USA > Maryland > Annual report of the Society for the History of the Germans in Maryland, 1st-6th, Vol. 1-6 > Part 22
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Die Indianer hatten in den Mienen ihrer Wächter bereits ihr Schicksal gelesen, und als die Ungeheuer hereintraten, um ihre Blutarbeit zu beginnen, baten sie um eine kurze Frist,
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sich zum Tode vorzubereiten. Nach langem Zögern gewährte man diese Bitte. Mahei, eine hochherzige Indianer-Frau, die fertig deutsch und englisch sprach, warf sich Williamson zu Füssen und flehte ihn an bei Allem, was ihm heilig sei, doch Gnade zu üben. Das Scheusal stiess sie mit kalten Worten zurück. Da stimmten die Gefangenen eine von Zeisbergers Gnadenhymnen an und erwarteten ruhig den Tod. Als ihr Gesang verhallt war, zog einer der Mordbuben das Wams aus und streifte die Hemdsärmel auf. Dann ergriff er eine bereit liegende Kenle und erschlug Judith, eine achtzigjährige fromme Greisin, und der Reihe nach dreizehn andere mit gefalteten Händen auf den Knieen liegende Frauen, dann reichte er die Keule einem andern Blutgesellen, der die Arbeit des Todsehla- gens der Frauen und Kinder fortsetzte. In dem andern Schlacht- hanse wurden die Männer ebenso widerstandslos hingemetzelt. Alle Toten wurden darauf skalpirt. Dreiundneunzig un- schuldige Menschen wurden auf diese Weise hingemordet. Nur zwei, ein Knabe, welcher sich im Keller versteckt hatte, und ein anderer, welcher, obgleich skalpirt, sich wieder erholte, entkamen während der Dunkelheit der Nacht.
Die Mörderbande zog nun jubelnd mit den Skalpen der Ermordeten in Pittsburg ein und Keiner wurde wegen dieser grauenvollen entsetzlichen Mordthat, die in der Geschichte ihres Gleichen sucht, vor Gericht gestellt oder irgendwie be- lästigt. Dass nach dieser Schlachterei das Christenthum unter den Indianern wenig Fortschritte machte, ist erklarlich.
Die Herrnhuter Missionäre waren nach wie vor unablässig um ihre rothen Brüder bemüht, aber es war unmöglich, dass nach dem Geschehenen die frühere Zuversicht zu dem Frie- densevangelium wieder Wurzel fassen konnte. Zeisberger zog nun mit einer ganz kleinen Indianerschaar, die ihm treu ge- blieben war, nach Norden und gründete am St. Clair See in Michigan ,,Neu Gnadenhutten," wo er drei Jahre wirkte.
Mittlerweile gab der amerikanische Congress als eine ge- ringe Sühne für die schreckliche Sehandthat in Gnadenhütten den Brüdern ein Geschenk von 10,000 Acker, am Tuscarawas gelegen, mit der Einladung, dorthin zurückzukehren. Zeisberger fuhr nun mit seinen Getreuen zurück über den Erie See, musste sich zeitweilig in der Nähe der jetzigen Stadt Cleveland aufhal- ten und einen Wohnort bauen, welchen sie ,, Pilgerruh“ nannten
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und wo sie säeten und ernteten, um dann weiter zu ziehen. Er zog dann weiter, wurde aber wieder in Erie County in Ohio durch die feindlichen Indianer aufgehalten und baute dort das Dorf ,,Neu-Salem." Er errichtete hier drei Elementarschulen für die Indianer und übersetzte Lieder und biblische Geschich- ten in die Delaware-Sprache. Der Krieg entbrannte von Neuem und um einem zweiten Gnadenhüttenblutbad zu entgehen, zog Zeisberger mit seinen christlichen Indianern nach Canada; hier fanden sie Schutz und Unterstützung. Erst in 1789 wagte der greise Missionär, jetzt 77 Jahre alt, mit einem Theil seiner Gemeinde nach dem Tuscarawasthal zurückzukehren. Er starb 1808 im Alter von 87 Jahren und 7 Monaten, umringt und tief betrauert von seinen getrenen Indianern. Er hat im Gan- zen zwanzig Werke in mehreren Dialekten der Indianer geschrie- ben, von denen sechs im Druck erschienen sind, und hat im Ganzen dreizehn deutsch-christliche Indianerdörfer nacheinan- der in der Wildniss gebaut.
