Menges Family History

Solomon Mangus Taufschein

Origins of Taufscheins

Taufscheins were in great demand by Pennsylvania German families as a child was not properly baptized if there was no certificate to show for it. The importance of baptism in the Lutheran Church goes back to the time of Martin Luther when the purchase of indulgences was a common practice in the Catholic Church. Luther believed that the only way to enter heaven was through baptism. The baptismal certificate therefore became one of the most important documents for Lutherans to posses, as it was proof positive that a person had been baptized and was eligible to enter heaven. Thus the taufschein became sort of a ticket to paradise and to make sure there were no slips-ups, the certificates were often placed in the casket for burial with the deceased. This practice may or may not have assured entrance to paradise, but it definitely contributed to the disappearance of an American art form.

In the 18th century, the taufscheins were made by hand, usually by the local teacher, although there were professionals who traveled the countryside practicing their art. Little was needed in the way of materials for “frakturschriften,” the Pennsylvania German word for this folk art known as illuminated manuscripts. Quill pens were used for the lettering, and the ink was homemade. Paints were mixed with the white of egg and cherry-tree gum according to centuries-old receipts. The colors used in Solomon’s taufschein have withstood the test of time, whereas the ink has turned to reddish brown on paper faded to a biscuit-colored tan.

The colorful designs used in Solomon’s taufschein are characteristic of Pennsylvania German art and are similar to designs found in German, Swiss and Alsatian folk art. Some historians trace illuminators’ art through the centuries from Gaelic origins to its medieval development, to its renaissance in Pennsylvania late in the 18th century. Others believe there is a distant relationship between Pennsylvania German design and Persian art. Their beliefs are based on the infiltration of Eastern culture into Western Europe via the Venetian traders who carried the luxuries of the East to northern Italian cities, there to south Germany and down the Rhine. In this way the Rhineland was exposed to the tulips and flowers which the Persians used lavishly.

The Pennsylvania Germans’ love of color expressed itself in many ways – wooden barns, furniture, birth and baptismal certificates, tombstones and quilts were sprinkled with hearts, tulips, birds and other motifs. All of the art work of the Pennsylvania Germans expressed their way of life and hopes and joys of their deep religious faith. The flowers and birds they designed were not naturalistic, but were such as they imagined would be found in heaven. The best known of their art are the hex signs which adorn their barns. It is commonly believed that these hex signs served to ward off evil spirits from the barn; actually they were artistic expression of creativity and a desire to add color to their life. This art form is often mistakenly credited to the Amish. The Amish had no art form of their own, as it was all copied from the Pennsylvania Germans.

The following copy of Solomon’s taufschein was prepared by an artist of the Zaner-Bloser Company of Columbus, Ohio. The original baptismal certificate for Solomon Menges is in the home of Mrs. Merle Cummings, Manchester, Michigan. It has been in the family for almost 200 years, having been brought from Pennsylvania to New York in 1820 and on to Michigan in 1830. It was passed down to Merle Cummings through his great grandmother, Martha Emily (Hayward) Mangus, widow of the Solomon for whom the taufschein was prepared. This baptismal certificate is the most significant genealogical document to date regarding the family of Jacob Mangus. It proves that the Jacob Mangus of the Michigan Territory is the same person as the Jacob Menges in Seneca and Northumberland Counties. It provides the connecting link between the Mangus of Raisin Township, Lenawee County, Michigan and the Menges of Turbot Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.