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diff --git a/77784-0.txt b/77784-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..36691cc --- /dev/null +++ b/77784-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6045 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77784 *** + + + + +[Illustration: + + _THE PALATINATE + OF THE + RHINE + DURING THE PERIOD OF + THE LARGE PALATINE + EMIGRATION TO AMERICA_ +] + + + + +THE STORY + +OF THE + +PENNSYLVANIA GERMANS + +Embracing an account of their Origin, +their History, and their Dialect. + +BY +WILLIAM BEIDELMAN + +OF THE NORTHAMPTON COUNTY BAR, AND MEMBER OF THE +PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN SOCIETY. + +[Illustration] + +EASTON, PENNA. +EXPRESS BOOK PRINT. +1898. + + + + +Copyright 1898. +BY WILLIAM BEIDELMAN. + +All rights reserved. + + + + +DEDICATED + + +To the descendants of those Germans who many generations ago were +exiled from their homes in the beautiful valleys of the Rhine and +Neckar in South Germany on account of fierce religious, and still +fiercer political persecution. + + So waren wir und sind es auch, + Das edelste Geschlecht, + Von biederm Sinn und reinem Hauch, + Und in der Thaten Recht. + + GOETHE. + + + + +PREFATORY NOTE. + + +This book has been suggested to the author, by reason of several +visits made by him among the people of the Upper Rhine country in +South Germany, whence emigrated the ancestors of the Pennsylvania +Germans. Much that the reader will find herein contained is familiar +history; but it is believed that there are some Pennsylvania Germans, +who may find some things in this unpretentious volume concerning their +ancestors and their history, with which they may not be altogether +familiar. It is for them that this book has been primarily written. + +There are not many people who do not share in the sentiment, which +unites one to the history of his race, his kinsmen, and the home of his +fathers. This sentiment is rooted deep in the affections of most if not +of all people, but with the Germans it is pre-eminent. + +The Pennsylvania Germans, whose ancestors were exiled from their homes +in the beautiful valleys of the Rhine and Neckar, by fierce religious, +and still fiercer political persecution, are yet after the lapse of +many generations bound by invisible ties to the land which has been +consecrated and made hallowed, by the same blood which courses in their +veins. + +The aim of the author has not been to tell anything especially new, but +rather to bring together in concise form, an account of the origin, +history, and dialect of the Pennsylvania Germans; the causes which led +their ancestors to emigrate to the province of Pennsylvania, together +with other information identified with their story. + +For much of this information the author is indebted to Zimmerman’s +“History of Germany,” Bayard Taylor’s “History of Germany,” Henri +Martin’s “History of France,” Proud’s “History of Pennsylvania,” +Watson’s “Annals,” Nebenius’ “Geschichte der Pfalz,” Eckhoff’s “In der +Neuen Heimath,” “Hallischen Nachrichten,” and to other sources. + +Certain magazine and newspaper writers are responsible for much +misinformation, which prevails among certain people concerning the +Pennsylvania Germans,--especially with regard to their dialect. Not +many years ago an article appeared in the “Atlantic Monthly,” wherein +it was asserted that “Pennsylvania Dutch” was not German, “nor did they +expect you to call it so.” The same author afterward perpetuated this +misinformation by embodying it in a book. It is scarcely necessary to +contradict such manifest error; if it were necessary to do so, the +examples of the Pfälzisch dialect contained in this volume, and their +comparison with Pennsylvania German will refute conclusively all such +erroneous contention. + +In this volume the Pennsylvania Germans are spoken of as Germans, +because that is the only designation which is justified by reason of +their race, their history, and their speech. + + THE AUTHOR. + +Easton, Pa., 1898. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER. PAGE. + + I. INTRODUCTORY.--Earliest known German Tribes.--Their + Contact with the Romans, Franks, Goths, Saxons + and Alemanni, 1 + + II. THE PALATINATE (German Pfalz), 15 + + III. THE DEVASTATION OF THE PALATINATE, 22 + + IV. THE PROVINCE OF PENNSYLVANIA, 35 + + V. GERMAN EMIGRATION TO PENNSYLVANIA, 40 + + VI. GERMAN EMIGRATION TO OTHER AMERICAN + COLONIES.--Palatines settle in Ireland, 59 + + VII. THE QUAKERS AND THE PROPRIETORS, 76 + + VIII. THE PENNSYLVANIA GERMANS IN HISTORY.--In the + Revolution, 81 + + IX. THE PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN DIALECT.--Its English + Infusion.--Pfälzisch and Pennsylvania German + Compared, 102 + + X. THE GERMAN AND DUTCH LANGUAGES 123 + + XI. SCHOOLS, CHURCHES AND RELIGIOUS SECTS, 129 + + XII. SOCIAL LIFE AND CUSTOMS, 138 + + XIII. LIFE IN PENNSYLVANIA IN THE EARLY DAYS OF ITS + SETTLEMENT.--Courts and the Administration of + Justice.--Early Legislation, 156 + + APPENDIX A.--EXAMPLES OF PFÄLZISCH, SOUTH GERMAN AND + PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN DIALECTS, 179 + + APPENDIX B.--VOCABULARY, 195 + + APPENDIX C.--BRIEF PERSONAL SKETCHES OF ENGLISH, GERMAN, + AND PALATINE RULERS FROM 1682 TO 1770, THE + PERIOD OF THE GREAT EXODUS OF GERMAN PALATINES + TO PENNSYLVANIA, 212 + + APPENDIX D.--A CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF ALL THE REIGNING + PRINCES OF THE PALATINATE, FROM THE FIRST ELECTOR + IN 1147, UNTIL 1801, WHEN THE ELECTORATE BECAME + EXTINCT, 225 + + APPENDIX E.--GLOSSARY, 232 + + + + +THE STORY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA GERMANS. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +INTRODUCTION. + + Earliest Known German Tribes.--The Cimbrians and Teutonians.--Their + Invasion of the Roman Provinces.--They defeat the Romans.--They + invade Gaul.--Romans begin the Conquest of the Germans.--The + Struggle Continues More than Five Centuries.--Decline of the Roman + Power.--Barbarous Condition of the German Tribes.--The Four Chief + German Tribes.--Development of the Alemannic Race.--The Franks + defeat the Alemanni.--Founding of the Palatinate State.--Conrad of + Hohenstaufen, Its First Elector.--Extinction of the Electorate.--The + Alemanni an Important Constituent of the First German Empire.--The + Alemanni the Progenitors of the Pennsylvania Germans. + + +In telling the story of the Pennsylvania Germans, a brief review of the +German race in Europe, beginning with the earliest authentic accounts +of it, will enable us to trace the movements of the various tribes +during successive periods, until we find an important branch of the +original stock settled in the region of the Upper Rhine, in the South +of Germany, whence the ancestors of the Pennsylvania Germans emigrated. + +The German race is an important branch of the Teutonic stock, which +constitutes a chief group of the races comprising, the Indo-European or +Aryan family. + +It is not known where the original home of the Indo-Europeans was. +A vast amount of literature has been produced on this subject by +ethnologists, and other investigators, with varying views, only to +leave the question of man’s birthplace in dispute and doubt. The weight +of the more recent and best evidence on the subject seems to locate +his original habitat, at some point, “somewhere on the southern slope +of the vast chain of mountains which extend in an almost unbroken line +from the northern coast of Spain eastward to the Himalayas, and from +our present knowledge the western rather than the eastern extremity of +this chain, is that which offers the higher probability of having been +the cradle of the species.” + +The period during which the dissemination of the species of the human +race began, is also shrouded in the gloom of prehistoric times. The +first authentic accounts of certain German tribes, locates them in the +region of the Baltic Sea, as early as the middle of the fourth century, +B. C. It appears that adventurers from the south of Europe visited the +shores of the Baltic at that early period in search of trade, and there +found numerous tribes of a fiercely savage and warlike people, who +proved to be German tribes. + +It is believed that soon after their discovery on the shores of the +Baltic, some of them began to migrate from their homes, and spread +throughout other parts of Europe. It was not, however, until several +centuries after their first discovery, that any accurate knowledge of +those people was gained. + +About the beginning of the second century B. C. two barbarous German +tribes, known as the Cimbrians and Teutonians, came down from the north +of Europe, and made a descent on the Roman provinces. Their coming was +unheralded, and they came in such overwhelming numbers, as to bring +dismay to the Romans. History informs us that the fierceness of the +invaders, made the Roman power impotent with terror to resist them for +a time. + +The unwelcome visitors claimed that they had been driven from their +homes, on the shores of the Baltic and North seas, by the inundation +of their settlements, and that they were in search of new homes. That +they came to stay was not doubted, because they brought with them, +their wives and children, and all their personal effects. + +The Romans after they recovered from the consternation into which they +had been thrown, by the precipitous descent upon them by the invading +savages, raised up an army against them, to resist their further +advance, but were defeated in a great battle, fought in the north of +Italy. After this battle the invaders marched into Gaul, destroying +everything in their way, leaving nothing but ruin and desolation in +their trail. It has been estimated that the invading tribes numbered +200,000. After being absent about ten years, they returned, when they +again met the Romans in battle, and were defeated. + +From this time on, other German tribes began to make incursions into +the Roman provinces, which brought them into frequent conflict with the +Romans who were very aggressively engaged at that period in extending +their dominion by conquest. After having brought the greater part of +Gaul under their sway, they began the conquest of German territory. The +Romans soon learned, that they had a formidable people to deal with, +who were in possession of the greater part of Central Europe, and who +made fierce resistance to their advance. After a struggle which lasted +for many years, the Romans succeeded in establishing themselves in +that part of Europe, bounded by the Danube on the south, and by the +Main on the north. Beyond that region, the Romans could not penetrate, +although they kept the struggle up for more than five hundred years. +The struggle only ceased with the decline of the Roman empire, after +which the Germans lost no time in recovering the territory, which the +Romans had deprived them of during the long struggle. + +The Germans not only recovered the region between the Danube and the +Main, but pushed forward toward the south, as far as Switzerland, +making the area re-occupied by them German territory, which has +remained German ever since. + + +THE GERMANS DURING THE PERIOD OF THEIR CONFLICT WITH THE ROMANS. + +The German tribes with which the Romans were in conflict during the +early centuries of our era, were numerous, and besides fighting a +common enemy, were frequently at war with each other. Their prowess +in war was great, and if they had been united at all times, it is not +believed that the Romans could ever have succeeded in crossing the +Rhine, or to have been able to penetrate as far as the Danube. The +frequent quarrels among them weakened them, and encouraged the Romans +to keep up the struggle for their subjugation. + +We are indebted to the Romans for all that we know of the early history +of the various German tribes.[1] + +One would suppose that the German tribes who had a common origin, +connected with ties of blood, religion and habits, with a common +destiny, would have lived alongside of each other in peace, with a +common enemy constantly in sight threatening their conquest. But +when we consider that those people were still savages in the early +centuries of our era, and that scarcely more than a generation ago, +their civilized descendants engaged in frequent bloody wars with their +own kinsmen, it ought not occasion much surprise, that their savage +ancestors indulged in similar pastimes many centuries ago. + +At the close of the fifth century, when the Roman power was broken, +and its legions began to withdraw from German territory, they left +behind not a few of their civilized arts, which the Germans acquired +during several centuries of contact with them; but notwithstanding, +the Germans were still a fierce and savage people in their habits, and +mode of life. They had not yet learned to live in towns and villages; +the country occupied by them was an unbroken wilderness, through which +roamed “wild animals, only a little more savage than the German tribes +themselves.” + +It is remarkable, how few names of German leaders during five hundred +years of conflict with the Romans, are preserved in history, while +the names of Roman heroes confront us on every page. Among the few +German names which we come across, are the names of Hermann, the first +great German leader, who destroyed the Roman legions under Varus; +Ariovistus, chief of the ancient Suevi, who invaded Gaul in the first +century before the Christian era; Marbod, who at the head of the Suevi +and Marcomanni, won numerous battles over the Romans; Theodormar, +an Alemannic chieftain; Alarich, who led the Goths into Rome, and +Geiserich, king of the Vandals. The poverty of German names may be +owing to the fact that the Romans were the chroniclers of all the +events that have come down to us from those days to the present, and +were more concerned about the fame of their own heroes, than of that of +the Germans. + + +INFLUENCE OF ROMAN CIVILIZATION ON THE GERMANS. + +During the wars for the subjugation of the Germans the latter profited +by their contact with the Romans. They acquired some of their habits +and customs, and it has been asserted that those civilizing influences +extended to the speech and laws of their conquerors. While the Romans +were bent on conquest, they were also civilizers. Wherever they +succeeded in establishing themselves, they were prompt in introducing +their civilization; so that when they left the Germans in undisputed +possession of their country, after a lapse of centuries, they left +the impress of their civilization upon them, which became a valuable +acquisition, upon which the Germans began to build a civilization of +their own, which was destined to outgrow that of their tutors. + +The military stations of the Romans grew into German towns and cities. +Everywhere along the Rhine, and throughout Central and Southern Germany +are numerous prosperous cities whose names attest their Roman origin. +The Romans built roads in the conquered territory, which connected with +highways that led to Rome, so as to bring all parts of the subjugated +country in easy communication with the Roman capital; streams were +spanned by stone arched bridges, whose enduring piers and foundations +still remain, to be pointed out to the tourist at the present day. + +It can thus be seen how the influences of Roman civilization helped the +Germans, to rise from their barbarous condition, to a higher state. The +Germans were apt scholars, and long before the middle ages, they had +outstripped many other people, in many of the civilized arts. + +The tribal names hereinbefore mentioned, began to disappear soon after +the struggle between the Romans and the Germans began. Different tribes +became united with each other from various causes; often no doubt for +mutual aid and protection; while small and weak tribes were absorbed by +larger and stronger ones. + +About the close of the third century A. D. or the beginning of the +fourth, all tribal names had disappeared from history except those of +the Alemanni, Franks, Saxons and Goths; all other names had merged into +these four; although many tribal characteristics continued, chief among +which was that of speech. It is claimed by certain philologists, that +the dialects of some of those early German tribes can yet be traced, in +some of the numerous dialects spoken by the common people in certain +parts of Germany at this day. When it is considered that there are +people living in the mountainous region of Switzerland, who after the +lapse of more than a thousand years since their progenitors dwelt in +the same region, still speak a corrupted Latin dialect, the foregoing +claim may be entitled to some credit. + + +THE FRANKS, GOTHS, SAXONS AND ALEMANNI. + +After the various tribal names became merged in the four mentioned, a +national formative process was begun by each, which resulted variously +during a century or more. The Franks were the most progressive, and +soon overran Gaul, and laid the foundation of the kingdom of France. +They occupied at this time the region of the lower course of the +Scheldt, the Meuse, and the region west of the Rhine. They did not, +however, separate at once from all connection with the other German +tribes, but maintained a geographical union with them for several +centuries, until they finally became separated, during the process of +the formation of the European nations. + +The Goths during about the same period were scattered over a large area +north of the Danube, from which they made frequent incursions into the +Roman provinces, against which the declining Roman power could make but +little resistance. The Saxons at the same time dwelt along both sides +of the Elbe, extending northwest to the North Sea, and west as far +as the Lower Rhine. Their name is preserved in the Saxony of to-day. +The Alemanni were chiefly of Suevic origin, but they embraced many +other German tribes, as their name, Alemanni--all men, or men of all +nations--indicates. In the third century of our era, they occupied the +region from the Main to the Danube, from whence they were driven by the +Romans, but which territory they recovered after the Roman empire began +to decline. They not only re-established themselves in the country from +which they had been driven, but extended their dominion as far as the +Rhine and beyond, including Alsace and part of Lorraine. Southward they +pressed forward, until they occupied the greater part of South Germany, +and Eastern and Northern Switzerland. + +At the end of six hundred years, from the time of their first contact +with the Romans, the triumph of the German races was complete, after +which they were never again disturbed by a Roman foe. The Alemanni +remained in the region of the Upper Rhine country, where they developed +into the race, from which sprung the progenitors of those Germans, who +many centuries afterwards found their way to Pennsylvania. + +The Roman writers regarded the Alemanni as the largest, and most +formidable of all the German tribes. They constituted a league of +different German races against which the Romans struggled in vain, +and when the latter ceased to offer much resistance, the Alemanni +themselves undertook the part of conquerors. About the close of the +fifth century they met an army under Clovis, the first French king, in +battle, on a field not far from the present city of Cologne, in which +they were defeated, when they withdrew to Southwestern Germany where +their descendants are living at this day. During the whole period of +German history, from the founding of the first empire, the Alemanni +constituted a very important element, and for many centuries maintained +an influential and independent political existence. + + * * * * * + +With the coming into existence of the princely family of Hohenstaufen, +in the twelfth century, whose members furnished a long line of kings +and emperors to Germany, the political state of the Palatinate was +founded, with Conrad of Hohenstaufen as the first prince invested +with the Electoral authority by his brother, the Emperor Frederick I. +The Palatinate as a distinct hereditary sovereignty, continued for +nearly seven hundred years, until in 1801, when it became extinct, +and its territory went to the adjoining states in Germany, except +Rhenish Bavaria, which yet remains to remind us, of the dignity of +a once influential principality. During the continuance of the old +state of the Palatinate, its people spread to Baden, Wurtemberg, +Swabia, Bavaria, the Tyrol, and parts of Switzerland. All of these +states contributed to the German emigration to Pennsylvania, and all +practically spoke the same dialect, which came down from the Alemanni, +and which students claim to be the best type of old High German, as it +exists in German literature from the eighth to the eleventh century. + +Down to the time when the Romans quitted Germany, there had been +no successful attempts made to nationalize the German races, +notwithstanding the greater part of Europe had fallen under their +sway. Soon after this period, the races began to coalesce, and lay the +groundwork from which the European nations began to be evolved. The +Franks, who conquered Gaul, founded the kingdom of France about this +time. The Alemanni who were established in Southwestern Germany and who +had maintained their independence long before that period, also began +the formation of a national existence with a hereditary chief at the +head. Later they constituted the most powerful political division of +the first German empire, which dates its existence from 843, with the +Treaty of Verdun. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] According to Bayard Taylor’s “History of Germany” the German +tribes, during their early contact with the Romans were settled, east +of the Rhine, except two or three small tribes, which are supposed to +have crossed that river and settled between the Vosges and the Rhine, +from Strasburg to Mayence. The greater part of Belgium was occupied +at that time by the Eburones and Condrusii, to which were afterwards +added the Aduatuci. At the mouth of the Rhine dwelt the Batavi, the +forefathers of the Dutch. A little eastward of the Rhine, on the shores +of the North sea, dwelt the Frisii, where they still dwell in the +province of Friesland; and beyond them, about the mouth of the Weser, +lived the Chauci. + +What is now Westphalia was inhabitated by the Sicambrians; the Marsi +and Ampsivarii lived beyond them, towards the Hartz, and south of the +latter the Ubii, from the Weser to the Elbe, in the north was the land +of the Cherusci; south of them were the Chatti, the ancestors of the +modern Hessians; and still further south along the headwaters of the +Main were the Marcomanni. The Hermunduri were settled in what is now +Saxony, with their kindred, the Chatti, who were called Suevi by the +Romans. Northward toward the mouth of the Elbe, dwelt the Longobardi +(Lombards); beyond them, in Holstein the Saxons; and north of the +latter, in Schleswig, the Angles. + +East of the Elbe were the Semnones; north of them dwelt the Vandals, +and along the Baltic coast the Rugii; between these and the Vistula +were the Burgundiones, and a few smaller tribes. In the extreme +northeast, between the Vistula and where Königsberg now stands, was +the home of the Goths, south of whom were the Slavonic Sarmatians, who +afterwards founded Poland. + +The German tribes enumerated constituted all the tribes with which the +Roman power contended for five centuries, few of which have their names +preserved in history. It will be seen later on in this volume how all +the names of the German tribes disappeared, and were merged into four +principle ones. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE PALATINATE,--(GERMAN PFALZ). + + Palatinate as an Independent State of Germany.--Erection of + the Electorate.--Division of the Palatinate.--France Takes + a Portion.--Its Restoration to Germany.--Present Rhine + Palatinate.--Ancestors of the Pennsylvania Germans.--Exodus of + German Palatines to Pennsylvania.--The Rhine Palatinate the + Battleground of all Europe. + + +The Palatinate was formerly an independent state of Germany, and +consisted of two separate territorial divisions, respectively called +the Upper, or Bavarian Palatinate, and the Lower, or Rhine Palatinate. +The Bavarian Palatinate now forms the northern part of the kingdom of +Bavaria. The Lower, or Rhine Palatinate was situated on both sides +of the Rhine, bounded by Wurtemberg and Baden on the east; Baden and +Lorraine on the south; Alsace and Lorraine on the west. It extended +north as far as the cities of Treves and Mainz. + +In the twelfth century the Palatinate was erected into a hereditary +monarchy, as already stated, which was ruled by electors of the old +German empire, until about the middle of the seventeenth century, when +the two territories were divided, and the Upper Palatinate became +united with Bavaria; while the Rhine Palatinate continued in the +possession of the original dynasty. During the eighteenth century, the +two districts were again united under the elector Charles Theodore, who +afterwards also became king of Bavaria. + +During the French Revolution, France took possession of that part of +the Palatinate on the west bank of the Rhine, but after the fall of +Napoleon in 1815, that part was again restored to Germany. Prussia and +Hesse-Darmstadt received a part, but the greater part fell to Bavaria. +This part constitutes the present Rhine Palatinate, as is shown on the +map of Germany, and is bounded by the Rhine on the east; Prussia and +Hesse-Darmstadt on the north; Alsace-Lorraine on the south and west. It +forms a _Regierungsbezirk_ of Bavaria, with Speyer for its capital. + +After 1801, the Rhine Palatinate ceased to exist as an independent +state, and its territory was divided under the terms of the Treaty +of Luneville, by which Napoleon dictated, that the Rhine should +thenceforth be the frontier of France. By the terms of that treaty, +the territory comprising the Rhine Palatinate was divided between +Hesse-Darmstadt, Baden, Leinigen-Dachsburg, Nassau; France taking all +west of the Rhine. This partition of the Palatinate remains undisturbed +at this day, with the exception of that part which fell to France, +which was transferred back again to Germany, after Napoleon’s downfall, +as stated. + + * * * * * + +There is nothing in all German history, which possesses a greater +interest, than the story of the Rhine Pfalz. In that beautiful country +dwelt the ancestors of the Pennsylvania Germans two centuries ago, +before persecution drove them from it. A journey through the valley +of the Upper Rhine at the present day will suggest the inquiry, why a +people should wish to leave so fair an estate. Nowhere has nature been +more lavish in bestowing its bounties, than in that fair land. There, +are to be seen, the most highly cultivated fields; vine-clad hills; +enchanting scenery; ruined castles, that tell of a once feudal dignity +and glory. The valley of the Rhine is indeed “the garden of Germany,” +if not of all Europe. The causes however which led to the enormous +emigration from the charming Rhine nigh unto two hundred years ago were +irresistable. They are written in fire and blood. + +For more than a thousand years, reaching far back into the earliest +times, the Rhine was the prize for which the Romans, Gauls and the +Germans contended. There is no region of country on the globe, of +equal extent, that has witnessed so many sanguinary conflicts as the +Palatinate of the Rhine. It is there where the Romans struggled for +more than five centuries to subdue the fierce German tribes, only +to leave them unconquered at the end of that time. After the Romans +withdrew, the Palatinate continued to be the battlefield of rival +races and of nations. The many strategic points along the stream made +it always a rich prize to be coveted by European nations when at war +with each other, which was nearly all the time. No matter what nations +were engaged in war the scene of their conflict was almost invariably +transferred to the Upper Rhine country. + +From no nation did the Rhine provinces suffer more, than from the +French. The battles of the incessant wars of the French monarchs, were +almost invariably fought in the region of the Rhine. As late as the +Franco-German war, if it had not been for the promptness with which the +German troops marched to the frontier, where they met the French army: +defeated it, and drove it back upon French territory, the operations of +that war would have once more taken place in the Rhine country. + +The crimes committed in the Palatinate, in consequence of religious +intolerance, fanaticism, and political persecution, are unparalleled +in the history of human savagery. They make the blackest pages in the +history of the whole world. + + * * * * * + +The German Palatines, at an early day, embraced the tenets of the +Reformation; so did the people of most of the other German states. +This exercise of freedom of thought in matters pertaining to religion, +soon brought them in collision with the German emperors, who continued +to adhere to the Roman Catholic faith. The See of Rome determined to +crush out heresy everywhere, and judging from subsequent events, it +would seem as if the Palatines had been selected as the special victims +upon whom to inflict the fullest vengeance of the Catholic princes. +The latter manifested the greatest zeal, in seconding the injunctions +of the papal authority. The religious contentions followed soon after +Martin Luther’s protestation against the Church of Rome, and they +continued for more than one hundred years. They were waged with a +cruelty and ferocity compared to which the crimes of the Turks in later +years against the Christian Armenians pale into a mere shadow. + +During the Thirty Years’ War the Palatinate was frequently ravaged +by contending armies. Both the Protestants and Catholics, in South +Germany, were among the first to take up arms in defense of their +religion, which made the Palatinate the theatre of war at once, and it +continued the scene of many of its most important conflicts until peace +came at the end of thirty years. Even when the war was transferred +for a time to Bohemia and elsewhere, the Palatinate did not get a +respite, for it was then invaded by a Spanish army under Spinola in +1620, and again in 1645 the armies under Turenne and Conde, invaded the +Palatinate and each time it was devastated. + +When peace came at last with the Treaty of Westphalia, by which +Protestantism was saved to Germany, but at a fearful cost, the +Palatines retired from the contest, believing that their persecutions +had now come to an end. The war left them in a frightfully +impoverished condition. Their land had been turned into a desert, +their substance wasted, a great part of the population had been +destroyed, while those who were left, had declined morally and mentally +to such an extent, as to require very many years for them, as well as +of all Germany to recover from the demoralization, as the result of the +Thirty Years’ War. + +With the end of the war, the Protestant Palatines gained religious +freedom; it was no longer sought to compel them to worship God at the +point of the sword, in violation of the dictates of their conscience. +But there was not yet peace for them. Their persecutions were not yet +to end. The echoes of the clashing of arms of the Thirty Years’ War had +scarcely ceased, when the tramp of the invader was again heard, and it +was not long before the unfortunate Palatines learned, that the worst +cruelties were yet to be inflicted upon them. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE DEVASTATION OF THE PALATINATE. + + Death of the Elector Philip Wilhelm.--Louis XIV. seeks the + Electorate for His Sister-in-law, the Duchess of Orleans.--He + invades the Palatinate.--Louvois the King’s Secretary of + War.--His atrocious Order.--Burning of a Score of Cities + and Towns in the Palatinate.--The Palatinate overrun and + Devastated by the French.--William III. of England succors the + Palatines.--Imperial Germany also acts.--Persecutions By Louvois, + Tesse, and Duras.--Heidelberg sacked and Burned.--Its Inhabitants + expelled.--Peace and the Treaty of Ryswick.--The War of the Spanish + Succession.--German Emigration to America begins.