An unusual bit of ephemera. The actual order book pages for Lloyd Mifflin's casket and vault from the Boyertown Company. The Boyertown Burial Casket Company originated, sensibly enough, in Boyertown, Pennsylvania is 1893. They eventually went national and were, for a long time, THE casket company in the USA. This writer well remembers walking to grade school in Harrisburg and usually passing the Boyertown regional manufacturers, and seeing workers lining the caskets and addin

When Lloyd passed away in 1921, Dr. Houston Mifflin wanted his monument done by the best he could find. He found J. H. Keener in Maytown—considered among the best in the region. Later, Keener joined forces with a Mr. Haldy in Lancaster, another one with a great reputation. They became Haldy/Keener Monuments. Seems, though, they didn't get along very well. Maybe they each thought they were better than the other? Indeed, the Haldy company (with or without Keener, I can't say) e

Early in Lloyd's writing career, it seems he wasn't yet feeling confident in his work. So, in this collection, Ventures In Verse (1876), he used the pen name 'Victor Leon.' He must have felt a bit more accomplished with his art work, since the book was illustrated and, on that, he claimed the credit with his actual name. Many years later, he looked back on this effort by saying: "There is nothing in this early volume which I wish perpetuated. The poetry of this book is not

On September 23, 2025, the Columbia Borough Council of Columbia, Pennsylvania proclaimed that September 15th of each year to follow would be deemed "Lloyd Mifflin Day." That date, of course, refers to Lloyd Mifflin's birthday. On behalf of the request made by the Lloyd Mifflin Society, Mr. Kelly Murphy presented the proposal to the borough council. It was unanimously approved by the council without debate. The Lloyd Mifflin Society is grateful to the entire borough council a

Apollonius of Rhodes (3rd century BC) is but one of the many poets who tell how Selene, the Titian godess of the Moon, loved the mortal shepard, Endymion, so much that she convinced her cousin, Zeus, to grant him eternal youth so that he would never leave her. Additionally, she loved how Endymion looked when he was asleep, she convinced Zeus to leave him that way, forever young... and asleep. As with many myths, such stories can be inspirational fodder for an artist's vision.

When John Mifflin Sr. and his son, John Jr., came to—what is now—Pennsylvania in the late 17th century (surprisingly, even before William Penn), they established a large and beautiful estate in the present-day section of Fairmount Park in Philadelphia. The Mifflins called it 'Fountain Green.' This stereograph taken pre-1900 shows a springhouse or root cellar, one of the few structures which remained of Fountain Green at that time. These days, nothing is left in evidence of th

Here are a few examples of discarded items found in the back yard of the Mifflin House, Second and Walnut Streets, Columbia. Unearthed during an archaeological excavation around 1995, these items are now held in the Lloyd Mifflin Society's archives. _________ Donated to the Lloyd Mifflin Society by Cle Berntheizel, Columbia, Pennsylvania, 2025. Wine or beer bottle w/partial cork. Measures ±9-inches tall. Original cork. Sugar or jam dish lid. Measures ±5.4-inches by 4.25-inche

Society appears to dictate that an official form be completed for just about every action we humans experience. Lloyd was no different. Officially, his death was attributed to "General Paralysis," due to "Apoplexia." Contemporary terminology might be more along the lines of "degenerative brain disease or dementia." Today, the general cause, "apoplexia'," meant a sudden collapse with loss of consciousness, often leading quickly to death, without a precise internal cause identi

Shown here is the introductory spread and a sample spread of a curious little journal. A weather journal. It covers 1892,1893, and 1894. Seems that one James Ewing Mifflin was fascinated with all things weather and wanted to keep a record of his observations. We now it was created by James Ewing Mifflin, but we're not precisely certain as to which James Ewing Mifflin. There were three: James Sr (1791-1842), James Jr (1841-1926), and James the 3rd (1867-1920). Obviously, James

Samuel Nelson Houston (1791-1878) was elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate 1828-1832, 7th district, Lancaster County. He was born in Wrightsville, York County and died in Columbia, Lancaster County. He's buried in Mt. Bethel Cemetery with his wife, Susan Strickler. Samuel Nelson Houston, an uncle of John Houston Mifflin Samuel was an uncle to Lloyd's father, John Houston Mifflin. Sam's father, Dr. John Houston of Pequea, was also for whom John Houston Mifflin was named. A

The Mifflin Family is well-represented by the silhouette likenesses they’ve left us. Mifflins centered in Philadelphia, Chester, Wrightsville, and Columbia are represented by this unique art. An abridged article by Ted Stuessy, a contemporary silhouette artist, writing for the Museum of the American Revolution, offers wonderful background to this (almost) lost art: . . . . . “The silhouette has a long, winding history that bridges class and geographical divides. As the artfor

The town and surrounding area of Columbia, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania was truly in Lloyd Mifflin's blood and soul. Both of his parents lead directly to the founder and progenitor of Wrightsville and Columbia, Pennsylvania. Indeed, the very spirit of Pennsylvania ran through his veins—a spirit that began when his G-G-G-G-Great Grandfather, John Mifflin, Sr, arrived from Warminster, Wiltshire, England in 1677-79, pre-dating even William Penn's arrival. John Senior and Junio

This letter, held in the archives at Franklin & Marshall, finds Lloyd at a very low time in his life. He shares these private thoughts with his brother, Dr. Houston Mifflin. It reads: . . . . . Feb. 5, 12 PM, 1892 I feel that I am dying — Be pleased to edit any poems of mine you find fit. I think I have been dying for a month while I wrote the 25 sonnets you will find. I fell over in bed as I wrote “Poem”—I can scarcely hold the pencil & these last words are for my beloved. B

The first Mifflin’s to arrive in the New World was John Mifflin I, and his son, John Mifflin II. They left their estate (their family in...

Lloyd Mifflin's father, JOHN HOUSTON MIFFLIN (1807-1888) formed the template by which Lloyd followed. Every imprinted footstep left by JH...

There were two Columbia sisters (with help from a third, Elizabeth) who were instrumental in retaining much of what we have of Lloyd...

To say that this image is rare is to be understating things a bit. This is, in fact, Lloyd himself twisting himself into a less than...

First, and foremost, Lloyd was a painter. For painters, the 'still life' is an imperative. When one learns to paint, the still life was a...