USA > Pennsylvania > Historic background and annals of the Swiss and German pioneer settlers of southeastern Pennsylvania, and of their remote ancestors, from the middle of the Dark Ages, down to the time of the Revolutionary War > Part 44
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Thus we see that in spite of the "humane" law of a few years prior, requiring more space and greater sanitation to be provided by ship owners, for poor passengers, great epidemics of sickness were prevalent in this ocean travel.
1754- German Immigrants Buried in Strange Burying Grounds at Philadelphia.
Thomas Greene and Thomas Bond, medical inspectors for the Province of Pennsylvania, gave an account of the deaths, occurring largely from the contagious diseases, in a report to the Governor, this year. The subject |
Among other things, in their report, these surgeons state (p. 173) that they inspected the different contagious dis- eases on these ships, and have given their view of the cause of the same. On page 175 they state the number of Palatines who recently died from the fevers and were buried, to be 253 dur- ing the year 1754. They were buried in what was known as the "Strangers Burying Ground." They state that Alexander Stedman reports 62, Henry Keppely 39, Benjamin Shumaker 57, Daniel Benezet 87, Michael Hilligas S. This gives us an idea of the contin- ued difficulties under which these people suffered.
1754-Petitions of the Germans in Philadelphia.
This year the Germans who had newly arrived and who were dis- persed throughout the City of Phila- delphia and its neighborhood, in a penniless, sick and other unfortunate condition, had their friends draw up a petition for them, and set forth some of the evils they were compelled to undergo, etc.
The petition was read in Council, Dec. 21, 1754. by Richard Wistar, and is found in the second Volume of the Pa. Archives, p. 217, as follows:
"It's humbly requested that the Governor would please to take the present unhappy situation of ve poor Germans dispersed thro' this City and the neighborhood under his consider- ation.
Our complaint is not so much of such as are called sick honses, that is houses hired by the merchants for the reception of their sick, tho' we have reason to fear that there is not such sufficient provision of food, clothing and fuel made for the sick, even in those houses as their weak
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316
SICKNESS AND POVERTY AMONG PALATINES IN PHILADELPHIA.
condition and the severity of tlie weather requires.
But our chief complaint is on the behalf of such as the Importers don't look upon as under their care, hav- ing as they term it, discharged them- selves of them. These are people in years, others with very small chil- dren, and especially widows with small children, who not being able to pay their passages nor fit to be bound out as servants, the merchants have discharged them upon their own se- curity, or after interchangeably bind- ing them one for another, generally keeping their chests which contain their clothes, tools, &c., & often best bedding as a farther security, many of these are now dispersed as lodgers in many houses in town, in the outskirts and in the small plan- tations near it, generally destitute of necessaries, not only to restore them to health, but even to keep them alive; such as are able to go abegging to the terror and danger of the inhab- itants, who from the smell of their cloathes when brought near a fire and infectious disorder which many of them are not free from, apprehend themselves in great danger. And those who are not able to beg must
. inevitably perish of misery and want, as it's believed that scores if not hundreds have already done this fall. It's therefore earnestly requested that the Governour would please to direct that a particular inquiry may be made in this melancholy case."
. 1754 - Address of the Philadelphia German Protestants to the Governor.
This year according to Vol. 2, of the Pa. Archives, p. 200, the German Protestants of Philadelphia and the vicinity, delivered an address to the Governor of Pa., the following were the subjects, after first setting forth that they were of various religious denominations :
1. That they appreciated the excel- lent government under which they live, where the best privileges in the known world are established.
2. They praise the government of Pennsylvania for the "inestimable liberty of conscience" and adminis- tration of laws, resulting from the plan laid down by Wm. Penn of im- mortal memory."
3. They have great affection towards the King; and are thankful for the continued succession of the Protestant rulers on the British throne; and they have very great respect for the gov- ernors, that have been sent from time to time, though they have not public- ly said so, heretofore, because of their people living so far apart over the province, and because they were modest and feared it would be looked upon as audacious.
4. They remind the government that in the past they were accused publicly in England, of being against the government; but they say no single instance can be pointed to.
5. That this address is the name of all classes of Protestant people. (except a few ignorant unmannerly people, who lately came among them) and these same people were always inclined to submit themselves under Romish slavery.
6. They firmly stand with the King of Britain and Parliament in their effort to overthrow the designs of the French King, who are trying to disturb our peace.
