Eleonora Elisabeth von Seidlitz (1764-1789)
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Eleonora Elisabeth v. Seidliz, an unmarried sister and former warden of the [Single Sisters’] Choir, was born in 1724 on the 7th of February at Rackau, not far from Breslau in Silesia. Her father was Joachim Friedrich von Seidliz and her mother was Sophia Elisabeth v. Bibran. In the 10th year of her life her father died, leaving 6 children besides her. In the year 1736 the mother married a Baron v. Seidliz from Conradswaldau. He, however, went through most of the children’s fortune. Their uncles, especially, the old Mr. v. Seidliz, acted as fathers to the children, and gradually the latter came to the [Moravian] congregation at Gnadenfrey. The departed Sister Elisabeth and her sister Sophia arrived there on October 5, 1743. She, Elisabeth, became a participant in the Holy Communion with the congregation on September 27, 1744, after she had learned to know herself and had accepted faith in the Savior. Thereafter she became the superior and [pastoral] coworker of the Single Sisters there, and on January 2, 1748 she moved into the new choir house with them. In the year 1750 she went to London, and in the year 52 to Fulneck as worker in the Older Girls’ Choir. She returned to London in the year 54 to be the warden of the Single Sisters’ Economy after she had previously been consecrated a deaconess at Lindsey House. In the year 1761 she went to Ockbrook as worker with the Single Sisters and in 1763 to Pennsylvania as warden of the Single Sisters’ Choir here. She arrived with Capt. Jacobsen’s ship on November 4th. She was installed in office on November 7th and carried it out faithfully until 1781 when, because of her ill health, she was relieved by Sr. Anna v. Marschall. Her chest pains, which were accompanied by coughing up blood, continued until, on the above-mentioned day at 3:45 in the morning, she reached the end of all her distress. Her age was 65 years and 16 days.
Transcription and translation by Otto Dreydoppel, Jr.
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