iimuiuuiiuumtiiuiiiiuiiUH HISTORY OF THE (gprmatt #oriPl|| of iMarylattb JOHN STRICKER HISTORY OF THE (Herman ^ort^tg of iHarglanb COMPILED BY LOUIS P. HENNIGHAUSEN READ AT THE MEETINGS OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE HISTORY OF THE GERMANS IN MARYLAND 1909 For Sale by W. E. C. Harrison CB, Sons, Booksellers and Stationers 2i4 E. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Md. 1909 Copyright, 1909, by Louis P. Hennighausen Press of The Sun Job Printing OfS« ■ ' •-' [LiGPARV nt CONGRESS Two Croles Rrteivcd OopyritfOt Entry ^ HISTORY OF THE The history of "The German Society of Maryland'' will be more interesting and better understood by some knowledge of the formation and histories of similar soci- eties in other Atlantic ports of North America during the eighteenth century, who still continue their noble work of charity at the present time. They came into existence during the years of 1764 to 1784 in the cities of Phila- delphia, Pa. ; Charleston, South Carolina ; Baltimore, Maryland, and New York, with the object to assist Ger- man immigrants in distress and to mitigate and finally to abolish a pernicious system of contract labor of free white persons, which in reality became a system of slavery limited in years. We find that most of the laws govern- ing the conduct of negro slaves, were in the course of time made applicable to the white contract immigrant laborers usually called "Redemptioners." There is an erroneous impression that these redemp- tioners were all Germans, when, in fact, persons of all nationalities were kept under that bondage. For many years English, Irish and Scotch had preceded them, and the earliest Gemian immigrants to our country were free settlers who paid for their passage and for their home- steads. 6 History of The It is to the everlasting credit to these early German immigrants and their descendants that they were the first and, as far as known to the author, the only men who combined to mitigate and at last to free their poor fellow immigrants from the thraldom of this bondage. Their Patriotism x\s Americans. Nor did these early settlers who formed these societies confine themselves to mere humanitarian work, building churches, schools, orphanages, etc., they were also pa- triotic, public-spirited citizens. When the colonies rose to throw off the English yoke in the years 1776 to 1782, they took an active part in the war for the independence of our country. Every one of these large German soci- eties elected men as their officers, who rendered or had rendered voluntary Iniilitary service in the American army during the Revolutionary War. General F. W. Von Steuben. Col. H. E. Lutterloh, Lieut. Col. F. H. von Weisenfels, of New York; General Peter Muhlenberg, Fr. A. Miihlenberg, the first speaker of the House of Congress ; Col. Ludwig Farmer, of Penn- sylvania; Major Michael Kalteisen, Commander of Fort Johnson, Charleston, South Carolina ; Major Karl Fried- rich Wiesenthal, M. D., of Baltimore, Maryland, uerc all distinguished officers of the War of Independence, and served as presidents of the several German societies in their respective states. An interesting full history of the German Society of Pennsylvania was published by the historian. Dr. Oswald Seidenstricker, Philadelphia, 1876; the history of the New German Society of Maryland 7 York Society by Anton Eickhoff, in his "Der Neuen Heimath," E. Steiger and Company, New York, 1884. The history of the German Society of Charleston, South CaroHna, has to my knowledge never been published or written. I have therefore given it more space in this work and made use of information furnished by its officer from the records ; and of the historical sketches by Gen- eral J. A. Wagner, published in Deutsche Pioneer, Cincin- nati, 1 87 1, p. 2 and 36; The Germans in Colonial Times by Lucy Forney Bittinger, J. P. Lippencott Co., Philadel- phia, 1901; Koerner's Deutsche Element, 1880, A. E. Wilde and Company, Cincinnati. The history of the German Society of Maryland is taken from the original records of the society, the earliest records up to the year 1 81 7 being lost, and of later records partly destroyed by the great fire of 1904, also from contemporaneous publi- cations, newspaper and manuscripts, many legislative acts, law reports, personal conversation with old persons who had been redemptioners, letters, etc., etc., relating to the redemptioners. A redemptioner was a person from Europe, desirous, and often induced and persuaded to emigrate to the Eng- lish colonies of North America, to better his condition, and had not the means to pay for his passage. The owners and captains of an emigrant vessel to these colonies were willing to take such persons across, if the persons, and if mnors, the parents or guardians for them, would sign a contract : that on their arrival they would pay for the passage, by the captain hiring them as ser- vants for a term of years to masters willing to pay the wages in advance to the amount of the passage money. 8 History of The In law this was known as an apprenticeship, or service entered into by a free person, voluntary, by contract for a term of years, on wages advanced before the service was entered, and a violation of the contract by the servant was punished by corporal punishment and imprisonment. The servants, by performing the service, were redeeming themselves and therefore called "Redemptioners." Vari- ous laws were passed from time to time in the several colonies, intended for their protection and defining their status with their masters. By an act of the assembly of Maryland, passed in 1638, the term of service of a re- demptioner was limited to four years, but by the act passed in the year 171 5, all servants above the age of twenty-five years were to serve five years ; those between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five years to serve six years; those between the age of fifteen to eighteen years to serve seven years and all below fifteen years up to then- twenty-second year, A so-called custom of the country grew up to give to the servant at the expiration of his service a reward, which was in 1637 (Md. Archives, case of Henry Spinks) judicially ascertained to be: One cap or hat, one new cloth or frieze suit, one shirt, one pair of shoe^ and stockings, one ax, one broad and one narrow hoe, fifty acres of land and three l>arrels of corn, which Henrys Spinks was adjudged to be entitled to out of the estate of his deceased master, Nicholas Harvey. Redetruptioners came or were sent to Virginia and later to Maryland from their first settlements. The first settlers had taken possession of and were granted large tracts of rich, virgin soil, but there were no laborers to German Society of Maryland 9 cultivate it. England, to foster the value of her new colonies, transported her prisoners of war, taken in the insurrections of the Scots and Irish, to America to be sold a.s redemptioners ; the city of London, at one time, sent a hundred homeless children from its streets. In 1672, the average price in the colonies for a full term of a redemp- tioner was about ten pounds, while an African negro slave for life was worth twenty or twenty-five pounds.* So it appears the master obtained the services of a white person for five years at less than ten dollars a year wages, and the captain of the ship, who transported the redemp- tioner, received nearly fifty dollars' passage money, a most profitable venture on part of the captain and master, but as hereafter will be read, a most wretched, unprofit- able venture on part of the redemptioner. In most cases, according to the temper and character of the master and intelligence and obedience of the servant, these servants were well treated, but it was mere good luck if they came into the hands of kind, human masters- Many of these servants, after serving their time, became prosperous and even wealthy citizens. It was no dis- grace to be or to have been a servant, and intermarriage, between masters and servants were not of rare occurrence. There are instances on record where school teachers, and even ministers of the gospel, were in this manner bought by congregations to render their services in their re- spective offices. The Reverend Samuel Schwerdfeger, a native of Neu- stadt in Bavaria, a graduate of the University of Er- langen in the studies of theology and law, when twenty- *Bancroft's History, Vol. i, p. 125 lo History of The four years of age, and very poor, fell into the hands oi emigrant runners, who shipped him as a redemptioner to Baltimore. He arrived here in the spring of the yeac 1753, and was offered as "a studiosus theologian" for sale for a term of years to pay for his passage. The Lutheran Congregation of York, Pennsylvania, being at the time at loggerheads with their good old Pastor, Rev, Schaum, heard of this bargain and concluded to buy Rev. Schwerd- feger as their pastor. He remained at York until 1758 joined the Lutheran Synod of Pennsylvania, and w-as sent by the synod as pastor to Frederick, Maryland. A learned apothecary was sold in Baltimore as a redemp- tioner. \\'hilst this is the bright side of the redemptioners' life, it had also a very dark side. The redemptioners on then- arrival here were not allowed to choose their masters nor kind of service most suitable to them. They were often separated from their famliy; the wife from the husband, and children from their parents, were disposed of for the term of years, often at public sale to masters living far apart, and alw^ays to the greatest advantage of the ship- per. There are many reports of the barbarous treatment they received, how they were literally worked to death, receiving insufficient food, scanty clothing and iK)or lodg- ing. Cruel punishments were inflicted on them for sliglu offences when they were at the mercy of a hard and brutal master. Their fellow black slave was often treated bet- ter, for he was a slave for life, and it was in the interest of the master to treat hihi wxll to preserve him, whilsi the poor redemptioner was a slave for a number of years German Society of Maryland ii only, and all his vital force was worked out of him during the years of his service. As with many masters these servants were treated alike, and had to live in common with and among their negro slaves, it happened that some of tlie white female re- demptioners cohabited and intermarried with the negro slaves and gave birth to mulatto children. This became a great offence to the better portion of the society of the colony, and to remedy this evil the general assembly of Maryland in 1663, chapter 30, passed a most curious, but also one of the most abominable laws which ever dis- graced the legislative code of even a slave state. It reads as follows : An Act Concerning Negro and Other Slaves. Section i. Be it enacted by the right honorable the Lord Proprietary, by the advice and consent of the Upper and Lower Houses of this present assembly, that all negro or other slaves within the Province, and all negro and other slaves to be hereafteer imported into the Province, shall serve durante vita, and all children born of any negro or other slave, shall be slaves as their fathers were for the term of their lives. Sec. 2. And for as much as divers free born English women forgetful of their free condition and to the disgrace of our nation, do intermarry with negro slaves, by which also divers suits may arise touching the issue of such women, and a great damage both befall the master of such negroes, for prevention whereof, for deterring such free born women from such shameful matches, be it further enacted by the authority, advice and consent aforesaid, that whatsoever free born woman shall intcrmarrv with anv 12 History of The slave, from and after the last clay of this present assembly, shall serve the master of such slave during the life of her husband, and that all the issue of such free born woman so married shall be slaves as their fathers were. This law was in violation of the ancient maxim that the children of a free woman, the father being a slave, follow the status of their mother and are free. In Marylan^,. Thereby a wife, who had lost her husband during the sea voyage, or her children, on her arrival here would be sold for five years for her own voyage and additional five and more years for the passage-money of her dead husband or dead children, although they may have died in the very beginning of the voyage, K there were no members of the famiily surviving, the time of the dead was added to the time of service of the surviving fellow passengers. The effects and property of the dead were confiscated and kept by the captain. By this the shipping merchant and the captain of the vessel would gain by the death of a part of the passengers, for the dead did not require any more food and provision. It seems that many acted on 20 History of The this principle. The ships were often so overcrowded that a part of the passengers had to sleep on deck. Christoph Sauer, in his petition to the Governor of Pennsylvania ni 1775,' asserts that at times there were not more than twelve inches room for each passenger (I presume he means sleeping room helow deck), and but half sufficient bread and water. Caspar Wister, of Philadelphia, in 1752 writes : Last year a ship was twenty-four weeks at sea, and of the 150 passengers on board thereof, more than 100 died of hunger and privation, aiid the survivors were imprisoned and compelled to pay the entire passage- money for themselves and the deceased. In this year ten ships arrived in Philadelphia with 5 ,000 passengers. One ship was seventeen weeks at sea and about 60 passengers thereof died. Christoph Sauer, in 1758, estimates that 2,000 of the passengers on the fifteen ships which arrived ■ >that year died during the voyage. Heinrich Keppele, the first president of the German Society of Pennsylvania, writes in his diarv, that of the 3i2>4 passengers on board of the ship, wherein he crossed the ocean, 250 died during the voyage. In February, 1745^ Christoph Sauer relates in his newspaper: "Another ship has arrived. Of the 400 passengers not more than 50 are reported alive. They received their bread every two weeks; some ate their portion in four, five and six days, which should have lasted 15 days. If they received no cooked victuals m eight days, their bread gave out the sooner, and as they ha^'d to wait until the 15 days were over, they starved, unless they had money with which to buy of the mate flour at three pence sterling a pound and a bottle of wine for seven kopstick thalers." Then he relates how a man German Society of Maryland 21 and his wife, who had eaten their bread within eight days, crawled to the captain and begged him to throw them overboard to reheve them of their misery, as they could not survive tih bread day. The captain refused to do it, and the mate in mockery gave them a bag filled with sand and coals. The man and his wife died of hunger before the bread day arrived. But, notwithstanding, the sur- vivors had to pay for the bread which the dead ought to have had. Not on every ship were the emigrant passengers so ill provided for. The same newspaper reports that in 1748 seven ships left Rotterdam with German emigrants, and as far as known all arrived in good health and vigor. In the next year twenty ships with German emigrants left Rotterdam for Pennsylvania. One of them lost over one- half of its human freight by sickness, etc. In 1750 the government of Pennsylvania passed laws for the better protection of emigrant passengers, but the laws were in- sufficient and not enforced, and so the evil increased from year to year, fed by the large profits arising therefrom to the owners and captains of the vessels out of the per- nicious redemptioner system. It rivaled the horrors of the slave trade in its heartless cruelty. To what extent this redemptioner system could be abused is shown by the authentic and pathetic story of the zvhite slave, Sally Miiller^ ^..^ In the year 181 7, three vessels, the ship "Emanuel," 300 tons; the brig "Juffer Johanna," 370 tons, and the brigantine "Johanna Maria" sailed from the port of *Prof. Hanno Deiler, Geschichte der Deutschen am Mississipp', 1901, New Orleans. 22 History of The Helcler, in Holland, with i,ioo redemptioners for New Orleans, La. They arrived there after a passage of about four months on the sixth of March, 1818, with only 597 redemptioners on board, the others (503) had perished during the passage by sickness, from want of food, water and medical attendance. The survivors testified that, although there had been sufficient provision on board of the vessels, the officers and sailors withheld it to extort whatever money the passengers might have, and that the water was foul and full of long wortiis. Entire families perished and many children who thus had lost their parents were landed. The 'horrible suffering of these people became known and great indignation and excite- ment was aroused in the city of New Orleans, so that fourteen days thereafter the legislature of Louisiana passed laws for the better protection of emigrants and the governor was directed to appoint two or more compe- tent men as commissioners to board incoming immigrant vessels to examine their shipping contracts, and afford them the protection of the law; and especially prohibiting the sale of the survivors for the payment of the passage money of their fellow passenger who had died during the voyage. Already, on the 9th of March, 1818, three days after the arrival of the vessels. Senator Clark offered in the senate of Louisiana a resolution: "that a committee be appointed to join a committee as may be appointed by the house of representatives to ascertain what number of children there are among the German and Swiss redemp- tioners lately arrived in this port : their names and prob- able ages; whether any have been sold, and, if sold, to German Society of Maryland 23 whom, and at what prices, and to report as early as pos- sible to the legislature." The resolution was adopted in the senate by nine to one vote, but failed to pass the next day in the house of repre- sentatives. If it had passed the fate of the little German girl, which was then sold and kept for twenty-seven years in slavery as a colored person, ignorant of her white descent, married to a negro slave to whom she gave birth of three children, would have been different. Her name was Salome (called Sally) Mueller, then in her third year of age, a daughter of Daniel Mueller, a shoemaker, and Dorothea Mueller, his wife, born in the village of Langensulzbach, in Elsass. In 18 1 7 Daniel Mueller, with his wife and four chil- dren, a boy eight years old, two younger girls, Dorothea and Sally and a baby, his brother George Mueller, a lock- smith, with his wife and twO' sons ; the family Kropp and their daughter Eva, sixteen years old, a cousin of Sally, the families Kolhofer, Thickner and a Mrs. Schutz- heimer, a friend and neighbor of Mueller who was mid- wife at the birth of Sally, and others of the village of Langensulzbach, were emigrants on the aforenamed brig "Juffer Johanna.'" The wives of both the Mueller brothers died on the high sea and the baby fo'llowed in the watery grave. Then Eva Kropp took care of her little cousin Sally and on landing in New Orleans, Eva, although sold in service as a redemptioner, was willing to keep Sally with her, but Sally's father would not con- sent to it. The father with his children had been sold as a redejnptioner to Fitz John Miller, the owner of a planta- tion at Attakapas, La., and he took Mueller with his three 24 History of The children to his plantation. A few weeks after they left New Orleans. It was reported that Daniel Mueller, the father, had died of the fever, and soon thereafter that his eight-year-old boy had drowned in the river. Nothini^ was heard of the two little girls. Years passed, the terms of service of the redemptioners of the ''Jiiffer Johanna" expired in the course of time; Uncle George and his two sons became free men again, and settled and prospered in Woodville, Missouri. The memory of the terrible experience these redemp- tioners had endured in their long voyage across the ocean remained a bond of common sympathy and the fate of the two missing children was a theme of frequent inquiry and conversation among them. Their Uncle George Mueller made several journeys in search for his lost nieces, but without finding a trace of them. The children seemed lost. Twenty-four years had passed and not the slightest information of their existence or abode had come to their friends and kindred, when in 1842, Madame Karl, a cousin and fellow passenger of them, passed the coffee- house of Louis Belmonti, near the levee in New Orleans. The door of the coffee house stood wide open and Madame Karl observed a woman in the room cleaning, who, at the same moment, looked up from her work at her. As Madame Karl saw the features and eyes of the woman, she stood as petrified, the apparition of a woman dear and near to her who had perished on their dreadful voyage appeared to her. Trembling and without breath, she stared at the woman, and in the next minute she rushed into the room with the cry, "You are Sally Muel- ler, my cousin," and embraced her with tears of joy. German Society of Maryland 25 The woman was utterly surprised, assuring Madame Karl that she was mistaken in her, as she was Mary Brid- get, a colored woman, a slave belonging to Mr. Belmonti, who had bought her of Fitz John Miller, of Attakapas, and that she did not know anything of her parents or relatives. Madame Karl, however, felt that she was not mistaken. The long lost child was found, her figure, the black hair, the eyes, nose, chin and general appearance were too striking like the deceased mother, Dorothea Mueller, to admit of a mistake. She persuaded the w^oman to go with her to her cousin Eva Kropp, who was married to Franz Schubert, who had been one of the redemptioners on the "Juffer Johanna." Mary Bridget was kindly treated by Mr. Bel- monti, whO' allowed her much freedom. She went with Madame Karl to the suburb Lafayette, the home of the Schuberts. Mrs. Eva Schubert happened to be standing in her house door. Seeing them coming, she greeted from afar Madame Karl, who had not been to visit her for some time. Madame Karl, however, pointed to her companion, the slave, and asked, "Do you know her?" " 'My God! this is one of the Mueller's children, my cousin Sally,' " cried Mrs. Schubert, and rushed to the slave, and her husband, who came to the door and seeing the slave, ex- claimed : "Isn't this one of the lost children?" There was no doubt with them that the slave, Mary Bridget, was the lost Sally Mueller. All Lafayette had heard the sad story of the lost chil- dren and now, when it was rumored that one of them had been found, the people rushed to Schubert's house to ste 26 History of The her. Mrs. Schiitzheimer, the midwife at the birth ot Sally, recognized her, and, when a doubt was expressed whether her owner, Belmonti, would credit the identity of his slave to be Sally Mueller, she called attention to tw^o very peculiar birth marks which Sally, the child, had inside of each of her thighs and which Mrs. Eva Schubert, who had taken care of and washed the child for three months after the death of her mother on board of the ves- sel, well knew, and often when the lost children were the subject of conversation the female redemptioner had remarked that there would be no difficulty in establishing the identity of Sally by reason of these peculiar birth marks on her body. The woman now took the slave to Mrs. Schubert's bed-roomi, and the birth marks were found. Mrs. Schubert at once went to Mr. Belmonti and claimed the freedom of his slave as a free born white woman, her cousin Sally Mueller. Mr. Belmonti refused to give her up, but mentioned that Miller, of Attakapa.s, shortly after the sale by him to Belmonti of the slave, had said to him that Bridget had as much claim to her freedom as a free born woman and for him to treat her well and kindly, so she would remain in his service. And Belmonti further remarked, "If I had then a pistol with me, I would have shot Miller." Mr. Belmonti now restrained his slave in her freedom and from intercourse with her relatives and threatened her with bodily chastisement if she failed to obey. Her relatives and friends then caused a petition for her freedom to be filed in the first district court of New Orleans. Judge Biichanan and many prominent Ger- mans contributed money to pay the costs, expenses and German Society of Maryland 2^ lawyers' fees in the celebrated and protracted case. The renowned attorneys, W. Upton, Christian Roselius (also a former redemptioner), F. Upton, and Bonford appeared for Sally Mueller, and Messrs. Grymer, Micon, Canon, Sigur and Caperon were the attorneys for Behiionti ; Franz Schubert gave bail of $i,ooo when Sally, for an attempt to leave Belmonti, was thrown into prison. On the 23rd day of May, 1845, the trial commenced. Wit- nesses who lived near Kattakapas in the years of 1820 to 1824 testified that the child, Mary Bridget, was called the "Dutch Girl;" doctors te-^tified that the birth marks on the body of Sally Mueller could not be produced by arti- ficial means. Numerous witnesses testified to her family resemblance of the Muellers and that she was a wliite per- son; but there were also witnesses to the contrary pro- duced by Fitz John Miller, who testified that they knew of negro slaves as white in color and features as Sally Mueller. The case went up to the court of appeals of Louisiana and, on the 23rd day of June, 1845, Sally Mueller was declared a free born w*hite person, the daugh- ter of Daniel Mueller, deceased. Aside of the testimony of the relatives, the presence of the birth marks were con- sidered as of w^eight in establishing her identity. Sallie Mueller had only a dim recollection that she had been in early childhood on board of a vessel at sea. She had no recollection of her sister who forever remained lost, nor of how she had come to Attakapas. On obtaining her freedom she lived with her cousin, Mrs. Schubert. She later left the city and is reported to have married a white man named Frederick King with whom she went to Cali- fornia. 28 History of The The sale of free white persons as redemptioners to free negroes does not appear isolated, for we read in section XIII, Louisiana Digest of Civil Laws, 1808: "Whereas free colored persons in violation of the true intent and meaning of the law passed on June 7th, 1806, have bought the service of wliite persons, etc." The act then annuls all such contracts and instructs the attorney- general to proceed against those who do not immediately release the persons so in their service. In Pennsylvania and Maryland the service of the Ger- man redemptioners were usually bought by Germans or their descendants of earlier immigration and stood there- fore on a more social equality Avith their fellow men. It is known that many of these redemptioners after their years of service rose by their industry, skill and economy to wealth and influence. The author in his youth was acquainted with several old gentlemen of wealth and high social standing in Balti- more city, who, in their youth, had come here as redemp- tioners. But with all this, Freiherr von Fiirstenwerther, who traveled in America in 181 7, in his book relates that two free negroes had bought in Baltimore two German fami- lies as redemptioners and that the German citizens of Baltimore hearing of it, at once contributed the money and bought their freedom and took proper measures to prevent a rejjetition of such occurrence. Whilst there were many abuses of redemptioners in their service, it was the horrors of the ocean trip across from Europe which was the principal cause for the forma- tion of the "Gemian Societies" in the Atlantic ports in the eighteenth centur3^ German Society of Maryland 29 The German newspapers in Pennsylvania were in those years numerous and influential. (Benj. Franklin pub- lished three.) Christian Sauer, and after his death in 1757 his son. Christian Sauer, Jr., in their Germantown paper, especially, published the terrible suffering, lists of the dead and horrors on these Dutch emigrant vessels and appealed to the governor and authorities for redress. It was then on the 26th of December, 1764, that sixty- five citizens of Philadelphia, Germans or of German descent, among them men of wealth and influence, met in the Lutheran schoolhouse and organized the renowned "German Society of Pennsylvania" for the protection and aid of German immigrants and their descendants. It was a strong organization from its beginning. Heinricli Keppele, a wealthy German merchant, was its first presi- dent from 1764 to 1 78 1. In the first year of its existence, 1765, it procured better laws from the legislature for the protection of the emigrants and remained vigilant as to the strict observance of the same. It cared for the indigent sick and assisted the poor. Illustrious men deemed it an honor to serve as officers. Major General Muhlenberg, of the Revolutionary War, whose statue adorns the hall of fame in the national capitol at Wash- ington; his brother, Fr. H. Miihlenberg, the president of the first house of congress, and other prominent famous men have been its presidents and officers. In 1806 it erected a fine building, maintained schools, opened a large library, helped the poor, and as a strong public spirited organization after 144 years of existence promises for generations to come to diffuse the humane sentiments of its noble founders. 30 HiSTOKY OF The THE GERMAN SOCIETY OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, Organized January 15th, 1766. It is not generally known that the colon}^ of South Carolina had an early and numerous German immigra- tion. In 1675 many Hollanders and Germans settled on James Island and founded Jamestown. Rev. Pastor Dolzius, one of the leaders of the Salzburger refugees, who settled in 1734 on the Savannah river, in Georgia, mentions in his diary that Germans were inhabitants of Charleston, S. C. ; in the years from 1730 to 1750, Ger- mans constantly arrived by English ships and settled in the western parts near the border of the Indian country. In 1735 an organized congregation under tlieir pastor. Rev. Johann Giessendanner, came and settled Orange- burg. On the forks of Saluda and Broad river so many Germans had settled that it was called "Dutch Forks." In 1760 there were numerous German settlements at Hard Labor Creek, in Edgefield ; Lexington, Newberry, Spartanburg, Laurens and Richland. In 1763 a Baron Sttimpel, a Prussian officer who had obtained from the English government a grant of a large tract of land in South Carolina, induced about 600 Rhinelanders to follow him to his new possession. On the way across his money gave out and he abandoned them. They arrived in the spring of 1764 in two ships at Charleston short of funds.'-' The legislature granted them 500 pounds sterling and 200 *Rainsay's History of South Carolina, 1800. German Society of Maryland 31 muskets with ample ammunition and sent them under the escort of Captain Calhoun to the Geitiian district 01 Saxe-Cobourg in the western part of the colony, where they settled on land given to them. In 1752 the first Ger- man Lutheran Church was organized in Charleston. Rev. Johann Luft was the first pastor; his successors were the pastors, Rev. Johann S. Hahnbaum, Rev. Friedrich Daser, Rev. Christian Streit, Rev. Johann Christopher Faber, Rev. Matthias Friedrichs, Rev. Carl Faber, and 181 1 Rev. Dr. Johann Buchanan, under whom it became an English Lutheran Church. Michael Kalteisen, the first president of the German Society of Charleston, S. C, is first mentioned in the year 1762 as a partner of the firm of "Braun & Kalteisen," merchants. He was very popular and con- sidered the leading citizen of the German population of the city to whom they would go for advice and assistance. The arrival of the destitute 600 emigrants of Baron Stiimpel's ill-starred enterprise, abandoned by their leader and assisted by the colony, and hearing of the organiza- tion of the humane "German Society" in Philadelphia, induced Kalteisen to appeal to his friends to meet in his house to form a similar society in Charleston. On the fifteenth day of January, 1766, fifteen citizens met and, after due deliberation, organized "The German Friendly Society of Charleston," which now, after an existence of over 142 years, is still in full vigor of life, continuing the good work and noble principle of its founders. Michael Kalteisen was elected its first president, and held that ofiice for the next eight years. The society prospered and at the breaking: out of the revolution it had a hundred 32 History of The members and so well financially provided that its patriotic members advanced the revolutionary government of the state in its struggle for independence in the war from 1776 to 1782 out of the funds of the society the sum of £2,300. Kalteisen, an ardent American patriot, on the 1 2th day of July, 1775, set on foot the plan of a German military organization, which, under the name of the Ger- man Fusileers. in 1776, numbered over a hundred mem- bers, Kalteisen being its second lieutenant. These fusi- leers* took an honorable part in the war. In 1779 they took part in the battle at Port Royal and with the conti- nental army under General Lincoln in the siege of Savan- nah, where their Captain Scheppert was killed in the same assault in which General Pulaski fell. After the war Kalteisen served in the first and several succeeding legislatures of South Carolina. On the 1 8th day of July, 1794, he was appointed cap- tain of artillery and engineers of the regular United States Anmy," and given the command of Port Johnson in the Charleston harbor, which command he retained until his death was announced on the 3rd day of November, 1807, by the firing of seventeen guns from the fort, which were answered by the same number of giuis from boats in the harbor, and all flags in town and shipping were placed at half-mast. He was bom at Wachtelsheim, in Wtirtem- burg, and died at the age of 79 years, 4 months and 17 days. He remained all his life an active member and took a deep interest in the affairs of his beloved German society. *Gcrman Pioneer, Cincinnati, 1871, General Wagner, 1736-40. 