From Pennsylvania to Waterloo - A Biographical History of Waterloo Township

Item Name	Bible with Family Register	Image1
Owner(s)	Clemens, Sarah Ann Clemens, Cyrus Clemens, Mary Ann Clemens, Andrew Clemens, John B. Clemens, Susannah Clemens, John Henry Clemens, Nancy Ann Cressman, Mary Eby, Tobias Eby, Mary Eby, Christian Groff, Nancy
Category	Documents
Year	Early: 1800 - Late: 1890
Description	Family Register for the Christian Eby and Maria Cressman Family in Christian Eby Bibel dated 1846. A large, leather-covered Bible with two leather and metal clasps for closing. The inside cover has a pink bookplate which reads: "Christian Eby Bibel 1846", and other text in black German script. The Bible text is printed in German Gothic type lettering. The inside covers of the book are marbled in grey, yellow, black, and red. Two-thirds of the way through the book there is a pre-printed family register (Familien Register). This has been filled with information recording the births, marriages, baptisms, and deaths of Christian Eby, Maria Kressman and their relatives. The entries read: "Christian Eby m. Maria Kressmann 1843; John B. Clemens m. Nancy Groff 1843; Christian Eby b. 1821; Maria Kressmann b. 1820 Tobias Eby b. 1858; Val Boehmer b. 1842; Sara Rinlir (?) b. 1845; Veronica Beasley b. 1856; John B. Clemens b. 1822; Nancy Groff b. 1822; Andrew Jackson Clemens b. 1843; Mary Ann Clemens b. 1845; Cyrus Clemens b. 1846; Sara Ann Clemens b. 1847; Nancy Ann Clemens b. 1849; John Henry Clemens b. 1851; Susanna Clemens b. 1853; Tobias Eby b. 1858; Christian Eby b. 1859; Maria Eby b. 1867; Cyrus Clemens d. 1846; Susanna Clemens d. 1853." Some of the Fraktur in this register was done by Isaac Z. Hunsicker.
Maker\Attribution	Isaac Z. Hunsicker
Collection	Joseph Schneider Haus Museum Contact : 466 Queen St. S. Kitchener 519-742-7752 www.region.waterloo.on.ca
Accession No.	1984.028.180.001
Curatorial Comments	The Fraktur artist Isaac Ziegler Hunsicker (1803-1870), was born in Montgomery County. His great, great grandfather arrived in Pennsylvania in 1717. Examples of his artwork have been found in Pennsylvania and in Ontario. According to Hunsicker history, Isaac, and his brother, Michael (1796-1871), stopped briefly in Ohio before moving on to Ontario in the 1830's. It is believed he came to Upper Canada during the 1832-35 period. It is not sure if he was a school teacher in Pennsylvania, but he was involved in the educational activities of early Waterloo county (he's listed among the first school teachers at the Eby School in Berlin beginning in 1837). Characteristics of his Fraktur include a predilection for scripture text with decorative embellishments, common sense proverbs and didactic statement following religious script, and geographical references to cities, and provinces. Several pieces feature a stylized face in upper corners, and a precise execution of a decorative border composed usually of an 'S' motif. His career as a Fraktur artist extended from approximately 1830-1870.

Region of Waterloo

Fraktur design based on Family Register by Jacob Shoemacher in Joseph Schneider Bible, 1821.