USA > Maryland > Annual report of the Society for the History of the Germans in Maryland, 1st-6th, Vol. 1-6 > Part 8
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DR. JULIUS GOEBEL
read in the May meeting "A Memorial to the HIon. Congress of the United States," dated April 29th, 1780, written by some un- known German of apparent ability and found among F. Lieber's library, which has of late become the property of the "Johns Hopkins University."
The Chairman
REV. JJ. G. MORRIS, D.D.,
entertained the Society at different meetings by the reading of diverse articles, but chiefly by securing for the inspection of this Society the collection of the so-called "Calvert Papers," lately secured from Col. F. HI. Harford of England by the Historical Society of Maryland. These papers refer largely to the coloni- zation and history of Maryland in its earliest years. The most interesting papers among this large collection and brought spe- cially to the notice of this Society are two letters from Lord Bal- timore. The first of these intimates that a number of emigrants from the Palatinate intended to settle in Maryland as early as 1694.
The other letter, addressed to his representative in the Colony, contains a warm recommendation of Bartholomew Mayer, a Ger- man, who with a number of emigrants from the Palatinate went to America on the ship "Patience," Capt. Steele, with the pur- pose of settling on the banks of the Monoeacy, in Frederick Co., Md., thus indicating that above settlement was not planted by Germans coming over from Pennsylvania as generally believed, but by those coming direct from the Fatherland. A third letter by the same author and written in 1232, speaks of a number of Salzburgers, who intended to emigrate to Maryland.
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MR. ED. F. LEYH,
.. as in the former, so during the last year, contributed no small share to the information as well as entertainment of the members by a number of impromptu, but nevertheless most interesting ad- dresses, chief among them his review of the German daily and weekly newspapers that have appeared, disappeared, and still appear in Baltimore City. In the JJanuary meeting Mr. Leyh read an original and very elaborate article concerning "The char- acter and procedure of the Old Germanic Public Assemblies." A proper report of this article can be given only by having it print- ed in full.
An article on
" THE LABADIST SETTLEMENT IN MARYLAND"
by Mrs. Leakin-Susa, was read in the December meeting. This sect, founded by Jean Labadie of Bordeaux in the 17th century and favoring in their tenets somewhat the Communists, emigrated after a series of successes and reverses in different parts of Europe and South America to North America.
Ephraim, the oldest son of Augustine Hermann of "Bohemia Manor," Cecil Co., Md., becoming one of their converts, they were through his instrumentality, but also soon to Mr. Hermann's regret, invited to settle down at Bohemia Manor, which was ac- complished in 1675. Whilst they flourished for a while, in 1727 the entire Colony had ceased to exist.
The Society during the past year participated through its regularly appointed representatives in the Memorial Services of the late German Emperor, William I., held in the Academy of Music on March 25th, 18SS, and also in the 15th National Sanger- Fest, held in Baltimore from July 1st to 4th, 1888.
The Society owes thanks to the daily Press of Baltimore City for the notice taken of its meetings as well as its efforts, and in addition to the owners of the "German Correspondent" and the "Baltimore Journal" for gratuitous furnishing of their respective papers.
Respectfully submitted,
F. PH. HENNIGHAUSEN, Sec'y.
BALTIMORE, MD., February 12th, 1889.
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TREASURER'S REPORT 1888-1889.
BALTIMORE, February 12th, 1889.
Rev. Dr. John G. Morris,
Pres't of the Society for the History of the Germans in Md. DEAR SIR :
At the expiration of the 3rd fiscal year of our Society, I beg to submit to you the following statement of our finances.
On the 14th day of February last, there was on hand in Cash $217 91
The RECEIPTS since have been :
For Dues from 2 members 1887 and 1888 ... $ 20 00
" 69 for 1888. 345 00 365 00
$58 91
The EXPENDITURES during the present year have been as follows :
For 500 Annual Reports. $111 50
" 500 copies of the "Ax" Memorial, 45 00
" Salary to the Secretary. 100 00
" Rent of the Rooms, 10 times. 50 00
" Books, paper, binding, postage, etc. 49 14
" Commission collecting dues .. 9 00 364 64
Leaving on hand a Balance of. $218 27
as per Bank-book with the German Bank of this City.