Im ersten Viertel des vorigen Jahrhunderts entstand in einer deutschen Ansiedlung in Sud-Carolina eine Sekte durch einen Wahnwitzigen Namens Weber. Er gab an, Jesus Christus zu sein, seine Frau gab er für die Jungfrau Maria und einen dritten für den heiligen Geist aus. Es fehlte ihm noch der Tenfel und nach kurzer Zeit gelang es ihm, einen armen geistesschwachen Menschen zu überreden, diese Rolle zu über- nehmen. Weber bekam nun ziemlichen Anhang und verord- nete, dass der Teufel in einer dunklen Höhle angekettet werde. Endlich befahl er, der Teufel müsse aus der Welt. Der arme Teufel wurde nun aus der Höhle geholt, in ein Federbett gelegt und mit Kissen und Decken umhüllt, worauf etliche Fromme sich auf ihn setzten und ihn würgten, bis er erstickte. Die Leiche wurde auf einem Scheiterhaufen verbrannt. Die Wahnwitzigen wurden von der Gerichtsbehörde verhaftet und Weber in Charleston gehängt. Seine Frau und seine Jünger wurden vom Gouverneur begnadigt.
Die bedeutendste deutsche Sekte, welche je in Amerika gegründet wurde, sind
DIE VEREINIGTEN BRUDER IN CHRISTO,
in Baltimore gewöhnlich die Otterbeins-Kirche genannt. Otter- beins Absicht war nicht und auch glaubte er nicht, eine neue
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Kirchengemeinde zu gründen, sondern die alten protestantischen Kirchen zu verbinden, und doch entstand daraus eine neue, scharf begrenzte Kirche, welche die grössten Erfolge aufzu- weisen hat. Philipp Wilhelm Otterbein wurde 1726 in Dillen- burg, Nassau, geboren. Er stammte ans einer angesehenen Predigerfamilie und erhielt eine vortreffliche Erziehung. Er war in den alten Sprachen, Naturwissenschaften und in der Philosophie gut bewandert. In seinem 23. Jahre wurde er Prediger der reformirten Gemeinde seiner Vaterstadt. Im Jahre 1752 folgte er dem Ruf der reformirten Synode zu Holland und erhielt an der reformirten Gemeinde zu Lancaster seine erste Stelle als Prediger in Amerika.
Im Jahre 1758 verliess er Lancaster und ging nach Tul- pehoken, von da 1760 einem Ruf folgend nach Frederick, Maryland, 1765 nach York, Pennsylvanien, und 1774 nach Baltimore, wo er den Rest seines Lebens verblieb und im Jahre 1813 hochgeachet und beliebt im Alter von 87 Jahren starb. Er war ein korperlich schoner Mann, über sechs Fuss hoch, hatte eine ungewöhnlich hohe Stirn und glänzend blaue Augen. Der Name ,, Vereinigte Bruder in Christo" wurde erst 1805 angenommen. Der Aufschwung dieser Kirchengemeinden ist ein ausserordentlicher gewesen. Vor 35 Jahren gab es in den- selben noch keinen englischen Prediger. Damals zählte man im Ganzen 14 Geistliche, jetzt mehr als 2000, damals nur eine Conferenz, jetzt 50, darunter eine je in Deutschland, Canada und Afrika, und die Gemeinschaft zählt etwa im Ganzen 160,000 Glieder. Die Mutterkirche dieser grossen Sekte, von welcher Alles dieses ausgegangen ist, befindet sich in Baltimore, und es wird in derselben noch jetzt nach nahe 125 Jahren ihres Bestehens in deutscher Sprache gepredigt. Nach dem Ausbruch des Unabhängigkeitskrieges, 1726, hörte die deutsche Einwanderung für die Zeitperiode von vierzig Jahren fast gänzlich auf.
