Photo Record
Images
Metadata
Collection |
Mouns Jones |
Title |
Southeast perspective view |
Archive Number |
MJHPH65 |
Description |
"Black and white photographic print of an earlier photograph (published as hal?one at p. 132 of vol. III of the Proceedings of the Historical Society of Berks County) showing southwest perspec%ve view of the Mouns Jones House". Details include: gable-end chimney [left]; post-1886 porch [see 1886 woodcut view without porch in MJHDWG2--1000.01.089]; 19th-20th century fenestration; pargeted masonry walls; attic access platform in upper-right corner. Compare window openings, proportions, and alignment in this photo to the artist's woodcut rendition [c.1886] in MJHDWG2--1000.01.089 and MJHTX4--1000.01.063; datestone variously described as "granite", and a "soapstone tablet" in the January, 1902 article in the "Pennsylvania German" periodical cited below. Within a month or two after this article appeared, a devastating Schuylkill River flood swamped Morlatton Village on Feb 28, 1902 [see MVPH47--1003.01.052]. A small halftone print of this photograph, with caption shown, was published in the essay "Down the Schuylkill Valley" in the January, 1902 issue of the "Pennsylvania German" magazine published and edited by Rev. P.C. Croll, Vol. III, No. 1, page 36, which includes the following commentary on the Mouns Jones House by Howard C. Mohr: "The oldest house in Berks County…stands on the east bank of the Schuylkill River, close to the bridge…tradition informs us that it was used as a fort…when the Indians attacked the white settlers…was used as a ferry-house and tavern, for some time known as the 'Lamb's Inn.'{a} Today [1902] it is used as a club-house by a number of Reading families who spend part of the summer…." {a}The fort "tradition" seems to be undocumented, as is the assertion that the house functioned as "Lamb’s Inn" during some undisclosed period. See second image for notes written on verso, which contain an incorrect date (c.1915) for this photo. See also the third image, which is a digital image scanned from an original print of the same photograph from the collection of the photographer H. Winslow Fegley of Hereford and Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania. This image is generously provided by the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center, Pennsburg, PA, from its extensive collection of Fegley photographic prints, many of which appear in the book of Fegley photographs entitled "Farming Always Farming, A Photographic Essay…," published as Volume 20 [2d series] by The Pennsylvania German Society in 1986. Laurence Ward, December, 2018 |
Search Terms |
MJPH MJHPH MJH Mouns Jones House Mouns Jones House Photo Perspective Photo Corner Chimney Porch Parged Masonry Datestone Fegley Photo Schwenkfelder Library Pennsylvania German Magazine Vintage Photo Platform Hung-sash window |
People |
Jones, Mouns |
Object Name |
Print, Photographic |
Accession number |
1000.01 |
Date |
c.1901-1902 |
Photographer |
Image #3 by H. Winslow Fegley; Image #1 unknown. |
Notes |
Please note that original photographic print reproduced in image #3 is part of of the Collection at the Scwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center. It is published online with permission as of 9/14/2010. |
Catalog Number |
1000.01.070 |

