232 HISTORY OP 



which the tooth of time has been gnawing for nearly 

 one and a half century, are crumbling to pieces, render- 

 ing it more interesting from its antiquity. "Many traces 

 of the olden time remain, but its life has departed. — 

 There are, however, many delightful associations con- 

 nected with the mouldering v/alls, and like some of the 

 dilapidated castles, which are apparently falling to the 

 ground, deserted and given to the rooks and owls, yet it 

 contains many habitable and comfortable apartments." 

 These are occupied by several single sisters, one of 

 whom, sister Barbara, has been here fifty-five years; 

 but under different Government; in former days the 

 whole property and income belonged exclusively to the 

 single brethren and sisters ; but now by legislative 

 enactment is invested in all the members, single and mar- 

 ried. The sisters, since this enactment, m the convent, 

 aie vMt supported out of the common stock and their 

 common labor, but each has house-room, which all the 

 married members are entitled to, who require it, as well 

 as firewood, fiour and milk, from the society, who still 

 possess some land and a mill, and their labor they 

 apply to their own use, or dispose of it as they see proper." 



We state, with regret, that the prescribed limits of this 

 Y/ork, preclude a detailed account of this highly in- 

 teresting associatiGn. 



The descendants of those who were comiected at an 

 early date, are numerous, and many of them influencial 

 ill society. The prmcipal ones connected vv^ith the 

 society, in early existence, were Conrad Beissel, Urner, 

 Landis, Lang, Meylin, Graff, Weber, Grebil, Funk, 

 Eicher, Naegly, Frey, Wolfart, Gass, Hildebrand, Hoehn, 

 Sigmund, Landart, Peter INIiller, Conrad Weiser, Heur- 

 man, Zinn, Hoecker, Pettikoffer, Gorgas, Mack, Ries- 

 man, Eckstein, Kinsing, Eckerlin, Heipel, Koch, Meyer,, 



