Miller, Johann Peter, & Jacob Gass [i.e. Brother Lamech].

Chronicon Ephratense, enthaltend den Lebens-Lauf des ehrwürdigen Vaters in Christo Friedsam Gottrecht, weyland Stiffters und Vorstehers des geistl. Ordens der Einsamen in Ephrata in der Grafschaft Lancaster in Pennsylvania . Zusa[m]en getragen von Br. Lamech u. Agrippa

Ephrata: [The Cloister], 1786. First edition, 4to, pp. [6], 250, [2]; printed in black letter throughout; engraved vignette pasted on title page; prelims and terminals waterstained, small tear in the lower margin of title (not touching letterpress), old ownership signature at the top of the title page of Christian Stauffer (1736-1808) and a 30-line poem also presumably by him on the final blank leaf, as well as a few marginal annotations; contemporary full calf, front cover detached, but present; the whole in a new cloth clamshell box. An abstract of the diary of the Brotherhood, which had been kept by Brother Lamech, and continued and edited by Brother Jaebez (Agrippa) i.e. Johan Peter Miller. Brother Lamech has been identified as Jacob Gass by Seidensticker (First Century of German Printing in America, p. 117). Evans 19558: "This biography of Johann Conrad Beissel, the founder of the Ephrata Community, is the principal source of information regarding that remarkable institution. Brother Agrippa is Johann Peter Miller; and Brother Lamech's secular name is said to be Jacob Gass. An English translation was printed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1890." Howes G76 identifying this as the second issue (of three), with the title page seal pasted on. Item #25988

Price: $6,500.00