Images(4)

Folger Family Old Testament Bible

Date1818

Printer M Carey & Son

OriginAmerica, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

MediumPaper and ink

DimensionsOW: 9" x OH: 11" x OD: 3 1/2"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number2005-16,4

DescriptionThis is the Folger-Crane Family Bible, passed down through the family. The bible is titled THE OLD TESTAMENT, TRANSLATED OUT OF THE ORIGINAL HEBREW, AND WITH THE FORMER TRANSLATIONS DILIGENTLY COMPARED AND REVISED TOGETHER WITH THE APOCRYPHA, printed by M. Carey & Son in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1818. At the back of the Bible is a page of family births and another of family marriages. Tucked into a page titled "APOCRYPHA" is a piece of paper with more family records. The page titled "BIRTHS" lists, "Tristram & Mary Folgers/Family/Tristram C. Folger, Jun./Born 28th of 9 o|m 1795./Eunice Folger/Born 5th of 8 o|m 1797./Elizabeth Folger/Born 30th of 5 o|m 1799./Nathaniel Folger/Born 7th of 5 m|o 1801./Mary Folger/Born 19th of 4 o|m 1803./Edward Folger./Born 27th of 6 o|m 1805./Sarah Folger/Born 11th of 7 o|m 1808./Jared Folger/Born 26th of 11 o|m 1810./Tristram & Mary Folger/whose family record this is/were Born./Tristram 25th of 10th mo. 1772/Mary 19th of 12 mo. 1773," all written in one hand.

The page titled "MARRIAGES" reads, "Tristram Folger/married to/Mary Folger/12th month 19th 1794./Tristram C. Folger. Jun/married to/Nancy Silson/9th of 7th mo. 1818./Elizabeth daughter of/Tristram & Mary Folger was/married to/Henry Clark/18th June 1824./Sarah Daughter of Tristram/& Mary Folger was Married/to Rufus Crane/14th May 1829/Mary Daughter of Tristram/& Mary Folger was/Married to/Shamces L Collford/10th Nov. 1830." This page includes at least three different hands.

The page tucked into the book before "APOCRYPHA" reads, "Rufus Crane married Sarah Folger/B. Aug. 19, 1803 In Berkshire Com Mass. & Nantucket, Mass./M. May 14, 1829 July 11, 1808/D. Apr, 8 1861 Laryngites M. May 14, 1829/D. May 22, 1871/Their Children/Mary Eliza B 3/29/1830 Way Co Ind./Ebenizer Folger B 11/25/1831 LaFayett, Ind/Aurelia Folger B 5/16/1834 " "/Charles E. B 8/30/1836 Cambridge City, Ind./Ann Marie B 11/20/1843 Cin, Ohio/Jared William B 4/17/1846 " "/Sarah Emma B 3/24/1849 " "/2nd Charles b 8/11/1837." It was written in blue ballpoint pen with one addition in pencil. This page is clearly from a later date.
Label TextThis family Bible is part of a group of samplers and books that descended in the Folger-Crane family of Cincinnati, Ohio. Originally from Nantucket, Massachusetts, the Folger family was in Ohio by 1814. The Folgers were members of the Society of Friends and listed among the founding families of the Cincinnati Monthly Meeting.
Along with two memory books, a New Testament, several pieces of unfinished needlework and three samplers, the Bible provides a glimpse into the lives of a nineteenth-century family
InscribedThe back of the Bible features a family record, including inscriptions that read, "Tristram & Mary Folgers/Family/Tristram C. Folger, Jun./Born 28th of 9 o|m 1795./Eunice Folger/Born 5th of 8 o|m 1797./Elizabeth Folger/Born 30th of 5 o|m 1799./Nathaniel Folger/Born 7th of 5 m|o 1801./Mary Folger/Born 19th of 4 o|m 1803./Edward Folger./Born 27th of 6 o|m 1805./Sarah Folger/Born 11th of 7 o|m 1808./Jared Folger/Born 26th of 11 o|m 1810./Tristram & Mary Folger/whose family record this is/were Born./Tristram 25th of 10th mo. 1772/Mary 19th of 12 mo. 1773."

The next page reads, "Tristram Folger/married to/Mary Folger/12th month 19th 1794./Tristram C. Folger. Jun/married to/Nancy Silson/9th of 7th mo. 1818./Elizabeth daughter of/Tristram & Mary Folger was/married to/Henry Clark/18th June 1824./Sarah Daughter of Tristram/& Mary Folger was Married/to Rufus Crane/14th May 1829/Mary Daughter of Tristram/& Mary Folger was/Married to/Shamces L Collford/10th Nov. 1830"

The next page reads, "Rufus Crane married Sarah Folger/B. Aug. 19, 1803 In Berkshire Com Mass. & Nantucket, Mass./M. May 14, 1829 July 11, 1808/D. Apr, 8 1861 Laryngites M. May 14, 1829/D. May 22, 1871/Their Children/Mary Eliza B 3/29/1830 Way Co Ind./Ebenizer Folger B 11/25/1831 LaFayett, Ind/Aurelia Folger B 5/16/1834 " "/Charles E. B 8/30/1836 Cambridge City, Ind./Ann Marie B 11/20/1843 Cin, Ohio/Jared William B 4/17/1846 " "/Sarah Emma B 3/24/1849 " "/2nd Charles b 8/11/1837"
ProvenanceThis family Bible marked "Sarah Folger" is part of a group of samplers and books that descended in the Folger-Crane family of Cincinnati, Ohio. The sampler maker was Sarah Folger (b. July 11, 1808; d. 1871) seventh child of Tristram (b. 1772; d. Oct. 15, 1815) and Mary Folger (b. 1773; d. 1823). The Folger family, originally from Nantucket, Massachusetts, was in Ohio by 1814. Members of the Society of Friends, they are first listed in Hinshaw's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN QUAKER GENEALOGY, Vol. V, as transferring to the Miami Monthly Meeting in Warren County, then on to Cincinnati, where they were listed among the founding families of the Cincinnati Monthly Meeting (set apart from Miami MM on March 23, 1814).

Sarah Folger married Rufus Crane on May 14, 1829. Because Sarah married out of unity (contrary to Quaker discipline) she was disowned from the Cincinnati Monthly Meeting in 1830. The Cranes moved for several years to Cambridge City, Indiana. Sometime between 1836 and 1843, they returned to Hamilton Country, Ohio. Sarah and Rufus Crane had seven children born between 1830 and 1849, the last three being born after their return to Cincinnati. Rufus Crane died on April 8, 1861 of "laryngites", and is interred in Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati. Sarah died of consumption on May 22, 1871 in Cincinnati.

The samplers, family bibles, and books probably descended through Sarah's daughters.