Karen Johnson-Weiner Amish Doll Collection, 1991-2011 | Earl H. and Anita F. Hess Archives and Special Collections

By Tanner Simon '20

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Collection Overview

Title: Karen Johnson-Weiner Amish Doll Collection, 1991-2011

ID: RG01/Art-0002

Extent: 19.0 Items

Arrangement: 19 dolls in 5 boxes.

Date Acquired: 08/25/2015

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Collection of cloth dolls primarily made by Swartzentruber Amish women. Item descriptions include notes from interview with Johnson-Weiner.

Collection Historical Note

As of 2018, Karen M. Johnson-Weiner is a Distinguished Service Professor of Anthropology Emerita at SUNY Potsdam in Potsdam, NY, where she taught courses in linguistic anthropology. She received a B.A. in 1975 from Hope College (Holland, MI) and an M.A. from Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI) in 1976. She earned her Ph.D. in linguistics from McGill University (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) in 1984 and has been studying patterns of language use and cultural maintenance in Amish and Mennonite communities for over 30 years. Her first book, Train up a Child: Old Order Amish and Mennonite Schools, was published by the Johns Hopkins University Press in 2007, and her second, New York Amish: Life in the Plain Communities of the Empire State, in 2010 by Cornell University Press, with a second edition appearing in 2017. With Donald B. Kraybill and Steven M. Nolt, she is the author of The Amish (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2013). Johnson-Weiner has also authored a number of articles on Old Order language, culture, and education, including most recently articles on the importance of the 1972 Supreme Court decision in Wisconsin v. Yoder et al. for Amish education in the 21st century (JAPAS 2015) and on Amish women and entrepreneurship (American Studies Journal 2017).

Administrative Information

Repository: Earl H. and Anita F. Hess Archives and Special Collections

Acquisition Source: Karen Johnson-Weiner

Acquisition Method: Young Center gift

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

[Box 1],
[Box 2],
[Box 3],
[Box 4],
[Box 5],
[All]

Box 1

Item 1: Schwartzentruber female doll, 2000: Schwartzentruber female doll, plum dress with plum pinafore, cream colored tube body, 11” long. Made for Karen by Mrs. Jacob Weaver (Delilah). Karen has known her since she is 5 years old (1958). More complex than typical Schwartzentruber doll, because sewn tube body as opposed to rolled up piece of cloth. Delilah has eleven children. Her husband, Jacob Weaver, is a builder. Her mother was first Schwartzentruber Amish woman Karen met. Jacob and Fanny Swartzentruber were her parents, and the whole family lives in Rensselaer Falls, New York. Doll made around 2000.
Item 2: Schwartzentruber female doll: Schwartzentruber female doll, green dress with green pinafore, white and black tube body, 11” long. Karen recalls that this doll was made by Mrs. Roy Keim (Lizzie).
Item 3: Schwartzentruber male doll: see description of item 4

Box 2

Item 4: Schwartzentruber female doll: Schwartzentruber female doll, green dress with white pinafore and black bonnet, white and black tube body, 11” long. Both of these dolls (3 and 4) were made by Mrs. Roy Keim. Karen doesn’t know her very well, but she made these dolls at Karen’s request. Sent to her by a sister-in-law, Susie Keim, who is a well-known quilter and businesswoman in the area. Susie is an Amish healer. Also from the Rensselaer Falls, NY area. Hat on male doll is commercial, not a Schwartzentruber hat. Shirt does not have a collar. Like most of these dolls, dress is that of a child. Bonnet on female doll is homemade.
Item 7: Norfolk, NY, female doll, 2011: Norfolk, NY, female doll, gray dress, white pinafore, gray bonnet and boots, buttons and yarn used at hip sockets, back of doll is dated, December 22, 2011 Mary Schwartz, 15” long. Pattern Karen associates with Sueann Wickey. Mary Schwartz is also a member of Norfolk Community, now Mrs. Davey Graber, living in Western PA. At the time she made this she would have been in her late teens. Sueann Wickey was Mary’s great-grandmother. Sueann Wickey was first Amish woman Karen ever met, was in early 1960’s, teaching school, local midwife. Delivered over 200 babies. Sue was part of a settlement in the 1960’s in Belize. Karen spent a lot time in Sue’s house. She would visit her in Michigan when working on Amish schools book.
Item 9: Schwartzentruber female doll, circa 2011: Schwartzentruber female doll, blue dress with blue pinafore, white bonnet, white tube body with arms, 11.5” long. Purchased at Picken’s General Store, which is the money generating arm of the Heuvelton, NY Historical Society. Clearly made for retail market—evidence the arms. Recognizing demands of English market. Unknown maker. Purchased between 2011 and 2012.