--Causes of German + Emigration. + + +We have now reached a period in the history of the Palatinate, when +a recital of the events which transpired there, will show the chief +reasons for the large emigration of the Palatines to America, of whom +the province of Pennsylvania received by far the larger number. + +Upon the death of the Elector Philip Wilhelm, in 1688, John Wilhelm, +his eldest son, became the lawful successor to the Electorate. Louis +XIV. of France undertook to usurp the Electorate for his sister-in-law, +the Duchess of Orleans. + +In the autumn of 1688, there began a chapter in the history of the +Palatinate which has no parallel in the history of the world, for +savage brutality, and the atrocities perpetrated by the French +soldiers, with the approbation, and under the direction of the +French monarch. The invasion of the Palatinate was attended by such +monstrous crimes, that a belief in them taxes the credulity of mankind, +notwithstanding the barbarities of the Turks in these later days. No +war was ever waged with such ferocity, as characterized the French +attempt to subjugate the Palatinate. + +In September, 1688, Louis entered on his campaign of invasion, and +in less than two months from that time, the whole of the Palatinate +was overrun by his soldiers, under Louvois, Bouffiers, and Marshal +de Duras. The whole country was pillaged, and made desolate; towns +and cities were laid in ashes, and more than one hundred thousand of +the inhabitants murdered. The descent of the French troops into the +Palatinate came unexpectedly, and was made with such suddenness, as to +give no chance to arrest the progress of the invaders. After Louis had +set up the claims of the Duchess of Orleans, and promised to sustain +her pretensions by force of arms, the German government determined to +sustain the lawful elector’s just claim. But the imperial government +was weak, without being prepared to come speedily to the aid of the +lawful prince, while the Palatines were able to make but feeble +resistance against the invaders, who soon overwhelmed the people, and +more than a score of beautiful cities and towns, fell into the hands +of Louis’ ferocious soldiers, to which they applied the torch, and the +sword to the inhabitants, none of whom were spared,--not even the women +and children. + +The spirit which controlled the soldiers of the French king can be +judged, by the order which Louvois made to his subordinates in command: +to “seek people in the country capable of setting fire to houses at +night, in order that places too remote to be reached by troops, might +nevertheless submit through fear, to the levy of contributions.” + +While the work of destruction was going on, the crafty Louis succeeded +in involving the imperial government, under an incompetent prince in a +war with Austria. To still further make the German government impotent +to succor the Palatines, Louis succeeded in creating a war feeling +against the German ruler, on the part of the Hungarians and the Turks, +who threatened to invade the very heart of Germany. Those conditions +compelled the imperial government to devote its attentions to the +threatenings of Hungary and Austria, while the Palatines were left to +take care of themselves. Being too weak to resist the overwhelming +power of the French soldiers, they fell an easy prey to their ferocity, +notwithstanding they made a heroic struggle in defence of their homes +and firesides. + +While the Palatines on both sides of the Rhine, had thus fallen +under the cruel yoke of the French sovereign and his brutal tyranny, +and those who still remained for victims of the fury of the French +soldiers, were ready to surrender in hopeless despair, there came a ray +of shining hope from England, which promised relief to the Palatines +who had escaped death at the hands of the brutal minions of Louis XIV. + +James II. of England had just then abdicated the English throne and +fled the country, when William of Orange was made king of England. Soon +after his accession, this generous prince began to turn his attention, +to the suffering and persecuted people of the Palatinate. His first +step towards their relief was a declaration of war against Louis. +William soon found his efforts seconded, by the greater part of Europe +entering into a league against the French king. When the Palatines +learned what the English king intended doing for their relief, their +rejoicings were unbounded, and they gathered new hope, and new courage +in their efforts to break the French power. At the same time there +were many happenings in Europe, which caused fresh complications; +all of which operated against Louis. England, Holland, Spain and the +Scandinavian states all combined against him. With such an array of +force united against the French tyrant, the imperial government of +Germany was aroused to new action, in defence of the Palatinate, and +it began to look as if Louis was doomed. He was undaunted, however, +and prepared to enter on several new campaigns with renewed vigor. +Notwithstanding his crimes in the Palatinate, he was able to raise +large accessions to his army in Germany. The threatening attitude of +the European powers, made Louis more cautious in his future movements, +and he decided on a defensive war in the Palatinate thenceforth, +while he in order to head off the English king in his determination to +relieve the Palatines, hastened to take steps to invade Ireland, as the +best means by which to embarrass William. In this new enterprise Louis +found that he needed more troops than he had at his disposal; for a +large portion of his troops were required to garrison the places in the +Palatinate which had already fallen into the hands of his soldiers. But +the cruel genius of so great a monster as Louis, did not require much +deliberation to find a way out of the difficulty. The scheme entered +upon by Louis and his generals, has been characterized by an eminent +French historian, as one which has “sullied with an ineffaceable stain +the reign of Louis the Great.” + +For an account of the atrocities perpetrated in the execution of the +scheme determined upon, we will here let the French historian, Henri +Martin, tell the story: + + It was impossible to furnish garrisons to all places recently + conquered, or rather invaded, without renewing with more dangerous + consequences, the mistake of 1672. The advanced posts of Wurtemberg + had already been abandoned--somewhat precipitately in January, 1689. + Louvois counselled the king, utterly to destroy the cities that + could not be held, so that the posts from which the king’s troops + should retire might henceforth serve no one. Louis after some + hesitation, gave his signature to this expedient, worthy of Tartar + conquerors. They began with the trans-Rhenish Palatinate. Laudenberg + and Heidelberg were burned, after the inhabitants had been warned + to leave with their families, their cattle and their furniture. The + castle of Heidelberg, the residence of the Elector-Palatine, was + sapped and blown up; its beautiful ruins are still to posterity a + living testimony of Louvois’ fury. The mills, the bridges, all the + public buildings, were torn down; the whole city was set on fire. + Tesse, the executioner of this infernal work (he was nevertheless + one of the leaders of the dragonades) had not the heart to see + more, or drive the unfortunate inhabitants from among the ruins of + their city. He left with his soldiers. The citizens extinguished + the conflagration behind him, and called to their aid the German + troops, who fortified themselves in the ruins of the castle. On the + news of this, Louvois became furious that Heidelberg had not been + entirely burned and destroyed, ordered that Mannheim should not + only be burned, but that not one stone should be left on another, + (March, 1689). Of the new conquests beyond the Rhine, Philippsburg + alone was preserved. As to the countries on the left bank, the + French contended themselves at first with dismantling the cities and + blowing up the fortifications belonging to the Palatinate, and the + electorates of Mayence and Treves, save Mayence which was made an + important stronghold. But when the hostile forces began to threaten + Mayence, the chief of the French army of the Rhine, Marshal Duras, + proposed to the king and the minster a frightful resolution, namely, + to destroy, not only the burghs and villages which might facilitate + an attack on Mayence, but all the towns in the neighborhood of the + Rhine between Mayence and Philippsburg. The fatal word given, Duras + became terrified at it himself, and wished to recede from what he had + proposed. Louvois did not allow his prey to be thus snatched from + him! He caused the king to order the Marshal to consummate the deed! + Speyer, Worms, Oppenheim, Bingen Frankenthal were condemned to the + flames. Franchises and privileges were offered to the magistrates + for such as would be willing to emigrate to Lorraine, Alsace, + Franche-Comte, with means of transport for their household goods. + Those who should refuse might transport their goods to fortified + towns belonging to the king, but not among enemies. Thus even the + consolation of taking refuge among their countrymen was refused + them. This was monstrous; its exaction worse. It is only too easy to + conceive all the license and rapacity of the soldiers must have added + to those of desolation. + + It had been desired that the celebrated cathedrals of Worms and + Speyer, as well as the episcopal palaces, and the effects that the + inhabitants had not been able to carry away, but had been collected + there be saved, but the fire reached the churches, and burned + whatever could be burned (end of May, beginning of June). This + beautiful country which the middle ages had adorned with so many + religious and military monuments, presented only a mass of smoking + ruins, as if a new Attila had passed over Gaul and Germany. One + hundred thousand unfortunates driven from their homes, in flames, + demanded vengeance from all Germany, from all Europe, and raised + against the great king an indignation, still more general than that + which had been raised against the French refugees. The people of the + Rhine whom nature has attached by so many ties to France, vowed a + long and implacable resentment against its government, which was to + be extinguished only with the monarchy of Louis XIV. in the presence + of a new France. + +One other historian in speaking of the cruelties perpetrated by the +French soldiers says: “The elector beheld from his castle at Mannheim +two cities and twenty-five towns in flames, where lust and rapine +walked hand in hand with fire and sword.” Another records that while +the burning of cities and towns was in progress, and the country was +being turned into a desert, the defenceless inhabitants begging for +mercy on their bended knees, were stripped naked and driven into the +fields in mid-winter, where they perished in the snow from hunger and +cold. + +The atrocities here recounted raised the indignation of all the rulers +of Europe to the highest pitch, and resolved on an offensive and +defensive treaty against the French, and determined that they would +not lay down their arms until the French king was humbled, and all his +conquests taken from him. Affairs in Europe favored the scheme of the +princes now allied against Louis, because the latter was beginning to +have much more on hand than he was able to attend to. He had the war +of the Spanish succession on hand; he was bent on restoring James II. +to the throne of England, all of which enterprises weakened him in the +Palatinate, because many of his troops had to be withdrawn from there, +because they were needed elsewhere, while the German princes entered +with renewed vigor on the work of expelling the French armies from +German soil. Such were the conditions in the fall of 1689. The German +troops wintered in the Palatinate, although that country had been made +almost inhabitable by the ravages of the French armies. The French +remained in Alsace and Lorraine during the winter. When spring opened +the war in the Palatinate was renewed with still greater ferocity on +the part of the French. Here let the impartial French chronicler again +tell the story: + + Louvois was not yet satiated with devastation. After the loss of + Mayence, he would have gladly inflicted the fate of Worms and + Speyer on a much more illustrious city. He proposed to the king to + burn Treves. Louis when the question had arisen of annihilating + the towns on the Rhine, was at first fascinated by the kind of + terrible grandeur that such a destruction of power manifests; but + the remorse was not slow to awaken in his soul; he recoiled before + the new outrage. Louvois warmly repulsed, returned to the charge. + Some days afterwards he audaciously declared to Louis, that he had + taken the responsibility on himself and had sent the order. The king + transported with rage, raised his hand against the minister. Madame + Maintenon threw herself between the two; Louis commanded Louvois to + hasten to countermand the order, or his head should answer for a + single house burned. The order had not gone; Louvois had sought to + compel assent of the king by announcing the thing done. + +It would seem therefore that the enormity of the crimes committed +by his soldiers was at last beginning to make an impression on his +cruel heart. The following year, in 1690, the war along the Rhine +was renewed, and carried on with varying success. The ravages of +the French soldiers continued, wherever there was anything left to +ravage and destroy. New horrors continued to be enacted. Heidelberg +was again sacked in 1693, and once more given up to the flames. This +time the entire population was expelled, and the people left without +clothing or provisions. There was no letting up of these outrages by +the French until the year 1697, when peace came with the Treaty of +Ryswick in September of that year, to which France, England, Spain, the +Netherlands, and Germany were parties. + +From this time on, the Palatinate ceased to be the special object of +vengeance of the French, but it continued to be the battlefield of +other European wars. It will be seen how difficult it was for the +Palatines to repair the ruin wrought by the soldiers of Louis XIV. The +Palatines despaired of being ever freed from the horrors of war, or +the tramp of invading armies. They began to look for homes elsewhere. +Many of them had scattered to other parts of Germany; some went beyond, +and sought homes in Holland, and in other parts of Europe. The new +province of William Penn was brought to the attention of the troubled +Palatines, and it was not long before the exodus across the sea began. +The wars which still continued to ravage the Palatinate, stimulated the +emigration to America. + + * * * * * + +The war of the Spanish succession broke out in 1701, and continued +until the peace of Utrecht in 1713. During the continuance of that war +the Palatinate was repeatedly overrun by hostile armies, and the land +laid waste. It was during those years, that the emigration from the +Palatinate to Penn’s province began in earnest, and by the end of the +war many thousands had found new homes in Pennsylvania, who formed a +nucleus around which many thousands more gathered in the coming years. + +In 1715 Louis XIV. died. Frenchmen have embalmed the memory of this +great butcher as “Le Grande Monarch,” but the rest of the world +execrates his memory, for the crimes of his soldiers in the Palatinate, +perpetrated by his approval. He was succeeded by Louis XV., who in turn +plunged France into a new war with Saxony, Russia and Austria. In 1740 +a general European war began, which involved the Austrian succession. +It continued for eight years, when it came to an end with the Treaty +of Aix-la-Chapelle. In 1750 war broke out between Prussia and Austria, +which involved England and France. During all these wars, the +Palatinate furnished their camping grounds and battlefields. No sooner +had the people started to repair the ruin made by hostile armies, than +their fields were again laid waste by a new war. + + * * * * * + +We now understand what the causes were which led to the great exodus +of German Palatines to America. Life in their own country became +intolerable and Penn’s province offered them an asylum. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE PROVINCE OF PENNSYLVANIA. + + Penn’s Grant.--Its Extent.--Penn visits His Province.--Makes Laws + for its Government.--Prior Explorations of the Dutch.--Dutch and + Swedish Settlements.--First White People who set Foot on + Pennsylvania Soil.--Colony passes under English Control. + + +There is a pretty well authenticated account of three European +travelers, who in 1614 started from some point on the Mohawk river, +not far from Albany, N. Y., thence proceeded up the Mohawk valley +a distance of about thirty miles, after which they changed to a +southerly course, through an unbroken forest, to the headwaters of the +Delaware river, and thence following down the course of that stream a +distance of nearly three hundred and fifty miles, through a trackless +wilderness to Delaware Bay. Those travelers are believed to have been +the first white men that ever set foot on the soil of the present State +of Pennsylvania. It is recorded that Cornelius Hendrickson, in command +of one of the vessels of the West India Company, while exploring the +country along the Delaware river, met those three men the following +year, some distance below where the city of Philadelphia now stands. +Hendrickson’s vessel was the first one that had ascended the Delaware +river as far north as Pennsylvania up to that time, although Hendrik +Hudson, engaged in the Dutch service, had as early as 1609 ascended the +waters of the Delaware as far as the state of that name. + +The Dutch immediately upon the reports of the explorations of Hudson +and Hendrickson, laid claim to their discoveries, and dispatched +vessels to America with officers who were instructed to establish +sovereignty over the new possessions in the name of the Dutch +government. Attempts to colonize the new possessions were also made +simultaneously, which were attended with some success. The civil +authority over the colonies on the Delaware was thereafter exercised +by the Dutch, whose chief seat of government was at New Amsterdam (New +York). There were but few accessions to the settlements for a long +time, until in 1638 when a company of Swedes, including some Finns +arrived, and established themselves permanently among the Dutch, after +which the colony was alternately ruled by the Dutch and Swedes, until +1655 when the Dutch authorities came over from New Amsterdam, and took +possession of the Swedish settlement, as well as the settlements made +by the Dutch. In 1664 the English captured New Amsterdam, when the +colonies on the Delaware passed under their control. Subsequently, in +1674 the Dutch recaptured their American colonies, and after holding +them for a short time, they were again transferred to English rule; +after that the colonies on the Delaware within the present limits of +Pennsylvania, continued to be ruled over by the English, until the +proprietary government was established under William Penn. + +In 1681 the British government made a grant to William Penn of a “tract +of land in America lying north of Maryland; on the east bounded by +the Delaware river; on the west limited as Maryland, and northward to +extend as far as plantable.” Such were the boundaries of Pennsylvania +as defined by the charter of Charles II. of England to William Penn +in 1681. The grant to Penn was made in liquidation of a claim of his +father against the government, of sixteen thousand pounds, to which he +fell heir, after his father’s death. + +In 1682 Penn visited his province, remaining nearly two years, during +which time he instituted a government for its regulation; planned +the city of Philadelphia, and laid the foundation of a future mighty +commonwealth. He established a civil constitution, and formulated +a code of laws, which guaranteed civil and religious freedom to +every inhabitant within the limits of his province. Some of the most +beneficient features of Penn’s code are still preserved, in the +Declaration of Rights in the present Constitution of Pennsylvania. + +After Penn had laid the foundation of civil government for his +province, he put forward schemes for its colonization. One of his first +acts was a treaty with the Indians, whom he recognized as the rightful +owners of the soil. He did not pretend to make any title to lands +before he procured the relinquishment of the Indian title by treaty +and purchase. The treaties made by Penn with the Indians were sacredly +kept by him, and they stand out in honorable relief, when contrasted +with a century of violated treaties, broken promises, and bad faith of +the United States Government, in its dealings with the various Indian +tribes. + +After Penn had acquired honest title to the Indian lands, he offered +them for sale in blocks of 5,000 acres for 100 pounds. This was at +the rate of ten cents an acre reckoned at the present value of money, +for the choicest land in Pennsylvania. Persons who brought servants +with them on coming here, were entitled to 50 acres for each servant, +and after the expiration of their term of service, the latter were +also entitled to 50 acres of land. Such as desired to rent land, were +charged one penny per annum for each acre rented. Such liberal terms +upon which to acquire land, gave a great stimulus to emigration, and it +was not long before the great stream of humanity from the old world, +began to flow into Pennsylvania at a rapid rate, and continued to flow +with little abatement for upwards of three-quarters of a century. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +GERMAN EMIGRATION TO PENNSYLVANIA. + + German Quakers arrive.--They found Germantown.--Penn’s Return + to England.--Visits the Palatinate.--William III. Dies.--Queen + Anne ascends the Throne.--Her sympathies with the persecuted + Palatines.--Tide of Emigration from the Palatinate begins to flow + toward Pennsylvania.--Queen Anne’s Liberality.--Emigrants sold for + the Cost of their Passage.--Known as Redemptioners.--Terms of their + Sale.--German Hostility to Proprietors. + + +It has already been seen how all the conditions were ripe for a speedy +settlement of Penn’s province. The same year in which Penn arrived, +there was quite an accession to the few settlers who had preceded him. +The next two years about fifty vessels arrived bringing settlers from +England, a few from Holland, and German Quakers from the Palatinate, +who founded Germantown. + +After Penn returned to England from his first visit to his province, +he visited Germany and there proclaimed to the persecuted Palatines, +the great opportunities awaiting those who would emigrate to the land +of promise in America. This was Penn’s third visit to the Palatines; +his first visit having been made in 1671, when he was on a religious +pilgrimage, preaching the tenets of the Quakers, whose society as a +religious sect had been recently founded. He again visited Germany +in 1677 on a similar mission making many converts, with whom he +continued in communication subsequently to his visits. Penn was a +proficient German scholar; spoke the German language fluently, and +his preaching to the Germans, and his intercourse with them was in +their own tongue, so that he had no difficulty in cultivating the +most intimate personal relations with them. The German converts to +Quakerism had learned to honor and trust Penn; so that when he came +among them on his third visit to proclaim to them, and their kinsmen +in the Palatinate, his province in Pennsylvania, where he had already +established civil and religious liberty, they did not hesitate long +to exchange their desolate homes in the land where their ancestors +for more than a hundred years, had been the victims of the fiercest +religious and political persecution, that was ever inflicted on +any people in the world’s history. The offer of an asylum in Penn’s +province came at an opportune time. The Palatines were longing for +some spot on earth, where they could go and live in peace, freed from +their cruel oppressors. Penn pointed to his province in America, as the +solution of the problem which confronted them. He wanted colonists, +and the Palatines wanted to leave their desolate and ruined homes, in +the land of their birth. Under such circumstances the start of the +emigration from the Palatinate to Pennsylvania was easy. The first +emigration began while William III. was king of England. We have +already learned how his sympathies went out to his suffering Protestant +brethren in the Palatinate, when he came to their rescue, while they +were struggling against the barbarities of the French king. He died in +1702, when Queen Anne succeeded him. Anne was a zealous Protestant, +and inherited William’s sympathies for the persecuted Palatines. Her +sympathies in this respect, were no doubt emphasized by the fact that +her cousin, Frederick V. was at that time the ruling Prince Palatine. +For these and other reasons the Palatines became the subjects of +special consideration of the English sovereign. Queen Anne evinced the +most tender regard for them, and when the tide of emigration from the +Palatinate had set fairly in, the generous Queen assisted numerous +Palatines to America, from her own bounty, some of whom no doubt came +to Pennsylvania. The memory of Queen Anne deserves to be gratefully +cherished by Pennsylvania Germans by reason of the generosity bestowed +by her upon their persecuted kinsmen. + +Other causes operated to stimulate the German emigration to +Pennsylvania during the first half of the eighteenth century. +Interested parties who had visited the colonies, returned to their +homes in Europe, and gave the most glowing and exaggerated accounts of +the newly found paradise, so that many who had been living in comfort +at home, disposed of their effects, often at a sacrifice, and rushed to +the nearest seaport, and embarked for America, frequently to regret it. +Many who had no money to pay for their passage, were carried by masters +of vessels, who depended for their compensation for transporting them +across the ocean, on their chances of selling them, for the price of +their passage to some purchaser for a term of years. Many Palatines, +some Dutch, and a few of other nationalities found their way to +America, and to Pennsylvania by those means. After such immigrants +had redeemed their freedom by honest service, many frequently remained +with their masters for a while longer, until they were able to set up +for themselves. It was not an unusual occurence for the servant after +he had served his term, to marry his master’s daughter. Some of these +servants however would gain their freedom sometimes, by running away +from their masters. + +This species of servitude, and the selling of emigrants for their +passage had not a few of the features about it, of involuntary chattel +slavery, and it was characterized at the time as the “German Slave +Trade.” + +There were agents in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and probably other European +seaports, who made it a business to entice people to go to America, +with the promise of having their passage paid, and employment given +them on their arrival. Those immigrants were known officially as +“Redemptioners,” and their term of service depended on the value +of their services, in the particular occupation in which they were +employed. A skillful workman usually gained his freedom in three years, +while others were compelled to serve six or seven years. Children +continued in this involuntary service usually until 21 years of age. + +The Rev. H. M. Muhlenberg in the “Hallischen Nachrichten,” gives an +account of the manner in which this traffic was conducted. A vessel +that had been long expected, arrived in the harbor of Philadelphia +in mid-winter, and after it had anchored in the stream, one after +another of the intending purchasers went on board, and examined the +list of human freight, and the terms upon which each soul could be +bought, which list was furnished the master of the vessel at the port +in Holland whence he sailed. The list set forth the price of each +emigrant’s passage, and other incidental expenses in bringing him here. + +In the earlier days the price of passage, for each adult was from 6 +to 10 Louis d’or, (a French gold coin worth 20 shillings); but at the +time of which Muhlenberg wrote, the price had advanced to 14 and 17 +Louis d’or, for each person. Before the vessel could anchor in front +of the city, it was visited by a doctor to ascertain whether there was +any contagious disease on board, after which the immigrants were all +marched to the Land Office, where they were made to take the oath of +allegiance to the King of Great Britain. They were then taken back to +the ship, where they were kept under restraint, until publication could +be made of the arrival of the vessel, and the number of passengers +that were for sale to pay for their passage and other charges. When +the time for the sale arrived, the purchasers were on hand. The latter +went among the newcomers, looked them carefully over, and when one was +found that suited the purchaser, he took him to the seller, paid the +charges, and then took him to the Government office, where he bound +himself in writing to serve for a specified term. + +The young people of both sexes, were the first to go; old people, and +those physically defective were difficult to dispose of. If however +they had healthy children, their passage was added to that of the +children. The latter found ready purchasers, but had to serve long +terms by reason of the additional cost. The parents were then set at +liberty. If any of the newcomers had friends to pay for their passage, +they also were give their freedom. + +It sometimes happened that a master had no longer use for a servant +purchased by him, or that he was unsuitable for the needs of the +master, in which case the redemptioner was advertised for sale for the +remainder of the original term of service. + +In the “Pennsylvania Staatsbote” of Aug. 4, 1766, appeared the +following: “A German female servant is for sale. She has five years +to serve.” In the Pennsylvania Gazette in June, 1762 appeared the +following advertisement: “To be sold. A likely servant woman, having +three years to serve. She is a good spinner.” + +In the Pennsylvania Staatsbote of December 14, 1773 is found: “To be +sold. A Dutch apprentice lad, who has five years and three months to +serve; he has been brought up to the tailor’s business. Can work well.” + +Occasionally these servants were put up at public auction, and +knocked down to the highest bidder. In Christoph Sauer’s newspaper, +published at Germantown of date of February 10, 1754 appeared the +following advertisement: “Rosina Dorothea Kost, _nee_ Kaufmann, born in +Waldenberg, who arrived at Patapsco, November 12, 1753, desires to let +her brother-in-law, one Spohr of Conestoga know through the medium of +this paper of her sale at public vendue.” + +Rosina evidently hoped that her brother-in-law would come forward, and +redeem her, if the foregoing notice should be brought to his attention. +It is hoped that he may have done so. + +The sale of children of old and decrepid parents, often worked great +wrongs. It not infrequently separated children from their parents, who +never saw them again, because they became scattered among strangers, +and people of different nationality from themselves, speaking a +different language. For a people in whom the sentiment of the home, +and family is as strong as it is with the Germans, this was an almost +unbearable cruelty. + +The system of selling immigrants for the cost of their passage, only +came to an end after a vigorous protest was made against it, in which +some of the religious sects led, notably the Mennonites. They scattered +the intelligence of the horrors of the “German Slave Trade,” throughout +the European seaport towns, whence most of the emigrants sailed for +the American colonies. The Palatine elector, Karl Theodore, also drove +the unscrupulous agents of the masters of vessels, who were engaged in +recruiting emigrants, out of the Palatinate. + +The owners of vessels found the business of transporting emigrants to +the colonies in America, to be sold for their passage a profitable one, +but for the unfortunate victims of the system it must have possessed +little romance. The fate of the so-called redemptioners did not +differ very materially from that of any other system of involuntary +serfdom, except that the term of their servitude was limited, and was +self-imposed. + +While the system of selling emigrants for the cost of their passage was +profitable for ship-owners, the cupidity of the latter often got the +better of their business judgment, by overcrowding their vessels to +such an extent, that many passengers died on the voyage in consequence +of sickness, and disease breaking out among them, as a result of bad +food, and worse sanitary conditions. It has been said of one small +vessel that left a Dutch port, with 400 passengers, that arrived at +Philadelphia with only 50 of them alive. An ocean voyage in those days +was an undertaking to be dreaded under the most favorable conditions +possible; but the emigrant ships were horrible to make the long and +tedious voyage in. One chronicler denominated them as “destroying +angels,” and judging from the mortalities on them, they were properly +designated. The emigrants were packed in between decks, where they were +deprived of all pure air, so that after a long voyage of many weeks and +often of many months, their quarters became a scene of filth, horror, +and lamentations. It has been stated that in the year 1738 not less +than 2000 passengers died while crossing the ocean. + +Those who sailed ships in those days were cruel taskmasters. An +emigrant was of very little account, beyond the price for which he +could be sold if brought alive to some port in the colonies. Beyond +that the masters of ships had no interest in them. Those who were able +to pay for their passage in advance, received even less consideration +from those who sailed ships, than those whose passage depended on +their sale upon their arrival in America, because no further pecuniary +advantage could be derived from the former, while the compensation +for transporting the latter across the ocean, depended upon bringing +them alive and well into some American port, while it did not matter +to the ship-owners, whether or not the former arrived alive or not. As +a matter of fact, the ship-owners were in pocket, if the emigrant who +paid for his passage in advance, died early during the voyage. + +In 1765 the Provincial Assembly was appealed to, for the purpose +of interesting it in providing legislation, which would result in +mitigating the horrors of a sea voyage in an emigrant ship. There was +slight improvement after that, but it was not until as late as 1818, +when the Legislature of Pennsylvania enacted more stringent laws +regulating the importation of German and other emigrants, that any +practical improvement was brought about. + +With regard to the so-called redemptioners, they were not less esteemed +than their more fortunate countrymen, who were able to pay for their +passage to America, and with very few exceptions, they became useful +and substantial citizens; and many of their descendants in these days +are filling honorable stations in every walk of life. + + * * * * * + +We have seen on what liberal terms colonists were invited to the +province of Pennsylvania by its founder; but those liberal terms were +afterwards restricted, when a change of proprietors came. William Penn +died July 30, 1718, and his three sons, Thomas, Richard, and John +succeeded him as his heirs, and assumed control of affairs. After that +the lands were surveyed, and settlers were expected to pay liberally +for the land upon which they had settled, but the newcomers were +ignorant of the new conditions, and relied on the earlier promises, so +that upon their arrival, they paid little attention to the new mode of +procedure to obtain land, but merely went in search of some favorable +location; settled thereon, and proceeded to make the necessary +improvements. Their disregard of the new regulations to obtain land, +brought them in collision with the agents of the proprietory government. + +The kindly regard which Penn had for his early German colonists, was +now succeeded by the indignation of the agents of the new proprietors. +James Logan the Colonial Secretary, wrote in 1725 concerning the great +influx of German emigrants, and their unscrupulousness about complying +with the rules of the Land Office, in the following ill-tempered +strain: “They come here in crowds, and as bold indigent strangers +from Germany, where many of them have been soldiers. All these go on +the best vacant lands, and seize upon them as common spoil.” Logan +complained that they rarely approached him on their arrival for the +purpose of purchasing land, and when their right to occupy it was +challenged, they sought to justify their action, by stating that it had +been published in Europe, that colonists were wanted, and that they had +been solicited to come; and came in pursuance of those representations, +without bringing with them the means with which to pay for any land. + +The new proprietors who succeeded the benevolent and pacific Penn, +were governed by wholly different motives, from those that controlled +him. Instead of seeking the welfare of their fellow men, the first +consideration with them was the promotion of their own personal +interests. It may be said however to their credit, that they did not +molest, or try to dispossess any of the newcomers, who had settled +on land in violation of the regulations of the land office. More +pacific counsels prevailed, and by skillful diplomacy on the part of +the proprietors they succeeded after a few years, to get a settlement +out of the newcomers for the land occupied by them, after they had +accumulated enough money for that purpose. + +The great tide of German immigration to Pennsylvania continued for many +years. A few came near the close of the seventeenth century, but with +the early years of the eighteenth it began in earnest, and continued +for three quarters of a century. By the time of the Revolution their +numerical strength, made them a powerful factor in determining +Pennsylvania on the side of independence. + +Authorities differ with regard to the number of Germans in +Pennsylvania prior to the Revolution. The late Prof. Haldeman, +in his “Pennsylvanisch Deitsch,” places their number in 1763 at +280,000. The natural increase for the next ten years without any +increase by immigration,--which however still continued during that +period,--would make their numbers in excess of 300,000 immediately +prior to the Revolution. Against these figures we have the estimate +of C. D. Ebeling, a German geographer who contributed the accounts of +America, in “Busching’s Erdbeschreibung,” who makes their number in +1790 only 144,660. While the figures given by Prof. Haldeman may be +too high, those by Ebeling are manifestly too low. It is quite likely +that the true figures are somewhere between the two. The population +of Pennsylvania in 1752 has been fixed at 190,000, of which 90,000 +or nearly one-half were estimated to have been Germans. Adding to +those the natural increase, and the number of Germans arriving during +the succeeding 25 years, as gathered from the reports of masters of +vessels, it would seem as if the statement was warranted, that the +number of Germans in Pennsylvania immediately preceding the Revolution +numbered not less than 200,000. Governor Thomas the proprietary +Governor places them in 1747 at 120,000. + +During the period of the largest emigration from the Palatinate, which +was from about 1730, to 1750, a period of twenty years, the ships +crossing the Atlantic, “plied between Rotterdam and Philadelphia with +almost the regularity of a ferry.” + +Rotterdam was the chief port from which the emigrants embarked, and +the shipping and other resources, to transport the people across the +Atlantic were overtaxed to such an extent, that those under whose +direction the business was conducted, sought to discourage emigration +by various expedients, among which was the circulation of the most +horrible accounts about the hardships and sufferings of the emigrants +on the voyage across the ocean. The following is a specimen of the +distressing tales circulated to turn back the tide of Palatines, +heading for the land of promise in Pennsylvania: + +“We learn from New York that a ship from Rotterdam, going to +Philadelphia, with one hundred and fifty Palatines on board wandered +twenty weeks at sea. When they finally arrived at port they were nearly +all dead. The rest were forced to subsist on rats and vermin, and were +all sick and weak.” + +Even this horrible tale of suffering at sea, had no effect to deter +people from undertaking the voyage, so they continued to come as fast +as ever. It may be stated that the foregoing tale was only a slight +exaggeration of the real truth, of the hardships of an ocean voyage on +an emigrant ship in those days. + +Notwithstanding the apprehension felt at one time, about the +danger of the large German immigration in Pennsylvania to British +ascendency in the colony, Lieutenant Governor Thomas in 1738, when +appealed to, regarding some restrictions against the continued large +German immigration, opposed any such measure, and gave the following +substantial reasons for refusing to give his sanction to any scheme +looking to a restriction of immigration: + + “This Province has been for some years the Asylum of the distressed + Protestants of the Palatinate, and other parts of Germany, and I + believe it may with truth be said, that the present flourishing + condition of it is in a great measure owing to the industry of those + People; and should any discouragement direct them from coming hither, + it may well be apprehended that the value of your Lands will fall, + and your advance to wealth be much slower.” + +This appeal of the Governor, to the cupidity of the English members of +the provincial council had the desired effect, and no further efforts +were made to put any restriction on the immigration of German Palatines. + +The German settlers occupied all the counties south and east of the +Blue Mountain, except Chester and the lower end of Bucks; Delaware not +being then organized. Philadelphia contained very many of them, and +constituted an important element in commercial and political concerns. +In later years they spread to the counties beyond the Blue Mountain, +where their descendants still live. + +The German Palatines were excellent judges of the soil. They came from +a fertile region in their native land, the soil of which was in many +respects similar to that of the limestone valleys of Pennsylvania. The +chief occupation of the ancient Upper Rhine provinces was in those +days, and still remains that of farming. In the valleys of the Rhine +and Neckar, the cereals of oats, rye, wheat, etc., are still grown +abundantly, while the hillsides are covered with vineyards. + +When the Palatines came to Pennsylvania they instinctively seized on +the fertile lands in the limestone valleys, leaving the less fertile, +hilly, and mountainous regions to others that came after them. The +lands settled upon by the Germans were heavily timbered, and it +required severe toil to shape them into farms, but they preferred them +to the more open and sparsely timbered lands, because the latter were +less fertile, though susceptible to be made into farms at much less +expense of labor, and of money. + +The wisdom of the Germans in the selection of lands is seen at this +day, in the magnificent farms occupied by their descendants everywhere +in the fertile valleys of Southeastern Pennsylvania. It is not believed +that there is a region of country anywhere on the globe of equal +extent, that possesses greater agricultural wealth; such well-tilled +fields; palatial farm houses; immense barns; picturesque and varied +scenery, and a more contented pastoral life, as is the inheritance of +the Pennsylvania German farmers. