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Archiver > GERMANNA_COLONIES > 2002-08 > 1028330250


From: "Germanna" <>
Subject: Re: [GERMANNA] Fw: Greetings from America- 1737 Style
Date: Fri, 2 Aug 2002 19:17:30 -0400
References: <000d01c23a6c$0cb0fd80$ae062c42@preferreduser>


Wow Virginia,
What a great picture of colonial life from a German perspective. Thanks for
sending it.
Thom

----- Original Message -----
From: "VNuta" <>
To: <>
Sent: Friday, August 02, 2002 5:32 PM
Subject: [GERMANNA] Fw: Greetings from America- 1737 Style


> This came to me from my 5th cousin, Roger Rhoads, to whom I am related
> through a separate German family, the Pennsylvania>Ohio>Indiana
> Roth/Rhodes/Rhoads/Rhoades. Although it was written by immigrants to
> Pennsylvania and maybe some of it isn't accurate as to Virginia, I would
> think that much of the commentary about the wonders of the New World and
the
> deficiencies of the old (evidently they cursed a lot in Germany) would
> reflect some of the same thoughts as our Germanna pioneers.
>
> I thought many of you might be interested in it. (And Suzee, I was
> delighted with your poem about the reunion!)
>
> Virginia Rhodes Nuta
> (Yager, Carpenter, Willhoit, Blankenbaker, Utz, Cook, Weaver, Broyles,
> Kobler and more....)
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
>
> > I found this on the Studebaker family website. A copy of a letter from
> two
> > Studenbaker immigrants who were blade makers back in Germany. Thought
you
> > might be interested in how Pennsylvania was viewed in 1737.
> >
> > Roger Rhoads
> > ------------
> > America and Pennsylvania, October 16, 1737
> >
> > Dearly beloved brothers, we received your esteemed writing dated March
21,
> > 1737 of John Cueper, and we learn from it that you are in good health
and
> > prosper, a fact over which we heartily rejoice. Concerning ourselves, we
> > are, thanks to God, well and in good health, too. As to your question
> > regarding brother John, there is, thanks to God, no reason for
complaint,
> > for life is pleasant here. For we are better off than in Europe, because
> > anyone who is willing to work can make a good living here, except for
> > certain craftsmen.
> >
> > The craftsmen are not organized here as with you. [The reference is
> probably
> > to the toolmakers of the district from which the writers came]. Yet
things
> > could be better organized here, if only there were some masters here.
For
> > steel and iron are plentiful in this country. Good steel and iron and
coal
> > and grinding stones are imported from England, and the coal is for sale
> here
> > as with you. Also there are many rivers.
> >
> > Yet anybody who wants to work on a farm, can live a life without
worries,
> > for not much has to be paid to the sovereign, the maximum is six
shillings
> > per one hundred acres in the national currency. Some give corn and some
> give
> > peppercorn and others give one shilling per one hundred acres and some
> don't
> > pay anything, once the sovereign has received his money. Much that was
> > bought from the late Count [William Penn], as indicated above, has to
pay
> > one shilling per one hundred acres.
> >
> > Furthermore let me tell you how a poor man be able to come across, who
> lacks
> > the money to pay the passage. There is the following agreement: If a man
> has
> > children, he can put them into service. A boy has to remain in service
> until
> > he is twenty one. The girl has to stay until eighteen years of age. For
> > this, people pay a lot of money. In that way, a poor man is able to free
> > himself and his wife.
> >
> > Those, however, who have no children, must put themselves to service. In
> > that case, they are given good food and drinking and clothing. Once the
> > years of service are over, they receive fresh clothing from head to
foot.
> > And it is done very honestly and seemingly. If they are husband and wife
> > they can get rid of their obligation in a short time.
> >
> > Furthermore we have to write you how amazed we are about the difference
> that
> > there is between this country and Germany. For the trees here are
bearing
> > good fruit in their branches and not wild ones. There are all kinds of
> > apples, much better than with you, and whatever kind one wants. You
should
> > see the grain, and the turnips here are 7 lb. of weight and they taste
> much
> > better than with you. This country is abundantly fertile.
> >
> > Furthermore a word about the authorities. The authorities here are good
> > ones. You can go to a person in authority in the same way as to a
peasant.
> > You don't have to take your hat off for a person in authority. They
> > administer justice. Nobody suffers violence or injustice from them. They
> > live a pious and God-fearing life. They don't harm or vex anybody as
they
> do
> > with you. When you sell something here, e.g., inheritance or tools, it
> does
> > not concern the authorities.
> >
> > When something is for sale here, the owner posts a notice by the wayside
> or
> > in the street and in the inns. Over in Philadelphia, a notice is posted
at
> > the courthouse, as they call it in English, or in German language the
> > chancery. However at Germantown it is posted at the marketplace halfway
> > toward the Reformed Church. Also there is one who announces it publicly
in
> > the streets and fixes the day. Then people gather in great numbers. Then
> the