Finally they say that being confi- dent, that the Government of Penn- sylvania and of the King of Great Britain and Parliament will not be moved by the various defamations made against them, and believing in the love of justice, to Great Britain, they now do this to deface unjust clamors at home, and in England. against them and promise to prove by their loyal behavior, their affection i
GERMAN-SWISS DECLARE LOYALTY. GERMANS IN LANCASTER CO. 317
for this government. They then sign their names as follows:
Michael Schlatter
George Hitner Mareus Kuhl Christian Schneyders
Henry Keppele. Jacob Peinerz
David Susholtz
Rudolph Buner
Friedrich Mauss Ernest Kurtz Henrich Bassler Johannes Gamber Mathias Cline
Mattias Abell
Jacob Keanke
Jacob Kopp Henry Antes
George Hubner
Christopher Sholtze Peter Pennebacker
Henry Keck
Henry Muhlenberg Michael Walther
Mathias Hollenbach Christophe Rabe
John Schrack Philip Lidick
Peter Brunnholtz
Mathias Heinzelmann
George Graff Johann Caspar Rubel
The exact trouble or cause, made against them is not made very plain ; but it is likely it was similar to the accusations made so many years against them, that they were not loyal to the government. See Vol. 2, Pa. Archives, p. 200.
1754-Germans and Others in Lancas- ter This Year.
It will be remembered that we gave a brief picture of Lancaster at least as far as the German-Swiss element was concerned, under the date of 1744, at the time Witham Marshe wrote in his diary the impression he received while visiting here.
Ten years later in 1754, (6 Haz. Reg. 28-29) Governor Pownall visited this section and he has written what he saw. I make a note of this here, because at that time, the buildings, and the improvements on property, etc., were more largely carried on by the Germans and Swiss who lived here, than by the Irish, English and Scotch Irish. He says "Lancaster is a growing town and making money- manufacturing saddles and pack-sad- dles and guns-it is a stage town- 500 houses -- 2000 population. Between Lancaster and Wright's Ferry I saw the finest farms any one could possi- bly see. It belonged to a Switzer. Here it was I saw the method of watering the meadows by cutting a trough in the side of the hill, for the springs to run in. The water would run over the sides and water the whole of the ground. If the plan be used in England, I never saw it."
A town called Ephrata lies near Lancaster, settled by people called Donkers, Doopers, Dimplers; they are, I think, a queer set of protestant regulars.
Captain Gustavus Cunningham has given this picture of Lancaster, which he drew as an inference from Gov- ernor Pownall's Journal, "When Gov- ernor Pownall visited Lancaster there was not one good house in the town. The houses were chiefly of frame, filled in with stone - of logs and a few of stone. When Lancaster was laid out it was the desire of the pro- prietor to raise an annual revenue from the lots; no lots were therefore sold of any large amount; but settlers were encouraged to build and receive a lot, paying an annual sum of ground rent-hence the large number of poor persons in indigent circumstances who were induced to settle in Lan- caster. The Lancaster town was therefore too large at an early period in proportion to the population of the surrounding country, and its inhabi-
318
SHIP RECORDS AND DATA.
tants suffered much from want of employment as from its local situa- tion remote from water, it was not or could it ever possibly become a place of business. The proprietor was therefore, wrong in forcing the building and settlement of Lancaster. The town outgrew its strength and looks dull and gloomy in conse- quence.
1753-Ship Records.
The following is an additional list of ships for this year: Ship Peggy, James Abercrombie, master, qualified Sept. 24-Ship Brothers, Wm. Muir, waster, qualified Sept. 26-Ship Wind- sor, Sept. 7, John Good, master-Ship Halifax, Capt. Coatam, master, quali- fied Sept. 27-Ship Two Brothers, Capt .- Thomas Arnot, master, qualified Sept. 28-Ship Rowand, Arthur Tran, mas- ter, qualified Sept. 2S-Ship Edinburgh, Capt. Lyons, master, Sept. 29-Ship Louisa, Capt. John Pitcairn, master, qualified Oct. 2-Ship Eastern Branch. Capt. James Nevin, master, qualified Oct. 3. There ships all came from Amsterdam.
The Ship Good Hope, John Trump, master, qualified Oct. 1-Ship Friend- ship, James Seix, master, qualified Nov. 19. These two ships came from Hamburg.
This makes a list of eleven ships, and 931 passengers.
burgh the average age is 27 years, the oldest being 48 years, and the young- est being 16 years -on the ship Louisa, the average being 26 years. the oldest being 41 years and the youngest being 17 years-on the ship Friendship, the average age being 30 years, the oldest being 44 years and the youngest being 17 years.
