Portrait of an elderly Moravian man, sitting on a chair, showing both hands, one button is missing. gold frame.
David Nitschmann (1676-1758), 'Altvater', born in Zauchtental, Moravia, married Anna Schneider (1702), imprisoned (1724?), escaped and went to Herrnhut (1725), missionary in St. Croix (1733-37), went to Pennsylvania (1740), one of the founders of Bethlehem, felled the first tree for the new community, became proprietor of the Moravian property (1751). He died in Bethlehem. Anna Nitschmann ('Caritas') was his daughter.
Written in Kurrent in the German language, this document is a biographical memoir of Theodora (1742–1761), a woman associated with the Delaware (Lenape) Nation who was born in 1742 in Minisink. The narrative recounts her family background, childhood, religious instruction, and experiences within the Moravian community. The account reflects themes of hardship, Christian conversion, spiritual development, and participation in Moravian religious life, while also providing insight into Indigenous experiences and Moravian missionary activity in colonial North America.
Reinke, Samuel (1818)
Portrait of a young man from the side, black jacket, white scarve, in oval
Samuel Reinke (1791‐1875), born in Lititz, Brüderpfleger and ‐Vorsteher in Lititz (1816‐1819), married with Susanna Theodora Eyerle (1819), ordained a deacon (1819) and served in Lancaster, Philadelphia, Newport, Lititz. In 1826 Susanna Re‐inke died in Lititz and Samuel remarried with Charlotte Sophia Hüffel (1827). They served in Graceham, Lancaster, Nazareth, Bethlehem, New York, and in Lititz. He was a member of the PHC (1839‐1847) and was ordained a bishop (1858). Samuel Reinke suffered from a weak health. He died in Bethlehem.
Portrait of Johanna Ingerheidt Schmick (1721-1795)
Schmick was a missionary to the Delaware and Mahican Indians first in Gnadenhütten, Pennsylvania in 1751 and later in Gnadenhütten, Ohio in 1773. Gnadenhütten translates to "village of grace." In 1782, U.S. militiamen from Pennsylvania attacked the Ohio settlement and massacred 96 men, women, and children who were pacifist Moravian Indians (primarily Lenape and Mohican).
Born Johanna Ingerheidt in Larvik, Norway, she arrived in Pennsylvania in 1752 on
the Moravian transport the Irene. She married John Jacob Schmick in 1752 in Bethlehem.
Restoration funded by Mr. and Mrs. Walter L. Peters
Portrait of Catherine Huber (1703-1798)
Huber moved to Nazareth during the General Economy period. She cared for the community’s sick and oversaw the nursery, which was located in this building. Children between the ages of 18 months and four years lived together in the nursery under the care of a few Single Sisters. The nursery allowed parents to contribute to the General Economy without the interruption of child rearing. Children in the nursery learned hymns by heart and practiced remaining attentive throughout religious services. At bedtime, the children sang an evening hymn.
