Informationen

Hackenschmidt in North America - Line in USA
Die nachstehenden Informationen sollen verstehen helfen, wie und warum die Menschen
früher ausgewandert sind und was sie sowohl bei Verlassen des Landes erlebten, als auch
was sie in ihrer neuen Heimat erwartete. Unsortiert wurden interessante Zeitdokumente ohne
jeglichen politischen Inhalt ausgewählt, die sich primär um die Lebensqualität der Menschen
zu dieser Zeit drehten.
Dank der Kommunikation mit unseren amerikanischen Verwandten war es möglich, einen
Spiegel der damaligen Lebensverhältnisse zu zeigen und gleichzeitig einige noch offenen
Herkunftsfragen zu klären.
________________________________________________________________________
The following information should help to understand how and why the people have emigrated
formerly and what had to expect with abandonment of the home country as well as in their
new native country. Unsorted interesting time documents were selected which turned
primarily on the quality of life of the people at these times.
Thanks to the communication with our American relatives it was possible to show a mirror of
the living conditions.
_________________________________________________________________________
The Palatines - Departing from Germany
The Towns from which the majority of Palatines immigrated, can be found in the
Donnersberg County (Thunder MountCounty) north of Kaiserslautern. The following Towns
suffering mainly from immigration, may have been living sites(besides Kaiserlautern):
• Enkenbach-Alsenborn,
• (Neu-)Hemsbach,
• Alsenbrück
• Gonbach• Münchweiler
• Winnweiler,
• Sippersfeld
Main Hackenschmidt family traps during the relevant time were found in
Münchweiler(Alsenz), Gonbach and Sippersfeld, later (following1740) in Hemsbach and
Enkenbach.(also confirmed by the Int. Gen index of the Mormons and the above mentioned
literature)
Name of
region:
Westpfalz/
Western
Palatina/
From the Ancient Fatherland
The Scan shows the map of the western end of Germany, and south there is the French Border. The
Core region where the Palatine Hackenschmidt settled was Kaiserslautern and around 20 km's northEast of the City of Kaiserslautern, mainly alongside the small River Alsenz, which was the industrial
center region in that (always and still today) poor region. The towns known where they were living are
Enkenbach-Alsenborn, Glan/Gonbach-Münchweiler, Winnweiler, Sippersfeld and Hemsbach. By
profession they were Soldiers, City Servants, Teachers, Farm Hands, Forest workers, Mill Workers,
Carters, Tailors and Traders ,Bleachers and sellers of Linen).And- they mostly were protestants.
Today a number of Hackenschmidt descendents are still living in the Enkenbach-Alsenborn region.
Kaiserslautern (Family Place/ Foundation of Family Arm in Palatina)
Birds View
Central Battery Rd
Concert
Hall
Winnweiler
Bundesland: Rheinland-Pfalz
Protestant Church
Alsenbrück
(Johann Georg H..Teacher,):,
Old „Rittergut
Alsenbrück and Langmeil
“
Old School
Alsenbrück Church
Teacher’s House
The pictures were selected with the idea to show sites and monuments which our
Ancestors already could have known. For more pictures please refer to file
“Hackenschmidt in Pfalz/ Informationen”
Geschichte/ History
Winnweiler wird in einer Urkunde vom 10. Februar 891 zum ersten mal als Winidowilar(i“Gehöft mit
Weideland“) urkundlich erwähnt. Damals wurde das Dorf mit seiner Kirche, einem Herrenhof und mit
seiner großen Urgemarkung von Gaugraf Erinfried vom Bliesgau an das Stift Neuhausen bei Worms
übertragen. Auf der Winnweilerer Urgemarkung waren zu diesem Zeitpunkt schon eine ganze Reihe von
damals noch jungen Rodungssiedlungen entstanden: Hochstein, Gehrweiler, Gundersweiler, Falkenstein,
vermutlich auch Höringen und Wingertsweiler und das spätere Oberbörrstadt.