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +GERMAN IMMIGRANTS IN SOME OF THE OTHER AMERICAN COLONIES. + + Grant of Maryland to Cecilius Calvert.--Maryland designed as a + Refuge for Catholics.--Puritan aggression.--Religious Freedom + Proclaimed.--German immigration in the Province.--Maryland Germans + in the Revolution.--Germans settle in Virginia.--In the Shenandoah + Valley.--Also in North Carolina.--A Colony of Swiss and Palatines + found New Bern.--Graffenried’s Adventure with Indians.--The Indians + burn Lawson at the Stake.--“King” of the Palatines.--War between the + English and Indians.--German Colony in South Carolina.--Purrysburg + founded by Them.--Large German Settlement on Edisto + River.--Saxe-Gotha.--An Imposter.--Executed for Murder.--Salzburgers + Emigrate to Georgia.--Germans in other States.--Palatines settle in + Ireland. + + +New York received a large German immigration at an early day. The +influences which operated to send many Palatines to Pennsylvania, were +exerted in favor of New York to a very great extent. The British +government was anxious to colonize that province, and when the great +flood of emigration from the Palatinate began to set in, much of it was +diverted to New York, through the influence of the English. The latter +in numerous instances furnished the means to transport such as desired +to emigrate. In that way New York received many thousands of German +immigrants, most of whom came from the Rhine provinces, and settled +along the Hudson river, and in the Mohawk valley. A German colony +also settled in Schoharie county. The first German immigrants went to +New York in 1710, and others came afterwards. The Schoharie colony +became disintegrated a few years after its settlement, on account of +difficulties with the local authorities, when many of them left New +York under the lead of John Conrad Weiser and his son Conrad, and +settled in Pennsylvania. + +After the Weisers had led their colony to Pennsylvania, the emigration +to the province of New York came very nearly to an end. The Schoharie +colonists who came to Pennsylvania, wrote to their relatives and +countrymen in the Palatinate, that they had at last found an asylum +where they could rest in peace, and be secure in their rights, and +advised all who contemplated emigrating to America to avoid New York, +and come to Pennsylvania. Many who started from their homes in the +Palatinate after that, with the intention of going to Pennsylvania, +were diverted from their plans, and forced on ships bound for New York; +but they were no sooner landed than “they hastened to Pennsylvania in +sight of all the inhabitants of New York.” + +The names of many towns in New York attest their German origin, such as +Newburg, Rhinebeck, New Pfalz, Palatine Bridge, Herkimer (Hercheimer), +named for General Herkimer, a distinguished soldier of the State of New +York, and numerous other names. + + +NEW JERSEY. + +New Jersey being situated between New York and Pennsylvania, +necessarily profited by the immigration in the adjacent States, +although there does not seem to have been that concerted effort to +attract German emigrants to it, as there was made on behalf of the New +York and Pennsylvania colonies, yet the State was continually receiving +numerous accessions of German settlers. German Valley in what is now +Morris county, was settled by them in consequence of an untoward event. +A shipload of German emigrants sailed from a European port bound for +New York, but adverse winds drove the ship out of its course, and when +it finally reached American waters, found it most convenient to enter +the port of Philadelphia, whence its passengers disembarked, and sought +to make their way to New York overland, across the State of New Jersey. +Their course led them into a beautiful valley, where they halted and +made a permanent settlement, whence came the name, German Valley. + + +MARYLAND. + +In 1632 the province of Maryland was granted to Cecilius Calvert by +Charles I. Calvert was a Roman Catholic, and it was designed by him, to +make his province a refuge for his co-religionists, without making it +a distinct Catholic colony. In 1663, 200 Catholic colonists arrived in +Maryland and made a permanent settlement. Soon thereafter a number of +Puritans came and settled among them, who soon created strife by trying +to enforce their peculiar tenets and practices upon their Catholic +neighbors, which resulted in making things very uncomfortable for the +intolerant Puritans, so much so, that they moved out of Maryland into +Virginia. + +Religious freedom was proclaimed in Maryland by the authorities, after +which Quakers, German Lutherans, and other sects emigrated thither and +made permanent settlements. Considerable numbers of German emigrants +sailed direct from foreign ports to Maryland; many went there from +New York where they had become dissatisfied with English rule, while +Pennsylvania furnished a good many, and a few came from New England. + +The Germans occupied certain parts of Maryland in the early days, to +the exclusion almost of people of every other nationality. About the +middle of the previous century, the larger part of the population +of Frederick county, was either German or of German parentage. Like +their kin in Pennsylvania those Germans continued the almost exclusive +use of their native dialect for a long period after their settlement +in Frederick county, and until a comparatively recent period, all +religious services were conducted by them in the German language. At +the outbreak of the Revolution, Maryland sent a German regiment of +infantry in the field, and also a German company of artillery, besides +numerous Germans enlisted in other organizations. + + +VIRGINIA. + +Virginia began to receive Germans from the Palatinate, and from other +parts of Germany as early as 1743. In that year a vessel arrived at +Hampton Roads, which had sailed from a Holland port with 200 passengers +on board, 100 of whom died on the voyage. Many Swiss were among the +early settlers in Virginia. Germans from Pennsylvania also settled in +Virginia during different periods, chiefly in the Shenandoah valley. + + +NORTH CAROLINA. + +In 1719 at a time when the German Palatines were rushing to America, +a large number of them were in London, awaiting assistance to enable +them to take passage to some one of the American colonies. There was +in London at that time a Swiss gentleman by the name of Christoph +Graffenried. He met there one Louis Michel also a Swiss, who had spent +some time in America, and was familiar with the country’s needs, and +also its possibilities for colonists. The two conceived the idea of +founding a colony of Swiss and Germans in America, and for that purpose +secured a tract of land in North Carolina, between the Neuse and Cape +Fear rivers, with the understanding that after they had paid for 5000 +acres, they should obtain title to 100,000. + +Soon thereafter two vessels with 650 Palatines and Swiss on board, were +dispatched to North Carolina, where they arrived in December 1710; and +they founded Newbern. + +The following year the Tuscarora Indians began to make war against the +English, and whites generally. Before the settlers had any intelligence +of the designs of the Indians, Graffenried who came to North Carolina +with the Swiss and Palatine colonists, started off on one occasion, +with a land surveyor named Lawson, and a negro servant, to ascend +the river Neuse in a boat to explore the country. They did not dream +of any unfriendliness on the part of the Indians, so in the evening +they tied their boat up near an Indian village, intending to spend +the night with their savage neighbors. They found the Indians in a +morose mood, manifesting none of their usual good will. Graffenried’s +suspicions that their manner boded trouble, was increased, when he saw +a large quantity of arms and ammunition provided by the Indians. He +started away from the village with his companions, with the intention +of ascending higher up the stream, but after they had reached their +boat and were about entering it, they were surrounded by about 60 armed +Indians, who took them back to the village, and brought them before the +chief, who ordered that they should be kept under strict guard until +the next day, when they were brought before a council to consider the +question, as to what disposition should be made of them. The following +evening, they were taken before the council, the deliberations of which +lasted until the following morning, when an Indian made his appearance, +with whom Lawson had some time previous a difficulty, and from whom +the Indian did not get very good treatment. The Indian informed the +council, that the whites had conspired in secret to destroy them; this +so angered the savages, that they immediately condemned Graffenried and +his two companions to death. The next day they were taken to the place +of execution, where they were bound hand and foot, and left to lie on +the ground. The Indians kindled a big fire, erected a cross which they +decorated with flowers. In the painful position in which Graffenried +and his companions had been placed, they remained all day and the +following night. With sunrise the next morning, a multitude of Indians +assembled, to witness the final act of the tragedy. An armed guard +stood over the condemned during all that time. The principal Indians +sat about them in a circle of two rows; behind them were about 300 +Indians engaged in dancing, and yelling like so many devils possessed. +Two executioners were detailed to carry out the decree of the council, +who were painted so as to make as hideous an appearance as possible. +In this extremity, a thought occurred to Graffenried. He turned to the +principal chief, and asked what right they had to condemn an innocent +man, and whether they were willing to hazard the execution of a king; +pretending that he was the king of the Palatines. This ruse served its +purpose, for a second council was held; Graffenried’s fetters were +unloosened, but Lawson and the negro servant both suffered death at the +stake. + +Graffenried was kept in confinement for five weeks longer, when he was +released, upon his entering into a compact with the Indians, that in +the event of war between them and the English, that he would remain +neutral as “king” of the Palatines, and would discontinue measuring and +appropriating their lands. + +In the war which followed, the Swiss and Palatine settlers, who +were both known under the name of Palatines, remained neutral, and +Newbern was saved from harm. The details of the foregoing account of +Graffenried’s adventure is based on a letter written by him to the +governor of the province, soon after its occurrence. + +After the war between the Tuscaroras and the Indians, many other +Palatines settled in North Carolina; the names of whose descendants +abound numerously in that state at the present day. + + +SOUTH CAROLINA. + +It is not known when the Germans first came to South Carolina, but +it is known that in 1734 a number of emigrants from Salzburg arrived +at Charleston and settled in the province, and about the same time +170 Swiss emigrants also arrived at Charleston under the lead of +Johann Peter Purry, and founded Purrysburg on the Savannah river; the +following year 200 additional Swiss arrived, and later a colony of +Swiss and Palatines made settlement in the neighborhood of Orangeburg, +which was founded about the same time. Their settlement was on the +Edisto river, and the whole region on both sides of the stream in +that neighborhood was originally settled by Germans, chiefly from the +Palatinate, and Switzerland. Other Germans from parts in Germany +further north settled in South Carolina. They founded a colony further +inland from Orangeburg, and called it Saxe-Gotha. This became an +important central point, from which the German settlement spread, which +continued to gain large accessions until the Revolution. + +In 1763 there came two ship loads of German emigrants from London to +Charleston. They were poor, and the Colonial Legislature voted them 500 +pounds, 200 muskets and ammunition, and settled them in the Saxe-Gotha +district. The Germans monopolized this district, and continued to speak +the German language long after it had ceased to be spoken elsewhere in +South Carolina. A traveller who visited this district as late as 1850 +wrote, that German was no longer spoken by the descendants of the early +German settlers, but that the people retained their German Bibles, +hymn-books, and observed many of the customs, festivals and holidays of +their German ancestors. + + * * * * * + +There is said to have been a remote district in South Carolina in the +first half of the last century, which had been settled by Germans, +which had scarcely any communication with the outside world; where +the people were without churches, or schools, who had fallen into such +dense ignorance, that they were not far removed from a savage state. +A Swiss came among them named Weber, who represented himself to be +Jesus Christ; his wife the Virgin Mary, and another who came with him, +as the Holy Ghost. This imposter hired a man to represent the devil, +and he went about making converts of many simple souls who believed in +him. He ordered that Satan be bound in chains and placed in a great +cavern which existed in that neighborhood, which was accordingly done. +He finally decreed that Satan should be put out of the world. The +poor devil was placed in a featherbed, and covered with pillows and +bed clothes, after which some of Weber’s followers smothered Satan to +death. When the affair reached the knowledge of the authorities at +Charleston, Weber was arrested, tried for murder; convicted and duly +hanged. His wife, children, and ignorant dupes were pardoned by the +Governor. + + +GEORGIA. + +Very few Palatines, if any, went to Georgia direct from Germany in the +early days, although considerable numbers went there from some of the +other colonies. + +In 1739 a fierce religious persecution began in the archbishopric of +Salzburg. This persecution continued for many years, during which time +more than 30,000 Protestant Germans left the archbishopric, and settled +elsewhere. Some went to Prussia, some to Holland, and others went to +England, who soon thereafter left for Georgia, where they settled +permanently, and became a nucleus around which several thousand of the +persecuted Salzburgers afterwards gathered. + + +TENNESSEE AND KENTUCKY. + +Whatever German immigration went to the territory now embraced in +the foregoing named states in the early days went to North Carolina +and Virginia; Tennessee being taken from the first named state, and +Kentucky from the latter. After the Revolution, and Tennessee and +Kentucky were admitted as states, each received large accessions +of German population. Many went to those states from Pennsylvania, +Maryland and Virginia. + + +GERMAN PALATINES IN IRELAND. + +About the years 1709-10, when many thousands of Palatines abandoned +their native land, to seek homes elsewhere, the exodus assumed the +nature, of what would in these days be termed a “craze.” Thousands left +their homes in the Palatinate, without any well-defined idea where they +would eventually land. The first consideration with them was to get +away from their oppressors; the question with regard to their future +was deemed of minor importance. Under such circumstances 5,000 Germans +from the Palatinate found their way to England in the months of May and +June, 1709, which number was increased by October to 13,000, comprising +husbandmen, tradesmen, artisans, schoolteachers, and clergymen. + +Those emigrants all came to London, and when the first lot arrived, +they took the Londoners by surprise, for they came without any notice +of their coming, and the first intimation which the citizens of +London had concerning them was when they found about 5,000 Palatine +men, women, and children under tents in the suburbs of their city. +They seemed to be without any definite plans for the future, beyond +the fact that they had been told in their own country, that settlers +were wanted for the British colonies in America, and in pursuance of +those representations they came to London, expecting that the British +government would provide for them. England did take care of them; +sheltering them about the city in empty dwellings, warehouses, barns, +and wherever vacant places could be found. Good Queen Anne ordered +tents to be pitched on Blackheath for their accommodation. A large +majority of those people were sent to the British colonies in America. + +Upon the petition of the Lord Lieutenant Governor of Ireland 3,800 of +them were sent to Ireland and settled in the county Limerick, in the +province of Munster, where many of their descendants are living at +this day, the most prosperous and well-to-do farmers and tradesmen in +Ireland. + +The late Professor Rupp in his book of “The Names of 30,000 German +Immigrants,” makes reference to the settlement of those German +Palatines in Ireland, and states “that it is said” that some of them +still speak a German dialect. The author visited the descendants of +those people a few years ago, but found no trace of any German dialect; +it has died out long ago; only the German names remain, some of which +have become so changed in their spelling, as to make their German +origin scarcely recognizable. Many of those people have intermarried +with the Irish population, so that the present generation is more +Irish than German. Those people are still spoken of as Palatines. + +The migration of so many Palatines in the course of a few months +and their sudden appearance in England, furnishes one of the most +interesting episodes in the whole history of the German emigration +from the Palatinate. Their reception, treatment and their disposition +by the English Government, redounds much to its credit, generosity, +and humanity, most of which was owing to the kindly disposition toward +those people of Queen Anne. + +While there was no settled purpose in the mind of the English +authorities at first regarding the ultimate disposition of those +people, the first impulse however was that they had to be provided +for. The Palatines themselves were without any fixed purpose, but +were inspired with the hope of eventually reaching America. Some +of the young men among them enlisted in the British army; others +scattered throughout rural England, while a considerable number of them +sought service in London, and in some of the other cities and towns +of England. The great majority however were disposed of in the way +hereinbefore stated. + +As proof of the magnanimity of the English people in their treatment +of their unfortunate guests, Parliament, at the suggestion of the +noble-minded Queen voted £24,000 for those who elected to go to +Ireland, for transportation and subsistence. Those that were sent to +the American colonies also had their transportation paid by the British +government. + +Among the foregoing mentioned Palatines, there were about 1,500 German +Catholics, which is evidence going to show, that it was not alone +religious persecution as has been often contended, that drove those +people from their homes in the Palatinate, but that Protestant and +Catholic alike left the devastated land of their birth, to improve +their material, rather than their spiritual welfare. + +Those in authority in England at that time were not as tolerant of +other people’s religious views as people are in these days, and the +government refused to send those of the Catholic faith to the American +colonies, in consequence of which many of them renounced their religion +rather than return to their desolate and ravished homes in the +Palatinate, where such as were tenacious of their faith were sent under +passports of the British government. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE QUAKERS, GERMANS, AND THE PROPRIETORS. + + Quakers Emigrate to America.--Their Hostility to the Proprietors + after Penn.--Indian Outbreaks.--Quakers refuse to bear Arms.--Defence + of their Own Homes left to non-Quakers.--Quakers oppose the + Formation of a Militia.--Penn’s sons Forsake Quaker Faith.--Attitude + of the Germans.--Christoph Sauer’s German Newspaper.--Its + Influence.--Controls the Germans.--Their Influence is a menace to + English Rule.--Their Influence in Politics.--Sauer’s partisan Appeals + to the Germans.--Asserts English intent to enslave Them.--English + fear a German Colony.--War between France and Great Britain.--Efforts + to stop German Emigration.--Taxing Emigrants.--Fails to have any + effect on Emigration.--They continue to come. + + +During the first half of the eighteenth century, the influence of +the Quaker element predominated, and it can scarcely be said that it +was always exerted for the best interests of the province after Penn +died. The German Quakers never cut much of a figure in the affairs of +the colony; it was left to the English Quakers to concern themselves +about its domestic affairs. The latter at their former home in England +owed their origin to a revolt against English religious thought, in +consequence of which they became the subjects of much persecution. +After many of them had emigrated to Pennsylvania, where they were +assured of religions freedom, it was not long before they arrayed +themselves in opposition to the civil power. + +The peace of the new province was often threatened by foes from within +and from without. The wars between England and France frequently +threatened the peace of all the colonies, and the Indians were a +menace to the settlers all the time. They would start out on frequent +raids, among the inhabitants, and would sometimes perpetrate cruel +massacres, against which it was of the highest importance to guard, by +an efficient militia, the organization of which the Quakers opposed +to a man. The Indians knew that the civil authorities could not rely +on the Quakers for any armed assistance, because they were opposed +to war, and the bearing of arms. This left the defence of the colony +to the non-Quaker population, and to the civil authorities to which +the Quakers refused loyal support. The Quakers were an embarrassing +influence in the Colonial Assembly, to which they were frequently +elected by the aid of the German votes, especially of those in +Northampton county. It has been said that the organization of this +county, was primarily, for the purpose of divorcing the German vote +from Quaker control, in behalf of whose candidates it was usually cast, +in obedience to the influence of the Quakers of Philadelphia and Bucks +counties. + +The Quaker opposition to the organization of a militia, to protect +the province against the Indians and the French, who were making +war on the border, while the defence of their own homes was left to +the poorly armed non-Quakers, was such a perversion of common sense +and of justice, as to embitter all classes against a people whose +religious tenets could justify such rank injustice and selfishness. +This attitude of the reputed mild-mannered Quakers, brought them into +unfriendly relations with most of the other colonists in Pennsylvania, +as well as into hostile collision with the proprietary government. The +Quakers had not much respect for the sons of the original proprietor. +Penn’s sons were in control at this time, and it is interesting to +note, that none of them remained in fellowship with the Quakers after +their father’s death. After his death all the proprietary governors +were non-Quakers, and this fact no doubt, had the tendency to increase +the spirit of insubordination, of the Quaker element against the civil +authority. + +For the sake of the truth of history, it must be remarked, that the +Germans who had not much affection for English rule, too often took +sides with the Quakers in opposing the English, and thereby frustrated +designs of the lawful authorities, intended for the general welfare. + +In 1739 Christoph Sauer began to publish a German newspaper at +Germantown, which gained a large circulation among the Germans, and +controlled their political actions entirely, which was often in +opposition to the ruling class. + +The Germans however when the security of the province was threatened by +the French, or the homes of the settlers were menaced by their savage +foes, were always among the first to take up arms in defence of both; +while their Quaker neighbors not only refused to take up arms, to +defend the homes of the colonists when threatened by hostile savages, +but opposed the creation of a militia for that purpose. + +It is difficult to reconcile this attitude of the Quakers towards the +civil authorities, and their refusal to perform their obligations to +the government which was ever ready to protect them, with the duties +of good citizenship, which was one of the tenets of their faith. Their +disregard of some of the most important civil obligations, seem to +contradict the teachings of the sect, of a rigid morality, unbending +personal integrity, and living a simple and sincere life, of all of +which they were marked exemplars. + +The Quakers were however, foremost in the work of many reforms. They +entered their protest early against the infliction of the death +penalty, for the commission of minor offences such as larceny, etc. The +mild laws laid down by Penn for the government of his province, and the +satisfactory results springing therefrom are the best proofs of their +utility. The Quakers were also the first to raise their voice against +slavery in the colonies, although it required the teachings of more +than two hundred years, and at the end a prodigious civil war, to wipe +that institution from our American system. + +While the Quakers in Penn’s province in the early years of its history +could not always be commended for their fidelity to the constituted +authorities, yet they deserve much credit for many commendable virtues. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE PENNSYLVANIA GERMANS IN HISTORY. + + Political Influence of the Germans.--Not an office-holding + Class.--War between England and France.--German + Indifference.--Efforts to Anglicize the Germans.--The Germans During + the Revolution.--Favor Independence.--Germans Organize.--Prominent + in Furnishing Troops.--Mainstay of the Army.--Germans a unit for + Independence.