The Long Hidden Friend

A key text in the American folk magic tradition, The Long Hidden Friend offers a glimpse into the everyday healing and protective practices of the Pennsylvania Dutch. This accessible reprint brings Hohman’s influential work to a modern audience interested in historical folkways and early American magical traditions.

A Classic of Early American Folk Practice

Originally published in 1820, The Long Hidden Friend by John George Hohman is one of the most enduring texts of Pennsylvania Dutch folk magic. Drawing on a blend of Christian devotion, folk remedies, and European traditional charms, this book served as a practical manual for powwowers―folk healers who used ritual, prayer, and household knowledge in service to their communities.

This volume includes remedies for common ailments, protective prayers, and instructions for daily challenges, reflecting a worldview in which spiritual practice and everyday life were deeply intertwined. Widely circulated throughout Pennsylvania and the surrounding regions, the book influenced folk practitioners well into the 20th century, including in the Appalachian and Ozark traditions.

As part of our Text of Antiquity series, this edition presents Hohman’s text with clarity and respect for its historical context. It remains a valuable resource for those interested in American folk traditions, historical approaches to healing and protection, and the intersections of spirituality and daily life.

Ideal for readers of folklore, magic, and cultural history, The Long Hidden Friend offers insight into a little-known but culturally significant tradition of early American practice.