A photograph that appeared in the Gratz Sesquicentennial Book, 1955, of a scene in the historical pageant that took place at the Fairgrounds, Gratz, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. It appears from the photo that what was being depicted was the founding of Gratz and some of the earliest settlers. The earliest families were identified as those of Simon Gratz; Ludwig Schoffstall; Mathias Bellow; Lewis Faust; Adjonijah Mathias; and Leonard Reedy. A large number of Gratz residents portrayed these families, but there was one problem with the group that was portrayed. The one African American family that belonged in this scene, the Peter Crabb family, was not included.
Furthermore, in the act or scene that followed this founders-early-settlers group, was of the Civil War, and from the list of “cast” members, the scene had nothing to do with Gratz and was more like a “Gone-With-The-Wind” portrayal of the “lost cause.”
Abraham Lincoln….. Russell Smeltz
Confederate Officer….. Peter Stine
Confederate Soldier ….. Darvin Daniels
Union Officer….. Earle Jury
Union Soldier….. Guy Miller
Slave Master….. Ammon Oxenrider
Slave….. Gerald Wiest
Civil War Dames….. Pauline Adams; Luma Rothermel; Marie Stine; Eva Daniels; Mary Wiest; Carolyn Witmer; Bonita Schminky; Elsie Felsburg; Anna Sitlinger.
No doubt Gerald Wiest appeared in black-face, as was the custom when white people portrayed black people. No doubt, the Union soldier was portrayed as white.
For the record, no Confederate officers or soldiers ever set foot in Gratz. There were also no slaves in Gratz during the war.
However, there were two African American Civil War soldiers who were born in Gratz and who served honorably in the war. The son of one of the founders of Gratz, John Peter Crabb, moved to Harrisburg after the war, and participated in the founding of a “colored” Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) Post there. His brother Edward Crabb, remained in the Lykens Valley area, and was buried in the family plot in Gratz Union Cemetery. Up to a few years ago Edward Crabb went unrecognized as a Civil War veteran by the local V. F. W. His grave marker, which was vandalized years ago, remains in pieces at the cemetery.
Finally, Gratz women during the Civil War could hardly be described as “dames,” a title of societal rank.
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This photograph appeared in the souvenir book for the Gratz Sesquicentennial, July 2-4, 1955.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.
[Black-Face].
You seem to be obscessed with the Crabb family. I would be proud to talk to you abut them, but, for your information, Nevin Crabb was on the Gratz Historical Society’s membership, so far as I know. By now, most of the Crabbs are so mixed with white People that they no longer look like Colored People..yes, I said it. My G Grandmother, who was also partly Colored, aka black, was a first cousin to those soldiers. Sorry you have some problem, but we, most of us, are aware of our ancestry, and could care less about it. By the way, four of those uncivil war soldiers who were first cousins of those soldiers named Crabb also served in the uncivil war. Their last name, from East Hanover Township, was Ramsey. We know who we are, and don’t need you to tell us how we are supposed to feel. I am told that I have some Native Ancestry, from both my parents..who knows? If so, I’m proud of that..if not, so what, I served my country, and, by the way, my children are other than white. Your comments which seem to be about race baiting. I grew up in Dauphin County, and visited people in that part of it, and your portrayal of them as racists seems unfair. How can you judge people since you don’t know how those people felt. The Schofstalls are related to the Crabb Family, as are many others. We are all Americans. Those uncivil war soldiers had grandparents and greatgrandparents who were slaves in Dauphin County..so what? Try to spread some kindness, instead of saying how much everyone is some kind of racist, when you don’t even know everyone whom you are inferring are that. Judge not, lest ye be jusged.
Very ugly comment. Judge not, lest ye be judged.
Gerald Wiest does not appear as black-face in the pageant like you said he did. He is clearly in the picture that was posted and did not appear black-face.
Gerald Wiest is the man on his knees. He also participated in plays in the 1976 bicentennial.