Die deutsch-französischen Kriege, welche etliche Jahre nach der Beendigung des Unabhängigkeits-Krieges ihren Anfang nahmen und mit der Schlacht von Waterloo 1815 endeten, hatten, gegen die gewöhnliche Annahme, dass langwierige Kriege die Auswanderung fordern, zur Folge, dass die Aus- wanderung gänzlich stockte und erst 1817 wieder in's Leben
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trat. Dieses ist die grosse Lücke in der Entwickelung des Deutschthums in den Vereinigten Staaten und es gewann da- durch die english-irische Einwanderung zeitweilig einen grossen Vorsprung. Mehr jedoch war die während dieser Periode ein- getretene, fast gänzliche geistige Trennung von dem alten Vaterlande dem Deutschthum dahier nachtheilig. Von der grossen geistigen Bewegung Deutschlands, welche durch Lessing, Herder, Klopstock, Schiller, Goethe und Andere hervorgerufen wurde, fand sich die hiesige deutsche Bevölkerung nicht be- rührt. Es kamen nicht mehr wie früher Geistliche und Ge- lehrte, auf deutschen Universitäten herangebildet, über das Meer, um hier den Kindern ihres Volkes als Fuhrer und Lehrer zu dienen. Selbst der früher so emsig betriebene Briefwechsel, welchem wir so viele historische Kunde verdanken, hatte ganz- lich aufgehört. So kam es, dass die grosse deutsche Bevolke- rung, welche an den östlichen Abhängen des Apalachien-Ge- birges von Sud-Carolina bis nach New-York sich erstreckte, vom Vaterland geistig und physisch getrennt in einer beson- dern Geistesrichtung sich weiter entwickelte. Der Ideengang, Gedankenausdruck und der beibehaltene alterthümliche Dialekt. waren dem nach 1817 einwandernden Deutschen, welcher von der modernen deutschen Geistesrichtung angehaucht war, be- fremdlich. Er bespöttelte und bewitzelte die nach seiner Ansicht veraltete Denk- und Handlungsweise der alten Deutsch- Amerikaner. Dadurch entstand leider eine Kluft zwischen den sogenannten Pennsylvanisch-Deutschen und den späteren ameri- kanischen Deutschen, welche bis heute noch nicht geebnet ist. und vielen für das hiesige Deutschthum gemeinnützigen Be- strebungen hinderlich wurde. Es kamen nach dem Unab- hängigkeits-Krieg noch andere deutsche Sekten nach Amerika, worunter besonders die communistischen, wie ,, Rappisten ... „Amanisten“ u. a., das meiste Interesse erregt haben. Sie gelangten jedoch nicht zu der Bedeutung der Mennoiten, Tunker, Herrenhuter, Siebentager und Schwenkfelder.
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GERMAN-AMERICAN FAMILIES
IN MARYLAND.
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GERMAN-AMERICAN FAMILIES
IN MARYLAND.
NE of the most magnificent scenes in our State is a bird's- eye view from some lofty eminence on the Western Mary- land R. R. over the vast expanse of forest, rock and mountain gorge, over thiekly clustering farms and villages below in the valley which stretches to the Northeast and Southwest into Pennsylvania and far away to the Southland. This is the Cumberland valley with the Blue Mountain ridge, the Switzer- land of Maryland, the scene of probably the earliest German- American labor and enterprise in the province of Maryland. From the Pennsylvania border and through this beautiful region with its healthful and invigorating climate, the German- American spread East and South, clearing and improving the country, founding villages, which grew into flourishing town- ships, and urging on and directing the settlers of his race who followed in his wake till they find their way to the Patapsco and the Chesapeake. A hundred interests to the German- American of to-day, cluster round this region. It tells him the story of those sturdy, honest men who would not submit quietly to intolerance in the fatherland, but came to America to worship according to their conscience, and that, wherever they settled -in the lonely moorland valley or in the heart of un- cleared forest-they went on year after year reclaiming the wilderness, until their houses became enringed by bright mead- ows and cornland, and by flourishing orchards. It tells how their villages soon became schools for mechanics and trades for all the country about them, and their cities manufacturing centres of that time, and that they contributed much to the prosperity of the Province and the progress of true civilisation. It also tells of a time of political intolerance, gallantly over- come by Jonathan Ilager of Hagerstown, of devotion to the
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country and good service during the Revolutionary War, of extensive commerce and great industries, and last but not least, of superb loyalty to flag and country.
