Folk
FERDINAND BRADER (1833–by 1901)
The Property of Elias and Catharina Winter, Oleytown, Berks Co., 1882
Pencil on paper, 31 1/2 x 51 1/2 in.
Signed, dated, and inscribed (at lower right): F. Brader 1882; (at lower center): THE PROPERTY of ELIAS and CATHARINE WINTER, OLEYTOWN, BERKS CO. PA! / RESIDENCE of AMMON and SUSAN WINTER!
RECORDED: Kathleen Wieschaus-Voss, ed., The Legacy of Ferdinand A. Brader (Canton, Ohio: Center for the Study of Art in Rural America, 2014), pp. 142 no. 11 illus. in color, 226 // Hollie Davis, “Nineteenth Century Drawings of The Ohio and Pennsylvania Landscape,” Antiques and The Arts Weekly, January 9, 2015, p. 1C illus. in color
EXHIBITED: Canton, Ohio, Canton Museum of Art, December 4, 2014–March 15, 2015, The Legacy of Ferdinand A. Brader, no. 11 illus.
Much of Brader's early work, like this drawing, was done in Berks County, Pennsylvania. He likely traveled from town to town drawing people’s properties in exchange for money, or perhaps just for food and lodging. At some point, Brader began numbering his drawings. While the present drawing of the Winter farmstead is not numbered, the highest known number is 950.
This drawing is of the residence of Elias and Catherine Winter of Oleytown, Berks County. This is likely Elias (Ellis) Winter (1824–1882) and Catherine Kitty Reiff Winter (1829/30–1901). Elias Winter was born in Ontario, Canada, and Catherine Reiff was from Berks County. They married some time before 1845, and had six children, one of whom, Ammon Winter, is named here on the drawing along with his wife, Susan. According to an official deed that accompanies Brader’s drawing, Elias Winter purchased the 135-acre Oleytown property from Jacob and Susan Herbein for the sum of $5,872.50. The property remained in the possession of Winter’s descendants until 1892, when it was sold to Jacob S. Strunk. Deeds documenting the ownership of the property from 1872 through 1849 accompany the present drawing.
