. 118 in. x 74 ½ in. PC 34. Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pa.
Ministerial Services for Colonial Settlers
Source: "Reise Charte durch Pensylvanien und andere angränzende Provinzen mit Anmerckung aller eigenthümlichen Laendereyen, Wohn-Plaezen, Kirchen und Schulhäusern der Vereinigten Bruder.“ Circa 1750. Pen and water color on paper, linen backed. 38.5 cm x 23 cm. DP f.037.7. Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pa.
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Source: Nicholas Garrison, Jr., view of Bethlehem, 1784, watercolor, Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pa.
Church Registers • • • • • • • • • •
Alphabetical indexes Baptisms of children Baptisms of adults Receptions (into the church) Marriages Funerals Removals or dismissals Confirmations Ordinations or consecrations Family books
Church Registers – Indexes
Source: Church register of the Moravian church in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, ChReg 125, Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pa.
Church Registers – Baptisms
TAUFE
TAUFEN
GETAUFT
GEBURTS UND TAUF REGISTER
Church Registers – Baptisms
Source: Church register of the Moravian church congregation in Tulpehocken, Berks County, Pennsylvania, ChReg 126, Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pa.
Church Registers – Adult Baptisms
No
Tauf Name.
Voriger Name.
Nation.
Mr oder Plantage.
Wenn getauft.
Von Wem.
A. M.
#
Baptismal name
Former name
Nationality
Master or plantation
When baptized
By whom
Holy Communion
Source: Church register of Friedensthal, St. Croix, EWI C.19.1, Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pa.
Church Registers – Funerals
GESTORBEN
ENTSCHLAFEN
BEERDIGUNG
HEIMGEGANGEN
Church Registers – Funerals
Source: Church register of the Moravian congregation in Graceham (Manakosy), Thurmont, Frederick County, Maryland, ChReg 43, Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pa.
Church Registers – Funerals
Birthplace, Year, and Day
Church Registers Baptism – Family Entries Parents Religion Profession Marriage Arrival in the country Awakening
Church Registers – Family Entries: A look inside…
Membership Catalogs
Namen Name
Information available in Catalogs geboren
Wo?
Birthdate Birthplace
Religion
[Mother] religion
in die Ehe getreten
ins Land gekommen
Entered into marriage Arrival in the country
aufgenommen
zur H. Communion
Received
Admitted to Holy Communion
Lancaster Moravian Church, February 1754
Memoirs (Lebensläufe) • • • •
Approximately 60,000 in all of the Moravian Archives A tradition from the 1750s-today Autobiographical and biographical Some written by the family of the deceased or the minister officiating the funeral service • Places found: – – – – –
Church registers (as seen in case of “Andrew the Moor”) Personal papers Gemeinnachrichten (manuscript/printed periodical) Printed periodicals Congregational diaries
Lebensläufe • “Lay-benz-loy-fuh”
So where is Michelfeld in der Pfalz?
Finding a Memoir
Memoirs
“New Arrivals in a New Land”
Congregational Diaries
Source: New York Congregational Diary, 1776-1777, located at the Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pa.
Congregational Diaries Source: New York Congregational Diary, 1776-1777, located at the Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pa. Excerpt: 8 August 1776 ♄. 8th. In the afternoon at 4 o’Clock Br. Shaukirk having been invited to to the Funeral of the Ensign Mr. Evans, went there; The directing in Expectation of another Minister’s officiating; but there was no other Minister present, and the directing officer desired Br. Shaukirk to make a Prayer at the house before they went away and to speak a little in the Church-Yard. Accordingly after the Soldiers were together &/ the Corpse was put in the Street, Br. Shaukirk stood standing/ on the Sloop and prayed made a short Prayer; upon which the Corpse was put on the Bier, cover’d with a black Cloth, & the Regimental Pall /, and then in the usual military Way they proceaded to the old Presb. Meeting House and its GraveYard; where Br. Shaukirk made a short address to the People and after the Corpse was interred, he concluded with The Grace of our Lord J. C. &c. The whole was conducted with much order and Solemnity.
/ which was born by 4 officers
Accessing Digitized Translations
Moravian Archives Home Page
Travel Diaries Source: Gottschalk, Matthias Gottlieb, Observations from visits in Virginia and Maryland, c. Apr-May 1748, TravJournals 42.5, Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pa.
The Great Fork of the Rippehanning [Rappahannock River] situated about twenty-six miles from the Upper Germans toward the “Patomick”; there reside just three German families, the others all Irish and English. Among them lives Mr. Thom[p]son, and for this reason there is more than one church.
die große Fork von der Rippehaning liegt etwa 26 Meilen von dem Obern Teutschen nach der Patomik zu da wohnen nur 3 teutsche Familien, die andern sind alle Irische und Englische unter einander, die auch mitten unter sich den Mr. Thomson wohnen haben, und dazu mehr als eine Kirche.
Travel Diaries at the Moravian Archives
Maps, Drawings and Prints
Lancaster Moravian Church
30 West Orange Street, place of worship from 1746-1967
Ground plan of Emmaus in Salisbury Township, February 1760
Maps, Drawings and Prints
Bethabara, North Carolina, late 1750s
Map of the God’s Acre in Heidelberg Township, 1742-1815
Obituaries
Periodicals and Newspapers • • • • • • • • •
The Moravian The Wachovia Moravian (digitized) Der Brüder Botschafter Gemeinnachrichten Der Missions Freund Periodical Accounts (digitized) Wochenblatt aus der Brüdergemeine The Little Missionary and many more!
Dienerblätter – Short Biographies
Dienerblätter – A Look Inside Source: Dienerblätter, Rh-Sch.
Source: Gemeinnachrichten (1879).
Business Records
Source: Invoice, Franz Jos. Ludwig to the Bethlehem Boarding School, 1-29 Feb 1820, FemSem 199.19 [1 of 38 bills, dated 1814-1821], Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pa.
Personal Papers
Education Records
Published Genealogies
Committee Minutes
Source: Minutes of the Jünger-Collegium, 23 February 1752, Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Search our collections
Finding Aids
Native American Ancestry
Caribbean Ancestry
Caribbean Ancestry
Source: Catalog of the baptized Indians in Berbice, MissSur 1.3, Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pa.
Access Conditions • • • •
Physical condition Sensitivity 75-year restriction Reproductions – Microfilms – Digital files
German Script