'Heitman's Historical Register of U. S. Army for 1789-1903. German Society of Maryland 33 It was at his special request that his remains were buried in a vault under the hall of the fine building- which the society had erected on Archdale street in the year 1801. A costly memorial of fine marble with appropriate inscrip- tion was placed in front of the vault. The bombardment of Charleston by the Union forces on the 17th of Septem- ber, 1864, destroyed the building, memorial and vault. A new vault has been built with suitable inscription. In the year 1803 the society opened a German school, w^herein beside German and English, Latin and Greek were taught and twenty poor children were instructed free of charge. In 1805 a German library was opened. A special fund was set aside for the assistance of German emigrants in distress, which amounted in the years 1850 to i860 to over $50,000, and about $1,500 were annually disbursed in support of widows and orphans of Charles- ton. In 1 79 1 the society was incorporated with a member- ship of 169 and a capital of $8,643.58 and continued to prosper financially so that at the time of the destruction of their building by the bombardment in 1863 it had a capital of more than $100,000, which, being invested mostly in southern securities, was like its membership materially reduced by this calamity. The remaining miembers, steadfast in their devotion to its noble humane work, continued with renewed energy and gained mem- bers now also citizens of English, Scotch and Irish descent. They bought a lot of ground for the erection of a new building and, in 1866, January 17th, celebrated the first centennial of its existence, in which celebration most all societies of Charleston took part. After religious 34 History of The services in the St. John's Lutheran German Church a banquet was held. Rev. John Buchanan, who, at the fiftieth annual celebration had rendered the same service, delivered the oration. The society at the Charleston Exhibition in the year 1902 celebrated a jubilee banquet at which 250 persons took part, among- them the officials and most prominent citizens of Charleston. The German Society of Maryland next in time was organized not later than the year 1783 and its interesting history will hereinafter be given at large and in detail as far as the records, not lost or destroyed by the great fire of 1904, are available. The fourth of these societies was organized on the 23rd day of August in the year 1784 by thirteen citizens of the city O'f New York under the name of The German Society ef New York. Col. Heinrich E. von Lutterloh 'was its first president, and Col. Friedrich von Weissenfels (both officers in the Revolutionary Army) its vice-president. General von Steuben was president from: January 21, 1795, to January 25, 1804. This large and influential society, which by its report for the year 1903 shows a membership of 1,070 and a capital of $181,001.34, and by its employment bureau in 1903 assisted 10,801 persons, has had amongst its officers many renowned men. Philip D. Arcularius was president 1804-06; George Arcularius, 1 810-12 and 1824-26; Jacob Lorillard, 1819-21 and 1835-37; Johann Jacob Astor, 1837-45; L. W. Faber, 1841-45; Gustav Schwab, 1855; Sigmund Kauffman, 1874, Gustav H. Schwab, 1903-06. German Society of Maryland 35 THE GERMAN SOCIETY OF MARYLAND. The records of the organization and of the early period until the year 181 7 of this society are lost. We do not know the exact date of its organization. Travelers who visited North America in the eighteenth century mention its existence, and Franz Loher in his admirable history of the Germans in America (Cincinnati, 1847, p. 81) states that it was organized at the same time, ^'1764." when the Pennsylvania Society was founded. This date being, however, uncertain, we will take a short review of the conditions of the German inhabitants of the State of Maryland generally and especially of the inhabitants of Baltimore before and within the period of its probable beginning. Dr. E. J. Wolf and L. Beard write in their Church History : In 1710 some of the Palatinates settled in Frederick County, in and about the year 1720 they built the first church in said county at their settlement called Jerusalem. In 1733 the German settlers erected a church at the Mon- ocacy river and in 1735 at Frederick. The missionaries Rev. Melchior Muhlenburg and Rev. Michael Schlatter report in 1 747- 1 748 to Germany that more than 1,000 German set- tlers lived in the valley of the Monocacy. William Eddis, an officer under Governor Eden, in Maryland, in the years 1769 to 1776, in his Letters to a friend in England pub- lished 1792 in London under the title "Letters from Amer- ica," writes that it was the immigration of the Germans who 36 History of The mainly increased the population of Maryland and by their industry developed the colony. The Germans in the years 1732 to 1776 settled largely Western Maryland from Baltionore to the western boundary lines. In 1771, and again in 1773, they elected Jonathan Hager as a member of the Legislature of Mary- land. He was a German immigrant and the laws of Eng- land prohibited any person not born an English subject to be a member of a legislative body. The legislature of Maryland passed an enabling act which had to be approved by Lord Baltimore, the proprietor of the Province. Governor Eden of Maryland, in his letter of January 23, 1773, to Lord Dartmouth in England, writes: 'T should be extremely sorry if the Explanation I am to give to your Lordship of the motive for passing the Acts, Cap I should not prove satisfactory ; for I can venture to assure your Lordship that this Act was not intended to contravene the Statute in any degree, and that the People, in whose Favor it was passed, have the merit of being most useful subjects. In consequence of the Encouragement given by Statute, a great Number of German Emigrants have settled in North America, particularly in Pennsyl- vania, and the frontier counties of Maryland. They are generally an industrious laborious People. Their Improve- ment of a Wilderness into well stock'd Plantations, the Ex- ample, and beneficial Effects of their extraordinary In- dustry, have raised, in no small Degree, a Spirit of Emula- tion among the other Inhabitants. That they are a most useful People, and merit the public Regard is acknowledged by all who are acquainted with them." German Society of Maryland 37 Germans were among the first settlers of Bialtimore. As early as May 2, 1754, Governor Sharp of Maryland in his report to Lord Baltimore, the proprietor of the province, mentions the Germans as the best element among the inhabitants of Baltimore. In the year 1750, when "Baltimore Town" contained but 25 honses and less than 200 inhabitants, the first German Reformed Congregation of Baltimore town was organized. It is still in existence, now located on North Calvert, near Read street. It erected its first church about the year 1756 on North Charles street, near Saratoga street. The German Lutherans, until the year 1756, 'worshiped in the same building with the Refonned and about that year- separated and proceeded to purchase a lot of ground on Saratoga street, then called Fish street. Not having enough money to erect a churdh building, they built a school-house, wherein they held their religious services on Sundays and holidays until they had accumulated a capital to erect a house of worship on Gay street, now called 'The Zion Church." Mr. Moritz Worschler was their worthy schoolmaster. We find him 'mentioned in the annals of the church from the year 1758 to the year 1773. The Rev. Philip Wilhelm Otterbein in 1774 organ- ized on Conway, near Sharp street, the so-called "Otter- bein Church," a German Lutheran congregation of a large membership, out of which developed the numerous sect calling themselves "The United Brethren in Christ." German professional men, merchants, mechanic^ and artisans came in the eighteenth century in large numbers to Baltimore, mostly direct from Germany, and many from York county and other parts of Pennsylvania. In 38 History of The the year 1764 Nicholas Hasselbach, a printer and paper- maker, cajme from Philadelphia and settled with his lam- ily in Baltimore. He had been in the paper-making, printing" and publishing- business in Philadelphia, where he landed an emigrant from Germany in August. 1749. He was a man of enterprise and success and had accumu- lated considerable wealth. He published German alma- nacs and religious works and, in 1762, was a member of the publishing firm of Ant. Armbruster and N. Hassel- bach, Philadelphia. He brought with him to Baltimore a complete outfit of German and English type and print- ing press. Being established in Baltimore, he published school and other books, etc., in the German and English language and contemplated publishing a German transla tion of the Bible. Only one specimen of his publications is known to be preserved to the present time. It was republished by George W. McCreary, assistant librarian of the Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore, 1903, wnth a biography of Nicholas Hasselbach, from which the writer has the information. Hasselbach was the first printer in Baltimore. Shortly after his arrival here, July 6, 1765, he purchased a lot of ground 33x99 feet of what is now No. 414 East Baltimore street from Thomas Har- rison; in 1768 a lot corner of Charles and Pratt streets; in 1769 a lot southeast corner of Gay and Lombard streets, and a lot south side of Mercer street. On his death his estate was assessed at $50,000. In 1769 he went on a business trip to Europe and was lost at sea. In the year 1773 his widow sold his printing materials to William Goddard, who, August 20, 1773, issued the first number of the first newspaper published German Society of Maryland 39 in Baltimore under the title of "The Maryland Journal and Baltimore Advertiser" and "The Baltimore Ameri- can." Hasselbach and his family were members of the first German Reformed Congregation. As early as 1779, less than three years after the Declaration of Independence, a resolution was introduced in the senate of the general assembly of Maryland that Messrs. Hanson. Beale and Fischer translate into the German language certain acts of the assembly, and, in 1787, it was ordered by the house of delegates that the printer of Fredericktown be directed to translate into the German language the proceedings of the Committee on Federal Constitution and the resolves of the general assembly thereou to be distributed, and print 300 copies to be equally distributed in Frederick, Washington and Baltimore counties. This was the first official recognition by the State of the existence of the German language among its inhabi- tants. 40 History of The DR. KARL FRIEDRICH WIESENTHAL, The First President of the German Society of Maryland. One of the most prominent German citizens of Balti- rr <; ' ..- lown at this period was Karl Friedrich Wiesenthal, Ml D. He was born in Prussia in the year 1 726, studied medicine in Germany, and in the year 1755 emigrated to Baltimore, where he settled and practiced as a physician until his death in the year 1789. We find him a member of the church council of the Gemian Lutheran Zion Church in 1769, and he is supposed to be the annalist him- self to whom we owe the interesting chronicles of the Zion Church, compiled by Rev. Henry Scheib and pub- lished by the society of the History of the Germans in Maryland, Second Annual Report, 1887-88, p. 57. Dr. Wiesenthal in 1762 was one of the committee of five to negotiate for the purchase of the ground whereon the church and schoolhouse were to be erected, and to facili- tate the purchase he bought part of the ground for him- self. He appears at the head of the 147 subscribing mem- bers of the Rules and Reg^ulations of the Church adopted in 1773; he was a member of the church council, and on April 3, 1787, for the last time, elected as the presiding member thereof. Dr. Wiesenthal was not only a good Christian, a successful physician, but also a true patriot and public-spirited citizen. During the War of Inde- pendence he warmly espoused the cause of the patriots and his services and advice were of great value to the State and country. German Society of Maryland 41 In 1 77 1 he became naturalized. In January, 1775, he was made a meimiber of the Committee of Observation of Baltimore County and in December of the same year he received the appointment of superintendent of the manu- facture of saltpetre for the State to be used in the making of gunpowder. On March 2, 1776, he was commis- sioned by the council a surgeon-major of the First >.v- land Battalion, commanded by Colonel Smallwood. m a letter to the council of safety, written at this time and still extant, he expresses his willingness to assist the cause to the extent of his power, strength and abilities and to go with the troops wherever they should be ordered. On the 1 2th of March he published an appeal to the public for linen and old sheeting for bandages. In the sa/me year he was medical purveyor for the Maryland troops and examiner of candidates for medical positions in the service. In 1777 he was made surgeon-general of the Mar}-land troops. Dr. Wiesenthal owned and resided in a brick dwelling on the southeast corner of Gay and Fayette streets, extending to Frederick street. In the parts extending on Frederick street, which are still stand- mg. Dr. Wiesenthal and after his death, his son, Andrew Wiesenthal, M. D., conducted a medical school and a dis- secting room. See advertisement in No. 59 ■1796) Der Neue Unparteiische Baltimore Bote und Maryland Staats-- Register, Mittwoch, May 4 (The New Impartial Mes- enger and Maryland State Register of Wednesday, May 4, 1796), a weekly German newspaper published in Balti- more by Samuel Sauer, wherein Dr. Wiesenthal offers to several students comforts in his house, where they will have advantages as perhaps nowhere else in this country 42 History of The can be found in instruction in dissection, etc. In the same year Dr. Andrew Wiesenthal delivered a course of lec- tures on anatomy in Baltimore. The German physicians, Dr. Wilhelm Zollickoffer, Dr. Henry Keerl, Dr. John Peter Ahl and others were also practicing in Baltimore in those years. There is only the one No. 59 of the New Impartial Messenger, etc., preserved. It is in a glass frame in our city library. The heading of the paper indicates that there were German newspapers published in the city of B^altimore prior to the New Impartial Mes- senger and the addition of "Maryland Staats-Register" indicates that there was a merger of a former separate Maryland State Register. These German publications., wherein we most likely would find the date of the begin- ning of the German Society of Maryland being lost, a search in "Griffith's Annals of Baltimore" in the library of the Maryland Historical Society disclosed on page 703 the following entry : "1783, directly after the Peace, several merchants from other States and other parts of this State settled here, among whom were Messrs. Slubey, Dall, Stauffer, Stark, Kinimel, Isaac Salomon and Johannot, and a number of European gentlemen, among whom were Grundy, Coop- man, Schroeder, Seekamp, Koneke, Zollickoffer, Valk. By the Minerva, Capt. Bels, Harmony and other vessels there were brought a great many Irish and German Redemption- ers and A Society for the Aid of the Germans, Not Speaking the Language of the Country, was formed." In Quinan, Medical Annals of Baltimore, we find, "year 1782, page 15, Dr. Henry Keerl arrived from Ger- German Society of Maryland 43 many," and, "in 1784. Dr. Charles F. Wiescnthal, physi- cian to the German Society," and later, "Dr. William Zollikoffer." In the Maryland Journal of Tuesday, August 10, 1784, the following thanks of the society were published : '"To Capt. Clans Kulkens, of the Brig Lavater: "Sir : The brutal advantage which has been taken by some Masters of Vessels, of their power over their passengers, has induced a number of inhabitants of this place, (in imi- tation of their brethren in Philadelphia) to form themselves into a Society, for the protection of such of their country- men as may be induced to come to this State, and guard them from the oppression and barbarity of unfeeling men. "Upon inquiry concerning the usage of the people on board of your brig 'The Lavater,' we find, with peculiar satisfaction, that your attention to those principles which should animate a Christian heart, has rendered their situa- tion as easy and comfortable as circumstances would per- mit. We cannot, sir, restrain our strong desire we feel of expressing to you our warmest acknowledgments, and pub- licly to offer you our sincerest thanks, which we consider as the smallest Tribute due, for your generosity and tender- ness. By Order of the German Society John Conrad Zollikoffer, Sec. Baltimore, August 9th, 1784." These notes point to the year 1783 as the beginning of the "German Society of Maryland," especially as they refer to the arrival of many Irish and German redemp- tioners at that time. The abuse and misery these poor 44 History of The people suffered on their sea voyage had aroused the Ger- mans in Philadelphia in 1764 to organize for their aid and protection, and as John Conrad Zollikoffer says : It was in imitation of their brethren of Philadelphia they formed themselves into a society. The historian, Loher, says the Maryland society, was formed about the same time (1764) and the Charleston, S. C, was undoubtedly formed in 1766 in imitation of the Pennsylvania society. Whatever year it may have been, family tradition and other notes point to Dr. Karl Friedrich Wiesenthal as the prime mover and first president of the society and for a beginning not later than the year 1783. We shall be the more inclined to accept him as the founder of this noble humane society when we read the notice of his death taken from the Maryland Journal and Baltimore Adver- tiser of June 2, 1789. It says : "The Shaft he so often warded from others has pierced him at last. Yesterday morning, about half-past seven o'clock, departed this life Dr. Charles Frederick Wiesenthal, in the 63rd year of his age after having practiced in this town for 34 years. If the strictest attention in his profession which humanity could excite and that success which might be expected from superior medical abilities improved in an uncommon measure by reason and observation deserve to be remem- bered, the tears of gratitude must flow in sorrowful pro- fusion. He is gone ! and the pain of reflection is the more heightened because it is at the time when he was in daily expectation of the return of an absent and only son whose virtues and abilities are beloved and admired by all who know him." His son was at the time pursuing his studies in Europe. Who were his associates in the found- German Society of Maryland 45 ing of the German Society aside of John Conrad Zol- likoffer and Dr. Wilhehii Zolhkoffer, we cannot state. Brantz Mayer, in his memoir and genealogy of the Mary- land Family of Mayer, which originated in the city of Ulm; Baltimore, 1878, states on page 36 that his father, Christian Mayer, on the 3rd of January, 1785, became a member of "the German Society." There were many Avealthy and public spirited German citizens, or of Ger- man descent, in the city in those years. W. Griffith in his Annals of Baltimore, printed by Frederick G. Schaef- fer, Baltimore, 1821, on page 72, writes in the year 1776 : Officers in the Gennan Company in 1776 were Peter Mackenheimer, George P. Keeport (Kuhbord), John Lohre, Christ. Myers, Samuel Gerock, John Lindenberger, John Mackenheimer, John Ritter and George Cole, with the remark, "this does not include the Rifle Company." Before the independence of America, England had a monopoly of the foreign trade of tlie country. During the war all foreign trade was suspended, but now, after the recognition by Great Britain of the independence of the United States, the merchants of Hamburg and Bremen located branch houses in Baltimore and their ves- sels with cargoes of linen and other products of Germany, and principally with immigrants, arrived here, and re- turned with cargoes of tobacco to their home ports. Bal- timore became more and more a popular port for the imimigrants to land from Europe and especially from Ger- many. Among the earliest of the Germans to land here after the war and but a few months after the treaty was John Jacob Astor from Waldorf, Germany, who came here as an emigrant with a few hundred dollars' worth of 46 lliSTOKY OF The inusical instruments to dispose of on commission. He went from here to New York, where, by his industry, enterprise and integrity, he accumulated iiiilhons of dol- lars and became the president of the German Society of New York. John Frederick L. Amelung arrived in 1784 with a number of glass manufacturers from Germany and erected an extensive factory on the Monocacy river in Frederick county, and in 1796, with his son, F. L. F. Amelung, built the glass factory on the south side of the basin in Baltimore city. Frederick Leypold arrived here about the same time, and with Charles Carts as partner, in the year 1784, erected a sugar refinery in South Balti- more. The merchants, J. B. von Kappf and — — Ansbach. under the firm of von Kappf & Ansbach, in 1795 estab- lished their extensive tobacco export and import business. Christian Meyer, a merchant from Ulm, Germany, w'ho, m 1 81 7, became the president of the German Society, arrived here in 1784. Heinrich Schroeder, Louis Brantz. Samuel Etting. Michael Kimmel. William Lorman, Dr. Heinrich Keerl. John H. Friese, F. W. Brune and others who, in later years appear as officers of the German So- ciety, came here in those 3^ears. The outbreak of the French Revolution and the NaiX)leonic wars, which lasted till 181 5. interrupted the trade with and the immigration from Germany. Very few emigrants arriving in Balti- more during this period from Germany, there was little activity of the German Society of Maryland, which then had for its object solely the protection of the emigrants on board of the vessels which broug'ht them here and on their arrival to guard them against oppression so that no unfair advantage be taken of their ignorance of the German Society of Maryland 47 country, its laws and language, and advise and assist those who intended to settle in the interior. We only know of its continued existence during these years by it being mentioned by travelers who published their jour- neys. The German population of Baltimore in those years, many of them natives of Baltimore in the second and third generation, maintained a large Reformed, two Lutheran, a Calvinist, a Baptist and a Dunkard congre- gation, wherein the services were conducted in the Ger- man language, with parish schools. A German newspaper was published. Samuel Sauer, a printer who came here from Philadelphia in 1792, published here the following books in the German language : 1795, Johann Lassencius' Politische Geheimnisse vieler hin und wieder heutigen Tages einreisender unartigen Atheisten, Gedruckt von S. Sauer und Jones. 1795, Der heilige Krie.a^, wie derselbe gefiihrt wird von Christo Jesu wieder den Teufel. 1795, Count Roderick's Castle 2 Vol. on one, printed by same Sauer and S. Keating. 1796, Dem Andenken Deutscher Dichter und Philoso- phen, gewidmet George Washington von Deutschen in America, published by S. Keating. 1796, Der Psalter des Kdnigs und Propheten Davids. 1796, A. B. C. Buchstabier und Namen Buch. T797. Das kleine Davirl'sche Psalterspiel. 2 verbesserte Auflage nebst Appendia, Die kleine Harfe. 1798, Der merkwiirdige Lebenslauf, die sonderbaren Bekehruugen und Entziickungen des verstorbenen Dr. De Beneville. 1799, Christlichcs I-Ian(ll){iclilein von Johannias Tiibingcr. 1801, Der geschwinde Rechner, Almanacs, etc. 48 History of The Samuel Sauer combined with his printing estabHshment in partnership with WilHaim Gwinn a type foundry, which proA^ed a great success. Among the prominent citizens of these years who were active in pubHc affairs and in German Society were men- tioned : Adam Fonerden, Bakzer Schaeffer, Peter Frick, members of the City Council in 1797; Adam Fonerden became later a delegate to the Mai*yland Legislature : Capt. Jacob Keeport (Kuhbord), Capt. John Strieker and Col. John Mackenheimer, officers in the Revolutionary War; Michael Diffenderfer, Wilhelm Raborg. John Dobler, Philip Littig, Michael Schryock, Peter Sauer- wein, August Tegtmeyer, Ludwig Tegtmeyer, Wilhelm Keilholtz, Jacob Ad. Knott, Ernst Fauth, Peter Atn. Karthaus, Nicholas Emich, Col. Peter Afmigh, George Warner, Friedrich Eiseln, Peter Hoffman, Lorenz Thom- sen, David Hoffman, Jacob Schley, William Schroeder, Michael Warner, Wilhelm Krebs, Erasmus Uhler, Hein- rich Keerl, Justus Hoppe, Johann Leypold, Wendel Michael, Fred. Waesche, Ludwig Brantz, David Bixler, August Schwatka, Heinrich Winter, Christian Weis- hampel, Heinrich Dukehart, Conrad Reil, Johann Fussel- bach, Jacob Small. Capt. John Schirm, Christian Keller. Herman Alrichs, Ludwig 'Hering, Peter Gold. Captain Haubert, Capt. Michael Peters, Capt. Daniel Schwarz- man and Capt. George Steever, captains in the VVar of 1812 to 1814. These citizens took an active interest in our city affairs. The city was then divided into eight wards and each ward was represented by two members in the City Council. Among the sixteen members of the City Council in the year 1806 the following names German Society of Maryland 49 appear: First Ward, George Decker, Henry Stauffer; Second Ward, Jacob Small ; Third Ward, Wni. Lorman ; Fourth Ward, Georg-e P. Keeport; Fifth Ward, Balzer Schaeffer, John Shirm ; Sixth Ward, John Miller ; Seventh Ward, Ludwig Hering and Frederick Schaeffer. The names of Peter Hoffman, Adam Fonerden, Peter Frick, Christopher Raborg, John Mackenheimer, Samuel Frey, Peter Diffenderfer, John Snyder, William Warner and George Woelper also appear as members of the City Council in the years from 1807 to 18 14. 50 History of The THE GERMAN CHURCHES OF BALTIMORE IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. The first German Reforined Congregation which in the OTiiddle of the eigliteenth century had its church on North Charles street, at or near the northwest corner of Sara- toga street, had divided in 1770 by a large number of its members withdrawing and organizing the Second Ger- man Reformed Congregation, which, in 1774, elected Rev. Philip William Otterbein as pastor and erected the church on Conway street, between Sharp and Hanover streets, where it still continues to worship in the Gemian language. The First Reformed Church, under the ad- ministration of Rev. Mr. Pomp and the leadership of Michael Diffenderfer, Daniel Difl:*enderfer, Peter Diffen- derfer, Frederick Meyers and Jacob Meyers in 1785, re- solved to build a larger church at the northwest corner of Baltimore and Front streets. The cornerstone was laid on the first of September, 1785, and on the 20th of June, 1787, the first service was held in the new church. The members, however, soon becajmie dissatisfied with the location of the church on account of the proximity of the Jones' Falls, which often flooded its banks au'l the noise of the passing vehicles crossing the nearby Baltimore street bridge, and authorized Jacob Hoffman, Peter Dif- fenderfer, George Decker and others, eighty-two male members voting in favor of it, to sell the church. This committee soon effected a sale thereof, whidi was ratified 1)y the congregation in August, 1796. The congregation German Society of Maryland 51 then bought a lot of gTound on the north side of Second street, nearly in the bed of iHolliday street as now cut through. The lot had a 100-foot front by 200 feet depth. Melchior Keener, Andrew Steiger, George Decker, Peter Dififenderfer, Nicholas Tchudy and others were the active committee in the erection of the new church, which was 50 by 80 feet in dimension, with a steeple about 200 feet high, with three bells weighing forty-five hundred pounds and a large clock, which became known as the Town Clock. The cornerstone of this new church was laid the 28th day of April, 1796, and it was finished in September, 1797. The congregation increased in membership and influence. Many of its members were in the second, third and even fourth generation in this country and had grad- ually become estranged from the German mother tongue. The incessant strife of languages for domination had been going on. The English is the official and dominant lan- guage of our country, but it was not the exclusive language spoken by its first settlers nor is it tO' this day the common vernacular in every part of the United States. , In Maryland, and especially in Baltimore, the German language spoken by a respectable minority of its citizens was always recognized by the authorities with a friendly disposition, the surest and only way to overcome it. The ' intense, often fanatical, love which men have for the lan- guage of their parents or rather of their mothers, grows out of the subconscious memory of the sweet words of love caresses and kindness received in their infancy. If he is raised in a community where largely difi:erent lan- guage is also friendly spoken to him in childhood, it takes but one or two generations and he will lose his attach- 52 History of The menit for his mother language and so it came that in February, 1818, Dr. Michel Diffenderfer and thirty-five other m^embers of the First German Reformed Congrega- tion petitioned the consistory for permission to have Eng- lish preaching in the church on every Sabbath afternoon. The Synod granted the petition. This caused a great deal of excitement and trouble. A committee consisting of Peter Diffenderfer and Jacob Hoffman invited Rev. Lewis Meyer to pay them a visit and preach in German and English. On a Sabbath morning in the month of September, 181 8, Dr. Meyer preached a sermon in the German language to a very large congregation, and in the afternoon preached another in the English language to an immense concourse of people. The excitement was in- tense. The members who feared the extinguishment oi the German language in their church charged it being done in violation of the charter and founding of the church to have English preaching and some of them threatened violence to the minister. Their fears were well grounded, for, within ten years thereafter, in 1827, the last sermon in the German language was preached in this church. It became exclusively English in language, known as the First English Reformed Church, but lost in membership and influence. Different was the course of the German Evangelical Lutheran Zion Congregation, which was organized about the same time the Reformed Church was organized (1750) and continues to the present day to worship in the German language, a vigorous large congregation. In the year 1773, it adopted a new constitution and by- laws, which were subscribed by one hundred and forty- I German Society of Maryland 53 seven members. We find among these subscribers the names of many of our prominent families of our city of the present day. In 1808 it erected the c'hurch building on Gay street, between Saratoga and Lexington streets, on a lot of ground extending to Holliday street. The dimension of the building is 99 feet in length by 75 feet in width. The costs were $36,750.69, paid by the con- tribution of 265 of its members, whereof we have a com- plete list, published in Second Annual Report of the Society for the History of the Germans in Maryland, pages 57 to 75. 54 History of Tii(2 IN TIME OF WAR AND FAMINE. In 1 814, when the war of Great Britian with our country had lasted for more than a year and the Enghsh had suffered keenly from the many privateers fitted out in our harbor, Admiral Warren of the British Navy said : "Baltimore is a doomed town." The English came with a fleet of more than seventy ships to destroy Baltimore and, on Sunday, September nth, 1814, anchored off North Point twelve miles from the city and, on the next day, landed about 7,000 men of infantry, artillery, marines and sailors fully equipped for battle and advanced toward the city. Their warships proceeding up the Patapsco to bom- bard the city from the river, to assist the army in the work of capture and destruction. The city had heard of the threats and was informed of the design of the enemy and prepared to make a heroic defense. In August, 1814, a committee of vigilance and safety of 30, whereof the mayor of the city was chair- man, the following citizens of German birth or descent were members of this committee : Henry Stauffer. Solo- mon Etting, William Lorman, Adam Fonerden, Fred- erick SchaefTer, George Woelper, Herman Alrichs and George Warner. Philip Cronmiller, Ludwig Hering, Frederick Leypold, Henry Schroeder, Peter Gold and George Decker were among the superintendents of work for the erection of the fortifications. Peter Diffenderf- fer, William Brown and Daniel Diffenderffer were mem- bers of the committee on relief, and Christian Keller, German Society of Maryland 55 Henry Schroeder, Balzer Schaeffer and Jacob Miller were members of the ward committees. Not less did these citizens show their patriotism and valor in defense of our city, to drive back the foreign invader by force of arms, marching out of the city to give battle to the enemy. General John Strieker, commanded the brigade, which bore the brunt of the battle of North Point on the 1 2th of September. There was no regular army on the American side, they were all citizens' militia and volun- teers, among them were "The First Baltimore Light In- fantry," organized by Captam Mackenheimer. an officer in the continental army in the War of Independence and later promoted colonel. Captain John Schirm com- manded the company in 1814; "The Independent Com- pany," organized 1792 by Captain John Strieker; The Baltimore Jagers, commanded by Captain Philip S. Sadt- ler, the Union Jagers by Capt. Dominic Bader, a com- pany called the Gray Jagers, the Maryland Cavalry, com- manded by Capt. Jacob Baer, the 51st Regiment, Md. M., commanded by Colonel Henry Amey, who signed his orders Amich, and was a member of the Germ. Ev. Zion Churdi; Captains Haubert, Michel Peters, Andrew Smith, J. Matthews, Daniel Schwarzauer, George Stoever, John D. Miller, Thomas Warner, Andrew C. Warner and Henry Meyer, commanded companies in various regiments. We find their names again as mem- bers of the German Society. Our citizens of German birth and descent have at all times and in every emer- gency proven to be true Americans^ devoted to liberty and to the free institutions of our country : shoulder to shoulder with their fellow-citizens, in time of peace and 56 History of Tiie time of war they liave striven and fought for the welfare of the nation and of the community they Hved in. The long series of the Napoleonic wars in Europe where Germany had heen the principal battle ground came to an end, and the United States made peace with England. The inhabitants of these countries could again pursue their peaceful industries, cultivate the soil, repair their shattered fortunes or traverse the ocean with- out molestation, to seek new homes and better conditions of life. The old fatherland had been impoverished and devas- tated by the ravages of war, peace now gave assurance to the peasant cultivating the waste fields, that he could reap the harvest of his crops without them being destroyed by passing troops or confiscated for the armies. A still greater calamity, however, fell upon these poor people. For several years after the end of the wars in 1816, 1817 and 1818, the crops failed in northern and central Europe. Years of famine and general destitution pre- vailed in Germany; the price of a pound of bread rose to twenty cents, the poor people had not the money and to save themselves from starvation they would eat boiled weeds and grasses, this caused sickness and many per- ished. It w^as then after an interruption of about forty years, 1776 to 181 6, in the immigration, that the Great iqth Century Immigration of people from Germany to the United States commenced. The Labadists, Quakers, Menonites, Dunkers, Schwenk- felders, Moravians, Salzburgers and most of the palatines of seventeenth and eighteenth centuries had left Germany to escape religious intolerance and cruel persecution. German Society of Maryland 57 Now it was the economic condition, to escape a famine stricken country which caused about 60,000* persons in the years 1817-18 to leave their fatherland for the hospi- table shore of America. Most of them came from Wiirtemberg and the Rhenish countries, wandering along the roads with their scant household goods and baggage in horse carts or floating in barges down the river Rhine, bound for the ports of Holland to cross the Atlantic. They were mostly peasants and artisans, strong and healthy in body, industrious and frugal in habits, but im- poverished by years of war and famine, they had not the money to pay the passage on the ships, but very desirable passengers to be sold as redemptioners on their arrival in America. About the middle of the month of November, 1816, upward of three hundred of these immigrants, men, women and children arrived at the city of Amsterdam to seek passage to America. The Dutdh ship "J^^^^row Johanna," Capt. H. H. Bleeker, offered them passage to Baltimore, most of them had not the money to pay for the passage and came as redemptioners. The ship sailed with its living freight on its perilous voyage in the midst of winter. This winter is recorded as one of the coldest ever known. The chronicles of Germany relate that the birds froze to death in the air and the game perished m the forests. In Baltimore, the thermometer on Feb- ruary 5th, 1817, registered five degrees above zero, on the 6th, 13th, 15th and 17th at zero, on the 14th four de- grees below, and on the i6th four degrees above zero. The Chesapeake Bay was frozen from shore to shore. It was in this terrible weathei that the ship "J"^^o"" *Loher's History, 255. t;8 History of The Johanna" with its 300 emigrants, after fifteen weeks buf- feting- the tempestuous Atlantic Ocean on its trip from Amsterdam in the first clays of February, 1817, worked its way in the capes and up the bay as far as off Annapo- lis, where it became ice-bound. The ship had become short of provisions, and the pas- sengers upon making the capes, seeing the promised land so near in their exultation of being shortly released from their long captivity in the dark hold of the ship by land- ing in Baltimore, had thrown their bedding, which had become filthy, overboard ; misery and acute suffering from cold and hunger set in. Communication with the shore being established, the condition of these poor people became known. A humane gentleman of Annapolis, thereupon, on Feb- ruary 7th, inserted the following appeal in the Baltimore American, addressed "To citizens generally and to be- nevolent Societies " "A ship with upward of 300 German men, women and children has arrived off Annapolis, where she is detained by ice. These people have been fifteen weeks on board and are short of provision. Upon making the Capes, their bed- ding having become filthy, was thrown overboard. They are now actually perishing from the cold and want of pro- vision." On the next day, February 8th, the following adver- tisement appeared in the same paper : German Redemptioners. The Dutch ship, "Jufvrow Johanna," Capt. H. H. Bleeker, has arrived off Annapolis from Amsterdam with a number German Society of Maryland 59 of passengers, principally farmers and mechanics of all sorts, and several fine young boys and girls, whose time will be disposed of. Mr. Bolte, ship broker of Baltimore, will attend on board at Annapolis, to whom those who wish to supply themselves with good servants, will please apply ; also to Capt. Bleeker on board. The ship with the passengers aboard remained ice- bound, in the bay off Annapolis for about six weeks. It was not until the 21st day of March, when the following advertisement appeared in "The Baltimore American." German Redemptioners. The Dutch ship "Jo^""^""^'" Capt. H. H. Bleeker, has arrived before this City and lies now in the cove of Wieg- man's Wharf ; there are on board, desirous of binding them- selves for their passage, the following single men : two cap- ital blacksmiths, a ropemaker, a carrier, a smart apothecary, a tailor, a good man to cook, several young men as waiters, etc. Among those with families are gardeners, weavers, a stone mason, a miller, a baker, a sugar baker, farmers and other professions, etc. This appeared daily in the "American'' until the 7th day of April following, when, it may be presumed the last of these redemptionists, five months after they shipped from Amsterdam, were disposed of. On the 13th of February, another strong appeal was made in the Federal Gazette and Baltimore Daily Adver- tiser by one who signs himself a German descendant, for aid of the distressed emigrants on board of the ship "Johanna" ice-bound in the bay. The same paper con- 6o History of The tciined a call for a meeting of Germans and descendants of Germans to be held at Kaminsky's Hotel on Bank near Light street, that evening, at 6.30 P. M. to organize for the better protection and assistance of German emigrants. The meeting was attended by many influential and wealthy citizens. Among the organizers and first mem- bers of the society we find General John Strieker, the commanding general of the Maryland Militia and an ofii- cer of the Revolutionary War; the merchants, Christian Mayer, B. J. von Kappf, Heinrich Schroeder, Louis Brantz, Frederick Leypold, Johann Hoffman, Frederick W. Brune, Michael Kimmel, F. L. E. Anielung, the founder of the first glass furnace in the State; William Krebs, John Frick, Samuel Keerl, John F. Fries, Peter Sauerwein, Frederick Waesche, Jesse Eichelberger, Dr. Diffenderffer, Justus Hoppe, Lewis Mayer, Philip D. Sadtler, J. J. Cohen, Samuel Etting, Conrad Schultz, Dr. A. J. Schwartz, Benjamin J. Cohen, Charles W. Kart- haus, Lawrence Thomson ; the eiminent attorneys, David Hoffman, William Frick and Charles F. Mayer. Chris- tian Mayer presided and William Frick, Esq., acted as secretary. The descendants of most of these are still living in our midst and maintain the high character, the virtues and influence of their ancestors. Strieker, Waesche, Schroeder, Hoffman, Etting, Warner, Brune and Decker streets perpetuate some of these names in our city. This imeeting was the revival of "The German Society of Maryland," which for a number of years, whilst there was no immigration, had been donnant. German Society of Maryland 6l At the next meeting of the society, which was held on the 1 8th of February, 1817, a constitution was adopted, and at the following meeting on the 3rd of March the following board of officers were elected : President, Christian Mayer; vice-presidents. Dr. A. J. Schwartz, E. J. von Kappf, Heinrich Schroeder and General John Strieker ; managers, Justus Hoppe, Louis Brantz, Conrad Schultz, Jacob Small, F. L. E. Amelung, William Krebs, John F. Frick, Samuel Keerl, John F. Friese, Peter Sauer- wein, Michael Kimmel and Jesse Eichelberger ; secretary of the society, Louis Mayer; secretary of the officers. Lawrence Thomson ; treasurer, Friedrich Waesche ; coun- sellors, David Hoffeail and William Frick, Esqs. ; physi- cians, John George Wolf and Jacob Baer. The objects of the society were declared to be : The protection and assistance of poor emigrants from Germany and Switzer- land and of their descendants who may reside in the State of Maryland or be temporarily sojourning therein. One hundred and forty-nine citizens (see appendix), being natives of Germany or Switzerland or the de- scendants of such natives, subscribed their names to the constitution of the society. That it was not only the suffering of emigrants on board of the ship "Juffrow Johanna," but the system o^' redemptioners at that time which was the cause of these good men to combine to remedy the evil, appears from the many advertisements which appeared in the newspapers of those days. I have selected but a few, culled from the "B'altimore American" of the months of March and April, 181 7. 