Norman Gasbarro | December 26, 2010
A previous post on the Pennsylvania Dutch language gave words that were used to name various occupations. This post deals with religion. Religion was an important part of life in the community and in many cases, the Pennsylvania Dutch attended worship services that were conducted in German. Previously mentioned also was that Rev. Dr. William […]
Norman Gasbarro | December 25, 2010
With the secession crisis undoubtedly on the minds of most people, the Philadelphia Inquirer chose to publish news of a more social nature in its Christmas day edition, 25 December 1860. The following selections are nearly all from page one: CHRISTMAS DAY IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH – Christmas day is celebrated with unusual pomp in […]
Norman Gasbarro | December 24, 2010
The Harrisburg Patriot, a weekly newspaper in 1860, published its last edition before Christmas on 20 December. The first four pages were crammed with news of impending crisis. There was very little social, economic, agricultural, or personal news. One article pointed out that the country had been in this state before – in fact, ten […]
Norman Gasbarro | December 22, 2010
In a box of pictures kept by Hannah [Rickert] Riegle of Specktown Road in Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, was the above picture of an unknown person, possibly a member of a military band, holding an instrument that is not often seen today. Hannah was the wife of Harrison Riegle (1840-1899) who served in the […]
Norman Gasbarro | December 22, 2010
Judith Giesberg’s Army at Home: Women and the Civil War on the Northern Home Front (University of North Carolina Press, 2009), caught my attention while browsing in the open stacks at the Central Library here in Philadelphia a few weeks ago. Imagine my surprise when I opened the book to find several pages devoted to […]
;