Box 3

Item 5: Norfolk, NY male doll: Norfolk, NY male doll, light blue shirt, black suspender pants, black knit cap, black shoes, this doll has arms and legs, body is tan color, 13.5” long.
Item 6: Norfolk, NY female doll, circa 2003: Norfolk, NY female doll, light blue dress, white pinafore, light blue bonnet, white socks and black boots, this doll has arms and legs, body is tan color, 14.5” long. Same pattern made by a woman named Lizzie Garber. At the time that she made these dolls, she was a single woman in her late 30’s, living in Norfolk Community. Notice shoes and diaper on female doll. Boy is wearing type of hat that Norfolk boys wear in winter. Lizzie left the Norfolk community and joined community in Somerset County, Ohio. That community split with some going to Kentucky and some to Missouri. The Missouri group later joined the Mennonites. They’re known as the Troyer Church. These Mennonites are conservative Hoover Mennonites. Karen went to visit Lizzie in Missouri—while picking watermelons Lizzie announced they “are no longer Amish.” They were building a church house. Renounced most machinery, but still using flashlights. Doll was purchased around 2003.
Item 8: Female doll, 1991: Female doll, porcelain face, arms and legs, blue dress, black apron and white knickers, face painted on and brown hair in bun at back of head, bun wrapped in black netting, purple and black quilt (10.5” square) and small Amish doll included (4.5” long). Certificate included states “Rebeccah” is the first issue in the Amish Blessing collection by artist Julie Good-Kruger for the Knowles China Company, certificate dated 12-31-1991. Doll size 11” long. A miniature quilt is included and is stored with certificate and the doll. Style of Lancaster Amish. Karen was intrigued by the handmade doll that this doll carries. Purchased at Picken’s General Store between 2011 and 2012.

Box 4

Item 10: Female doll: Female doll, green dress with white pinafore, black and white body with arms and legs, 7” long. Commercially made. Probably purchased in Michigan or Ohio.
Item 11: Female doll: Female doll, blue dress and matching bonnet and light blue pinafore white body with arms and legs, 7.5” long. Commercially made. Probably purchased in Michigan or Ohio.
Item 12: Female doll: Female doll, green dress with black apron and bonnet, cream body with arms and legs, 7.75” long. Purchased in Lancaster County, PA. Similar dolls sold in local quilt shops. Bonnet is Lancaster County type. One of the few dolls that is in adult dress.
Item 13: Female doll: Female doll, dark blue dress with black pinafore and bonnet, white body with arms and legs, 10” long.
Item 14: Female doll: Female doll, bright blue dress with black pinafore and bonnet, white body with arm and legs, 6.5” long.

Box 5

Item 15: Female doll: Female doll, light blue dress, dark blue pinafore, black bonnet, white body with arms and legs, 5” long.
Item 16: Female doll: Female doll, light blue dress, white pinafore and bonnet, white body with arms and legs, 4.75” long.
Folder 17: Male doll: Male doll, teal shirt, black pants with suspenders and black hat, white body with arms and legs, 6.25” long.
Item 18: Male doll: Male doll, bright blue shirt, black pants with suspenders and black hat, white body with arms and legs, 6.25” long.
Item 19: Male doll: Male doll, light blue shirt, dark blue pants with black suspenders and black hat, white body with arms and legs, 5.5” long.

Browse by Box:

[Box 1],
[Box 2],
[Box 3],
[Box 4],
[Box 5],
[All]