62 History of The On March 3 a reward is offered for the capture of a German redemptioner, a tailor, who absconded from Washington. And the following : For Sale or Hire. A German Redemptioner, for the term of two years. He is a stout, healthy man and well acquainted with farming, wagon driving and the management of horses. For further particulars, apply to C. R. Green, Auctioneer. On March 1 1 Patrick McCrystal offers $30 reward for the capture of a German redemptioner, a bricklayer. On March 13 Aquila H. Sparks offers $50 reward for an absconded German redemptioner. On April 1 1 the following : German Redemptioner. — $30 Reward. Absconded from the subscriber on Sunday, the 5th inst., a German Redemptioner, who arrived here in November last, by name of Maurice Schumacher, about 30 years of age, 5 feet, 9 inches, well proportioned, good countenance, but rather pale in complexion, short hair, has a very genteel suit of clothes, by trade a cabinet maker, but has been em- ployed by me in the making of brushes. He is a good Ger- man scholar, understands French and Latin, an excellent workman, speaks English imperfectly. $30 reward if lodged in jail. Jas. M. Stapleton, Brush Maker, 139 Baltimore St. The first meeting of the board of managers, comprised of the fifteen officers of the society, was held March 6. German Society of Maryland 63 181 7, all members present. Resolutions were adopted: that a majority of the members present at a meeting of the board shall decide, the president on all occasions to be entitled to vote. David Hoffman, Esq., and William Frick, Esq., were unanimously elected counsellors, and Dr. John G. Wolff and Dr. Jacob Baer elected physicians of the society; that the constitution of the society be printed; that subscriptions be solicited from natives of Germany and Switzerland, or their descendants, living" within this State, and the constitution of the society be published in newspapers of the city and two newspapers in Fredericktown and Hagerstown ; that all officiating German clergymen residing within this State shall be con- sidered honorary members of this society ; that two thou- sand dollars ($2,000.00) of the fund of the society be forthwith invested in United States stock. A communi- cation from a certain Mr. Amy, of Georgetown, accom- panied by a deposition before a magistrate relative to cer- tain grievances of a German family by the name of Kraft, lately arrived in the Dutch ship "J*^hanna," Captain Bileeker, off Annapolis, against the said captain was re- ferred to the counsellors of the society. The president on the next day consulted the legal coun- sellors, Hoffman and Frick, of the society and gave the following direction in writing : To Messrs. Conrad Schultz, ^l Managers of the German L. E. Amelung, >■ Society Peter Sauerwein J of Maryland. After a consultation held yesterday with the counsellors for the Society, I beg you that just before and immediately 64 History of The after the arrival in this port of Captain Bleeker, you make exhaustive inquiry and gather all legal evidence concerning the following three offenses for which the captain may he prosecuted ; according to reports — legal evidence of which is not lacking. 1st. — That from the start of the voyage of the ship "Jnffrow Johanna," the passengers neither in sufficient quantity nor quality, received the provisions stipulated in the contract. 2nd. — That the captain ignoring the contract, arbitrar- ily demanded of several passengers a larger sum for their passage, than had been agreed upon, and whereby they were in the true sense of the word sold and not released from their debt, as it should have been. T,rd. — That the captain seized and possessed himself of the clothes and effects of the passengers who died on board. Baltimore, March 8th, 1817. Christian Mayer, ' President. L. Thomsen, Secretary of the Board. The next entry in the Record Book reads : William Frick, Esq. is requested to bring suits against the Master of the Netherland ship "Juffrow Johanna" upon all the documents in his possession. Baltimore, March 31, 181 7, approved C. Meyer, President. Louis Brantz, Conrad Schultz, Man"igers of the German Society. German Society of Maryland 65 The ship "J'-^ff^'ow Johanna" had sailed for Baltimore, and the redemptioners expected and had the legal right to enter their redeeming service only in this city and State, but Capt. Bleeker, by advertisement, which appeared from February 24th to March 3rd in the Alexandria Gazette, in the State of Virginia, and in the National Intelligence in the District of Columbia, offered his passengers to be sold for their passage money and did sell them at the board of his vessel in the bay ofif Annapolis, to Virginia and the District of Columbia, w^ithout having entered the port of Baltimore. This being a clear violation of the law and of the terms of their contracts, some of the re- demptioners sold to these places, by letters, appealed to the society for its assistance and for redress. The society took energetic action by bringing their cause be- fore the United States court, and thus the poor redemp- tioners fleeing from a famine stricken country, bound by the harsh terms of a legal contract to years of servitude, ignorant of the language and the laws of a country then foreign to them, without means and in the greatest dis- tress, found in the German Society friends, able, willing and ready to help, to protect them in their legal rights against the abuses of the master of the vessel who brought them here and the master who bought them on their arrival, by the assistance of the best legal talent of its eminent counsellors-at-law. The president of the society, Mr. Christian Mayer, a prominent merchant, con- sul-general of the Kingdom of Wiirtemberg,. etc., came from a renowned family of the old city of Ulm, Germany, in 1784 to Baltimore. He was a man of great energy and keen intellect, in deep sympathy with the misery and suffering of the redemptioners. The secretary, Mr. 66 History of The Lawrence Thomson, was also a man of marked ability, equally versed in German and English language, worked with no less zeal in the humane cause ; these officers were supported by a board of managers, consisting of promi- nent citizens. They invoked the aid of the law to punish those who committed acts of wanton violence on redemp- tioners and caused the sick to be removed at their expense to the hospital, but they could not, under the law, prevent that these poor people were sold on their arrival pro- miscuously, often at public sale, to whosoever would pay to the captain their passage money and take them to parts unknown. Thereby families were separated the mem- bers sold singly to different buyers, without knowing what had become of each other. In the Broening case, hereinafter stated, the two infant sons were sold to a farmer in Queen Anne's county, Maryland, and their parents to a farmer in Pennsylvania. No public record was kept of these sales, nor of the contracts under which they were bound, nor was a duplicate of the contract furnished to each of the redemptioners sold. These con- tracts were in the Dutch language and the German and Swiss redemptioners being ignorant of the Dutch and English languages, were completely at the mercy of an unscrupulous crafty master, \vho took them to distant parts, away from their friends. It was, therefore, of the first importance that laws should be passed to remedy these evils and a committee consisting of the president and the two counsellors of the society w-as elected to secure at the next session of the legislature of Maryland the enactment of a body of laws and reg^lat;ons for the protection of German and Swiss emigrants arriving in the State of Maryland. German Society of Maryland 67 In the meantime the society found enongli work on their hands under the existing laws. The following- letters I have copied from the record and minute book of the board of managers of the society, I have selected only such letters as by their contents throw lig-ht on or give information of the fate of some of these redemptioners, and on the manner of the officers in dealing with their grievances and rendering them assist- ance. On May 29, 181 7, the president of the society addressed the following letter to one W. Martin Gillet : Sir : — The bearer, John Bernet, has applied to the Ger- man Society for their aid in a complaint he has against you. They have referred him to one of their counsels, who is of opinion, that you have no right to the servitude of Bernet's children. The officers of the Society wish to in- form you of this opinion of their counsel, and to invite you to an amicable arrangement of the business if possible by reference or otherwise. Bernet is willing to pay whatever impartial person may think him indebted to you for his children and begs that you will cease sending officers of Justice after him. Your reply, written or verbal, if you are disposed to settle the difference in a friendly manner, will oblige, etc. This affair seems to have been amicably arranged, for no further complaint is made. On July 17, 181 7, he sent the following letter to Mr, Solomon Davis, Marble Quarry, Montgomery county: Sir : — Yesterday, I received your letter of the 9th inst. The man you mention has been to see me about three weeks 68 History of The agfo. He complained plausible enough, not only of ill usage, but also of the hardship of being put to work, which he hav- ing a rupture, it was physically impossible for him to do. He has stated that he would make up the money which has been paid for his passage from Europe. I answered him that the German Society could not interfere, especially, if his employer resided in the District of Columbia, or in Virginia, which he could not tell, that he must apply to a magistrate and a court &c. I finally advised him to return to his service and tender the money he could procure. I am glad to find that he at least so far followed my advice as to return and I am sorry to learn that he absconded again. These poor people, sir, are ignorant of the laws of this State and the manners and customs of its inhabitants. At least of those of British origin and descent make no dif- ference between white servants and black slaves, and when they are treated accordingly, they fancy themselves ill used, — which to be sure is inconvenient to their masters. A servant of mine is a native of the same village, in Suabia, from which your man came. I interrogated him on receipt of your letter about your man whose name I understood is Thies. My servant assured me that he did not see nor hear of him since he was with me last month, etc., etc. I am respectfully sir, Your most obedient servant. Christian Mayer, President of German Society of Maryland. Letter to Charles Ridgely, Jr., Esq. : July 15th, 1 8 17. Sir: — The bearer has been referred to me by two officers of the German Society, which has made it my duty as pres- German Society of Maryland 69 ident of this society to take notice of his case. It is to be lamented, that the want of understanding the language is frequently the occasion of injustice on part of the master and more frequently his agents, and of impropriety of con- duct on the part of the servant. Where this is the case, it has generally been found the interest of the master to sufifer the servant to seek another employer, as seldom any good has resulted from coercion. I understand that you have consented to release this man on condition of his re- funding what you paid for his family. It will be impossible in the short space of time you have allowed him, to procure either the money or security for its payment. Mr. W. J. C. Karthaus who has a new settlement in Pennsylvania, has offered to take him and his family there at his expense, to employ them at the highest wages, and to retain from that a portion toward the debt due you, for which he will ac- count to the society to be refunded to you. We have no doubt in the course of a reasonable time the man will be able to discharge his debt toward you and I think you run little hazard letting him go on these terms. I have the honor, etc., etc. Christian Mayer, President of the G. S. of Md. In this manner the society did its utmost under the cir- cumstances to aid and relieve emigrants in distress. IL was not incorporated and had no legal standing in the courts of law. The law^s as afore-remarked were utterly inadequate to give the redemptioners the protection and the remedies they were entitled to in a Christian civilized country. Tlie legislature was not in session and would not meet until December, 1817, when the appeal for a 70 History of The charter of the society and the carefully prepared laws by the counsellors, Messrs. Hoffman and Frick, and the president for the remedy of the evils complained of could be submitted to be enacted. It was the constant effort of the society to increase its influence, membership and to raise funds to carry on its noble work. By a resolution of the board and letters of the president. Dr. J. Baer, of Fredericktown, and Dr. Schnebly, of Hagerstown, were kindly requested to solicit subscriptions among the many German and Swiss and descendants of them who were settled in those towns and vicinity by publishing the constitution and proceedings of the society in the German newspapers then published in their respective towns. To make the membership more attractive by social features, a grand banquet was arranged and held at Johann A. Kaminsky's Hotel, on Bank street, on Friday, the 26th day of December, 181 7. It was attended by most all the prominent Gemian- Americans of the city. Thirteen official toasts were on the program and after each toast an appropriate popular song. The first toast was "To the Land We Live In," the song, "Ubi bene, ibi patria." It seems "The Star Spangled Banner," which only a few years before had been composed in our city, had not yet become widely known, for, thereafter, it was gen- erally in the regular order at each of their banquets. "To the Land of our Ancestors" was the second toast, and "To the German Confederation (Bund)" the third; fourth, "German Industry and Honesty;" may both be- come proverbial in this country. Fifth, "German art and German Society of Maryland 71 invention." Sixth, To the memory of George Washing- ton. Seventh, To the memory of Benjamin Frankhn. Eiglith, To the memory of Luther, Zwingli and Arclt- bishop Dalberg. Nintli, "To the memory of Frcderick the Great, not as a conqueror, but as wisest o^ monarchy and first servant of the people of his country." Tenth, "To the memory of the Muhlenbergs and all German- Americans who distinguished themselves in the cause of Liberty, Religion and Science." Eleventh, "All emigrants, may they never be ungrateful to the country which adopted them." Twelfth, "To our Sister Societies." Thirteenth, "To the Ladies of America, Germany and Swiss." This closed the official program, but by no means the. flood of kindliness, good cheer and enthusiasm which had been engendered, and being now released from the formalities of the program called forth and toasted to the memory of numerous illustrious men with eloquent re- marks of their virtues and great services rendered to man- kind. The president, Christian Mayer, not losing sight of the ulterior object of the banquet, gave as toast, "May the legislature of our State be favorable to the objects and purpose of our society," and spoke of the adoption of the laws for the better j^rotection of emigrants and re- demptioners, submitted by the society to the legislature, then in session at Annapolis. Mr. J. B. von Kapff, the first vice-president, then pro- posed a toast, "To the President of the United States ot America, James Monroe." Dr. A. J. Schwartze, a re- nowned physician of the city and third vice-president, y2 History of The proposed a toast, "To the German Society of Maryland ;'" then toasts were drank to the memories of Herman the Cherusker, to General Blucher, Baron De Kalb, William Tell, Adelung, Klopstock, Lessing, Herder, Wieland, Theodor Koerner, Goethe, Schiller, Mozart, Hayden, Handel, the German language, a number of physicians and scientists, and after the vice-president. General John Strieker, had retired, a toast, "On the Victory of North Point, may it always be remembered that a descendant of a German was the first to defeat the hostile British demon- stration against Baltimore." After the withdrawal of President Mayer a toast to him as a philanthropist, etc.. was drank. There were thirty-eight toasts as reported in the Federal Gazette. The banquet was a great success, an enthusiastic affair and long remembered in Baltimore. The object of the society became thereby more widely known and popular, which was of great assistance in obtaining from the legis- lature on the third of February, 1818, the following charter or act of incorporation by Chapter 100: WHEREAS, the arrival of Germans and Switzers from Europe, and the numerous settlements made by them in various parts of the Union, have induced a nimiber of per- sons in this State to associate themselves for the purpose of removing or lessening their distresses in a strange land, and these persons having applied to the General Assembly of Maryland, for an act of incorporation. Therefore : Section i. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF AID., That Christian Mayer, John Strieker, Augustus J. Schwartz, Bernard J. Von Kapff, Henry Schroeder, Justus Hoppe, John Frederick Fries, Con- German Society of Maryland 73 rad Schultz, James Keerl, Augustus Hammer, Frederick Leypold, Frederick and E. Amelung, Michael Kimmel, William Krebs, Louis Brantz, Philip P. Eckel, Jacob Small, Lawrence Thomsen, Louis Mayer, David Hoffman and William Frick, the present Officers of the German Society of ]\'Iaryland and all persons who are or may hereafter be- come members of said Society and their successors, shall be and they are hereby created and made one community, corporation and body politic, for ever hereafter, by the name, style and title of "The German Society of Mary- land." Sec. 2. AND BE IT ENACTED, that the said corpora- tion, and their successors by the name, style and title afore- said, shall be capable in law of purchasing-, receiving, hold- ing, selling, leasing and conveying, all manner of lands, tenements, goods, chattels, rents, annuities, liberties, fran- chises or other property, real, personal or mixed ; provided always, that the clear annual value or income from the property of the said corporation shall not exceed the sum of $5,000 exclusive of the monies arising from annual or other stated subscriptions or payments. Sec. 3. AND BE IT ENACTED, that the said corpora- tion and their successors by the name aforesaid, shall be for ever hereafter able and capable in law to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, answer and be answered unto, in all or any court of justice, and it shall and may be lawful for them to have and use a common seal, and the same to break, alter and renew, at pleasure, and generally to do all things and acts which may be necessary to carry into effect the benevolent designs of said corporation. Sec. 4. And be it enacted, that said corporation and their successors, shall be capable of making such rules and by- 74 History of The laws as may be necessary for the regulation and govern- ment of said corporation, the same not being contrary to the laws and constitution of this State, or of the United States. Two weeks later, on February i6, 1818, the law pre- pared by the officers of the society was passed. It was entitled : An Act Relative to German and Swiss Redemptioners. Whereas, it has been found that German and Swiss emi- grants, who for the discharge of the debt contracted for their passage to this country are often obliged to subject themselves to cruel and oppressive imposition by the mas- ters of the vessels in which they arrive, and likewise by those to whom they become servants, BE IT ENACTED : Section i. Providing for the appointment by the gov- ernor of a trustworthy person, skilled in the German and English languages, as register of all contracts for appren- ticeship of German or Swiss emigrants arriving in this State. Sec. 2. Regulates the manner of making these contracts, and none shall be valid, unless the same be drawn by the register or approved by him. Sec. 4. Provides for the recording of these contracts, or indentures, in a court of record. Sec. 5. Provides that the master must give every minor under the age of twenty-one years at least two months' schooling annually during his servitude. Sec. 6. No emigrant shall in any case be bound to serve longer than four years. Sec. 7. That no German or Swiss emigrant arriving here shall be detained longer than 30 days on board of the German Society of Maryland 75 vessel after such arrival, and receive during the detention on board good and sufficient provisions, without increase in the period of their servitude. Sec. 8. Makes it the duty of the register to remove on shore any sick emigrant or any emigrant having been cruelly or ill-treated by the officers of the ship, at the expense of the vessel. If no purchaser is found for him within sixty days after arrival, the master or owners of the vessel have no further lien on such emigrant. Sec. 9. That no children shall be answerable for the passage money of their parents, dead or alive, nor parents for their deceased children, nor a husband for his deceased wife, nor a wife for her deceased husband, any pretense of custom in contract, promise or agreement made beyond sea, to the contrary notwithstanding. Sec. 10. That the masters of the vessels arriving, in case of the death of any German or Swiss emigrant, within ten days after arrival deliver to the register an accurate in- ventory of all the property of such emigrant on board of such vessel. The register shall then sell such property, pay the master the passage-money, provided that if the passen- ger died before the expiration of one-half of the voyage no passage-money shall be due, and the heirs of the deceased shall be entitled to the proceeds, and if after advertisement and due search no heirs of the deceased can be found within three years after the arrival of the ship, then the proceeds to go to the German Society of Maryland. By these laws the society received an official recogni- tion. It possessed talent, influence and money, and now it had also the powerful arm of the laiw to assist it in it- noble efforts in behalf of the oppressed. 76 History of The It was now the care of the society to see that these ex- cellent laws were duly carried out. This depended on the character and ability of the person the governor would appoint as register. The register was to be skilled in the German and English language; he was to prepare or approve of all contracts of apprenticeship and had the most extensive authority and it was his duty to see that all the provisions of the law were complied with. On September lo, 1818, a meeting of the officers of the society was held and Lawrence Thomsen, secretary, was unanimously recommended to the governor as a suit- able person for the office as register of German and Swiss emigrants, and that he be solicited by the president of the society to appoint Mr. Thomsen to that office. Mr. Thomsen was appointed. He proved to be a faith- ful and very efficient officer and held the office until his death on the 20th of April, 1819. His early demise was lamented by the society and the community in general, as the loss of a man who, by his talents, his amiable char- acter and general usefulness, had secured to himself in private and public life the highest esteem. On December 14, 1818, the president referred to Con- rad Schultz and Samuel Keerl, managers, the case of apparent hardship between William Jacob Myers, tobac- conist, and a servant girl of his whom he had agreed to set free, but on condition to pay him a sum of money which is represented not to be in due proportion to what he paid for her time. The matter was adjusted by these gentlemen and the girl was set free. Different was the ending for the master of the redemptioner. German Society of Maryland 'jy JOHANN BODENWERBER. In January, 1819, a German, named Johann Boden- werber, appealed to the society for protection. He was a servant of one Henry Freeburger, who had treated him with the utmost crueky and inflicted such injuries on him that he was for a long time laid up in the hospital under medical treatment. The president first tried to obtain a release of Bodenwerber from his bondage, and wrote the following letter to Freeburger: "Sir: — If as a small atonement for the barbarous treat- ment, which Johannes Bodenwerber experienced from you, you will give up his indentures, the officers of the German Society will prevail on the Magistrate who issued a peace warrant against you, to have the prosecution withdrawn. Should you unexpectedly not consent to this lenient meas- ure, you may depend upon the Society's utmost endeavors to bring you to deserved shame and punishment. I have before me a physician's certificate which fully justifies my using this language to you. (Signed) Christian Mayer, President of German Society of Maryland." It is gratifying to us that Henry Freeburger in his cupidity and hardness of heart did not accept this proposi- tion, for he was promptly indicted by the grand jury and tried in the Criminal Court of Baltimore city and found guilty and sentenced. 78 History of The Johann Bodenwerber, however, Avas released from h's bondage, became a free man again and married his sweet- heart. The papers of Bodenwerber and of his sweet- heart, that is, their pass-ports and certificates of their good moral conduct from different pubhc authorities of tlieir native country, which had been in tlie custody of the German Society, were dehvered to them, together with a sum of money and the good Avishes of the society. The president speaks of Bodenwerber as a very worthy man who deserved a better fate. On Saturday, the 26th day of December, 181 8, the society celebrated the first anniversary of its re-organi- zation by a grand dinner at Williamson's Hotel, com- mencing at four o'clock p. m. The customary thirteen official toasts were drank, the United States of America heading the list. Many voluntary toasts followed and a merry time. Over $500 had been given to needy emi- grants in the past year. In the early days of the month of January, i8ig, arrived in our port the Swedish ship "Prima," Cap- tain Mo'xwold, after a long, perilous, tempestuous voyage from Bergen, Norway, with upward 250 German and Swiss emigrants, mostly redemptioners, in the great- est distress. These emigrants must have been shipwrecked or from other cause, in distress have found refuge in that far northern city of Bergen, for the German So- ciety passed at a meeting resolutions of profuse thanks to the magistrate of the city of Bergen and other public functionaries of his majesty, the King of Sweden, and to A. Gruning, Esq., consul for the Hanseatic cities at Chris- tiania for the extraordinary generosity to these emigrants German Society of Maryland 79 during their stay in Norway, assuring them that the offi- cers and all the members of the society who have heard the Jiistory of these unfortunate strangers are animated by the liveliest sentiments of gratitude for the unex- ampled humanity and liberality extended towards these emigrants. These resolutions were duly transmitted by the president and secretary of the society. On the arrival of the ship here the captain did not have the money to pay the foreign tonnage tax required by our laws, and the poor passengers were not allowed to land and in their distress had to remain on board the ship. An appeal for aid was made to the German Society, which thereupon directed its officers to make a sufficient deposit with the collector of the port to permit the landing of the pas- sengers and their baggage. President Mayer sent the following letter : The Honorable William A. Crawford, Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, Washington, D. C. Sir: The Swedish ship "Prima" Capt. Moxwold arrived here some days ago from Norway with upward 250 Ger- man emigrants in great distress. The collector of this dis- trict could not admit this ship to an entry, unless the for- eign tonnage be paid or secured, as he is not yet officially informed of the treaty with Sweden recently ratified. To alleviate the distress of the redemptioners on board the "Prima," I have this day made the requisite deposit, which the master of the sliip had not the means to do, and the ship is entered and leave given to land the passengers and their baggage. I have now to request, that you, sir, will be pleased to give direction to the collector respecting the ton- 8o History of The nage this Swedish ship is chargeable with, that he may settle with me for the deposit made. I have the honor to be most respectfully, sir, Your most obedient servant, Chr. Mayer, President of the Incorporated German Society of Maryland. The society granted a loan to Joseph Fiedler, one of the redemptioners of the "Prima," of fifty dollars for one year, and gifts of smaller sums to others, but still greater trouble came with this ship to the society, which brought discord among its officers with the sequence of the resig- nation of its able counsellors-at-law and eventually the resignation of its zealous worthy president. It w^as the Case of the "Breiining Boys." Among the redemptioners of the ship "Prima" was the Breuning family, consisting of husband and wife with their two infant sons, Christian and Adam. Mr. Law- rence Thomsen, the State Register of Redemptioners, went on board to draw and prepare all contracts for ap- prenticeship as prescribed by law for emigrants who had come under the redemptioner system and found masters willing to take them in service. The ship was crowded and the register was engaged in making out and signing apprenticeship contracts in one part of the ship, when a Mr. W. Denny, a farmer from Queen Anne county, see- ing the Breuning boys, wqs so pleased with their appear- ance that he offered the captain of the ship a liberal sum of money to buy them as redemptioners. The captain accepted tlie money, and the farmer, without having them bound and indentured by Mr. Thomsen and without the German Society of Maryland 8i parents understanding what was going on with their children, placed the boys in his boat, which was laying alongside of the ship, and shoved off. The mother seeing her only children thus carried away, cried out and lamented, crazed with grief and anguish. Mr. Thomsen called to Mr. Denny and ordered him to bring back the boys. He would return him the money he paid, but neither the order of this officer nor the piteous cries and lamentations of the mother and father of the boys made an impression on the fanner. He had a good bargain in the service of these boys until they were respectively twenty-two years of age, with no record when that time would come, and he sailed with them away across the Chesapeake Bay to Queen Anne county. It was a clear case of kidnapping. To make matters still worse the bereaved and grief-stricken parents were afterwards sold to a farmer in Pennsylvania, where they bitterly bewailed the loss of their children. All this was reported by Mr, Thomsen to the president of the society and aroused his sympathy and abhorrence. He was determined to act at once with the greatest energy in behalf of these unfortu- nate children and their parents. The only way to obtam the freedom of these lads from the custody of Mr. Denny was by a proceeding of obtaining a writ of "habeas cor- pus," to be issued by the circuit court of Queen Anne's county, commanding Mr. Denny to bring the lads into court for adjudication. The mattec was therefore to be referred to the counsellors of the society for action. The society had some time prior received a complaint from a Grerman gardener named Stoffel, who was brought to this country in the ship "Superb," and under a contract en- 82 History of The tered into in Holland, held in servitude by John Carrere, Esq., of this city, the owner of the ship "Superb." Stoffel had just grievances against Mr. Carrere, and these were referred to the counsellors to seek redress for him by law. The counsellors had sent to the society an opinion un- favorable to the legal rights of Stoffel in his just com- plaints. The president's son, Charles F. Mayer, Esq., a member of the bar, who became a leading lawyer