--They raise a Battalion, before Independence is + Declared. + + +While the Germans never had any particular affection for English rule, +they nevertheless were always loyal to the authorities, notwithstanding +they were strong enough during several decades before the Revolution, +by making an alliance with the Quaker element to have wrested the +colony from British control. Such an alliance would not have been +difficult by reason of the well-known hostility of the Quakers to +the proprietary rule. But the Germans never had any ambition in that +direction. They cared little for political power, being content to +cultivate their fields, and enjoy the blessings of civil and religious +liberty, which was denied them in the land of their birth. They did +not aspire to political honors, and their names seldom appear in the +official lists of the provincial government. Their almost exclusive use +of the German language, also disqualified them from holding office. +They however by reason of their numbers exerted an important influence +in the colony, especially in the election of members of the Colonial +Assembly, as well as with regard to other elective officers, inasmuch +as their votes were in all cases cast as a unit for a single favorite +candidate. The only issue raised at the elections in those days was the +one, whether the representative of the proprietory government should +succeed, or the opposition candidate should carry off the honors. The +latter usually won, wherever the German vote predominated. Sauer’s +German paper was the only newspaper circulated among the Germans for +many years, and it controlled their political actions throughout. It +was conducted on similar lines to those of the partisan newspapers of +to-day. It was thoroughly anti-English in sentiment, and indulged +in vehement appeals to the prejudices of the Germans by making them +believe, that it was the purpose of the English to enslave them; +compelling their young men to become soldiers, thereby bringing up the +horrible recollections of the military bondage from which they fled +in their native land. Sauer’s paper taught the Germans to believe, +that the English were seeking to put burdens upon them, as great as +those which they had borne in the old country. The inculcation of such +beliefs, coupled with their numerical strength alarmed the English, and +caused them to fear, that the Germans would at a time not remote, give +them not only laws of their own making, but make the colony a German +province. + +The English distrust of the Germans was heightened by the fact that +about the middle of the eighteenth century, while Great Britain was at +war with France for the conquest of Canada, the Germans were reluctant, +and in some instances absolutely refused to serve as soldiers, +manifesting no small amount of hostility to the British cause; while +the French looked to them for aid and encouragement in their struggle +with the British. The Germans made no secret of their sentiments, that +it did not matter much to them under whose authority they lived, so +long as they were not molested in the enjoyment of their property, and +their personal freedom. + +But later when the conditions had changed, and the French became the +aggressors, in threatening the colonies by making war against them, the +Germans made up for their former indifference, by enlisting in large +numbers to defend the colonies against their hereditary enemies. + +Various schemes were proposed to overcome the influence of the +Germans by the English. Among other things it was suggested, to +disfranchise them, from having any voice in the election of members of +the Colonial Assembly, pending a period during which they should be +taught the English tongue. For that purpose it was proposed to support +Protestant ministers and school teachers among them, to the end that +they should become English. The schemes suggested were never carried +into execution; so the Germans failed to become Anglicized, and the +descendants of thousands of them continue to be German at this day. + +To arrest the coming of so many Germans in some degree, the Assembly +passed a tax of twenty shillings a head on each newcomer, but it had no +effect in preventing them from coming. + +The large influx of Palatines gave James Logan, the secretary of the +province much apprehension and annoyance. He feared that their numbers +would in time result in the colony being lost to the British crown. +Logan’s apprehensions were prophetic! All the colonies were wrested +from the crown in later years, and no people rendered more invaluable +services in that behalf, than the Germans of Pennsylvania. + +The prejudice of the English against the Germans was shared by even +so eminent a statesman and philosopher as Benjamin Franklin. From +a letter written by him to Peter Collinson an English botanist and +natural philosopher, in 1753, it would seem as if the latter had been +also apprehensive about the large German immigration in Pennsylvania, +and had conveyed his views to Franklin in a letter to which the latter +replied as follows: + + “I am perfectly of your mind, that measures of great temper are + necessary touching the Germans, and am not without apprehensions + that, through their indiscretion, or ours, or both, great disorders + may one day arise among us. Those who come hither are generally the + most stupid of their own nation, and as ignorance is often attended + with great credulity, when knavery would mislead it, and with + suspicion when honesty would set it right; and few of the English + understand the German language, so that they cannot address them + either from the press or pulpit, it is almost impossible to remove + any prejudice they may entertain. The clergy have very little + influence on the people, who seem to take pleasure in abusing and + discharging the minister on every trivial occasion. Not being used to + liberty, they know not how to make modest use of it. They are under + no restraint from ecclesiastical government; they behave however, + submissively enough at present to the civil government, which I wish + they may continue to do, for I remember when they modestly declined + intermeddling with our elections; but now they come in droves and + carry all before them, except in one or two counties. Few of their + children in the country know English. They import many books from + Germany, and, of the six printing houses in the province, two are + entirely German, two half German, half English, and but two are + entirely English. They have one German newspaper, and one half + German. Advertisements intended to be general, are now printed in + Dutch, (German) and English. The signs in our streets, (Phila.,) have + inscriptions in both languages, and some places only in German. They + begin of late, to make all their bonds and other legal instruments in + their own language, (though I think it ought not to be), are allowed + good in courts, where the German business so increases, that there + is continued need of interpreters, and I suppose in a few years, + they will also be necessary in the Assembly, to tell one-half of our + legislators, what the other half says. In short, unless the stream + of importation could be turned from this to other colonies, as you + very judiciously propose, they will soon outnumber us, that all the + advantages we have, will, in my opinion, be not able to preserve our + language, and even our government will become precarious.” + +Some of the adverse criticisms in the foregoing letter are manifestly +unjust; but as they were made to harmonize with English sentiment, +there may have been an element of policy in them, as Franklin was at +that time an attache of the proprietary government, and supplicant for +royal favor. The letter also bears on its face its own contradiction +in some essential particulars. The statement that the Germans “import +many books from Germany,” which they are presumed to have read, does +not bear out the statement that they were “the most stupid of their +nation,” which contradiction is emphasized by the fact, as asserted +by Franklin that out of the six printing houses in the province, the +English had only two; the Germans two, and the remaining two were half +German, and half English. + +A people among whom printing houses, books, and newspapers abound, can +safely be accredited with a fair amount of intelligence, although they +may have obtained the inspiration of their knowledge from German books +and German newspapers. + +There is no doubt that Franklin thought better of his German +fellow-citizens and compatriots, when in less than a quarter of a +century later they stood shoulder to shoulder with him in the cause of +American independence. + + +THE GERMANS IN THE REVOLUTION. + +When the first murmurings of discontent, which later culminated in +open revolt, were heard throughout the colonies, the Germans of +Pennsylvania were among the first to place themselves in harmony with +those ideas, which determined the colonies in favor of independence. +Even some time before separation had been determined upon, the Germans +were active among their countrymen in their efforts to promote that +step. It required a great deal of resolution on their part to espouse +such a policy at that time, with the formidable influences opposed to +them. The government of the colonies was in the hands of the royal +representatives of the British crown; these sustained intimate personal +and social relations with leading colonists, some of whom supported +the royal authority, while others were resisting British aggression, +but were not decided in favor of separation at that early stage. The +English ties of blood no doubt kept many patriots from favoring +extreme measures, before independence was declared, but the Germans +were not influenced by any such considerations. They had inherited +a fierce hatred of oppression in their native country, and they had +no sympathy with a temporizing policy, and declared in favor of +independence long before the events of Lexington and Bunker Hill. + +The Germans of Pennsylvania exerted a potent influence, not only in +bringing their own colony to the side of independence, but they were +actively employed in influencing their countrymen in the other colonies +to take a similar step. They put themselves in communication with +the German settlers everywhere, and urged upon them to espouse the +cause of separation and freedom; and by the time that the first gun +of the Revolution was fired, the Germans in all the colonies were in +line against the British government. In Pennsylvania they became the +mainstay in furnishing troops to fill the quotas of its regiments, and +from their ranks came many officers who gained honorable distinction +during the war. Many had been soldiers in their native country, where +they fought against oppression, while others inherited the spirit of +freedom from their fathers, who had felt the hand of persecution in +other lands. + +The historian has faithfully chronicled the distinguished services +rendered by all classes during the Revolution, with the exception of +the invaluable services of the Germans of Pennsylvania; their services +have been dismissed with curt brevity. Even Bancroft in his history of +the Revolution passes them by in the following words: “The Germans who +constituted a large portion of the population of Pennsylvania were all +on the side of freedom.” + +The importance which was attached to the influence which the Germans +might exert, in the event of hostilities between the colonies and +the British crown is shown, upon the occasion when Franklin appeared +before the British ministry, urging the repeal of the Stamp Act, and +of other oppressive measures. He was asked how many Germans there +were in Pennsylvania at that time. He replied that not less than +one-third of the population, and probably more, as he had no means to +tell accurately. He was then asked whether any of them had served as +soldiers in the European wars; to which he replied, that they had not +only been soldiers in Europe, but that many of them had served in the +colonial wars. The ministry also wanted to know whether the Germans +were as much dissatisfied with the stamp tax, as the English born +citizens; to which his reply was that they were even more hostile to +it. If this colloquy had any significance at that time, it must be +construed to have meant, that the English had a wholesome dread of the +Germans in the event of an open rupture, between the mother country and +her colonies. Whatever the moving cause may have been, the Stamp Act +was repealed. + +As early as 1772 the German residents of Philadelphia, who at that +time exercised a controlling influence in business and civic affairs, +organized an association under the name of “The Patriotic Society of +the City and County of Philadelphia.” The purpose of this society +was to make ready for the struggle which the Germans regarded as +inevitable. In 1774 after the threat had been made by the British +ministry, of closing the Boston harbor, and indicating the intention +of a resort to force, to crush the revolutionary spirit manifested by +the Massachusetts patriots, a meeting was called by leading Germans of +Philadelphia to consider the threatening situation, at which meeting +a “Correspondence Committee” was appointed, the duty of which was to +correspond with the Germans of other colonies, urging upon them to +organize, so as to be ready for the conflict, which to their minds +could not be much longer delayed. + +In the Provincial Assembly which was held in the same year, to consider +the condition of affairs, the German element was strongly represented, +and their views received earnest and careful consideration. Among the +Germans who occupied seats in that convention were such prominent +representatives as Christopher Ludwig, George Schlosser, Adam Hubley, +Jacob Barge, from Philadelphia; Matthias Schlauch, Moses Erwin, Joseph +Ferree, and George Ross, from Lancaster county; Christopher Schultz, +and Jonathan Potts from Berks county; Peter Keichlein and Jacob Arndt, +from Northampton county, and Casper Weitzel from Northumberland county. + +In the convention which met in January following, the Germans were +still more largely represented. This convention declared in favor +of the utmost resistance, against any further British insolence and +tyranny, and issued a call for a Colonial Congress. + +The Germans residing in the colonies of New York and North Carolina, +were undecided at first with regard to taking sides, before the +actual breaking out of hostilities, until they were appealed to by +their kinsmen in Pennsylvania by means of correspondence, and also +by messengers sent among them, to urge them to go with the Germans +of the rest of the colonies. A pamphlet was written and published by +the “Correspondence Committee,” which was especially designed for the +Germans of New York, and North Carolina, in which it was set forth, +that the Germans of Pennsylvania had learned with satisfaction, that +the people without regard to race, creed, or former nationality; +whether rich or poor, had given their unqualified approval, to the acts +of their Congress, and that the Germans especially, everywhere were +taking measures, to have the militia put in shape, and were forming new +military organizations, so that they should be ready to march wherever +they should be needed in the event of war, and urging upon those +Germans that could not enlist for any reason, to contribute to the +patriot cause according to their ability. + +The pamphlet went on further to state, that they were grieved to learn, +that there were numbers of Germans, in various parts of New York, +and many in North Carolina, who were indifferent to the cause for +which their kinsmen had enlisted and were preparing elsewhere. That +the efforts of the Germans in Pennsylvania proved successful is not +doubted, for after the first shedding of blood at Lexington, there were +no Germans in any of the colonies, that did not espouse the cause of +the patriots in behalf of freedom. + +In May 1776 before the adoption of the Declaration of Independence the +Continental Congress determined to raise a battalion for immediate +service, and called upon Pennsylvania and Maryland to furnish four +companies each. On July 17, following Pennsylvania reported--not +only with the required four companies--but with five full companies, +enlisted from the Germans. The greater number of the Maryland companies +raised for this battalion were also recruited from the Germans. Every +officer of the battalion was a German. Soon after its formation it took +the field, and rendered conspicuous service at a critical period during +the early part of the war. + +As there are no doubt many descendants of the rank and file of this +battalion, still living throughout Pennsylvania and Maryland, the +names of its commissioned officers are here given: Colonel, Nicholas +Hausseger; Lieut. Col., George Striker; Major, Ludwig Waltner; +Adjutant, Louis von Linkendorf. The Captains and Lieutenants of each +company follow in the order of their rank: (1) Daniel Burkhard, +Friederich Rollwagen, George Habacker; (2) Philipp Grebel, Johann Lora, +Christian Meyers; (3) George Hubley, Peter Boyer, Johann Laudenberger; +(4) Heinrich Fister, Karl Balsel, Michael Boyer; (5) Jacob Bunner, +Wilhelm Rice, George Schafer; (6) George Kieport, Jacob Kotz, Adam +Smith; (7) Benjamin Weiser, Jacob Bower, Friederich Heiser; (8) W. +Heiser, Samuel Gerock, Wilhelm Ritter; (9) Daniel Woelper, Bernhard +Hubley, Philipp Schrader. + +There was one piece of ill-luck which came to this battalion. Some +complaint was made against its Colonel, under the pressure of which he +resigned and afterward turned traitor to the cause of the patriots. His +successor was Baron von Arendt, who afterwards resigned on account of +ill-health, after which Major Waltner succeeded to the command. In the +following September the battalion was ordered to join Washington’s army. + +The cause of the patriots did not look very promising at this time. The +British had possession of New York; New Jersey was wholly defenceless; +Philadelphia was threatened, and a large and influential party of +Tories was watching for an opportunity to strike the patriots in +the rear. The leaders were disheartened, Washington’s army was not +much more than a ragged mob of undisciplined, “uncouth, intractable +ploughboys and farmers.” Many of the German officers had experience as +soldiers in their native country, and they became useful in helping to +establish discipline, and in making the army fit to fight. + +The German battalion participated in the affair at Trenton in December +1776, which inspired the army with confidence, and the people with +hope; it was at Princeton; with Washington at the ill-fated fields of +Brandywine and Germantown, and spent the terrible winter of 1777-1778 +at Valley Forge. The deeds and sufferings of this German battalion +furnish a proud memorial of the German soldiers of the Revolution, and +it is hoped that some one with the laudable inclination, and access to +such of its history as may be yet preserved, will give to the world +a faithful account of its heroic deeds, on many a battlefield of the +Revolution. Many German soldiers also served in other commands, and +it is a matter of history that Washington greatly relied on their +fidelity, no matter in what situation they were placed. If we will scan +the lists of company, regimental and brigade officers of the commands +from Pennsylvania, we will find them bristling with German names. + +It is generally believed that the German Quakers, Mennonites, and +Moravians held entirely aloof from the struggle for independence, on +account of their religious faith against bearing arms. This is no +doubt true of all those who remained loyal to their sect, but there +is authority for the statement, that not a few young Quakers, and +Mennonites, did enlist and fight with the patriots for freedom. All +such however either voluntarily withdrew from their church, or were +shut out from all fellowship with it. + +Before the Revolution many German Catholics had settled in +Pennsylvania, and they were prompt in enlisting on the side of freedom, +and their blood mingled with their Protestant compatriots on many a +sanguinary field of the Revolution. + +In the German Catholic emigration to America, may be found an argument +showing that the direct cause of the great exodus of Germans to +America was not altogether the result of religious persecution, but +rather the desire to get away from the incessant European wars and its +desolations. It was not an unusual thing during the later years of +the German emigration, for the Protestant and the Catholic, to cross +the ocean in the same ship, and upon their arrival settle in the same +neighborhood, and in later years fight side by side in the cause of +civil liberty. + + * * * * * + +The just tribute to which the Germans of Pennsylvania are entitled for +their invaluable services, during the Revolutionary War has never been +duly chronicled, and it may be hoped that with the revival of interest +in their history through the Pennsylvania German Society, that some +chronicler will some day do them full justice. + + +GERMAN MERCENARIES. + +There is a popular belief among some people, that the Hessian +mercenaries brought here by the British government to fight the +Americans, remained here after the war was over, and that their +descendants constitute a considerable element of the Pennsylvania +Germans of to-day. Comparatively few remained here after the war, +because the British government was under contract to return such as +escaped the casualties of the war, after it was over. The few that +remained made good citizens, as they made the very best soldiers +against the Americans, and whenever it was practicable to do so, they +were put in the most responsible places by the British commanders. The +intense hatred at one time, against the so-called Hessian soldiers, +some of which still lingers with the present generation is very unjust, +because they did not volunteer to fight against the Americans, but +they were forced into the British service, by the impecunious German +princes who sold them to the British like so many slaves. The Hessian +soldiers would sometimes take a notion to desert, and they invariably +found refuge among some of the German colonists. A considerable number +of them were left behind from time to time on marches, on account of +sickness or wounds; these always found a ready welcome among the German +settlers; few of them ever found their way back to their native land. + +While all the German mercenaries are known as Hessians, they were not +all subjects of the Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel, although the larger +portion of them were furnished by that prince. The first contingent +of German mercenaries was made up as follows: The Landgrave of +Hesse-Cassel, furnished 12,104; the Duke of Brunswick 4,084; Prince +of Hesse 663; Prince of Waldeck 670, a total of 17,521, for which the +several princes received $30 for each man. Later there were additional +troops furnished by the German princes, some of whom came from +Anspach-Bayreuth, and Anhalt-Zerbst. Authorities do not agree as to +the exact number of mercenaries furnished by the German princes. The +German historian Frederick Kapp, who is said to have investigated the +question closely, places the entire number at 29,166. Kapp informs us +that 17,313 returned to their native land after the war, which would +leave 11,853 unaccounted for in America. From this number there must be +taken the casualties of war, which must have been exceedingly large, +because they had to do their campaigning in a new, and for a great part +in a wild country, in some parts of which pestilential fevers carried +the soldiers off much faster, than the bullets of the enemy. There were +none of the sanitary conditions of an army in those days, to guard the +health of soldiers, which prevail nowadays. Military surgery had made +little progress, so that the percentage of deaths among the wounded +was much larger than it is in modern times. From these conditions a +calculation based on the casualties of our Civil War, will enable one +to form an approximate idea of the casualties of the Hessian soldiers +in the Revolution. According to such an estimate, the losses of the +Hessians from all causes could not have fallen short of 5,000, leaving +less than 7,000 who remained in America, some of whom settled in the +Canadian provinces, but the majority of them settled in the states of +New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North, and South Carolina. + +It is interesting to note, that appeals were made by the British +government to some of the other European sovereigns for hireling +soldiers, to fight against the Americans, besides the German princes +herein mentioned. Holland and Russia were both appealed to, but their +rulers refused to entertain the proposition. Frederick the Great +was also approached upon the subject of hiring his soldiers, but he +not only declined the tempting offer of $30 a head for them, but he +prohibited, any of the hireling soldiers of the other German princes, +to go through his territory on their way to the seaports, whence they +were to embark for America. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN DIALECT. + + Pennsylvania German a dialect of South Germany.--German vs. + Dutch.--Confusion of Terms.--Dialect Corrupted, but still + Vigorous.--Germans Tenacious of their Dialect.—Progress of English + among Them.--No Prospect, that the Dialect will become soon + Extinct.--Has no Literary Merit. + + +Pennsylvania German is a legitimate dialect of South Germany, which has +suffered, and become corrupted, by the introduction of English words, +and idioms. There are still many thousands of people in Pennsylvania, +who speak no other language. They are found in nearly all the counties +of Pennsylvania, lying east and south of the Blue Mountain, and in some +of the counties beyond, where their ancestors took up their places of +abode, when they first came to the province of Pennsylvania, some of +whom arrived as early as the last years of the seventeenth century. + +There is a widespread misconception concerning the Pennsylvania +Germans, which is not altogether confined to the illiterate classes +of English-speaking people. There are those who entertain the belief, +that the Pennsylvania Germans are of Dutch extraction, and that their +dialect is a confused jargon, having no relation to any legitimate +language. This mistaken notion entertained by untrained people is no +doubt largely due, to a confusion of the terms, Deutsch and Dutch, +and also because the Pennsylvania Germans are frequently spoken of +erroneously, as the “Pennsylvania Dutch.” All Germans in their own +language are designated as Deutsch; the Dutch are designated in German +as Holländer, and their language as Holländisch. Uneducated people are +apt to confuse these terms, which leads to the erroneous conception +before referred to. + +The ancestors of the Pennsylvania Germans emigrated from the region of +the Upper Rhine, and from the valley of the Neckar in South Germany. +The dialect spoken in that part of Germany is known as Pfälzisch, and +the people at the time of the great German emigration from there, were +known as German Palatines. The dialect spoken by the Pennsylvania +Germans at this day, is an inheritance from their ancestors, and +barring its English infusion, it is substantially the same as when +first brought here. + +By eliminating the English words taken up by Pennsylvania German, the +dialect approaches the Pfälzisch, spoken by the common people in South +Germany very closely. There are many expressions, words, and idioms +common to both that are indistinguishable, and for the purposes of +colloquial intercourse the two dialects meet on common ground, without +any serious embarrassment. + +There is a shade of difference in the pronunciation, accent, and +inflexion of words between the Pennsylvania German and Pfälzisch +dialects and similar differences are noticed, in different German +communities in Pennsylvania, the result no doubt of Germans, +speaking various dialects settling in the same neighborhood, and +each contributing certain peculiarities to the common speech. But +as the Pfälzisch largely predominated in the early days of German +emigration to Pennsylvania, it is that dialect which has given to the +Pennsylvania German its controlling characteristics. In support of this +view the following from Professor Marion D. Learned’s “Pennsylvania +German Dialect,” may be cited: “Pennsylvania German, in borrowing +from the English to enrich its vocabulary, has by no means forfeited +its birthright and become a pitiable hybrid of bad German and worse +English, but on the contrary, has perpetuated in their pristine vigor +the characteristics of its venerable ancestor, the Rhine Frankish, +specifically _Rhine Palatinate_, “_Rhinepfälzisch_.” + +When it is considered, how environment influences all conditions, +extending to physical characteristics, as well as to the speech of men, +the continued similarity of the dialect of the Pennsylvania Germans and +that spoken in South Germany seems remarkable after their separation +for a period of upwards of two centuries. But we must not forget the +influences and conditions that surrounded the Germans in Pennsylvania +for many generations after their coming here; which operated to keep +the Pfälzisch dialect alive in Pennsylvania down to this time. The +greater portion of the German emigrants were fairly well educated when +they came here. They brought with them educated clergymen who preached +to them in their native language, and school teachers, who taught +their children in their mother tongue. Education was never neglected +by the Germans, and they built churches and school houses whenever +they found it practicable to do so. The German schools were continued +in Pennsylvania until a comparatively recent period; German newspapers +still circulate extensively in nearly all of the German counties, +not a few of the people still read their German Bible, and German +Prayer Book, while the Gospel is yet preached in German from more than +a thousand pulpits every Sunday throughout the rural districts of +southeastern Pennsylvania. In view of such conditions and surroundings, +there can be no surprise that the Pennsylvania German dialect should +still flourish in its “pristine vigor,” after its separation from its +parent speech for more than a century and a half. + +It is not believed that the day of its extinction is near. A large +majority of the school children in the country districts of half a +score of the wealthiest, and most populous counties in the State, speak +the dialect, not only outside of the school room, but very frequently +inside. The children do all their thinking in German; all their little +affairs are discussed by them in their native dialect, so that it can +scarcely be otherwise than that they should grow up, and continue +almost as thoroughly German as those that preceded them, making almost +exclusive use of their German dialect, for all purposes of colloquial +and familiar intercourse. + +It may be asked whether the English schools do not make any progress +towards Anglicizing the German children? The answer is that they do, +but the progress in that direction is slow. While the German school +children get a smattering of English, it also becomes a prolific means +of still further corrupting their native speech, without acquiring much +pure English. + +When the German schools in Pennsylvania gave way entirely to altogether +English schools, it was believed by many, that it would speedily result +in Anglicizing the Pennsylvania Germans; but forty years’ experience +does not prove that it has been an unqualified success. + +The German-speaking children in the public schools, are laboring under +great disadvantages alongside of their English-speaking schoolmates. +The latter have an intelligent appreciation of their studies, while the +training of the German child is little more than merely mechanical. +The German children begin to learn their letters in a language which +they do not understand, and by the time that they begin to have +some intelligent comprehension of their studies the English-speaking +children have outstripped them in the race for knowledge. The question +occurs whether it was altogether wise to take away from exclusively +German-speaking children their German schools, and compel them to +pursue their studies in a language to which they are strangers. + +The early Anglicization of the Pennsylvania Germans cannot be looked +forward to with much confidence, no matter how much the extinction of +their dialect may be desired. It is yet by far too vigorous to hope for +its early disappearance. + +The tenacity with which the Pennsylvania Germans have clung to their +dialect for so many years, is not without its parallels among other +people. Take for example Wales, a country which contains an area much +smaller than that embraced by the German counties of Pennsylvania, with +less population; separated from England by only an imaginary boundary; +having been in political connection with Great Britain for six hundred +years; with English as the official language; the language of culture; +of commercial intercourse; and with English schools almost everywhere; +yet more than one-half of the people of Wales in the cities and towns +speak the Welsh language, while in the rural districts the Welsh +language is spoken almost exclusively. + +Switzerland furnishes another example. Out of the 22 cantons of the +Swiss republic, with a population of over three millions of people, +German is spoken by the people of 16 cantons; French by those of 5; +Italian by the people of only 1. Although German is the principal +language spoken throughout Switzerland, and is the language of official +intercourse; its various people having lived near neighbors for +centuries, and under the same government for a long time, yet each race +has maintained its linguistic integrity to this day. + +There is a region in Switzerland embraced in the canton of Grisons, +where there exists a group of Romansch dialects, which have come down +from the days of the Roman empire, when the region in which those +dialects still exist was a Roman province known as Rhaetia. The canton +in which those dialects prevail, has an area of about twice the size +of one of the largest counties of Pennsylvania, with a population +of about 90,000, surrounded on all sides by neighbors the greater +portion of whom speak German, yet those people, whose ancestors were +“shepherd-peasants” when Rome was mistress of the world, continue to +speak corrupted Latin, after the lapse of more than a thousand years. +Unless the Pennsylvania German dialect is less tenacious, it may +continue to be spoken for several centuries. + +During the earlier years of the German emigration to Pennsylvania, +large numbers of Palatines settled in the province of New York. Those +chiefly located along the Hudson river; in the Mohawk valley, and in +Schoharie county. The Dutch and English had preceded them. Each race +maintained its own language for a while; the Germans being weakest +in point of numbers, their dialect was the first to disappear, but +the Dutch being much more numerous, they held on to their dialect +vigorously for a hundred years, and it did not wholly disappear in the +Mohawk valley, until some time during the first half of the present +century. + +While the prospects for the early disappearance of the Pennsylvania +German dialect are not very promising, it will necessarily become more +debased every year. With the abolition of German schools, few of the +young people will learn anything of literary German, and while many +will continue to use the dialect, they will be continually taking +up more English words, because they will find their own vocabulary +growing more deficient in words to express their thoughts. Forty years +ago the Pennsylvania German dialect was of much better quality than it +is to-day. It was not then yet as far removed from literary German as +it now is; it still retained at that time some of the advantages of the +German schooling of those who spoke it. Since then many good German +words have dropped out of the dialect, and their places have been +supplied by English words. This debasement of the dialect will increase +from now on. + +The present century has been fertile in inventions and discoveries; +every branch of the arts and sciences made wonderful progress; many +new things were unfolded, which required the coinage of new words, for +which the Pennsylvania Germans have no German equivalents; so they draw +on the English to supply the deficiency. So when they speak of the +telegraph, electricity, the telephone, or any other new discovery or +invention they add the technical names employed to their vocabulary. + +So long as the Pennsylvania German confines his conversation to his +personal concerns, and talks about his horses, his cows, his crops, his +fields, and his family or his domestic affairs, his German vocabulary +is generally sufficient, and he draws very little on the English. It +is only when he enters the domain of politics, or undertakes to discuss +some abstruse philosophic problem, that he interlards his speech with +impure German and probably worse English, making a patois, that would +paralyze a Heidelberg professor if he came within range of it. + +Pennsylvania German makes no pretensions to any literary merit, and +it has none, yet it has answered the needs of the people speaking +it for a long period of years, and it is not doubted that it will +continue the speech for colloquial intercourse of many thousands of +people in Pennsylvania for many years to come. It were far better if +English could be made to take its place for all purposes, but with the +knowledge we have of the tenacity with which a people will cling to a +language or to a dialect, often under the most adverse conditions, we +are made to believe, that the day of its disappearance is very remote. +Its tenacity is one of the proofs of its quality, and while it has +no literary merit in the sense of High German, it is yet wonderfully +resourceful in expression, and capable of the sublimest pathos. Whoever +is familiar with Harbaugh’s “Gedichte in Pennsylvanisch Deutscher +Mundart,” will testify to the fact that it is capable of awakening the +tenderest emotions of the human heart. + + +THE ENGLISH INFUSION. + +Since the abolition of the German schools, Pennsylvania German has +suffered much by the English infusion into the dialect. Before that +time the infusion was not nearly as great. Words which approach nearest +to pure German have suffered the most in having their places usurped +by English. The man of middle life who is familiar with the dialect +will remember when it contained many pure German words, and many others +nearly pure, some of which are yet heard occasionally spoken by the +older people, but with the generation now coming on all such words have +been superseded by English, and too often by worse English relatively, +than the quality of the German the places of which it has taken. It +is not more than a generation and a half ago, since the following +words, and many more equally good were in common use by Pennsylvania +Germans, but which have since then almost entirely disappeared from +the dialect: Zum beispiel (for example), billige’--billigen (approve), +ei’richte’--einrichten (arrange), überi’schtimme’--übereinschtimmen +(to agree), schtimzettle (ballot), dampkessel--dampfkessel (boiler), +ausser (besides), g’schäft--geschäft (business), handel (dealings), +koffer (trunk), gerechtichkeit (justice), geniessen (enjoy), genau +(exact), entschuldigen (excuse), ausführe--ausführen (execute), +ausklären (explain), erwarten (expect), wahl (election), öffentlicke +versteigerung (public vendue), gewalt (force), betrug (humbug), in +der that, wirklich (indeed), inwennig--inwendig (inside), bares geld +(cash), dreten--treten (kick), vollständig (complete), liebes brief +(love-letter), einsam (lonesome), nachricht (notice), genunk--genug +(enough), g’falle’--gefallen (please), einfach (plain), langsam (slow), +studire’--studiren (study), eichhörnche’--eichhörnchen (squirrel), klug +(smart), rauche’--rauchen (smoke), sicher (sure). + +This list could be extended so as to reach hundreds of words, which +would prove a much better quality of the dialect in the past, than it +now is and how it is growing more debased by being robbed of legitimate +German words, which are its rightful inheritance. This is manifestly +the result of the abolition of German schools, and the closer relation +to English teaching and English speaking. Foreign-born Germans +coming to this country and settling in English-speaking communities, +notwithstanding their German training, will pick up many English words +in a comparatively short time, which they mix up in their German +speech, although they are thoroughly conversant with their German +equivalents. It would seem as if the Pennsylvania German’s temptation +should be still greater to draw on English to enrich his vocabulary +because it is really deficient in expression, while the newly-arrived +German’s vocabulary is adequate for all purposes, yet he is given to +the use of English words in almost the same degree as the native born +Pennsylvania German. The tendency of all Germans to take up English in +their