To this region we may trace perhaps the larger number of those early German-American names that in time became so prominently identified with Maryland's progress and prosperity, and that bore no inconsiderable share in the material and moral development of her cities. Among them we find the Alberts, Bakers, Hoffmanns, Millers, Newcomers, Reeders, Schleys, Stein- ers, Miltenbergers, Stanfers, Uhlers, Slinghuffs, Shrivers, Shry- ocks, Diffenderfers, Yeizers, Leverings, Strickers, Keysers, Van Bibbers, Kings, Schmukers, Baers, and a host of others.
The ancestor of the late Win. Julian Albert of Baltimore came to America in 1752 from Würzburg, Bavaria, and settled in Monaghan township, York county, Pennsylvania, where by thrift and honest industry he acquired a handsome property, which, we are told, was considerably augmented by the diligence and ability of his son Andrew. Andrew's son, Jacob, removed to Baltimore in 1805 and founded the hardware firm which soon ranked amongst the leading houses south of Mason and Dixon's line. Associated with him and succeeding him were his sons William J. and Augustus, who after marked success retired in 1855. From this time on to his death, William devoted his life and great means to the welfare of his native city, state and country at large, and many are the commercial enterprises. charitable and educational institution that have his name on the list of honor. He was prominent in the reorganisation of the Baltimore and Cuba Smelting and Mining Company which during the entire term of his directorship was eminently pros- perous and gave employment to hundreds. In 1863 he helped , to call into life the First National Bank of Baltimore. He assisted in establishing the "Soldiers' Home" and au Asylum for orphans, and took a leading part in the foundation of the society for the moral and educational improvement of the blacks after the abolition of slavery. His charity and influence among friends caused the establishing, at great ex- pense, of a normal school for colored teachers in Baltimore. During the war of the states, Mr. Albert was a strong Union man and zealously supported the administration in connection
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with which the following incident is told by his biographer : "In the latter part of the month of December, 1860. nothing seemed to protend the destruction of the Union more than the embarrassed condition of its finances. The treasury was empty, and the public credit appeared gone. Upon apprehen- sions being expressed at the depository in Baltimore as to the ability of the United States to meet the interest on the pub- lic debt due on the first of the following month, Mr. Albert volunteered, in case the anticipated exigency should arise, to advance what would be necessary to defray the demands upon the Government in this city. Although it was not found necessary to accept his offer, it was none the less patriotic."
Among the early German-American merchants of Balti- more the house of Peter Hoffman & Sons occupies a very prominent and honorable position. The founder Peter Hoff- man sen., who was born in Frankfort-on-the-Main in 1742. emigrated to this country when quite young, settling near Frederick upon his own farm, which he sold again in 1776 for a large sum of money, to go to Baltimore, where he established the dry-goods house that eventually became the mercantile firm of Peter Hoffman & Sons. Upon its site now stand the building of Hamilton Easter & Sons and the Adam's express offices. In his position as one of the selectmen of "Baltimore town" before the adoption of the city govern- ment, Mr. Hoffman labored incessantly to improve and beau- tify the town. The grounds round the once well-known "City Springs" in Calvert street, then an ornament of the city and the favorite resort of the best people, claimed his particular attention.
Mr. Hoffman, sen., died in 1809 after a life of honorable effort, leaving to his loved and loving children a memory as precious as it is honored by the city of his adoption, in the building up of which he took so conspicnous a part. He was buried in the cemetery attached to the old Otterbein German church. With the exception of his youngest boy David, who adopted the profession of law, and was widely known as an author, all his sons became active and prosper- ous merchants: Jacob, the oldest son, established a sugar refinery in Alexandria, Virginia, but subsequently retired to
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his farm in Loudoun county. John Hoffman carried on a successful business in Hanover street, between German and Lombard streets, a locality which then contained some of the best residences in Baltimore. The warehouses erected by him on Charles and Lombard streets, ranked among the largest in the city. Those on Lombard street, between Charles and Hanover streets, were eventually sold to John Eager Howard who converted them into the "New Assembly Rooms."
