Above: Huber-Brubacher barn as seen on Google Maps Street View.
This site was originally part of the 1734 Samuel Huber Homestead. The beautiful brick-gable barn was built in 1854 by David Brubacher (1814-1884) and wife Elizabeth (Hess) Brubacher (1818-1862). David Brubacher was a Mennonite deacon. His sister Barbara and her husband Christian B. Snyder owned the nearby Huber's Tavern.
The adjoining brick farmhouse, now demolished, was built in 1853, also by David and Elizabeth (Hess) Brubacher. It was built over the foundation of a smaller structure, built by Samuel and Barbara Huber in 1783. The datestone was salvaged from the basement after demolition of that house. This farm descended to Samuel Huber's son Peter, who left the Lititz area for Waterloo, Ontario, ca. 1819.
Satellite View (Left Blue Pin):
Above: Huber-Brubacher Farm (Left pin). View this farm in a larger Google map.
Photo of the Former Farm:
Photo is on Display in the Barn: Today is Zig's Bakery and Cafe:
Datestone from the House:
Datestone from the house built by Samuel and Barbara Huber in 1783. Stone is inscribed " Samuel Huber / Barabara HausFrau (Housewife) 1783." They built the house as their retirement home along Newport Pike. (Datestone: Clarke Hess Collection)
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1851: A Poignant Patchwork Memorial for Deceased Baby Joseph Brubacher,
Made by his Mother in Memory of his Short Life here at this Huber-Brubacher Farm:
Above: The infant Joseph Brubacher had only a few brief months here on this farm with his family. After his death his grieving mother created this unusual calico memorial to ensure that the memory of Joseph's life would continue.
The family pieced together 14 samples of fabric that Joseph's mother had received from relatives and family friends to be sewn for his baby clothing. Each fabric sample has the name of the donor. The memorial is sewn in the form of a doll quilt, with calico lining on the reverse. A handwritten label says “These are all the dresses of Joseph Brubaker who died age 5 months and 16 days 1851.” During this era baby boys and girls both wore childs' dresses.
Baby Joseph was the son of David and Elizabeth (Hess) Brubacher, who built this brick-end barn, which is now Zig's Bakery and Cafe. Joseph is buried in the Huber Graveyard, an almost-forgotten family cemetery located a half mile west of the barn. Baby Joseph's grave marker there has long been lost, but his calico memorial survives into the future, for all to see. (Clarke Hess Collection)
The 14 name on the fabrics are:
Grandfather Brubaker : Joseph Brubaker (1785-1875) living on the Bucher-Brubacher Farm.
Grandmother Hess : Elizabeth (Risser) Hess (1794-1879) living on the Risser-Hess Farm.
Aunt Barbrie Snyder: Barbara (Brubacher) Snyder (1813-1893) living on the Huber's Tavern Farm.
Aunt Susan Brubaker: Susan (Rudy) Brubaker (1815-1894) / Mrs. Joseph B. Brubaker living on the Bucher-Brubacher Farm.
Aunt Mary Hess: Mary (Shenk) Hess (1826-1863) / Mrs. Jacob R. Hess living on the Risser-Hess Farm.
Aunt Mattie Hess: Martha (Wissler) Hess (1832-1914) / Mrs. Samuel R. Hess living on a farm near Lincoln, Ephrata Township.
Aunt Anna Hess: Annie (Stauffer) Hess (1831-1904) / Mrs. John R. Hess living at Leaman Place, near Bird-in-Hand.
Aunt Mary Erb: Mary (Hess) Erb (1815-1888) / Mrs. Daniel S. Erb born on the Risser-Hess Farm.
Aunt Nancy Rohrer: Nancy (Hess) Rohrer (1826-1880) / Mrs. Israel Rohrer, born on the Risser-Hess Farm.
Aunt Lizzie Brubaker: Elizabeth (Sheaffer) Brubaker (1822-1910) / Mrs. Levi B. Brubaker. By 1860 they were living on the Bomberger-Brubaker Farm.
Aunt Leah Brubaker: Leah (Keller) Brubaker (1831-1897) / Mrs. Jonas B. Brubaker living on the Bomberger Farm at 201 Memorial Road.
Aunt Martha Huber: Martha (Hess) Huber (1817-1875) / Mrs. Abraham B. Huber born on the Risser-Hess Farm.
Neighbor Mrs. John Hess: Elizabeth (Brubacher) Hess (1831-1865) / wife of the historian John H. Hess living on the John H. Hess Farm.
Old Mrs. Huber: Maria (Baer) Huber (1782-1863) / Mrs. Abraham Huber, living on the Hans Ulrich Huber Homestead, intersection of Brunnerville Road and Newport Road.
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Image credit: Zig's Cafe and Bakery.
Above: The barn has been converted to Zig's Cafe and Bakery, and the Brick Gables events venue. The house does not survive.
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