JOHANNES SCHWALM HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, INC.

2011 ANNUAL MEETING

Dear Members and Friends of JSHA,

You are cordially invited to attend the 37th Annual Meeting of the Johannes Schwalm Historical Association billed as "Hessian Heritage Day" on Sunday, July 10, 2011 at Valley View Park, Valley View, Schuylkill County, PA beginning at 10:00 a.m. Admission is free to all and all are encouraged to register at the registration booth upon arrival. This event will be held rain or shine as pavilions and trees offer shelter and shade.

Genealogy, history, folklore, fun, fellowship and food are the ingredients for the Hessian Heritage Day event. Throughout the day short talks and demonstrations will be given on a variety of topics. This year some topics will include how to research your Hessian ancestor, materials available at the David Library of the American Revolution in Washington Crossing, PA, Native American plant lore, making noodles, various representatives from Hessian families and some Civil War demonstrations. Children's activities include a playground, piņata, games and stories. Group photos of various Hessian families and family branches will be taken at 1:00 p.m.

2011 marks the 235th anniversary of the arrival of the Hessians in America. If you have paid your 2011 annual membership, you will receive your membership card in this mailing and you will be able to pick up your 2011 issue of The Hessians: Journal of the Johannes Schwalm Historical Association at the annual meeting (or it will be mailed to you the following week). Special entertainment has been arranged for the afternoon. The Rhinelanders, an authentic German band from the Reading area, will present a concert from 12:00 noon until 2:30 p.m. on the park stage.e.

In commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War, the editorial committee and the board of directors have decided to offer a special monograph of all of the available Samuel Schwalm letters in original form and transcription. The monograph will include a history of the unit in which Samuel Schwalm fought by John Hoptak as well as the articles by David Schwalm previously published by JSHA. This will be a special all-in-one publication of JSHA and will be available for purchase at the annual meeting or on the JSHA website and will not be part of the annual membership benefit.

For many years, Don Reed has worked on updating the descendants of Johannes Schwalm and their allied families. Don has gathered information via the U.S. census and compiled almost 2000 pages of information on the descendants of the children and grandchildren of Johannes Schwalm. The information will be offered on a subscription basis only and will appear in either four or five volumes each of which may be purchased separately. Copies will be available at the annual meeting for examination and orders will be taken there or on the JSHA website. Format will be in loose leaf binder.

JSHA continues to be the only source for information regarding the British Navy Board minutes for the Revolutionary War period. JSHA has included research and filming in the 2011 budget and will continue to seek funds to continue purchasing copies of research material, including the Navy Board minutes from The National Archives (TNA) in Kew, England. Donations above and beyond the annual dues may be sent to JSHA at the above address.

Exhibits for Hessian Heritage Day include a replica of a Hessian Grenadier Helmet, watercolor paintings of the original costumes and an actual costume from the Schwalm Valley, Hesse, Germany, original Civil War letters of Captain Samuel Schwalm and more. Family members and friends are encouraged to bring items for display, especially unusual everyday items from the past. A special table will be entitled "What Is It?" and will be part of the usual guessing games for the day. Prizes will be awarded for the most unusual item brought and shared and for the largest number of correctly guessed items. Items need to be brought to the registration booth by 10:30 a.m. Other guessing games will also help defray the cost of the day's events. The sales booth will offer the 2011 issue of the journal, The Hessians of Lewis Miller, the biography of Theodore R. Schwalm, journals from the last 34 years, badges, other related items and new for 2011, matching caps and t-shirts with the JSHA logo.

Many attendees bring their own picnic lunches. Traditional bean soup is cooked in a large iron kettle, hot dogs and beverages are available and for sale. The day will conclude with a short business meeting followed by a "Kaffeeklatsch" with coffee and punch provided. Donations of cookies, pies or cakes would be appreciated.

An exhibit entitled "Paint, Pattern and People, Painted Furniture of Southeastern Pennsylvania, 1725-1850" at the Winterthur Museum in Winterthur, DE features the Jacob Masser desk from the Mahantongo Valley and a painted box for A. Stiely. Jacob Masser is the great-grandfather of descendants of Johann Nicolaus Bahner. It is uncertain if the box was made for Anna Knorr Stiely or Angelina Stiely Clark. In either case, A. Stiely is a great-grandmother to descendants of Johannes Schwalm who are also connected to the Henry B. and Angelina Stiely Clark family. Anna Stiely is also the wife of Rev. Isaac Faust Stiely who was a traveling circuit minister of the Mahantongo area and baptized, married and carved tombstones for Schwalm descendants. The exhibit opened April 2, 2011 and continues through the end of the year.

Valley View Park is located in Valley View, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, 8 miles west of I-81, Exit 112. Follow Route 25 toward Hegins to Gap Street in Valley View and turn left toward the gap in the mountain. Directional signs will be posted. For further information or if you would be willing to share a talk or demonstration, contact N. Daniel Schwalm, Annual Meeting Coordinator, at shamokinschwalms@verizon.net. We hope to see you and your family at the Annual Meeting on Sunday July 10, 2011.

Sincerely,
Linda B. Schwalm, Membership Chairperson and Annual Meeting Committee

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