The names which appear most numerously among these passengers. which are common Lancaster County names are the following: Wagner, Lintner, Berger, Brown, Arnold, Mil- ler, Martin, Smith, etc.
It will appear from these figures that these were mostly young peo- ple.
1754-Ship Records of This Year.
The ships arriving at Philadelphia. in 1754, with Palatines, that is Ger- mans and German-Swiss immigrants. this year, were:
Neptune, with John Mason as mas- ter, qualified Sept. 24, 1754 - Nancy, Captain John Ewing as master, who took the oath Sept. 14, 1754 (inhabi- tants of Loraine)-ship Barclay, John Brown as master, who took the oath Sept. 14, 1754 - Brothers, Capt. Muir as master, qualified Sept. 30, 1754- ship Edinburgh, with James Russell as master, qualified Sept. 30, 1754 -- ship Neptune, Capt. Ware as master. qualified Sept. 30, 1754-ship Phoenix, Capt. Spurrier as master, Oct. 1, 1754 -ship Peggy, with Capt. Abercrombie
On these ships, in which the ages are given, the average age of the im- migrants is: 27 years, the oldest , as master, qualified Oct. 16, 1754 - being 50 years and the youngest ship Henrietta with John Ross as being 15 years.
master, qualified Oct. 22. 1754-ship Capt. Moore as master, qualified Sept. 30, 1754. All these came from Rotterdam.
On the ship Peggy, the average age ! Halifax with Thomas Coatam as mas- in the men's list is 29 years, the old- ter, qualified Oct. 22, 1754-ship Mary. est being 54 years and the youngest ; being 17 years. On the ship Brothers the average age being 25 years, the oldest being 31 years and the young- We have the following from Am- sterdam : est being 20 years. On the ship Hali- fax the average age being 26 years, Friendship, with Charles Ross as the oldest being 50 years, and the master, qualified Oct. 21, 1754-ship youngest being 15 years. Banister with John Dyles as master.
In the men's list on the ship Edin- qualified Oct. 31, 1754 - Mary and
319
IRISH AND GERMANS TO SEPARATE.
Sarah, with Capt. Broderick as mas - ter, qualified Oct. 26, 1754-John and Elizabeth, with Peter Ham as master, qualified Nov. 7, 1754.
We have the following from Ham- burg:
Neptune, with Wm. Wallace as mas- ter, qualified Dec. 31, 1754-ship Ad- venture, with Jos. Jackson as mas- ter, qualified Sept. 25, 1754.
This makes a list of 17 ships, and in all we have 1778 passengers.
Some of the well known Lancaster County names are: Hartman, Shaef- fer, Miller, Brubaker, Kauffman, Long. Smith, Conrad, etc. The names that occur most numerous are: Miller, Hartman, Smith, Weber, etc.
1:55-Irish to Leave Lancaster Coun- ty to Germans.
Immediately after the Indian treaty of 1755, the proprietors of Pennsylva- nia told their agents that "In all sales made by them, that they should take particular pains to encourage emigra- tion into Cumberland County, from Lancaster County, as serious disturb- ances had arisen in consequence of dispute between the Irish and the Germans at election. The proprie- taries desired that York be settled by Germans, and Cumberland by Irish."
This is cited in 15, Hazard's Regis- ter, p. 81, but the source of the knowledge is not set forth. We have noticed heretofore that the Scotch- Irish and the Germans ever since 1742, had election conflicts; and we remember in 1749-50 and 51 that those election fights were particularly bit- ter in Lancaster and York counties. This gave the Government sufficient cause to desire the separation of these two nationalities, that "would not mix."
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1755-Massachusetts Invites the Ger- mans and Swiss.
Massachusetts, to his congregation (just as many other ministers of the New England States did to their con- gregations), stated in his sermon, be- fore the Governor and members of the Legislature of Massachusetts, that though Pennsylvania will have some inconvenience from too many unas- similated Germans coming among the people, yet the growth and prosperity of the province of Pennsylvania, has become a fact, largely because of the great number of German and Swiss people, inhabiting there. He further said, that Massachusetts had too many English now to be hurt by the ad-mixture of these foreign races, and that he advocated all proper meas- ures to be used to encourage the im- migration of foreigners from the Palatinate. (See election sermons for 1754, pp. 30 to 48, and Fairchild on "Immigration," p. 46.)