Mr. George Hoffman, another son, was looked up to dur- ing his lifetime as among the foremost in promoting every . enterprise that redounded to the fame of his native city, and like his brother, Peter, jun., took a prominent part in all that affected the progress and commerce of Baltimore. His name is associated with what was once one of the finest residences in Baltimore, the beautiful mansion with its exten- sive grounds on the corner of Franklin and Cathedral streets, formerly occupied by the Maryland club. Peter Hoffman, jun., whose many deeds of public and private charity have made his memory honored, was one of the incorporators and trus- tees of the "Baltimore Orphan Asylum" and the builder of the "Law Buildings" on the site of the first Athenamim, corner of St. Paul and Lexington streets.
In 1825 two sons of Peter Hoffman, sen., Jeremiah and William, returned from London, England, with a handsome fortune acquired by successful trading, and settled in their native city. William died unmarried in 1828. Jeremiah pur- chased a home and extensive grounds near the present inter- section of Franklin and Chatsworth streets, later owned by Mr. Daniel B. Banks and now occupied by a fine row of dwelling houses. Samuel, the last of the merchant sons of the founder of the family in America, equally successful with his brothers and as highly esteemed by his fellow-citizens, passed away in 1852.
"Among the early settlers of Roxborough township in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, now forming part of the twenty-first ward of the city of Phila- delphia, were two brothers, named Wigard and Gerhard Lever- ing. They were from Germany, and their father's name was Rosier Levering." Thus begins the account of the pioneer
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settlers of Roxborough. The precise date of their arrival in Pennsylvania is not known, but it was no doubt before the month of August 1685, for, in a deed (written in German ) Francis Pastorins, attorney for the Frankfort company, con- veys to Wigard Levering "on the sixth month of Christ 1685, in the sixteenth year of the reign of King James &c.," a lot in Germantown, containing 50 acres. On the 19th of June. 1692, Wigard conveyed this land to one Jacobus de la Plaine after purchasing from Thomas Hill of the city of Philadelphia. merchant, for the sum of sixty-eight pounds, a traet of two hundred acres situated in Roxborough. This was no doubt the period of "Weekhart Libering's" (as he is designated in this deed) settlement in Roxborough, as his name does not appear among the records of Germantown, after this date. Prior to acquiring this land, Wigard was duly naturalized, "having - solemnly promised faith and allegiance to William and Mary, and fidelity and lawful obedience to William Penn &c.," and the emigrant had now become a landed proprietor and added to his occupation of weaver and joiner that of farmer. Wigard, the pioneer ancestor of the Leverings, died February 2nd 1744. His death was announced in the "Penn- sylvania Gazette," No. 844, February 12th, as follows: "Last week died, not far from this city, Mr. Wigard Levering. aged 109 years. His great-grand-children Aaron and Enoch through the influence of their brother-in-law John Brown. a native of Belfast, Ireland, removed to Maryland and became the founders of the Levering family in Baltimore. Aaron was a revolutionary soldier. He was appointed in the early part of July, 1776, one of the captains of the Flying Camp, and was commissioned as Major, 31st of July, 1776. He was in the battle of Brandywine and at the defence of Mud Fort and Fort Mifflin. He was honorably discharged with the rank of colonel at Perth Amboy. Both Aaron and Enoch became successful merchants in Baltimore.
Gen. John Stricker, the son of Col. George Stricker of revolutionary fame, was born in Frederick in 1759. His mother was a Miss Springer. He served as a cadet in Capt. Geo. P. Keeport's company in the German battalion, of which his father was lieutenant-colonel, until commissioned as officer
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settlers of Roxborough. The precise date of their arrival in Pennsylvania is not known, but it was no doubt before the month of August 1685, for, in a deed (written in German ) Francis Pastorius, attorney for the Frankfort company, con- veys to Wigard Levering "on the sixth month of Christ 1685. in the sixteenth year of the reign of King James &c.," a lot in Germantown, containing 50 acres. On the 19th of June, 1692, Wigard conveyed this land to one Jacobus de la Plaine after purchasing from Thomas Hill of the city of Philadelphia. merchant, for the sum of sixty-eight pounds, a tract of two hundred acres sitnated in Roxborough. This was no doubt the period of "Weekhart Libering's" (as he is designated in this deed) settlement in Roxborongh, as his name does not appear among the records of Germantown, after this date. Prior to acquiring this land, Wigard was duly naturalized, "having - solemnly promised faith and allegiance to William and Mary, and fidelity and lawful obedience to William Penn &c.," and the emigrant had now become a landed proprietor and added to his occupation of weaver and joiner that of farmer. Wigard, the pioneer ancestor of the Leverings, died February 2nd 1744. His death was announced in the "Penn- sylvania Gazette," No. 844, February 12th, as follows: "Last week died, not far from this city, Mr. Wigard Levering, aged 109 years. His great-grand-children Aaron and Enoch through the influence of their brother-in-law John Brown. a native of Belfast, Ireland, removed to Maryland and became the founders of the Levering family in Baltimore. Aaron was a revolutionary soldier. He was appointed in the early part of July, 1776, one of the captains of the Flying Camp, and was commissioned as Major, 31st of July, 1776. He was in the battle of Brandywine and at the defence of Mnd Fort and Fort Mifflin. He was honorably discharged with the rank of colonel at Perth Amboy. Both Aaron and Enoch became successful merchants in Baltimore.