Very respectfully,
E. NIEMANN, Treas.
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LIST OF OFFICERS (of ensuing year) AND OF MEMBERS.
President: REV. J. G. MORRIS, D.D., L.I.D.
Vice-Presidents : L. P. HENNIGHAUSEN, Esq.
PROF. OTTO FUCHS.
Secretary: REV. F. PH. HENNIGHAUSEN, D.D.
Treasurer: MR. ROBERT M. ROTHER.
Executive Committee : (All the officers included.)
DR. LEWIS H. STEINER, Chairman.
Mr. Ed. F. Leyh.
Mr. Ernst Hoen.
Prof. C. F. Raddatz. Mr. Chas. Weber, Jr.
Rev. II. Scheib. Mr. Geo. W. Gail.
Dr. J. A. Heldmann.
Ernst Knabe.
Mr. Wm. Schnauffer.
Mr. Edw. Niemann. Dr. John HI. Smith.
Rev. B. Sadtler, D.D.
" Jacob Plack.
Mr. II. A. Schroeder.
Mr. Ilenry Vees.
" N. G. Numsen. ¥
" W. N. Numsen. " G.W. Lehman, Ph.D. ¥
Phil. A. Albrecht. Ernst Schmeisser. Wm. F. Frick.
Herm. Schoecke.
Isidor Loewenthal.
" Valentine Scheer.
John Uhrig.
" Henry Arens. Dr. A. v. Hoff-Gossweiler. Mr. A. H. Brinkmann.
Edw. L. Felgner.
Mr. Henry Becker.
Mr. Christ. Lipps.
E. E. Wenck.
" E. Hayen.
Sam'l D. Schmucker, Esq. " M. A. Marburg.
Fred. Pohlmeyer.
A. II. Schulz.
Mr. J. H. Danzeglock. Geo. Bauernschmidt. Prof. John G. Wehage.
" C. G. Blumhardt. Mr. Will. Koether.
“ Geo. von Lingen.
Dr. Adelbert J. Volk.
" Chas. Ruhstrat. Mr. Chr. Ax, Jr.
" HI. G. Hilken.
Dr. C. F. Mathieu.
Henry Lingenfelder.
Gustave Gieske. Mr. Win. E. Schloegel. Mr. Will. Koch.
Hon. Simon Wolf.
Prof. O. F. E. Schultz.
Mr. L. H. Wieman.
Col. Henry C. Tieck.
Prof. Basil Sollers.
Edgar H. Gans, Esq.
Rev. L. Vogtmann.
" E. Wischmeyer. Dr. Ferd. Reinhard. Mr. Geo. W. Sattler. Henry Lantz. Herman von Kapfl. Louis Dohme.
L. C. Schneidereith.
Prof. E. Deichmann.
". Emil Schmidtborn. Col. F. Raine.
Prof. Henry A. Wood.
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SYNOPSIS
OF
PROF. O. SEIDENSTICKER'S
ADDRESS.
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SYNOPSIS OF PROF. O. SEIDENSTICKER'S ADDRESS.
THE PROFESSOR SPOKE SOMEWHAT AS FOLLOWS:
ITH great pleasure I have heard of the organization of your Society. I consider it the duty of the Germans to take an active interest in the history of their fellow countrymen in America. If they are indifferent to the part which their kinsmen have acted in the development of our adopted country, what right have they to complain that others do not display more zeal? As German-Americans we, in a certain sense, enter upon the inheritance left by those, who came to this country before us and it is our duty to inquire, who they were, what they aimed at, what they suffered, what they achieved. Would it be becoming for us, for instance, to be acquainted only with the old story of the Ilessians, who, sold by their own Sover- eign, fought as hirelings in the ranks of the enemies of our lib- erty, and not to know anything of the valor and endurance, with which German-Americans fought FOR the independence and the liberty of this country during the Revolutionary War ? It is not my intention on this occasion to enter more fully upon this sub- ject, but since I am speaking to Maryland Germans, I will at least mention, that at the beginning of the war on May 25th, 1726, Congress in compliance with the urgent request on the part of Germans, resolved to accept a regiment consisting exclusively of Germans. At the same time, be it remarked, the Germans were numerously represented in other organizations of the American army.