Indeed, not only Massachusetts, but other provinces invited the German- Swiss to settle among them. As early as 1726 Governor Clarke, of New York, sent a circular advertisement to Ger- many, which was distributed far and wide, offering to give free, 500 acres to each of the first 200 families from the Palatinate that would come to New York. The invitation did not meet with any great success. This may be partly from the fact that the Germans who went to New York with Governor Hunter 1709, (about 3000 of them), soon found the laws there not favorable to them, and about 1722 they nearly all left and came to Pennsylvania, and settled on the Per- kiomen Creek. (See Doc. Col. Hist. N. Y. Vol. 6, p. 60.)
Additional light upon the influence and effect of the Germans in Penn- sylvania can be found in Watson's Annals, Vol. 2, pp. 266 and 267.
1755-Crowding Germans on Ships Again Causes Trouble.
This year Dr. Jonathan Mayhew We have noticed in several prior who preached election sermons in | articles, efforts were being made to
320
MORE HORROR IN CROWDING PALATINES ON SHIPBOARD.
prevent crowding poor Germans and Swiss on ships. In Vol. 6, Col. Rec., p. 225, a bill was entered to prevent importation of Germans in too great numbers, on vessels, and was deliv- ered to the Governor, and he gave the Assembly a message upon the same. The Governor stated, several parts of the bill were against the principles of humanity-that more power was given to the magistrates than was consist- ent with justice -that in other sec- tions they were excluded from exer- cising rights which belonged to them and in general the bill they intended to have passed into a law, amounted to an absolute prohibition of Germans being "immigrated," and this he said, would meet with disfavor in England, as England was now convinced these people were a great help in develop- ing this Province.
This German bill, as it was called, came up later, and the Assembly laid another answer before the Governor. (See p. 243.) They said that they consider the bill to prevent immigra- tion of Germans, to be of utmost im- portance to the health of the people, and because trouble is arising from this, they ask the Governor to make this a law, as nearly like the proposed act as possible. The Assembly fur- ther explain, that they were attempt- ing to strike at the owners of the ves- sels, who were making a business of importing these people, in the same manner as you would import com- modities for sale and merchandise- that is, carrying on a kind of slave trade. They insist that these are im- portant matters on the bill; but in other respects, if the
Governor wishes to amend it, they are satisfied.
The matter dragged along until about April, 1755, and then a copy of the proposed act was laid before the Council (p. 345). This copy says, in order to prevent spreading contagious diseases, it is found necessary to add to the insufficient laws: because dis-
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eases have spread all over the prov- ince. The Act then goes on to pro- vide that no commander of any ship, having on board more than 50 per- sons, including mariners and all, shall bring his ship nearer than 3 miles from Philadelphia, land any goods or passengers, until the health officers and physicians examine it and the license from the Governor al- lows the landing. A penalty of 150 pounds is attached.
From this point on a large number of amendments and changes of more or less importance were made in the bill-the subject occupying about ten pages in Colonial Records. It then appeared to be in proper shape, but when the Governor sent it to the As- sembly, they returned it and com- plained of the personal amendments that the Assembly demanded, the Gov- ernor refused to carry out.
1755-Emanuel Zimmerman's Politi- cal Career.
One of the greatest figures in Penn- sylvania, before the Revolution, was that of Emanuel Zimmerman, the Eng- lish equivalent of whose name is Emanuel Carpenter. He began his political career in 1755. He was a member of the Assembly of Pennsyl- vania seventeen consecutive years, up to and including 1771. Many times, he requested his fellow citizens to cease voting him into office; but they would not do it. In spite of his protests, year after year, they elected him by great majorities. When the end of his career came, a large meeting of citizens gathered together in 1772, and passed resolutions, thanking him for his great services. We shall try to give a complete account of this, at the proper date.
Besides, being a member of the Leg- islature, he was Justice of the Peace, President Judge of our Courts, which position he held up to his death in 1780. Ile shed as much luster on the
GERMANS NOW ARRIVING INFERIOR TO EARLY IMMIGRANTS. 321
early history of our county, as George Ross and some other great figures (Harris 129).
An interesting biographical sketch of his career will be found also in Vol. 7 Haz. Register, p. 152. The writer of the Register says, he was the most distinguished of the early settlers. He possessed an ardent love for liberty in every form-his mind was finely organized, and his influ- ence was powerfull alike, over all the non-resistant religious sects, as well as over the Lutherans and Calvinists: and they all appealed to him for ad- vice in every measure. He was born in Switzerland, in 1702-he first be- came presiding Justice of the Com- mon Pleas Court in 1760 and re- mained on the bench for 20 years, un- til his death. He was also a historian and gathered up such history of the non-resistant people as he could From his race an illustrious line has descended.