native speech is shown by the fact that those who live on the +borders of an English settlement employ more English words, than those +who live more remote from English-speaking people. + +Pennsylvania German dialect writers vary greatly in the number of +English words which they employ. Some do not make use of more than 1 +German word to 300 of English, while others make use of 1 to every 25. +One dialect writer translated an English poem of 600 words without +the use of a single English word and the entire translation is in the +vernacular of the Pennsylvania German. + +Humorous dialect writers make use of the largest percentage of English +words, not because they have no German equivalents, but they think that +it increases the ludicrous features of their productions. + + +EXAMPLES OF PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN, AND PFÄLZISCH COMPARED. + +The word “Pfälzisch” strictly speaking applies only to the “Pfalz,” or +the region formerly embraced within the limits of the old state of the +Palatinate, but inasmuch as the Pfälzisch dialect has spread all over +South Germany, and even beyond, it has given character to some of the +other German dialects, so the use of the word is justified in speaking +of the South German dialects generally. + +In spelling and pronunciation, Pennsylvania German and Pfälzisch agree +in many particulars. With regard to some of the consonants, both use +them interchangeably. The Pennsylvania German will frequently give t, +the sound of d; b, of p; v, of w, and _vice versa_. So will the South +German. For example: Both will say dode, for todt (dead); dochter, for +tochter (daughter); draurig, for traurig (sad); dhier, for thür (door); +deich, for teich (a swale); bloge, for plage (to vex); blanscht, for +pflanzt (planted). They will also confuse the letters f, v, and w, in +similar fashion. The letters k, and g are made to suffer in the same +way, as for example in k’scher, for geschirr (harness). The South +German says “nit” for nicht, while the Pennsylvania German will +substitute e, for i, and make it “net.” + +There are very many imperfect German words in use both in Pennsylvania +and in South Germany, of which the following are a few examples: The +word “grumbeera” (potatoes) is in universal use by the Germans in +Pennsylvania, and is heard every where in South Germany and east as far +as Austria. It is a corruption of a good German word, “grundbirn.” The +latter word is however rarely used by German-speaking people, the word +“kartoffeln” being preferred. “Beera,” for birnen (pears); “pershing,” +for pfirsich (peach); “hinkel,” for hühner (chickens) are all terms +common to both dialects. The Germans of Pennsylvania have the word +“pattereesel,” or pattereesli, for rebhuhn (partridge). This word seems +to come from the French _perdrix_, and is believed to have been brought +to Pennsylvania by Alsatians during the early German emigration. The +word is heard in Alsace and German Lorraine. The Germans corrupted the +French word by giving it its diminutive form, by adding the suffix +“eesli,” a custom which prevails largely among Germans, as for example: +For hund (dog), they have “hundli,” for mädchen (girl), they make +maedli, and very many other similar diminutives. The Germans of Alsace +and Lorraine have lived neighbors to the French for so long a time, +that their speech has acquired a considerable number of French words +and idioms, which have become much corrupted. + +Some of this corrupted French was no doubt brought here by German +emigrants who came from the borders of France. + +There are a number of other words in use by the Pennsylvania Germans +which cannot be traced to any German origin. The Germans living along +the Delaware river always speak of that stream as the “reffeer.” This +term cannot be traced to any German origin, and is most likely a +corruption of the French _riviere_ for river. Pennsylvania Germans also +speak of a river as a “rewwer,” or “revver.” + +There are certain words in use by Pennsylvania Germans that are wholly +misapplied, and which have no relation to the sense in which they are +used. This is the result of a misconception of what certain things +were, which they found when they came here, and with which they were +not familiar. They associated those with things they heard mentioned +in Germany, believing that the two were the same and in that way +misapplied certain terms. + +The term “_pomeranze_” is an example of this misapplication of terms. +The Pennsylvania Germans make use of this word to designate a “tomato,” +while the word is the German term for an orange. In some parts of +Pennsylvania the word pomeranze has been corrupted into “gomeranze” +or “gumeranze.” The German for tomato is _liebesapfel_. The manner in +which the P. G. have fallen into the error of designating tomatoes as +pomeranze has been explained in this way. In the days of the Palatine +emigration tomatoes were unknown in the Palatinate, but oranges were +known there, but their use was confined to the rich and well-to-do. +When the Palatine peasants came to Pennsylvania, they found tomatoes, +and mistook them for _pomeranze_ (oranges)--hence the erroneous +designation of tomatoes, which still remains. There are other similar +misapplication of terms. + + * * * * * + +The following expressions were heard in South Germany, and a note made +of them at the time: At Speyer: “Na ich denk net” (no I think not); +“ich will ’mohl sana” (I’ll see); “was hen sie don g’doon” (what have +you done); “ich will ken koffee” (I don’t want coffee); “ich nem en +achtel wei’” (I take an eighth of a liter wine). The Pfälzer drop the +final n, in words like nein, stein, wein, making them nei’, wei’, and +so on. The Pennsylvania Germans do the same to a very large extent. + +At a Volksfest, not far from Speyer was heard: “Ich wase net;” “es +is fier uhr, bal’ zeit fur erfrischung (refreshment);” “ich nem +e’ bissel wurst;” “geb mir e’ halb liter bier;” “ich glaab nit os +getreide (wheat) guth g’rode is, wie letscht johr.” Children playing +at Heidelberg: “Wu is dei’ balla (where is your ball);” “hasht en +ferlora?” “sehn ’mohl dort de geilla (horses).” Strolling through +a narrow street a woman followed a cat out of house, when she was +accosted by one of her neighbors, who said “dort geht dei kats,” to +which she replied: “Ja die kats schpringed immer zum finschter naus, +ich kan sie gar net im haus halte.” That such German should be heard +within the very shadow of the great University at Heidelberg, must +shock the erudite writers of magazine and newspaper articles, who have +made the discovery that Pennsylvania “Dutch,” is a mere jargon, bearing +no relation to any known language. + +South Germany is not alone however, in the kind of idiomatic German +here mentioned. The following was heard in classic Dresden. A lady +made some inquiry of a police officer about a railway train, to +which he replied: “Na,--wid mit em pferdebahn geh’, oder mit em +electrische-bahn?” She answered: “Es is mir gans einerlei.” Question. +“Gehen sie nach Berlin?” Answer. “Ja.” The officer replied: “Den nemmen +sie besser den zug os dort dro’wa schteht.” + + * * * * * + +It may be some satisfaction for a Pennsylvania German to know that +there are people who speak a German dialect, compared to which his +own may make some pretensions of being classic. He can have his pride +gratified in that respect, by a visit to the extreme southern part of +Baden, and the adjoining cantons in Switzerland. For example, in a +weingarten at Neuhausen: “Ne’ für den scha’ i’ ne’; er zahlt ni’, (für +ihn arbeit ich nicht, er bezahlt nicht);” “ne’ i’ ha’ ni’ (no I have +not);” “ge’sht mid nach Scha’haus’ i’ bin zurick vor siev’ uhr (gehen +sie mit nach Schaffhausen, bin wieder zurick bis sieben uhr); ich gla’ +es net (ich glaube es nicht).” It will be noticed that the foregoing +examples of Swiss patois, are much inferior to Pennsylvania German. The +dropping of final consonants and frequently of entire final syllables, +is exasperating to those not accustomed to it. + +In the foregoing comparison of the Pennsylvania German and Pfälzisch +dialects, the mode of spelling has been generally followed, which +will produce the sound with which Pennsylvania Germans are familiar, +according to English pronunciation. This is deemed necessary, because +by spelling Pennsylvania German words on the basis of literary or High +German, would make them unintelligible to Pennsylvania German readers, +who have no knowledge of literary or High German. + +The reader will find an extension of comparisons of Pennsylvania and +South German words in the Appendix to this volume; together with their +High German, and English equivalents. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE GERMAN AND DUTCH LANGUAGES. + + Old Dutch the Basis of all Germanic Languages.--The Separation of + Dutch and German.--The two Grew Wide Apart.--Affinity of Dutch and + English Languages.--The Saxon Dialect.--Literary High German. + + +Before the revival of learning in Europe, the German and Dutch +languages pursued the same lines; but after that period they began to +separate, and have since developed into two distinct languages. + +The German language is spoken by the people of the German empire; by +about 60 per cent. of those of Austria, and of about 71 per cent. of +those of Switzerland. The Dutch language is spoken by the inhabitants +of the Netherlands, and it is claimed to be identical, with only +slight differences, with the Flemish language spoken by the Low German +inhabitants of Belgium. + +There was a time when Old Dutch embraced the whole of the Teutonic, or +Germanic race, and when the Dutch language included the Teutonic, or +German language in all its forms. During the Middle Ages, there was +little difference between the various Teutonic forms. Changes began to +develop with the revival of learning in Europe, about the fifteenth +century. After that time, Modern Dutch and Modern German became +divorced, and the differences which at first separated them, continued +to increase during a period of more than four centuries, until at this +day they have grown wide apart. The changes which have taken place in +their spelling, pronunciation, phonology, and inflection of words, +resulted in two distinct languages, each with a history of its own, and +two nations with little or no homogeneity. + +When the two languages began to pursue divergent lines, the Anglo-Saxon +and the Dutch seem to have continued on parallel lines for a long +period, so that the affinity between those two languages is even +greater, than that which exists between the German and Dutch. The Dutch +language of to-day bears a striking resemblance to the same language +as it existed for three hundred years, beginning with the twelfth +century, during which period the German pursued nearly the same lines. +Learning was at a low ebb during those years, and the development of +all languages from their ruder forms to that of a more cultivated was +slow. + +After the separation of the German and Dutch languages, the former was +composed of numerous dialects, many of which still continue in their +modified forms, but a few of them disappeared, while others became +widely separated from their conditions during the Middle Ages. One of +the principal dialects was of Saxon origin. It made more progress in +traveling away from Old Middle Dutch, than any of the other dialects, +and in the course of time it became the favorite dialect of the more +cultivated classes, and writers began to make use of it for literary +purposes. Other German dialects found very little difficulty in +adjusting themselves to it, so that German authors, historians, and +poets adopted it, and it was thus that it became the literary, or High +German language of all German speaking people. A chief influence which +gave great emphasis to the making of the Saxon dialect the literary +language of all Germans, was on account of Martin Luther selecting it +for his translation of the Bible. That gave it its pre-eminence over +all the other numerous dialects, and it will no doubt continue, for +all time the means by which Germans everywhere throughout the world, +will express the thoughts of their inspiration, in poetry, music, and +song. + + * * * * * + +Specimens of the same text, showing the affinity of the English, Dutch, +and German Languages. + + +ENGLISH. + +1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the +Word was God. 2. The same was in the beginning with God. 3. All things +were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. +4. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5. And the light +shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6. There +was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7. The same came for a +witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might +believe.--St. John, chap. 1. V. 1-7. + + +DUTCH. + +1. In den beginne was het woord, en het woord was bij God, en het woord +was God. 2. Dit was in den beginne bij God. 3. Alle dingen zijn door +hetzelve gemaakt, en zonder hetzelve is geen ding gemaakt, dat gemaakt +is. 4. In hetzelve was het leven, en het leven was het licht der +menschen. 5. En het licht schijnt in de duisternis, en de duisternis +heeft het niet begrepen. 6. Daar was een mensch van God gezonden, wiens +naam was Johannes. 7. Deze kwam tot een getuigenis, om van het licht te +getuigen, opdat allen door hem gelooven zouden. + + +GERMAN. + +1. Im Anfang war das Wort, und das Wort war bei Gott, und Gott war das +Wort. 2. Dasselbige war im Anfang bei Gott. 3. Alle Dinge sind durch +dasselbige gemacht, und ohne dasselbige ist nichts gemacht, was gemacht +ist. 4. In ihm war des Leben, und das Leben war das Licht der Menschen. +5. Und das Licht scheinet in der Finsterniss, und die Finsterniss haben +es nicht begriffen. 6. Es ward ein Mensch von Gott gesandt, der hiess +Johannes. 7. Derselbige kam zum Zeugniss, das er von dem Licht zeugete, +und das sie Alle durch ihn glaubten. + + * * * * * + +The following version from Caedmon, on the Creation, is a specimen of +Anglo-Saxon in King Alfred’s time, about A. D. 885. + +Nu we sceolan herian heofon-rices weard, metodes mihte and his +mod-geponc wera wuldor-faeder swa he wundra gehwaes ece dryhten cord +onstealde. + + +LITERAL ENGLISH VERSION. + +Now we must praise the guardian of heaven’s kingdom, the Creator’s +might, and his mind’s thought, glorious Father of men, as of every +wonder he, Lord eternal, formed the beginning. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, AND RELIGIOUS SECTS. + + Early schools in Pennsylvania.--German Schools.--Churches, + and Religious Sects.--Lutherans Predominate.--German Reformed + Numerous.--Swedish Lutherans.--Moravians, and other Sects. + + +With the founding of Penn’s province, and the organization of a civil +government for it, there was established a moral code in which the +principles of the Quaker sect furnished the groundwork; but it was +not the purpose of Penn to exclude persons of any religious sect, +from participation in the new political regime which he had set up. +He opened wide the doors to people of different mind and faith from +himself. The only conditions imposed were, that all who came should +be peaceably disposed, and loyal to the government which was erected +by him. To that end schools and churches were established at a very +early day; first by the Quakers; then by the adherents of the Anglican +church, and the Germans soon followed in their footsteps. + +The German emigrants embarking for America were often furnished with +religious books, chief among which was “Arndt’s Wahres Christenthum,” +which not many generations ago was found in the family of almost +every Pennsylvania German, and it no doubt still serves the purpose +of offering consolation to many German readers. Ministers often +accompanied the emigrants on the same ship, as also did school +teachers. The latter would frequently read printed sermons, and prayers +to the people when the supply of ministers was short. + +By far the larger portion of the German emigrants who came to +Pennsylvania were Lutherans and German Reformed,--the Lutherans +predominating. There also came German Quakers, Mennonites and later +German Catholics, Dunkers, Schwenkfelders, Moravians, and a few minor +sects. + +The Lutherans and German Reformed embraced the tenets of the +Reformation in their native country at an early day, and when they +began to emigrate to Pennsylvania, they brought with them the germs of +their religious convictions, which were soon planted in the new soil, +where they grew into flourishing churches. + +There were however Lutherans within the limits of Pennsylvania before +the granting of the province to Penn, and before the Germans came here. +About 1638 a small colony of Swedes made a settlement a short distance +from where the city of Philadelphia was afterwards founded. Pastors +were sent to them from Sweden, who organized a Lutheran church, where +its members were worshipping God according to their conscience, when +their countryman Gustavus Adolphus was fighting for religious freedom +in Europe. + +Dutch Lutherans from Holland, established a church at New Amsterdam +(New York), a few years prior to the founding of the Swedish church +near Philadelphia. The Holland Lutherans were the subjects of much +persecution in their new home, on account of their non-conformity with +the Calvinistic religion, which was chiefly in vogue. After the English +captured New Amsterdam from the Dutch in 1664, they gained religious +freedom. + +The Lutheran Church however did not become an organized religious +hierarchy until Melchoir Muhlenberg was sent to America, upon +application to the Lutheran pastors in London, to look after the +Lutherans in the colonies. He arrived in 1742, and immediately +proceeded to organize the church by which he earned the title of the +“Patriarch of the Lutheran Church in the United States.” He was highly +educated, and while pastor in New York, he preached three times every +Sunday in as many languages viz: German, Dutch and English. + +John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg, son of the former, born in Montgomery +county, Pa., became even more distinguished than his father. He was +clergyman, soldier, and statesman. He went to Woodstock, Va., to +preach in 1772, where he was serving a Lutheran Congregation when the +Revolution broke out. One Sunday after the services were finished, +he threw off his gown in the pulpit, displaying a military uniform; +read his commission as a colonel, and ordered the drums to beat for +recruits. He served with distinction during the war; rose to the rank +of Major-General; served in Congress after the war, and was elected +to the United States Senate from Pennsylvania in 1801. He died near +Philadelphia Oct. 1, 1807. + +The Lutherans compose an evangelical body of Christians who have as a +basis for their creed the Augsburg Confession. + + * * * * * + +THE GERMAN REFORMED CHURCH, in the United States owes its origin to +the Reformed churches of Switzerland and Germany, of which Zwingli +and Calvin were the most prominent leaders. Rev. Michael Schlatter +was to the Reformed Church in the United States and Pennsylvania, +what Muhlenberg was to the Lutheran. He was sent here by the Synod of +Holland in 1746, and with his coming the Church began its organized +existence as a united ecclesiastical body; although such eminent +clergymen as Johann Philip Boehm, and George Michael Weiss preceded +him several years, preaching to various Reformed congregations in +Pennsylvania. + +The Reformed Church is Calvinistic, and the Heidelberg Catechism is the +only confession of faith recognized by it. + + * * * * * + +MENNONITES.--This sect arose in Switzerland in 1525. It was named +for Menno Simons, the founder of the sect, whose members differ +in matters of religious belief from some of the other evangelical +churches, among other things in opposing infant baptism, the taking +of oaths, accepting civil offices, and bearing arms. They suffered +great persecution in Switzerland where the sect had its origin. After +Penn offered religious freedom in his new province, they emigrated to +Pennsylvania, where they formed a society at Germantown as early as +1683. + + * * * * * + +DUNKERS.--The doctrine of the Dunkers is similar to that of the +Mennonites, only differing with respect to baptism, with regard to +which they believe in trine immersion. They are also known as German +American Baptists; but they call themselves Brethren. They arose in +Germany about 1709, and after being much persecuted they emigrated to +Pennsylvania during the first quarter of the last century. + + +SCHWENKFELDERS.--Hans Kasper von Schwenkfeld was born in Silesia in +1490. He was in the service of the Duke of Leignitz, when he embraced +the Reformation; but later took issue with Luther, concerning his +teaching with regard to the Lord’s Supper. He denied that there was any +change in the elements employed in the sacrament. He founded a church, +which would conform to his ideas, which brought him in conflict with +the Reformers, whose antagonism drove him from his home to Strassburg, +where he was tried for heresy and banished. Most of his followers +emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1734. + + * * * * * + +MORAVIANS.--This sect takes its name from one of its principal seats +in the fifteenth century, which was Moravia. Its official name is the +_Unitas Fratrum_. The martyrdom of John Huss, gave rise to the church, +and was founded by his followers at Lititz in Bohemia in 1457. Its +fundamental doctrines are in harmony with other evangelical churches. + +They began to arrive in America in 1735, and established a colony in +Georgia; and in 1740, they came to Pennsylvania, and founded Bethlehem +and several other places; the former continuing its chief seat in the +United States. + + * * * * * + +CATHOLICS.--Among the emigrants to Pennsylvania in the last century +were numerous German Catholics. As an ecclesiastical body they do not +differ from their English-speaking co-religionists. The Roman Catholic +Church antedates all other Christian churches. Catholics claim that +Christ conferred special attributes on Peter, making him the rock on +which the church is built. The primary of Peter as one of the apostles +is perpetuated in the Pope of Rome, who as Peter’s successor “enjoys +not merely a pre-eminence of honor, but a real, immediate jurisdiction +over the entire church, and over each of its members.” + + * * * * * + +MINOR SECTS.--There were other minor sects among the early arrivals: +Mystics, who believe in a pure, sublime and wholly disinterested +devotion, who claim that they have direct intercourse with the divine +Spirit, and that they gain a knowledge of God and of spiritual things +by the natural intellect, and as such cannot be analyzed or explained. +Separatists who dissent from all sects, and refuse to conform to any +church government. Inspirationists, who believe that inspiration +extends to the very words and forms of expression of the divine +message. All these were represented in the early German emigration. + + * * * * * + +METHODISTS.--During the period of German emigration into Pennsylvania, +no German speaking Methodists came here, because Methodism had not +gained any foothold among the Germans at that time, although since +then it has spread largely among the Pennsylvania Germans. Methodism +did not make its appearance in the province of Pennsylvania until long +after George Whitfield, who led the advance guard of Methodism in the +United States came here to preach the new tenets of the sect. Its first +organized existence in America dates with the building of the famous +old “John Street Chapel,” in New York in 1763, which is believed to be +the first Methodist church erected in the Western Hemisphere. There +are other religious sects among the Pennsylvania Germans, but they are +off-shoots of other denominations, and had no existence among the early +emigrants. There are numerous descendants of Pennsylvania Germans who +after they became Anglicized, joined other evangelical denominations, +such as the Presbyterian, Episcopal and other churches. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +SOCIAL LIFE AND DOMESTIC CUSTOMS. + + The German Home.--German Hospitality.--Consideration for + Strangers.--Inherited Traits and Customs.--Mode of Living.--Folk + Lore.--Teutonic Myths and Legends.--Holidays and Religious + Festivals.--Christmas.--City and Rural Life.--German Politeness. + + +When the large stream of German emigration poured into Pennsylvania, +chiefly from South Germany, it found none of the conditions here by +which the emigrants had been surrounded at home. The new order of +things made certain changes in their mode of life necessary, but so +far as the new conditions would permit, they retained their inherited +traits, social and domestic customs, nearly all of which have come +down to the present generation. In some instances they have borrowed +from their English-speaking neighbors, while the latter have in return +borrowed largely, from the predominant German element. + +But in the main, the social customs and domestic habits brought by +the ancestors of the Pennsylvania Germans from the fatherland were +continued, and remain to this day with little change, both among the +latter and their kinsmen in the Rhine country. + +The resemblance of these customs and habits are most striking, among +the Germans in the rural districts of Pennsylvania, and among the +peasantry of South Germany, for the simple reason that the fixed +habits, and traits of a people, are longest preserved by the great body +of the rural population. + +A marked characteristic of all Germans everywhere, is their “home +life.” Nowhere do we find such cheerful sunny homes, as among the +Germans. No matter how humble the home, or how poor the family may be, +the first consideration always is, to live for home and family where +cheerfulness, and affection reign supreme. That these virtues prevail +among other people there is no doubt, but the Germans are believed to +excel in this respect. + +The German mode of living is simple, plain and economical; heightened +by a friendly hospitality. With regard to these traits the Pennsylvania +Germans retain their racial characteristics. There is a single +domestic virtue universal among them, which serves to illustrate their +character in this respect, and to prove their disinterested friendship. +They always receive and entertain strangers with generous hospitality. +If one should come among them unexpectedly at meal time, an extra seat +is at once provided, and the stranger asked to join the family at the +table. These invitations are never perfunctory, but are extended in +the hope that they will be accepted. Should the stranger be overtaken +by night, a spare bed is always provided for such occasions. These +characteristics have been the subject of frequent remark, by people +traveling among the Germans in the rural districts of Pennsylvania. + +In connection with the subject of the Pennsylvania German’s spare bed, +a kind word may be in order for the traditional feather bed which seems +to be an indispensable feature of every Pennsylvania German household. +The often derided feather bed is a distinctive German institution, and +is found everywhere in Germany at this day, in winter and summer. No +matter what the season, the feather quilt is found neatly folded at +the foot of the bed ready for use, in case the emergency calls for it, +so that its existence to-day in Pennsylvania is an honest inheritance +from the ancestors of the Pennsylvania Germans, who brought the custom +with them when they first came here, and where it has held its own ever +since, as one of the settled household institutions. + +While the Pennsylvania Germans retain many of the customs of their +kinsmen on the other side of the Atlantic there is one particular in +which the former have made a wide departure. In Germany the peasantry +are all crowded in small villages, in striking contrast to the +Pennsylvania farmers who live on their large well-tilled farms, in +palatial farm houses which tell of opulence and luxury. In Germany +the peasantry are living in small _dorfs_, where the houses are all +built of stone most of which are several centuries old; situated on +narrow streets, so as to take up as little of the valuable ground as +possible; the houses are often situated in such close proximity to the +cows, pigs and hens as to make it appear as if all belonged to the same +household. This last condition is however an exception to the rule, for +as a general rule the German peasant homes, are clean and wholesome, +although furnished in the plainest manner. The first floors are +frequently of stone; carpets are rarely seen in the houses of peasants, +and even among the higher classes, floors are usually painted; kept +scrupulously clean; and ornamented with rugs. + +The universal passion of the Germans for flowers and other +ornamentation is often shown by the poorest peasants, but their almost +constant employment in the fields, prevents them from indulging their +instincts in that direction to any great extent, but they neglect no +opportunity to do so, whenever it is possible. + +The German instinct for flowers is strongly exhibited by the +Pennsylvania German women. There are not many, who do not find time +to give some attention to their cultivation. The yard of nearly every +Pennsylvania German farm house bears testimony to this fact. There are +few houses in rural Pennsylvania the surroundings of which are not +more or less beautified by flowering plants, often of the choicest +kinds; while the poorer people are often content, with a few roses; +the fragrant honeysuckle; and sometimes the unpretentious dahlia and +sunflower, are made to attest their love of the beautiful. + +There are certain kinds of labor performed by the German women in their +native country, which are also performed by German women in rural +Pennsylvania. They attend to the milking, look after the poultry, and +attend to the garden, in addition to their regular household duties. +They also assist not infrequently at certain kinds of work in the +fields. These customs still prevail largely in Germany, but it is a +satisfaction to note, that the custom is growing into disfavor in +Pennsylvania more every year, and it is to be hoped that the chivalry +of the Pennsylvania German farmers will soon relegate the practice +wholly to the rear, as a custom out of consonance with the spirit of +the times. + + * * * * * + +There are many articles of diet peculiar to the Pennsylvania Germans +to which most people have been strangers until they acquired the +knowledge from them. For instance,--“Scrapple” (P. G. pan-haas), which +the “Standard Dictionary” defines as an “article of food made by +boiling meal or flour with scraps of pork, chopped hog’s liver, and +kidneys, and seasoning, and served in fried slices;” then adds that +it originated among the “Pennsylvania Dutch.” It did not originate +among the “Pennsylvania Dutch” because in the first place there are +no such people, and in the next place it is a common article of food +in the Rhine Pfalz, whence the early German emigrants brought it to +Pennsylvania. + +The origin of the word “pan-haas,” (English pan-hare, or pan-rabbit), +is a puzzle, but it probably belongs to that class of slang words, of +which “welsh rabbit;” “blind robin,” and the like are specimens. + +“Sauer-kraut,” a dish at one time associated with things vulgar and +regarded as not “good form” to eat by the more aesthetic people, has +forged its way to the front, until it has acquired a very respectable +standing. It is of purely German origin, and supplied the larder of +the Hessian soldiers as one of their chief articles of diet when +they embarked for America during the Revolutionary War. “Schnits and +knepp.”