In den folgenden Jahrhunderten kam Winnweiler vom vorgenannten Stift Neuhausen über verschiedene
Adelsgeschlechter zur Herrschaft Falkenstein. Diese Herrschaft war gegen Ende des ersten Drittels des
13. Jahrhunderts aus dem Besitz der Reichsministerialen von Bolanden heraus entstanden und wurde ab
1518 Reichgrafschaft. Fortan, bis zum Ende der Feudalzeit, teilte Winnweiler das Schicksal dieses
Territoriums. Mit ihm kam Winnweiler 1667 an die Herzöge von Lothringen und später mit Franz Stephan
von Lothringen (Gemahl der habsburgischen Erbtochter Maria Theresia und seit 1745 Kaiser Franz I.) an
das Haus Habsburg- Lothringen. De facto gehörte damit die Grafschaft Falkenstein mit ihrem
Verwaltungsort Winnweiler bis zur Revolutionszeit zu Östereich. Schon seit der Zugehörigkeit zu
Lothringen war im 1604 errichteten falkensteinischen Schloss in Winnweiler ein Oberamt eingerichtet. Vor
allem unter den habsburg-lothringischen Oberamtmännern in der 2. Hälfte des 18. Jahrhunderts war
dieses Oberamt für die Entwicklung Winnweilers von großer Bedeutung.
Auch in der französischen Zeit (1797- Januar 1814) und nach dem Übergang der Pfalz an das Königreich
Bayern (1816) blieb Winnweiler Sitz der Verwaltung für sein Umland ("Kantonsort"). Auch in dieser Zeit
ging die positive Entwicklung Winnweilers weiter. Heute ist Winnweiler Verwaltungssitz der gleichnamigen
Verbandsgemeinde.
Ganz andere geschichtliche Grundlagen hat der 1979 zu Winnweiler eingemeindete Ortsteil
Alsenbrück-Langmeil. Alsenbrück war möglicherweise schon im 6. oder 7. Jh. bei einem fränkischen
Königshof im Bereich des heute noch so genannten Sattelhofes entstanden. Die uralte Ost-West-Straße
(später von Napoleon ausgebaute Kaiserstraße, heute B 40) und eine hier kreuzende Nord-Süd-Straße
waren wohl der Anlass für diese Gründung. 987 wurde die Siedlung als Alesencen erstmals urkundlich
erwähnt und hat ihren Namen von dem Bach Alsenz entlehnt. Das Dorf gehörte seit dem 13. Jh. zum
Besitz des Klosters Otterberg und wurde von den Pfalzgrafen bei Rhein (später Kurfürsten von der
Pfalz) als Vögten des Klosters Otterberg verwaltet. Diese Vögte hatten die Vogtei über Alsenbrück aber
meist niederadligen Lehensnehmern (z.B. den Herren von Flersheim) überlassen. Erst etwa mit dem
beginnendem zweiten Drittel des 18. Jh. kam Alsenbrück ebenfalls an die Grafschaft Falkenstein. Dies
war die Zeit in der auch an der alten Ost-West-Straße das immer zu Alsenbrück gehörende Dorf
Langmeil entstanden ist.
Geschichtliches zur Bedeutung von Vorderösterreich
Durch die Niederlagen von Morgarten 1315 und Sempach 1386 gingen die eigentlichen Stammlande
der Habsburger an die Eidgenossen verloren. Hauptteile des österreichischen Schwaben waren nun
der Sundgau (südliches Elsaß) und der Breisgau. Sitz der Regierung war Ensisheim nahe
Mülhausen, ab 1651 Freiburg im Breisgau, das sich 1386 den Habsburgern unterstellt hatte. Freiburg
war die meiste Zeit über das geistige und kulturelle Zentrum, während sich das Archiv in Baden
(Schweiz) befand. Bei allen habsburgischen Herrschaftsteilungen im Spätmittelalter und in der frühen
Neuzeit kamen die Vorlande an diejenige Linie, die Tirol beherrschte, wurden also immer von
Innsbruck aus regiert. 1490 wurde eine Zentralbehörde für Tirol und die Vorlande geschaffen. Mit dem
Westfälischen Frieden ging 1648 das habsburgische Elsass an Frankreich verloren.
