Manuscript Group 351 JULIUS F. SACHSE DEPOSIT OF EPHRATA CLOISTER MATERIALS 1680-1939 (bulk 1725-1931)
8 cubic feet
Julius Friedrich Sachse (b. 1842 - d. 1919) was an author and historian from Philadelphia
who specialized in researching Pennsylvania-German culture. Materials in this
collection include correspondence, articles, books, hymns, wills, photographs
and other materials either collected by or written by Sachse concerning the history
and religious development of the Ephrata Cloister of the Seventh Day German Baptist
Brethern formed at Ephrata in 1732 and its sister community, the Snow Hill Cloister,
in Franklin County that was incorporated in 1823. The Ephrata Cloister was a mystical
communal religious sect founded by Georg Conrad Beissel in 1728 and was noted
for its fraktur, music, and 18th century imprints. Included are 18th century Ephrata
imprints on religious subjects, hymn books, a copy of Geistliche Harmonien
(Dresden, 1680), biographical material concerning leaders and members of the cloister,
and information relating to other religious groups located in Lancaster and Chester
counties, including the Moravians (United Brethern), Schwenkfelders, Dunkards
(Church of the Brethren, Conservative Dunkers), and Sabbatarians. Some of the
material is in German.