of the State, to whom this opinion was submitted, gave a dia- metrical different opinion of the law, and was in favor of taking legal steps in behalf of Stoffel. The president agreed with his son's views, and was not in harmony with the lawyers of the society. He, therefore, sent them the following letter : February ist, 1819. David Hoffman and William Frick, Esq. Gentlemen : — I have yesterday received the opinion you favored me with, and shall consequently in my official ca- pacity desist from countenancing the gardener Stoffel's complaint against W. Carren. But permit me, gentlemen, to observe, that although it is surely not illegal in Holland for one man to become gardener for another for three years without wages, yet that species of domestic servitude, which is nothing but a temporary slavery, which makes one man the property of another, and divests him of all civic rights, is utterly unknown to the laws and customs of the Nether- lands, — there is even no feudal serf or adscriptus glebae in that country. If, therefore, Stoffel's contract is to be ex- ecuted here as it would be interpreted in Holland, he is not Mr. Carren's indented servant (Leibeigener), but his hired domestic upon wages advanced. German Society of Maryland ^3 Give me leave to state a simile: Suppose Stoffel had agreed with Captain Weems to be transported to the north- w^est coast of America, to be there maintained in the usual manner, could he have no right to complain if he were fed on rotten whale and putrid fish oil? With all due deference, I crave your permission to submit the opinion of my son on this case. I am at the same time under the necessity of calling your attention to another matter. Last week a misunderstand- ing took place between a passenger on board the ship "Prima," now in this port, and an inhabitant of Queen Anne's county, whose name Mr. Thomsen will inform you of, about the terms of servitude or apprenticeship of the former's two infant sons. Mr. Thomsen not being able to accommodate the difference, requested the man from Queen Anne's to return the two lads on board to the cap- tain, but instead of doing so, the man carried off the boys in his boat, without having them bound. I beg, gentlemen, you will by addressing the chief judge of the district in which Queen Anne is situated or by any other means you may deem advisable, endeavor to redress this wrong and punish the offender. I have the honor to be, etc.. Christian Mayer, Pres. of G. S. of Md. The president, however, did not wait for the attorneys to act, not even for a reply to his letter. He seems to have lost confidence in them, and on the 5th of February, 1819, sent them the following rather discourteous letter: "Wm. Frick and David Hoffman, Esqs. Sirs : — Before the receipt of your respected letter of yes- terday it had been suggested to me to enclose to a store- 84 History of The keeper at Centreville, with whom Mr. Thomsen has an open account, a petition to the judge of that district for a habeas corpus, accompanied by a deposition of Mr. Thomsen, stat- ing the facts of the case and a request to his correspondent to employ counsel at the expense of the German Society. I am glad, gentlemen, that by this mode of proceeding I am enabled to spare you from perhaps unnecessary trouble." By the dates of these letters it appears that the attor- neys had answered his letter within three days, but he had without waiting for a reply engaged another attorney, and taken this case out of their hands. The attorneys could not act otherwise than tender their resignation to the society. The resignation of Mr. Frick was accepted at the meeting of March the ist, and Charles F. Mayer, the son of the president, elected in his place. David Hoffman, Esq., at the next meeting of the ofB- cers also resigned as counsellor, and Peter HofYman Cruse, Esq., was elected in his stead. A fee of one hun- dred dollars for each of the late counsellors for their services was granted, but not accepted by the counsellors. A petition for a w^rit of habeas corpus for the Breuning boys was filed in the court for Queen Anne county. President Mayer wTote a personal letter to the Honorable R. Earle, chief judge of the county, on behalf of the Breuning boys. The judge answ^ered, stating that he knew Mr. Denny personally as a man of good character and standing, who did not intend to violate the law. The president called a special meeting of the board, and the judge was informed that the society insisted upon the boys being released from the unlawful custody of Mr. Denny. On the hearing of the return of the writ, the German Society of Maryland 85 boys were set free. Their parents, being in bondage as redemptioners, could not take proper care of them and the society by the Register, Mr. L. Thomsen and under the authority of the Orphans' Court had them regularly bound as apprentices to learn farming. The case of the gardener, Stoffel, was also taken up again by the new counsellors, but the record does not disclose with what success. On March 2, 18 19, the president sent the fol- lowing letter to Captain Jacob Maxwold : Commander of the Norwegian Ship "Prima." Sir : — By a meeting of the officers of the German Society of Maryland, held yesterday, I am desired to present to you the thanks of the board on behalf of the society for the humanity and courtesy with which you have, during a pro- tracted voyage, conducted yourself toward the unfortunate emigrants, who, by the uncommon generosity of the govern- ment of your country, have been after so many perils and privations which these poor people had encountered since they had left their native country, the kindness with which you have uniformly treated them was particularly consol- ing, etc., etc., etc. Chr. Mayer, President of German Society of Maryland. On the 15th of March, 1819, the president wrote the following letter, which certainly was not within the scope of his authority as the president of a society which only had for its object the protection of the emigrant and not of the ship owners. It is addressed to the German immi- grants yet remaining on board of the Dutch ship "Vrouvv Elizabeth" : 86 History of The "Captain Bredero has applied to the Gennan Society of Maryland, and represented that you refuse to hire your- selves on reasonable condition for the payment of your passage money. As Captain Bredero conscientiously per- formed his part of the contract, and, up to the present time as we are informed by everybody, treated you very kindly, your refusal is unjust, unlawful and ungrateful. The Ger- man Society makes it its duty to assist your countrymen when they are in need, and to protect them as far as it is able; but it will also not suffer any injustice to be done by emigrants, and by advice and act induce them to fulfil their obligations. I declare, therefore, to you, that Captain Bre- dero has a lawful right to have you committed to prison, to remain there on meagre fare, until your debt is paid, if you do not consent to hire for a reasonable time — that is not more than four years, for the payment thereof. The captain can exercise this right, after the expiration of thirty days of your arrival, and the German Society will assist him in this. Please conform to this, and it will please us. You are hereby warned of the consequences. (Signed) Chr. Mayer, President, etc." On the nth of May, 1819, the president gave to Cap- tain Bredero a certificate that he treated his passengers with kindness and humanity. On the 17th of April, 1819, Mr. Lawrence Thomsen, the able secretary of the society and State Register of German and Swiss Immigrants, departed this life. The society in meeting assembled unanimously recommended Lewis Mayer to the governor and council of Maryland as a suitable person to be appointed for the vacant oflfice German Society of Maryland 87 of Register for German and Swiss Immigrants arriving at the port of Baltimore. Lewis Mayer thereupon was appointed Register by the governor and council. Lewis Mayer remained State Register and secretary of the board of managers of the society until June, 1823, v/hen in con- sequence of his removal from the State of Maryland, he lesigned both offices, and, on recommendation of the society, Henry G. Jacobson was appointed his successor. Li the summer of 1819 the yellow fever was in the city, especially at Fell's Point. The inhabitants fled into the country, where they lived in tents. There was much suf- fering among the poor and soup-houses were established. ]n Germany they had good crops, prosperity had returned and for many years there was a diminished emigration from that country to America. The society gave more attention to the relief of the poor of the city, natives of Germany and Swiss and descendants of Germans and Swiss. By a resolution passed January 5, 181 9, the board re- solved itself into committees to procure additional mem- bers and solicit subscriptions in the following order of arrangement : First Week : Conrad Schultz, Samuel Keerl. Second Week : Justus Hoppe, John F. Friese. Third Week : William Krebs, Lawrence Thomsen. Fourth Week : Jacob Small, Lewis Brantz. Fifth Week: August Hammer, Frederick Waesche. Sixth Week: Michael Kimmel, F. L. E. Amelung. Seventh Week: Frederick Leypold, Philip Eckel. Eighth Week: Wm. Frick, Lewis Mayer. Ninth Week: Henry Schroeder, D. Hoffman. 88 History of The At the same meeting a by-law was adopted that, within one week after the next anniversary meeting of the so- ciety and every year thereafter on the same day, the presi- dent, vice-president and board of managers shall elect by ballot coimsellors and physicians to the society for the year ensuing. A vote of thanks was passed for Conrad Schulz, the Pnissian Consul, for his benevolent exertions to alleviate the sufferings of the unfortunate emigrants lately arrived here in the ship "Prima," from Norway. A redemptioner named Joseph Scliwartzkopf, who came with the ship "Juffrow Johanna" in January, 1817, and sold tO' a master in Annapolis without having any writing to show his terms of servitude, there being at the time no 1 egistration of redemptioners, appealed to the society for redress. The president sent sworn depositions to Annap- olis, showing that Joseph Schwartzkopf arrived here and was sold in servitude in the early month of 181 7. We no'w come to a blank leaf in the record book of the proceedings of the officers of the society. There is no entry during the period from September 25, 1819, to December 26, 1821, when, at the anniversary meeting of the society, held at Williamson's Hotel, Justus Hoppe, a prominent merchant, was chosen president and B. J. von Kapff, Dr. A. J. Schwarz, Henry Schroeder and General John Strieker, vice-presidents. William Frick appears as a member of the board of managers. The record book of the proceedings of the society was burnt in the great fire of 1904. The Federal Gazette of December 21 to 2^^, 1820, contains a notice that the anniversary meeting of the society and election of officers would be held at Mrs. Wintklos' Hotel, on Bank street, on Tuesday, December German Society of Maryland 89 26, 1820, at 12 M. Brantz Mayer in his "Memoir and Genealogy of the family oi Mayer from the city of Ulni in Maryland," page 41, says his father, Christian Mayer, for reasons of other duties, in 1821 declined a re-election. Charles F. Mayer, Esq., the counsellor, resigned in 1822, and William Frick and David Hoffman, Esqs., were again elected as counsellors of the society, offices they had re- signed in 1 819 on account of the Breuning boys' case. The former held this position until 1832 and Mr. Hoff- man until 1836, when he removed from the city to Phila- delphia. Both were prominent in public affairs. Wil- liam Frick, Esq., as author of legal books, orator and judge, was a son of Peter Frick, who, as early as 1773, was a leading member of the German Lutheran Zion Church and always took an active part in public affairs for the welfare of Baltimore Town, and in 1796, when Balti- more was raised to the dignity of a city, was a member of the first city council and se*-ved for several years as the president of the First Branch. His son, William Frick, Esq., was also a life-long worshiper and regular attendant of said Zion Church. In 1836 William Frick was ap- pointed by President Jackson collector of this port and retained the position under President Van Buren. He subsequently represented the city as State senator. In June, 1848, he was appointed by Governor Thomas chief judge of the then Baltimore county. As chief judge of that court he became a member of the court of appeals of the State of Maryland until the adoption of the new con- stitution in 1 85 1, when he was elected by the people as the first judge of the Superior Court of Baltimore City. He held that position until his death on the 25th of July, 90 History of The 1855. He remained a life-long member of the German Society. David Hoffman, Esq., LL. D., was born in Baltimore Town in 1784 of German parents. He was a leading member of the early bar in Baltimore; became professor of law in the University of Maryland from 181 7 to 1836, is the author of "A Course of Legal Studies," of "Legal Outlines." standard works for many years, and published other books of merit. Peter Hoffman Cruse, Esq., was a man of distinguished talents and an accomplished scholar. He was for a num- ber of years the editor of the "Bialtimore American," and later of "The Patriot." Justus Hoppe was re-elected and remained president of the society until the year 1833. With him Vv^ere Jacob Small, a member of the board of managers from 1819 to 1829, and in 1826 and 1827 first vice-president. In 1826 Jacob Small (Schmal) was elected mayor of the city of Baltimore. He resigned the office in 1829. General John Strieker, the fourth vice-president, died on the 23rd day of June. 1825, in his sixty-seventh year of age. His remains were interred with great military honors. At the time of his death he was the president of the Bank of Baltimore. He was one of the most amiable and best of men. The record book of the society being destroyed, we have no detail of its activity in those years, but the fol- lowing incident taken from a book in the library of the late Rev. Edward Huber may be considered as one of frequent acts of like nature. S. V. R., a Swiss nobleman, German Society op Maryland 91 published in Aaran, 1827, a book under the title of "My Visit to America in the Summer of 1824." He shipped from Havre on the German emigrant ves- sel "Hyperion" for Baltimore. On page 53 he writes: The vessel arrived at Baltimore on the 14th of July, 1824, and landed the emigrants, who immediately made ar- rangements to depart for the western territories of the United States, mostly in small caravans of eight to ten persons. Some were already entirely divested of money. They applied to a highly esteemed society in Baltimore and the two poorest families, consisting of eleven persons, received a horse and forty piaster. They, like the majority of such emigrants, wandered to the shores of the Ohio river. The society held its yearly meetings and election of officers (fully reported in the appendix) regularly in the last week of each year at Beltzhoover's Hotel, southea:-t corner of Baltimore and Hanover streets. It was also called "Indian Queen" Hotel, and celebrated in its days Beltzhoover in 1832 removed to the "Fountain Hotel." After the election of officers and transaction of busi- ness, a banquet followed with the usual toasts and speeches. It is to be noticed that these meetings and banquets were held in daytime and not in the evening, or night, as is the custom of the present time. In 1832 the society received from the lady patronesses of a concert the sum of one hundred dollars, with the request that the same be immediately distributed among Germans in dis- tress in the city. No entry is found in the record book of the officers of the society during and after the presidency of Justus 92 History of The Hoppe nor thereafter relating to a particular case of cruelty or wrong to a redemptioner requiring the assist- ance or intervention of the society. The strict enforce- ment of the registration and apprenticeship laws enacted by the State at the instance of the society and applied under the supervision of the officers of the society by the State Register, who was at the same time the secretary of the officers, as well as public opinion which had set against the redemptioner system, had a wholesome influ- ence. The newspapers of the ensuing years do not con- tain any more advertisements for "the sale, nor offering rewards for the capture of runaway redemptioners." There were gradually less redemptioners coming. In 1830 Henry G. Jacobson, the State Register, resigned, and Charles Starke was recommended by the officers of the society and appointed by the governor as the suc- cessor in office. Starke resigned in 1834 and Justus Hoppe recommended tO' the governor as the successor. The society placed certain sums of money in the hands of the president to be disposed at his discretion to the aid of destitute German and Swiss immigrants and accoimt- ed for to the treasurer. Aside of the counsellors- at-law, it always had two competent salaried physicians to attend poor sick immigrants. On the 26th of December, 1832, Charles W. Karthaus was elected president. Mr. Karthaus as vice-president had been very active to increase the membership and fund of the society. At the meeting held on the ninth day of February, 1833, he appointed from among the officers committees to solicit subscriptions from the members re- German Society of Maryland 93 siding in the respective districts, assigned to them as follows : John P. Stroble, 1 G. A. von Spreckelson, [• ist and 2nd ward. J. J. Cohen. J C. W. Karthaus, 1 Chas. Diffenderfer, !-3rd and 4th ward. J. J. Hoogewerff. J Edward Kurtz, ^ Dr. F. E. Hintze, 1 5th and 6th ward. F. W. Brune. J Chas. G. Boehm, 1 F. L. Brauns, 1 7th and 8th ward. Samuel Keerl. Frederick Focke, 1 Chas. Starcke, ^9th and loth ward. A. Schumacher. J William Hilberg, 1 Charles Fischer. Mith and 12th ward. C. G. Peters, J The regular dues of the members of the society were at that time three dollars a year. The records of pro- ceedings of the society before i860 being destroyed as aforesaid, we can by the membership of later years esti- mate the average number of members of the preceding years, as not more than one hundred and fifty to two hundred. Some members contributed liberall_v more than their regular dues (see list in annual reports) and others by the payment of a large sum became life members. After the payment of the salaries of the physicians, the medicines, the agent who visited the arriving immigrant 94 History of The vessel and other necessary expenses, there was but a small sum left to meet the demand of those deserving- aid in pecuniary distress. We read from tlie record book of the officers (which is preserved) of the constant efforts of the officers of the society, who were men of high stand- ing in the community, assuming the arduous duty of per- sonally soliciting subscriptions for their noble charity. We may assume that by their unselfish devotion they gained the sympathy and admiration of their fellow citi- zens in their work, and the legislature of the State passed a law which relieved the society, by assisting and giving it more ample pecuniary means. In the session of 1832 Charles F. Mayer, Esq., the counsellor of the society, was a member of the legislature. He introduced a law whereof his brother, Brantz Mayer, the eminent author and lawyer in his Memoir and Genealogy of the Mayer family (p. 41) writes: "From its (the German Society) beginning to this day, the Society has been one of the most effective institutions in America, designed to aid foreigners ; I drew the original law under which it collected 'passenger money' and enabled it to help so many immigrants." This law, passed the 22nd of December, 1832, by the Legislature, is now incorporated in our new "City Char- ter," adopted April 25, 1898 (p. 208, sections 519 to 531), under the heading of "I mini grants." It provides : That every master or commander of any vessel arriving from a foreign country or from any other of the United States who shall enter said vessel at the cus- ALBERT SCHUMACHER i German Society of Maryland 95 tom-house in the city of Baltimore, shall, within twenty- four hours after such entry, make a report in writing on oath to the mayor of said city of the name, age and occu- pation of every alien passenger of his vessel, or forfeit the sum of twenty dollars for every such passenger neglected or omitted to be reported. That the owner or consignee of any such vessel shall give a bond to the State of Maryland in the penalty of three hundred dollars for each passenger so reported, conditioned to indemnity and save harmless each and every city, town and county in this State, from any cost which they respec- tively shall incur, for the relief and support of the person named in the bond, within five years from the date of the bond, and also to refund, etc., any charge or expense such city, etc., may necessarily incur for the support or medical care of such persons, if received into any almshouse or hos- pital or any other institution under their care. Prescribing a fine of twenty dollars for each passenger not bonded as aforesaid, unless the owner or consignee of any such vessel within three days after the landing of such passenger, shall pay to the City Register the sum of one dollar and fifty cents for each and every passenger aforesaid, the receipt whereof shall be deemed a full and sufficient discharge from the re- quirement of giving such bond. The money so collected to go three-fifths thereof to the trustees for the poor of Baltimore City for the purpose of supporting foreign paup- ers of the said city, and the other two-fifths shall be paid to the Hibernian Society of Baltimore and the German So- ciety of Maryland. The law was originally passed as afore-stated, which would be construed that each, the Hibernian and German Societies, be equally entitled to the two-fifths of the com- 96 History of The mutation money, which would not be fair as great many- more German than Irish immigrants arrived and Hved in Baltimore and the German Society thereby carried a heavier burden than the Hibernian. The president of the German Society thereupon mailed the following letter : Baltimore, March 6th, 1833. Charles F. Mayer, Esq., Annapolis. Dear Sir : — Your esteemed favor of the 4th inst. is at hand, and this morning I received a copy of the Bill respecting emigrants; but I should like, if you think it can be done, to fix a certain amount on German passengers to be paid over by the Mayor and City Council to the German Society, so as to get a respectable fund and you may be assured that the Society will by such law become more numerous and ere long, one that will be able to do some good to poor Ger- mans arriving. I think that an alteration would be well to be made if it can be done, as it regards children instead of five to say ten years in the 2nd section 4th line. I leave this, however, to your better judgment, so soon as the law has passed, you will please to send a copy that we may have it printed in German, English and French, and send it to the different ports, where Germans arrive from. I remain your obdt. servant, Chas. W. Karthaus, By supplemental act, passed by the legislature, 1833. Chapter 177, the mayor and city council were directed ^o pay the two-fifths of the passengers commutation money to the German Society and Hibernian Society, re German Society of Maryland 97 spectively, in proportion of the amounts received from German and Swiss and from Irish passengers. So that thereafter the German Society received from the city the sum of sixty cents from the commutation money paid by every German and Swiss immigrant arriving in the city of Baltimore. The owners of the emigrant vessels col- lecting the money as a part of the passage money before the departure from the old country and paid it to the city on the arrival of the vessel. By this law the society was relieved of its financial stress and enabled with far gTeater efficiency to continue its good work. The city collected one dollar and fifty cents from each emigrant arriving at this port, ninety cents whereof went to the city poor-house and sixty cents to the respective national societies repre- senting the countries the emigrants came from. Accord- ing to the books of the German Society^ the German emi- grants who came to Baltimore and paid sixty cents each, less two per cent, commission to the city register for col- lection as provided by law, were : From 1833 — 1840 441584 persons From 1841 — 1850 50,660 persons From 1850 — 1860 73i722 persons From i860 — 1869 49,513 persons From 1869 — 1876 53-375 persons Total German emigrants to Bal- timore who paid commutation money from 1833 to 1876. .. .272,218 persons In 1876 the Supreme Court of the United States de- clared that, under the late immigration law passed by 98 History of The Congress, no State had a rig-ht to collect any tax, assess- ment, etc., from passengers arriving at its port, and the owners of the vessels refused to pay any further. The society receiving the com'mutation money enlarged its activity by authorizing each of the twelve managers to give assistance by printed orders furnished them or the treasurer of the society. It also contributed regularly to the eastern dispensary of the city. In 1832 Alber*^ Schumacher appears as one of the managers and remained cdi active officer until his death in 1871. He was at first one of the collectors of contributions for the ninth and tenth wards. In the 3^ear 1825 the ever faithful Ben- jamin J. Cohen was elected treasurer and held that re- sponsible position by annual re-election until his death in the year 1845, when his worthy son, Israel Cohen, was elected his successor in office and retained by annual re- election until his sudden death in June, 1875 — ^^^7 years, twenty thereof by the father and thiirty years by the son, were the finances of the society entrusted in the custody, care and fidelity of Benjamin Cohen and his son, Israel Cohen. The records show their painstaking care and efficiency. Their annual reports are full and lucid in detail, with sound advice as to management and investment of the funds of the society, with soHcitous care for the poor beneficiaries, so that not a dollar appears to have been misplaced or lost during their remarkably long years of gratuitous service in their important office of trust and responsibility. Their noble and steadfast devotion to charity is so well expressed by Israel Cohci-; in his thirty-first and last report as treasurer on January 2, 1875, "i the following words: German Society of Maryland 99 "The policy inaugurated some years since of adding to our permanent fund as opportunity ofifered (without at the same time denying relief to the sufifering) has horn its good fruits and whilst we can report no increase of our perma- nent fund, still we have met every call upon us, and are enabled to present our condition as last reported, prepared and seeking to perform our part fully and efficiently." In special meeting held June 4, 1875, the ofificers of the society deplored the loss of their valued friend and effi- cient officer (Israel Cohen) who discharged the duties of his office with such great fidelity and satisfaction, etc., and caused appropriate resolutions to be published in the daily papers and entered on the records of the society. In July, 1834, the officers were informed that gross impositions were practiced upon German and Swiss immi- grants arriving in the city of Baltimore. On motion of Mr. Salomon Etting, it was resolved that circulars in Ger- man and English language be printed to be handed to the captains and consignees of every vessel arriving in Balti- more with German and Swiss immigrants; that a com- mittee of the society consisting of W. C. Karthaus, John P. Strobel and Charles G. Boehm may be applied to for niformation and redress. Many immigrants arriving here in those years from the interior of Germany under very erroneous informa- tion and wrong impressions of the condition of this coun- try and thereby on their arrival here were utterly dis- appointed, low-spirited and often dispairing of their future. The society, therefore, adopted an address, pre- pared by Mr. F. L. Brauns, to those in Germany who mtended to emigrate to this country, containing full and loo History of The correct information of its condition and sound advice as to their requirements on their long journey across the Atlantic and their arrival and settlement here; also warn- ing those not fit or too infirm, not to come, and of the character and object of the society. It was signed by the officers of the society and with the approbation of the foreign consuls, members of the society. By a resolution passed October 3rd, 1834, it was ordered that 3,000 copies of the address be forwarded and distributed in tlie different principalities in Germany from whence most of the emigrants came. Messrs. F. W. Brune, F. L. Brauns, A. Schumacher, Dr. F. E. B. Hintze, Fredk. Focke, Charles W. Spilker, John P. Stroble, Mathias Benzinger, Samuel Keerl and Salotmon Etting were especially active officers and mana- gers of those years. Charles F. Mayer and F. W. Brune, Jr., were the counsellors. German Society of Maryland ioi CONVICTS. Baltimore, July 1st, 1837. At the meeting of the officers of the society the presi- dent having communicated to the meeting intelHgence he received from the German newspapers piibHshed in Phila- delphia of a number of convicts being on their way to the United States destined to New Yiork or Baltimore, and transported to this country under the direction of public authorities in Germany. It was resolved that the presi- dent be instructed to communicate this information to the mayor of the city of Baltimore, accompanied with a translated extract from the newspaper and suggest to the mayor the propriety of such interposition as the laws may allow to prevent the landing of such convicts in Balti- more or to send them back to Germany, and in the ab- sence of all legal authority for such objects, to recommend to the mayor the expediency of having the attention of the State or general government called to such evils, with a view to appropriate enactments, and further that the president be authorized to proffer pecuniary aid from this society in conjunction with means from the corporate authorities of Baltimore for returning the convicts to Germany, and particularly that the president state to the mayor that the society will through a committee of their body visit the vessels arriving with passengers in con- junction with any committee of the city council to inquire into the character of the passengers and when it is ascer- tained that vagrants or convicts be on board that the society will co-operate with the city authorities in all 102 History of The necessary measures for the returning of such passengers to Germany. Resolved, that a committee of three be ap- pointed to wait on the mayor and confer with him upon the subject of the aforegoing resolution. Solomon Er- ting, John P. Strobel and F. L. Brauns were appointed the committee. The extract from the German newspaper published in Philadelphia on the first day of July, 1837, translated as follows is : •"Thuringen, Germany, April loth, 1837. "A number of convicts out of the prison of Gotha will be sent in a few days under the escort of a secret police officer to Bremen in order to be transported to the United States of America, New York or Baltimore." In consequence of which C. G. Boehm, Chas. Spilker and S. P. Strobel were afterward appointed a committee by the president to act in conjunction with the city au- thorities on board of the vessel arrived, on which sus- picion rested, but no results were effected by it. The closest investigation made by the officers of the city au- thorities, assisted by the committee of the society, failed to find any convicts among the German immigrants who came here. The same charge was again made a number of years later, in the Know-Nothing times, which also proved unfounded. It stands to reason that emigrants who came to make this country their future permanent home, would not suf- fer convicts to accompany them without making it known on their arrival here, to have them transported back to the country from whence they came, and to those settled German Society of Maryland 103 here it was a matter of their very existence and happi- ness that no convicts of their old country should be per- mitted to land. There is no reliable evidence that con- victs or felons were ever at any time shipped by any of the German governments to the United States. Political prisoners were sometimes pardoned on condition that they leave the country, these would go to England or come to our country and would become excellent citizens. Dif- ferent was the case wath I04 History of The " PAUPERS. " Persons unable to work and without means of support, harmless, but undesirable citizens, a burden to every com- munity wherein they live, and everywhere at all times communities, more or less, have availed themselves of every good opportunity to get rid of them. If a pauper is desirous to change his habitation to another country or distant city, with no or little prospect of his return, I would like to know the county, town or city which would not furnish him free transportation; this was done to some extent by German comimunities and the German Society of Maryland has done its utmost to prevent it. The paupers who succeeded in landing here, were the most persistent and pressing claimants for aid and sup- port from the society, a burden to its officers, and an ex- pense and injury to the community. The law prohibi- ting the landing of these unfortunates here, it was cruel to transport them back in the slow sailing ships to the port they came from in Europe. The society made ef- forts to prevent their embarkation at these ports and ap- pealed to the authorities thereof. At the meeting of the board of officers held March 17th, 1838, Mr. F. W. Brune read an ordinance passed by the senate of the city of Bremen, the port from whence most of the German emigrants sailed for Baltimore, re- ferring to and preventing the exportation of paupers and vagrants. On motion of Mr. Solomon Etting the same, with an appropriate preamble, was ordered to be spread upon the minutes of the society. Tn the next German Society of Maryland 105 year, December 26th, 1839, the society passed a law for the board of officers to elect annually, at a fixed salary, an agent of the society to collect the dues from the mem- bers and perform such othei' duties as the Board may prescribe for him. At the next meeting the board elected, as the agent of the society. Mr. Conrad Lindeman, at the yearly salary of $300. His duties were, beside collect- ing members' dues, to examine carefully and report, the condition of applicants for assistance, which may be re- ferred to him by the president or any of the board of managers, promptly to visit all vessels arriving at this port with German passengers, and kindly and benevo- lently aid them with his counsel, which may be suggested by the president and officers of the society, as to their residence whilst here, and their permanent location either here, or in any other State or territory of our country; and daily to call on the president for orders. It could not be prevented that, among the hundred thousands of German immigrants who landed at this port, in the course of time, a small percentage would be- come a burden to the city or were paupers, and much was said of this in those years; but the great mass became in- dustrious, prosperous citizens and taxpayers, and paid their honest share for the support of the poor of the city. It should also be borne in mind that 272,218 German immigrants who landed here in the years 1833 to 1876, paid to the city of Baltimore the sum of $408,327 in com- mutation passenger money, supposed to be for the sup- port of any pauper which may have been among them and become a burden to the city. A very large sum of money and in excess of the proportion of paupers which may have been among them. The United States Govern- io6 History of The ment, under the Immigration Laws, now collects four dollars from every immigrant who comes to our hospi- table shores, but not a dollar of the money is expended for the support of the poor, as formerly. In 1840, on motion of Gen. Joshua Medtardt, a com- mittee was appointed to revise and amend the by-laws of the society and Messrs. F. W. Brune, Benj. I. Cohen, Gen. J. Medtardt, and the counsellors F. W. Brune, Jr. and Brantz Mayer, Esqs., were named as the committee. At the meeting of December 26th, 1840, Mr. Albert Schumacher, one of our most prominent merchants, and consul for the Hansa towns, was elected president and held that office by re-election for more than thirty years until