Place Made

Date Made

1795-1815

Medium

ink and watercolor on paper

Dimensions

HOA: 7 3/4″; WOA: 12 7/8″

Accession Number

3416.3

Description

Taufschein for Margareda Steierwalt. Ink and watercolor on laid paper. Three tulips with radiating leafy stems above the inscription. Flanking the top portion of the inscription a pair of facing birds with tulips and small flowers on leafy stems flowing down from hearts in the upper corners. The bottom portion of the inscription is flanked by symmetrical tulips and leafy stems growing out of hearts. A column of tulips is on each side and a sawtooth border surrounds the entire piece. The dominant colors are deep red and dark blue with some lighter greens.

Inscription:
Im Jahr unsers / herrn 1794 den 18 aprill bin ich Margareda Steier waltin / n.m __ / um 4 uhr auf diese jammer volle / welt gebohren . meine Tauf Zeigen sein nemlich . Eberhard Schmidt und seine eheliche hausfrau Diese / haben mich zur heiligen Tauf gebracht im Staat Nort Carolina . in Rowan Caundy in die / Kirche zu dem herr pfarren Storch – – da disser gottes / hielt das erste mahl zum H abend mahl gegangen in der / in der orgel Kirche : : halten will ich mein versprechen. Diesen / bund mit gott nicht brechen nein auf meine heilege Tauf / grund ich meinen lebens laufs herr Jesu ich dein armes kind – / voll gebrechen voller sund lege mich Zu deinen füssen lasse mir die tränen flüssen.
Translation:
In the year of our / Lord 1794 the 18th of April I Margareda Steierwalt / at four o’clock to this sorrowful / world was born. My baptismal sponsors were namely Eberhard Schmidt and his honorable wife. These / brought me to holy Baptism in the state of North Carolina – in Rowan County in the / church by Pastor Storch – -[at this service I] received for the first time the Holy communion / in the Organ Church : : I will keep my promise not to break / this covenant with God. No, on my Holy Baptism / I base the course of my life. Lord Jesus, I, your poor child / full of remorse, lie before your feet and let the tears flow.

Artist: Unknown

Related Objects: Geburtschein for Friederich Steigerwalt (3416.1); Taufschein for Maria Margreda Schmitt (4316.2); Taufschein for Johannes Steierwalt (3416.4); Tall Case Clock (3415)

History

This taufschein commemorates the birth and baptism of Margareda Steierwalt (Stirewalt) who was born in Rowan County, North Carolina on 18 April, 1794. It is one of the rare examples of southern fractur written in the first person. Margareda Stirewalt was the daughter of Friedrich and Maria Margreda Schmitt Steierwalt. The MESDA Collection also displays a birth certificate for Margareda’s younger brother Friedrich Steierwalt (3416.1) and taufscheins for her brother Johannes Steierwalt (3416.3), and her mother Maria Margreda Schmitt (3416.2). The baptism took place at the Organ (Zion) Lutheran Church in Rowan County, North Carolina and the baptism sponsors were Margareda’s grandfather Eberhard Schmitt and his wife. The pastor for the baptism was Lutheran minister Carl August Gottlieb Storch (1764-1831) one of the founding fathers of the Lutheran church in piedmont North Carolina, who served as the pastor of the Organ (Zion) Lutheran Church from 1788 until 1823.

Credit Line

Lent by the Family of Mrs. C. J. A. Stirewalt