Gen. John Stricker, the son of Col. George Stricker of revolutionary fame, was born in Frederick in 1759. His mother was a Miss Springer. He served as a cadet in Capt. Geo. P. Keeport's company in the German battalion, of which his father was lieutenant-colonel, until commissioned as officer
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in Boctar's artillery, in which he rose to the rank of captain. He was at the battles of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine Germantown, Monmonth, and others, and accompanied Gen. Sullivan on his expedition against the Indians. In 1783 Capt. Stricker came to Baltimore and associated himself in business with Commodore Barney. He took a keen interest in the or- ganization of the militia, and formed and trained one of the earliest commands in Baltimore and soon was made brigadier- general and commander of the State troops. During the at- tack on Baltimore in 1814 by the English under General Ross, Gen. Stricker commanded the brigade, which was send for- ward to cheek the enemy's advance, and performed this diffi- cult task with rare discretion, conspicuous gallantry and suc- cess. He died on the 23rd of June 1825, leaving to all who knew him a profound and tender memory.
It certainly is pleasant and of interest to the German- American to contemplate the record of a family that for ability, pluck and uprightness, almost from their first appearance in the colony of Maryland to this our day, have stood as high as the Schleys of Frederick. Thomas Schley, the pioneer, who built "the first house" in Frederick in 1746, came with a colony, comprising about one hundred families, from the Palatinate in Germany, in 1735, and settled in the lovely valley of the Catoctin, in which Frederick city is situated. One of his sons, Jacob Schley, was a captain in the revolution. One of Thomas Schley's grandsons was William Schley, member of Congress and Governor of Georgia. Schley county was named for him. John, his brother, occupied the Supreme Bench in Georgia, while another brother rose likewise to eminent judicial honor. Henry Schley, father of Dr. Fairfax Schley, was born in Frederick city in 1793, and died there in 1871 .: he partici- pated in the battles of Bladensburg and North Point in 1814, and after the campaign returned to Frederick where he filled during many years various places of important public trust, William Schley, who for many years was one of the leaders of the Baltimore bar, and one of the most distinguished and successful advocates whom the State of Maryland has ever produced, was born in Frederickstown, October 31st, 1799. He commenced the practice of his profession in 1824 in his
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native city, but removed to Baltimore in 1837 where he rapidly rose to distinction at the bar. In the same year in which he be- gan to practice law, he married Miss Ringgold of Conococheague Manor, in Washington county, a sister of the gallant Major Samuel Ringgold, of the U. S. army, who was killed at Palo Alto in Mexico. Mr. Schley's life and energies were almost entirely devoted to his profession, and after his retirement from the State Senate, of which body he had been a member, he rarely took an active part in politics. Mr. Schley's profes- sional reputation extended far beyond the limits of his city and State, and no man was more frequently consulted by clients from abroad or in other States. The gallant Winfield S. Schley, the rescuer of Greely and commander of the cruiser Baltimore, belongs to the family. Dr. Fairfax Schley, one of the most popular citizens of Frederick, married into the Steiner family, one of the oldest in Western Maryland, and of whom the late Dr. Lewis HI. Steiner, librarian of the Enoch Pratt library was a member.
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