his death June 26th, 1871. In December, 1841, Mr. Claas Vocke was elected sec- retary of the board of officers, and later as president and vice-president, remained an officer of the society for more than sixty-two years until his death in , 1903. In 1841, on motion of Dr. August Wegner, the presi- dent and secretary, were requested to draw up a petition to the legislature of Maryland for the appointment of an interpreter of the German language in the courts of the city of Baltimore, and thereafter a German interpreter was always one of the bailiffs of the courts. The anni- versary meetings of the society and the meetings of the officers were up to 1842 held at Beltzhoover's Hotel, where also the anniversary dinners took place. On January 3rd, 1842, the society and board of officers met at Boizards' European Hotel, thereafter and for the first time December 26, 1842, at the rooms of the society "Germania," No. 40 North Howard street. This society CLAAS VOCKE German Society of Maryland 107 now called "The Germania Club" has ever since then and to the present day, free of costs, generously placed its well-furnished, commodious rooms at the disposal of the yearly and quarterly meetings of the German Society of Maryland and the meeting of its officers. In the session of the State legislature of 1842, Mr. Ris- teau, a delegate from Baltimore county, introduced a bill to repeal the act of 1833 allowing the German and Hi- bernian societies two-fifths of the passenger commutation money. The German Society held a meeting to protest against the passage of an act depriving her of an income, being only a part of the money collected from German immigrants ostensibly for assistance and support of the poor among them, and applied by the society together with other money, supplied by its members, for the very purpose of assisting these poor Germans in the most economical, best philanthropic manner. A strong com- mittee of five with the able counsellor Chas. F. Mayer, Esq., as chairman, was elected to devise ways and means to prevent the adoption of the bill ; it was defeated and the society continued to enjoy the income of the two-fifths of the passenger money. The liberal annual donations to the public free dispensaries of medicine to the poor were increased and the salary of the two physicians of the society of $50 increased to $100 a year, which by a reso- lution of the society was declared not intended as a com- pensation for their services but with a view to cover a portion of their actual expenses incurred in the cause of charity. The position of a physician of the German Society must have been very desirable among the medical profession of the city, there were most always several io8 History of The candidates in the field and often a contest which required repeated ballotting. We find famous physicians among them, Dr. Charles A. Wiesenthal, and Wm. Zollikoffer in the eighteenth century, Drs. Jacob Baer, Diffenderfer, August J. Schwartze, George Frick, Huttner, August Wegner, Joshua J. Cohen, F. E. B. Hintze, William Keerl, Eid- ward Schwartze, Henry Albers, F. Schurman, J. Hamel, L. Morawitz, etc. In 1844 there appeared again in several newspapers the old story that convicts had been sent from some parts of Germany, it was a vague general charge, based upon a malevolent rumor. The society took up the matter and in meeting adopted the following resolution, presented by Mr. B.'j. Cohen : "Resolved : That a committee of three be appointed to inquire into the truth or falsehood of the charge made in the public prints, that convicts are sent from some of the states of Germany to our shores, — and that if such is the fact, proper measures be taken by said committee, to en- deavor to prevent such immigration, and if the facts be not true as stated, that the public mind be disabused of such impression, calculated as it is, to excite and perpetuate prejudice." This was seconded by F. W. Brune. The chair ap- pointed on the committee Messrs. Biedemeyer, Cohen and Kail. On motion of Col. Mathias Benzinger it was re- solved that the above resolution be published in the news- papers. As in the previous charge of the same nature no evidence of the truth thereof could be found. Notwith- German Society of Maryland 109 standing-, this malicious baseless charge was again often repeated in later years, especially in Know-Nothing times, and as often refuted. There was a steady increase from year to year of Ger- man immigrants who favored the port of Baltimore as convenient to reach by the national turnpike across the Alleghanies the cities of Wheeling or Pittsburg, from there to go by river boats down the Ohio and confluent rivers and waterways to the new States and territories of the far west. It was a long irksome trip by horse and wagon across the mountains to Wheeling or Pittsbun^. An advertisement which appeared in "The German Cor- respondent," a Baltimore paper, announced that an ex- press conveyance had been established whereby the immi- grant would reach Pittsburg in fourteen days. Cumber- land was one of the resting and forwarding stations on the route tO' Wheeling. It was reported to the German Society that German immigrants had been grossly im- posed upon by the forwarding agent at Cumberland, by being utterly deceived in regard to the character of con- veyances in which they were forwarded from Cumberland to Wheeling. The society placed the complaints in the hands of its counsellor, William F. Frick, Esq., to prose- cute the contractor for transportation of this city as well as the forwarding ag'ent in Cumberland for obtaining mone)^ imder false pretenses. Among such a large intmigration there were always some mechanics and laborers who had not the means to pay the expense and costs of the journey to the west or preferred to stay here. They were honest men, wilHng to work if they could find employment, but no History of The being strangers here, ignorant where to look for it. The society to assist them, in 1845, appointed Mr. WilHam Numsen, C. Deecke and C. W. Lentz as a com- mittee to consider and report on the expediency of estab- Hshing an intelhgence bureau, where, free of costs, men seeking employment could obtain information and advice and employers could leave orders for men they were in need. The committee made a favorable report and that Friedrich Raine, the proprietor and publisher of the Ger- man Correspondent, a public spirited citizen, offered for a very moderate compensation,' and only in view of the benevolent object, to place the bureau in the office of his newspaper, the society to pay for a permanent advertise- ment in the Sun, American and German Correspondent and for the pamphlets to be freely distributed on board of arriving immigrant vessels. The society accepted the offer of Mr. Raine and on January 16, 1845, entered into a binding contract with him. Mr. Raine was to keep a record of all applicants for work and of those who ob- tained employment through the bureau and annually make a report to the society. He reported more than 2,000 applicants, whereof 600 found employment in the first year; more than 3,500 applicants whereof the greater part found emplo3mient in 1846. The existence of the intel- ligence bureau became known in nearby towns, and in the following years thousands of workmen were sent through the agency of the bureau to Cumberland, York, Washington, Boonsboro and places where factories were in operation or railroads being built. In January, 1853, the intelligence bureau was removed to the house of Jacob Ober, No. 59 Thames street. Jacob German Society of Maryland hi Ober was appointed the agent to have charge of said bureau on a salary of $250 a year, $50 rent and $100 for clerk hire. In the month of July, 1845, ^ gross outrage had been colmmitted in the city by several ruffians upon the person of a young German girl named Margaretha Sailer, recently arrived from Gemiany with her brother. The ruffians were arrested and committed to prison for trial of their crime, to take place at the next October tertn of the criminal court. The girl was required as prosecuting witness for the State, to give bail in the sum of one thou- sand dollars for her appearance at the trial of the case, or else be confined until then in jail. She had no relatives nor friends here except her brother, who was, like her, d stranger and an immigrant, to give bail for her and keep her out of prison. It was then that Mr. Charles Degeri- hardt, one of the managers, and a Mr. Hess gave tempo- rarily bail for her till the next day, when it was to be renewed or the girl go to jail. The president, Mr. Schu- macher, on being informed, at once called a special meet- ing of the officers of the German Society to take proper steps for the protection of the unfortunate girl. The meeting was fully attended. In the absence of Messrs. Brune and Frick, the regular counsellors, from the city, George William Brown, Esq., later chief judge of the Supreme Bench of Baltimore, acted in their place and stead and represented the society in the cause at court. The society, with the consent of the court, placed Marga- retha Sailer and her brother in care of a committee of three, with the family of a Mr. Sollers, and paid for their hoard and lods:inof until the trial of the case. 112 HiSTORV OF The In 1846 Mr. Charles Caspari, for many years a well- known Gemian apothecary in this city, was elected by the officers to furnish at the costs and expense of the society on the order and recipe of its physicians medicines to the sick poor. In 1849 the immigration increasing-, two more apothecaries, Mr. Stehl and Mr. Koechling, were added as dispensaries of medicine under the control of the society's physicians, and a Mr. Treiber, a resident of Cumberland, Maryland, was requested to- post the so- ciety of any imposition that migiht be perpetrated by any of the lines forwarding immigrants. Mr. Frederick Schepeler was appointed in 1849 ^^ ^^''^ of the committee to examine the treasurer's report. Some years thereafter he w^ent back to Germany and remained there. He must have taken with him a strong impression of the good work the German Society of Maryland was doing. Forty-five years thereafter, in 1895, he sent from his home in Miinden, Germany, to the society a generous donation of one thousand dollars. The failure of the revolution of the year 1848 in Ger- many for a more popular representative government, and the reactionary laws and measures which followed, caused a wide-spread discontent among its population. The leaders and most active men in the revolutionary move- ment fled their native country to escape political prosecu- tion, imprisonment and even death. Most of them after a sojourn in Switzerland, France or England came to the United States as refugees and with few exceptions re- mained here to become excellent citizens. They were mainly journalists, teachers, lawyers, artists, physicians, scientists, army officers, musicians, etc., all men of high German Society of Maryland 113 culture and idealists. The first ol these arrived here in 1849. Their number increased in the following years, and then it seemed as if a huge army were following their officers. Among the writer's fellow emigrants which crossed the Atlantic from Bremen in 1855 in the ship "Minerva," the principal topics of conversation of the men was their part in the fighting on the barricades in the revolution of 1848-49. The full tide of emigration from Germany to America took place in the years from 1850 tO' 1861. Many skilled mechanics and small tradesmen left the towns, but the host and multitude came from the agricultural country. The writer recollects well, when in the years from 1850 to 1855, entire villagers in the central part of Germany sold or abandoned their acreage and all the inhabitants, from 100 to 500 men, women and children, with their pastor, school-teachers and burgomaster emigrated to America. In season he would daily see wagon trains loaded with trunks, boxes, implements, bedding, house- hold goods, often with the cradle on the top, the women and children on the wagons, the peasant men in their blouses walking alongside, men and horses decorated with artificial gay flowers, pass on the turnpike leading north to Bremen or Hamburg, there to embark for Amer- ica. More than 100,000 of these landed in that period in Baltimore, the agricultural class most all tO' proceed from here to the then far west to found new farming settle- ments; the skilled mechanics, artists, etc., to the various cities and towns, and an uncertain percentage would re- main here. There was a great and good work to do for the German vSociety of Maryland. No matter ho^v 114 History of The intelligent a man may be, if he cannot by his ignorance ol' language make himself undestood, he is or st least ap- pears stupid. He will make mistakes, can easily be imposed upon and being a passing stranger, there are men w^io will take advantage of him, and some designing men will make it a trade by gaining the confidence of the stranger by knowing and speaking his own language, to swindle and rob him. To protect the honest emi- grants against these vampires of society and to inform them of the conditions awaiting theim on their arrival here, the German Society had annually thousands of cir- culars of useful information printed here and sent to the emigration ports of Hamburg, Bremen, Amsterdam and Havre to be distributed on the vessels among the pas- sengers before their departure. On their arrival here the agent of the society boarded the vessels and again distri- buted other circulars of wholesome information, ready to advise, assist and protect tliem against fraud and imposi- tion. ]\lr. Jacob Ober, who had been elected agent for tlie intelligence office of the society in January of 1853. died in July of the same year, and Mr. H. F. Wellinghoff was elected his successor and by yearly re-election, held that office for thirty years, until April, 1883, when he resigned by reason of old age. Mr. Wellinghoff was instructed to keep an office at Fells Point, near the landing of the emi- grant ships. His salary was $600 a year. He was also furnished a clerk. Mr. C. Lindemann was retained as agent in the city. He was now styled inspector, and in 1859 succeeded by a Mr. John R. Hiltz, who thenceforth was called second agent. The medicine dispensaries were increased to seven, located in various parts of the city. To prevent paupers from landing and having them German Society of Maryland I15 transported back to the. port they came from, remained one of the duties of the ag;ents and of remonstrance by the society to the agencies in Bremen. The foregoing dates have been taken from the record of the proceedings of the officers. The records of the proceeding of the society up to the year 1861 were des- troyed by fire. We now turn for information to the records of the society of January 16, 1861, recorded by Herman von Kapff, secretary, and find after the election of officers, resokitions prepared by G. W. Lurman, T. Cohen and H. von Kapff, committee, deploring the death of F. W. Brune and Charles G. Boehim, former vice-presi- dents, and H. G. Jacobson, all original and continuous members and founders (181 7) of the society. A com- mittee of Mr. E. Hirshfeld, C. Nitze, C. Bulling, F. Has- sencamp and T. Bruehl were appointed to procure new members. The report of Israel Cohen, treasurer, shows 191 contributing members; cash surplus from last anni- versary dinner, $10.51 ; interest on investments of $27,000 Baltimore and Ohio Railroad First Mortgage, $1,620; $6,500 Baltimore city 6 per cent, loan, $390; passengers' money, $3,889.03 ; expended for physicians, $300 ; agents, $910.60; trusses, cupping and leaching, $78.25; paupers' conveyance to almshouse, $12; and returning to Europe, $15; medical prescriptions, 3,077; prescriptions, $547.66; printing, etc., $97.26; charity on orders of managers, $2,018.20; new investments, $1,000; Baltimore city 6 per cent, $972.50; Maryland State stock, $3,000. The society then at the beginning of the Civil War had a capital of $36,500, safely invested, laid by this prudenr foresight fairly well prepared to meet the coming storm. In 1 861, the first year of the war, industry and trade were ii6 History of The suspended in Baltimore. The mechanics and laborers were without employment, unable tO' earn their daily bread. Four thousand one hundred and fifty-eight per- sons applied in that year to the society for pecuniary assistance, and on investigation found worthy and given relief. The free medical prescriptions numbered 4,608. To meet these wants the members increased their sub- scriptions and the society sold $4,000 Baltimore City 6 per cent, stock, due 1896, for $3,422.50. The German immigration diminishing to such extent that only 2,172 German emigrants arrived in Baltim.ore in 1862. The mcome from passenger money was small. However, at the end of that year, Israel Cohen, the treasurer, in his annual report says : The operations of the past year show a diminution of sixty per cent, in our receipts and a corresponding decrease say fifty per cent, as compared with those of 1861. The former were increased last year (1861) owing to the sales of $4,000 city stock, which was required by the pressing wants of the unemployed, whilst during this year, the ex- cessive demand for labor has provided for very many, who would otherwise have been dependent upon the bounty of the Society. The receipts from passengers show a falling off as compared with last year of forty per cent. The appli- cations for assistance has fallen from 4,158 in 1861 to 1,116 applicants in 1862. It may, however, be prudent to antici- pate a much larger call upon our charity before the expira- tion of the present year (1863) and it behooves us to pre- pare for the coming storm. The present invested fund is $32,500. Should it become necessary to encroach upon this fund to aid those who most need it, and for whose benefit German Society of Maryland 117 it has been accumulated, it surely will in the exercise of wise charity not have been needlessly gathered. The disposition of this subject, may, I think, be properly entrusted to the finance committee, etc., etc. The report closes with the following : The undersigned cannot close this brief report without bearing testimony as far as has passed under his observa- tion, as to the faithful performance of every duty of the different branches of the Society, and whilst recommending a continuance of the same well doing, he must suggest every species of economy and as is consistent with prudence, not intending to deprive any who may be deserving of receiving the full benefits of this noble charity, but with the object of so dispensing our income that the greatest good may be done to the greatest number, and that when peace and hap- piness shall once more be restored to us, we may have the proud satisfaction of pointing to our past actions with gen- erous pride, and be prepared to continue our journey with the same satisfaction, we have experienced for so long a period. The appre'hension of tlie good treasurer of a coming storm of much larger call upon the charity of the society, however, was not confirmed. The year 1863 and subse- quent years w^ere of great prosperity to Baltimore. Being near the seat of war, Baltimore became a depot of anny supplies and war material. New industries and manu- factories were started, large numbers of soldiers and strangers visited the city and made purchases. There was plenty of work to be done at good wages. Immigra- tion gradually increased, the demands for charity de- ii8 History of The creased and the society gained new members. In Janu- ary, 1865, thirty- four new members joined. A commit- tee consisting of Charles W. Lentz, Frederick Raine, William Numsen and Charles Spilker was appointed to assist the State authorities to promote immigration to Maryland. The salaries of the physicians were increased to $200, and of the agents to $700 and $300 a year, re- spectivel}^ Seven apothecaries in different parts of the city were appointed to dispense medicines at the expense of the society. In 1868 Vice-President Charles Spilker, a most efficient officer and member c"! the society since 1833, departed this life, and appropriate resolutions were passed at a special meeting held April 6. A convention oi State Immigrant and Benevolent Societies of the United States was held at the Broadway Hall, in Balti- more, in the middle of April, 1868. The society took part in the proceedings and paid the expenses of $267.05. This is the only item in the books of the society during the many years of its existence not strictly and directly spent for charity. The membership in 1869 was 200 and increased in 1870 to 217. A bill pending before the legislature of Maryland im- posing increased taxation on arriving immigrants, the society at a meeting held March 29th, 1870, passed a series of resolutions protesting against the passing of such laws or measures, and Jacob Trust, Alexander Wolf and H. Wilkens were appointed a committee to present the resolution to the legislature; the bill was defeated. On January i8th^ 1871, the first donation of two hundred and fifty dollars, and in the following years until 1876 in all the sum of nineteen hundred dollars was given by the society to the General German Orphan Asylumi of German Society of Maryland 119 Baltimore City. On the 27th of June, 1871, the society suffered a severe loss by the death of its venerable Presi- dent Albert Schumacher, who, for over 30 years, had pre- sided at its meetings and guided the affairs of the society. He was one of our foremost merchants, a public-spirited, liberal citizen, who took an active part in all affairs tend- ing to the advancement of Baltimore city. His death was generally deplored by all citizens and by the members of the society in special meeting assembled. In his last will he bequeathed to the society $10,000 of Bialtimore city stock, the interest on which to be annually divided among destitute Germans, or suffered to accumulate till it may be concluded by the said society to found a hospi- tal or a home of refuge for which purpose also the whole or part of his bequest may be applied. The object of establishing a General German Hospital for the care of sick and destitute Germans as mentioned in the bequest was long considered, fully discussed and canvassed by the society and referred to a committee consisting of H. von Kapff, Isaac Cohen, Wm. Numsen, Ferdinand Hassenkamp, Christian Ax, Claas Vocke, Jacob Trust and Dr. Geo. Reuling, who reported that un- less the sum of $30,000 be first raised by private sub- scription, it was not practical for the German Society to establish a hospital. The report was adopted. The munificent donation by Johns Hopkins for a general hos- pital in the city, about that time, however, appeared to the members and citizens generally, to make the establish- ment of such a small hospital less urgent and desirable and nothing further was done in the matter. Herman von Kapff, a merchant and vice-president of the society, was elected the successor of Mr. Schumacher I20 History of The and by successive annual elections remained president seven years until 1878. wher. lie declined a re-election. At the meeting of January 4th, 1875, the death of Col. Mathias Benzinger for many years an active manager of the society was announced, and resolutions deploring his loss were passed. At the yearly meeting of January 20th, 1875, Israel Cohen, the treasurer, read his thirty-first, and which was to be his last, yearly report. It was as all his annual reports, very full, lucid and encouraging. Proud of the achievements of the society in giving proper relief to the destitute and suffering, full of wise counsel to the management and as to the future of the noble charitable work, wherein he and his father before him had taken such a signal part. He concludes his report with the following pathetic words : "In conclusion then the undersigned has but to repeat his earnest prayers, that we may continue to render every aid and comfort to the deserving poor — that the sick and the destitute may be fully cared for, and that in the future we may not do injustice to our record of the past." On the 3rd day of June following, this noble man sud- denly died, within four years after his friend and cola- borer in the field of the noble charity, Albert Schumacher, the president for more than thirty years, had departed. Mr. Cohen could well say: that the future may not do injustice to our record of the past. The record of the society of the following period, and to the present time, shows no abatement in the true spirit of charity, economy, efficiency of management, and conscientious performance of duty, from the noble record of their predecessors. The German Society of Maryland 121 demands upon the society increased as the city expanded, and the duties of the oi^ce of president became so mani- fold and onerous, that it could not be expected that a per- son of large business affairs of his own, holding that of- fice, could have the time and leisure to perform them. The society after due consideration thereof on January 22nd, 1877, resolved to rent and open a business office located near the centre of the city, where its two agents, every day from 9 o'clock A. M. to 2 o'clock P. M., shall attend to the business of the society. The first agent to have the control and draw weekly from the treasurer funds on orders signed by the president, to pay the orders of and signed by the respective managers or president, to the applicants for charity. The first agent to keep full and correct books of account and information and give bond in the sum of five hundred dollars for the faithful performance of his duties : the second agent to be sub- ordinate to the first agent and to give bond in the sum of $250. The president, if convenient to visit the office daily and to have absolute control over the agents and conduct of business: the agents to visit the immigrant vessels on their arrival and the first agent is authorized if necessary to employ proper persons as assistants on such arrival of emigrants. The office to be also a free labor bureau to those seeking work or employment and the agents to treat those seeking assistance with kindness and politeness. By this necessary new arrangement of keeping an of- fice the expenses of the society were still further increased. They were in 1873, $8,146; in 1874, $9,028; in 1875, $8,735; hi 1876 the United States Court decided that no State could impose a tax on the landing of immigrants, 122 History of The this being within the exchisive jurisdiction of the general government. Thereupon the steamship Hues and owners of immigrant vessels refused to pay further the commu- tation tax for their passengers. This was a loss of thou- sands of dollars yearly of the income of the society, whilst there was no diminution of the expenses, the applications for charitable assistance rather increased and the mana- gers were not inclined to refuse proper relief out of the treasury of the society. As a matter of course the report of John R. Seemuller, the treasurer elected as successor of Israel Cohen, dec, at the end of the year, 1876, showed a deficit of $1,393.17 and for the first time the invested capital of the society was encroached upon by the sale of some of its Baltimore city stock, etc. ; its capital at that time was $75,500. To meet the emergency, the yearly dues of members was raised from three dollars to five dollars, with a loss of twelve members, but the remaining members in 1877 by voluntary contributions over and above the $5 dues, contributed the sum of $548 to meet the deficiency of 1877. At the yearly meeting of January 1 6th, 1878, Mr. Claas Vocke, a merchant who for years had been a prominent active officer of the society, was elected president, and Ed. Nieman treasurer., On March 26th, 1878, a special meeting passed resolutions on the recent death of the Vice-President Charles W. Lentz, for forty years one of the officers of the society. Mr. Hein- rich F. Wellinghoff on July ist completed the twenty- fifth year of faithful service as agent of the society and resolutions of congratulation to him were spread on the minute book of the officers. On July 19th a special meet- ing deplored by approbate resolutions of the death of Frederick W. Brune, Esq., for more than forty years a German Society of Maryland 123 member and for the last thirty years one of its faithful reHable counsellors. There were 234 members in 1877 and 221 in 1878, the total expenses for the year 1878 were reduced to $4,351.57 by the more economical work- ing of the medical department, and reducing the salaries of its four physicians from $200 to $100 each, per annum. The invested capital, in covering the deficiency of the income, was further reduced by $500. All efforts tO' in- crease the membership proved fruitless, more resigned than were admitted, there were but 206 members in 1880; 185 in 1881 ; 178 in 1882; 170 in 1883; 194 in 1884; 190 in 1885; 199 in 1886; 218 in 1887; 443 in 1888; 403 in 1889; 391 in 1890. H. F. Wellinghoff, the agent of the society having become by old age too feeble to perform the duties of his office, the board dispensed with his serv- ices and on February 5th, 1883, appointed Julius Conrad his successor at a salary of $600 a year, and Carl Schling- loff was appointed second agent at a salary of $30 a month. In 1885 the society removed its office from No. 147 West Lombard street to No. 78 South Sharp street, and Schlingloff having resigned as agent, G. A. Traut- wein Vk^'as appointed in his place. The expenses in the salaries of the agents being reduced, the strictest economy enforced ; the society could not reduce the wants of the poor and suffering. These were mostly widows with in- fant children having no means of support except by their hard work. The wages for woman's work in those years were starvation wages. Thirty cents for sewing a dozen heavy shirts, 28 cents for a dozen drawers, etc., were the ordinary wages. A widow with small children, who had to do her sewing at home, could with t6 hours daily work, earn but two to three dollars a week, njt to speak of sick- 124 History of The ness of herself or children. The society therefore con- tinued to make inroads on the capital invested in former prosperous years. In 1881 the deficit was $196.68; in 1882, $586.12; in 1883, $1,360.69; in 1884, $1,641.22; in 1885, $1,909.60; in 1886, $1,420; in 1887, $935.54; in 1888, $1,048.20; in 1889, $1,096.49. At this rate, if con- tinued for twenty-five years, the entire capital of the so- ciety would be consumed, and if viewed by the experience of similar societies, the German Society of Alaryland would be extinct. Radical changes in the v/orking of the society were adopted and the next year showed a sur- plus of $1,250, and no further deficit occurred thereafter. At the end of the year 1886, Mr. Claas Vocke declined a re-election, and Louis P. Hennighausen, one of the) counsellors of the society since 1884, on January 24th, 1887, was elected president and by re-election (1909) re- tains that office. We have read how the society in its infancy and early years of its existence; waged a long and hard fig-ht against the abuses of the redemptioner system, procured good and wholesome laws for the protection of thje redemptioners, prosecuted evil-doers and liberated free born white servants who were treated as slaves by their masters. It was in the years of the presidency of Mr. Vocke that the society was again called upon to as- sist and liberate a class of men who were unlawfully kept in quasi slavery, cruelly treated, robbed, and some mur- dered, these were Oyster Dredgers. Men who had hired on vessels in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay to dredge for oysters in the winter German Society oi*' Maryland 125 season. It was very hard work done on small schooners, called pungies or buckeyes manned by six to ten men, captain, mate and cook. The season is from October to April, a heavy iron dredge is lowered by windlass in the water to the bottom and with a fair breeze moving, the dredge will scrape the bottom of the bay and scoop the oysters, the dredge with the oysters in it, is then by men turning the windlass, raised above and emptied on the deck of the vessel, where the oysters are culled and the marketable thrown in the hold. It was estimated that 20,000 men were in those years engaged in tlie oyster in- dustry on the waters of the Chesapeake. The bottoms were yet full of oysters, and if the wind was fair and the water free of ice, dredging would often be done day and night, and in a couple of weeks they would have a full load for the market. Hard work, but often very lucra- tive. The inhabitants of the shore counties, usually worked on shares with the owners and captains of the boat and fared well, so did boats from Baltimore, and if on wages no complaints were made known by them. It was from the vessels belonging to the counties of Maryland and Virginia bordering on the shores of the lower or southern parts of the bay, dredging with hired labor obtained from Philadelphia, New York, Pittsburg, etc., that the reports of terrible suffering, cruel treatment and horrible murders reached Baltimore, The negroes of Baltimore, after the experience of a few seasons on these oyster vessels, refused to hire any more, then there were some cases of shanghieing negroes in tlie city for these vessels. The publicity by the daily press of these crimes and the activity of our police, soon put an end to it. It was then the home labor market bv the knowledo^e of 126 History of The the cruel treatment of the men being closed, that the so- called shipping offices, applied to the large cities of the north for men to hire as oyster dredgers, promising from twelve to fifteen dollars a month wages, good eating, lodging and fair treatment, for reasonable work. There are always in the winter season in large cities, honest men willing and able to work, out of employment and short of means. The shipping agent or runner would be paid two dollars by the captain of the oyster boat for every man he induced to sign an agreement to work as oyster dredger for good wages, etc. The men were not told that the two dollars commission and railroad fare to Bal- timore would be deducted out of their first month's wages, and the kind and character of the work was not explained to them. The men were glad to get work at fair wages. Americans, Irish, Germans, Italians, etc., were taken by rail in droves, under the care of a shipping man from New- York to Baltimore, where they arrived usually at night time, and from there on board of a vessel, to be taken to the lower bay and distributed among the oyster dredging boats. They were sedulously kept from intercourse wath any outsider on the trip. They usually commenced to work at 5 o'clock in the morning and until dark in the evening, received the coarsest food:, and had to sleep with- out bedding in the small forepeak of the boat. They were a motley crowed of unfortunates, who were thus put to a work whereof they had not the slightest knowledge or experience, among them were by profession : clerks, teachers, students, bookkeepers, mechanics, artists, farm- ers, laborers, etc. Strangers to the land, to the work and to each other. The captains used to the hard life, were LOUIS P. HENNIGHAUSEN German Society of Maryland 127 at home, fully armed and with the authority of the law, bent upon to get as much out of the men by their hard work as they could. The men during the cruise were not allowed to go on shore, when they had a cargo of oysters it was transferred to a steamboat or larger vessel and taken to Baltimore or Philadelphia. They were held and treated as captives, those of tender physic would soon break down from the exposure and hard work; often the flesh of their hands, being cut and poisoned by the pyster shells becamq violently inflamed, having the so-called oyster hand, very painful and requiring wrecks of medical treatment. If after cruel beating, the men were still shown, unable to work, they were put ashore without pay, on some place many miles from a city, to make their way the best they could in the midst of winter to the distant hospitals of Baltimore which they filled every winter in large numbers. The farmers and captains of the steam- boats were as a rule kind to these poor men and aided them to reach the cit}^ These were the ordinary ills and suffering of these oyster dredgers, but in the course of time when dredging was not always so profitable, and the captains by immunity of their cruelties to the foreign crews had become used to it, awful crimes of the darkest nature became frequent in those waters. The waters of the bay extend about iSo miles to the capes, with thou- sand of miles of shore of inlets and Lide water rivers. The shores are sparsely settled and whilst we had an oyster navy to protect the oysters from unlawful depredation, we had no police protection for the unfortunate