Books and Manuscripts Owned by Previous Hesses who Lived in the Log Farmhouse

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Rocking Annie's Cradle: 1852 Note from Henry Hess to his son Aaron:

 

 

Above: 1852 note penned by Henry Hess Jr. (1821-1908) who was born in the log farmhouse. Henry wrote the note for his three-year-old son Aaron who was rocking the cradle of Aaron's baby sister Anna, while the mother was sick in bed. Note's text: Aaron Hess was born 25th November 1848. Ritten they (Written the) 29 of February A. D. 1852 on Sunday After Noon When I and Aaron was Alone in they Kitchen and Muther was lait in bet (laid in bed) of Stifness in her left erm and her Right Knee So that she was harley (hardly) abel to heb (help) her self then I Rote (wrote) this for to Pliece him to Rock Sister Anna Slebing (sleeping). My hand this day this day as dadet (dated) above as they father of ths cheldren (this children). My name is this Henry Hess Jr. Henrich Hess Jr.

The Mennonite hymnbook has an ownership inscription of this Henry Hess Jr. The book, A Collection of Psalms and Hymns, was published in 1894 in Elkhart, Indiana, by the Mennonite Publishing Company.

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Three Hess Homestead Books on Annie Hess' Sewing Stand (Another Annie):

 

Above: Books: (Top to bottom): Top book: 1785 Ausbund printed in Germantown, PA, with ownership inscription of Preacher John Hess (1768-1830). He lived in the log farmhouse until 1815, when he built a retirement house at the end of the driveway. Only part of that retirement house survived into the 1930s, when it was converted into a spring house. Center book:  German-language Bible printed in Philadelphia, owned by Anna H. Hess who married John S. Franck. With manuscript family records of Henry and Catherine (Huber) Hess and family records of Christian and Catherine (Snyder) Franck. Anna Hess was born in the log farmhouse in 1839. Bottom book: 1814 Martyrs' Mirror printed in Lancaster, with German-script family records of Henry Hess Sr. and Catherine (Huber) Hess. Henry was born in the log farmhouse in 1794, and died there in 1867. Catherine and Henry married in 1814, and lived in the log farmhouse until her death in 1879.

The sewing stand, above, was brought to the log farmhouse by Annie Franck in 1862, when she married Jonas H. Hess. Before Annie got married she lived nearby at Kissel Hill.

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Hess Family Records in a Martyrs' Mirror:

 

 

 Above: Detail of Martyrs' Mirror book shown above on the sewing stand. The German-script family records are for Henry Hess and Catherine (Huber) Hess. Henry was born in the log farmhouse in 1794, and died there in 1867. Catherine and Henry married in 1814, and lived in the log farmhouse until her death in 1879.

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 1785 Ausbund with Ownership Inscription of Preacher John Hess:

 

Above: 1785 Ausbund shown on the sewing stand above. It's a Mennonite and Amish hymnbook printed in Germantown, PA, with German-script inscription on the flyleaf: "This book belongs to me Johannes Hess. I have bought it from Christian Eby for 7 shillings and 7 pence." Preacher John Hess (1768-1830) lived in the log farmhouse with wife Esther (Hershey) Hess (1769-1824).

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Henry and Annie Hess' Marriage Record:

 

Above: Marriage record for Henry F. and Anna C. Hess. Henry was born in the log farmhouse, and is a first cousin to Clarke Hess' great grandfather. The family records are in a Philadelphia Bible given to six-year-old Annie C. Shenk in 1887 from her grandfather John Shenk.  Anna later became Mrs. Henry F. Hess, and they lived in the log farmhouse.

In the fall of 1921, Anna and Henry moved from the Hess Homestead to the Shenk farm in Lancaster Township that became today's Conestoga House and Gardens. Anna and Henry, with their son Raymond, were the last Hesses to live at the Hess Homestead, until Clarke Hess purchased the property in 1985.

Annie's grandfather John Shenk and her father Benjamin Shenk had owned that Shenk farm, which was purchased by Hale and Louise Steinman in 1927 to become the Conestoga House.

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