> > goods are sold at auction to the highest bidder. With all these
> transactions
> > the authorities are not concerned.
> >
> > As far as religion in this country is concerned, it should be said that
> > there are all kinds of faiths here. Firstly, where authority is as it
> were,
> > within; congregations, in which they have no baptism, neither for
infants
> > nor for adults. Then there are also here whole congregations of Baptists
> and
> > Seventh Day Baptists [i.e., Dunkers] who also practice adult baptism,
and
> > they keep their Sunday on Saturday, yet lead a good life. There are also
> > many "monists" [Unitarians?] as well as Reformed and Lutherans, and also
a
> > few Catholics in Philadelphia, whom the late Count [William Penn] wanted
> to
> > expel, but they insisted on the franchise granted to them by the late
> Lord.
> > So he had to keep his peace. But afterwards both we and all new
> > arrivals of the male sex must go to the town hall before the magistrates
> to
> > give up and renege allegiance to the Pope in Rome [illegible] of Great
> > Britain in England. For the rest the authorities permit all faiths. If a
> > person lives a quiet and pious life, he may believe what he likes.
> >
> > This is here a richly blessed country. The greatest difficulty is when
> > somebody needs workers. He has to pay very highly for them. Any man who
is
> > able and willing to work can make a lot of money here. For a carpenter
> > demands three sh. per day, i.e. one dollar (Cologne money) in your
> currency.
> > It is the same with the joiner and the mason. A linen weaver gets three
> > times what he receives over there, a shoemaker gets for a pair of man's
> > shoes six and 1/2 sh. in our currency, that makes two dollars (Cologne
> > money) and 13 fatmen (pennies), and leather sells at the same price as
> with
> > you. Similarly a blacksmith makes also a lot of money. In conclusion,
> > anybody who is willing to work here can prosper and live well. The rich
> > people, who
> > are eager to engage in commerce, will prosper here. For there is a lot
of
> > commerce here from this country with wheat and other things, to Holland,
> to
> > England, to Maryland, to the south east, Virginia and to Catalonia
> > [Carolina?] and to Schenecken [Jamaica?] and to East India and to many
> other
> > places there is a good deal of business from here. Hence many people in
> > Philadelphia do big business with the ships and the goods which the
ships
> > carry in. Whenever the ships come, which carry many goods with them and
> are
> > anxious and hard pressed to leave again, the business people of
> Philadelphia
> > will come and bargain with the captains of the boats and make big
profits.
> >
> > Again, those who are particularly rich, will make very large profits.
They
> > will buy many hundreds of acres from the sovereign at a low price and
with
> > the understanding that for all times they and their heirs will have to
pay
> > low taxes. With that money the sovereign builds jails for thieves and
> wicked
> > people.
> >
> > Furthermore we have to report concerning the wild Indians. They are as
> black
> > as the pagans with you. But they are conscientious people. They believe
> that
> > ...[illegible]... they call God in their language ...[illegible]... and
> > refer to him with fear. They are anxious not to commit sins. They
believe
> > also, that after death when their life was not pleasant to the Pure and
> > Omniscient, they will come to the North, where it is very cold and where
> > they will have an evil regent, were they will freeze severely and where
> they
> > will be badly tormented, whereas those who lived a good life will come
to
> > the South after their death, where they will have a good regent who will
> > receive them in a friendly manner.
> >
> > They put to shame the majority of nominal Christians. They are
intelligent
> > and of childlike simplicity, e.g., if you give them apples, they will
take
> > one and give the other ones to their fellows they should bite like
> children.
> > For everything among the common people is according to good Christian
> order.
> >
> > When one comes to see another one, the one coming will say to the other
in
> > the English language "Day" [probably "Good Day"] and they give each
other
> > the hand with great kindness and friendliness. When they part from each
> > other, they say "Well" [probably "Farewell"] in the English language and
> > they shake hands again with each other in decency. You may walk here
> through
> > the whole country without ever hearing any cursing or swearing. When you
> > think of Germany, you feel pity and horror.
> >
> > There is further to be reported that to many rich people work is done in
a
> > cheap manner. This is how it is done: the sea captains bring many black
> > negroes from the negro countries, who are sold here. They have to serve
> for
> > the rest of their lives, and if there are among them who get married and
> > have children, the children too, are the master's. They may be sold or
> kept
> > as one pleases. In that manner the rich people are able to have their
work
> > done well. Anybody else who needs workers, must pay heavily for them.
That
> > is the greatest burden in this country.
> >
> >
> > God bless America.
> >
> > Clemens Studenbecker
> >
> > Peder
> > Studenbecker
> >
> >
> > Anno 1737
> >
> >
>
>
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