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FRIDAY AUGUST 5, 2022 • VOL. 52, NO. 31
Captain Peter Ickes’ House And Tankard Discovery And Historical Connection By James Fritz
plot plan drawn by Jacob Fahnstock, dated ca. 1807, noted that Peter Ickes owned lot 27, upon which my house was constructed, ca. 1760-90. Startling Discovery I am somewhat of a bibliophile, and while at the York Antiques Show, I was perusing a book titled, “The Pennsylvania Germans: A Celebration of Their Works 16831850,” produced jointly by The Philadelphia Art Museum and Winterthur Museum in 1983. Then, I came upon a full-page photograph of a pewter tankard with inscriptions and a man holding a sword on a horse. Then, to my amazement, the words, “Huzza For Capt Ickes, Liberty or Death,” were inscribed on the tankard, made by William Will and in the collection of Winterthur Museum. William Will (1742-98), of Philadelphia, was arguably the most prolific pewterer from the American Revolutionary period. He was famous in his own right, having risen to the rank of colonel in the Continental Army in 1776-77. Soon after the Revolutionary War, Ickes’ men presented him with
This is a story about restoration and discovery of historical connections between my house, Capt. Peter Ickes and his part in the American Revolution. As it developed, I also learned, by chance, of a pewter tankard presented to Ickes following the Revolutionary War. During the Revolution and the weeks leading up to the outbreak of the war, so-called patriots in York County were persecuting neighbors who were pacifist German Baptist Brethren. Peter Ickes, a German speaker now seeking approval from an English speaking society, was willing to fine and seize property from neighbors, pursuant to the Oath Act and Militia Act of 1777 and The front of Capt. Peter Ickes’ house near the town square in 1778. During the Revolution, Abbottstown, Pa. Note dovetailed log ends on left. Quakers, Mennonites and German Baptists and some German speakcould find on the Ickes family. Peter Rauschkammer in the attic to ers were viewed by the gathering Ickes was born in Limerick smoke meats. These antagonists as traitors to the revoTownship, Montgomery County, and Rauschkammers, or attic smokelution and loyal to King George. was a co-founder of Swamp houses, consisted of an enclosed Since landing on the shores of Lutheran church. In 1772, he moved wall built near the chimney that was Pennsylvania, at the invitation of to Berwick Village (Abbottstown, constructed in the attic and rested William Penn, German speakers Pa.), where he served as a postmas- on the floor and attached to heavy maintained their loyalty to a ter, innkeeper, and deacon support beams. Holes were made in monarch, which was part of of St John’s Lutheran the chimney so that smoke could their experience in Europe. Church, located just across surround the meats and round porThey could not grasp an the alley from my house. tals in the gable end allows excess alliance to a piece of paper Peter Ickes (1748-1829) smoke to escape to the outside. I called the Declaration of was a prominent member found numerous “rose head” nails Independence and supportof his community during that had been driven into the hand ed by many Scots-Irish, who the American Revolution. hewn attic rafters and collar ties. in many cases were their He was elected captain of The stone side exhibits antagonists. his militia group early on, “dressed” stone in the front. The In 2001, I was in the and it is believed that he window placement in the rear of the market for a historic house, served as part of a guard stone building is not uniform, but is so when I came upon this force at Camp Security in original. The gable end of the stone quaint duplex near the town York. The prisoners were side exhibits two circular brick porsquare in Abbottstown, Pa., I Hessians along with British tals that are at the attic level. This noticed that the stone side Gen. Burgoyne’s Army. architectural feature is found in had segmented stone arches Ickes’ son George was a barns and dwelling houses in York over the windows and the colonel in the War of 1812 and Lancaster County. Residences roof line had a steep pitch. and is buried along with constructed in the Moravian comThe other side was covered other progeny of Capt. munity in Lititz have many homes with aluminum siding, and it Ickes. with similar portals. All windows had a long concrete