The above regiment was to be made up by four Pennsylvania and four Maryland companies. But so great was the rush of vol- unteers, that Pennsylvania on June 17th, 1776, was ready to offer fire companies for service, and all were accepted. The Maryland Germans arrived in Philadelphia September 18th. On the 25th of the same month the regiment was mustered into service in the
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army of Gen'l Washington, and at Gen'l Washington's departure from Philadelphia was, at first, with others ordered to protect the city against the enemy from without as well, as against the rapid- ly increasing party of mal-contents within. In December the regiment joined Gen'l Washington's army at Bristol and shared in the glory of that bold surprise at Trenton on December 26th, 1776. The German regiment was, at first, commanded by Col. Hausegger, later by Baron von Arendt, and finally by Major Lud- wig Weltner of Baltimore, who continued in command to the end of the war.
I must, however, continued Prof. Seidensticker, refrain from dwelling upon the history of this regiment, nor can I enter upon the participation in the Revolutionary War on the part of the Germans in general, since I have selected for my theme this even- ing a different subject. I merely intended to show by the above how proper it is for us Germans to concern ourselves with the history of immigration, and at the same time to call attention to the fact, that the Maryland Germans gave proof of their love for liberty, and of their loyalty to their adopted country, not only during the great rebellion, but also in the war for independence.
Among the sources which furnish us intelligence of the past, the newspaper is one of the most important. Apart of the infor- tion on cotemporaneous events, the newspaper by its very existence, its circulation, character and partisan-ship is a speaking witness of its time. According to "Rowell's Newspaper Guide," there appear at present, more than seven hundred German periodicals within the U. S., while only forty-three are published in the French language. A glance at their circulation in the different States and Territories, at their aims, partisan-ship, etc., will give useful clues as to the distribution, the influence, the pursuits and leanings of the Germans within the U. S. The remarkable de- velopment of the German-American Press of the present day can - not but awaken in us a desire to learn something of its beginnings and earlier history, so much the more as we may expect to glean from these papers some information concerning the condition of the earlier German immigrants.
The speaker then alluded to the perishable character of paper and the habit of people to cast aside as of no further value the newspaper when once read. Ilence much valuable material has
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been destroyed and is utterly lost to us. - In the last century there appeared in the United States twenty-nine newspapers, ex- clusive of two magazines and two papers, supposed to have been published in Baltimore and Fredericktown. Of eighteen, out of these twenty-nine newspapers, single copies and files have been preserved, the rest are known to us only from advertisements and other references. On June 11th, 1737, Benjamin Franklin gave notice in his "Gazette," that he would publish a German "Phila- delphische Zeitung." And this is the only knowledge that we have of it. Christoph Saur's "Hochdeutscher Pennsylvanischer- Geschichtsschreiber," which was begun in 1739, met with better success than the former. In 1746 its title was changed to "Penn- sylvanische Berichte" and later into "Germantowner-Zeitung." The paper came to its end in 1777. As successful papers deserve further to be named: II. Miller's "Staatsbote" 1762 to 1779; M. Steiner's "Philadelphische Correspondenz" 1781 till about 1796; Albrecht's "Lancaster Zeitung" which continued to appear under different names from 1787-1808, and the Reading "Adler," which was started in 1796 and is still in existence. It is a signif- icant fact and characteristic of the German immigration of the last century, that all newspapers, of which we possess any reliable information, appeared in the State of Pennsylvania. - Nicolans Raitenbauer, Nicolaus Tschudi and John Schultz were known at 1776 as booksellers and newspaper agents in Baltimore City.
