A Guide to the Henkel Family Papers, 1783-1916 SC 0099

A Guide to the Henkel Family Papers, 1783-1916 SC 0099


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James Madison University Libraries Special Collections

820 Madison Drive
MSC 1706
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807
Telephone: (540) 568-3612
library-special@jmu.edu
URL: https://www.lib.jmu.edu/special/

Orville W. Bame, Chris Bolgiano, Trevor Alvord

Repository
James Madison University Libraries Special Collections
Identification
SC 0099
Title
Henkel Family Papers 1783-1916
Quantity
2.44 cubic feet, 3 boxes
Creator
Henkel family
source
Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society
Language
English .
Abstract
The Henkel Family Papers consists of two Hollinger boxes and one oversize box, and spans a period from 1783 to 1916. The bulk of the collection consists of letters, religious documents, and newspapers and advertisements published by the Henkel Press of New Market, Virginia. Also included are some Henkel family history materials and business documents, and miscellaneous secular materials.

Administrative Information

Use Restrictions

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collections Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.

Alternate Formats

Excerpts of this collection have been digitized and are made available upon request.

Preferred Citation

[identification of item], [box #, folder #], Henkel Family Papers, SC 0099, Special Collections, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.

Acquisition Information

Placed on deposit at Carrier Library through the November 1985 contract with the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society.

Processing Information

A schoolbook on mathematics was withdrawn by the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society on May 16, 2000. In order to streamline the process of applying collection numbers, Special Collections staff completed a large-scale renumbering campaign in the spring of 2017. This collection was previously cataloged as SC 2065.


Bio/Historical Note

The Henkel Press began as a crude printing press in the living room of Paul Henkel's house in New Market, Virginia, in 1806. Eventually, it published more Lutheran material than any other press in the country, and earned fame for its excellent children's books. Although the press began printing in German for the large Shenandoah Valley German community, it also published in English at an early date.

Scope and Content

The Henkel Collection consists of two Hollinger boxes and one flat box, and spans a period from 1783 to 1916. The bulk of the collection consists of letters, religious documents, and newspapers and advertisements published by the Henkel Press. Also included are some Henkel family history materials and business documents, and miscellaneous secular materials.

Many of the older letters in the Letters Series are in German while later ones are primarily in English. They demonstrate the dedication of the Henkel family to their faith as well as their activities within the Synod.

Also in the collection (Secular Documents Series) are several handwritten school books, some with fraktur.

The Henkel Press Publications Series (including the Oversize Series) contains a large part of the collection, and includes handwritten drafts for advertisements to be printed, pamphlets, issues of Virginische Volksberichterand Westliche Correspondenz, and a formula for the ink used in printing.

Arrangement

Partial organization by a previous researcher was maintained. The collection is arranged in five series:

Correspondence, 1806-1892 Religious Documents, 1783-1897 Secular Documents, 1790-1910 Family History Henkel Press Publications, 1806-1891

Subjects and Indexing Terms

  • Advertisements
  • Clergy -- Virginia
  • Family papers
  • Genealogies (histories)
  • German imprints -- Virginia -- New Market
  • Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society
  • Henkel family -- Correspondence
  • Henkel, Ambrose, 1786-1870 -- Correspondence
  • Henkel, Paul, 1754-1825 -- Correspondence
  • Henkel, Socrates, Rev., 1823-1901 -- Correspondence
  • Lutheran Church -- Virginia
  • New Market (Va.) -- Genealogy -- Sources
  • New Market (Va.) -- History -- Sources
  • New Market (Va.) -- Imprints
  • Newspapers
  • Printers -- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.)
  • Printers -- Virginia
  • Printing -- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History
  • Publications (documents)
  • Religious literature -- Publication and distribution -- Virginia
  • Religious literature, German -- Publication and distribution -- Virginia
  • Rockingham County (Va.) -- History -- Sources
  • Salyards, Joseph, 1808-1885 -- Correspondence
  • Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- Social life and customs
  • Virginia -- Church history -- 19th century
  • Virginia -- History -- Sources
  • Virginia -- History, Local -- Sources

Bibliography

Edmonds, Albert Sydney. "The Henkels, Early Printers in New Market, Virginia," William and Mary Quarterly, 2nd series, v. 18, 1938.
Scheer, George F. "First Printing Press in the Valley of Virginia," Publishers' Weekly. Vol. 150, November 23, 1946.
Finck, Rev. William J. A Chronological Life of Paul Henkel . New Market, 1937. Photocopy of original typescript made by Richard R. Renalds, Timberville, VA., 1986.