Nach den Türkenkriegen wurden viele Bewohner Vorderösterreichs dazu bewogen, sich an den neuen
Südostgrenzen des Habsbugerreiches in Ungarn niederzulassen. Ihre Nachfahren wurden
Donauschwaben genannt. Die Reformen der Verwaltung unter Maria Theresia und Joseph II stießen
vielfach auf Ablehnung. Im 18. Jahrhundert wurden einige Gebiete wie Tettnang und das Amt Ortenau
erworben. Um 1780 hatte Vorderösterreich etwa 400.000 Einwohner..
1790 war Vorderösterreich in folgende Oberämter gegliedert:
Oberamt Breisgau, Hauptstadt Freiburg im Breisgau - von Herbolzheim und
Triberg im Norden über Breisach, Krozingen und Waldshut bis Laufenburg und
Rheinfelden südlich des Rheins, im Osten Villingen und Bräunlingen
Oberamt Offenburg - nur einige Orte in der Ortenau, die Stadt Offenburg selbst war
freie Reichsstadt
Oberamt Rottenburg ("Grafschaft Hohenberg") - Gebiete am unteren Neckar
(Horb am Neckar, Oberndorf am Neckar) und dem Westrand der Schwäbischen Alb
(Schömberg, Spaichingen)
Oberamt Stockach ("Landgrafschaft Nellenburg") - Gebiete vom Nordwesten des
Bodensees (Radolfzell) und im Hegau (Aach) bis zur Donau (Mengen, Saulgau,
Gebiete in der Umgebung von Riedlingen)
Oberamt Altdorf ("Landvogtei Schwaben") - Gebiete vom östlichen Nordufer des
Bodensees über das Schussental (Waldsee) bis zur Ostalb (Schelklingen, die Stadt
Riedlingen), außerdem im Westallgäu das Umland der Reichsstadt Leutkirch im
Allgäu (Gebrazhofen)
Oberamt Tettnang ("Reichsgrafschaft Tettnang") - ein geschlossenes Gebiet am
mittleren Nordufer des Bodensees um Tettnang und Wasserburg am Bodensee, das
einen Teil des vormaligen Herrschaftsgebietes der Montforter Grafen umfasste.
Oberamt Günzburg ("Markgrafschaft Burgau") - Gebiete im heutigen bayrischen
Regierungsbezirk Schwaben (Weißenhorn, Burgau) und im Alb-Donau-Kreis
(Ehingen)
Oberamt Winnweiler - Winnweiler und Umgebung sowie einige Orte südlich von
Mainz und um Kirchheimbolanden
die Stadt Konstanz
Im Preßburger Frieden von 1805 verloren die Habsburger Vorderösterreich vollständig. Die
Territorien gingen an Bayern, Baden, Württemberg, Hessen-Darmstadt und die Schweiz (Norden
des Aargau um Rheinfelden (Schweiz)). Die historische Bedeutung Vorderösterreichs liegt u.a.
darin, dass es – zusammen mit den Besitzungen der Familie Fürstenberg und einer Anzahl
geistlicher Gebiete – für die katholische Prägung der Südhälfte von Baden-Württemberg
verantwortlich ist.
Translation:
Winnweiler is first mentioned in a document from the 10th February, 891 sometimes as a Winidowilar
(Slavian) “ farm with pastureland “). At that time the village with its church, a noble “Herrenhaus” and
with its big Core land was transferred by count Erinfried of the Bliesgau to the convent of Neuhausen
near Worms. On the Winnweilerer Core Land at that time already a whole row of that time still to
young{new} had originated clearing settlements: High-level stone, Gehrweiler, Gundersweiler, falcon's
stone, presumably also Höringen and Wingertsweiler and the later Oberbörrstadt.
During the following centuries Winnweiler of the prementioned Foundation of Neuhausen was
governed by different Noble and finally came under the rule of Falkenstein. This rule had originated by
the end of the first third of the 13-th century from the possession of the imperial-Governor of Bolanden
and from 1518 became an imperial county. From now on, up to the end of the feudal Age, Winnweiler
shared the destiny of this territory. With it Winnweiler 1667 came under possession of the dukes of
Lorraine and later to Franz Stephan von Lothringen (spouse of habsburg hereditary daughter Maria
Theresia and since 1745 Emperor Franz I.) to the Propriety of the Habsburg-Lorraine family. De facto
the county Falkenstein with its management place Winnweiler belonged thus up to revolutionary time
to Austria. Already since the affiliation to Lorraine an upper office was established in 1604 in
Falkenstein castle in Winnweiler. Above all, among the Habsburg-Lorraine administrators in 2-nd half
of the 18-th century this upper office was for the development of Winnweilers of great importance.
