man’s will heir to Bohemia Manor with the title of “lord”. When, however, Ephraim joined the Labadists, forsaking his young wife, his father made a codicil to the will, condemning the sect in the strongest language, named three trustees and directed that after his death they guard the property lest Ephraim give it all away to the Labadists.[1] It is said that when Ephraim Herrman fully determined to join the Labadists and live as one of them, his father pronounced a curse upon him, declaring that he would not live two years longer. Tradition has it that Ephraim repented of his action and returned to his wife. But he lived until 1689, three years after his father’s death; and it was believed by some that his mind was partially deranged.[2]
The tract of land which the Labadists bought consisted of some thirty-seven hundred acres, comprising land east of Bohemia Manor proper, of the highest fertility.[3] Here the hundred-odd Labadist emigrants from Holland settled, raising grain and tobacco, which plant they no longer detested since it was bringing in a fat income. The future of the Labadist movement in America was closely connected with the fortunes of the House of Herrman. Sluyter was installed as head of the sect and his wife became a kind of mother superior. In 1722 Sluyter died with no one caring to take his place and five years later there were none who professed to the faith. Samuel Bayard bought some of the land, in which family it has remained to the present time.
Nor did the fortunes of the mother church in Holland prosper more than the New World colony. Three sisters of Lord Semmelsdyk remained true to the faith, but upon the