dredger, defenseless at the mercy of a brutal, fully armed captain, and although it was well known and published by 128 History of The the newspapers, that numerous hideous crimes were com- mitted on these waters. It became a habit with a large number of captains, at the end of the season, or when the severity of cold Imd covered the bay with ice to make dredging impossible, to put their foreign crews, often severely frost bitten, without paying them any of their hard earned wages, on some lonely landing on shore on the lower bay, to make their way in ice and snow to Bal- timore, Washington or Philadelphia. Reports came that captains had shot and killed men, on the slightest resist- ance or threats, although the men had no weapons, and the flimsy excuse for it by the captains, was the fear of mutiny. There was no investigation. On information to the United States courts the answer was, we have no vessel and no funds at our disposal to go the great dis- tance down the bay to find out and arrest the offender. The city authorities referred the matter to the counties. Some of the worst cases happened in the Virginia waters south of the Potomac River, out of the jurisdiction of Maryland. The greatest impediment w^as that the wit- nesses had no money and found no employment to remain here, to await the arrest and the trial of the offender. Being strangers here they were anxious to get to their homes and among their friends. In December, 1884, the horrible murder of a young German recently immigrated from Germany, became known to the German Society, and was the beginning of its struggle and efforts for many years, to protect the oyster dredgers from the bar- barous treatment on the boats in the Chesapeake Bay. It was one of many similar cases and we relate it in full r.s disclosed by the sworn testimony in the case: German Society oe Maryland 129 Otto Mayher, who was about 20 years of age, was a hale, hearty looking fellow, with rosy cheeks and a brig*ht. healthy appearance He was the son of a surveyor of Stuttgart, well educated and of good manners. Among his effects were hand- somely engraved visiting cards and good clothes. Not f'uding for some time after his arrival here any employ-^ ment or work, on the 22nd of October, 1884, he, together with Fritz Boye and Ferdinand Haase, two young Ger- mans, who had arrived in t^his country within a year in Baltimore, shipped with Captain Williams of the pungy "Eva" as dredgers for a two months' cruise. The agree- ments were signed in a shipping office run by a German. Neither of them could speak English or were aware of the hardships they would be compelled to undergo. All went well for a time. They worked hard and were fairly treated. There were aboard with them aside of Captain Williams, Williaim Lankford and a man named Rufus, of Somerset county. About a week before his death May- her complained of feeling unwell. Fie told his comrades that he had severe pains in his side and was not able to work. His indisposition was attributed by them to ex- posure and with a few days' rest they thought he would have recovered. The captain, however, refused to let him off. He was ordered to his work as usual and when he finally broke down and declined, he was knocked down and brutally beaten. From that day Mayher was sub- jected to the most horrible treatment. Among other pun- ishments was that of being hit with a marlin spike and knocked down. He was then kicked until he fainted; again he was beaten with a rope and until he fairly yelled 130 History of The with pain. To stop his cries the captain planted his heel on the victim's throat and stifled him into unconscious- ness. At another time a rope was fastened around him rbout his arm pits and he was hoisted up by the halyards, stripped of his lower garments and drenched about the lower limbs with icy cold water. On the day before his death he was taken down in the hold and strung up by his thumbs, the body being suspended seven feet above the f'ooring. While in this position he was swung to and fro in order to increase his torture. These are onlv samples of the horrible treatment he suffered. He be- came so weak that he was scarcely able to walk. The vessel had then reached Lower Fairmount, where th-2 work of unloading was begun. Mayher was down in the hold when ordered up. Unable to speak English, he by signs intim;aited his inability to work. This infuriated the captain, who sprang upon his defen^:elcss victim, pounded him unmercifully with a bar. Finally he brought it do'wu with crushing eft"ect across the poor fellow's loins. In his agony 'he writhed on the ground and shrieked for mercy as best he could. To prevent his cries being heard the captain then placed his boot heel on the prostrated man's throat and kept it there until unconsciousness prevented further outcry. The work of unloading was continued, and at nightfall, when all was quiet, the captain ordered Boye and Haase to bring their comrade on deck. They obeyed the order, and more dead than alive, Mayher was brought from below. When they had deposited their burden on deck they were ordered below, there to remain until called. They went below and the hatches were closed on them. Hearing the clanking of chains, patter- ing on deck, moving of the anchor and the dashing of the German Society of Marylaxd 131 yawl boat against the side of the vessel, they feared the worst. Suddenly the hurrying- noise on deck ceased and all was still as death. As soon as they considered it safe, the two men ascended and cautiously lifted the covering of the hatch as far as they were able. They saw a lantern moving on shore and the lifeless body of Mayher stretched on the ground. Mayher had been taken ashore by the captain to get rid of him. He staggered from weakness and either fell or was knocked down face fore- most and the captain placing his foot on the neck of the prostrate man, stamping on it, broke the victmi's neck. Williams informed the coroner of the county next morn- ing, November 29. that the body of a German named Otto Mayher had been found on the shore of the Manokin river, in Lower Fairmount. Life was extinct. A jury of inquest was summoned. Captain, Williams was one of the jurors and the principal witness. He testified that Mayher on the day before had fallen in the hold of the vessel and seriously injured himself; that during the night 'he must have walked to the shore where he was found. Rufus and Lankford corroborated him and Boye and Haase were not called from the vessel to testify as witnesses. And the jury found that Mayher had died from natural causes. The body of Mayher was buried in a trench of about two feet depth on the shore, and the incident was soon forgotten like the graves of so many poor foreign oyster dredgers, who lost their lives on the waters of the Chesapeake. Captain Williams before morning had moved his vessel with Boye and Haase on it out into the stream and prevented any one from coming on board. Immediately after the inquest he sailed away. During the four weeks that followed he treated the two 132 History of The Germans much better, but would not allow them to ha\ c ?ny intercourse with any one outside of the boat. When discharging a cargo, they were always directed below and were carefully watched. They were afraid of their lives and abided the time when they would be discharged to inform the proper authorities of this most foul and dreadful murder. They were discharged at Crisfield and reached Baltimore about the 24th of December and infomied the German Consul of the crime. The consul, by his attorney, L. P. Hennig- hausen, Esq., brought the matter to the notice of the police authorities of Baltimore, who at once took action with the State's attorney of Somerset county. Captain Williams was arrested and indicted for murder in the first degree. The body of Mayher was exhumed and a decent burial given. President Claas Vocke,, on hearing of the murder, di- rected F. W. Brune, the junior counsel of the society, to communicate with the State's attorney of Somerset count\^ for further information and, on January 5, 1885, ^^^'-^ his answer to the meeting of the board and made arrange- ment for the boarding and lodging of the two witnesses, Haas and Boye, who were without means or employment, to keep them here until the trial of Captain Williams, which was expected to take place in April next. On motion of Mr. H. G. Hilken a committee, consisting of Messrs. C. Vocke, Christian Ax, Eb. Niemann and the counsellors, William F. Frick and F. W. Brune, were appointed with authority to use the funds of the society in order that justice be done in the Mayher murder case. On motion of Christian Ax it was resolved that a detective be em- ployed by the president and counsellors to aid in the German Society of Maryland 133 investigation of the case. The counsellor, F. W. Brune, of the society was present and rendered valuable assist- ance to the State in the trial of Captain Williams. Julius Conrad, the agent, conducted the two witnesses, Boye and Haase, to Somerset county and remained with them dur- ing the trial. Captain Williams was convicted of murder in the second degree and sentenced to 18 years in the penitentiary. The conviction and sentence was confirmed by the Court of Appeals of Maryland on the appeal of Williams, reported in 64 Md. Reports, p. 383 to 395. At the meeting of the board, held July 6, 1885, the board by resolutions deeply deplored the loss by death oi two valuable members, Mr. J. H. Hausenwald and Ferdi- nand Hassencamp. At a meeting of January 4, 18S6, on motion of Mr. Christian Ax, the counsellors were re- quested to inform the society what laws from congress or legislature were necessary for the protection of the crew on board of oyster vessels, and at the yearly meeting of January 25, 1886, Counsellor Louis P. Hennighausen made a full report of a body of laws for the better protec- tion of the crews on board of the oyster vessels, of which Counsellor F. W. Brune declared himself in accord. At tiie suggestion of Mr. F. W. Brune and on motion of Mr. Chr. Ax a committee of seven, consisting of Claas Vocke, F. William Brime, L. P. Hennighausen, Chr. Ax, Wm. Numsen, H. von Kapff and Victor Buschmann, were ap- pointed to appear before the legislature, then in session at Annapolis, to urge the adoption of such laws. The com- mittee visited Annapolis and appealed to the legislature, but the legislature adjourned without acting upon the matter; the influence of the lower counties and oyster industries being against it for reason of the costs, etc., of 134 History of The the reg^istration of crews being required by the law. The society, however, w^as determined to renew the agitation and persist until success was achieved. At the next legis- lature, in January, 1888, a committee of 25 instead of 7 from the German Society of Maryland was appointed to go before the legislature in Annapolis and demand the passage of laws to protect the oyster dredgers. F. \V. Erune, Heinrich C. Tieck and Oscar Wolff, attorneys ac law, were appointed a special committee to draft suitable laws tO' be submitted and accompany the committee. The members of the committee were : Claas Vocke, H. von Kapff, George A. Von Lingen, Frederick Wehr, Kb. Nie- mann, William Middendorf, Ernst Schmeisser, H. G Hilken, Louis Dohme, John Hinrichs, V. H. Buschmann Henry Lauts, H. A. Sdiultz, Capt. Henry Steffens, IT Knefely, Chas. Bein, F. Ellenbrock, Jc'-eph Friedenwald Charles Hilgenberg, P. L. Keyser, Fr. Oelmann and L. P Hennighausen. Other prominent citizens, members o' the society, joined the committee on its trip to Annapolis, and it was an imposing demonstration before the legis- lature in behalf of the poor oyster dredgers for their better protection. Addresses were made by Messrs. Brune, Tieck, Wolft' and Hennighausen. The laws, substantially as recommended by the society, were passed by the legis- lature and signed by the governor, to go into effect in the year 1890, January t. The principal provisions of the law were : A registry kept by commissioners at the ship- ping ports of the crews of every oyster dredging boar, contracts in writing before the commissioners and record thereof of the period of time, wages, return to port, etc., and the captain to account for every man not returned; and adequate punishment for violators of the law. German Society of Marvland 135 On February 15, 1887, Jacob Rudolph, one of the managers of the society for the preceding twenty-two years, departed this life, and at a special meeting of the board resolutions deploring his loss were passed. Soon thereafter, on March 21, 1887, another special meeting was called by the president. Christian Ax, vice-president of the society since 1869 and for many years an active member and liberal con- tributor to charity, had departed this life. Resolutions deploring his loss not only for the society, but that the German inhabitants of the city had lost in him one of their best and truest citizens, were passed. In the winter of 1886-87, o^^ the report of cruel treat- ment of a German oyster dredger in the lower bay, the society at an expense of $66.25 ^^^'^^ ^ tug boat with United States marshal on board to have the offending captain arrested. The captain hearing of this escaped, but was later arrested on land and punisihed. In April. 1887, the society received from one H. W. Schmidt, of Honolulu. Sandwich Islands, $73 to reimburse it for the assistance rendered for a number of years to a poor widow of the name of Weber. The income of the society not being sufficient to meet the demands and costs espe- cially increased by the efforts to protect and relieve the oyster dredgers, some of its members made strenuous efforts to increase the paying membership by soliciting citizens to join the society, and at the meeting of April 2. 1888, Mr. Ernst Schmeisser proposed 60, Mr. A. C Meyer, 60; Mr. Charles Weber, Jr., 33; Mr. Robert M. Rother, 10; Mr. John Hinrichs, 7, and Messrs. Meeih and Conrad, 4, a total of 174 new members. This in- creased the list of members from 218 in 1887 to 443 hi 136 History of The r888, the largest membership the society ever had. In 1889 it decreased to 400; in 1890 to 389; in 1891 to 373; in 1895 to 348; in 1900 to 252 members. It then slowly increased again, and since 1904 has averaged from 300 to 325 members yearly. It being the opinion of some that tlie Germania Club rooms were not a popular meeting place for the society and the cause of its limited membership, on the motion of Ernst Schimeisser it was resolved to meet thereafter at some other place. The meetings were next from July 16, 1888, to April 14, 1890, held at tlie Germania Maenner- chor Building, on Lombard street. These were found less suitable and on April 14, 1890, and July 14 the meet- ings were in the German Orphan Asylum, on Aisquith street. The locality being inconvenient, the society on January 12, 1891, and thereafter until April, 1893, met at Raine's Hall, in Baltimore street, corner of Postoffice avenue. All these places were at the disposal of the society free of rent, with no expense for heating, lighting or cleaning. The smaller attendance at those meetings showed that the old home in the rooms of the Germania Club was after all the best meeting place for the society, and on application, the club was generous to receive the society again on April 10, 1893, on the same old liberal terms, free of rent and expense. The United States Government having assumed full control of the landing of the emigrants by immigrant commissions, and the railroad transporting the emigrants to the west from their landing pier here, the former acti\''- ity of the society in advising, aiding, protecting and tak- ing care of these emigrants became superfluous, and it confined itself more to assist the needy Germans and German Society of Maryland 137 descendants of Germans living- in our midst, and amon.j- those especially, to widows with infant children having no income or support. As a measure of economy the as- sistant agent was in March, 1889, discharged. The agent was relieved from the duty of attending the landing of emigrants, he, to remain at his office from 9 A. M. to | P. M. to attend to employment seekers, pay orders of the managers given to the needy, keep books, etc., and after \ P. M. to visit at regular intervals those who received regular monthly allowance, to inspect and report their condition, and carefully to investig-ate every new appli- cant for assistance and make full reports to the officer of the board for action, and to enter the reports in a book kept for inspection. Mr. Eberhard Niemann, the faithful treasurer, being about to retire from business and spend his declining years in Germany, resigned his office, and Charles Weber, Jr., on July 31, 1889, was elected treasurer, which office he held until his death June 30, 1908. To prevent further inroads upon the invested capital of the society by yearly deficits and thereby its ultimate ex- tmction. Col. Fredk. Raine in the annual meeting of Jan- uary 27, 1890, moved: "That henceforth the capital shall be kept intact," which was unanimously adopted. The large number of medicinal prescriptions which had been compounded at the cost of the society and the salaries of the physicians amounted to about $ 1,000 a year. There had been opened in different parts of t'he city free dis- pensaries of medicine, which were hberally supported by the city out of certain fines imposed and collected by the city authorities. Johns Hopkins Hospital and other hos- pitals gave free medical and surgical treatment to the 138 History of The poor. There being thus ample provisions for sick in- digent poor persons, the society on October 4, 1889, di-:- continued the practice of furnishing medicinal prq>ara- tions free of charge. The salaries of the physicians was reduced to $200 a year, and in 1894 only one physician was appointed without any fixed salary, he to be paid for whatever professional services he might render upon request of the officers. By these economic measures the society was enabled to support more liberally poor widows with infant children. Every member of the board hav- ing the right to issue an order on a printed form, directing the agent to pay to the person described therein as being in need and worthy of assistance a sum not exceeding fi\'e dollars, it was found that some of the managers were more generous and liberal with the society's money than the finances allowed. Others would give without taking the trouble of a personal investigation of the condition of the applicant. A committee consisting of L. P. Hennig- hausen, R. M. Rother, Charles Weber, Jr., and A. C. Meyer was appointed to make such changes and sug-ges- tions as would prevent further deficits, made a rigid mvestigation and discovered a number of unworthy per- sons who received assistance froim the society through orders issued by careless managers. It was thereupon ordered that no order issued by a manager should be paid unless the agent of the society had first investigated the condition of the applicant and made a report thereof to an executive committee oi three members to be annually appointed by the president, and only after the executive committee had approved the order shall the treasurer by the agent pay the same. At the meeting of the board of January 27 and February 10, 1890, the recommendatior.> German Society of Maryland 139 of the committee were adopted and the president ap- pointed R. M. Rother the secretary, Charles Weber, Jr., the treasurer, and A. C. Meyer the executive committes. Tliis new order of working has proved satisfactory and been continued. On March 17, 1890, on recommenda- tions of the executive committee, thirty-one pensioners of the society, found unworthy, were dropped of furthiT assistance. On April 17 Mr. Charles Weber announced the death of Julius Conrad, the agent, and Frederick Schad was elected his successor. In January, 1889, on motion of Mr. Rother, a ne\\^ edition of the constitution of 1868, with the changes and amendments since adopted, was ordered to be printed. The secretary sent communications again to our sister societies of New York and Philadelphia, requesting them to make known to German emigrants by circulars and otherwise of the character and danger in hiring as oyster dredgers in our bay. The officers of the society also induced the 'Hon. A. S. Hewitt, the mayor of New York, 10 sumimon the shipping agents licensed by the city before him, and admonish them that he would revoke their license if they continued shipping men as oyster dredgers to the lower bay. However, the trade was too lucrative and the lower bay so distant as to be practically out of reach of the law ; so the trade in hiring these ignorant men continued. In the beginning of the season of 1889-90 a case of great cruelty was reported. At the request of the board our attorney, Heinrich C. Tieck, Esq., w^ith a United States Marshal and a warrant for the arrest of the captain, Lynn Rea, and mate, John Ueey, of the oyster boat "Ella Agnes," went down the bay and arrested them on the v/ater, brought them to Baltimore, where they 140 History of The were in the United States District Court tried, convicted and punished. The captain was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and to pay a fine of $ioo; tlie mate, Ucey, tO' three months in prison. The crew, Eugene JungHng, George Ricks, Wilhelm Hoffman, Joseph Scherf and John Junker, were kept as witnesses, and after the trial on March lo, 1890, they reimbursed out of their witness fees the German Society in the sum of $35, expenses in- curred on their behalf. The attorney generously refused any compensation for his arduous work; and it is to ■:)e noted that no attorney of the society ever charged or would accept any compensation for the many and great services they rendered to the society in its noble work of humanity in protecting the innocent oppressed poor anl unfortunate. The creav in a patflietic letter expressed their deep-felt gratitude to the society for their liberation out of slavery and cruel treatment. The punishment of Gapt. Rea and Mate Ucey made some impression on the captains and for some years no cruelties were reported. The discharging and landing of men on distant desolale shores, without paying iliem their wages, however, con- tinued. In December, 1889, a German recently arrived, \'ho could not understand a word of English, was after a month's work as oyster dredger, without a cent of his wages paid, put on shore in Dorchester county. Being a total stranger, unable to make himself understood, afraid of violence, he slept in the woods. He was arrested and committed for three months to the work-house. Thd society being informed of it, by habeas corpus proceed- ings in the Baltimore City Court on the 22nd day of December, 1889, procured his freedom. He at once found einployment at his trade as a mechanic. He had a German Society of Maryland 141 trunk filled with his clothes, tools, etc.. stored at a board- ing-house in Baltimore and proved to be an industrious, honest man. At the session of the legislature of 1890 the shipping agents, oyster captains and their friends made strenuous efforts to have the law, which was passed by the legisla- ture of 1888 for the protection of oyster dredgers, re- pealed. The officers of the society succored by the active aid of the Maryland Prisoners' Aid Society, the Hiber- nian, St. Andrew and St. George Societies of Baltimore, opposed the repeal and succeeded. Commissioners under the law were appointed and confirmed by the senate. In June, 1890, a petition for the pardon of Captain Williams, the murderer of Otto Mayher was filed with the Governor of the State. He had served only five years of his term of 18 years for his awful crime. A large delegation of the society together with delegates from the charity so- cieties aforenamed went before the governor and pro- tested against granting the pardon and it was not granted. In the years 1890 and 1891 there were few complaints. It was in February, 1892, that a colored man informed President Hennighausen that three men, presumably Ger- mans, were in the lower bay on the oyster schooner "Bertha May," Captain Mills, unlawfully detained be- yond the time they hired for and badly treated. The president lodged complaint in the name of the society be- fore Governor Brown of the State, who sent an oyster police boat, had the captain arrested on his schooner in Honga River, brought before Justice Hart, who fined him $50 and costs, and set the men free. In December, 1892, the president being informed by an escaped captive 142 History of The named Witzigman, that a number of Germans were held captives on several dredge vessels, he induced Governor Brown to send one of the State police steamers to their rescue and Col. Heinrich C. Tieck. as attorney of the German Society of Maryland, with Captain Edward Bid- dleman, United States deputy marshal, on December 26th, 1892, left Baltimore on the State police stean'er "Gov- ernor McLane," for the lower bay. The intrepid brave Colonel Tieck was armed with nine lurits of habeas corpus and thirteen warrants issued out of the United States District Court at the instance of the society, for the arrest of the violators of the law. It had been reported that one of the oyster captains on October 13th, 1892, came to New York and by fair promises of light work, good treatment, board, lodging and $14 a month wages, hired thirty-two recently arrived emigrants as oyster dredgers on the lower bay, without having them registered by a commissioner as required by law. Fourteen of these men were Germans and among these, four youths who had landed in New York on the 13th and on the 14th of October were in Baltimore on board of an oyster vessel, the rest were of various nationalities. They were hired for the season ending April i, 1893, with the understand- ing, that if they did not like the work they could leave on November ist, 1892. On November ist they all wanted to leave, but were kept prisoners on board the several vessels. Severe winter weather had set in. The bay was full of ice and the rivers frozen over. On December 29th, the president received the following telegram from Colonel Tieck — Chrisfield, Md., December 29th, 1892: "Met the enemy. He is ours ; rescued fifteen men and made four arrests." On the following day nineteen oys- German Society of Maryland 143 ter dredgers freed by Colonel Tieck and sent at the ex- pense of the society to Baltimore, came to the office of the president. Their appearance indicated that they had endured great hardship and privations. The hands of the men presented a horrible sight, hardly one out of the entire number being without a rude bandage, which covered cuts and bruises. They brought the following report in writing from Colonel Tieck to the president, dated "Steamer Geo. R. McLane, December 29, 1892, near Ragged Point, Poto- mac River : Dear ^Ir. Ilennighausen : — We arrested four men and freed twelve men, who will go per steamer from Crisfield, if that port is not closed by ice, or go to Drum Point on the Patuxent river if we can land there. We have had a hard time at Leonardtown, St. Alary's county, where we met a whole fleet of oyster vessels. There we arrested the cap- tain, we were especially in search for, and placed him in the Leonardtown jail to await the action of the U. S. Dis- trict Court. We seized the schooner "Partnership" whereof the father of the prisoner was in command. I boarded the vessel and was told by the crew that one of their number, a youth of 20 years, named Kleber, of Frankfurt a. M., had been hit by the captain on his hand with a hammer that the blood squirted from it, and so seriously injured that in the following night he jumped overboard and was lost. I am convinced that he lies dead on the bottom of the Po- tomac ; as no human being could live in the icy cold water for five minutes. This captain was arrested by Capt. Tur- ner of the Str. "Govn. McLane" for violating the State Oyster Laws, found guilty by a Justice of the Peace in 144 History of The- Leonardtown and fined $50 and costs. We freed six men of his crew and sent them aboard the "McLane." This case cost the Captain $200 and he had to leave one of his boats as security in possession of his attorney at Leonard- town for the payment of costs and fees otherwise he would have gone to jail to keep company with his son. However, I am not done with him and shall continue his case before the U. S. Commissioner Bond. He sailed with his mate and cook and the mate of the boat of his son for Baltimore. The mates and cook are colored. They were arrested with the captain here but could not be held under the State laws. I shall therefore obtain warrants for their arrest from the U. S. Commissioner. I have directed the witnesses (the crews of both vessels) to your office; it is advisable to take them before a U. S. Commissioner to obtain warrants for the arrest of mate Walter Sykes, colored, of the bugeye "M. E. Dennis" No. 155, Capt. Stewart H. Evans; also for the mate, Joseph Sanders, mulatto, of the "Lucy Gallagher" No. 154; for Andrew Cooper, colored, mate of the same vessel, all of them now on board of the "M. E. Dennis", Capt. Stewart H. Evans, sailing for Baltimore. It is best that they should be arrested as soon as they arrive in the harbor, for after they have landed, these three devils in human form may escape. The witnesses against Capt. Ed- ward Evans, of the "Lucy Gallagher" No. 154, are Otto Casar, Josef Korzulla. Emil Bahn (principal witnesses), Nicolas Margne, Adam Sorkal, Jean Blue and Frank Casper. These are also witnesses against the colored mates, Josef Sanders and Andrew Cooper. The witnesses against the colored mate. Walker Sykes, of the bugeye "M. E. Dennis", are Charles Lenz, Oscar Rief, Chas. Muffer, John \^Trge, Emil Kochler, Ignaz Krandanz and Paul Poucani. German Society of Maryland • 145 See to it that the Commissioner will hold the witnesses for the negroes may not arrive in Baltimore for a day or two. We are now looking for the schooner "Viola" No. 505, and are at the mouth of the Potomac. It is very cold and many vessels are frozen in. This morning our steamer was sur- rounded by ice and is now rocking heavily. When we told the poor oyster dredgers that they were free and we would take care of them, the scene was inde- scribable. They were overjoyed, tears ran down their cheeks, they embraced and kissed each other, and when we asked them how they felt, they cried "happy! happy!" We marched in procession to the courthouse in Leonard- town, the three colored men handcuffed at the head, it cre- ated great excitement, the better class of the inhabitants sympathized with the poor dredgers and I heard many words of praise for our society." Col. Tieck further reported that he caused three minor boys to be set free. In a later letter he writes : Since I wrote to you this morning, we came up with the "Viola" and rescued five men, one Irishman and four Germans, who will appear as witnesses against the captain, who together with his mate, left the ice-bound boat, when the crew had neither victuals nor water on board. The crew would have perished or starved to death if we had not arrived in time, as it was impossible for them to reach the shore, it being a mile distant and the water covered with ice. There are about 150 vessels frozen in. The suffering among the poor oyster dredgers must be terrible. I still have much evi- dence of other cases in my hands, the difficulty is that we cannot do anything in Crisfield against the cruel cap- tains but have to apply to the U. S. Court in Baltimore. (Signed) Heinricii C. Tieck." 146 History of The The dredgers were taken by the president before United States Commissioner Bond, warrants issued and the cap- tains and mates arrested. Colonel Tieck returned on the fourth of January, 1893, ^^'^^^ o^'' the fifth there was a hearing before the Commissioner in the case against Cap- tain Evans, of the Schooner "Mary E. Dennis." The German Society was represented by L. P. Hennighausen, Col. Wm. F. Brune and Col. Heinrich C. Tieck, attor- neys ; the United States Government by John T. Ensor, United States Attorney, and the prisoners by the Hon. Thomas G. Hayes. The testimony showed cruel and brutal treatment, especially of the young man Kleber, who jumped overboard ; that they received insufificient or spoiled food, several of them showed bruises where they had been hit by the captain and his colored mates. Ignaz Grandaz was struck by the captain with a hammer on his nose, and at another time the captain and mate poured a bucket full of cold water over his head, for no cause that he knew of. They were kept as captives, not allowed to go on shore, etc. The captain was committed for court, tried, found guilty of cruel treatment, fined and im- prisoned. It is remarkable that on the 2nd of January, 1893, the "Canton Oyster Exchange" passed resolutions of protest against Governor Brown for permitting the State Oyster Police Steamboat "Governor McLane" to be used on this errand of mercy and justice in liberating the poor oyster dredgers out of slavery. The German Society, however, piu'sued its even way as the friend of the poor and oppressed. Every one of the many cruel captains and mates it had in those years arrested, was convicted, and those of them who wronged German Society of Maryland 147 their crews out of their hard earned wages by outrageous overcharge for matches, tobacco, boots, oilskin clothes, socks, etc., were compelled by libels against their vessels, to reduce the charges to reasonable market prices and pay the heavy costs of the libel. There were in January, 1893, a number of complaints of brutal treatment and horrible sufifering. Karl Springer on January ist com- plained of the oyster boat ''Marsella" No. 35. There were six men in the crew ; it was very cold, heavy ice formed on the water, and the captain and mate rowed ashore and left them five days without a drop of water or wood to make a fire, when the ice had frozen to the thick- ness to bear a man. they escaped over the ice, on reaching shore they were pursued and fled for their lives. This hiappened in Virginia water out of the jurisdiction of Maryland. On the 6th of January, Fritz Bauer of the boat "Jose- phine Smith" escaped. He related an even more horrible experience. Henry French, 24 years old, from New Orleans, a son of A. B. French, of A. B. French & Co., exporters of heavy lumber, was shanghied and escaped after fifteen days on board by swimming ashore on Sunday night. Five Germans escaped from the schooner "Sumner," Capt. Charles Light, of Accomac county, Virginia, re- ported atrocious cruel treatment. They had suffered, and stated that a German on the schooner "Boggs" at anchor near the "Sumner" was by the captain or mate of the vessel kicked to death and his body buiied on the shore. The reports of cruelties and murders were so frequent in 1893 that the other charity societies of the city, the 148 History of The Charity Organization, St. Andrew's Society, Hibernian, St. George's Society and French Society united with the German Society to form a bureau for the protection of the oyster dredgers, and opened headquarters at 210 South Charles street. L. P. Hennighausen of the Ger- man Society, was elected president; Alexander H. Rob- ertson of the St. Andrew's Society, secretary; Major O. H. Horton of St. George's Society, treasurer; Patricic Reilly of the Hibernian Society, William H. Perkins of French Benevolent Society, and John Glenn of the Charity Organization Society, committee. Col. Heinrich C. Tieck was retained as counsel for the bureau. Large placards were ordered to be printed to be hung in the shipping offices, and smaller ones distributed among dredgers, calling attention to the purpose of the bureau, and advising the filing of all just complaints for any kuid of unlawful treatment with it. This had a good effect, and less cases for non-payment of wages or cruel treat- ment were noted and tried in courts. The oyster captains, packers and industry in sympathy with them, fretted under the restrictions of the register laws of 1888, which impaired and hindered them in their greed for large profits at the expense of the poor dred- gers and having more political influence in the counties, than the charity organizations of the city, were active for the repeal of those laws. At the meeting of the society of April 29, 1895, F. W. Brune, Esq., the counsellor re- ported that by an act proposed by the legislature of Mary- land at the last session on the 29th of April, 1894, Chap- ter 379, the laws for the protection of oyster dredgers in the Chesapeake Bay had been so amended as to defeat to some extent the object in the protection of oyster German Society of Maryland 149 dredgers, and that by the enacting clause of the next Chapter No. 380 the entire law so far as it related to the protection of oyster dredgers had been repealed. This was a great surprise and a severe blow to the efforts of the society. Not a line had been published in the daily papers of the effect of these chapters, and its officers were in complete ignorance of the repeal during the session of the legislature. Dispairing of a remedy of the evil from the hands of the State, the charity organizations now ap- pealed to the Congress of the United States to have the strong arm of the Federal Government invoked for the protection of the oyster dredgers about the same as it ex- tended to sailors, especially in securing their wages. A bill No'. 