Significant Places Associated With the Collection

  • New Market (Va.) -- Genealogy -- Sources
  • New Market (Va.) -- History -- Sources
  • New Market (Va.) -- Imprints
  • Rockingham County (Va.) -- History -- Sources
  • Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- Social life and customs
  • Virginia -- Church history -- 19th century
  • Virginia -- History -- Sources
  • Virginia -- History, Local -- Sources

Container List

1
Correspondence
1806-1892
  • Mixed Materials [1000886554] box: 1 folder: 1
    Correspondence
    1804-1820
    Scope and Content

    Mostly to Paul, Ambrose, and Socrates Henkel in German. Includes 1816 German diary with reference to Pt. Pleasant.

  • Mixed Materials [1000886554] box: 1 folder: 2
    Correspondence
    1821-1892
    Scope and Content

    German & English. Numerous letters from North Carolina

  • Mixed Materials [1000886554] box: 1 folder: 3
    Correspondence
    undated
  • Mixed Materials [1000886554] box: 1 folder: 4
    Correspondence - Salyards
    1846-1891, undated
    Scope and Content

    Notes by J. Salyards; 1846 brochure on The New-Market Academy; unsigned poem; 2 copies 1875 Henkel pub. of review of "Idothea;" several items relating to Salyards Memorial Association

  • Mixed Materials [1000898366] box: OV 1 folder: 8
    Westliche Correspondenz
    1806-1822
    Scope and Content

    April 12, 1806 (partial copy); February 6, 1808; September 19, 1812; June 28, August 2, 1822

2
Religious Documents
1783-1897
  • Mixed Materials [1000886554] box: 1 folder: 5
    Service literature
    undated
    Scope and Content

    Prayers, organization of service, responsive readings

  • Mixed Materials [1000886554] box: 1 folder: 6
    Sermons
    1841-1897
    Scope and Content

    Most are titled and dated. Several in German. Includes Henkel list of subscribers for preaching, 1841-1852.

  • Mixed Materials [1000886554] box: 1 folder: 7
    Music
    1829, undated
    Scope and Content

    Fragments of religious songbooks, some with notations

  • Mixed Materials [1000898366] box: OV 1 folder: 3
    Music
    1868, undated
    Scope and Content

    Words to songs; includes ballad about St. Clair's defeat by Indians. Some probably not printed by Henkel Press

  • Mixed Materials [1000886554] box: 1 folder: 8
    Religious issues
    1783-1889
    Scope and Content

    Writings from Bible; writings on religious ideas; treatise to Solomon from David Henkle, Lincolnton, NC, 1826

  • Mixed Materials [1000886554] box: 1 folder: 9
    Religious issues
    undated
  • Mixed Materials [1000886554] box: 1 folder: 10
    Marriage licenses
    1825-1856
    Scope and Content

    Rockingham County licenses, some with notes that Ambrose or other Henkels performed ceremony

  • Mixed Materials [1000886554] box: 1 folder: 11
    Miscellaneous church papers
    1813-1892, undated
    Scope and Content

    Includes book of misc. accounts with members of Whitehaven congregation, 1813; mss. on worship services by 4 Valley Lutheran churches, called by Rev. Nischmucker in Woodstock Jan. 1828; minutes of church meeting, 1855; printed proceedings of extra session, Luth. Tennessee Synod, 1864

3
Secular Documents
1790-1910

[Aviary] Secular Documents 1790-1910


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  • Mixed Materials [1000886554] box: 1 folder: 12
    Prose and poetry
    1864, undated
  • Mixed Materials [1000886554] box: 1 folder: 13
    Speeches
    undated
    Scope and Content

    Four texts, one addressed to "Fellow Citizens of Shenandoah." Subjects are political & social concerns, include intemperance

  • Mixed Materials [1000886555] box: 2 folder: 1
    Business documents
    1790-1910
    Scope and Content

