232 HISTORY OF 



which the tooth of time has been gnawing for nearif 

 one and a half century, are crumbUng 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 walls, 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 invrested in all the members, single and mar- 

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

 are not 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, flour 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 

 work, preclude a detailed account of this highly in- 

 teresting association. 



The descendants of those who were connected at an 

 early date, are numerous, and many of them influencial 

 in society. The principal ones connected with the 

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

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

 Eicher, Nacgly, Frey, Wolfart, Gass, Hildebrand, Hoehn, 

 Sigmund, Landart, Peter Miller, Conrad W^eiser, Heur- 

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

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



