PowWow Braucherei at Perry Historians

The Perry Review -- Unique Collection of German Birth & Baptismal Certificates

PowWow Braucherei at Perry Historians
by Jenine Trayer

Last Saturday I fortunate to visit Perry Historians in New Bloomfield and gave a two hour seminar on PowWow and Braucherei to approximately fifty individuals from the tri-county area.  I found the reception of the members and the guests phenomenally enthusiastic.  When I was asked why I chose to give my seminar at the Perry Historians, my answer was simple, “You were incredibly helpful to myself, my friend, and my husband last summer when we were researching our genealogy.  I wanted to give back the kindness I received.”

When researching PowWow in Pennsylvania we can find numerous accounts focused on Lancaster County prime (that which is the county now); but, little other than the Rehmeyer York County murder in 1928, is noticed in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin or Perry Counties.  Rich in its own PowWow history, Perry County has historically at least two well-known PowWow’s as well as indications that several families in that area used Braucherei for their friends and families.

The Perry Historians is a self-sustaining volunteer group operated non-profit as an educational institution.  They organize and photocopy various county court records that are largely inaccessible.  A shining star in their collection is the amassed information on Pennsylvania German Birth and Baptismal Certificates collated in volumes 20 through 23 of The Perry Review.  If you are interested in a copy of this beautiful book complete with color plates, visit http://www.theperryhistorians.org for address information and up-to-date price of the book (currently it is $10.60).

Thank-you, Perry Historians, for a wonderful afternoon!