The Sketch Book of John Warburton
by John Warburton
Elkland, PA
1836
The family history of John and Mary (Sadler) Warburton has been well-documented in Settlers LIII: Descendants of John and Mary (Sadler) Warburton,
authored by Lyle Rockwell and Larry Pardoe. However, in November 2008, additional information and materials came to light through the initiative of George Robert Warburton of Clyde, Cloud County, Kansas, the great great grandson of the emigrant couple. Here we present a series of photographs of a remarkable religious sketch book completed by John Warburton in 1836, the year of his death.
We now know that John came from a long line of religiously motivated Warburtons and related families, going back to the 1500s in England. So, his religious fervor comes as no real surprise. What is amazing is that this citizen of remote rural Pennsylvania would go to the trouble of making this spiritual guide book, and that the document itself has survived passage down through the hands of four generations. No one says it better than Lyle Rockwell on first receiving the scanned photos:
John Warburton was not only religious, but was a skillful artist too!
I think the books were left in good hands, since George has taken good care of them, and in a safe place. It is just wonderful that he has taken the time to share his treasures with the Sullivan County genealogists and people with interests in family history.
The sketch book itself is a fragile item kept by George in a safe deposit box in Kansas. The pages are a fold up and fold down book that John Warburton made the year he died. It is actually preserved in pieces but George put it together as best he could without using tape for photographing. As the observer will be able to determine from its contents, the intent was for readers to absorb a homily, warning or message from John, the author, and then turn the page or leaf of the original book to see his religious solution or proposal. In this respect, the document appears to be a set of prescriptions against excess materialism, shortsightedness in the face of mortality, and the distractions of the physical world. Here are the pages in order of delivery by George Warburton. The book cover is shown at the head of this page.
Inside Front Cover Pages
Photo Contributed by George Warburton
"Garden of Eden" Pages
Photo Contributed by George Warburton
"Fall of Man" Pages
Photo Contributed by George Warburton
"Cain and Abel" Pages
Photo Contributed by George Warburton
"Abel's Offer" Page
Photo Contributed by George Warburton
Gold and Silver Page
Photo Contributed by George Warburton
Copyright © 2008 Robert
E. Sweeney and individual Contributors. All Rights Reserved. Prior written
permission is required from Robert E. Sweeney and individual Contributors before
this material can be printed or otherwise copied, displayed or distributed
in any form. This
is a FREE genealogy site sponsored through PAGenWeb and can be reached directly
at ~Sullivan County Genealogy Project (http://www.rootsweb.com/~pasulliv)
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