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By Evan Kohlbus
Collection Overview
Title: Eli Zook Correspondence, 1861-1867
ID: MSS/MSS-0024
Extent: 0.2 Linear Feet
Date Acquired: 03/18/2017
Scope and Contents of the Materials
The Zook correspondence spans the years from 1866 to 1886 and consists of letters sent to the Zook family. The letters cover a wide variety of topics relevant to the personal lives of the Zooks' friends including financial discussions, the weather, marriages, cigar sales, day to day happenings, church services and singings, disease, and meeting arrangements. This type of conversation via letter was done as a method of engaging in “kin work” in order to maintain close family ties with Eli Zook while he was living away from the Lancaster Amish settlement. There are 37 letters in this collection, 26 of which are written in English, with the remaining being written in a script closely resembling Pennsylvania Dutch. These letters were sent to Eli Zook while he was staying in the Big Valley and end when he marries Mattie Fisher and returns to Lancaster County.
Collection Historical Note
Eli Zook Jr., born on the 18th of September, 1847, was the son of Eli and Rebecca (Lapp) Zook, the third of eight children. His father was born in the Big Valley settlement, but would go on to work in Lancaster County. When Eli Zook Jr. was a teenager, he was sent to work with his grandparents, Christian and Veronica (Schmucker) Zook, in the Big Valley settlement. Christian (known as "Long Christian") was a bishop in the Big Valley's Lower District and was involved in notable religious schisms in the Big Valley settlement. Eli married Mattie Fisher on the 19th of January, 1871 and settled in Lancaster County. Eli Zook Jr. died on the 7th of May, 1887 at the age of 39. He is buried in the Beilers Cemetery in Ronks, Pennsylvania.
Administrative Information
Repository:
Earl H. and Anita F. Hess Archives and Special Collections
Acquisition Method:
Young Center purchase
Other Note:
Description assistance provided by Dr. Joshua R. Brown.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Box:
[Box 1],
[
All]
- Box 1
- Folder 1: Correspondence, 1861 January 14 - 1868 February 2
- Folder 2: Correspondence, 1868 March 24 - 1869 June 18
- Folder 3: Correspondence, 1869 November 11 - 27 November 1886
- Folder 4: Ypsilant: Saline and Sulphur Water Brochure
- Folder 5: Miscellaneous Envelopes