porch. I Capt. Peter Ickes House and doors are of large wooden morwas determined to restore The two-story log with tise and tenon construction. The the property and replace stone half dwelling was window sashes are nine over six on features that weren’t origiGeorgian but likely con- the first floor and six over six on the nal to the structure. When Pewter mug/tankard owned by Capt. Peter Ickes, structed by German speak- second floor. Both heavy chevron the aluminum siding came attributed to William Will, ca. 1785, bequest of Henry ers. The log half had interi- doors are reproductions and hung off, I was elated to find a log Francis DuPont, 1967, Winterthur Museum, Image or beaded board walls. The with period strap hinges on pintles. structure with dovetail log courtesy of Winterthur Museum & Gardens. window openings on the The log side of the structure as well ends all in good shape. log side of the house were as the stone side had a “winder” Abbottstown was a way station the tankard for his service. The lengthened and two new windows staircase. A cistern for the collecfor travelers in Colonial times, and tankard is engraved with the above cut out on the gable end, sometime tion of rain water was discovered one can imagine the lines of inscription, “Liberty or Death” echo- in the 1870s or ’80s. after the concrete pavement was drovers cursing and whipping the ing Patrick Henry’s famous speech The stone side of the house had removed. On this cistern now rests oxen while pulling the huge to the Virginia Convention in 1775. original interior doors and hard- a period log water pump with iron Conestoga wagons up the hill, with My heart jumped at this discov- ware, with minimal alterations, and hardware. bells ringing. It was a crossroads ery upon seeing Peter Ickes’ name. had all the hallmarks of an 18thThe common roof is shingled town, linking East Berlin, Hanover, A footnote read he had moved from century Germanic structure, based with cedar (oak) shakes, which is York and Gettysburg. Montgomery County at the end of upon the layout of rooms and their typical of this time period. I had no idea of the structure’s the 18th century to Abbottstown. I utilitarian purposes. Rubble stone Projecting from the cabin is a cenlineage but researched the plans could not believe I was beginning to was used in the rear of the building, tral chimney. This chimney rests on showing the lots laid out for what discover these strands of history, so and there is a 6-feet-deep root cel- cross beams located in the garret of Continued on page 5 was then called Berwick Village. A I gathered all the information I lar under the floor of the cabin, with
Doylestown Arts Festival Announces Artist Lineup Annual Event Set For Sept. 10 And 11 The organizers of the Doylestown Arts Festival are excited to announce the juried lineup of artists who will brighten the borough streets for this year’s event, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 10 and 11, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Local and regional independent artists selected to participate span a variety of styles and mediums, including a mix of interactive and live art. Categories include Fine Art, Glass, Illustration, Photography, Jewelry, Metal, Mixed Media, Pottery, Printmaking, Recycled Art, Textiles, and Wood. As plans for the 2022 festival continue, organizers are hopeful that more artists may be added in the upcoming weeks if space allows. Visit www.dtownartsfestival.com/artists to view artists Continued on page 7
Speciality Coin Online-Only Sales Slated Multiple Sessions Of Lifetime Collection To Be Sold By Gehman Auctions Gehman Auctions of Ephrata, Pa., is putting together a five-session online-only sale of a lifetime coin collection. These sales will run through HiBid.com. The first one is going on currently and will close Wednesday, Aug. 10. It consists of 400-plus lots of rare, silver, key date and colonial currency. Many are graded and mint condition. This is an opportunity to acquire Continued on page 4
In This Issue SHOPS, SHOWS & MARKETS . . . . . . . . . starting on page 2 SHOPS DIRECTORY . . . . . . . . . on page 4 EVENT & AUCTION CALENDAR . on page 5 AUCTION SALE BILLS . . starting on page 5 AUCTIONEER DIRECTORY . . . . on page 5
FEATURED RESULTS: Heritage Auctions’ June 16 To 19 Comics And Comic Art Signature Auction - Page 2
CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . .on page 7