
Christian Ludwig Benzien manuscript, ca. 1811
Using These Materials
- Restrictions:
- The collection is open for research.
Summary
- Creator:
- Benzien, Christian Ludwig, 1752-1811
- Abstract:
- A stalwart of the Moravian community in Salem, N.C., Christian Ludwig Benzien was connected in spirit and blood with some of the most prominent of American Moravians. The Benzien manuscript is a complex document comprised of occasional poetry, hymns, and songs written largely, but apparently not exclusively, by Christian Ludwig Benzien.
- Extent:
- 332 pages
- Language:
- German
- Authors:
- Collection processed and finding aid created by Rob S. Cox
Background
- Scope and Content:
-
The Benzien manuscript is a complex document comprised of occasional poetry, hymns, and songs written largely, but apparently not exclusively, by Christian Ludwig Benzien. A Moravian minister, the son and step-son of ministers, Benzien was also a talented poet in German, and his work shows the evidence of a highly developed literary and musical aesthetic, deeply interconnected with an equally highly developed spiritual devotion.
Most of the works were written in celebration or commemoration of special days set aside throughout the year, including Christmas and New Years, birthdays, childbirths, arrivals and departures, Lord's Suppers, and Love Feasts. The volume provides insight into the Moravian religious world view, and perhaps even more into their social and familial relations through sensitive depictions of the nature of friendships between men (and women), family members, and members of church organizations -- particularly the various choirs with which Benzien was associated.
The manuscript appears to have been transcribed in about 1810-1815 by Dorothea Sophia Bötticher, and is written in two hands, entirely in old script German.
- Biographical / Historical:
-
A stalwart of the Moravian community in Salem, N.C., Christian Ludwig Benzien was connected in spirit and blood with some of the most prominent of American Moravians. A grandson of Jacob and Anna Neisser, founding members of Herrnhut, Benzien's parents, Anna Maria Thrane (1724-1783) and Rev. Christian T. Benzien, emigrated to America in 1754. Rev. Benzien was installed as chaplain to the settlement at Gnadenthal (near Nazareth), but died when Christian was still relatively young. After Benzien's death, Anna Maria married Rev. Amadeus Paulinus Thrane (1717-1776), a minister from Bethlehem. Christian Ludwig Benzien followed his father and step-father into the ministry.
- Acquisition Information:
- 1998. M-3446 .
- Rules or Conventions:
- Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)
Related
- Additional Descriptive Data:
-
Partial Subject Index
Agor, Ingebor - 312
Ahspas, Gesche - 332
Almerhin, Justine Benigna - 322
Andrehen, Lucia Margareth - 321
Barghard, Anna Benigna - 302
Barlaehin, Anne Dorothe - 319
Beck, Johann Valentin, b. 1730 - 203
Benzien, Anna Benigna, b. 1750 - 205-218
Bibra, Charlotte Christ von - 322
Bieher, Anne Johanne - 320
Birthdays - 55, 59, 81, 90, 94, 96, 99, 101, 107, 115, 130, 134, 137, 158, 167, 175, 177, 182, 184, 190-294
Blum, Johann Jacob, b. 1780 - 197
Bönisch, Anne Benigna - 306
Bönseh, Agnes - 325
Bönseh, Dorothea - 314
Brüniglen, Anne Friedrike - 301
Busse, Andreas, b. 1733 - 99, 250, 253
Catherinel - 301
Childbirth - 111, 115, 122
Christmas carols - 62, 64
Colverm Johanna Elisabeth, b. 1749 - 221, 224
Dencke, Jeremias - 81
Draehard, Christiane Elisabeth - 306
Eberling, Johanne Margarete - 300
Edman, Cari - 327
Ernst, Johann Jacob, b. 1729 - 185, 248