383 to prohibit shanghaing and peonage in the United States, etc., under severe penalties, was intro- duced in the House of Representatives by Mr. Moerel, of Pennsylvania, and referred to a committee who gave a public hearing on February 2nd, 1906. There appeared before the committee in favor of the passage of the bill, representatives of the four Baltimore charity societies, the American Seaman's Friend Society of New York, the Local Seaman's Society of New York, the Virginia Mariner's Friend of Newport News, Virginia, the Legal Aid Society of New York, the Protestant-Episcopal Sea- man's Society, the Seaman's Christian Association and the Legal Aid Society of Philadeli)hia. John C. Rose, United States District Attorney of Baltimore, took deep interest in the passage of the bill, also appeared and gave a graphic description of his seven years' experience in the trials of oyster captains, etc., and assisted in amending the bill to make it more effective in the protection of oys- ter dredgers. Statements of the grievances were made 150 History of The by the representatives of the several societies, tlie per- sistent valiant fight of the German Society of Maryland in behalf of the oyster dredgers was often alluded to. A number of letters, from prominent citizens, among them Bishop O. A. Whitaker of the Diocese of Pennsylvania, Co-adjutor Bishop Alex. Mackay Smith, R. S, J. Ran- dolph, E. W. and Mrs. R. R. Bradford, Philip E. How- ard, John B. McPherson, Charles C. Binney and others were read. It was shown by these letters and by the rej)- resentatives of the New York, Philadelphia and Balti- more societies that the practice of shang^haing was very prevalent in these cities, in the manner in which men were lured to Maryland by promise of well-paid work, and then, usually stupefied by the influence of liquor or drugs, or by deception or by brute violence, were put on board of oyster boats and kept there as practical slaves for weeks and months without proper food or accommoda- tions and without any certainty as to their pay or time of discharge. United States District Attorney John C. Rose stated : "The one curious result of all the cases that come befoi -3 us is that I have never met any of them who had ever been paid for a day, no matter how long he had worked.'" The bill prescribed a punishment fur any person, being of the crew or ships company of any vessel engaged ir: the oyster trade, etc., shall ship any person while in a state of intoxication, or while laboring under any false impression, and shall thereupon forcibly confine or detain such person on board of such vessel \\ilh intent to make such person a slave or compel him to perform involuntary service of any kind, and every person wlio shall in any way aid or abet such action, shall be guilty of felony and GerMx'^n Society of Maryland 151 shall be punished by imprisonment not exceeding ten years, etc. Mr. Moerel accepted the suggestions of the District Attorney, John C. Rose, and re-drafted the bill, which was adopted by Congress and is now law. Mr. Rose <.t the next session of Congress had further acts passed f(^r the better protection of oyster dredgers, and as far as laws can do it the oyster dredger now enjoys full protec- tion. A large share of ihe credit for this noble achieve- ment is no doubt due to the German Society of Maryland, who took the initiative, and with energy and persistency continued at large expense for many years the humane effort to obtain good effective laws for the protection of the oyster dredgers. We now return to the ordinary routine work of the society. The temporary evils of the redemptioner system and oyster dredger slavery had been met and disposed of, but as it is said, "the poor shall always be with you," and among them the poor zuidozv ivith infant children admits of no doubt in Ijhe application for charity. The money the society had spent in the good work of protecting honest, hard-working men aroused the higher nobler sentiments of helping those in want of the necessities of life and to intrust the German Society \.ith larger sums of money for practical dispensation among the poor of our city. In the years 1893- 1894 one of those periodical crisis or panics in the industrial life of our country set in. ^'actories closed or worked with diminished half force, house-building was at a stand- still, banks closed, many thousands of mechanics and workmen were out of employment and unusual heavy de- mands of those who were in need without any fault of their own were made upon the society. It was then that 152 History of The our vice-president, Georoe W. Gail, g-enerou; v raised h's annual dues to $300 a year, payable in monthly instal- ments of $25 a month, to be distributed to five families to be selected by the executive committee; the workmen of Gail & Ax factory contributed $200; Anne Catherine Denhardt gave a legacy of $1,093.18; Mrs. Nannie Ax, ^99 ; Unkel Brasig Verein, $25 ; A. C. Meyer, $20 ; Ladies' Bazaar, $614.54; Mrs. Nannie Ax, $132; Fred- trick Schepeler, $1,000, and some members raised their annual dues to $10, $20 and $25. The society in the crisis of 1893-94 distributed directly among the poor $12,911.25 in cash. The largest distribution by it ever made, it was among 85 widows with 314 children, 34 widows without children, 78 families with 298 children, 31 couples without children and 28 men, and mostly given in monthly payments. The employment office pro- cured positions for 342 farm hands, 20 mechanics and 31 servant girls. At the meeting of October 8, 1894, Mr. Charles Weber, Jr., the treasurer, reported that the old record book of the society, covering the period beginning with the re- organization of the society, February 3, 181 7, at the meeting held in Kaminsky's tavern and ending with the quarterly meeting of the s.ociety, held in one of the rooms of the Germania Club October 22, i860, had been placed in care of the secretary of the society with instruction for safety against loss by fire, etc., to keep it in one of the vaults of the Hopkins Place Savings Bank. Ten years thereafter the great fire which consumed even the metal in the bank destroyed the book. On January 30, 1893, Frederick Schad resigned as agent and Mr. John D. Meyer was unanimously elected in his place at a salary GEORGE W. GAIL German Society of Maryland 153 of $60 a month, which later was increased to $1,000 a year. During a sickness of the attorney, Colonel Tieck, Alexander H. Robertson, Esq., acting for Colonel Tieck, HI the name of the society succeeded in recovering for three German cattle shippers $70 for their return fare from Liverpool to Baltimore. In the spring of 1894 a number of German- American ladies formed a temporary organization and held a fair or bazaar in the first week of May at the Germania Maen- nerchor Hall, which netted the sum of $1,114.51. Six hundred and fourteen dollars and fifty-one cents whereof were paid as a donation to the society by Mr. Rother. who acted as treasurer of the bazaar. The balance of $500 was paid to "the Maryland General Hospital" in consideration of which the managers of the hospital agreed to establish and maintain in perpetuity one free bed, to be known as "the German Society Free Bed," for the accommodation of such persons as shall be recom- mended from time to time by "the president of the Ger- man Society of Maryland," or his legal representatives, for medical or surgical treatment. Ihis free bed with medical treatment has been and still is a great blessing to many poor women and men, who could not gain admit- tance to other hospitals of the city and m need of surgical or medical treatment. The kind and remarkable success- ful treatment they received at the hospital induced the society in the year 1902 to add another $500 donation to the hospital. The ladies who founded the free bed never did a more far-reaching act of beneficent charity. The applicant for this charity is first examined by the agent of the society as to his means, then by the physician of the society whether he needs hospital treatment, and then 154 History of The recommended by the president of the society to admission in the hospital. Experience has shown that even hospi- tals are sometimes imposed upon by frauds well able to pay for their treatment. An invitation from the German Society of Pennsyl- vania to attend the banquet to be held in Philadelphia. December 26, 1894, to celebrate the one hundred and thirtieth anniversary of its existence was received aufl accepted. Messrs. L. P. Hennigihausen, Jacob Klein and Robert M. Rother were elected a delegation to represent the ]\Iaryland Society on the occasion. The suffering and hardship of tlie foreign oyster dredger continued to engage the attention and time of the ofificers, especially of F. W. Brune, H. C. Tieck ami Oscar Wolff, the attorneys of the society, the secretary being instructed to keep the society in communication with the other societies in this matter. A proposition in 1897 from the German Branch of the Young Men's Christian Association of Baltimore for the German Society to acquire the hall and building at No. 1015 and 1017 East Baltimore street for the sum of Si 4,000 for a joint home was referred to a committee for a full investigation and consideration. The committee reported unfavorable and the report was adopted. The society in those years had been often invited to join in social, benevolent, political and other affairs and always declined, believing in the singleness of purpose as ex- pressed in its charter the only safe conduct. In February, 1899, the society elected the Hon. Karl Schurz an honorary member and sent him a letter of con- gratulation upon the anniversary of his seventieth birth- day. German Society of Maryland 155 In 1895 the society received large donations from jihilanthroipists who were not inhabitants of the United States. Mr. Friedrich Schepeler. a resident of Mtinden, Hanover, Germany, had been a resident of Baltimore and a member of the German Society from 1846 to 1869, when he retnrned to- Germany. In the month of August, T894, a number of "the Baltimore Wecker," a weekly German newspaper, containing an interestinc^ historical sketch of the German Society of Maryland and of its recent activity, came to his hands and he called to his memory the meritorious humane work of the society. He, therefore, with bis wishes for the continuance of the good work of the society, sent a donation of $1,000. Mr. August Marquardt, a German merchant of Bremen, sojourning in the month of October, 1895, hi our city, on being informed by H. G. Hilken of the good work of cur society, sent a donation of $250. Both donations came through the house of "A. Schumacher & Company," the old steadfast friend of the society. In the meeting of April 12, 1897, the president reported tliat not one case of serious complaint of cruelty or other bad treatment of oyster dredgers had been reported iti the past winter, and that it was the voluntary expressed opinion of the United States commissioners and other officers connected with maritime jurisdiction that this was due entirely to tlie former vigorous efforts of the society in extending protection to the men by bringing the offend- ing captains of oyster dredging boats to justice and pun- ishment. Several cases of withiholding wages from dredgers were prosecuted and settled in the season of 1898, but no case of cruel treatment reported. In 1898 relief was extended by the society to 343 adults and 669 156 History of The children. At the meeting of April 10, 1899, the death of Col. F. W. Brune, one of the counsellors of the society, was announced. He at great sacrifice of time and money had rendered great services for twenty-one years in fight- ing for the poor' and oppressed. His grandfather was one of the charter members, and his father, William F. Brune, held tlie office of counsellor of the society for more than thirty years, until his death in ^879. Both were eminent attorneys-at-law. At the October meeting of 1899 it was resolved that a committee of three be appointed by the president, wIid shall petition the next State legislature to have the report of the Labor Statistician translated into German and printed in pamphlet form for distribution among German emigrants. The president appointed Messrs. Ferdinand C. Latrobe, George W. Gail and Rev. Edward Huber on the committee. At the end of the year 1902 the membership by death, removal from the city and resignation having been ma- terially reduced, Mr. Gustav Siegmund, Robert M. Rother, L. P. Hennighausen, Ernst Schmeisser and other members made an effort to regain the loss, and on Janu- ary 12, 1903, nominated forty-four candidates as mem- bers. In October, 1904, Mr. Ernst Sander, a citizen of Leip- zig, Germany, sent a donation of Mk. 200 and was there- upon elected a member for hfe of the society, but he wrote for leave to become a regular member, and was unani- mously elected, and has since paid his dues by draft punctually ahead of the time when due. The society suffered severe loss during the next following years by the death of a number of highly esteemed, faithful old German Society of Maryland 157 officers and benefactors and many kind words of sorrow, praise and eulogy to their memory are noted in the record book of the society. At the yearly meeting-, January 11, 1904, the president announced the recent death of the former president and kite vice-president, Mr. Claas Vocke. In 1842 he was elected secretaiy and for sixty-three years he continued to hold offices of trust and honor in the gift of the mem- bers of the society. On April 11, 1904, the death of George Brehm was announced; a generous member and contributor of large sums annually to the society. On October 16, 1905, on the death of Vice-President George William Gail, a special meeting was held by the officers and resolutions deploring his loss, etc., passed, Mr. Gail was not only the most liberal contributor, but also a very active officer and member. He was vice- president from 1892 to the time of his death, and remem- bered the society with a legacy of $2,000, In the following year, 1906, Mr. C. W. Schneidereith, smce 1893 second vice-president, and the four esteemed and active managers. Professor Otto Fuchs, Rev. Ed- v/ard Huber, Captain Henry Steffens and Captain Daniel Steenken, each of them after many years of faithful serv- ice in their office, departed this life. In 1906 Mr. Ed. Nieman, a retired merchant, for many years a member and from 1879 to 1890 treasurer of the society, died in Germany. Although a resident of Ger- many since 1890, he remained a steadfast member and in his last will gave the society a legacy of $2,500 and a share of the residue of his estate after the life estate of certain devisees had expired. 158 History of The In 1907, Mr. Henry Lautz, vice-president, elected as successor of Mr. Georg-e W. Gail, deceased, and a gener- ous contributor, departed this life much lamented, remem- bering the society with a legacy of $1,000. On the 30th day of June, 1908, the society suffered another heavy loss in the death of its treasurer, Mr. Charles Weber, Jr. Mr. Weber retired from active busi- ness about or before the time he was elected treasurer in 1890, and devoted most of his time to works of charity and therein especially to the care of the orphans and widows supported by the society, he also took an active part in the protection of the oyster dredgers. A special meeting of the board of officers was held. Appropriate resolutions deploring his death passed and Robert M. Rother elected temporary successor as treasurer. The bureau or office of the society was removed in 1906 from No. 219 South Sharp street to the more con- venient location of 215 and 217 Courtland street, Mr. Samuel Siegael, a liberal contributor to the society, is the owner of the building and in his generous character, it being for charity, he let the office on the first floor with heating, cleaning, gas, etc., at the almost nominal rent of eight dollars a month. ROBERT M. ROTHER German Society of Maryland 159 THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. Too much praise cannot be bestowed on the executive committee. The work of the committee requires experi- ence, patience, sound judgment and true disposition of charity and benevolence. Every person who is or has been active in the work of charity knows that imposition, knavery, deceit and fraud is largely practiced by persons, not in need or too lazy to w'ork, to obtain gifts of charity. It is sweet to obtain money without working for it. It is the duty of the executive committee to carefully examine and investigate every application for charity, so that not a dollar of the society is wasted on unworthy persons, the committee in its discretion orders victuals, groceries, wood, coal or cash to be given by the agent to the appli- cant, by an order on the treasurer. Messrs. Robert M. Rother, A. C. Meyer and Charles Weber, Jr., have since February loth, 1890, performed the arduous delicate duties as executive committee with the approval of the so- ciety. On the death of Mr. Weber, Mr. Herman Baden- hoop was appointed to fill his unexpired term. At the yearly meeting January nth, 1909, Mr. Badenhoop, for business reasons, declined the office, and John Hinricks was in his place appointed a member of the executive committee. Since Mr. Rother is chairman and to the year 1909, the executive committee has approved and is- sued 30,851 orders on the treasurer, for, and the treas- urer thereon has paid, by the agent $89,851.17 to worthy poor persons in need, largely to poor widows with infant children; it is a pleasure to record, that with this aid i6o HiSTOR\ OF The from the society, the children remained with tiieir mothers, and have grown up to good and useful citizens. We must not publish names and numbers, the books are open to members for verification. German Society of Maryland i6i BANQUETS. The social feature of a dinner at the annual meeting of tiie society appears to have been successfully established by the great banquet held on the 26th day of December, 181 7, before the incorporation of the society, at Kamin- sky's Hotel on Water street; in 1820, at Mrs. Wintklos' Hotel on Water street, at twelve o'clock noon; in 1821, at Williamson's Hotel, thereafter and for many years at the Indian Queen Hotel, called Beltzhoover Hotel, south- east corner of Baltimore and Hanover streets, until 1832, when Beltzhoover removed to the Fountain Hotel on Light near Baltimore street, where the society then met. After the Eutaw House was opened the society under President Schumacher often held the banquets in its spacious rooms later and until the present time at the rooms of the Germania Club Under the presidency of Mr. Claas Vocke the annual banquet was suspended four years, but it was to the detriment of the popularity in membership, which then diminished to its lowest number. After due consideration, it was resolved under President Hennighausen to continue the annual banquet and many members have since been gained and enlisted in the cause of charity at these social gatherings, where always cheer- ful, even happy hours were spent. The consciousness of feeling that you were among men of generous, benevo- lent hearts, gentlemen by their very nature, so that not a word of discord ever marred these meetings, and they are looked forward to by former participants with antici- pation of having a good time. Every participant pays 1 62 History of The for the dinner a moderate sum and orders whatever wine or mineral water he desires, at his own cost. The wines cut of the cellars of the club, noted for their quality and purity are furnished at a reasonable price. The entertainments begin with remarks by the presi- dent referring- to the good work of the society during the past year in helping the poor, assisting widows and or- phans, procuring work for the unemployed, fighting for the oppressed and reminding his hearers of the grand history of the society since its organization. Good music, by select musicians, German and English choruses, fine vocal and instrumental solos, intersperse the evening. The toasts are few, the Society, the United States of America, Our Old Fatherland, State of Maryland, City of Baltimore and Our Sister Societies, is the usual pro- gram. One of the most pleasant features of these ban- quets is the presence of the invited representatives of the Hibernian, the St. George's and the St. Andrew's So- cieties of Baltimore, representing resjDectively the Irish, English and Scotch nationalities. It is a time-honored custom from the earliest years of these societies, to be present at each others annual meetings and engenders a good fellowship and mutual esteem among the nationali- ties they represent, which cannot be valued too highly in our community. Whoever has attended these banquets will remember wath pleasure the eloquent words of sym- pathy and praise spoken by these gentlemen, which made us feel akin in noble sentiment and action in the field of charity. Our member, and always especially invited guest, ex-Mayor Ferdinand C. Latrobe. has for more thai twenty years, never failed to be present and by eloquent speech manifested his warm attachment to the society and German Society of Maryland 163 his friends, that is to all the members thereof. The mayor of the city and the g-overnor of the State, when their duties permit them, are also honored and welcome guests. Short speeches, German and English spoken indiscrimi- nately, popular songs are sung ad Uhitiun, old friends re- new their acquaintances and good cheer prevails to the end. The climax of these banquets was the one hun- dred and twenty-fifth anniversary of the first organiza- tion of the society, held at the rooms of the German ia Club on the eighth day of January, 1909. Descendants of the founders and of the deceased members of the so- ciety were invited to participate. The rooms were filled to their seating capacity. The governor of the State, Austin L. Crothers; the mayor of the city, J. Barry Mahool ; Dr. J. C. Hexamer, the president of the German Society of Pennsylvania; Honorable Richard Barthold, member of congress from St. Louis, Missouri ; William P. Ryan, president of the Hibernian Society; Dr. George A. Fleming, vice-president of St. George's Society; B. P. Gillespie, vice-president St. Andrew's Society; Ferdinand C. Latrobe and the most prominent citizens of German descent and birth were present. After some introductory remarks by President Louis P. Hennighausen, Mr. Rob- ert M. Rother acted as toastmaster and called upon the Hon. Charles E. Heuisler, a judge of the Supreme Bench of Baltimore, to respond to the toast, "The German So- ciety." Judge Heuisler gave an interesting address on the history of the society, closing with a brilliant panegyric of the founders and members of past genera- tions. The second toast, "Our New Fatherland," was responded to by the eloquent orator, Hon. Ricliard Bar- thold in the German language. "The Old Fatherland." 164 History of The responded to by Mr. Henry Ruhstrar, the representative of the German consul, who was absent in Germany, ki fitting words, was loudly applauded. Governor Crothers responded for the "State of Maryland" and Mayor Ma- hool for "The City of Baltimore." Dr. Charles E. Hexa- mer made a stirring address in response to the toast ot "Our Guests." The representatives of our sister societies spoke well in cheerful words, especially our old friend. William P. Ryan, of the Hibernian, who so often has delighted us by his masterful sweet diction and historic lore of the early intercourse between the Irish and Ger- mans and their common bonds. The banquet, which w^as in every way a great success, ended by singing : Should Auld Acquaintance Be I'orgot, etc. German Society of Maryland 165 REPORT OF THE TREASURER OF THE SOCIETY. MR. ROBERT M. ROTHER. JANUARY, 1509. Balance, January ist, 1908 $2,076.25 Receipts. Ground rents $3,601.08 Donations 162.OU Bequests 1,100.00 Members' dues i ,580.00 Interest 35-62 6,478.70 Disbursements. Cash assistance for 1563 orders $5,639.60 Office Rent and Expenses 217.15 Advertising 5,554-95 Printing and Stationery. Salary of Agent 1,000.00 Fee to Agent for collecting members' dues 79.CO Sundries 15-24 Invested in ground rent 950.00 8,054.34 Balance, January ist, 1909 $ 500.61 Investments of the Society. Irredeemable ground rents, $2,121.08 per year. Ground rents redeemable, at 4%, $930.00 per year. Ground rents redeemable, at 6%, $570.00 per year. Robert M. Rother, Treasurer. The undersigned have carefully examined the books and vouchers of the Treasurer and of the Agent of the German Society of Mary- land and also the securities as stated above and found the same cor- rect. George Buchheister, 1 L. H. WiEM.\N, I Auditing Committee. A. Obst. I January 22, 1909. 1 66 History of The FROM THE REPORT OF THE AGENT OF THE SOCIETY, MR. JOHN D. MEYER. The payments for relief to the poor were made in the following manner: Jannary on 133 orders $469.60 February " 136 " 49^-35 March " 130 " 461.50 April " 130 " 468.50 May " 130 " 45150 June " 126 " 44550 July " 129 " 44650 August " 127 " 457-50 September " 123 " 447-00 October " 131 " 477-90 November " 134 " 494.25 December " 134 " 522.50 1563 $5,63460 Included in the above are 208 orders for groceries and provisions, 47 for coal and wood, 2 for shoes, for i fare to Germany, 5 for fare to Philadelphia, i for fare to Wash- ington. Relief was extended to 30 families with it6 children, and 129 widows with 522 children; 12 married couples and 12 widows without children, and 25 men ; in all 250 adults and 638 children. 64 new applications for relief were made at our office, all of which were carefully investigated and considered by our Executive Committee. In i case false address was given and the parties could not be found; in 3 cases it was found that the applicants were not entitled to our assist- German Society of Maryland 167 ance, and in 60 cases relief was given according to the needs of the appHcant as far as our means would permit. 330 visits were made during the year to parties whom we regularly assist, and in 14 of these cases assistance was discontinued; 8 of our regular pensioners died. A number of men seeking employment were referred to persons who applied for help. 1 68 History of The DONATIONS AND BEQUESTS. 1817 to 1852. Christian Mayer $50.00 A. J. Schwartze 50.00 Michael Hummer 50.00 Frederick Koenig 50.00 F. L. E. Amelung 50.00 B. I. Von Kapf 50.00 Solomon Etting 50.00 Henry Keerl 25.00 F. W. Brune 50.00 P. Arn. Karthaus 50.00 I. I. Kohen, Jr 50.00 Charles Schaefer 20.00 Lewis Mayer 20.00 Christian Keller 50.00 Jere Sullivan 50.00 Lewis Brautz 50.CO Justus Hoppe 50.00 H. D. Witelhausen 50.00 Frederick Hammer 50.00 August Hammer 20.00 Lawrence Thompstn 20.00 C. S. Konig 20.00 John I loffman 50.00 George Hoffman 50.00 Peter Hoffman 50.00 John Strieker 50.00 Henry Messonnicr 50.00 Conrad Schultz 50.00 Philip R. J. Friese 50.00 John F. Friese 50.CO Charles Bohn 50.00 James Luber 50.00 Frederick Waesche 50.00 Meta Repold 50.09 Henry Schneider 50.00 Nicholas Popplein 50.CO Sepe Eichelberger 30.00 L. Eichelberger 20.C0 Frederick C. Graf 50.00 C. L. Weiskopff 20.00 1853. Oelrichs & Lurman. 1854. Fred Chr. Delius. . .$136.00 $50.00 1864. D. H. Meyer $50.00 1872. Albert Schumacher. . . $10,000.00 1877. Herm. Von KapfT $50.00 G. W. Gail 50.00 Christian Ax 50.00 J. D. Kremelberrj 5000 H. Arens 25.CO L. W. Gunther 25.00 Wm. Seemullcr 25.00 John R. Seemulkr 25.00 Aug. Vogeler 25.00 Geo. A. Von Lingen 25.00 C A. Von Lingen 25.00 Robert Lehr 20.00 1890. From 4 oyster dredgers.. . $3500 German Society of Maryland 169 1892. Mrs Nannie Ax 132.CO Auguste Holzemer $182,60 G. W. Gail 300x0 Friend through H. G. H. 25.00 1898. 1893. A. S. Abeil Co $150.00 Unkel Braesig Verein. . . .$ 25.00 George Brehm 100.00 j^ 5200 Mrs. Nannie Ax 132.00 S. 20.00 G. W. Gail 300.00 L. P. Hennighausen 45.00 Herman Seibert 60.00 Gail & Ax workmen 200.00 Johann Fr. Zetzener 653.35 James Scott 50.00 Marie Gundel 200.00 Anna Cath. Denhardt 1093.18 1899. G- W. Gail 7500 A s ^^^,1 (3q ^j^OQQ Mrs Nannie Ax 99-00 Louis & Chas. E. Dohme. 25.00 1894. ^- ^- ^°" Lingen 100.00 A. C. Meyer $ 20.00 ^- ^- H''^^^" SO.oo Ladies' Bazar 614.51 ^enry Lauts 50.00 Perpetual Bed in Mary- Geqrge Brehm 200.00 land General Hospital M'"^- Dannie Ax 182.00 through Ladies' Bazar, G. W. Gail 300.00 (.Qgj- COO 00 ^' ^' Hobelman 50.00 Mrs. Nannie Ax 132.00 Herman Seibert 60.00 G. W. Gail 300.00 Cash.... 5.00 Celebration of German ^^95- Day 160.14 Frederick Schepeler $1000.00 A. C. Meyer 20.00 August Marquardt 250.00 A. S. Abell Co $150.00 Mrs. Nannie Ax 132.00 George Brehm 200.00 G. W. Gail 300.00 ^^'■^- Nannie Ax 132.00 G. W. Gail 300.00 ^°90. Herman Seibert 60.00 Miss Nannie Ajc $132.00 G. W. Gail 300.00 1901. A. S. Abel! Co $150.00 1897- George Brehm 200.00 George Brehm $20.00 Mrs. Nannie Ax 132.00 Baltimore Charter Cen- G. W. Gail 300.00 nial Committee 141.00 Herman Seibert 100.00 170 History of The Mrs. Mary D. Appell.... 500.00 a. S. Abell Co 100 00 ^''^'- ^^'^ 390.00 Hessen-Darmst-Verein .. 12.50 "^^- G.W.Gail S^^"^ George Brehm $400.00 ' 300.oo Christian & Marie Ax.... 132.00 Christian & Marie Ax... 132,00 G.W.Gail 300.00 J°'"^ m<±Q\ 6.00 Herman Seibert 3^0^ Mrs. Fr. Sachs 3.00 Henry Kynast 5.00 1903. A. S. Abell Co $150.00 ^^^■ George Brehm 200.00 George Gunther $100.00 Christian & Marie Ax 132.00 Conrad Reinhold 200.00 G. W. Gail 300.00 A. S. Abell Co 100.00 Herman Seibert 60.00 J. Fredr. Wiessner 200.00 Henry Schwarz 10.00 Gottlieb Stiebrrtz 500.00 Cash 5.00 Christian & Marie Ax ... . 132.00 Drayton M. Hite 300 j^^^ ^904- Mrs. Rosina Sinsz $ 100.00 A. S. Abell Co $150.00 Christian & Marie Ax.... 132.00 Christian & Marie Ax 132.00 Eberhard Niemann 2500.00 G. W. Gail 300.00 Henry Lants 1000.00 Samuel Siegael 5.00 Hessen-Darmst-Verein . . 12.50 Ernst Sander (Leipzig).. 47.37 John C Scherer $100.00 Mrs. Anna M. Reier 100.00 Donations 162.00 Christian & Marie Ax.... 132.00 ^^°^" Unknown through Aug. Independent Citizens' Hassfurtier 20.00 Union 12000 Geo. Bunnecke 5.00 Samuel Siegael 10.00 St. Matthew's Congreg... 5.00 German Society of Maryland 171 LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE GERMAN SOCIETY OF MARYLAND. FIRST ORGANIZED 1783. Records Lost to 181 7. President — Karl Friedrich Wiesenthal, 1783. Secretary — John Conrad Zollickoffer, 1784. Physician — Dr. William Zollikoffer, 1783. MEMBERS. Christian Mayer, 1784 (List of Members Lost.) List of Officers and Members of German Society of Maryland, at the time of its Incorporation, 1817. Printed in Baltimore 1817 by Schaefifer & Maund. OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY. Elected in March, 181 7. President Christian Mayer. First Vice-President Dr. Aug. J. Schwartze. Second Vice-President B. J. Von Kapff. Third Vice-President Henry Schroeder. Fourth Vice-President John Stricker. Counselloi«s \ ^^^id Hoffman. ( William Frick. T,. . . ( Dr. J. G. Wolff, Physicians -J ( Dr. Jacob Baer. Treasurer Frederick Waesche. Secretary of the Society Lewis Mayer. Secretary of the Officers Lawr. Tiiomsen. 172 History of The Managers. Justus Hoppe, Lewis Brantz, Conrad Schultz, Jacob Small, William Krebs, F. L. E. Amelung, Albers, Solomon G. Amelung, John P. W. Bader, Dominick. EvERS, F. G. EwALDT, John H. FahSj Casper. Baker, John H. Baker, Joseph. Baker, George S. Baker, Samuel. Baker, William. Becker, Simon. Berger, John. Bern hart, H. Boehm, Charles G. BoHM, Charles. BosE, William. Brune, F. W. Brune, John L. Capito. Christian. Cohen, Junr. J. J. Dannemann, C. H. Delius, George. Diffenderfer, Chas. Diffenderfer, Michl. DoNSEE, Leopold. DuNTZE, George. Eckel, Philip P. John Frick, John F. Friese, Samuel Keerl, Peter Sauerwein, Michael Kimmel, Jesse Eichelberger. Members. Eichelberger, L. Etting, Solomon. Karthaus, Peter A. Karthaus, Charles W. Keerl, Henry. Keerl, John C. Keerl, Joshua S. Keerl, George H. Keller, Christian. Konig, Frederick. KONIG, C. S. Frailey, Leonard. Frick, Peter. Friese, Philip R. J. Ghequiere, Charles. Glattus, Peter. Graf, Frederick C. Grass, John J. Gross, Johannes. GuiLDENER, Charles. Hacter, Gottlieb. Hammer, Frederick. Hammer, August. Hasily, Samuel. Hedrick, Thomas. Henck, F. W. Hertzog, J. F. Hoffman, John. Hoffman George. Hoffman, Peter. Horn, Philip. HuRXTHAL, Benjamin Hurxthal, Ferdinand HuRXTHAL, Lewis. Ingden, Peter. Proebsting, Theodor. C. Ratien, Richard. Readel, John D. Refold, Metta. RoHR, Andrew. Rothrock, John, rudenstein, john m. Sadtler, Philip B Sauerwein, Junr. Peter. Konig, Henry. Krafft, J. P. Kraber, Daniel. Krieg, Frederick. Labes, James. Leypold, Frederick. Lindenberger, Jacob. LiTTiG, Philip. Macker, Benjamin. German Society of Maryland 173 ■\Iedtart, Joshua. Meeth, Philip. Meinecke, C. Miller, Christopher. ]\Iyers, Jacob. Myers, George. Myers, Samuel. Nenninger, B. Nenninger, John. PoEPPLEiN, Nicholas. SuHR, Jacob. Thomae, Huilfreich. Thomas, D. L. Uhler, Philip. Vibrans, William. Vickers, Joel. Wall, Jacob. Warner, George. Schaefer, Christian. Schabjter, Frederick, schaeffer, f. g. Schley, Jacob. Schminke, George. Schmidt, William L. Schroder, Jr., Henry. Schroeder, William. Schroeder, Charles. Schultze, J. E. C, Sellers, Abraham. SiGMOND, John Peter. Spies, John P. Starck, George. Steinback, John C. Stouffer, John. Strischka, Joseph. Sullivan, Jeremiah. Sultzer, Sebastian. Warner, Michael. Warner, William. Weise, a. Werdebaugh, John. Wichelhausen, H. D. Wichelhausen, Jacob. Woehlers, Charles. The above named 149 members subscribed the Constitution and By-Laws of the Society in 1817. 174 History of The LIST OF OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY. Years. Presidents. 1783 to Dr. Charles F. Wiesenthal 2 years. 1817 to 1821 Christian Mayer 4 years. 1821 to 1833 Justus Hoppe 12 years. 1833 to 1841 Urias W. Karthaus 8 years. 1841 to 1872 Albert Schumacher 31 years. 1872 to 1879 Hermann von Kapff 7 years. 1879 to 1887 Claas Vocke 8 years. 1887 to Louis T. Hennighausen Vice-Presidents. 1817-1822 B. J. VoN Kapff. 1869-1872 Christian Ax. 1817-1827 Gen'l. John Stricker. 1870-1871 ) ^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ 1817-1826 Dr. Aug. J. Schwartz. 1879-1887 ) 1817-1822 Heinrich Schroeder. 1877-1878 Wm. Seemitller. 1822-1861 F. W. Brune, Sr. 1879-1883 Jacob Furst. 1822-1830 John Hoffman. 1883-1887 Hy. Wilkins. 1820-1840 Solomon Etting. 1887-1893 Fredk. Wehr. 1826-1829 Jacob Small. 1887-1893 P. L. Keyser. 1830-1833 Claas W. Karthaus. 1888-1902 Claas Vocke. 1830-1841 Samuel Keel. 1889-1893 Fredk. Raine. 1833-1859 Charles G. Boehm. 1892-1906 Geo. W. Gail. 1830-1846 I ^ ,,. T -.^CT ^^93-1894 Ernst Knabe ■^ ^ f GUSTAV W. LuRMAN. - ^ r^ \\T c ,. ^, ^,^,, 1860-1867 > 1894-1906 C. W. Schneidereitii. 1840-1845 Chas. F. Mayer. 1895-1906 H. H. Hobelman. 1846-1852 Dr. a. Wegner. 1903 H. G. Hilken. 1846-1853 F. L. Braun. 1905-1908 Henry Lants. 1851-1879 Chas. W. Lentz. 1906 Geo. Bunnecke. 1859-1877 Justus Bruehl. 1906 Louis T. Dieterich. 1861-1889 Wm. Numsen. 1907 Jacob Klein. 1867-1869 Charles Spilker. German Society of Maryland 175 Tkeasurers. 1817-1825 Frederick Waesche. 1890-July 1908 Chas. Weber, Jr. 1825- 1845 Ben J. J. Cohen. 1908-July to January Robert M. 1845-1877 Israel Cohen. Rother, Pro Tern. 1877-1879 Jno R. Seemuller. 1909 Conrad C. Rabbe. 1879-1890 Edw. Niemann. Secretaries. 1817-1822 Lewis Mayer. 1852-1856 G. H. Spilker. 1817-1820 Lawrence Thomson. 1853-1870 H. Von Kapff. 1818 Wm. Frick. 1856-1865 D. H. Meier. 1821-1824 Henry G. Jacobson. 1865-1873 Geo. A. Von Lingen. 1824 B. J. Cohen. 1870-1874 LL Wilkens. 1825 J. C. Dants. 1874-1887 J. C. Wilkens. 1826-1829 Fredk. L. Brauns. 1874-1887 H. G. Hilken. 1829-1833 Chas. Starke. 1887-1888 John Hinrichs. 1832-1840 Fredk. Focke. 1887-1894 J. H. Middendorf. 1833-1843 Chas. Spilker. 1888- 1899 R. M. Rother. 1843-1853 Claas Vocke. 1894-1896 M. Meyerdirck. 1841-1849 Charles W. Lentz. 1896 Herman Knollenderg. 1846-1852 Geo. Sander. 1899 H. Ruhstrat. Counsellors. 1817-1832 William Frick, Esq. 1885-1887 L. P. Hennighausen, 1817-1835 David Hoffman, Esq. Esq. 1819-1820 J. R. Cruse, Esq. 1888-1896 Heinrich C. Tieck. 1821-1838 Chas. F. Mayer, Esq. Esq. 1835-1882 F. W. Brune, Esq. 1892 Oscar Wolff, Esq. 1838-1843 Brantz Mayer. Esq. igoo-1907 J. Frederick Re- 1843-1896 Wm. F. Frick, Esq. quardt, Esq. 1875-1881 Alexander Wolff, 1907— — Christ. R. Watten- Esq. scheidt, Esq. 1883- 1900 F. W. Brune, Esq. Physicians. 1784 Dr. Karl Fredrick 1817-1818 Dr. Jacob Baer. Wiesenthal. 1818-1826 Dr. Edw. Schwarz. 1785 Dr. VVm. Zolltkoffer. 1818-1823 Dr. Edw. Huttner. 