Presentation on Lancaster historical figures planned

Robert Frick has always loved history, focusing on the subject at Millersville University before becoming an educator and serving 45 years in the Lampeter-Strasburg School District, including 15 as superintendent. When Frick retired, he delved into his love of history, becoming a guide for walking tours, presenter for Quest for Learning, and author.

Frick will bring his love of local history to New Holland when he presents "They Made Lancaster Great" on Thursday, May 18, at 7 p.m. at Garden Spot Village, 433 S. Kinzer Ave., New Holland, for the New Holland Area Historical Society (NHAHS). Frick's multimedia presentation will focus on portrait painter Jacob Eichholtz and the attorney and politician Amos Ellmaker.

According to Frick, Eichholtz, who was born in Lancaster in 1776, was first a tinsmith who liked to decorate each item he produced. "He painted little flowers or animals on every pot or kettle he made," said Frick, who noted that critiques of Eichholtz's initial works were not kind. "Some people ... called it 'hideous,'" he said. Eichholtz sought training from Gilbert Stuart, known for his portraits of George Washington. Frick noted the budding artist took along a piece of his artwork to gain Stuart's constructive criticism. Eichholtz later lived in Lancaster and Philadelphia, working as a full-time artist, and eventually painting more than 800 portraits. Local subjects included ironmaster Robert Coleman and a number of his family members.

Mitch Dissinger, member of the NHAHS board and coordinator of the presentation, said he chose Ellmaker for Frick to discuss based on Ellmaker's New Holland connections. "The Ellmaker Homestead and graveyard are south of New Holland," said Dissinger, adding, "(The family) owned the Kauffman Building, where the museum is, when it was a tavern."

"Ellmaker was a local and national politician," said Frick, of the prominent Lancaster citizen, who was elected to Congress in 1814 but never served because in 1815 the Pennsylvania governor appointed him to serve as a judge for Dauphin, Lebanon, and Schuylkill counties. In 1816, the governor appointed Ellmaker attorney general for the state. Ellmaker was an attorney, who had attended the Litchfield Law School located in New England. He had an office at 42 N. Duke St. in Lancaster, where he practiced law and helped train a lot of new attorneys.

Frick first began presenting talks based on his walking tours in 2014. In February, he presented his 500th program. His presentations are free, but any honorarium he receives is donated to the memory care program at Willow Valley Communities, where he lives with his wife, Bonnie. He and Bonnie have worked together to turn his lectures into books, including "Together They Made Lancaster Great," a book on the Founding Fathers, and one about the Supreme Court that focuses on six cases that changed the country.

The program is free and open to the public. More information about NHAHS may be found at https://nhhistorical.com or by searching for "New Holland Area Historical Society" on Facebook.