1912 |
Who Are the Letts? |
Latvian Baptists |
In 1912, as part of an appeal to raise money for a new church, the Rev. Jānis Kvietiņš, then pastor of the First Lettish Baptist Church of Philadelphia, wrote a 16-page pamphlet on the history of the Latvians titled Who are the Letts?: A short historical sketch of the Letts and the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia. |
ca. 1920 |
The Rev. Pēteris Bušmanis |
Pēteris Bušmanis |
The Rev. Pēteris Bušmanis, pastor of the First Lettish Baptist Church of Philadelphia, poses ca. 1920 for a photograph on the steps of a home. |
1906 |
The Rev. Jānis Neibuks and his family |
Latvian Baptists |
The Rev. Jānis Neibuks (John Neubuch, Neubuck, Neubuk) and his family are pictured in the February 8, 1906, issue of the Baptist periodical Avots, published in Rīga. Neibuks was the second pastor of the Philadelphia Latvian Baptist Church and also served as pastor of the Boston church. |
1925 |
Sunday School, Philadelphia, 1925 |
Education |
The Sunday School of the First Lettish Baptist Church of Philadelphia poses in 1925 for a photograph outside the meeting house at the corner of Preston and Ogden streets in West Philadelphia. The image also was reproduced on the cover of the September 15, 1925, edition of Kristīgā Balss, a Baptist semi-monthly periodical published in Latvia. |
1932 |
Philadelphia Women's Missionary Society, 1932 |
Latvian Baptists in West Philadelphia |
Members of the Women's Missionary Society (Māsu misiones pulciņš) of the First Lettish Baptist Church of Philadelphia sit for a photograph on April 17, 1932. The society began its work in 1894. According to an article by Alma Treyan published June 1, 1932, in the Rīga-based Baptist journal Kristīgā Balss, those pictured in the first row (left to right) are L. Gertz, M. Upmal (founding member), E. Krastin, M. Licke (founding member), R. Inke, M. Fischer, K. Sommer, L. Girgen, and L. Upeneek. In the second row (left to right) are S. Grikman (former chair), J. Egle (former chair), M. Pluhme (former chair), A. Treyan (secretary), A. Yunag (vice chair), Natalija Peterson (chair), M. Brenson (treasurer), L. Robinson (learned secretary), J. Luhks (manager), and A. Johnson (officer). In the third row (from left to right) are E. Fuhrman, E. Luhks, M. Pawelkop, A. Aldin, J. Krusen, A. Yunag, and L. Spruhde. In the fourth row (from left to right) are M. Stanislaw, A. Smit, K. Lukewitz, M. Dambis, L. Fischer, L. Reke, E. Johnson, M. Kamer, and A. Spruhde. |
1934 |
Philadelphia Latvian Baptist Sunday School |
Education |
Pupils and teachers of the Philadelphia Latvian Baptist Sunday School pose for a photograph in the spring of 1934. |
1930 |
Philadelphia Latvian Baptist Church 30th Anniversary |
Thirtieth anniversary of the Philadelphia Latvian Baptist Church |
A photographic montage, created by Andrew R. Dravneek (Andrejs Dravnieks) of New York, to mark the 30th anniversary of the Philadelphia Latvian Baptist Church. The congregation, which grew from the merger of two Latvian Baptist groups active in Philadelphia since the 1890s, was formally founded in 1900. The top two and the bottom three rows consist of images from the history of America and Philadelphia, according to a report by Dravneek in the July 15, 1930, issue of Kristīgā Balss, a Baptist periodical published in Latvia. The third and fourth rows consist of images from the Philadelphia congregation. In the middle of the third row is the Rev. John Daugmanis; directly below his portrait is an image of Deacon Peter Gertz next to the Rev. Daugmanis. |
ca. 1924 |
Pēteris and Valija Bušmanis |
Latvian Baptists in Philadelphia |
The Rev. Peter and Valia Buschman (Pēteris and Valija Bušmanis) pose for a photograph, ca. 1924. Valia was Peter's second wife. They had one daughter, Camille. |
ca. 1920 |
Notice of meeting |
Philadelphia Latvian Baptist Youth Society |
To remind members to attend, the Philadelphia Latvian Baptist Youth Society sent them notices of meetings such as this one. The text stressed the importance of participation. Photograph by Andris Straumanis. |
1917 |
Martin Treyan's military draft registration |
Latvian Baptists in West Philadelphia |
Martin Treyan's military draft registration card, submitted June 5, 1917, shows his place of birth as Sakkenhausen, Russia, which today is Saka Parish in Latvia. At the time he registered, Treyan was employed as a carpenter in Chester, Pennsylvania. |