Joseph Funk Press
Joseph Funk Press (1847-1862) of Singers Glen (formerly called Mountain Valley), Virginia, established the first Mennonite press in the United States. The press was installed in the top story of a springhouse in 1847. The fourth edition (1847) of Harmonia Sacra and four other editions (1851, 1854, 1856, 1860) were printed on this press. The second outstanding songbook printed here was A collection of Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (1847 and three more editions: 1851, 1855, 1859). Other books published were A mirror of baptism (1851), a translation of Spiegel der Taufe (1744); Joseph Funk, Reviewer reviewed (1857); and J. and D. Brenneman, Hymns (1859). A periodical, The Southern musical advocate and singer's friend (op. cit., 27), was printed 1859-61. After the death of Joseph Funk, his sons continued the business under the name "Joseph Funk Sons." (The sons were not Mennonites.) In 1878 Ruebush-Kieffer purchased the press, and the Mennonite interests were taken over by J. F. Funk, Elkhart, Indiana. The original Funk printery, now in Dayton, Virginia, continued as Joseph K. Ruebush Co. An imprint of the Harmonia Sacra of 1847 lists Solomon Funk as "printer."
Joseph Funk's publications reached into Ontario during the 19th century.
| Author(s) | John A Hostetler |
|---|---|
| Date Published | 1956 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Hostetler, John A. "Joseph Funk Press." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1956. Web. 21 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Joseph_Funk_Press&oldid=91838.
APA style
Hostetler, John A. (1956). Joseph Funk Press. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Joseph_Funk_Press&oldid=91838.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, pp. 423-424. All rights reserved.
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