Books and Manuscripts

The Jay Snider Copy of This Important Tract on Early Pennsylvania

Pastorious, Francis Daniel
Umstandige Geographische Beschreibung Der zu allerletzt erfundenen Provintz Pensylvaniae, In denen End-Grantzen Americae In der West-Welt gelegen...
Frankfurt and Leipzig: Andreas Otto, 1700. First edition. 12mo. (xii), 140 pp. From the library of Jay Snider, and with his book-plate on front paste-down. Full modern brown crushed morocco, lettered in gilt; speckled red edges. European Americana 700/212; Howes P-115; Sabin 59028; Winsor III: 502; Vail 287

Rare first edition of an important early source on the history of Pennsylvania, written by the founder of Germantown, Francis Daniel Pastorius. This work “did much to stimulate German emigration to Pennsylvania” (Vail) and includes letters written by Pastorius from Pennsylvania to his father describing the region, including its form of government and providing advice to emigrants. In the rear of the work is a printing in German of William Penn's Letter to the Committee of the Free Society of Traders. Pastorius was "the most active and intelligent of the first German settlers" and his work "is of great interest, as it contains the views of one thoroughly identified with the German movement to America" (Winsor).

Born in Germany in 1651, Pastorius formed an acquaintance with William Penn, became a Quaker and helped organize the Frankfurt Land Company. Securing 15,000 acres of land in Pennsylvania, Pastorius emigrated in 1683 and soon after laid out Germantown, of which he was the principal founder. In 1688 he authored the first anti-slavery resolution in America.