Bible: The Fenkner Family Bible, Schulkill County, Pennsylvania Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Jim Hawthorne jbhawth@gmail.com USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. ____________________________________________________________ Fenkner Family Bible The Fenkner Family Bible had belonged to my grandmother Doroth Irene(Fenkner/Perks) Luxton. It was given to her by her grandmother, Matilda (Fenstermaker) Fenkner. The original owners, William and Matilda Fenstermaker made their homes in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Before she died in 1986, my grandmother gave it to my mother Jeanne Carol (Luxton) Hawthorne, and asked that she be sure to give to me. January 1994, there was a fire at my mother's home. Much of the house was destroyed and my grandfather, Irwin Winfield Luxton was killed. By some miracle, the Bible was not destroyed even though the closet in which it was stored was totally gutted. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me. Jim Hawthorne POB 5625 Clovis, NM 88102 jbhawth@gmail.com I determined the Bible's date of printing to be between 1890 and 1892: 1. There is a marriage certificate in the middle of the Bible for William D. Fenkner and Matilda Fenstermaker. Date of marriage was September 12, 1886. However, I believe this information was entered after the event by some years. All information is entered using caligraphy including the minister's "signature. No witnesses are included. 2. Front page (title page) has the following inscription across the top of the page: "1492 The Jubilee Year, in Commemoration of the Discovery of America. 1892" indicating that the Bible was a special issue, commemorating 400 years since the landing of Columbus in the Americas. In my mind, this indicates that it was printed shortley before or during the year 1892. 3. The second page contains copyright information. The last copyright entry reads: "Entered, according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1890, in the Office of the Library of Congress,Washington, D.C." The bible contained a plastic bag with seven (7) one dollar bills dated 1988. All were burned in the fire in Jeanne's home in 1994. In fact the closet in which the bible had been stored burnt down around it, yet the Bible was not damaged by the fire or water. In the middle of the Bible is a family history section consisting of several pages of information: Page 1: Marriage Certificate for the original owners of the Bible. The certificate has the following inscription: This certifies that William D. Fenkner of Rush Township, Schuylkill Co., Pa. and Matilda Fenstermaker of West Penn Township, Schuyl. Co., Pa. were united by me in the Bonds of Holy Matrimony at Tamaqua, Pa. on the Twelfth day of September in the year of our Lord 1886. In the presence of | Signed ________________________________ | J.O. Schlenker ________________________________ | Ev. Luth. Minister ________________________________ | Page 2: Marriages Dorothy Perks (Fenkner) & Irwin Luxton - March 5, 1932 Methodist Church, Hatboro, Penna. Page 3: Births -- Parents -- William D. Fenkner Born in West Penn Twp., Schuyl. Co., Pa. Dec. 12, 1862. Bap. By Rev. John Zulich Matilda Fenkner Born in West Penn Twp., Schuyl. Co., Pa. May 26, 1868. Bap. By Rev. E.A. Eichenberg -- Children -- Edwin Oliver Born in West Penn Twp., Schuyl. Co., Pa. Oct. 24, 1888 Baptised Nov. 7, 1888 by Rev. J.O. Schlenker William Sylvester Born in West Penn Twp., Schuyl. Co., Pa. Jan. 26, 1887 Baptised by Rev. J.O. Schlenker -- Grandchildren -- Dorothy Irene Fenkner :of: Jeanne & Irwin Jr. Luxton Maureen Luxton Alma Fenkner :of: Anna Mae Reichert Ruth Elizabeth Fenkner :of: Dorothy Lohnes Blanche Fenkner :of: Bobby & Renner Anna Fenkner :of: -- Great-Grandchildren -- Note: There is a line drawn above "Great-Grandchildren" connecting it with the names starting with Jeanne & Irwin Jr. Luxton. -- Great-great-Grandchildren -- Dorothy Lohnes :of: James, Scot & Brenda Hawthorne Note: Names "James, Scot & Brenda Hawthorne" was probably entered by Maureen Luxton or Brenda Jean Hawthorne. Page 4: Deaths William Sylvester Died May 1st 1889. Age 1. William V. Fenkner November 1942 at Grier City, Pa. Age 80 yrs. old. Matilda Fenkner Died January 9, 1948 at Grier City, Pa. Age 80 yrs. old. Irwin Luxton, Jr. (Jimmy) Born November 28, 1933 at Abington Hospital, Pa. Died June 11, 1948 at Williamstown, NJ. Page 5: Memorandum To - Richard John Luxton To - William V. Fenkner To - Mrs. Emma Kemmery To - Mrs. William V. Fenkner To - Jimmy Irwin Luxton Jr. Died June 11, 1948 North Main St., Williamstown, New Jersey Note: Concerning "Richard John Luxton," no one appears in the Luxton line by this name back as far as I have researched (1807). I am assuming that this could be Richard Irwin Luxton and John Arthur Luxton, the father and grandfather of Irwin Winfield Luxton respectively. The first letter of the last name "Kemmery" was destroyed by a dried flower placed in between the pages. I am not sure it is an "K" or an "H" or an "R". It is probably a "K" since Dorothy's mother's maiden name was Kemery according to her Birth Certificate. At this point I am assuming that "Mrs. Emma Kemmery" is Dorothy's mother's mother. Last Revision 15 January 2013 by James B. Hawthorne