The speaker next discussed at some length the stand taken by German newspapers, with regard to important events of the times. politics and party issues. The papers coming under consideration were Christoph Sauer's Germantowner Zeitung, B. Franklin's and A. Armbruster's Philadelphische Zeitung, II. Miller's Staats- bote, M. Steiner's Philadelphische Correspondenz, Die unpar- theyische Readinger Zeitung, Der Readinger Adler and Die neue unpartheyische Lancaster Zeitung.
The lecture closed with an account of the first German print- ing establishment in Baltimore. It appears, Prof. S. said, that the honor of having carried German printing to Baltimore is . really due to Nicholas Hasselbach, who in 1763, and perhaps a few years after that date, was a printer and publisher in Chesnut Ilill near Philadelphia. According to a statement in Thomas' History of Printing, he removed from there to Baltimore, where
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he resumed his business of a printer and publisher. By the same authority we learn, that on a trip to Europe he was lost at sea and that his widow in 1723 sold his stock and printing material to Wm. Goddard. But no Baltimore imprints of Hasselbach have turned up and all our information about his establishment in Baltimore is confined to the meagre notice just alluded to.
Better known and, in fact, the first German printer of Balti- more, who rises distinctly into view was Samuel Saur or Sower, as he spells his name in English prints. He was the youngest of the ten children of Christoph Saur, the pioneer printer of Ger- mantown, and there born on the 20th of March 1767. He had, at first, chosen the trade of a carpenter, but subsequently followed his father's pursuits, as did so many others of the same family. In 1791 he set up a printing and publishing office in Chestnut- Hill, in 1794 he removed to Philadelphia and 1795 to Baltimore. How industriously Samuel Saur plied his craft may be seen by the subjoined list of his publications.
In Chestnut Hill :
1791. Das kleine Dacidische Psulterspiel der Kinder Zions. 594 pages. With an appendix : Die kleine Harfe. 65 pages.
" Ein ganz neu eingerichtetes Lutherisches A. B. C. Buchstabier und Na- mcnbuch.
1791-1794. Die Chestnuthiller Wochenschrift.
1791- ? Der neue Hochdeutsche Amerikanische Calender. 4to. Appeared regularly in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia and Baltimore, till at least 1807.
1792. Geistliches Wetterglocklein oder christliche Donner und Wettergebüter.
Die Wege und Werke Gottes in der Seele.
Auserlesenes und gemeinnütziges Handbüchlein, von Tobias Hirte.
Verschiedene alte und neue Geschichten von Erscheinungen der Geister,
Ein Gespräch zwischen einem Pilger und cinem Bürger, von Valentin Mack.
Kurze Beschreibung ciner langen Reise ron Babylon nach Bethel.
1793. Kurzer Bericht von der Pest, deren Ursprung, Zeichen und Eigenschaften. Geschwinder Rechner oder des Händler's nützlicher Gehilfe. "The Ready Reckoner."
1794. M. Carey's Nachricht von dem bösartigen Fiber, welches kürzlich in Phila- delphia grassirt, samt Nachricht von der Pest in London.
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In Philadelphia :
1794. Prophetische Muthmassungen über die Französische Revolution. - Erzith- lungen ron Joseph II.
Das Philadelphier Wochenblatt.
After his settlement in Baltimore S. Saur published in,
1795. Johann Lasseneins' Politische Geheimnisse ricler hin und wieder heutigen Tages einreisenden unartigen Atheisten. Gedruckt von S. Saur und Jones.
Der heilige Krieg, wie derselbe geführt wird von Christo Jesu wider den Tenfel.
Count Roderick's Castle. 2 vols. in one. Printed by Sam. Sower and S. Keating.
1796. There also appeared published by Keating in Baltimore and probably printed by S. Sower :
Dem Andenken Deutscher Dichter und Philosophen, gewidmet von Deut- sehen in America. -- It contains Gessner's Tod, Abels and other poems.
Der Psulter des König's und Propheten Darid.
¥ A, B, C, Buchstabir- und Namenbuch.
