Object Record

Images

1 of 1977

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Metadata

Object Name

Manuscript

Object ID #

2006.4.2781

Title

Samuel K. Godshall weather diary and record book, 1826-1861 (with earlier material copied from his father)

Creator

Godshall, Samuel K., 1808-1898

Place of Origin

Franconia Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Year Range from

1826

Year Range to

1861

Material

Paperboard, wove paper, ink

Dimensions

H-7.5 W-6.25 inches

Description

Weather diary and record book kept by Samuel Gottschall [Godshall]. The weather diary covers the years 1826-1858, with some earlier information back to 1774 added, copied from a diary kept by Samuel's father Jacob Godshall.

A paragraph signed by Samuel at the back of the diary states (translated from the German): "Weather observation, or the weather written in this book, was observed by myself and written, from 1826 until now; and the other from 1774 to 1826 I've copied from a book that my father wrote and signed, and therefore [the weather was] presumably observed by him. It is right and accurate as the weather was. Samuel Gottschall".

The book also contains, toward the back, a single page recording construction of buildings on the family farm from 1838 to 1861, also an 8-verse poem "Der Bauerstand", signed "Samuel Godshalk, 1837", and a note about the economic crisis of 1837. Eighteen double-sided pages inside paperboard covers with green and brown marbling. All text is in German script, except for some year headings and a very decorative fraktur bookplate in the front. The text of the bookplate reads: "Dieses \ Buch Gehoeret \ Samuel Gottschall \ Fraenconia Taunschip Montgomery Cauntÿ Von Mir \ Selbst Geschrieben diesen 22ten Tag Juli Ein Tausend \ Acht Hundert Sieben und Dreÿsich, 1837 \ S G [This book belongs to Samuel Godshall, Franconia Township, Montgomery County. Written by myself, the 22nd day of July, 1837. S.G.]". The bookplate text is surrounded by flourishes. In the weather record itself, a few later pencil notes were added in the hand of Abraham H. Bergey.

Notes

DVD transcription:
28.17:15 Samuel Gottschall's manuscript diary
--John comments that "this is a worthy piece…because of [Gottschall's] notoriety-his fame." Alan adds, "…As a fraktur artist."
--John translates an entry from January 1858 as "farmers have already plowed pretty much."
--It is noted that the rear of the book contains a record of all the buildings built on Samuel Gottschall's father's place, and which year each was built. John reads that the "house and shire" was built in 1842. He notes that "that house is still there, and maybe the barn is. That was owned by Glenn Garis, and I don't know who's there anymore-maybe he is, with his second wife." John also reads that "the lot" was sold in 1844. He guesses that perhaps this was a lot out along the road, and he wonders what it would have been sold for. Alan points out a note that a "schrot mill" was built in 1845. It is guessed that this was probably the mill along the branch, which John notes is still standing.
--John relates that Samuel's brother Herman "married a girl from my house-Katie Alderfer-and then they had a mill together on the Branch [Creek], until the railroad came through. Then in about 1860, they moved over and built the mill at Souderton, and that's Moyer and Son today." Alan comments that "they could see farther ahead than some of the other guys that stayed out in the sticks."
--John's final analysis is that this is "an extremely valuable book" and is "full of local history."
--Clarence states that this was given to him by Grace Hackman, in memory of her father, Abraham Bergey. "It had come down to him from the…. He was a direct descendant of Bishop Jacob Gottschall." John adds that "Samuel himself had no descendants. He was a bachelor."

Provenance

Made and signed by Mennonite schoolteacher and fraktur artist Samuel K. Godshall (1808-1898). Samuel never married and had no descendants. Passed down to his great-nephew Abraham H. Bergey, from whose heir the donor received it as a gift. Abraham Bergey copied the design of Godshall's bookplate as a title page for one of his scrapbooks (also in the I. C. Kulp Collection).

Source

Gift of Isaac Clarence Kulp

People

Godshall, Jacob, 1769-1845
Godshall, Samuel K., 1808-1898

Collection

Fraktur