The Flagon
Submitted by Joan Bittner Fry
Recently, while browsing in one of my favorite thrift shops, I found a 2007 cookbook. The cover signified that it was written in celebration of the 275th Anniversary of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Creagerstown. Along with the wonderful recipes, there was the following interesting story about a flagon, a communion vessel.
The pewter flagon, depicted here from the cookbook cover by Hallie C. Long, has an interesting history. It was made by Johann C. Heyne in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The flagon had been used by the congregation of “the old log church” in Creagerstown from 1752 until 1834. It was found under the pulpit of “the old brick church” during the 1915 restoration of the building.
The flagon stayed with the congregation until 1942, when it was donated to the Historical Society of Frederick County by Rev. P.E. Heimer, pastor at the time. Between December 1974 and January 1975, the flagon was stolen from the historical society.
It was not recovered until August 2005. Fr. Donald Herr, an expert on pewter communion vessels, recognized it from pictures and newspaper articles that had been furnished to him by deceased church member, Catherine Long, during the 1990s when he was researching his book, Pewter in Pennsylvania Churches.
The flagon was found at Pook & Pook Auctioneers in Downingtown, Pennsylvania (still in business), about 150 miles from Frederick. The person who consigned it to the auction had purchased it at a flea market in 1980. The flagon was recovered by Frederick City Police and returned to the historical society.
Of the 89 items stolen from the historical society, the flagon was the only one recovered.