--sliced apples, and dumplings, cooked with pork, is another +purely German dish, for which the Pennsylvania Germans are indebted to +the fatherland. The so-called “Dutch cheese,” is merely the “Mainzer +käse,” of Germany, so named after the city of Mainz on the Rhine. +“Smear-case,” from the German “schmier-käse,” is also a native of the +Pfalz. There is an endless variety of articles of food, and their +manner of preparation for the table in vogue among the Pennsylvania +Germans, which are inheritances from their ancestors who brought the +art with them, when they emigrated to Pennsylvania. + +The custom of feasting at funerals among the Germans in Pennsylvania, +has been a subject of much comment by English-speaking people, also +prevails in Germany to a limited extent. It is there confined to a +few simple refreshments for guests, especially for those who come +some distance to attend the funeral. The somewhat extravagant feasts +prepared by the Germans in Pennsylvania on the occasion of funerals, +may be the result of their greater ability to provide liberally for +their guests; but there is no doubt that the custom is the outgrowth +of the disposition of good-will, and benevolence so characteristic of +the Germans everywhere. Relatives are always invited to attend funerals +by the Pennsylvania Germans, and they often come long distances, to +manifest their sympathy on such occasions, and it would be regarded a +great breach of civility and of friendship, to send the relatives away, +without inviting them to partake of the hospitalities of the house of +mourning; and to refuse to accept such an invitation, would be regarded +an equal breach of decorum toward the bereaved family. + +The similarity of the domestic customs of the Pennsylvania Germans +and their Palatine kinsmen, are exhibited in many ways; but it does +not stop with their social habits and domestic customs. Much of their +folk-lore, legendary romances, and Teutonic myths, which have come +down the ages, and which are the inheritances of all German-speaking +races are alike. The Rhine traditions being the most recent are best +preserved. + +The resemblances can be traced in many of the usages and beliefs +common to both; in their religious observances, and manner of worship; +agricultural festivals; customs at weddings; the “home-bringings,” +courtship, making acquaintances; old-fashioned methods of work; +neighborly gathering of friends to aid in certain kinds of work, called +by the English-speaking people a “bee,” such as a husking bee; a barn +raising bee, and the like, which is called by the Pennsylvania Germans +in their dialect a “frolic” which would seem to indicate that they +borrowed the term from the English, but it is more likely that it is a +corruption of the German word “_fröhlich_,” because on such occasions +all hands are gay, jovial, and make merry, which is usually heightened +by “liquid refreshments,” followed when the work is done by a great +feast. Among the common beliefs, more particularly among the less +informed are certain superstitions; belief in fairies, and hobgoblins, +and ghosts; lucky and unlucky days; the influence of certain planets +on the elements, upon which subject they have a vast amount of +weather lore; belief in the curative power of magic; “pow-wow” and the +like. These and many more are superstitions, customs and beliefs, not +altogether handed down traditionally, and communicated from generation +to generation, but most of them have been preserved in the literature +of folk-lore of which the Germans have produced the larger part. The +word folk-lore comes from the German _Volk_, people, and _Lehre_ +learning. So that the traditions of peasants, and uneducated people, +are merely the result of that which was at one time believed by all +classes. + +Even at this day much of the ancient folk-lore is found to exist, and +rigidly believed in by some of the most intelligent people, as well +as among the rudest and most uncultivated people. How many people are +there who would care to start on a long sea voyage on a Friday; or go +unattended through a lonely graveyard on a night of inky darkness? + +Many church and festal days, observed in the Pfalz, are still complied +with by the Pennsylvania Germans; although the tendency with regard to +their observance is growing feebler every year. The man of middle life +will remember the time when such days as Good Friday, Ascension Day, +Whitsuntide, and other church days were rigidly observed by attending +religious services in the morning, and spending the remainder of the +day in social recreation, by visiting friends and relatives, and in +other similar diversions. + +Those days are still devoted to similar enjoyments in Germany. A great +deal of this social recreation in Germany takes place in wine halls; +beer and music gardens on all festal occasions as well as on Sundays. +The Germans are a church-going people on Sunday mornings, but the +afternoons are devoted to recreations, which as a general rule lead to +the music gardens, where beer and wine are dispensed. This mixing of +beer, music, and religion on Sunday is one of the things which few of +our American Sabbatarians can understand, because they view it from +the standpoint of what they see of drinking in their own country. And +it must be admitted, that it is seriously doubted, whether a quiet and +orderly Sunday could be had in this country, if the same freedom were +allowed. If the doors of the saloons in this country were thrown wide +open as they are in Germany from eleven o’clock in the morning until +eleven at night, drunken revels would follow with almost absolute +certainty, while such a thing as drunkenness is almost wholly unknown +in South Germany. The people there drink scarcely any spirits, but +confine themselves to beer, and light wines. This is not true of the +North German states, for there the people drink spirits, and a good +deal of drunkenness prevails. The Germans as a rule drink moderately. +The whole family goes to the beer garden, or the wine hall, and a +_liter_ of beer suffices for all, and they will spend an hour or more +over that quantity, while the American style of drinking would in the +same length of time produce more or less intoxication by reason of the +quantity consumed, much of which is due to the habit of “treating” +which does not prevail in Germany. A German familiar with the American +custom with regard to drinking expressed the difference between the two +countries tersely when he remarked: “In Deutschland trinken die leute +bier, aber in Amerika saufen sie es.” + +Christmas is the great religious festal day of the Germans, as it has +become with most Christian people everywhere within recent years. With +the Pennsylvania Germans it always held first place, as it has with +their kinsmen across the sea, from whom the former inherited all the +essential characteristics of its observance, such as the merry-makings, +family re-unions, and other social recreations. Christmas is +especially a German holiday. To them it is largely due that the day has +been shorn of its early ascetic character, and has been succeeded by +a day of sunny cheerfulness, and general good-will. The Germans have +surrounded it with much poetic sentiment, in addition to its religious +aspect; and while the domestic sentiment is always uppermost with them, +it is at Christmas that this sentiment is most strongly exemplified. +With Christmas eve the festival commences with them. All Pennsylvania +German children look forward to that evening with great anxiety. That +is the evening for the “Bellsnickle” to put in his appearance in +hideous disguise to look after naughty boys and girls, and when he +distributes his gifts in the shape of nuts and cakes by throwing them +on the floor, woe to any youngster who dares to pick any of them up, +for if he attempts to do so, he will be sure to get a sound whack on +his back with a whip which this fright of the children carries with +him. The “Bellsnickle” is a purely German character, and does not seem +to belong to any other people who have not derived the character from +the Germans. The name is supposed to come from the words “peltz” skin, +or a furred coat, and “nickle,” a dirty person, as the make-up of the +character resembles such a combination. + +To offset the Bellsnickle there is the patron saint of the little +children, good Kriss Kringle, from the German _Christ-kindlein_--Christ +child--who brings the children happiness with their “Weinacht-gaschenk” +a word which conveys a much more poetic sentiment than the commonplace +English phrase of “Christmas present.” Most of the Christmas stories +which delight children so much, come from the Germans. + + * * * * * + +The Germans have many holidays. Sometimes the most trivial event +furnishes the occasion for a festal day. The birthdays of their +princes, and distinguished soldiers and statesmen, are made interesting +events in the lives of the people themselves, by the elaborate manner +in which they celebrate them. Among the Germans the birthday of every +member of the family is observed in some way. This custom prevails to +some extent among the Pennsylvania Germans, but it is mainly confined +to the celebration of the birthdays of aged people, especially of +parents, grandparents, and of young children. The Moravians still +continue the custom of celebrating the birthdays in some form, of all +the members of their families. + +The hard lives of the early German immigrants in Pennsylvania, had the +effect to dispel much of the cheer of the happy homes, which still +surrounds the firesides of their kinsmen in the Rhine country; and +in these days the Pennsylvania Germans have acquired the universal +contagion of Americans, of the mad rush after wealth, which robs them +of many of the sunny pleasures of the Germans in their native land, +about which Americans know very little. + +If the emigrants that come from Germany in these days, should seem to +negative the conditions of the happy German homes herein mentioned, the +reply is, that they are not intended to embrace the Germans that come +from the eastern part of Germany where the land is poor and the people +still poorer. Very few emigrants come from the region once embraced in +the old state of the Palatinate to the United States in these days, and +the few that do come do not make the change to improve their temporal +welfare, but to escape military duty, or the possibilities of war, +which is a continual menace to the peace of Germany. While the German +peasants in the Rhine country are not rich, and enjoy but few of the +luxuries of the Pennsylvania German farmers, they have an abundance +of the actual necessities of life; live comfortably, and are more +contented and happier than any other people in the same walk in life, +in the whole of Europe, and even possibly in this country. + +A striking characteristic of the Germans in their own country is one +of politeness, much of which they soon forget after they come here, +and their Pennsylvania German kinsmen, do not any longer cultivate +that trait very assiduously; but in this respect they are not behind +the rest of their countrymen in democratic America. It is also true, +that there is often as much genuine friendliness concealed beneath +the rougher exterior of the average American, as there is in the more +polished manner, and outward semblance of the profusive manifestations +of friendship of the German, or Frenchman. It is a fact however that +Europeans generally are politer than Americans. + +Nowhere does one meet with more courteous consideration, affability and +manifestations of good-will, than among the Germans in their native +country. This is true with regard to their daily intercourse, and upon +all informal occasions, and it’s heightened in their intercourse with +strangers. + +The urbane manner, and considerate courteousness of the Germans is +called by them “Gemüthlichkeit.” It is said that the word has no +equivalent in the English language. It is this “gemüthlichkeit,”--good +nature, kindly disposition, and affability which controls every action +of the German’s daily life. No matter whether you negotiate with the +_kellnerin_ for a glass of beer, or you meet the _zimmermädchen_ that +takes care of your room at the hotel, it is always “_guten morgen_,” +or “_guten tag_,” and upon your departure from a place the salutations +of adieu, “_lebe wohl_,” “_auf wiedersehen_,” are showered upon you in +such an earnest manner, that you must believe that it is all meant. +Traveling on a railway train, a stranger enters the coupe in which you +are seated, he will always greet you by wishing you good day, after +which he may become absorbed in a book, or as he frequently does, may +enter in conversation with you; and on his departing he will invariably +wish you a “_glückliche reise_,” and “_sehr fiel vergnügen_.” “_Ich +danke sehr_,” and “_ich bitte_,” are continually heard in recognition +of the most ordinary courtesies at every turn, all day long. Should you +call on some newly-made acquaintance, you are always received with: +“_Herzliche wilkommen_.” Men upon meeting often take off their hats +to each other, especially if they have not met for some time; and on +meeting a peasant when traveling in the country, he will always take +his hat off to a stranger, and bid him the time of day. + +With all this excessive politeness, there is also sometimes great +rudeness, but the latter is a rare exception, and is usually confined +to military officers, who seem to monopolize all the boorishness and +bad manners in Germany. They seem to think that in order to prove their +chivalry, that they must needs make themselves offensive by their +rudeness. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +LIFE IN PENNSYLVANIA IN THE EARLY DAYS. + + Poverty of early Settlers.--Lack of Houses to live in.--Some + made their Homes in Caves at First.--Food was Plentiful.--Game + was Abundant.--Lack of Roads.--Country a dense Forest.--Only + Indian Trails to get from one Place to Another.--Early Roads + Projected.--Wild Animals numerous and Destructive.--Early + Iron making.--The Crime of Horse Stealing.--Health of new + Settlers.--Courts and Penalties.--Early Laws. + + +As has already been learned, German emigration into Pennsylvania +began with Penn’s first visit to his province, but the great tide +of emigration did not set in, until the beginning of the eighteenth +century. + +Penn was an early reformer in England, with notions of his own +concerning both spiritual, and secular matters, which were considered +at that time as heretical, visionary, and impractical. In his new +province in America, he was not hampered with any of the traditions of +European governments, with their arbitrary rule, religious persecution, +and political oppression. He was free on this side of the Atlantic, +to give a practical turn to his schemes of an ideal government which +should be a religious and temporal paradise. + +His notions of government involved entirely new ideas, and were not +at all consonant with the times in which he lived. He did not believe +in much governmental restraint, but believed that a people were best +governed who felt the restraints of government the least. On this basis +he undertook to lay the foundation of civil government for his province. + +People who beheld the elements with which he would have to contend, +despaired of his success in forming a government of law and order, with +the material at hand. As in all new countries there were among the +people whom he found here, the idle, the vicious, and the depraved, +to say nothing of the incongruous elements, of people of different +nationality, language, customs and manners. His task must have seemed a +formidable one; but he succeeded as the framers of no government ever +succeeded before him, nor since. + +The German emigrants on their coming here found a beneficient +government on their arrival, and they were rid of the fearful +persecution from which they had been made the sufferers in their +native land, yet they had an appalling task before them, in making for +themselves homes in the forest wilderness, to which they had come. But +they were free men for the first time in their lives. The wrongs of +their cruel oppressors no longer beset them by day, nor haunted their +dreams by night. Most of the emigrants were very poor and had to make +their new start in life, with nothing but stout hearts and willing +hands. Many on their arrival at Philadelphia had not the means to +procure shelter and it could not be procured very often at any price, +so that not a few made their temporary homes in caves along the shores +of the Delaware river, which had been previously occupied by native +Indians. It is said that the first white child born of English parents +at Philadelphia, was born in one of those caves. John Key, who became +an honored citizen, and who lived a long life of usefulness, had such a +humble birthplace in 1682. He died in Chester county in 1767. + +It was not long however before the early arrivals were provided with +more substantial dwellings, for in less than two years after Penn +had laid out his ideal city, it contained 300 houses built of wood; +affording a fair degree of comfort. + +After that more substantial buildings began to be erected of brick +brought from England, some of which still remain standing, well +preserved to testify to the thrift and enterprise of the settlers two +centuries ago. + +The mode of living at first corresponded with the early means of +shelter, and pretty much all except the few rich, shared the same +conditions. After the newcomer had succeeded so far as to be able +to live under the roof of his own modest log cabin, he had made an +enviable start, and soon forgot his earlier privations, while the +recollections of his wretched condition in his native land, made him +happy and contented in his new home. After he succeeded to a log cabin, +a horse, cow, plow, axe, saw, and a table of rough hewn timber, a +bedstead and bench in keeping, he regarded himself on the high road to +fortune, and was happy in the contrast between his condition in his +new home, and his former home in the desolate Palatinate. With the few +primitive household goods, clothing aptly corresponded. Woolen fabrics +were unknown. The clothing of the new settlers consisted of home-made +cloth, woven from tow, made from flax grown on the virgin soil. Their +apparel was neither rich nor gaudy, and did not admit of much change +of dress, which was chiefly confined to a shirt, trousers, and coat. +In warm weather the shirt and trousers sufficed; in cold weather an +additional top coat was worn for protection. Shoes were made to last +a long time, and were only worn when absolutely necessary. Cobblers +traveled through the country, among the settlers and mended their +shoes; in that way procuring a livelihood. + +The foregoing observations apply only to the rural population in the +early days. In Philadelphia the residents fared better. That city soon +developed into a prosperous commercial town, and it remained for many +years the chief mart in Pennsylvania, to which settlers came to trade +from all parts of the province. + +Most of the early settlers in Pennsylvania took to farming on their +arrival as soon as they were able to do so, because they were trained +to that occupation at home, and it also brought them the quickest +return, and surest employment. + +But to make farms in those days was no easy task. It was necessary +first to subdue the wilderness, which was an unbroken forest +everywhere. There were no roads, and to travel from one part of the +country to another was a difficult undertaking. The Indian trails +furnished the only means to get through the forest, which in many +places was practically impenetrable. There were innumerable streams to +be crossed, without bridges. The building of roads of course received +early attention, but its progress must necessarily have been slow, +owing to the nature of the country through which they had to be built, +and the making of them did not keep pace with the constantly increasing +population. + +In 1686, four years after Philadelphia was founded, a road to Trenton +was projected. This was done no doubt to bring the settlements already +existing in southern parts of New Jersey in easy communication with +Philadelphia. In 1729 a road was laid out to Lancaster; by that time +many thousands of settlers had located between the latter place and +Philadelphia, with no direct means of communication. Before that time +people traveling between those two places had to go in a round about +way, by Chester; and the projected road to Lancaster was not built +until 1733. A road from Philadelphia to Upper Milford township in what +is now Lehigh county, was built about the same time. From that time +on, many roads were projected and built throughout eastern Pennsylvania. + +Before the building of roads was begun the farmers had no need for +wagons, so that horses were made the chief vehicles for the purposes +of transportation, while the shoulders of the stalwart farmers were +made to perform similar service. Road building through the dense forest +was not easy. Large trees had to be felled, and the roadway cleared of +stumps and brush. After roads were thus opened, many farmers at first +improvised wagons, by making wheels out of the butt ends of large +trees. Untanned hides furnished materials for harness. Settlers during +the early years of their coming here lived far apart, so that they +could not be of much service to each other, and when winter came on, +all communication between them practically ended, until the following +spring. + +The early settlers surely found no earthly paradise when they first +came here, and their descendants who to-day occupy the rich and highly +cultivated farms which their ancestors hewed out of the primeval +forest, cannot realize the poverty and privations of the first comers +to Penn’s El Dorado; yet they were content, because they were no longer +the victims of a ferocious soldiery, whose crimes made their lives +intolerable in the land of their birth. + +The great discomforts and privations of the earliest settlers were of +not long duration. It did not take those that came first long to get +a fair start, and they soon acquired an abundance of the most urgent +necessities, which they were ever ready to share with their newly +arrived countrymen. There does not seem to have been at any time any +great scarcity of food, for it seems that the streams and forests +supplied that in abundance. Penn on the occasion of his first visit +to his province, wrote to a friend in England: “Of food there is an +abundance, and of the best quality.” One newly arrived emigrant wrote: +“Wild pigeons come in clouds, and frequently fly so low as to enable +one to knock them down with a stick. Wild turkeys are so large and fat; +some of them weigh 46 pounds. Some that weigh as much as 30 pounds are +sold for a shilling. A deer can be bought for two shillings and six +pence. The streams are full of fish, and so they are in New Jersey. The +Indians often bring in seven or eight deer at a time; of geese, ducks, +wild swan, and pheasants there are plenty.” + +In 1750 the farmers complained to the government, that the bounty +offered for the destruction of squirrels, was an injury to them, +because laborers, instead of helping in harvest, would go squirrel +hunting, because they could make better wages thereby, than by working +in harvest. + +According to an act of the Colonial Assembly, the government paid a +bounty for each dozen crows, blackbirds, and squirrels, one shilling +and six pence. Even at that price those destructive creatures did not +seem to diminish, so that in 1754 an appeal was made to the Assembly +to compel every settler to destroy a certain number of them, for which +he was to receive certain compensation, and in case anyone failed to +destroy his share, he was to forfeit a _pro rata_ penalty. It was hoped +by such means, to save the farmers’ corn after it was planted and came +up, which the crows, blackbirds, and squirrels destroyed. Deer were +also so numerous as to become very destructive of the grain after it +came up in the fall. Foxes and muskrats were also very destructive of +poultry, and wolves were very numerous and would sometimes destroy +entire flocks of sheep. The farmers were never without their guns; +it was customary for them to carry them wherever they went. These +animals had their homes in the dense forests which were inaccessible +on account of the lack of roads. Farmers frequently lost their horses +if allowed to stray away in the endless wood. The dense forests made +horse-stealing an easy occupation for the lawless, and it constituted +one of the chief crimes of the early days of the settlement of the +province, as the forests made a convenient hiding place for them with +their prey. During a period of three years after Northampton County was +organized, nine horse thieves were tried and punished in that county, +while a great many more escaped arrest. The punishment prescribed at +that time for horse-stealing, was public whipping, which did not have +the effect to deter the lawless from committing that sort of crime. The +field of operation of the horse-thieves was so large and their chances +of escape so great, that they carried on their occupation with little +hindrance. The extent of the evil was so great, that the citizens +petitioned the Assembly to create the death penalty for the crime of +horse-stealing. + +The horse-thieves seem to have had a monopoly of crime. For a new +country there was none of that lawlessness which has characterized the +new frontier settlements of our western domain. The “tough citizen” +of our western frontier had not then yet been developed. He seems to +have made his appearance later, and is especially, an American product, +unique in his character, without a rival, or counterpart in any other +part of the world, outside of the United States. + +After agriculture had made a fair start other industries began to +attract the attention of the more wide-awake settlers, who had cast +their lot with the future of Penn’s province. As early as 1696, only 14 +years after Penn laid out his ideal city on the Delaware, the question +of making iron began to be discussed, and in 1726 a German by the name +of Kurtz gave the matter a practical turn, by the erection of a furnace. + +A firm named Grubb Bros., also built a furnace and iron-works about +the same time in Lancaster County. By the time of the middle of the +eighteenth century, the province of Pennsylvania had made much progress +in agriculture and the industrial arts, and its boundless resources +and great hidden wealth, began to attract great attention, when many +persons of wealth in England and Germany, were attracted hither, who +began the development of the iron, and other resources, and establish +various industrial enterprises, to meet the growing needs of the +province. + + * * * * * + +In those early days, the traffic in spirituous liquors as a beverage +was already a perplexing question. The manufacture of the product +became a profitable industry soon after the settlement of the province, +and the early settlers were not exempt, from the craving for some +artificial stimulant, which has been implanted in mankind ever since +Noah planted a vineyard among the hills of Ararat, and became “drunken” +on the fruits thereof. The excessive use then, as it always has been, +brought along with it its attendant evils. In 1721 a convention of +leading citizens was held at Philadelphia, to consider the question, of +restraining the traffic in strong drink, and to encourage the use of +light beer instead, as being less injurious. It would seem from this +proposition, that the German citizens sought to introduce, and enforce +the custom of beer drinking which then prevailed in their native land +and which still continues, instead of the use of spirituous liquors as +a beverage, which are vastly more injurious. In South Germany at this +day, the people confine themselves almost exclusively to light wines +and beer, with the result that an intoxicated person is scarcely ever +seen in that part of Germany. + +In 1733 the owners of certain iron works petitioned the Legislature, to +enact a law prohibiting the traffic in strong drink in the neighborhood +where their works were operated, as it was injurious to the management +of their industries; but asked that the sale of beer and cider be +permitted. + + * * * * * + +Unlike most new countries the province of Pennsylvania was singularly +exempt from many of those diseases with which new countries have to +contend, and outside of the few small towns which existed in the early +days there were no doctors, and the obstinate Quakers did not seem to +think that there was any need for them, and did not encourage their +coming. They seemed to have had nearly or quite as much aversion to +doctors as they had to lawyers. One Quaker wrote in 1690 concerning the +needs of the colony: “Of lawyers and doctors I will make no mention +as the country is very peaceable and healthy.” This complacent Quaker +probably changed his mind about doctors, when later malignant fevers, +and the smallpox broke out among the settlers, which resulted in very +many deaths. In later years Philadelphia had a visitation from the +yellow fever which carried its citizens off by hundreds. As late as the +middle of the last century, Philadelphia did not have a single paved +street, and until 1793 the water for culinary, and other household +purposes was obtained from wells which could not be saved from becoming +polluted, by surface drainage. After Philadelphia had been scourged by +the yellow fever well water fell into disfavor, and the Schuylkill and +Delaware rivers were drawn upon for water. + + +COURTS AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE. + +During the early years after the founding of the province, there were +no courts. The Quakers who were then in control discouraged them, as +they also did lawyers, and all litigation. One of the first laws passed +by the Colonial Assembly, was one to prevent litigation. It was not +until 1701 that courts were considered necessary. In that year a Court +House was built at Philadelphia, which answered for the whole province. +The justices appointed to preside over the courts, were empowered to +make final settlement of all disputes. + +The business of the courts in those days, was conducted with great +formality and solemnity. The judges wore three-cornered hats, and +when they returned from court to their homes, the constables with the +emblems of their office led the way. The judges on the bench wore a +grave and serious aspect. The common folks in attendance were inspired +with great awe. It is needless to say that things in this respect +have changed since then. In those days judges were the appendages of +royalty, while in these later days, the people make and unmake them at +their pleasure. + +The penalties inflicted on offenders against the law were peculiar, +and in many cases revolting; savoring more as viewed at this day, of +primitive savagery, than that of a criminal code of a civilized people. +Malefactors for certain offences were branded in the hands with red hot +irons; others had their ears cut off, or were nailed fast by their ears +to the whipping post; or sentenced to a certain number of lashes, while +others for more trivial offences were made to stand in the pillory +for a specified time. The pillory was usually erected in the market +place, and the sentence usually carried out on market days. Watson in +his “Annals” says that upon such occasions the price of eggs usually +advanced for obvious reasons. The penalties here enumerated were dealt +out to persons found guilty of crime, without regard to rank, station +or sex. + + * * * * * + +In Christoph Sauer’s newspaper of date of March 16, 1775, an amusing +incident is related, as having occurred at Easton. A man was sentenced +to receive a certain number of lashes, for having stolen an axe. The +sheriff, who was not inclined to inflict the punishment, offered +four dollars to any one who would perform the duty for him. No one +came forward to perform the job, when the culprit’s wife came along, +and undertook to perform the task. She laid on the number of lashes +decreed, with all her might, after which she added one more, remarking +at the same time that the last one was for the occasion when her +husband boxed her ears. She was paid her four dollars by the sheriff, +and the law was vindicated. Sometimes a malefactor’s entire property +was forfeited; sometimes only a fine was imposed, and if the condemned +was unable to pay it, he was put up at public auction, and sold to the +highest bidder to serve a certain length of time, which was governed +by the price bidden. This latter feature of the law remained in force +until 1786, while the whipping post was not abolished until 1790. + + +EARLY LEGISLATION. + +The first Colonial Assembly of Pennsylvania met at Philadelphia January +10, 1683, and was of course dominated by Penn, and his co-religionists. +Some queer laws were proposed, and some of them were enacted, and put +in force. One legislator wanted a law passed to encourage matrimony; +another sought to make it unlawful for any one to wear more than two +kinds of clothing. One kind was prescribed for summer, and another kind +for winter. + +It was made unlawful for any one to introduce, or frequent “stage +plays,” and the penalty was fixed at ten days’ imprisonment at hard +labor in the house of correction, or forfeit twenty shillings. It was +also made unlawful for any one to play cards for amusement, under a +penalty of five shillings, or in default of payment, imprisonment in +the house of correction, at labor five days. + +The price of ale and beer at a public house, was fixed at two pennies a +Winchester quart. + +A law was passed, changing the names of the days of the week, +“according to Scripture,” making them first, second, third, etc., +instead of the “heathen names,” Monday, Tuesday, etc. The names of the +months were similarly changed. + +Any one convicted of lying in conversation, was to suffer a penalty +of half a crown for each offense, or in default of payment suffer +three days imprisonment at hard labor. If such a law were in force in +these days the revenues therefrom would soon create a surplus, and the +government would not be embarrassed by a deficit. + +Any one found guilty of speaking derogatorily of the sentence, or +judgment of any court, or of speaking disrespectfully of a judge, was +to be fined at the discretion of the court. + +Any one found guilty of stealing hogs a third time was to receive +thirty lashes, and be banished from the province. + +It was made the duty of parents to have their children taught to read +and write, by the time they were twelve years of age; then taught some +useful trade, for neglect of which, the parents were fined five pounds +for every child so neglected. + + +UNJUST CRITICISM OF PENNSYLVANIA GERMANS. + +The Pennsylvania Germans have often been made to suffer by calumnious +reports concerning them, by reason of the prejudice, and oftener +perhaps of the ignorance of a certain class of writers for the press. +A number of years ago, an editorial appeared in the Public Ledger, +defending them against the aspersions and mendacious misrepresentations +of a Yankee scribbler for a newspaper who said: “The immigrants came +over here with their priests, a fragment of the middle ages, uneducated +and uncultivated. What is the consequence? We see before us the +petrifaction of a social and mental condition which has long since +disappeared from Germany. We behold a picture of the dark ages.” + +It is remarkable that such dense ignorance should have existed +anywhere, even among only half educated people, at any time within +the present century concerning a people, who have always occupied an +honorable and conspicuous place in the history of their state and +country; who to-day number not less than a million and a half of +people, many of whom are filling some of the highest stations in every +walk of life. All that is necessary to put to shame such base libellers +as the foregoing is to point to the long line of Pennsylvania’s +German Governors, and to the men of the same blood in our halls of +legislation, on the bench, at the bar, in the pulpit, among the +men eminent in the sciences, among the educators, business men and +financiers, not only in Pennsylvania, but wherever the Pennsylvania +Germans and their descendants have spread. + +The following extract from the editorial of the Ledger is just as +timely now as when first written, in case there are still any people as +ignorant and misinformed, as the one who wrote the foregoing libel: + + “No one familiar with the German farmers of Pennsylvania need be + told that this is a stupid and ignorant libel. Its author has either + never traveled through our state, or has maliciously misrepresented + what he saw. So far from our German farmers being on a level with + the serfs of one hundred and fifty years ago, they are vastly in + advance of cotemporary German and French farmers, or even of English + farmers of similar means. On this point we need go no further for + authority than to Mr. Munch, the fellow laborer with Mr. Herder in + the late campaign, who though hostile in politics to our German + farmers in general, was forced, during his tour through Pennsylvania, + to admit their sterling worth. Mr. Munch is an experienced and + practical agriculturist, and not merely a speculative man of letters, + so that his judgment on such a question is worth that of a score + of visionary, ill-informed, prejudiced, disappointed demagogues or + partisan editors. After eulogizing the picturesque natural features + of the landscape of our German counties, praising the excellent taste + which has preserved the woods on the hill sides, and extolling the + appearance of the farms, this gentleman adds significantly that he + found the people of a genial, solid and respectable stamp, enviably + circumstanced in comparison with the European farmer, and very far + superior in intelligence and morals. It is time that the truth + should be spoken, and justice done to our German population. We are + willing to go as far as any one in testifying to the value of books, + newspapers and schools; we are willing to admit that our German + farmers, as a class, have cared less for these things than they + ought; but we are not silly enough to say that a man is necessarily a + bad farmer, a disorderly citizen, or a profligate husband because he + does not speak English, is not crammed with book-learning, or does + not take in a half a dozen journals. Our German farmers prove the + reverse. Whether a denizen of a state be valuable to it on account + of what he annually adds to the realized wealth of the community, or + for his faithful obedience to the laws, or for his sacredness with + which he preserves the family compact, our German farmers certainly + merit as much as any other class for the practice of either of these + virtues, or indeed for the harmonious exercise of them all. Even + their intelligence is underrated. As Mr. Munch of Misso, has said, + they are a ‘genial, solid and respectable stamp;’ there is no false + mental glitter about them; in a word, they are rather men of sound + judgment, than brilliant rhetoricians, or one-sided ideologists. All + persons who have had transactions with our German farmers, love to + respect the excellent sense they display in the ordinary concerns of + life. * * * * + + In many particulars, German farmers surpass even the people of New + England, who of late have put in a claim, it would seem to be the + _ne plus ultra_ in all things. The German farmers understand, or if + they do not understand they observe the laws of health, better than + even the rural people of Massachusetts; and the result is that they + are really the finest race of men, physically, to be found in the + United States. In certain favorable localities of Kentucky, or on the + frontier, where from being a dominant caste, or from the immediate + vicinity of the unpeopled wilderness, the inhabitants live a half + nomad life, there are as fine, perhaps finer specimens of men to be + seen; but there is nowhere in America, an agricultural population, + the members of which personally till the soil, that has such thews + and sinews, such a healthy development, or such generally prolonged + life, as our much abused “Pennsylvania Dutchmen.” To be plain, if + some of our crotchetty, one-idead dyspeptic, thin cadaverous, New + England brethren would emigrate to our German counties; follow for a + generation or two, the open air life of our German farmers; and last + of all marry into our vigorous anti-hypochondrical German families, + they would soon cease to die by scores of consumption, to complain + that there were no longer any healthy women left, and to amuse + sensible people with such silly vagaries of Pantheism, or a thousand + and one intellectual vagaries which are born of their abnormal + physical conditions.” + +In these somewhat desultory and digressive pages, the author sought +to tell the “Story of the Pennsylvania Germans,” but he realizes +that the task has been but imperfectly performed. If however he has +succeeded in encouraging some one else with the energy and inclination +to undertake the task on a more extended scale, he will be amply +paid for all the time and labor which this volume has cost him. The +story of the Pennsylvania Germans has never been told, and is only +partially chronicled in these pages. It still remains for some faithful +chronicler to give them their proper place in the history of their +State, and of the nation, in behalf of which they rendered invaluable +services at the birth of the Republic. + + + + +APPENDIX A. + +EXAMPLES OF PFÄLZISCH, AND SOUTH GERMAN DIALECTS. + + +The following poem, in the Pfälzisch dialect, is from Professor Franz +von Kobell’s “Gedichte in Pfälzisch Mundart.” + +(Franz von Kobell, was born at Munich in 1803, and died there in 1882, +where he had been Professor of Mineralogy, in the University of Munich +for many years. He was also a poet of considerable distinction.) + + +’S Lob vun Binge’. + + Die herrlichsht’ Gegend am ganze Rhei’ + Dess is die Gegend vun Binge’, + Es wachst der allerbeschte wei’ + Der Scharlach wachst bei Binge’. + + Die g’schick’schte Schiffleit’, die mer find’t, + Dess sin die Schiffer vun Binge’, + Un’ sicht mer in Meens, e’hübsches Kind, + Wo is es her? Vun Binge’. + + Ke’ Loch is uf der ganze’ Welt + So berühmt wie des vun Binge’, + Ke’ Thorn so keck in’s wasser g’stellt, + Wie der im Rhei’ bei Binge’. + + Die Mäus’ vum Bischof Hatto, sich! + Sin g’schwumme’ bis noch Binge’, + Ke G’schicht’ war je so ferchterlich, + Wie selli dort bei Binge’. + + Un’ die heilig’ Hildegard die war + Halt aach drheem in Binge’, + Un war Aebtissen dort sogar, + Dess alles war in Binge’. + + Es is e’ wahri Herlichkeit + Dess liebe kleene Binge’, + Mei’ Vater and Mutter un’ all mei Leut’ + Ja mir sin all’ vun Binge’. + +In the foregoing poem there is not a single word that is not identical +with Pennsylvania German except the word “keck” (bold, or saucy) in the +third line of the third stanza, and the author can recall that word +being used by Pennsylvania Germans a generation and a half ago, but it +seems to have dropped out of the dialect, in recent years. + +The word “Loch” in the third stanza, has reference to the so-called +“Bingerloch,” or “Hole of Bingen,” which derives its name from the +narrowing of the Rhine near Bingen, to a dangerous rocky channel; and +the “Thorn” in the same stanza, refers to the famous “Mouse Tower,” +which received its name from the legend, concerning the cruel Bishop +Hatto of Mainz, who as the legend tells us burned a number of people in +a barn, during a famine, and who was afterwards attacked by swarms of +mice, when he took refuge in the tower on the rock in the middle of the +river, and was there devoured by the mice, that followed him thither. +This is one of the many legends of the Rhine, preserved in a volume of +“Legends of the Rhine,” by H. A. Guerber, and is as follows: + + +BINGEN.