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Articles / Articles

Vol. 99 (2026): Material Culture Review

Sir Isaac Newton, Biblical Prophecy, and the Founding of Lunenburg: Discoveries in the Estate Library of the Lunenburg-German Merchant Casper Wollenhaupt, 1755–1809

Submitted
September 21, 2025
Published
2026-07-13

Abstract

In the 1980s, two books by Sir Isaac Newton (1643–1727) and a third by the natural philosopher Samuel Clarke (1675–1729), which related to Newton’s writings, were found listed in the 1809 estate inventory of Lunenburg German merchant Casper Wollenhaupt. Set against the backdrop of the founding of Lunenburg and the revolutionary consciousness of the Romantic Era, this essay examines the reading habits of the Lunenburg-German merchant Casper Wollenhaupt to reveal insights into his character and personal life by examining the themes and subject matter of the books in his library, highlighted by the exceptional presence of writings by Sir Isaac Newton on biblical prophecy.