    Promises to pay, subscription orders, receipts, post office oath, a ledger book

  • Mixed Materials [1000898366] box: OV 1 folder: 11
    Grocery list
    1843
  • Mixed Materials [1000886555] box: 2 folder: 2
    Spelling book identified as "Solon P.C. Henkel 1832,"
    1832
  • Mixed Materials [1000886555] box: 2 folder: 3
    Schoolbook - surveying
    undated
  • Mixed Materials [1000886555] box: 2 folder: 4
    Schoolbook - navigation
    undated
  • Mixed Materials [1000886555] box: 2 folder: 5
    Schoolbook - word problems, with fraktur, Tobias McGaughey
    undated
  • Mixed Materials [1000898366] box: OV 1 folder: 10
    Miscellaneous
    1904-1916, undated
4
Family History
  • Mixed Materials [1000886555] box: 2 folder: 6
    Family history
    undated
5
Henkel Press publications
1806-1891
  • Mixed Materials [1000886555] box: 2 folder: 7
    Henkel Press - Miscellaneous printing drafts
    1811-1817
    Scope and Content

    Handwritten horse advertisements, announcements of tannery shops; German and English

  • Mixed Materials [1000886555] box: 2 folder: 8
    Henkel Press - Publications, Pamphlets
    1806-1891
    Scope and Content

    St. Martin Luther's kleiner Katechismus. . . 1829 (58 cop.). Verhandlungen, Bericht der Verrichtungen, Auszug, or Report. . . evangelical Luthern Conference (North Carolina). . . 1812; 1814; 1816; 1817 (2 cop.). Verrichtung der Special-Conferenze der Evang. Luth. . . in Virginia. . . 1806; 1807; 1808; 1809; 1815; 1831. Kurze Nachricht, Report, Bericht, or Minutes. . . Evang. Luth. Tennessee Synod. . . 1820, 1821, 1828, 1830, 1833, 1891

  • Mixed Materials [1000898366] box: OV 1
    Rolled list of subscribers
    undated
  • Mixed Materials [1000898366] box: OV 1 folder: 1
    Wool carding advertisements
    1809-1816
    Scope and Content

    Handwritten drafts and printed advertisements

  • Mixed Materials [1000898366] box: OV 1 folder: 2
    Miscellaneous announcements
    1809-1858, 1879, undated
    Scope and Content

    Includes sales and school notices, incl. one for S. Henkel's New Market Female Seminary; broadside advertising a "living quanacos;" price-setting resolution of Shenandoah Cty. carpenters, 1816; church raffle tickets

  • Mixed Materials [1000898366] box: OV 1 folder: 9
    Miscellaneous publications
    1782-1824, undated
    Scope and Content

    Contains Rooster and Lion Henkel sheets, as well the following non-Henkel publications: 16 July 1782 issue of Philadelphische Correspondenz; unidentified sheet from 16 July 1808 German newspaper; 17 Jan. 1815 issue of Der Volksfreund (Lancaster PA); an 1824 election broadside in German; & 1889 pamphlet Die Vekehrung (Allentown, PA)

  • Mixed Materials [1000898366] box: OV 1 folder: 4
    Virginische Volksberichter und Neumarketer Wochenshrift
    1807-1808
    Scope and Content

    December 23, 30, 1807; January 6, 20, 27; February 3, 17; March 2, 9, 16, 30, 1808

  • Mixed Materials [1000898366] box: OV 1 folder: 5
    Virginische Volksberichter und Neumarketer Wochenshrift
    1808
    Scope and Content

    April 6, 13, 27 (partial copy); May 4, 11, 18, 25; June 8, 15, 22, 29; July 6, 13, 20, 27; August 10 (partial copy), 17, 31, 1808

  • Mixed Materials [1000898366] box: OV 1 folder: 6
    Virginische Volksberichter und Neumarketer Wochenshrift
    1808
    Scope and Content

    September 7; October 5 (1 1/2 copies), 12 (1 1/2 copies), 19 (partial copy), 26; November 2, 16 (2 copies), 23, 30; December 7, 14, 1808

  • Mixed Materials [1000898366] box: OV 1 folder: 7
    Virginische Volksberichter und Neumarketer Wochenshrift
    1809
    Scope and Content

    January 4, 11, 18 (partial); February 1, 8 (partial), 15, 22 (2 copies); March 1, 15, 22; April 12, 19, 26; May 10, 24, 31; June 14, 1809