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Birth and baptismal certificate for George Baehr

Creator: Daniel Otto (Attributed)
Offered by: Philip Bradley Antiques

Description
The decoration and Fraktur lettering on this certificate are firmly attributable to artist Daniel Otto (c. 1770–c. 1820). The German script used to infill the genealogical information was done by another, unknown scrivener. It records the birth, baptism, confirmation, and marriage of the certificate’s original owner, George Baehr, as well as the Baehr family’s westward movement from Berks to Schuylkill to Centre County, Pennsylvania. The certificate begins with a record of George Baehr’s birth on April 3, 1803 in Alsace Township, Berks County, to Johannes and Elisabeth (Petri) Baehr. He was baptized on May 1 by Pastor Muhlenberg, likely Rev. Henry Augustus Muhlenberg (1782–1844). The certificate then goes on to note his confirmation into the Lutheran church in the year 1819 by Pastor Minnig in Pine Grove Township, Schuylkill County, and his marriage to Catharina Schneider, a daughter of Johannes Schneider, on August 17, 1823. George Baehr/Bear is listed in the 1820, 1830, 1840 U.S. Census as a resident of Miles Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania. Miles Township was also the home of Daniel Otto, who is listed there in the tax records from 1808 to 1817 as a weaver. Otto also appears in the church records of the St. Peter’s Lutheran and Reformed Church in Rebersburg, Miles Township, until 1816. By the time of 1850 U.S. Census, George and Catharine Baehr/Bear had moved back to Pine Grove Township, Schuylkill County, where they appear again in the 1860 and 1870 U.S. Census.

More Information

Origin:	United States, Pennsylvania
Period:	19th Century
Materials:	Watercolor and ink on wove paper
Creation Date:	Probably Centre County, Pennsylvania, c. 1820
Styles / Movements:	Folk Art, Americana, Traditional
Dealer Reference #:	W-135
Incollect Reference #:	284562