Erxleben, Ferdinand - 115
Erxleben, Johann Gottfried - 111
Erxleben, Johanna Eleonora - 111
Etemenhin(?), Anne Marie - 332
Friendship - 236
Friis, Jacob - 290
Gambold, John, b. 1759 - 280, 283
Gamer, Anne Justine - 317
Germans--North Carolina - passim
Gersdorf, Anne Dorothea von - 307
Godchildren - 115, 201
Gold, Anne Johann - 323
Gross, Anne Benigna - 325
Gutslöff, Christiane Elisabeth - 304
Hadwigen, Anne Benigna - 311
Hageman, Anne Ulrika - 329
Hayner, Dorothea - 313
Heckwelder, Christian Renatus - 291
Hedelhöfer, Eleonora - 311
Heinzmann, Bruder - 289
Held, Agnes - 308
Held, Anne Johanne - 309
Held, Benigna Elisabeth - 317
Hellmeir, Charitas Louise - 312
Hellmeyer, Benigna Dorothea - 324
Herbst, Johann Heinrich, b. 1726 - 175, 182
Hessler, Abraham - 287
Hüffel, Marie Elisabet - 324
Hymns, Moravian - 17
Iken, Marie Justine - 302
Indians of North America - 101
Kampman, Johane Salome - 307
Kastenhuber, Marie Dorothe - 330
Koehler, Anna Johanna, b. 1752 - 194
Koehler, Daniel, b. 1736 - 121, 190, 255, 258
Kohn, Anne Caritas - 312
Koppe, Elisabeth - 313
Kuehnast, Bruder - 294
Kühlen, Louise Fr: von - 328
Lampater, Louise Sophia - 310
Lang, Georg - 128
Laschenall, Benigne Charlotte - 318
Layritz, Marie Elisabeth - 331
Lehnert, Johannes - 123, 236
Lord's Supper - 13, 17, 20, 70
Loreyen, Anne Johanne - 309
Love feast - 17, 121, 165
Merkle, Bruder, b. 1712 - 184
Michael, Johanne Sophie - 317
Mikseh, Dorothe - 310
Moravians--North Carolina - passim
Mothers - 96, 199
Muller, Anna Salome - 297
Müller, Anne Salome - 315
Müller, Elisabeth Sophia Eleonora - 308
Müller, Marie Agnes - 327
Neisser, Anne Salome - 298
Neisser, Marie Sophie - 318
New Year - 67, 72, 74, 76
Nurses - 123
Peters, Johann Friedrich - 227
Petersen, Niels, b. 1716 - 227-234
Poetry - passim
Quanten, Auguste - 297
Quanten, Auguste - 315
Quanten, Beate - 300
Rauscher, Christiane - 313
Ravensteinen, Anne - 305
Reinke, Abraham - 167
Renchen, Elisabeth - 310
Renz, Johannes, b. 1751 - 239
Rossenberg, Anne Marie - 323
Salem (N.C.) - 139
Schaaf, Bruder - 296
Schaff, Schwester - 296
Scherhen, Eugenia - 331
Schiffert, Jacobin - 326
Schmidt, Johane Marie - 308
Schneider, Martin (b. 1755) - 101
Schnell, Anne Johanne - 331
Schober, Benjamin - 122
Schordan, Ester - 310
Schroeter, Carl Friedrich - 273, 275, 277
Schumann, Marie Salome - 326
Schurer, Christiane Sophia - 307
Schwarze, Anne-Marie - 319
Schweinitz, Hans Christian von - 188
Sebassen, Marie Elisabeth - 299
Seherer, Marie Elisabet - 322
Seidel, Anna Johanna - 201
Seybold, Anne Justine - 302
Sisters - 205-218
Sörensen, Anne Benigna - 303
Stehman, Anne - 311
Steinrük, Elisabeth - 304
Step-fathers - 94
Storinn, Anne Benigna - 299
Stotz, Samuel, b. 1751 - 243
Stotz, Susanna - 245
Stozen, Samuel, b. 1751 - 177
Thiele, Benigna Elisabeth - 314
Thomassin, Anne Elizabeth - 298
Thomsen, Benigna - 321
Thrane, Amadeus Paulinus, b. 1717 - 94
Thrane, Anna Maria, 1724-1783 - 199
Van Vleck, Jacob - 85, 90
Volkert, Marie Dorothe - 329
Wagner, Marie Magdalena - 321
Wappler, Marie Magdalene - 324
Wertignen, Johanne Benigna - 320
Wiedebach, Johanne Magdalena Dorothea von - 299
Winkler, Eleonora - 298
Wohlfahrt, Johann Jacob, b. 1752 - 107, 241
Wurtz, Marie Elisabeth - 318
Zachariehsen, Benigna - 322
Zahm, Johann Gottfried - 150, 260, 263
Subjects
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Contents
Using These Materials
- RESTRICTIONS:
-
The collection is open for research.
- USE & PERMISSIONS:
-
Copyright status is unknown.
- PREFERRED CITATION:
-
Christian Ludwig Benzien Manuscript, William L. Clements Library, The University of Michigan