1817-1818 Dr. John G. Wolff. 1822-1826 Dr. J. Frick. 176 History of The 1 826- 1 830 Dr. a. Wegner. 1826- 1830 Dr. Joshua J. Cohen. 1 830- 1 832 Dr. Wm. Keerl. 18301845 Dr. F. E. B. Hintze. 1 832-1841 Dr Edward Schwartze 1839-1841 Dr. a. J. Schwartze. 1841-1883 Dr. Henry Albers. 1841-1844 Dr. Schurman. 1846-1848 Dr. J. A. Benke. 1848-1850 Dr. E. a. Hamel. 1850-1852 Dr. L. Morawitz. 1 853- 1854 Dr. Ziering. 1854-1869 Dr. Friedhoefer. 1869-1876 Dr. F. Hesel. 1869-1876 Dr. C. F. Heuser. 1873- 1891 Dr. Carl Hoffman. 1876-1883 Dr. L. C. Winternitz 1876-1883 Dr. H. Salzer. 1880-1888 Dr. a. Mathieu. 1883-1891 Henry Gombel. 1883-1893 Dr. Adolph Boehm. 1888-1895 Dr. a. V. GoswEiLER. 1 893- 1895 Dr. W. Henschel. 1893-1898 Dr. John C. Hem- meter. 1896 Dr. Chas. H. a. Meyer. 1905 Dr. Fredk. W. Hobel- mann. Managers. 1817 1818 1858 1874 1876 1888 1889 1818 1830 1830 1836 1841 1842 1851 1853 1884 1884 1893 1898 F. L. E. Amelung. Frederick Amelung. Christian Ax. Frederick Arras. Henry Arens. John Albaugh. John B. Adt. Louis Brantz. F. L. Brauns. Arias G. Boehm. Matthias Benzinger. F. Bredemeyer. Justus Bruehl. A. Brede. Charles Bulling. Charles A. Brack. George Bauernsciimidt. Charles Bein. Geo. Wm. Becker. George Bunnecke. George Brehm. 1901 Edmund Bruenning. 1905 Herman Badenhoop. 1906 G. H. Blank. 1822 Benj. J. Cohen. 1840 J. J. Cohen, Jr. 1846 Charles Caspari. 1854 William Caspari. 1855 Herman Classen. 1874 M. G. Cohen. 1818 Chas. Diffenderfer. 1826 C. H. Danneman. 1846 Chas. Degenhardt. 1847 Christian Deerke. 1852 G. C. Deerke. 1868 TjARKS Deetjen. 1901 Louis P. Dietrich. 1903 Charles E. Dohme. 1818 Philip Eckel. 1846 John Eschbach. 1875 Fred. Ellenbrock. 1817 John F. Friese. German Society of Maryland 177 1821 1827 [838 [847 1871 1877 1880 [890 1893 1841 1880 1894 1897 1907 1817 !i8 1822 1827 [827 1828 1829 1833 1837 1841 1847 1874 1874 1888 [888 1890 1890 1892 [906 [909 1893 1817 Wm. Frick. Aras Fischer. Fredk. Focke. Geo. N. Fischer. John Friedrich. Emil Fischer. Joseph Friedenwald. Prof. Otto Fuchs. Fred. W. Feldner. F. B. Graf. H. H. Graue. Edwd C. Geyer. F. H. Ganter. William Grecht. Justus Hoppe. August Hammer. David Hoffman. Dr. F. E. B. Hintze. C. A. Heineken. B. Hurschthal. J. J. Hoogewerf. Wm. Hillberg. H. R. Hoffmeister. H. C. Huene. G. H. HllENICHEN. H. Hausenwald. Ferdinand Hassencamp. John Hem meter. H. Hasenbalg. H. H. Hobelmann. Jacob Hecht. Chas. Hilgenberg. H. G. Hilken. Rev. Edward Huber. Rev. Julius Hofmann. John Hinrichs. Henry Joesting. William Krebs, 1817 Samuel Keerl. 1817 Michael Kimmel. 1821 Chas. W. Karthaus. 1825 J. P. Krafft. 1828 Edward Kurtz. 1830 Fredk. Koenig. 1839 C. Kretzer. 1843 John T. Kall. 1852 Wm. Knabe. i8.q.^ H. Kochling. 1856 Aug. Koehler. 1874 Ernst Knabe. 1874 J. G. Koppelman. 1877 P- L. Keyser. 1884 Henry Knefely. 1891 William Koch. 1893 Jacob Klein. 1899 Ernst Knabe, Jr. 1901 Arnold Kummer. 1818 Fredk. Leypold. 1837 C. Lindeman. 1848 Wm. Lamping. 1878 Gebhard Leimbach. 1887 Christopk. Lipps. 1891 Henry Lants. 1840 Gen'l. Joshua Medtardt. 1841 G. H. Mittnacht. 1841 Aug. Miller. 1843 J. K. Mesersmith. 1887 John Meeth. 1889 A. C. Meyer. 1895 J. Wm. Middendorf. 1896 Charles J. Marburg. 1898 Fredk. J. Mayer. 1906 Wm. Meissel. 1840 William Numsen. 1856 Charles Nitze. 1878 Fredk. Oelman. 178 History of The 1829 C. G. Peters. 1873 1854 Dietrich Pralle. 187s 1906 Max Quitt. 1888 1852 Fr. Uhtoff. 1890 1877 F- W. Ulrich. 1891 1825 Henry Roderwald. 1891 1867 Jacob Rudolph. 1899 1898 Henry Ruhstrat. 1906 1899 Robert M. Rother. 1909 1817 Conrad Schulz. 1856 1817 Jacob Small. 1869 1817 Peter Sauerwein. 1874 1818 Henry Schroeder. 1832 1 82 1 Philip D. Sadtler. 1846 1821 Fredk. G. Schaefer. 1850 1827 Peter Sauerwein, Jr. 1853 1827 C. A. Schaefer. 1888 1833 Albert Schumacher. 1841 1833 John P. Stroble. 1878 1836 Chas. W. Spilker. 1887 1848 E. Schoening. 1888 1849 A. Semuller. 1895 1859 Jacob Seeger. 1896 1862 Alex. H. Schulz. 1898 1872 Chris. Schmidt. 1903 1872 John Stellman. 1888 Capt. Henry Steffens. Fr. Schad. Chas. W. Schneidereith. GusTAV Siegmund. Ernst Schmeisser. Henry Schwarz. Capt. Daniel Steenken. Frank Steil. Louis C. Schneidereith. Adam Treusch. Jacob Trust. Chas. Thienemann Geo. a. Van Spreckelen. A. H. Von Post. Herm. Von. Kappf. Aug. Vogeler. Henry Vees. August Wegner. Frederick Wehr. Charles Weber, Jr. Fredk. Walpert. Rudolph Wattenscheidt. J. Fredk. Wiessner. Paul Weilbacher. Edw. Wishmeyer. Conrad Zeul. German Society of Maryland 1/9 LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE GERMAN SOCIETY OF MARYLAND. Since Its Commencement. Printed by John T. Hanzsche in Baltimore, 1851. Members Deceased or Resigned. LIFE. Amelung, F. L. E. BoHN, Charles. Brantz, Charles. Friese, John F. Etting, Solomon. Graff, Frederick. Hammer, Frederick. Hoffmann, George. Hoffmann, J. Hoffmann, Peter. HopPE, Justus. Kapff, B. J. VoN. Karthaus, p. a. Keller, Christ. KiMMEL, Michael. Mayer, Christian. Labes, James. Messonier, H. Refold, Metta. Schroeder, H. ScHULTZ, Conrad. Schwartze, a. J. Stricker, John. Sullivan, J. Waesche, Fred. Wichelhausen, H. D. Albers, S. G. Albert, Jacob. Amelung, J. P. W. Amelung, Ant. Bader, Dominik. Baer, Jacob, M. D. Baker, Joseph. Baker, John H. Baker, Samuel. Baker, William. Baltzell, Chs. Baltzell, Emil. Baltzell, Alex. Baltzell, Jacob. Baltzell, Philip. Baltzell, Thom. Baltzell, William. Beck, Thomas. Becker, Dietrich. Becker, Siemon. Bechtel, John P. Beltz hoover, Geo. Berger, John. Bernhardt, H. Bersch, Henry. Boeninger, Arnold. Boeninger, Gustav. Bolte, John. Bose, William. Boeving, Gustav. Boeving, G. a. Bredemeyer, Fr. Capito, Christian. Carstaryen, E. Cohen, Jos. I., M. D. Cohen, B. J. Cohen, David I. Dannemann, C. H. Dannenberg, F. R. Deems, Jacob. Delevie, Solomojst. Delins, F. C. Delins, George. DiELMAN, Henry. Diffenderffer, Chas. Diffenderffer, Mich. DoNSEE, Leop. Drege, Jacob R. Droege, John. DuNTE, John C. DuNTZE, George. Durst, Fredk. Dyer, Leon. Dyer, John M. i8o HiSTCRY OF The EcKARDT, John. Eckel, Chas. F. Eckel, Ph. N. ElCHELBERGER, G. S. ElCHELBERGER, JeSSE. ElCHELBERGER, L. Entze, J. F. Etting, Samuel. Etting, B. J. EvERS, F. G. EwALT, John H. Falis, Casper. Fisher, Chs. Fischer, Chs. W. Fischer, G. N. FOCKE, C. W. FocKE, Fredk. Frailey, L. Pkey, John. Frick, Peter. Frick, John. Frick, William. Garbade, Gebh. Gelbach, C. Gebhardt, C. E. Ghequiere, Chs. GiESE, L. W. H. GrONIG, RUDOLFii, Gross, John. Gross, John S. gudervill, h. GuLDENER, CilAS. Halvern, E. Hamel, M. D. Hammer, Auo. Hammer, Gottfrt. Harjes, F. H. Harman, John. Hartwig, John H. Hasley, Sam'l. Hedrick, Thomas. Heineken, C. a. Henk, F. W. Henning, Thomas. Hertzog, J. F. HiLLBERG, Wm. Hill, J. H. HiNTZE, F. E. B., M. D. HiSKY, Joseph. HoFF, John M. Hoffmann, Dav. HoLLEN, Christian Von. holzerman, j. Hoogewerff, J. P. Hoover, F. HoppE, H. Horn, Phil. HoRTON, James. HuxtahLj Benj. Huxtahl, Fredk. Huxtahl, Lewis. HusTER, Gottlieb. Kall, John T. Karthaus, a. W. Karthaus, P. a. Kaylor, George. Keener, David. Keener, Christian. Keerl, Henry. Keerl, Wm., M. D. Keerl, John C. Keerl, Samuel. Keerl, Geo. II. Keerl, Joshua. Keyser, G. Keyser, Chs. M. Klein, E. F. Klein, Frederick. Knorre, Chs. Koch, Fred. Kochler, Geo. Konig, C. H. Konig, Henry. KOSTER, A. KOSTER, D. Kraber, Danl. Krafft, Charles L. Krafft, J. P. Krail, John G. Krebs, Geo W. Krebs, William. Kretzer, C. Krieg, Fredk. KuESTER, Chs. L. Kuester, Ernst. Leypold, Fr. Leypold, F. W. Lewis. Lightner, Isaac. Limmer. G. Lindenberger, Jacob. Lindhorn, Henry. LiTTiG, Philip. Macker, Benj. Marquardt, H. Maul, Geo. N. Maund, Thomas. Mayer, Lewis. Medtart, Joshua. Meineke, C. Mettinger, C. a, Mettinger, Gottlieb. German Society of Maryland i«i MoTz, D. Mueller, Aug. Mueller, Christ. MuNDER, Chas. F. MUNKS, A. MuTH, Philip. Myers, Geo. Myers, Jacob. Myers, Samuel. Nenninger, John. Nenninger, B. Oelrichs, E. G. OoLO, L. Peters, C. G. Petri, J. F. Post, A. H. Von. Proebsting, Th. C. Ratien, Richard. Rau, J. C. Readel, John D. Reckers, G. J. Rfppart, Geo. Reppart, John. Rodewald, Fredk, RoDEWALD, Henry. Rodewald, William. RoHR, Andrew. Romyn, J. H. RoTHROCK, John. Rudenstein, J. M. Sadtler, Philip B. Sauerhoff, John. Sauerwein, Peter. Sauerwein, Peter, Jr. Schabfer, Christ. ScHAEFER, Fredk. Schaefer, F. C. ScHETTER, Fredk. Schley, Jacob. Schmidt, A. Schmidt, Wm. L. ScHMiNKE, George, schoening, e. Schroeder, Wm. Schroeder, Chas. Schroeder, H., Jr. schultze, j. e. c. ScHULTz, Jefferson. Schwartz, E. F.,M. D. Schwartz, Julius. Seeger, Jacob. Seekamp, Albert. Sellers, Abraham. Seltzer, Adam. Siegmund, John P. Silver, Lewis. Slingluff, Charles. Small, Jacob. Small, Wm. F. Smith, Nicolas. Snyder, Joseph. Snyder, Peter. Stopfer, John. Spicer, John P. SuHR, Jacob. Super, John. SuLTZER, Sebastian, Starcke, Charles, Stark, Geo. Steinbeck, John C, Stricker, John. Stritschka, J. A. Strubberg, S. a. Struthhoff, Barney. Thomae, Geo. Thomae, H. Thomas, D. L. Thomson, Lawr. Turner, Geo. N. Uhler, Philip. Vernunft, Theodor. Vibrans, Wm. VicKERS, Joel. Wall, Jacob. Wernecken, J. D. Warner, Geo. Warner, Michael, Warner, William. Weis, John. Weise, a. Weiskopff, C. L. Werdebaugh, John. Westphal. Wichelhausen, Jacob. Will, Chas. F. Winkler, John. Wochlers, Christ. Wolf, John G., M. D. Yonker, Francis. Ziegler, John. Ziegler, Leonhardt. Zintner, Fredk. Zoller, M.D. B. — Members in 1851. Ahrens, Adolph. Albers, H., M. D. Alberti, H. F. Arens, Henry. Ballauf, August. Benzinger, Matthias. Berg, Otto H. Benke, J. A., M. D. I«2 History of The BlEDE, A. BOEHM, ChAS. G. BOENINGER, ChAS. BoENiNGER, Edward. BraunSj F. L. Bruhl, Justus. Brune, F. W., for life. Brune, F. W., Jr. Brune, John C. Brune, Wm. H. buch walter, a. Bulling, Chas. Bulling, F. Caspari, Chas. Caspari, Wm. Classen, Herm. Cohen, J. T., Jr. for life. Cohen, Israel. Cohen, Moses. Conrad, G. J. Crey, Fredk. Damman, F. W. Deerke, G. C. Degenhardt, Chas. Delins, Charles. DiERiNG, Ludwig. Dierking, H. DiTTUS, F. Dobler, Theopholus. Dresel, W. Drost, G. a. Durchhausen. Eisenbrandt, C. H. Eltermann, Fred. Engler, Adolph. Eschbach, John. Felgner, F. W. FiCKEY, A. Flamm, Peter. Frick, George, M. D. Frick, Wm. F. Friese, Ph. R. J., for life. Friese, Philip C. Gable, John. Gaehle, Henry. Gail, George W. Gerdes, H. G. Glocker, Theodor. Graf, Fred. B. Graue, H. H. Groeninger, Aug. GiJNTHER, H. Gude, Justus. Harjes, John H. Harman, Geo. Hen NIGS, E. A. HiNRICHS, ChR. Hogendorp, E. HOLSTE, p. C. Huenichen, G. Huntemuller, F. H. Huppmann, N. Jacobson, H. G. Katz, John. Keyser, Moses. Kirch NER, H. Kapff, Herm. Von Kapff, Fred. Von. Klaumburg, H. F. Kleyensteuben, F. H. Klingenberg, a. Knabe, Wm. Koechling, H. M. Koehler, Aug. Koenig, Fred., for life. Kremelberg, J. D. Kurtz, Ed. Lamping, Wm. Lange, John Geo. Lehr, Robert, Lemke, E. H. Lentz, Chas. W. Leupold, Chas. Lewis, Martin. Lindenmann, Conrad. Lingenfelder, F. H. LilRMAN, G. W. Mann, Ernst. Mayer, Fred. Mayer, Chas. F. Mallinkrodt, W. Marburg. Wm. Messersmith, J. K. Metz, August. Meyer, Burkhardt. Meyer, Ferdinand. Meyer, August. Middendorf, H. Mittendorff, C. Morawetz, L., M. D. Mueller, Julius. Mueller, H. Nolting, Chas. Numsen, Wm. Oelrichs, Henry. Ogston, a. W. Ohrenschall, Chas. Peters, John G. PoEPPLEiN, NiCH., for life. PoEPPLEiN, Geo. Pralle, Dietrich. German Society of Maryland 183 Pracht, August C. Precht, C. Preiss, Hirsch. Prior, O. F. Raine, Fred. Reinhardt, Chas. C. Rickers, Nicholas. Ripplemeyer, C. H. Sadtler, John. Sander, Geo. Schaer, Wm. schaeffer, c. a. ScHAUM, Fred. ScHEPPLER, Fred. Schmidt, Jas. A, Schmidt, Geo. SCHNIBBE, DiEDR. Schumacher, Albert. Seemueller, Aug. Siemers, H. SiKKEN, Charles. Simon, Charles. Simon, Charles, Jr. Simon, Herman. Simon, Max. Spilker, C. W. Spilker, G. H. Spilker, Charles. Spreckelsen, G. a. Von. Stehl, John. Stein HOEFER, C. Stellmann, John. Straus, Henry. Straus, Levy. Strobel, J. P. Strohmeyer, Geo. Strohm, J. F. Thuener, L. W. ToEL, Gust. Trust, Jacob. Turner, J. Maybury. Uhrlaub, Edw. Uhthoff, Fred. VocKE, Claas. Voceler, Chas. Waesche, G. F. K. Wegner, Aug., M. D. WiEGEL, Henry. WiLKINS, H. Wiss, E., M. D. J 84 History of The MEMBERS FROM 1851 TO 1908. Deceased or Resigned from 1 85 1 to 1908. Ax, Christian. Alleks, J. A. Albaugh, John. Albers, a. Active, 1908. Adams, Henry. Adt, John B. Ahrens, Julius. Altvater, Louis. Ancker, Walter. Apitz, Rev. Otto. Arlt, Rev. Hans. Assau, W. F. Atkinson, Wm. Geo. Auer, Philip T. Aull, Louis. Ax, Christian. Deceased or Resigned from 1 85 1 to 1908. Beck, F. W. Brockelman, Theo. Brinke, H. Ad. BOLTE, S. Bolenius, H. Backmeister, W. Bichey, Herm. Boedecker, G. D. Bachman, J. C. H. Benzinger, F. Brehme, C. Brehme, O. H. BeLITZ, AUELlJiiRT. Becker, H. Bruns, John. Bauernschmidt, Geo. Boehm, Dr. a. Beim, Chas. Blimline, B. Bechtel, Geo. Bendheim, Adolph. Bendheim, Meyer, buschmann, c. h. Babs, Reinhold. Blum HART, C. Brinkmann, a. H. Born, Herman. Bauernschmidt, Jr., John. Becker, Chas. F. Becker, G. W. Becker, Louis. Bersch, Cakl. Brand, Wm. Bartell, L. E. Bartels, Philip. Bartels, Gustav a. Brafman, a. Baetjer, Henry. Beck, Louis. Benzinger, Harry M. Benner, Otto. BiNioN, Dr. a. Bock, Charles. Boss, Robt. D. iiuss, G. L. Blome, George J. Bode, G. H. Brown, Henry. Bolte, H. Block, Edw. Bubert, Dr. C. H. Butzler. Chas. Bauernschmdt, John. Bergman, M. Brehm, Geo. Brunier, Alb. F. Beeler, C. E. Blummer, Geo. Brink, Carl. Buchholtz, Wm. Becker, John A. Becker Bros. BuRKART, Rev. N. Born, John. BoRST, Theo. L. Brand, Wm. Brecht, Louis. Bauernschmidt, Jr., Mrs. John. Bergner, Wm. BoELKER, Max. Block, Meyer Hon. Baer, Hon. Thomas S. German Society of Maryland 185 Active, 1908. Badenhoop, Herman. Baetjer, Edwin G. Barclay, Capt. John T. Bauernschmdt, Fred. Bauernschmidt, John Bauernschmidt, Wm. Beck, Jacob. Becker, August F. Becker, Charles R. Beehler, Wm. H. Bennet, Geo. W . Bergner, Fredei.rk. Blanck, Conrad H. Bledsoe, Robt. L. Boehm, Herman. Boemcke, Hans. Borcherding. John D. Boehmer, Franz. Boring, J. Henry. Born, Hermann. Brack, Chas. E. Brehm, Henry A. Breves, Fritz. Bruenings, Edmund. Brugger, Albert. Brumshagex, J. Fred- erick. Buccheister, George. BuDNiTz, Emil. Bunnecke, George. Bunnecke, George H. Bunnecke, William G. Bury. Kitan. Buschmann, Victor H. Deceased or Resigned from 1 85 1 to 1908. Cohen, David J. Cohen, Israel. Cook, Fred. Crase, Peter H. Crownfield, F. Cohen, Israel. Cohen, Moses. Cuesch, W. Curlander, B. Christian A. Cattus, J. Cramer, John. Caspari, Jr., Chas. Campsen, H. C. Active, 1908. Callow, Enoch P. Claus, E. C. Cook, John. Christ, Philip. Deceased or Resigned from 1 85 1 to 1908. Danziger, Julius. Deitzen, Th. Duker, Otto. Driver, Max. DOBLER, GuSTAV A. Deutsch, Wm. DoLFiELD, Alex. Y. Doerr, Edward F. Deibel, G. G. Depkin. L. Depkin, H. Dresel, F. F. Dieter, Louis A. Dieck, H. W. Drey, Elkan. Denhardt, Mrs. E. DiSTLER, John C. DoBLER, Mrs. G. A. Active, 1908. Decker, Adolph F. Deetjen, Dr. Chr. Deichmann, Dr. Ed. Diener, Theo. H. Dierksen, Christ. Dietrich, Louis P. Dimling, Geo. Dobler, Hon. John J. Doetsch, Louis J. Dohme, Chas. E. Dohme, Louis. Dugan, Cumberl, Jr. Deceased or Resigned from 1851 to 1908. Eversmann, Fred. Ehlers, Ludwig. Elenbrock, Fr. Ehrmann, Lewis. Eigenbrot, H. Emmel, Conrad. i86 History of The EULER, FkED. ElCHMAN, J. C. ElSENBRANDT, W. EuLER, Franz. Evans, Harry G. EUKER, Wm. Ellinger, Isaac. Active, 1908. EcK, August. Deceased or Resigned from 1 85 1 to 1908. Flamm, Geo. Fritz, Chs. Farber, H. J. Friese, C. Fink, F. \V. Faust, Heinrich. Faust, John. FoRSTER, Geo. H. Friedenwald, Jos. Feuss, a. C. Felber, Simon. Friedrich, John. FucHS, Fritz. Farber, Martin, Fucks, Prof. Otto Fischer, L. C. Foss, John N. Fischer, Harry. Fischer, Charles. Farber, Edwin J. Faust, Chas. H. Fauth, Henry. Flynn, James. Frentz, Henry. Frentz, Henry A. Freybe, Ferd. Friese, Chas. Falte, Franz. Florenz, Fredk. gunther, c. w. Gunther, L. W. GoMBEL, Wm., M. D. Gengnagel, Sr., J. Gengnagel, Jr., J. Glaeser, Chas. Geiger, Joseph. Fritsch, Rev. Karl F. Guider, J. Chas. Gminder, Jacob. Active, 1908. Fankhanel, a. L. Faust, Mrs. Chris- tine. Feick, Charles. Gutman, Joel. Grimm, Henry. Garthe Aug. Gustavus, Peter. Graue, Edw. Gossweile a. v., ill D. Feldner, Frederick W. Gundersdorff, C. L. Field, Charles W. Gottschalk, A. Greibel, Fredk. A. Genso, F. G. Getz, John. GoDEY, Harry. Filbert, Isaac S. FiSKE, Dr. John D. Florenz, F. W. Flynn & Em eric h Co, Fortenbaugh, Charles Giesin, Aug. Franke, George. Goetzke, John H Friedenwald, Joseph. Furst, Frank A. Active, 1908. Deceased or Resigned from 1 85 1 to 1908. Gl.\ttus, Peter. Graf, Fredk. C. Grass, John J. Guildener, Chas. Graff, Fred. German, W. Giffhorn, W. Grooscoovs, H. Gail, Geo. W. Jr. Gans, Edgar H. Ganter, F. X. Gehrmann, Charles. Gensler, John. Geyer, Edward C. Gieske, Mrs. Gustav. Glaser, C. Gottlieb, Frederick H. Gottschalk, Joseph. Grecht, William. German Society of Maryland 187 GiiNTHER, George. GuTMAN, Mrs. Joel. Deceased or Resigned from 185 1 to 1908. HOLTHAUS, F. T. HiNTERNESCH, M. D. Hegen, F. Th. HoRwiTz, F. B., M. D. HOFFBAUER, J. H. HiRSCHFIELD, E. D. Hausenvvald, J. H. Hassencamp, Ferd. Hunkel, Philip. HetTj J. Hasenbalg, H. Horn, Theo. Hunckel, Otto. Henigen, a. Hilbert, F. H. Huntemiller, W. Heldmann, J. A., M. D. holtzmann, w. Hayen, E. Henricks, Chas. Henricks, Christ. Heise, Wm. Heubach, Edw. HoEN Ernst. Hoffmann, Chas., M. D. HoEN, Albert. Hecht, Jacob. Hellwig, Jr., Aug. Hausenwald, Edw. Heiser, Chas. HiRSCHBERG, M. H. Hoener, Albert S. Helldorfer, Seb. Herzberg, Phil. Hausch, Geo. Hinrichs, Theo. Huber, Rev. Edw. Hessemer, Chas. Holthaus, H. C. Honig, Max. Hax, Peter. Hoen, Henry. Hecht, Edw. E. Hamburger, H. Hasenbalg, Ernst. Harman, S. J. Hoelljes, Capt. D. Henkleman, F., Jr. Herrmann, John M. Herman, John P. Hubner, John. Heldrich, Phil, M. D. Haupt, Jacob. Heise, Mrs. Wm. Helldorfer, S. & Sons homrighausen, g. Hogendorf, C. Hellman, F. F. Hoffman, J. Leonard. Hanselmann, Louis. Hofmeister, Paul. Hartz, C. Von. H. H. Hobelmann. Active, 1908. Hack, Frederick H. Hafer, George J. Haman, B. Howard. Hannibal, John. Harig, August H. Hassenkamp, Adolph. Hassfurther, August Hauck, G. F. M. Hax, George A. Hecht, A. H. Heinemann, Fred'k. Hennighausen, Rev. F. P. Hennighausen, L. Kemp. Hennighausen, L. P. Hennighausen, P. C. Herzog, Charles. Hester, G. Louis. Heuisler, Hon. Chas. W. Hilgartner, Andrew. Hilg.\rtner, Charles L. Hilgenberg, Carl C. Hoilken, H. G. HiLKEN, Paul G. L. Hinrichs, John. His KEY, Thos. Foley. HiTE, Drayton M. Hobelman, Dr. Fred. W. IIOCHSCHILD, KoHN & Co, i88 History of The Hoffman, Fred. Wm. Hoffmann, Dr. Rob- ert. Hoffmann, Rev. Jul- ius. Homer, Chas. C. Homer, Chas. C, Jr. Hoos, John. Hornick, John L. Houff, Gustav. HuLSHOFF, John G. Deccnscd or Resigned from 1 85 1 to 1908. Ingden. Peter. Interrieden, Joseph. Ingram, James E. Imwold & Mehring. Illmer, Louis. Deceased or Resigned from 1 85 1 to igo8. Jordan, Edward. Joesting, H. Joesting, Aug. Janowitz, S. & Son. Active, 1908. Johansen, Paul. Junker, Frank. Deceased or Resigned from 1 85 1 to 1908. Keutgen, C. H. Koch, H. Koppelman, J. G. koppelman, j. Keidel, M. D. Keidel, L. Kochling, Wm. Keidel, H. H. Knabe, Ernst. Kremelberg, J. Kretzer, C. Koch, Wm. Kevser, L. p. Klemm, Chas. H. Kochlert, Henry. Knatz, Phil. Kappler, John. Kamp, Albert S. Kraus, Jacob. Kerkhoff, a. H. KlEFER, M. Knipp, Geo. Kemper, M. Koch, F. W. Koether, Wm. Klemper, Herm. a. Kloch, Wm. Kuper, John. Kam merer, p. Aug. King, W. G. H. Klug, Wm. J. KUMLEHN, H. C. W. King, Julius C. Kriel, John T. Knobloch, E. Von. KuLL, Joseph Von, M. D. Kleim, Albert D. of J. Kleibecker, Bernd. Active, 1908. Kaiser, August F. Kaiser, Charles. Kaiser, Ferdinand. Keidel, Charles. Keidel, Henry. Kiefer, Matthias. KiNEMUND, Frederick C. Klein, Daniel A. Klein, Jacob. Klier, Frederick C. Klipper, F. W. Knabe, Ernest J., Jr. Knabe, William. Knefely, Henry. Knollenberg, Her- man. Knoop, George C. Knoop, John F. Knoop, Louis. Koehlert, Hermann. German Society of Maryland 189 KooKE, Gerhard F. KoppELMAN, Charles H. KrafTj Charles. Kranz, G. Fred. Krekel, Hubert. Krug, John G. Krug, Theodore F. KiiHLE, Emil. Kummer, Arnold. KuRTS, John B. Deceased or Resigned from 1 85 1 to 1908. logemann, h. Landes, E. Lehman, E. D. G. LuRMAN, John. Lurman, G. W. Langfeld, H. LUYTER, H. Lemke, M. Lange, H. Langhild, G. F. Lipps, Christopher. L'Allemand, Chas. Laubheimer, W. Leist, Fred. Leyh, E. F. LiEBiG, G., M. D. Lehmann, Chas. C. Littig, John M. LoRZ, John. Letzer, Joseph. Ludwig, Theo. I.iEDLicn, Geo. LoH MEYER, Wm. H. Logerman, Henry C. Leonhardt, Wm. Lahusen, F. W. Lowenstein, L. Lang, Leonh. Loeber, John, lowenthal, isidor. Lutz, W;m. LiNDAUER, Christian. LuERSEN, Chas. C. & Son. Lehman, Julius. Lanahan, Wm. Loeser, Aug. Active, igo8. Lang, Adam. Latrobe, Hon. Ferd. C. Lauber, John P. Laubheimer, William Lehr, Robert, Jr. Leimbach, Gebhard. Lentz, Frederick. Lerian, Jacob. Leser, Hon. Oscar. Lieberknecht, Chas. Lipps, Frederick W. LocHER, Rev. C. W. LiJDERiTZ Carl A. Deceased or Resigned from 1 85 1 to 1908. Meyer, B. Meineck, C. MiiLLER, Aug. Myer, G. a. Mayer, Chris. L. Meyer, D. H. MoTZ, Ferdinand. Maylander, H. Messersmith, Jacob. Messerschmidt, Chas. Mayer, G. H. Mayer, C. F. of Louis. Moritz, J. D. Marburg, Chas. L. Mathieu, C. F., M. D. Meyer, Chas F. Munder, Theo. MuTH, John. Mark, Jhon. MiLSKE, Chas. Maier, J. G. morman, w. h. Mengel, John G. Muth, M. Jos. Matthai, John C. MiiLLER, Andrew. Matthes, Jacob H. Mann, Harry E. Merz, Henry. Mergenthaler, O. Mehler, Mrs. Helene. Maiberg, John. Mayer, Chas. F. Mallebre, Henry. Active, 1908. Maag, August. Malchow, Otto. Marburg, Albert. Marburg, Theodore. 190 History of The Marburg, William A. Mattheisz, John H. Mayer, Frederick J. Meislahn, Chas. F. Meissel, William. Mentzel, Albert W. Meyer, Adolph C. Meyer, Dr. Chas. H. A. Meyer, Ferdinand. Meyer, John D. Meyerdirck, Martin. MiCKLicH, Herm. MiDDENDORF, J. Wm. Miller, George. Mueller, Frederick. Mueller, Louis. MiiLLER, Louis. MUNTER, BeRNHARD. Myer, Dr. Bern hard. Deceased or Resigned from 1 85 1 to 1908. NoELLE, Charles. Niemann, E. numsen, g. w. Nolting, C. NiCOLAI, H. Nickel, G. C. Nelker, Adam H. Nelker, John F. Neurath, John. Neuhaus, Chas. Neudecker, L. H. Active, 1908. Niederhoefer, John. Nitze, Charles. Nitzel, Henry M. Deceased or Resigned from 1 85 1 to igo8. Osterton, W. OCHS, W. O elm AN, Fred. Oehm, Chas. H. Orr, W. L. Ortwine, Wm. Active, 1908. Obst, Adam. Oehm, F. W. Ohlmeyer, Aug. J. Ohrenschall, F. a. Ortmuller, John. Deceased or Resigned from 1 85 1 to 1908. Pracht, Chas. Pietsch, O. Prior, Ed. A. Prior, Gustav. Plack, Jacob. Pagels, G. H. Petzold, Louis. Petzold, R. T. Poepplein, Geo. Jr. Polinger, Fred. R. Pfeil, Aug. Plitt, Geo. Pels, Moses. Pistel, Geo. H. Pausch, Mrs. Louisa. Peuss, Chas. Prior, Louis. Pemsel, George. Active, 1908. Packham, William A. T. Pirscher, William F. Platt, Herman S. Prechtel, George F. Active, 1908. QuiTT, Max H. Deceased or Resigned from 1 85 1 to 1908. Reitz, H. L. Reichl, C. Rosewig, William. ROGGE, C. Rudolph, Jacob. Ruhl, C. Raddatz, Prof. Chas. F. Roehle, L. C. German Society of Maryland 191 ROTHERj L. C. Rudolph, Cuxo H. RoMERj HeINRICU. RoEDER, August. RiEHL, Capt. Chas. ROSENFELD, S. & Co. Reimers, H. RiCKERT, Wm.. M. D. Reuter, Chas. Raiber, Joseph. Raleigh, V,'. A. Radecke, J. D. Rennert, Robt. Requardt, J. Fred. Rausch, Geo. Rayman, Paul O. Reitz, Lewis H. Rahe, Chas. M. Reier, Henry. Russegger, Bernh. Roehm, Herman. Reiche, Robt. J. RiNGSDORF & HaUFF. Active, 1908. Rabbe, Conrad C. Radecke Bros. Raine, Edward. Ranft, Louis P. Rauschenberg, Her- man. Rein HARD, Dr. Ferdi- nand. Remmers, Henry G. Requard, John M. Reuling, Dr. Geo. Riebesehl, Henry. Rippel, Henry S. Rolker, John G. Roschen, Herm. D. RoTHER, Robert M. RiiiiL, Conrad & Son. RuHSTRAT, Henry. RuHSTRAT, Carl. Deceased or Resigned from 185 1 to 1908. Simon, M. Simon, A. Schwartz, B. Schwartz, L. Von. Schwartz, J. Schwartz, Henry. Stalfort, Fred. Semke. Schuermann, H. SoHNS, Chas. Sattler, Wm. Sauerberg, J. D. SCHUTT, ChR. Samman, D. Stoltze, H. E. Siebert, Ed. SCHULTZ, A. H. Schultze, H. F. schuerman, a. Seeger, Jacob. SCHAER, W. Schneider, Martin. Seemuller, J. R. SuTRO, Emil. SuTRO, Otto. Stromberg, H. Schlens, Adolph. Schlens, F. Schneider, Geo. Spilker, Chas. Jr. Stauff, Frederick. Steffens,Capt. Henry Salzer, H., M. D. Sommerfeld, John. Schiller, Wm. C. Schnauffer, Wm. SCHAUR, C. Stallmann, Wm. Sander, H. Scheu, Wm. Siebert, Christ. Schulz, H. a. Schulze, Ferdinand. Schultze, Hugo T. Schulz, C. F. E. Schulze, Wm. Theo. Schultz, Walter. Schultze, Wm. Schrader, Aug. Stoffregen, Karl. Schneidereith, C. W. Sam STAG, H. Strauss, L. Strauss, Sol. Strauss, Jos. H. Stahlfort, D. Streichenberg, Albert A. SCHERER, Wm. Sattler, Edw. Sattler & Co. Staeblein, Theo. 192 History of The Savage, Geo. Stellman, John. Seemuller, William. Schneider, Louis. Stein, Samuel. Stine, Joseph, schneydter, g. Schmidt, Christ. Schmidt, Heinrich. Steinmetz, Wm., M. D. Slingluff, Frank, M. D. Siemers, H. F. Stieff, Chas. M. Slingluff, Chas. B. Schmidt, H. D. Schmidt, Peter. Smith, B. F. SCHMIDTBORN. EmIL. Schott, S. p. Schroeder, Henry A. Strukman, Harry, schaefer, h. Scheller, Ernst. ScHLEGEL, Henry. Siegel, John M. Simon, Charles, Jr. Smyser, James A. Schad, Fred. Spanhake, H. Schnepfe, John H. Stiebritz, Gottlieb. Stenken, Danl. Capt. Stuede, Wm. Schapiro, Max, M. D. Sommerwerck, Dan- iel. Schroeder, Mrs. Her- mine. Stephan, Siegmund. Stahlfort, John C. SucRO, Geo. C. Scheidt, Fredk. Schuler, Martin. Schleifer, Jos. E. Sternberg, Kurt Ru- dolph. Seidewitz, Edw. a. Starve, Richard, Rev. Sebald, J. F., M. D. Shymer, H. Cariiart. Active, 1908. Salzer, Ernest T. Sander, Ernst. Sander, George A. Sangmeister, Ru- dolph. Sattler, G. William. Sauter, WiLLIAlV:. Schaub, Francis J. ScHAUB, Otto. Schirm,Hon. Chas. R. SCHLENS, GUSTAV A. Schleunes, Francis ScHLEUNES, Henry. Schmalz, Louis N. ScHMEissER, Ernst. Schmidt, Charles R. Schneider, Charles. Schneider, Frederick F. Schneidereith, Louis C. Schneidereith, Miis. Maria M. Scholtz, KIarl A. I\r. Schumacher & Fore- man. Schumann, Paul. Seeger, Paul A. Seeman, Frederick C. Sellman, James L. Shryock, Thomas J. Siegael, Samuel. Siegmund, Gustav. Simon, Dr. William. Snyder, Henry. Sommerwerck, Ru-.. dolph. Spamer, C. Augustus E. Spieker, Dr. Edward. H. Spilman, Charles. Stein, Ch.\rles F. Steiner, Hugo. Sterger, Rev. A. Friedrich. Stieff, Frederick P. Stisser, G. W. Straus, Jos. H. Straus, W. L. Strohmer, John. Strott, John C. Sturm, W. A. German Society of Maryland 193 Deceased or Resigned from 185 1 to 1908. ToEL, Chas. Treusch, a. TestorFj James H. Testorff, F. Thomas, J. H. Thomas, H. Thies, J. Thies, John H. Tieck, Heinrich C. Thau, Franz. ToRSCH, Fred. A. Torsch, E. L. Textor, Anton. TOLLE, H. Turner, J. J. Turner, L. J. ToMZ, C. B. Active, 1908. Thomas, Henry. Thomas, John Henry, Thurn, Herbert J. TjARKS, John. Trappe, Aug. F. Deceased or Resigned from 1 85 1 to 1908. Uhrlaub, Herman. Uhrig, John. Ulrich, F. W. Ullrich, John. Unverzagt, Geo. B. Umbach, Geo. W. Wolff, Alex. Widdekind, Henry. Wehrhane, H. W^rth, Charles. WiLKENS, W. W. WiLKENS, H. WiLKENS, J. C. Deceased or Resigned Wilkens, Wm. from 1851 to 1908. Wentz, J. B. Ulman, a. J. UzuBER, John. Active, 1908. UhLIG, J. KONRAD. Volkman, G. voneiff, j. VOGEL, J. R. VoGEL, Phil R. VoGLER, Jerome. Vorhauer, Wm. Vees, Henry. VoLZ, John. Von Kapff, H. Von Collen, J. C. Vonderhorst, H. R. Vonderhorst, H. Herm. Von Lingen, Geo. A. Active, 1908. VocKE, Henry B. Von Hartz, Carl. Von Heine, Henry G Von Marees, Hans. Wegelein, a. Weber, Justus. Wegner, J. H. Wegner, a., M. D. Wehrkamp, L. Werneburg. Wehrhane, Karl. Wanneweisch, Chas, Wehr, Frepk. Wenck, E. E. Winkleman, J. H. WiESSNER, John F. Wiener, Morris, M. D. Wilms, Chas. Weil, Albert. WiLLE, Chas. Weyforth, B. Wagner, B. L. Wattenscheidt, EWALT. Walpert, F. Weideman, T. Deceased or Resigned Wenzing, O. from 1851 to 1908. WcESSEL, Henry. Weise, Edw. H, Weil, Geo. Weaver, Wm. H. Wagner, Phil. Wendler, John. Wagner, Caspar. Weilbacher, Paul. 194 The German Society of Maryland WiENCKE, A. G. WiESEL, John M. Wackerhausen, Wm. G. Wachter, Frank C. Whalen, Frank. Wiegand, Chas. Weigand, Phil. Warner, C. Hopewell Wehrenberg, F. WiLHELM. L. R. Wiener, Chas. J. WiTTE, F. Active, 1908. WaHMANN, John H. Wagner, George L. Wattenscheidt, Christ. R. Wattenscheidt, R. Weber, August. Weber, Charles, Jr. Weeer, F. H. Wegner, Julius. Wehe, Alfred. Wehr, August. Wehr, Harry. Wehr, Mrs. Johanna. Weikel, William. Weil, Louis. Weisskittel, Anton, Jr. Wenzing, Herman. Weyforth, Philip. Weyler, John F. WiEMAN, Leopold H. WiEssNER, George F. Wiessner, Henry F. WiLKENS, ReINHARD. Windfelder, George. Wischmeyer, Edward. WiTTMER, Michael. Wolf, Henry J. Wolff, Oscar. Deceased or Resigned from 1 85 1 to 1908. Zuckerschwerdt, H. Zeul, Conr.\d. Zeul, John. D. ZlVERMANN, ThEO. Zeller, Emil H. ZiES, Charles. INDEX. Act of Incorporation 72 Acts, Relative to German Redemptioners 74 Agents, Shipping Redemptioners 17 Agent, of Society 121 Agent, Report of 166 Ahl, Dr. John Peter 42 Alrichs, Herman 48, 54 Amelung, John F. L 40, 60, 61, 7;^ Amehmg, F. L. E 46, 61, 72> Amigh, Peter 48 Amich, Col. Henry 55 Astor, John Jacob 45 Ax, Christian 119, 132, 133, 135 Bader, Capt. Dominik 55 Baer, Capt. Jacob 55, 61 Baer, Dr. Jacob 61 Baltimore Town, 1750 2i7 Battle of North Point 55 Brantz, Louis 46, 60, 61, 72, Banquet, The First 70 Banquets 161 Banquet, i2Sth Anniversary 163 Bleeker, Capt, Proceedings Against 64 Brauns, F, L 93, 99, 102 Benzinger, Col. Mathies 100, 108, 120 Beltzhoover's Hotel 91 Brehm, Geo 157 Bixler, David 48 Broenings Boys, Case of 66, 80 Bodenw^erber Johann, Case of 77 Boehm, Charles C 99, 102, 115 Brown, Hon. Geo. Wm in 196 Index Butler vs. Boardman, Case of 14 Brune, F. W 46, 60, 93, 104, 106, 115 Brune, F. W. Jr 100, 122 Brune, Col. F. W 132, 133, 146, I54. 156 Busshman, Victor 133 Books, German, Published 47 Calvert, Cecilius, Gov., Letter of 16, 17 Charity Organization Society 148 Contract, Shipping Redemptioners 19 Cole, Geo 45 Cronmiller, Philip 54 Cohen, Benj. J 60, 98, 106, 108 Cohen, J. J 60, 93, 108 Cohen, Israel 98, 99, 115, 116, 117, 119 Commutation Money Paid by Immigrants 94. 96, 97 Committee on Membership 87 Convicts loi, 108 Conrad, Julius 133 Cruse, Peter Hoffman 84, 90 Churches, German 47 Cumberland, Agent at 109 Davis, Solomon, Letter to dy Decker, Geo 49, 50, 54 Diffenderfer, Dr. Michael 48, 50, 51. 60 Diffenderfer, Peter 49, 50, 51 Diffenderfer, Daniel SO, 54 Diffenderfer, Chas 93 Dobler, John 48 Dohme, Louis 134 Donations and Bequests 168 Dutch Shipping Contracts of Red 17 Dukehart, Heinrich 48 Eden, Gov., Letter to Lord Dartmouth 36 Eichelberger, Jesse 60, 61 Eckel, Philip P 73 Eiseln, Fried 48 Index 197 Emich, Nic, 48 Etting, Samuel 46, 54, 60, 99, 102, 104 Executive Committee 159 Famine, of 1816-1818 56 Fauth, Ernst 48 French Benevolent Society 148 Frick, Peter 48, 49 Frick, John 60 Frick, John F 60, 61 Frick, William 60, 61, 72,, 82, 86, 89 Frick, Wm. F 109, 132 Friese, John H 46 Friese, John F 60, 61 Friedenwald, Jos I34 Fonerden, Adam 48, 49. 54 Fusselbach, Johann 48 Fuchs, Prof. Otto I57 Frey, Samuel 49 Gail, Geo. W 152, I57 German Churches, First 27^ 50 German Newspapers in 1796 41 German Military in 1776--1812 45, 54 Gcrmania Club 106, 107 German Hospital 109 Gerock, Samuel 45 Gold, Peter 48, 54 German Books Published in Baltimore I795 to 1802 47 German Printing, First in Baltimore 38 Hager, Jonathan 36 Hasselbach, Nicholas 38 Haubert, Capt 48, 55 Hammer, Aug 73 Hassencamp, Ferd ii5. HQ. ^33 Hennighausen, L. P 124, I33, 134, 138, 146, 163 Hering, Louis 48, 49. 54 Heinze, Dr. F. E. B 93, 100 I 98 Index Hilken, H. G 132, I34 Heinrichs, John 134, 1S9 Hilgenberg, Chas I34 Hibernian Society 141. 148, 162 Hoffman, Peter 48, 49 Hoffman, David 48, 60, 61, y^, 82, 90 Hoffman, Jacob SO, 5-2 Hoffman, Johann 60 Hoppe, Justus 48, 60, 92 Hoogewerff, J. J 93 Hospital, German 1 19 Hospital, Md. Gen I53 Huber, Rev. Edward 157 Incorporation of Society 72 Immigrants' Commutation Money 94, 95, 96, 97 Interpreter, German at Courts io6 Intelligence Bureau no Juforow Johanna, Ship 57. 64, 65 Jacobsen, Henry G 87 Kaminsky's Hotel 70 Kalteisen, Capt. Michael 31 Karthaus, Peter A 48 Karthaus, Chas. W 60, 92 Keerl, Dr. Henry 42, 46, 48 Keeport, (Kuhbord) Joe P 45.49 Keeport, Capt. Jacob 48 Keilholtz, Wm 48 Krebs, Wm 48, 60, 72, Keller, Christian 48, 54 Keener, Melchoir 51 Knefely, Henry I34 Keerl, Samuel 60, 76, 93 Knott, Jacob Adolph 48 Kimmel, Michael 46, 60, 73 Kurtz, Ed 93 Index 199 Labadists 56 Laws of Maryland, Printed in German 39 Laws Relative to German Redemptioners 74 Laws Relative to Commutation Money 94, 96 Lauts, Henry 134, 158 Ladies' Bazaar 153 Letters of Christ Mayer 67, 69, 82, 83, 86 Lentz, Clias. W no, 118, 122 Leypold, Fred 46, 54, ^2> Lindenberger, John 45 Littig, Philip 48 List of Members at 1783 and 1817 171 List of Officers 174 List of Counselors 175 List of Physicians 175 List of Managers 176 List of Members, 1817-1908 178-194 Louisiana, Laws of 28 Lohr, John 45 Lorman, Wm 46, 49, 54 Lurman, G. W 115, Maryland Laws, as to Redemptioners 8 Maryland Laws, Intermarriage with Negro Slaves 11, 13 Maryland Laws, Punishment of Redemptioners 15 Maryland Laws, Printed in General 3cv Maryland Staats Register 41* Maryland General Hospital 153 Mackenheimer, Peter 45 Mackenheimer, Col. John 45, 48, 55 Mayer, Chas. F 60, 94, 107 Mayer, Lewis 60 Mayer, Christian 45. 60, 65, 72, 82, 83, 86, 89 Mayer, Brantz 45, 106 Mayher's, Otto Case 129, 130, 131 Medtart, Gen. J 106 Meyer, A. C i35, 138, I39. I59 Meyers, Christian 45 200 Index Meyer, Fred 50 Meyer, Jacob 5° Miller, John 45 Miller, Jacob 55 Middendorf, Wm 134 Michael, Wendel 48 Mueller, Sallie The White Slave 21 Mueller, Daniel 23, 24 Numsen, Wm no, 118, 119 Nitze, C 115 Nieman, Eberhard 122, 132, 134, 137 157 Otterbein, Rev. Phil. Wni 27, 50 Ober, Jacob no, 114 Orphan Asylum, Gen. Ger 118 Oyster Dredgers 124, 125, 12; ' Oyster Dredgers, Maryland Laws 133, 134 Oyster Dredgers, United States Laws 149, 150 Patriots 6 Pennsylvania, German Society of 29 Peters, Capt. Michael 55 Paupers 104 Prima, The Emigrant Ship 78. 79. 85 Pomp, Rev. M 50 Redemptioners, of all Nationalities 5 Redemptioners, Definition of 7, 8 Redemptioners, Laws and Customs of Maryland S Redemptioners, Price of, in 1672 9 Redemptioners, Intermarriage with Negro Slaves 11 Redemptioners, Runaways 15 Redemptioners, German 16 Redemptioners, Shipping Contracts 17 Redemptioners, Died on Ocean Voyage 20, 22 Raborg, Wm 48, 49 Rainc, Fred 1 10, n8, 137 Index 201 Reil, Conrad 48 Reformed, First German Church 51 Register of German Emigrants 76 ReuHng, Dr. Geo HQ Redemptioners in Baltimore S8 Redemptioners For Sale in Baltimore 59, 60 Ridgely, Chas. Jr., Letter to 68 Rother, Robt. M I35, 138, I39, 156, 159 Rose, John C 150, 151 Rudolph, Jacob I35 Sale of Redemptioners 62 Staats Register of Maryland 41. 4^ Sauer, Samuel, Printer 47 Sauerwein, Peter 48, 60, 61 Small, Jacob 48, 49, 61 Sadtler, Capt. Ph. B 55, 60 Schwerdfeger, Rev. Sam 9 Schroeder, Heinrich 46, 54, 60, 61 Schryock, Michael 48 Schley, Jacob 48 Schroeder, Wm 48 Schwatka, Aug 48 Schirm, Capt. John 48, 49, 58 Schwartzman, Capt. Daniel 48 Schaeffer, Babzar 49, 55 Schaefifer, Fred 49, 54 Schwarzauer, Capt. Dan 55 Schulz, Conrad 60, 61, -76, 88 Schwartz, Dr. A. J 60, 61, 88 Schwartzkopf, Jos 88 St. Andrews Society I44, 148, 162 Sailer. Margaret, Case of m Schnebly, Dr 70 Sharp, Gov. Report of Baltimore, 1754 ^il Steever (Stoever), Capt. Geo 48, 55 Stauffer, Henry 49, 54 Steiger, Andrew 5 1 202 Index Strieker, Gen. John 48, 55, 60, 61 go Starke, Chas 92 Stoffels Case 82 Stroble, John P 93, 99, 100, 102 St. George Society 141, 148, 162 Steffens, Capt. Henry 157 Steenken, Capt. Daniel 157 Schepeler, Fred 112, 155 South Carolina German Society 30 Spilker, Chas. W 100, 102 Seemuller, John R 122 Schmeisser, Ernst 134, 135, 136, 156 Schumacher, Albert 93, 98, 106, 119 Snyder, John 49 Tegtmeyer, Aug 48 Tegtmeyer, Ludwig 48 Thomson, Lorenz 48, 61, yjx 76, 86 Trust, Jacob 118, 119 Tieck, Heinrich C 134, 139, 142, 143, 146, 154 Treasurer, Report of 165 Uhler, Erasmus 48 Von Kapff. J. B. Ansbach 46 Von Kapflf, B. J 60 Vocke, Claas 106, 119, 120, 124, 132, 157 Von Kapfif, Herman 115-119 Von Lingen, Geo. A 1 34 Warner, Geo 48-49 Warner, Michael 48 Warner, Capt. Thomas 55 Warner, Wm 49 War of 1812-14 54 Waesche, Fred 60-61 Wiesenthal, Dr. Carl Fred 40, 41, 44 Index 203 Wiesenthal, Dr. Andrew 41, 42 Wegner, Dr. Aug 106 Weber, Jr., Chas 135, 137, 138, 139, 158 Winter Heinrich 48 Weishampel, Christian 48 Wintclos' Hotel 88 Williamson's Hotel 88 Wilkens, H 115, 118 Wellinghof, H. F 114 122, 123 Woerschler, Moritz (Teacher) y] Woelper, Geo 49, 54 Wolff, Dr. John Geo 61-63 Wolff, Alex 118 Wolff, Oscar 134, 154 Zion Church, German Lutheran ^H-, 40j 52 Zollikoffer, Dr, Wilhelm 42 Zollikoffer, John Conrad 43 \J / : x^ <^. ^.\ ?5 -n^. '>^ -» -^ ' .^>' .•\ ^^. y % V -'.^ .V •<> '"'V.y.<> 0- • ■■, v^ \^ r ■ -bo^ c '%f ■^^ % -■>\ "^A a'' .\0 °<. '^' ^^^^ .t\^^ vOq. .^^ -^^^^ ^ :^^' '^^', '^, .^^' "^:.. v^^ X^^- /'-o ,~\^ /' o>' o5 -^^ xOo^ <¥Q %^'^' ^ .0- "c- oN' c> /^^^• ■\, / • ,*> ^"5 o -% .0- .^ :#^\ ^^ .#■ 0>' N> . ^ '■ .-^'• -^^^ v^ vOO^ -:%: "-.. .# %-^ ' n , v^^ '^K N^' •^-. ^ .9-" ^^ .0^ '* y i \ V. O' x-^' s '^ % ,,\. f\ - ^-p V LIBRARY OF CONGRESS