1798. Der merkwürdige Lebenslauf, die sonderbare Bekehrung und Endziekungen des verstorbenen Dr. De Beneville.
1799. Christliches Handbüchlein von Jeremias Tellinger.
= The Citizen's and Countryman's experienced Farrier.
1800. Washingtoniana, containing a biographical sketch of the late Gen. Gco. Washington, etc., with portruit.
1801. Der geschwinde Rechner.
Sometime previous to the last publication, Sam, Saur combined with his printing establishment a type foundery in partnership with a Mr. Wm. Gwinn. This branch of his business seems to have henceforth occupied most of his time and attention. This, no doubt, explains the cessation of further publications, except that of the Almanach. His types were much sought after, as a letter of his, dated Dec. 7th, 1808, shows. In it he says: "I am chained down (to business) closer than ever, for I am employing the two Kempfers, a journeyman and a young learner, besides the stamp cutter, and six or seven apprentices, and expect to employ one or two more journeymen. - My partner will not bother him-
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self with business, having invested between $7000 and $8000 in the business and built for me a home costing at least $3000. I see him not more than once a month and he leaves everything in my hands to manage, saying if he had not the utmost confidence in me, he should not have gone into it. - The business of type founding is making great strides, - orders are pouring in from everywhere, so that we cannot fill the half of them. We have undertaken to cast the smallest type that have yet been used in the world. You may judge of its fineness when it takes 4-5000 spaces to weigh one pound. Of this type we have an order from New York for 300 pounds for a Bible. - I send Brother David a Catalogue containing almost all the type we have had engraved and you may never have looked upon a neater specimen of type. We have received an order from Albany for a note-type for a book of hymns, 1500 pounds for $2587. If we could get Antimony enough, we could have work for twelve founders. I am working night and day. We have eleven boys and six journeymen at work and orders for 5000 pounds type."
During the invasion by the British in 1812 Samuel Saur partly removed and partly hid his types, etc., in the ground for safety sake. Being, like his father, a man of deep religious convictions and of strictly peaceable principles, he looked upon war only with feelings of abhorrence. The bombardment of Fort McHenry near Baltimore, he describes as having been " terrific."
During the year 1813 he was called to the ministry by his Dunkard brethren, even as his father had been before him. (It will be remembered, that this religious sect will select any one · from their number for the sacred office, who, in their opinion, is both worthy and able to be their teacher.)
Samuel Saur was married three times. But one child was born to him, a daughter, Maria. She married Richard Spalding, a Roman Catholic and soon after joined that denomination herself. This naturally caused her father, with his strong personal re- ligious convictions no small amount of grief, though he readily admits that his son-in-law was a respectable, industrious, home- loving, sober and honest man. He was educated as a lawyer, but preferring business to law, became a merchant. Bodily afflictions, the failing of his eyesight, and poor health were added to Samuel Saur's inward sorrow, yet he is cheerful in the midst of all his
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trials. "Jesus and my small chamber are a world to me," is his confession. The connection of his daughter with the Catholic Church isolated him from his own kin; he boarded with stran- gers and utters the pathetic lament: " I have a wife and no wife; a daughter and no daughter ; a home and no home." Yet in a later letter he speaks of his daughters filial conduct toward him and his own undiminished love for his wife.
Ilis business during the latter years of his life, as well as his property became somewhat reduced in extent as well as value, nevertheless, he continued to live in comfortable circumstances up to the time of his death, which occured in Baltimore, October 12th, 1820. There is sufficient ground for believing that Samuel Saur published in Baltimore a German newspaper, but as none of the numbers, said to exist, could be procured for inspection, the matter must remain in abeyance for further inquiry.
JOHANN LEDERER'S
BOOK OF TRAVELS IN
VIRGINIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA
IN
1669 AND 1670.
JOHANN LEDERER'S BOOK OF TRAVELS IN VIRGINIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA
IN 1669 AND 1670.
