vihart00027A Guide to the Henkel Family Papers, 1783-1916 SC 0099Orville W. Bame, Chris Bolgiano, Trevor AlvordJames Madison University Libraries Special Collections

December 1988, January 1989, March 1990, March 2011

820 Madison DriveMSC 1706Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807Telephone: (540) 568-3612library-special@jmu.eduURL:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-10-08 07:06:18 -0400.Description is written in: English, Latin script.Describing Archives: A Content Standard2017Collection renumbered.2022-12-01Oversize series was intellectually removed and items were arranged into other existing series. James Madison University Libraries Special Collections Henkel Family Papers Henkel family Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society SC 0099 /repositories/4/resources/398 2.44 cubic feet 3 boxes 1783-1916 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. English 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.

 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).

 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.

 Alternate Formats

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

Poem about slavery, written by a slave - Unknown Author, undated (English) Report of the Transactions of the Second Evangelical Lutheran Conference held in Zion's Church, Sulivan County Tennessee, October 22, 1821 (English) Henkel manuscript: Woodstock Virginia, January 26, 1829 (English) Henkel Press Song Book, undated (German) Minutes of the Proceedings of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of the State of Virginia, 1833 (English) Short Excerpt of the Transactions of the Synod of the Lutheran Ministry, held in the state of North Carolina in the year of our Lord, 1817 (German) 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 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. Virginia -- History Clergy -- Virginia Printers -- Virginia Printers -- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) Printing -- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History German imprints -- Virginia -- New Market Religious literature -- Publication and distribution -- Virginia Religious literature, German -- Publication and distribution -- Virginia Lutheran Church -- Virginia New Market (Va.) -- History New Market (Va.) -- Genealogy New Market (Va.) -- Imprints Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- Social life and customs Rockingham County (Va.) -- History Virginia -- History, Local Virginia -- Church history -- 19th century Family papers Genealogies (histories) Advertisements Newspapers Publications (documents) Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society Henkel, Ambrose, 1786-1870 -- Correspondence Henkel, Paul, 1754-1825 -- Correspondence Henkel, Socrates, Rev., 1823-1901 -- Correspondence Salyards, Joseph, 1808-1885 -- Correspondence Henkel family -- Correspondence Correspondence1/repositories/4/archival_objects/25681806-1892Correspondence/repositories/4/archival_objects/25691804-182011Scope and Content

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

Correspondence/repositories/4/archival_objects/25701821-189212Scope and Content

German & English. Numerous letters from North Carolina

Correspondence/repositories/4/archival_objects/2571undated13Correspondence - Salyards/repositories/4/archival_objects/25721846-1891, undated14Scope 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

Westliche Correspondenz/repositories/4/archival_objects/26031806-1822OV 18Scope and Content

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

Religious Documents2/repositories/4/archival_objects/25731783-1897Service literature/repositories/4/archival_objects/2574undated15Scope and Content

Prayers, organization of service, responsive readings

Sermons/repositories/4/archival_objects/25751841-189716Scope and Content

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

Music/repositories/4/archival_objects/25761829, undated17Scope and Content

Fragments of religious songbooks, some with notations

Scope and Contents

Includes Henkel Press Song Book, undated (German).

Music/repositories/4/archival_objects/25981868, undatedOV 13Scope and Content

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

Religious issues/repositories/4/archival_objects/25771783-188918Scope and Content

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

Religious issues/repositories/4/archival_objects/2578undated19Marriage licenses/repositories/4/archival_objects/25791825-1856110Scope and Content

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

Miscellaneous church papers/repositories/4/archival_objects/25801813-1892, undated111Scope 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

Secular Documents3/repositories/4/archival_objects/25811790-1910Prose and poetry/repositories/4/archival_objects/25821864, undated112Speeches/repositories/4/archival_objects/2583undated113Scope and Content

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

Business documents/repositories/4/archival_objects/25841790-191021Scope and Content

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

Grocery list/repositories/4/archival_objects/26061843OV 111Spelling book identified as "Solon P.C. Henkel 1832,"/repositories/4/archival_objects/2585183222Schoolbook - surveying/repositories/4/archival_objects/2586undated23Schoolbook - navigation/repositories/4/archival_objects/2587undated24Schoolbook - word problems, with fraktur, Tobias McGaughey/repositories/4/archival_objects/2588undated25Miscellaneous/repositories/4/archival_objects/26051904-1916, undatedOV 110Family History4/repositories/4/archival_objects/2589Family history/repositories/4/archival_objects/2590undated26Henkel Press publications5/repositories/4/archival_objects/25911806-1891Henkel Press - Miscellaneous printing drafts/repositories/4/archival_objects/25921811-181727Scope and Content

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

Henkel Press - Publications, Pamphlets/repositories/4/archival_objects/25931806-189128Scope 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

Rolled list of subscribers/repositories/4/archival_objects/2595undatedOV 1Wool carding advertisements/repositories/4/archival_objects/25961809-1816OV 11Scope and Content

Handwritten drafts and printed advertisements

Miscellaneous announcements/repositories/4/archival_objects/25971809-1858, 1879, undatedOV 12Scope 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

Miscellaneous publications/repositories/4/archival_objects/26041782-1824, undatedOV 19Scope 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)

Virginische Volksberichter und Neumarketer Wochenshrift/repositories/4/archival_objects/25991807-1808OV 14Scope and Content

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

Virginische Volksberichter und Neumarketer Wochenshrift/repositories/4/archival_objects/26001808OV 15Scope 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

Virginische Volksberichter und Neumarketer Wochenshrift/repositories/4/archival_objects/26011808OV 16Scope 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

Virginische Volksberichter und Neumarketer Wochenshrift/repositories/4/archival_objects/26021809OV 17Scope 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