--THE RAT TOWER. + + In the year 914, when Hatto was Bishop of Mainz, a protracted rain + entirely ruined the harvest, occasioning a terrible famine from which + the poor people suffered sorely. As they were perishing from hunger, + they finally applied to the bishop, whose granaries were filled to + overflowing with the produce of the former, more favorable years. + But the Bishop was cruel and hard-hearted and utterly refused to + listen to them until at last they so wearied him by their constant + importunity, that he bade them to assemble in an empty barn, where he + promised to meet them on a certain day and hour to quiet all their + demands. + + Almost beside themselves with joy at the promise, the people hastened + to the appointed spot, gathering there in such numbers that the empty + barn was soon quite full. Anxiously they watched for the bishop, + whom they greeted with loud cries of joy, as soon as he appeared. + Their acclamations were however soon changed into blood-curdling + cries of distress, for the cruel prelate after bidding his servants + fasten the doors and windows so that none could escape, set fire to + the building and burned them all, declaring they were like rats and + should perish in the same way. + + This wholesale massacre ended, the bishop retired home, sat down + before his lavishly spread table, and ate with as healthy an appetite + as usual. When he entered the dining room on the morrow, however, + he stood still in dismay, for during the night the rats gnawed his + recently finished portrait out of the frame, and it now lay an + unseemly heap upon the floor. When he stood over it his heart filled + with sudden nameless terror, for he fancied it was a bad omen; a + servant came rushing into the room, bidding him to fly for his life, + as a whole army of hungry, fierce looking rats were coming that way. + Without waiting for his usual escort, the bishop flung himself on + his messenger’s steed, and rode rapidly away. From time to time he + nervously turned his head to mark the gradual approach of a dark + line, formed of thousands of rats, animated by the revengeful spirit + of the poor he had so cruelly burned. + + Faster and faster Hatto urged his panting steed, but in spite of all + his efforts, he had scarcely dismounted, entered a small skiff and + rode out into the Rhine, ere an army of rats fell upon his horse + and devoured it. The bishop shuddering with fear, rowed with all + his might to his tower in the middle of the Rhine, where he quickly + locked himself in fancying that he had escaped from his hungry foes. + But the voracious rats having disposed of his steed, now boldly swam + across the Bingerloch to the tower, and swarmed up its sides, seeking + some crevice through which they could get at their foe. As they found + none, they set their sharp teeth to work, and Hatto quailed with + dread as he heard them gnawing busily on all sides. In a very few + moments the rats had a thousand holes through which they rushed upon + their victim. + +Southey, who has versified this legend, which he calls “God’s Judgment +upon a wicked Bishop,” describes their entrance thus: + + “And in at the window, and at the door, + And through the walls, helter skelter they pour, + And down from the ceiling, and up through the floor, + From the right and the left, from behind and from before, + From within and without, from above and below, + And all at once to the bishop they go. + + “They have whetted their teeth against the stones, + And now they pick the bishop’s bones; + They gnawed the flesh from every limb, + For they were sent to do judgment on him.” + +Ever since then, that building in the Rhine has been known as the “Rat +Tower.” Tradition relates that the bishop’s soul sank down to the +nethermost hell, where it is ever burning in a fire far hotter, than +that he kindled around the starving poor. At sunset a peculiar red glow +may be seen over the tower, and this, the people declare is only a +faint reflection of the infernal furnace, to warn all mankind against +cruelty to God’s poor. + + +POEM IN SOUTH GERMAN DIALECT. + +The following is a characteristic poem in the South German dialect, +taken from the “Fliegende Blätter,” a humorous periodical, published at +Munich: + + +_E’ Frühling’s Poesie._ + + Wan die Beem un’ Hecke + Gans voll Veggle hucke, + Un’ die Deckel-schnecke + Aus de Häuser gucke + Dann isch’ Frijohr worre. + + Wan die Schlee bliehe + Un’ die Veilcher kumme, + Wann die Keffer fliehe + Un’ die Imme summe, + Dann isch’ Frijohr worre. + + Wann die Fresch un’ krötte + Ihre junge hortzle, + Uffem Wiesebodde + Wie besoff’ umporzle + Dann isch Frijohr worre. + + Wann die junge Mere + No’ de Buwe gucke + Un’ vor alle Dere + Omds die Alte hucke + Dann isch Frijohr worre. + + +A POEM IN THE PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN DIALECT. + +The following from “Gedichte in Pennsylvanisch Deutscher Mundart” +by the late Rev. Heinrich Harbaugh, is an excellent example of +Pennsylvania German dialect, showing the sublimity, and deep pathos of +which the dialect is capable: + + +HEEMWEH. + + Ich wees net was de Uhrsach is-- + Wees net, warum ich’s du: + ’N jedes Johr mach ich der weg + Der Alte Heemet zu: + Hab weiter nix zu suche dort-- + Kee’ Erbschaft un kee geld; + Un doch treibt mich des Heemgefiehl + So schtark wie alle Welt; + Nor’d schtärt ich ewe ab un geh, + Wie owe schun gemeldt. + + Wie nächer dass ich kumm zum Ziel, + Wie schtärker will ich geh, + For ebbes in mei ’m Herz werd letz + Un dhut m’r kreislich weh. + Der letschte Hiwel schpring ich nuf, + Un eb ich drowe bin, + Schtreck ich mich uf so hoch ich kann + Un guck mit luschte hin; + Ich seh’s alt Schtee’haus dorch die Beem, + Un wott ich wär schun drin. + + Guk wie der Kicheschornschtee’ schmokt-- + Wie oft hob ich sel g’seh, + Wann ich draus in de Felder war, + ’N Buwele jung un klee’ + O, sehnscht die Fenschterscheiwe dort? + Sie guk’n roth wie Blut; + Hab oft cunsiddert, doch net g’wisst, + Dass sell die Sunn so dhut. + Ja, manches wees’n Kind noch net-- + Wann’s dhet, wär’s ah net gut! + + Wie gleich ich selle Babble Beem, + Sie schtehn wie Brieder dar; + Un uf’m Gipple--g’wiss ich leb! + Hockt alleweil’n Schtaar! + ’S Gipple biegt sich--guk, wie’s gaunscht-- + ’R hebt sich awer fescht; + Ich seh sei’ rothe Fliegle plehn, + Wann er sei’ Feddere wescht; + Will wette, dass sei’ Fraale hot + Uf sellem Baam ’n nescht! + + O, es gedenkt m’r noch gans gut, + Wo selle werri Beem + Net greeser als ’n Welschkornschtock + Gebrocht sin worre heem. + Die Mammi war an’s Grändäd’s g’west, + Dort ware Beem wie die; + Drei Wipplein hot sie mitgebrocht, + Un g’sa’t “Dort blanscht sie hie.” + M’r hen’s gedhu’--un glaabscht du’s nau-- + Dort selli Beem sin sie! + + Guk! werklich, ich bin schier am Haus!-- + Wie schnell geht doch die Zeit! + Wann m’r so in Gedanke geht, + So wees m’r net wie weit. + Dort is d’r Schap, die Welschkornkrip, + Die Seiderpress dort draus; + Dort is die Scheier, un dort die Schpring-- + Frisch quellt des wasser raus; + Un guk! die sehm alt Klapbord-Fens, + Un’s Dheerle vor’m Haus. + + Alles is schtill--sie wisse net, + Dass ebber fremmes kummt. + Ich denk, der alte Watsch is dodt, + Sunscht wär er raus gedschumpt; + For er hot als verschinnert g’brillt + Wann er hot’s Dheerle g’heert; + Es war de Träw’lers kreislich bang, + Sie werre gans verzehrt: + Kee’ G’fohr--er hot paar Mol gegauzt + Nor’d is er umgekehrt. + + Alles is schtill--die Dheer is zu! + Ich schteh, besinne mich! + Es rappelt doch en wenig nau + Dort hinne in der kich. + Ich geh net nei--ich kann noch net! + Mei’ Herz fiehlt schwer un krank; + Ich geh’n wenig uf die Bortsch, + Un hock mich uf die Bank; + Es seht mich niemand, wann ich heil, + Hinner der Drauwerank! + + Zwee Blätz sin do uf däre Bortsch, + Die halt ich hoch in Acht, + Bis meines Lebens Sonn versinkt + In schtiller Dodtes-Nacht! + Wo ich vum alte Vaterhaus + ’S erscht mol bin gange fort, + Schtand mei’ Mammi weinend da, + An sellem Rigel dort; + Un nix is mir so heilig nau + Als grade seller Ort. + + Ich kann sie heit noch sehne schteh, + Ihr Schnuppduch in d’r Hand; + Die Backe roth, die Aage nass-- + O, wie sie doch do schtand! + Dort gab ich ihr mei’ Färewell, + Ich weinte als ich’s gab, + ’S war’s leschte Mol in däre Welt, + Dass ich’s ihr gewe hab! + Befor ich widder kumme bin + War sie in ihrem Grab! + + Nau wann ich an mei’ Mammi denk, + Un meen, ich dhet sie seh, + So schteht sie an dem Rigel dort + Un weint, weil ich wek geh! + Ich seh sie net im Shockelschtuhl! + Net an keem annere Ort; + Ich denk net an sie als im Grab; + Juscht an dem Rigel dort! + Dort schteht sie immer vor mei’m Herz + Un weint noch liebreich fort! + + Was macht’s dass ich so dort hi’ guk, + An sell End vun der Bank! + Weescht du’s? Mei’ Herz is noch net dodt, + Ich wees es, Gott sei Dank! + Wie manchmal sass mei Dady dort, + Am Summer-nochmiddag, + Die Hände uf der Schoos gekreizt, + Sei Schtock bei Seite lag. + Was hot er dort im Schtille g’denkt? + Wer mecht es wisse--sag? + + Verleicht is es’n Kindheets-Draam, + Dass ihn so sanft bewegt; + Oder is er’n Jingling jetz, + Der scheene Plane legt! + Er hebt sei’ Aage uf juscht nau + Un gukt weit iwer’s Feld; + Er seht v’rleicht d’r Kerchhof dort, + Der schun die Mammi helt! + Er sehnt v’rleicht nooch seiner Ruh + Dort in der bessere Welt! + + Ich wees net, soll ich nei’ in’s Haus, + Ich zitter an der Dheer! + Es is wol alles voll inseid, + Un doch is alles leer! + ’S is net meh heem, wie’s eemol war, + Un kann’s ah nimme sei; + Was naus mit unsere Eltere geht + Kummt ewig nimme nei’! + Die Friede hot der Dodt geärnt, + Das Trauerdheel is mei’! + + So geht’s in däre rauhe Welt, + Wo alles muss vergeh! + Ja, in der alte Heemet gar + Fiehlt m’r sick all allee’! + O, wann’s net vor der Himmel wär, + Mit seiner scheene Ruh, + Dann wär m’r’s do schun lang verleedt, + Ich wisst net, was ze dhu. + Dock Hoffnung leichtet meinen Weg + Der ew’gen Heemet zu. + + Dort is’n schee’, schee’, Vaterhaus, + Dort geht m’r nimmeh fort; + Es weint kee’ guti Mammi meh’ + In sellem Freideort. + Kee’ Dady such meh’ for’n Grab, + Wo, was er lieb hat liegt! + Sell is kee’ Elendwelt wie die, + Wo alle Luscht betriegt; + Dort hat das Lewe ewiglich + Iwer der Dodt gesiegt. + + Dort find m’r, was m’r do verliert, + Un b’halt in Ewigkeit; + Dort lewe unsre Dodte all. + In Licht un ew’ger Freid! + Wie oft, wann ich in Druwel bin, + Denk ich an selli Ruh, + Un wott, wann’s Gott’s Willie wär, + Ich ging ihr schneller zu; + Doch wart ich bis mei’ Schtindle schlägt + Nor’d sag ich--Welt, adju! + + +PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN AND HIGH GERMAN COMPARED. + +A comparison of Pennsylvania German with High German, will prove the +quality of the former. For that purpose, Goethe’s Erlkönig is given, +and also rendered in Pennsylvania German. + + +_Erlkönig._ + + Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind? + Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind; + Er hat den Knaben wohl in dem Arm, + Er fasst ihn sicher, er hält ihn warm. + + “Mein Sohn, was birgst du so bang dein Gesicht?” + Siehst, Vater, du den Erlkönig nicht? + Den Erlkönig mit Kron’ und Schweif? + “Mein Sohn, es ist ein Nebelstreif.” + + “Du liebes Kind, komm’, geh mit mir! + Gar schöne Spiele spiel’ ich mit dir! + Manch’ bunte Blumen sind an dem Strand; + Meine Mutter hat manch gülden Gewand.” + + Mein Vater, mein Vater, und hörest du nicht, + Was Erlkönig mir leise verspricht? + “Sei ruhig, bleibe ruhig, mein Kind! + In dürren Blättern säuselt der Wind.” + + “Willst, feiner Knabe, du mit mir geh’n? + Meine Töchter sollen dich warten schön; + Meine Töchter führen den nächtlichen Reih’n + Und wiegen und tanzen und singen dich ein.” + + Mein Vater, mein Vater, und siehst du nicht dort + Erlkönigs Töchter am düstern Ort? + “Mein Sohn, mein Sohn, ich seh’s genau, + Es scheinen die alten Weiden so grau.” + + “Ich Lieb’ dich, mich reizt deine schöne Gestalt, + Und bist du nicht willig, so brauch’ ich Gewalt.” + Mein Vater, mein Vater, jetzt fasst er mich an, + Erlkönig hat mir ein Leids gethan! + + Dem Vater grauset’s, er reited geschwind, + Er hält in den Armen das ächtzende Kind, + Erreicht den Hof mit Müh’ und Noth; + In seinem Armen das Kind war todt. + + +PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN FORM. + + Wer reit so schpote dorch Nacht un Wind? + Es is der Vater mit seim Kind; + Er hat den Bu woll in seim Arm, + Er fascht ihn sicher, er halt ihn warm. + + “Mei Soh, mei Soh, was bischt du so bang dei G’sicht” + Sehn’scht, Vater du ken Erlkönig net? + Der Erlkönig mit Kron’ un Schweef, + Mei Soh, es is en Newel schtreefe. + + “Du liewes Kind, kum geh mit mir! + Gar scheene Schpiele schpiel ich mit dir! + Manch’ fiel-fart Blume sin am Schtrand + Mei Muter hat manch’ guld’ne G’gleed.” + + Mei Vater, mei Vater, un heerscht du net, + Was Erlkönig mir schtille verschprecht? + “Sei ruhig, bleib ruhig, mei Kind + In der Blätter merwelt der Wind. + + “Wilscht feiner Bu, du mit mir geh? + Mei Döchter solle dir abwarte schee, + Mei Döchter feih’r’n den nachtliche Danz + Un schockle un Danz’n un singe dich ei.” + + Mei Vater, mei Vater, un sehnscht du net dort, + Erlkönig’s Döchter am dunkle platz, + “Mei Soh, mei Soh, ich seh’n es ganau + Es scheme die alte Weide so gro’.” + + “Ich lieb dich, mich ziegt dei schee Muschter + Un bischt du net willig, so brauch ich g’walt.” + Mei Vater, mei Vater jetzt fascht er mich ah, + Erlkönig hat mir en wee’s ge-dhu. + + Dem Vater fürcht’s, er reit g’schwind + Er halt in ’em Arm dess seif’ziches Kindt + Erreecht den Hof mit Meeh un Noth + In seim Arm dess Kindt war dodt. + +In rendering the “Erlkönig” in Pennsylvania German no English words are +employed, and only such words are used, as are in daily use by people +speaking the dialect. Harbaugh in his poems makes use of a number of +pure German words, such as are rarely used by Pennsylvania Germans at +this day, but in the main he followed the Pennsylvania German usages. + +It will also be observed that in the foregoing examples of the +Pfälzisch and South German dialects, that both approach closely the +spelling, accent, and phonology of the Pennsylvania German, which +attests their intimate relationship. + +[Illustration] + + + + +APPENDIX B. + +VOCABULARY. + + +The following vocabulary contains numerous Pennsylvania German words +and idioms, with their Pfälzisch, High German, and English equivalents. +The Pennsylvania German words are spelled, on the High German basis +wherever it could be done without sacrificing the Pennsylvania German +sound; where that could not be done, the plan of Pennsylvania German +dialect writers has been followed, as near as their diversified +spelling would admit of. The Pfälzisch words are taken from South +German dialect writers, chiefly from Kobell’s “Gedichte in Pfälzischer +Mundart,” and Ludwig Schandein’s “Gedichte in Westricher Mundart,” both +of which books were written, and published in South Germany. + + +A. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Ah, Ah, + allenig, allenig, + allegebott, allegebott, + anne’geh, anne’geh, + anner, anner, + appel, appel, + artlich, artlich, + alleweil, alleweil, + awer, awer, + ängsterlich, ängsterlich, + + _High German._ _English._ + + Auch, Also, + allein, alone, + jeden augenblick, every moment, + hin gehen, to go there, + ander, other, + apfel, apple, + sonderbar, wonderful, + ebenjetzt, even now, + aber, but, + ängstlich, afraid. + + +B. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Backoufe, Backoufe, + ball, ball, + baam, baam, + beem (bame), bam, + batsche (im wasser), batsche, + babbere, babbere, + bass uf, bass uf, + beer, beer, + beerebaum, beerebaum, + bibi, bibiche, bib’che, + buchele, buchele, + bissel, bissel, + blabbere, blabbere, + blo, blo, + blosbalk, blosbalg, + bollere, bollere, + bu, bu, + buwe, buwe, + buddle, buttle, + + _High German._ _English._ + + Backofen, Bakeoven, + bald, soon, + baum, tree, + bäume, trees, + waten, to wade, + schnell schwetzen, rapid talk, + pass auf, take care, + birne, pear, + birnebaum, pear tree, + kleines huhn, little chicken, + buchlein, small book, + wenig, little, + eilig blabbern, idle talk, + blau, blue, + blasebalg, bellows, + poltern, make noise, + büblein, boy, + knaben, boys, + flasche, bottle. + + +C. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Christ owet, Christ owet, + Christel, Christel, + clafeer, clavier, + + _High German._ _English._ + + Christ abend, Christmas eve, + Christiana, Christian, + clavier, piano-forte. + + +D. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Dabber, Dabber, + dahl, dahl, + dambnudle, dambnudle, + dochterle, dochterle, + deheem, deheem, + deiwel, deiwel, + deel, deel, + dir, dir, + der wu, der wu, + dichel’che dichel’che, + dings, dings, + dodte-lad, dodte-lad, + darmlich, darmlich, + dreckich, drecket, + dummele, dummele, + dun’er, dun ihr, + drick’le, trickele, + der wo, der wo, + der zwett, der zwett, + + _High German._ _English._ + + Geschwind, Hurry, + thal, dale, + dampfnudle, dumpling, + tochterlein, little daughter, + daheim, at home, + teufel, devil, + theil, part, + dir, your, + der welcher, that who, + tuchlein, small cloth, + dinge, things, + tode-lad, coffin, + taumlich, dizzy, + schlammig, muddy, + eilen, hurrying, + thut ihr, do you, + trockenen, to dry, + der welche, which one, + der zweite, the second. + + +E. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Ebber, ebber, + ebbes, ebbes, + eche, eche, + eifrig, eifrig, + ehnder, ehnder, + egens, egens, + e’letzig, e’letzig, + elle-bohe, elle-boh’, + eme, em’, + er’beere, er’beere, + emol, emol, + end, en’, + ent, ent, + + _High German._ _English._ + + etwer, some one, + etwas, something, + eiche, oak, + eifrig, industrious, + früher, sooner, + eigens, own, + vereinzelt, single, + ellbogen, elbow, + ihm, him, + erdbeere, strawberry, + einmal, once, + eine, one, + ende, end, + ente, duck. + + +F. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Flicke, flicke, + fraa, fraa, + fremm, fremm, + frog, froh’, + + _High German._ _English._ + + flicken, mend, + frau, woman, wife, + fremde, stranger, + fragen, ask. + + +G. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Gackere, gackere, + galje, galje, + gale, geel, + g’for, g’for, + geh, geh, + geloffe, geloffe, + gedu, gedu, + gelle, gel’, + g’nunk, g’nunk, + glawe, glaw’, + glei, glei’, + gro, gro’, + geblanzt, geplanzt, + grumbeere, grundbeere, + gummera, gurken, + + _High German._ _English._ + + gackern, to cackle, + galgen, gallows, + gelb, yellow, + gefahr, danger, + gehen, to go, + gelaufen, walked, + gethan, done, + gelt, is it not true? + genug, enough, + glauben, believing, + gleich, soon, + grau, grey, + gepflanzt, planted, + kartoffeln, potatoes, + gurken, cucumbers. + + +H. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Hensching, han’sche, + hab, hann, + ha’mer, ha’mer, + ha’wer, ha’wer, + hell, hel’, + hem, hem’, + herr jeh, herr jeh, + he’wel, he’wel, + hickele, hückele, + hinkel, hinkel, + hucke, hucke, + hochzich, hochzich, + hunne, hunne, + hunnert, hunnert, + huscht, hascht, + heemzu, heemzu, + + _High German._ _English._ + + handschuh, gloves, + haben, to have, + haben wir, have we, + hafer, oats, + hölle, hell, + Herr-Jesus, Lord Jesus, + hügel, hill, + hemde, shirt, + hückeln, hupfen, to hop, or leap, + huhn, chicken, + sitzen, to sit, + hochzeit, wedding, + unten, below, + hundert, hundred, + hast, have, + heim zu, homeward. + + +I. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Is, is, + is’m, is’m, + iwer, iwer, + iw’rig, iw’rig, + ich frog, ich frog, + + _High German._ _English._ + + ist, is, + ist ihm, is he, + über, over, + übrig, left over, + ich frage, I ask. + + +J. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Johr, Jahr, + jarelich, jährlich, + jauchze, jauchze’, + junghaet, junghaet, + jud, jud, + + _High German._ _English._ + + Jahr, year, + jährlich, yearly, + jauchzen, to shout, + jungheit, newness, or young + jude, jew. + + +K. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Kawfe, Kaufe, + kapp, kapp, + kenne, ka’, + knopp, knopp, + kohle, kohle, + krapsche, krapsche, + kreisch, kreisch, + krott, krott, + kumm’rad, kummerad, + + _High German._ _English._ + + kaufen, to buy, + mütze, cap, + kein, none, + knopf, button, + kohlen, coal, + zusammen raffen, to grasp, + schrei, yell, + kröte, toad, + kamerad, comrade. + + +L. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Laab, lab, + lappes, lappes, + lebdag, lebdah’, + lehne, lehne, + lefze, lefze, + ledig, lerig, + letz, letz, + lewendig, lewendig, + lutzer, lutzer, + + _High German._ _English._ + + laub, loaf, + muthloser mensch, spiritless man, + lebenzeit, lifetime, + leihen, to loan, + lippen, lips, + leidig, tiresome, + verkehrt, wrong, + lebendig, alive, + laterne, lantern. + + +M. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Maad, mad, + mäd, mäd, or mere, + maha, maha, + mag, mag, + mais’che, mais’che, + manch’, manch’, + meh’, meh’, + mehner, mehner, + millich, milch, + munder, munder, + + _High German._ _English._ + + magd, maid, + mädcher, girls, + magen, stomach, + magen, may, + mäuslein, little mouse, + manig, many, + mehr, more, + milch, milk, + munter, active. + + +N. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Näz, näz, + nau, nau, + ne, ne, + net, net, + newel, newel, + newe, newe, + newe naus, newe naus, + nexe, nexe, + ne-wer, ’ne-wer, + nix, nix, + nochber, nachber, + nix batte, nix batte, + + _High German._ _English._ + + faden, zwirn, thread, + nun, jezt, now, + nein, no, + nicht, not, + nebel, mist, + neben, at the side, + neben aus, out at the side, + necken, to tease, + hin über, the other side, + nichts, nothing, + nachbar, neighbor, + nichts nutzen, does no good. + + +O. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Oftmole, oftmal, + oufe, oufe, + ostera, ostera, + owet, owend, + owwe, owe, + + _High German._ _English._ + + oftmals, oftentime, + ofen, stove, + ostern, easter, + abend, evening, + oben, above. + + +P. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Paad, pad, + pann, pann, + parre, parre, + persching, persiche, + pishbere, pishbere, + protzig, prozig, + pattereesel, perdreesel, (heard in Lorraine) + + _High German._ _English._ + + pfad, path, + pfanne, pan, + pfarrer, parson, + pfersiche, peach, + wispern, to whisper, + mürrisch, peevish, + rebhuhn, partridge. + + +R. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Rappele, rappelle, + rechele, rechele, + reckel’che, reckel’che, + reche, reche, + reff, reff, + reh’ert, rehe’, + roll duwak, rool dawak, + roppe, roppe, + runner, r’under, + + _High German._ _English._ + + rappeleln, rattle, + rechnen, reckon, + röcklein, small coat, + rechen, rake, + futter behälter, manger, + regen, rain, + rollen tabak, roll tobacco, + rupfen, to pluck, + hereunter, down here. + + +S. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Sag, sah’, + shank, shank, + sheckig, sheckig, + schunke, schinke, + schlosee, schlosee, hagel, + schlippe, schlüppe, + seller, seller, + sellemol, sellemol, + sehne, seh’, + sin un schand, sin un scha’, + siwe, siwe, + schtrump, schtrump, + schproch, schprach, + schun, schon, + schtee, schtee’, + schtiwel, schtieb’l, + schmeisse, schmeisse’, + schlofe, schlafe, + schornschtee, schornschtee, + schträle, schtriegel, + schpell, steck-nodel, + + _High German._ _English._ + + sagen, say, + schrank, cupboard, + gefleckt, speckled, + schinken, ham, + hagel, hail, + schlüpen, to slide, + jener, that one, + jenerzeit, that time, + sehen, to see, + sünd und schande, sin and shame, + sieben, seven, + strumpf, stocking, + schprache, language, + schon, already, + stein, stone, + stiefel, boots, + werfen, to throw, + schlafen, to sleep, + schornstein, chimney, + kamin, comb, + stecknadel, pin. + + +T. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Triweliere, triweliere, + tu-wock or duwack, tabak, + tadele, tadele, + tanze, tanze, + teivel, or deivel, teufel, + + _High German._ _English._ + + qualen, to torment, + tabak, tobacco, + tadelen, to censure, + tanzen, to dance, + teufel, devil. + + +U. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Uf, uf, + un, un, + unne, unne, + + _High German._ _English._ + + auf, up, + und, and, + unten, under. + + +V. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Vechel’che, vechel’che, + verretsche, verrätsche, + verbunne, verbunne, + verwische, verwische, + verschreckt, verschreckt, + + _High German._ _English._ + + vöglein, small bird, + klatschen, to slander, + verbunden, joined, + erwischen, to catch, + schrecken, scared. + + +W. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Witt du, witt du, + wollen’er, wollen’r, + wore-et, woret, + wu, wu, + + _High German._ _English._ + + wilst du, will you, + wollt ihr, will you, + wahrheit, truth, + wo, where. + + +Z. + + _P. G._ _Pfälzisch._ + + Zamme, zamme, + zipple, zipple, + zwee, zwee, + ze zwett, ze zwett, + zeitig, zeitig, + + _High German._ _English._ + + zusammen, together, + zipfel, tip-top, + zwei, two, + zu zwett, both, + reif, zeitig, ripe. + + + + +APPENDIX C. + + +Brief sketches of the rulers in England, Germany, and the Palatinate +from 1682 to 1770, the period of the great exodus of German Palatines +to Pennsylvania. + + +KINGS OF ENGLAND. 1660-1820. + +CHARLES II.: King of England, was born May 29, 1630, and died Feb. +6, 1685; lived four years after he made his grant of Pennsylvania to +William Penn. He was son of Charles I. who was tried for treason, +and executed at Whitehall in January 1649. Charles was not a good +king. Dr. Brewer, one of his biographers, says of him, that he was a +good-natured, shrewd, and witty; but indolent, selfish, and insincere. +His profligacy was scandalous, and his extravagance frightful. The duke +of Buckingham, one of his favorite companions, wrote a mock epitaph +for him after his death, which was as follows: + + Here lies our mutton-eating king, + Whose word no man relies on; + He never said a foolish thing, + And never did a wise one. + + * * * * * + +JAMES II.--Charles II. was succeeded by his brother James II., a +zealous Roman Catholic. His right to the throne was disputed by the +duke of Monmouth, but the latter was taken prisoner and beheaded. James +suspended the statutes which had been passed against the Catholics, +which angered the Protestants, who invited his son-in-law William +of Orange to become their king. The prince of Orange accepted the +invitation; came to England in November 1688. James raised an army +against him, but was defeated near the river Boyne in Ireland July 1, +1690, after which he fled to France where he died in exile. + + * * * * * + +WILLIAM AND MARY.--James was followed by his daughter, and her husband +who reigned jointly as William III. and Mary II. from 1689 until +December 27, 1694, when Mary died, after which William reigned alone +until his death which occurred in 1702. + +One of his biographers describes William as a man of middle stature, +slender, delicate, subject to asthma. He was plain in manners, +reserved, cold, and inflexible. His judgment was sound, his courage +intrepid, his penetration most acute, and the greatest general of his +age. + +We have seen in these pages, how he made war against Louis XIV., the +French king, in order to succor the persecuted Palatines. England made +great progress under his rule, and William and Mary will always be +remembered as among the best of English sovereigns. + + * * * * * + +ANNE.--After the death of William III., Anne, the second daughter of +James II., came to the throne of England. She was born February 6, +1665, and died August 1, 1714, after a reign of 12 years. She has been +described by one of her biographers, as having been of good natural +capacity; but not well educated; her temper was mild; her manners +coarse; her disposition affectionate, and her charity unbounded. This +last virtue agrees with the statement that many Palatines came to +America, and to Pennsylvania as the result of her benefactions. + + * * * * * + +GEORGE I.--After Anne’s death in 1714 George I., elector of Hanover, +and duke of Brunswick, was crowned king of England. He was in the +line of succession to the British throne, by reason of being a +great-grandson of James I. He was also a cousin of Queen Anne. He was +born March 28, 1660, reigned from 1714 until he died June 12, 1727. +He has been described as having been of middle size, his countenance +and expression, and his whole appearance undignified. He was sensible +and industrious; plain and simple in his mode of life after the manner +of the Germans; and grave, and heartless. He had no love for England +when he came to the throne, and never acquired any. He was profoundly +ignorant of the English language, and of England’s laws and its +history. It is said of him that he never learned to speak the English +language with any degree of accuracy. + + * * * * * + +GEORGE II.: son of the former, succeeded to the throne in 1727, and +reigned until 1760, a period of a little more than 33 years. He was +born at Hanover, Nov. 10, 1683; and died Oct. 1760. His predelictions +for Germany were quite as strong as those of his father. In personal +appearance, he was low in stature, carried himself very erect; had +prominent eyes; a high nose, and receding forehead. He was reserved and +cautious in his manner, violent, and obstinate, covetous and mean. He +was a soldier and had no other accomplishment. + + * * * * * + +GEORGE III., who followed George II. to the British throne, was a +grand-son of the latter, having been born June 4, 1738. He was a son of +Frederick Louis, prince of Wales. He reigned from 1760, until Jan. 29, +1820, when he died. + +Americans have a better knowledge of George III. than any of his +immediate predecessors, because he was on the British throne during +the Revolutionary War. As all the grievances of the American colonies +were charged against his account, the American youths have learned +to know him in history as a wicked tyrant, although the real tyrants +were his ministers, against whom the greater indignation should at all +times have been directed. The British ministry had much more to do with +shaping the British policy, with regard to the American colonies both +before, and during the war than the king had. George III. suffered +much on account of the infirmities of his mind. It gave way five times +during his reign viz: in 1764, 1788, 1801, 1804, and the last time in +1810, after which the full vigor of his mind was never restored. + +It is said of him, that when in full possession of his faculties, +that he was a man of great courage, and steadiness of purpose; +was temperate, faithful and conscientious; religious, moral, and +benevolent; but bigoted and obstinate. His court was a model of +decorum, and his domestic life irreproachable. + + +GERMAN EMPERORS. + +LEOPOLD I., was born June 9, 1640; died May 5, 1705. He was emperor +of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1658 until 1705. The empire was also +called the German-Roman Empire. The name “Holy Roman Empire,” is the +result of the theoretical pretensions, that the German emperors, +were the representatives of the ancient Roman emperors, who asserted +authority over all the nations of Western and Central Europe. The +empire comprised all the German-speaking people, but so far as any +exercise of imperial power was concerned, it was more the outward show +and trappings of an empire, than one exercising and maintaining its +authority as such. + +All the European nations during the centuries of the first German +empire were incessantly at war with each other, and the German +government was feeble in asserting its imperial authority, while +certain of the German states were continually at war, with one nation +or another, other of the German states, were fighting among themselves. +To meet all the exigencies of war which were constantly rising Leopold +was wholly unfitted. He was a weak and incompetent prince, and many of +the ravages of the French armies in the Palatinate during the last half +of the seventeenth century, were largely the result of his incapacity. +He was neither soldier, nor statesman, and chaos ran riot in Germany +during his long and miserable reign. + + * * * * * + +JOSEPH I., Leopold’s son, succeeded to the throne of the empire after +the death of his father. He was born July 26, 1678; crowned emperor of +Germany in 1705, and reigned until his death, which occurred April 17, +1711. He was involved in the war of the Spanish succession. + +That war also involved France, during the reign of Louis XIV. The +latter grew tired of the war, and offered to relinquish his claims and +end it. As an inducement for Germany to make peace, Louis offered the +emperor to restore Alsatia and Strasburg which had been taken from +Germany several years before. This offer Joseph rejected, and it is +a remarkable fact that Germany was not able to recover Alsatia and +Strasburg for 160 years thereafter; not until it was returned to its +ancient owners as spoil of the Franco-German war in 1871, although +Louis offered to return it as a condition of peace in 1710. The emperor +Joseph was no improvement on his father as a ruler. + + * * * * * + +KARL VI., the pretender to the throne of Spain, and second son of +Leopold I., became emperor of Germany after the death of Joseph I., in +1711. Karl was elected to the imperial throne, as all German emperors +were in those days. He issued a decree about 1714, known as the +“Pragmatic Sanction,” establishing the succession to the throne of the +German empire for his dynasty. + +Karl was born Oct 1, 1685; died Oct. 20, 1740. He reigned 29 years, +during which time there were the usual happenings of war, diplomatic +intrigue, without any exhibition of statesmanship, or the least +progress in advancing Germany to the rank of even a second-rate nation. +Up to this period Germany as a nation can scarcely be said to have a +history as such, and at no time could the German empire lay claim to +the exercise of authority over all the states which were theoretically +under its sway. + + * * * * * + +MARIA THERESA. With her coming to the throne the real history of +Germany may be said to begin. She came to the throne after the death +of her father, Karl VI. by virtue of the pragmatic sanction. She was +born May 13, 1717; died Nov. 29, 1780. With her reign began a vigorous +administration of the affairs of the empire. It has been said of her +that: “Since the death of Maximilian II. in 1576, Austria had no male +ruler so prudent, just and energetic as this woman.” Five years after +her coming to the throne her husband Francis I. died, when his eldest +son succeeded to the title as “Emperor,” but he was only emperor in +name, so long as the empress lived, for she kept the conduct of affairs +in her own hands. + +Bayard Taylor, in his “History of Germany,” says of her: “Maria +Theresa, like all the Hapsburgs, after Ferdinand I., had grown up under +the influence of the Jesuits, and her ideas of justice were limited +by her religious bigotry. In other respects she was wise and liberal; +she effected a complete reorganization of the government, establishing +special departments of justice, industry and commerce; she thought +to develop the resources of the country; abolish torture, introduced +a new criminal code,--in short, she neglected scarcely any important +interests of the people, except their education and their religious +freedom. Nevertheless she was always jealous of the presumptions of +Rome, and prevented as far as she was able, the immediate dependence of +the Catholic clergy upon the Pope.” + +Maria Theresa was an empress of great ability, and during her reign, +the German states made great progress in many of the useful arts, and +industries. Her usefulness came to an end with her death in 1780, and +the first German empire ceased to exist in 1806, when Francis II. +abdicated as its last emperor. + + +PALATINE ELECTORS. + +PHILIP WILHELM.