T HE first attempt of a scientific exploration and description of the Eastern slope of the Appalachian (Alleghany) Mount- ains, and all the territory lying between tide-water and the Alleghanies in general, from Maryland to Florida, was made in the years 1669 and 1670 by JJohannes Lederer, a German, un- der the auspices of Sir William Berkley, Governor of Virginia. It was done with the expectation to discover an easy and short route to India, which was then generally supposed to be but a short distance. Johannes Lederer, a native of Germany and a scholar, arrived in 1668 at Jamestown, Va. He said he was a son of the Alps, and had come to America to explore the country. He could speak German, French and Italian fluently, was a mas- ter of the ancient languages, but spoke English imperfectly. Gov. Berkely engaged him and fitted out an expedition under his leadership to discover a pass through the mountains to India. Lederer made within two years three expeditions to the mountains and extended his explorations as far South as Florida, but he did not discover a pass through the mountains, nor did he ever cross them.
In his third expedition his escort deserted him and returned to the Virginia colony, and he continued his journey until he reached the Mickasukee lake in Florida near the Spanish pos- sessions, when being afraid that he might be suspected by the Spaniards of being a spy and sold by them into slavery to work in their mines, he returned to Virginia.
Ilis escort who had abandoned him, had in the mean time spread evil reports about him, and aroused prejudice against him on account of the expenses incurred by the expeditions, which had to be borne by the colony. Lederer was threatened, and
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being afraid of his life, escaped to the colony of Maryland and found a refuge with Lord William Talbot, the Governor of the Province. Gov. Talbot after careful investigation of the rumors against Lederer came to the conclusion, that they were unfounded. He describes Lederer as a modest, intelligent person of much learning, who had been wronged a great deal, and says his pre - judice against him gave way to admiration. IIe became Lederer's friend and protector, conversed often with him, and translated the written description of the journeys by Lederer from the Latin into English and in the year 1672 caused the same to be pub- lished in the city of London under the following title :
' The Discoveries of John Lederer in three several marches from Virginia to the West of Carolina and other parts of the Con- tinent. Begun in March 1669 and ended in September 1670. Together with a general mup of the whole Terri- tory which he trurersed. Collected and translated out of Latin from his Discourses and Writings. By Sir William Talbot, Baronet. London, printed by J. C. for Samuel Hey- rick at Gray's Inn Gate in Holborn 167Q."
It is dedicated by Sir Win. Talbot to the Highly Hon. Anthony Lord Ashley, Chancellor of the Exchequer, &e. In this dedi- cation Talbot expresses his belief that the long hoped for dis- covery of the Indian Ocean is near at hand, and that Virginia is only separated from it by the Appalachian mountain ranges. Which is rather a strange conclusion from the text of the book, where Lederer expressly says :
"Those who believe that the Indian Ocean is but eight or ten day's journey from the Atlantic Ocean are very much mistaken, from what I learned from strange Indians in Akenatzy who came from a far distant Northwestern country."
His book, which contains but 27 pages, is most interesting in the account it gives of the customs, manners, government and religion of the Indians. The Indians in the town of Akenatzy, which was situated on an island in the river Schawan formerly Rorenock (Roanoke ?), raised Indian corn on well-cultivated fields, and had at all times as much as twelve months corn in storage. They had every thing, with the exception of their wives, in strict
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communism. A chief for civil and a chief for military affairs. Some Indians lived under a monarchial and others under despotic form of government.
Lederer's book is very rare, as far as known, there is but one copy of it in this country, which is on the shelves of the Con- gressional Library in Washington. W. II. Rattermann of Cin- cinnati copied it, and in 1876 translated it into German and published the translation in the "Pionier," a German periodical.
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DIE PROTESTANTEN-KLÖSTER
DER
SIEBENTAGER
IN
PENNSYLVANIEN.
·
DIE PROTESTANTEN - KLÖSTER DER SIEBENTAGER IN PENNSYLVANIEN.
M Cumberland-Thale, an dem westlichen Abhange der Mont- Alto-Kette liegen die letzten Ueberreste der seit anderthalb Jahrhunderten gegründeten Deutschen Klöster der Einsamen und Verlassenen im Absterben.
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