Hoy -Hermenet Web Site

Hoy Family

Philipp (Hue - Hay) Hoy

Born - February 25,1765

Tulpehocken Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania

Married - May 22,1791

Tulpehocken Township, Exeter,

Berks County, Pennsylvania

Note by Janice Hoy - Phillip settled in the area of Berks County

above the Blue Mountain,

which in 1811 became Schuylkill County. Phillip and his son Henry became quite wealthy

during the coal rush in the early 1800's.

Died - January 21, 1844

West Brunswick Township, Orwigsburg,

Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

Burial - January 1844

St. John's Reformed Church Cemetery,

Orwigsburg, Berks County, Pennsylvania

Philip Hoy Chronicle

Penned by Calvin N. Hoy

Exactly when Philip Hoy moved to the Orwigsburg, Pa. area is unknown. However baptismal records at Red Church show Philip and his wife Anna Maria (Gilbert) Hoy were sponsors for the baptism of their niece, Anna Maria Gilbert, (Born: September 16, 1794, Baptized

October 12, 1794) Daughter of Anna Maria (Gilbert) Hoy's brother and sister-in-law,

Andreas and Christina (Miller) Gilbert.

In addition he is listed as a member of Christ’s Reformed Church in a document dated 1795, (later united with Zion’s Red Church in 1832) outside of Orwigsburg in Brunswick Township, Schuylkill County, then part of Berks County. Between 1816 and 1825 Philip was in charge for the expenditures of purchasing an organ for the Church. He later joined St Johns Reformed & Lutheran “Old White” Church located in Orwigsburg which was founded in 1831.

In 1800 Philip is listed as a farmer along with his wife and children in a census for that year. A deed dated 05/13/1800 shows he purchased 25 acres located in Manheim Township, Schuylkill County.

Schuylkill County was erected from Brunswick, Manheim and Pine Grove townships of Berks County in 1811. According to a publication called “Old Schuylkill Tales”, Phillip Hoy and others induced the nearby owners of saw mills along the creek that ran along the Borough to dam up the water supply for a period. At a signal from the men, the blowing of a horn, the flood gates were hoisted and the Mahanoy Creek had such a supply of water that the commissioners concluded that it would be an excellent town for manufacturing purposes and Orwigsburg became the County seat.

The Anthracite (hard Coal) industry and Canal business was starting to bloom at that time, and timber was a much needed commodity. Philip Hoy purchased land and/or made timber agreements for over 4,400 acres himself or in partnership with his sons and others until about 1837.

Philip also purchased four home/lots in the town of Orwigsburg. He purchased a Tavern in Orwigsburg which he leased in 1824. This is the same tavern/hotel which was called

"The Arcadian House" and was later operated by Irvin F. Hoy in the 1880‘s. The Fairview Farm owned by Thomas Hoy was originally Philips property and purchased by

Thomas after Philips death.

Land Agreements, Surveys & Deeds

1800 - 25 acres, 1803 - 934 acres, 1806 - 6 acres, 1814 - 1600 acres, 1818 - 11 acres,

1819 - 329 acres, 1820 - 160 acres, 1820 - 43 acres, 1821 - 25 acres, 1822 - 37 acres,

1823 - 62 acres, 1829 - 114 acres, 1831 - 334 acres, 1837 - 800 acres.

Source: Schuylkill Historical Society “Hoy papers”

"The Arcadian House" Hotel and Tavern

The Fairview Farm

Photograph Courtesy Calvin Hoy

Wife - Anna Maria (Gilbert) Hoy

Born - December 23 , 1770

New Hanover, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Died - February 5, 1856

Orwigsburg, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

Buried - St. John's Reformed Church Cemetery,

Orwigsburg, Berks County, Pennsylvania

To This Union 8 Children Were Born

Photograph Courtesy Calvin Hoy

Anna Maria's Father - Johann Conrad Gilbert

Born - April 29, 1734

Hoffenheim, Elsenz Germany

He Immigrated in 1750 on the Ship "Nancy"

Veteran - Revolutionary War

Married - April 19, 1757

New Hanover Lutheran Church

Trappe, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Occupation - Schoolmaster of the Red Zion Church in 1778

and He was an accomplished Fraktur Artist.