--This prince who was born in 1651, became the elector +of the Palatinate in 1685, and continued to rule for three years when +he died. During his short reign the Palatinate was comparatively free +from the ravages of contending armies. The rapacity of Louis XIV. gave +the poor Palatines a brief respite; but their misery was not long +postponed, for the French king made war again upon them immediately +upon the accession of Philip Wilhelm’s successor. + + * * * * * + +JOHN WILHELM.--With the death of the former prince, his eldest son, +John Wilhelm became the ruling prince Palatine. He was born in 1658, +and came to the electorate in 1688, and continued, until his death in +1716. It was during his reign, that the beautiful Palatinate was made +a desert, by the armies of Louis XIV., in his efforts to usurp the +electorate for his sister-in-law, the duchess of Orleans. He was a weak +prince, and resided away from his dominion for a great part of the time +of the French occupation of the Palatinate. He established himself at +Düsseldorf, from whence he feebly directed the operations against the +French hordes who were engaged in devastating the Rhine provinces. + + * * * * * + +CHARLES PHILIP.--This prince was a brother of the former, and became +elector in 1717. He was born in 1661, and his reign ended with his +death in 1742. Louis XIV. died two years before the reign of Charles +Philip began, so the latter was spared the ordeal of defending the +Palatinate, against the ravages of the French soldiers, although his +dominion continued to be overrun by the soldiers of other European +nations at war with each other. Charles Philip was a fair sort of a +prince, and tried to restore the Palatinate to some of its ancient +splendor, and made some progress in that direction. He restored the +castle of Heidelberg in a great measure, and built the beautiful +castle at Mannheim, and lived there during a part of his reign. + + * * * * * + +CHARLES THEODORE.--This prince belonged to a collateral branch of the +line of Palatine electors, and was born in 1724; came to the electorate +in 1742, and continued his rule until 1799, when he died. He was a +noble prince, highly educated, and devoted to the fine arts. Numerous +monuments of his reign remain around Heidelberg, and the beautiful +bridge over the Neckar is one of them, which is pointed out to the +tourists by the citizens of Heidelberg with great pride at the present +day. + +In 1777, Charles Theodore inherited the throne of Bavaria, and then +removed his court to Munich. He continued however in the electorate of +the Palatinate until his death, when he was succeeded by Maximilian +Joseph, who continued in the electorate only two years, when it became +extinct, by virtue of the terms of the treaty of Luneville, which was +dictated by Napoleon; whereby France received all of the Palatinate, +on the west bank of the Rhine, and Baden received the greater part of +it, situated on the east side. That part of the Palatinate on the west +bank of the Rhine taken by France was ceded back to Germany, after the +downfall of Napoleon in 1815. Maximilian Joseph was the last ruling +Palatine elector. He came to the electorate in 1799, and in 1802 to +1803 he transferred his rights to the newly established electoral House +of Baden. In 1806 he became King of Bavaria. + +There were other princes in the direct line of descent of the Palatine +electors who kept up the title for a number of years after the +electorate was abolished, but none ever reigned, and the line is now +extinct. + +[Illustration] + + + + +APPENDIX D. + +A CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF ALL THE REIGNING PRINCES OF THE PALATINATE. + + +1. CONRAD OF HOHENSTAUFEN.--He was the first prince invested with +the electoral dignity. He was raised to the honor by his brother the +Emperor Frederick I. (Barbarossa); was born in 1127; died in 1195. + +2. HENRY THE GUELPH.--Son of Henry the Lion--duke of Brunswick; became +Pfalzgrave of the Rhine after Conrad. Born in 1169; died 1227. + +3. HENRY THE YOUNGER; married Mathilda of Brabant; born in 1194; died +1214. + +4. LOUIS I., duke of Bavaria, was made elector by the German emperor +for distinguished military services, although Henry the Younger’s +father was still living, and was the rightful heir of Conrad of +Hohenstaufen. + +5. OTHO, the Illustrious, son of Louis I. followed the latter; he was +born in 1206; died 1253. + +6. LOUIS II., the Severe, son of Otho I., married Mary of Brabant, whom +he had beheaded without cause in a fit of jealousy. + +7. RUDOLPH I., son of Louis, at the beginning reigned in common with +his brother Louis of Bavaria, who afterwards became emperor. He divided +his lands, and retained the Palatinate of the Rhine, while his brother +kept Bavaria. + +8. ADOLPHUS the Just, became invested with the electorate by his uncle +emperor Louis, in 1320. He was born in 1300; died in 1327. + +9. RUDOLPH II., next succeeded to the electorate. + +10. RUPERT I., the Elder, reigned according to the will of his uncle, +in common with his brother, and for the deceased brother Adolphus. He +was the founder of the University of Heidelberg in 1346, and he also +built the Rupertina Chapel of Heidelberg castle. He was born in 1309; +died 1390. + +11. RUPERT II., the Hard-hearted, son of Adolph, came next to the +electorate. He was an impetuous soldier, who participated in most of +the numerous wars, which distracted the peace of Germany in his day. + +12. RUPERT III., surnamed the Good, and on account of his love of +justice, called Justinian; the only son of Rupert II. He was popular +with all the German princes, who elected him king of Germany in 1400. +He built the Rupert’s building in the castle of Heidelberg. He was born +in 1352; died in 1410. + +13. LOUIS III., surnamed the Bearded, was the ancestor of the +Heidelberg line of princes. He was patron of Conrad of Constance in +1414, and confined Pope John XXIII, for a long time in the Rudolph +building a prisoner. Born in 1376; died in 1437. + +14. LOUIS IV., surnamed the Candid, came next and reigned 12 years. He +was born in 1424; died 1449. + +15. FREDERICK I., the Victorious, brother of Louis IV. became elector +at the latter’s death. German affairs were in a greatly disturbed +condition, when he came to the electorate. He became arrayed against +the emperor, and likewise the Pope; but he triumphed over all his +enemies, and his name lives in history as one of the most eminent of +all the German princes. He was born in 1425; died in 1476. + +16. PHILIP, the Sincere, son of Louis IV. succeeded Frederick I. He +was a prince who was devoted to the sciences, and who labored for the +welfare of the people over whom he reigned. Born in 1448; died in 1508. + +17. LOUIS V., surnamed the Pacific; was so called because he labored +unceasingly, at the meetings of the diets of the German empire, to +pacify all the princes who differed in their religious opinions. He was +the son of Philip; and was a great disciple of peace; he nevertheless +prepared for war by constructing important fortifications of the castle +of Heidelberg. He constructed the Louis building of the castle, and +connected the grand rampart, the Louis tower, the watch tower, and the +big tower, by subterranean passages. His reign was a comparatively +pacific one, and lasted 36 years. It was during his reign that Martin +Luther launched his Reformation, and nailed the 95 theses on the church +door of Wittenberg; and was excommunicated by the pope from the church +of Rome. Louis was born in 1478; died 1544. + +18. FREDERICK II., the Wise, was a brother of Louis V. His reign +lasted only six years; but he improved that time by completing the +fortifications of the Heidelberg castle, and built the new court in +connection with it. He was born in 1482; died in 1550. + +19. OTHO HENRY, the Magnanimous, was next to obtain the electorate. +He received his name because of his generosity in protecting the arts +and sciences; and it was he who built the most beautiful architectural +monument of the castle of Heidelberg,--the Otho-Henry building. He was +born in 1502; died in 1559. + +20. FREDERICK III., the Pious, had an uneventful reign, excepting the +religious contentions, in consequence of the Reformation. Born in 1515; +died 1570. + +21. LOUIS VI., son of the former, reigned 15 years, from 1559 until +1576. Born in 1539; died in 1583. + +22. JOHN CASIMIR, brother of the former, came to the electorate in +1576. He was a chivalrous prince; much esteemed by his subjects. He +built the first Big Tun, in the cellar of the Heidelberg castle. Born +in 1543; died 1592. + +23. FREDERICK IV., son of Louis VI., reigned 18 years, during which he +erected the splendid Frederick’s building with its new chapel in the +castle. Born 1574; died 1610. + +24. FREDERICK V., surnamed the Patient, married Elizabeth Stuart of +England, grand-daughter of the unfortunate Mary, Queen of Scots. He +made many fine architectural additions to the castle of Heidelberg; +among them the palace of Elizabeth, and its magnificent gate which is +still admired in the grandeur of its ruins by thousands of tourists +each year. Frederick was elected king of Bohemia in 1619, but soon +after he was defeated in a great battle near Prague by the emperor +Ferdinand, and thereby lost his crown, when he fled to Holland, where +he died without ever returning to the castle of his ancestors. Born in +1596; died 1632. + +25. CHARLES LOUIS, surnamed the German Solomon, returned to his +hereditary lands in 1649, as heir to the Palatinate. He restored the +castle which had been almost ruined by the ravages of the Thirty Years’ +War, and made himself useful in re-establishing prosperity to the +Palatinate, which had been severely afflicted, and he soon succeeded +in making the rich soil of the valleys of the Upper Rhine, and Neckar +bloom again like a garden. He was a noble prince; born in 1617, died in +1680 while on his way from Mannheim to Heidelberg in an orchard in the +village of Edingen. + +26. CHARLES, his only son and heir succeeded him. He died without issue +and his sister married to the duke of Orleans, brother of Louis XIV. of +France, who made pretensions to the electorate, and was supported by +Louis. Her unjust claim was the signal for the unfortunate war, which +brought the ruin and desolation to the Palatinate, the details of which +have been recounted in these pages. + +Sketches of the Palatine electors, 27, 28, 29 and 30 have already been +noted among the sketches of the counts Palatine, who reigned during the +period of the German emigration from the Palatinate to America. + + + + +APPENDIX E. + +GLOSSARY. + + + Aduatuci, a German tribe formed out of the fragments of the Cimbrians + and Teutonians. + + Aix-la-Chapelle, Treaty of. A treaty which ended the war of the + Austrian Succession, in October, 1748. + + Alsace, a province of the German empire, a part of which was + conquered by France in the Thirty Years’ War, and the whole ceded to + France in 1791. The whole was ceded back to Germany in 1871, as a + result of the Franco-Prussian war. + + Alemanni, a German race of Suevic origin, which occupied the region + from the Main to the Danube, in the first part of the third century + A. D., afterwards extending to the Rhine, including Alsace, and part + of Eastern Switzerland. + + Ampsivari, a German tribe described by Tacitus, which continued until + the fifth century A. D., when it became merged in the Franks. + + Anne, Queen, succeeded to the throne of England in 1702, upon the + death of William III. + + Aryan, a Sanscrit word, applied to all nations who speak a language + mainly derived from the Sanscrit, or ancient Hindoo, as the Greek, + Latin, Gothic, English, German and all kindred tongues. + + Arendt, Baron von, a patriot and German soldier, of the Revolution. + + Attila, a famous king of the Huns, whose conquests in Europe were + a terrific marvel, leaving ruin and desolation in his trail, in + consequence of which he was called the “Scourge of God.” He died in + 453 A. D. + + Austrian Succession, War of. The emperor Charles VI. had no male + heirs, and he sought to get all the powers concerned to accede to + the Pragmatic Sanction, by which the Austrian possessions were to + go to his eldest daughter Maria Theresa. The elector of Bavaria, + Charles Albert, never gave consent to the pragmatic sanction, and + when Charles the VI. died, he claimed the Austrian throne, as being + next in line of succession. A desire seized the European powers to + break up the Austrian state, and divide its dominions among them. + Great Britain was the only European nation which came to the aid of + Austria. After eight years of war, Maria Theresa was confirmed as + empress of Austria. + + +B. + + Batavi, a German tribe, which took sides with the Romans, and + enlisted in its armies, against the rest of the Germans. They became + ultimately merged in the Salic Franks. + + Barbarians, foreigners; people whose names have “Bar” prefixed to + them, signifying son of. + + Bingen, a city of Germany, in Hesse, situated at the junction of the + Nahe with the Rhine. + + Boehm, Philip, an early German Reformed preacher in Pennsylvania. + + Boufflers, a marshal of France under Louis XIV., born January, 1644; + died August 20, 1711. + + Brainard, David, a missionary among the Indians, born at Haddonfield, + Conn., April 20, 1718; died at Northampton, Mass., Oct. 9, 1749. + + Brandywine, Battle of. A battle fought on the creek of that name in + Pennsylvania, during the Revolutionary war, at which the Americans + under Washington were defeated by the British under General Howe. + + Burgundians, a German tribe, which settled in Gaul, and founded the + kingdom of Burgundy in the fifth century. + + +C. + + Calvert, Cecilius (Lord Baltimore). The first proprietor of Maryland; + born about the year 1605; died at London Nov. 30, 1675. + + Chauci, a German tribe, first mentioned by Strabo, living about the + shores of the North Sea, on both sides of the Weser. They disappeared + in the fifth century, becoming merged with the Saxons. + + Chatti, a powerful German tribe, some of whom left their abode in the + region of the Main, and became absorbed by the Salic Franks. Those + who remained, were the progenitors of the Hessians. + + Cherusci, a German tribe, dwelling in the time of Caesar, west of the + Elbe, about the middle Weser. Their name disappeared in the fifth + century, when they became a constituent part of the Saxons. + + Cimbrians, an ancient German tribe, inhabiting Northern Germany at + an early day. With the Teutons as allies they invaded the Roman + provinces in 113 B. C. They were afterwards “virtually exterminated,” + by a Roman army under Marius. + + Clovis, born about 465; died at Paris Sept. 8, 511. He was the + founder of the Merovingian line of Frankish kings. + + Conde, Prince de, born at Paris 1621; died at Fontainebleau, France, + Dec. 11, 1686. He was a celebrated French general during the reign + of Louis XIV., and took an active part in the devastation of the + Palatinate. + + Condrusii, a German tribe, occupying a part of Belgium, when they + became first known. Their name disappeared from history at an early + day. + + +D. + + Dunkers, a sect of German American Baptists, called by themselves + Brethren, founded in Westphalia, in 1708, by Alexander Mack. + + Duras, de, a French general under Louis XIV. + + +E. + + Eburones, a German tribe occupying a part of Belgium at the time the + Romans first made their acquaintance. + + Erlkönig, the subject of Goethe’s well-known poem. In German legend, + a “goblin or personified natural power who haunts the Black Forest. + He is particularly addicted to destroying children.” + + +F. + + Finns, the natives of Finland, a colony of whom made settlement on + the Delaware river within the present limits of Pennsylvania, as + early as the year 1637. + + Flemish, a Low German language of which the Dutch is a type. + + Frederick, The Great, born at Berlin Jan. 24, 1712; died at Sans + Souci near Potsdam Aug. 17, 1786. King of Prussia, and one of the + greatest generals and statesmen of his time. + + Franche-Comte, an ancient government of Eastern France. It was at one + time a part of the old kingdom of Burgundy, but was annexed to France + more than two hundred years ago. + + Franks, the name assumed, in the third century A. D. by a + confederation of German tribes, a branch of which founded the + Merovingian monarchy, under Clovis (481-511). + + Frankenthal, a town in the Palatinate, destroyed by the soldiers of + Louis XIV. + + Franklin, Benjamin, an American statesman, diplomat, philosopher, and + author. Born at Boston, Mass., Jan. 17, 1706; died at Philadelphia + April 17, 1790. + + Frisii, a German tribe, on the North Sea, and the progenitors of the + present race of Friesians in Friesland. + + +G. + + German: Origin, of name unknown; is said to be neither of Latin, nor + of German origin; claimed to be most probably Celtic. + + “German Slave Trade,” a name contemptuously applied to the custom of + selling German emigrants for the cost of their passage. + + Germantown, a former borough of Pennsylvania, now a part of the + municipality of Philadelphia. Founded by German Quakers in 1683. + + Goths, a powerful Teutonic tribe, forming two historical divisions + of the Visigoths, and Ostrogoths; branches of them settled early, in + the present Servia, and Bulgaria; while others founded monarchies in + France, Italy, and Spain. They became merged later into other races. + + Graffenried, a Swiss colonist, in North Carolina, who helped to found + Newbern. + + +H. + + Hatto, Bishop, archbishop of Mainz; died about 970. According to a + German legend, he was eaten alive by mice as a punishment for having + burned to the ground a barn full of people during the time of a + famine. + + “Heemweh,” a characteristic poem by the late Rev. Heinrich Harbaugh + in the Pennsylvania German dialect. + + Heidelberg, a city in Baden, Germany, situated on the Neckar 12 + miles from its junction with the Rhine at Mannheim. It was for many + years the seat of the Palatine electors, and contains the famous + castle built by them. Its ruins are said to be the most imposing in + Europe. + + Hendrickson, Cornelius, a navigator in the service of the Dutch East + India Company, who explored the Delaware river, as far as the present + site of Philadelphia in 1614. + + Hermunduri, a German tribe, a branch of the Suevi. It is believed + that they became the Thuringians. + + Hessians, are the natives or inhabitants of Hesse in Germany. In this + volume, the name is employed to designate the hireling soldiers which + the Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel, and certain other German princes sold + to the British government, to fight against American independence. + + Hohenstaufen. The name of a German princely family, which has + furnished the sovereigns to the first German empire, 1138-1254; also + for a long period the Palatine electors, were supplied by the same + family. The dynasty became extinct in 1268, when Conradin, the last + of the line, was executed. + + +I. + + Indo-European, applied to the languages of India and Europe, which + are derived from the prehistoric Aryan language; also applies to the + people or nations who speak those languages. + + Inspirationists, a religious sect, some of whom found their way to + Pennsylvania at an early day. + + +K + + Key, John, the first white child born at Philadelphia, after Penn had + laid out his city. + + “King of the Palatines,” Graffenried one of the founders of Newbern, + N. C., saved his life, after he was condemned to be burned at the + stake, by pretending that he was “king of the Palatines.” + + +L. + + Lawson, Samuel, a companion of Graffenried, whom the Tuscarora + Indians burned at the stake. + + Lexington, a city 11 miles from Boston, Mass. It is the scene of the + first bloodshed of the American Revolution, April 19, 1775. + + Longobardi, an early German tribe, known later as the Lombards, who + founded the kingdom of Lombardy, which was overthrown by Charlemagne + in 774. + + Lorraine, a region on the border between France and Germany, formerly + an independent duchy, conquered by France in the 17th century. The + German part of it was ceded to Germany in 1871, in consequence of the + treaty between France and Germany after the Franco-German war. + + Lothaire, king of Lorraine, died 869. + + Louis XIV., surnamed by the French, “Le Grand”--(the Great). He was + born Sept. 5, 1638; died at Versailles Sept. 1715. The devastation of + the Palatinate, by his soldiers, under his direction and approval, + will always cause his memory to be execrated, throughout the + civilized world. + + Louvois, Francois, Marquis de, born at Paris Jan. 9, 1639; died July + 16, 1691. A noted French statesman, minister of war under Louis XIV. + and one of the chief instruments in the devastation of the Rhine + provinces, 1666-1691. + + Luneville, Treaty of. A treaty which the First Napoleon dominated, + and in which most of the powers of continental Europe participated. + It was concluded Feb. 9, 1801. By its terms France received all the + territory on the west bank of the Rhine; Tuscany was ceded to Parma; + and the Cisalpine, Ligurian, Helvetic, and Batavian republics were + recognized. The end of the “Holy Roman Empire,” soon followed this + treaty. + + +M. + + Maintenon, Francoise d’Aubige, was born in prison at Niort, France, + Nov. 27, 1635; died at St. Cyr near Versailles April 15, 1719. Her + parents were in prison for political offenses when she was born. She + became the second wife of Louis XIV. and is said to have exercised + great influence over him with regard to his religious bigotry and his + persecutions in the Palatinate. + + Mannheim, a city of Baden, situated at the junction of the Neckar + with the Rhine. It was founded in 1606; was destroyed during the + Thirty Years’ War; rebuilt, and became the capital of the Palatinate + in 1720. + + Mainz, a city on the Rhine, and capital of Rhine-Hesse. + + Marcomanni, a German tribe, branch of the Suevi. Drusus in his + campaign found them on the middle and upper Rhine stoutly resisting + his advance. They disappeared from history as a separate tribe in the + fourth century. + + Marsi, a German tribe, mentioned by Strabo, which dwelt in the region + about Saxony, at the commencement of our era, which disappeared as a + distinct tribe after the campaign of Germanicus. + + Melac, a French officer under whose immediate direction Heidelberg + was sacked and burned. + + Mennonites, a religious sect founded in Europe in the 16th century. + To escape persecution many of them emigrated to Pennsylvania. + + Michel, Louis, a Swiss colonist in North Carolina who assisted in the + founding of Newbern. + + Muhlenberg, Heinrich Melchoir; born at Einbeck Prussia, Sept. 6, + 1711; died at Trappe, Pa., Oct. 7, 1787. A German clergyman, and + chief founder of the Lutheran Church in the United States. + + Muhlenberg, John Peter Gabriel, son of the former, born at Trappe, + Pa., Oct. 1, 1746; died near Philadelphia Oct. 1, 1807. He was a + Lutheran clergyman, Major-General in the Revolutionary army; member + of Congress, and United States Senator from Pennsylvania. + + Mystics, a name common to several religious sects some of whose + members came to Pennsylvania with the early German emigration. + + +O. + + Oppenheim, a town in the province of Rhine-Hesse, 11 miles southwest + of Mainz. It was one of the towns destroyed by the French soldiers. + + Orleans, Duchess of, sister-in-law of Louis XIV. for whom the latter + tried to usurp the Palatine electorate after the death of the elector + Philip Wilhelm, which resulted in the war which devastated the + Palatinate, and drove thousands of the inhabitants from their homes. + + +P. + + Palatinate, a former German state, which ceased to exist as an + independent state in 1801. + + Pfalz, the German term for the Palatinate. + + Pfälzer, an inhabitant of the Palatinate; and German term for + Palatine. + + Philippsburg, a town of Baden which suffered much from the wars of + Louis XIV. + + Purrysburg, a town in South Carolina, founded by German emigrants + from the Palatinate early in the 18th century. + + Penn, William, founder of Pennsylvania, who gave the province its + first code of laws; born in London Oct. 14, 1664; died in England, + July 30, 1718. He was a son of Admiral Sir William Penn. He was + carefully educated, studied at Oxford; was converted to Quakerism, + after which he was expelled from the university. He was repeatedly + imprisoned, for preaching the Quaker doctrines, but continued in his + faith to the end. After his father’s death, he inherited a claim + against the British government of 16,000 pounds, on account of which + Charles II. gave him the grant of Pennsylvania. + + +Q. + + Quaker, one of a religious sect founded by George Fox, in England + about the year 1650. The sect suffered much persecution in England + which resulted in very many of them emigrating to Pennsylvania. + + +R. + + Redemptioner, as applied to emigrants who were sold for their passage + upon their arrival at American ports, one who redeemed his freedom by + a term of service. + + Reformation, specifically the religious movement commenced by Martin + Luther, in the early part of the 16th century, which resulted in the + formation of the various Protestant sects. + + Rhenish Bavaria, the present Rhine Palatinate, with Speyer as the + capital. + + Roman Empire, founded about 500 years before the Christian era, and + embracing at one time nearly the whole civilized world. It began to + decline about the fifth century of our era, and later was compelled + to give up nearly all its conquests of many centuries. + + Ryswick, Treaty of. At the treaty signed at Ryswick, a village in + Holland, Sept. 21, 1697, between France on the one side, and England, + the Netherlands, Germany, and Spain on the other, by which Louis + XIV., among other things, recognized William III. as king of England, + thereby abandoning the cause of the Stuarts. As William III. had + espoused the cause of the Palatines, against whom Louis had carried + on a frightful war of devastation for many years, and as Germany was + a party to the treaty, one of its conditions was that Louis was to + withdraw his armies from the Palatinate. + + +S. + + Sauer, Christopher, the pioneer printer of German newspapers in the + United States. He began the publication of a German newspaper at + Germantown, Pa., in 1739, which continued to be printed many years, + exerting a great influence among the German settlers in Pennsylvania. + + Salzburgers, refugees from the archbishopric of Salzburg in Austria, + who emigrated on account of religious persecution. Many of them found + their way to Georgia, and South Carolina. + + Saxe-Gotha, an early German settlement in South Carolina, named from + the principality in Germany, whence the first settlers came. + + Saxon dialect, a dialect which came from a Low German dialect, and + developed into the present literary or High German. + + Schwenkfeld, Hans Kasper: Born in Silesia 1490; died in New Ulm, + Germany, 1561. A German Protestant Mystic, persecuted by the + Lutherans; founder of a sect of Schwenkfelders, or Schwenkfeldians, + who emigrated to Pennsylvania in the 17th century. + + Semnones, a German tribe, and a principal branch of the Suevi. Their + name disappeared from history, at the end of the second century. + + Separatists, a sect of religionists, who refuse to conform to, or be + governed by any church or its forms. + + Sicambrians, a powerful German tribe, in ancient times, which + afterward became merged in the confederation of the Franks. + + Spanish Succession, War of, a war arising out of the disputes about + the succession in Spain on the death of Charles the II., which lasted + from 1701 until 1714. It was fought between Louis I., emperor of + Germany on the one side, and Louis XIV. of France, and his allies + on the other. The emperor of Germany, and the king of France, each + claimed the right to name the successor. + + Speyer, the capital of the Rhenish Palatinate, situated at the + junction of the Speier with the Rhine. It was totally destroyed by + the French in 1689. + + Suevi, is the collective name of a German people, known to Cesar, who + describes them as the largest, and most warlike of the German tribes. + In the fifth century the Suevi appeared as neighbors and allies of + the Alemanni, with whom they acted as one people. They settled in the + region of the headwaters of the Danube, where their name is still + preserved in Swabia. + + +T. + + Tesse, a French General operating in the Palatinate, afterward a + Marshal of France; born 1651; died 1704. + + Teutonians, a German tribe who with the Cimbrians, defeated several + Roman armies, near the end of the second century B. C., but were + defeated, and nearly destroyed, by Marius, at what is now Aix, + France, in 102 B. C. They afterwards settled near the Lower Elbe. + + Thirty Years’ War. A religious, and political war, which involved + Germany, and other countries in Europe, and continued from 1618, + until 1648. The struggle was begun between the Roman Catholics and + Protestants, for the ascendency both religious and political. The + immediate cause of the war was the result of the persecutions of + Protestants by Ferdinand, when he became king of Bohemia. Protestant + churches were closed in some places, and pulled down at others. + Disturbances and persecutions of Protestants soon spread into + Germany, and elsewhere. Protestant and Catholics alike armed, for the + coming conflict, which continued for thirty years; coming to an end + with the treaty of Westphalia, Oct. 24, 1648. + + Tilly, a famous German general in the Thirty Years’ War, serving in + the Imperial army. He was born in Belgium in February, 1559; died + from a mortal wound received in a contest with Gustavus Adolphus, + April 30, 1632. + + Tory, one who during the Revolution, adhered to the British crown. + + Trenton, Battle of. A victory gained by the Americans under + Washington, over the British and Hessian mercenaries, Dec. 26, 1776. + + Turenne, a celebrated French marshal; born at Sedan, France, Sept. + 11, 1611; he devastated the Rhine provinces in 1674, and was killed + by a cannon ball, while on a reconnoissance, near Sasbach, Baden. + + Treves, a city in Rhenish Prussia, on the Moselle, noted for its + Roman antiquities. + + +U. + + Ubii, a German tribe, first mentioned by Caesar, who found them + situated on the right bank of the Rhine, north of the Taunus region; + their principal place was where the Cologne of to-day stands. They + became ultimately merged in the Franks. + + Utrecht, Treaty of. By this treaty the war of the Spanish succession + came to an end, in 1713, between France on the one side, and Great + Britain, the Netherlands, Savoy, and Portugal on the other. By it, + Philip V. of France was confirmed as king of Spain, and France + recognized the Protestant succession in England; Prussia was + recognized as a kingdom, and Great Britain received Newfoundland, + Nova Scotia, etc., in North America. + + +V. + + Vandals, a German tribe, which made its first appearance in middle + and southern Germany, in the first half of the fifth century. They + ravaged Gaul, Spain, and North Africa, etc., and in 445, they ravaged + Rome, doing much damage to treasures, art, and literature. They + founded a kingdom in Africa with Carthage as its capital. + + Verdun, Treaty of. A treaty made at Verdun, France, in 843, between + the French emperor Lothaire, and his brother Ludwig the German. By + this treaty, Lothaire was confirmed as emperor, and received Italy, + and in general the region west of the Rhine and Alps, and east of the + Rhine, etc.; Charles the Bald obtained the region west of Lothaire’s + dominions, and Ludwig the region between the Rhine and the Elbe, + which formed the nucleus of the first German empire. + + +W. + + Weber, an imposter, who was executed at Charleston, S. C., for murder + in the early days of the settlement of that state. + + Westphalia, Treaty of. This treaty was concluded in 1648, and ended + the Thirty Years’ War. Among the conditions of that treaty, the + electoral house of the Palatinate received the Rhine Palatinate; and + religious freedom was guaranteed, thereby saving Protestantism to + Europe and to the world. + + William III., King of England, 1689-1702. + + Wolf, George, a son of a German emigrant from the Palatinate, and + Governor of Pennsylvania 1829-1835, and founder of the Common School + System of that state. + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber’s note + + +Typos fixed; non-standard spelling and dialect retained. + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77784 *** |