1755-The Quality of the German- Swiss Now Arriving Has Become Low.
From the debate, between the As- sembly and the Governor and Coun- cil, we are shown, the German-Swiss immigrants who were now coming, were very different from those who came to Pennsylvania 25 years ear- lier. This appears in the contest on the bill, which was attempted to be passed improving the condition of shipping, and to prevent undesirous Germans from coming.
This German bill was again con- sidered May 14th, 1755 (See 6 Col. Rec. 382). At that time the reply to the Assembly's answer was given by the Council to the Assembly. The Governor and the Council still insist on their amendments or most of them. The Assembly sent another message to the Government, later the same day, which is found p. 384. In this message they say they are anxious to
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make proper provisions to prevent the spreading of diseases in the future, and that the bill they first suggested was a fair one-that many of these immigrants were perishing for want of change of clothes, room and neces- sities on the ship-that the Governor and the Assembly could get along very well in enacting legislation; but the Council are interfering too much and this obstructs legislation. The Assembly then go on and state that the Germans now coming are of en- tirely different grade from those who first came. They state that at first and for a considerable time, the fam- ilies were persons of substance, in- dustrious, sober people, who brought with them, chests of wearing apparel, and other necessaries; but that for some time past, the passengers who are thus fortunate, are sent on other vessels, so as to leave more room for crowding in the miserable Germans. in greater numbers, who are now coming. They also complain, that in order to be secure for the fare, of those who died on the vessels, which was the case lately, they hold the passengers' trunks, and they are crowded in the ships without any change of clothes or any means of keeping themselves clean. They com- plain that the Governor has cut out of the bill, the provision the Assembly desired to change this for the better. They also state that they tried to provide for pure air which the Gov- ernor cut out.
The Assembly then proceeds and says the immigration of the Germans for some time, past, are composed of a great number of the refugees of their people, and that the jails supply some of them. Therefore, the Assem- bly think it reasonable to prevent all such coming - to prevent the ship owners from exacting grevious bonds Or security, but the Governor cut this out. The Assembly say that from the late immigration, many numbers of
322
GERMANS AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY-GERMAN BURGESS.
these Germans are beggars from door to door, and that many of them who have bound themselves out for serv- ice, have loathesome diseases and are unfit for service. The Governor has struck this out. The result is, the matter ended in a dead-lock for a long time, and the bill failed of pas- sage for a considerable time.
1755-Christopher Sauer's Joy in Pennsylvania Religious Liberty
Our early local ancestors were careful to send back to their old home the good news of religious liberty enjoyed here. In 1711 the first settlers of Lancaster County did so, the very first Spring they lived here. After that many glad tidings went back to the old home. One of the most prominent of the en-
thusiasts over the good things to live here, was Christopher Sauer. He was learned and influential. In 1756 he wrote to Governor Denny: "When I came to this province and found everything to the contrary from where I came from, I wrote largely to all my friends and acquaintances of the Civil and Religious liberty, privileges, etc., and of the goodness I have heard and seen; and my let- ters were printed and reprinted and provoked many thousand people to come to this province( and many thanked the Lord for it and desired their friends also to come here." (Brumbaugh's History of the Breth- ren).
1755-A German is Chief Burgess of Lancaster Boro.
We have noticed before that the Germans began (about 1750) to take an active political interest in our local affairs. After this lesson was learned they kept on holding "fast to that which" was "good." In 1750-1 and in 1752-4 and in 1755-6 Adam Simon Kuhn was selected Chief- Burgess of Lancaster borough, then a
good sized and flourishing town. Jacob Schlauch was under-burgess and, also another German was elect- ed Constable. £ (See Hensel's Ad- dress, New Era, May 18, 1911).
1755-The Governor Complains Against Efforts to Dis- affect the Germans.
In Vol. 6 Col. Rec. p. 621, we have the following complaint in Governor Morris's message to the Assembly :- "You have in the Message now be- fore you, and in several other, taken great pains to infuse into the minds of the people particularly the Ger- mans, that the Government have de- signs to abridge them of their Privileges and to reduce them to a State of Slavery. This may and will alienate their affections from his Majesty's Government, destroy that Confidence in the Crown and its Delegates, which at this time is par- ticularly necessary, and render all the Foreigners among us very indif- ferent as to the success of the French attempts upon this Continent, as they cannot be in worse Circum- stances under them than you have taught them to expect from the King's Government."
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