Died - January 26, 1812

Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

Buried - Zion Lutheran & Reformed Church Cemetery

Red Church Road

Orwigsburg, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

Photograph Courtesy Calvin Hoy

A Fraktur Attributed to Johann Conrad Gilbert
(Bern Township, Reading-Berks, Berks County)

"Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright,

for there is posterity for the man of peace"

"Anna Maria gergardin, 1787

A Psalm of David

Psalm 37:37

Photograph and Translation Courtesy of Jim & Calvin Hoy

Johann Conrad Gilbert (1734-1812) was a Fraktur artist and a local Lutheran schoolmaster who worked at several churches in Berks and Schuylkill Counties in Pennsylvania. He derived some of his design elements, including barefoot angels, from the works of Daniel Schumacher (c. 1728-1787), a Lutheran clergyman who decorated church records and made baptismal and confirmation certificates; he also borrowed from the work of the anonymous Sussel-Washington artist who in turn depicted the animals and long-necked birds and parrots from the Fraktur artist Heinrich Otto (c. 1770-c.1820).

Gilberts productions consisted of many baptismal records; presentation frakturs showing schoolmasters showing slates; images of the Easter rabbit (the earliest American drawing of this mythical creature); and religious texts. His work is distinguished by neat lines, deep colors, and the exotic attire of the angels he portrays. Firmly rooted in Pennsylvania German elementary education as practiced by the church, Gilbert's designs sought to delight children in their baptism, in the teachings of their church, in respect for school, and in household order. At the same time, his work appealed to childhood whimsy; one drawing, of bright red horses facing each other with a pious text, would immediately engage nearly any child. Gilbert did initial one piece, but his bold penmanship led to the artists identification long before the initialed piece was discovered.

Gilbert married and had a large family. To one grandson he left his family Bible with "writings therein." undoubtedly some family frakturs. These seem to have been lost-a real tragedy, as baptismal records for his own children were especially carefully made.

The Above Information is an excerpt from...

The Encyclopedia of Fork Art

Gerard C. Wertkin & Lee Kogan.

The term Fraktur is used today to describe a wide variety of Pennsylvania German folk-art documents. In this particular incarnation, embellishment "beyond necessity" seems to be an adequate definition of folk art. The word Fraktur, which means "fractured" or "broken apart," has its origin in the presentation of text in discrete letters as opposed to a cursive hand. In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the vast influx of immigrants from what is now Germany and Switzerland brought the tradition to Pennsylvania, where it underwent considerable evolution. Schoolteachers in the rural areas made a very large percentage of the Fraktur that survives today.

The most prevalent form of Fraktur consists of birth and baptismal records (geburts und taufschein -- often simply referred to as taufschein) -- essentially serious religious pieces with colorful, exuberant additions to delight the eye. House blessings (haus segen), writing examples (vorschriften), and narratives (such as the parable of the prodigal son) are also included among the many varieties of Fraktur that one encounters in Pennsylvania. Typically created with ink and watercolor on paper, most of these documents are approximately thirteen by sixteen inches.

Two additional Examples of Gilbert's other known artworks

which depict the parrots and barefoot angels are shown below...

The Gilbert Rabbit

Theorem Painting. This adaptation was taken from a watercolor drawing (ca. 1795-1800) by fraktur artist, John Conrad Gilbert (1734-1812). This is believed to be the earliest known portrayal in American art of the mythical "Easter Rabbit".

John Conrad was from Berks County, Pennsylvania and probably created his drawing from Pennsylvania Dutch Folklore in which the rabbit laid the eggs that were deliverd to children for Easter.

The story of the Easter Rabbit stems from early Germany, when it was believed that the goddess "Ostara" had the power to transform birds into animals.