Also in the French(Napoleonic) time (1797-until January, 1814) and after the transition of the
Palatinate to the kingdom of Bavaria (1816) Winnweiler remained seat of the management of its
region("canton place"). Also in this time the positive development Winnweilers went on. Today
Winnweiler is management seat of an association of municipalities under the same name.
The district Alsenbrück-Langmeil incorporated in 1979 to Winnweiler has quite different historical
bases. Alsenbrück possibly originated already in 6. or 7. Century with a Franconian king's court in the
area of a so-called the saddle court. The ancient east west street (later developed from Napoleon as
“Kaiserstrasse” today B 40-Federal Road) and a north south street cruising here were probably the
occasion for this setting up. 987 the settlement was mentioned as an „Alesencen“(lien) for the first time
in a document{authentically} and has borrowed its name from small river Alsenz. The village belonged
since the 13. Century to the cloister of Otterberg and was administered by the count of palatine and
near Rhine as overseer of cloister Otterberg. These overseers had leased the so –called „Vogtei of
Alsenbrück“, however, to mostly lower aristocratic takers (e.g., Messrs. von Flersheim). Possibly only
with the beginning of the second third of 18. Cent. Alsenbrück likewise was attached to the county of
Falkenstein. This was the time when alongside the old east west street the village Langmeil ,belonging
to Alsenbrück, was founded as transit and ServiceCamp . .
Historical importance of Vorderösterreich(Forefront Austria, Forefront Land)
By the defeats of Morgarten 1315 and Sempach 1386 the real family land got lost of the Habsburgs
to the confederates. Now main parts of Austrian Swabian were the Sundgau (southern Alsace) and
the Breisgau region. Seat of the government was Ensisheim near Mulhhouse, from 1651 Freiburg in
Breisgau which had received shelter 1386 by the Habsburgs. Freiburg was most time the spiritual
and cultural center, while the archive was in Baden (Switzerland). With all habsburg ruling divisions
in the late Middle Ages and in the early modern times came the “Vorlande” to that line which
controlled Tyrol, and were governed always from Innsbruck. 1490 a central authority was created for
Tyrol and the Vorlande. With the Westphalian peace 1648 Habsburgian Alsace got lost to France.
About 1780 Vorderösterreich had about 400,000 inhabitants.
Oberamt Winnweiler - Winnweiler und Umgebung sowie einige Orte südlich von
Mainz und um Kirchheimbolanden
die Stadt Konstanz
In the Preßburg peace Treaty of 1805 the Habsburg lost Vorderösterreich(Forefront Land)
completely. The territories were handed over to Bavaria, Wurttemberg, Hesse-Darmstadt and
Switzerland (the north of the eagle's region around Rheinfelden (Switzerland). In 1815, with the
Viennese congress{convention} there was the consideration to renounce Salzburg and to acquire,
instead, the Breisgau anew. Indeed, this would have correspondedto the wishes of the Breisgauer,
however, The historical importance of Forefront Austria lies among other things in the fact, that it together with the possessions of the family of Fürstenberg and a number of ecclesiastical areasfor which Catholic majority of the south half of Baden-Wurttemberg is responsible.
The Palatine Immigration
From G. Hackenschmidt
Now since I have found in Palatine Archives that the Snow Betsey was in fact a Palatine Ship, it can
be expected that Konrad started his journey from that region, which may then have been his home.
Around 1670 Hackenschmidt Family members moved to Rhenania(Rhine)-Palatina because of the
political(Leadership changed in R.P.) and clerical circumstances(coming from Thuringia, they were
protestants and could live there, since the Swedish King Gustav Adolf had made the region a
protestant . It seems informative for the readers, to see how hard it was at the German end to survive
such a journey and how much will Conrad must have had to pursue his dream. The following is an
excerpt of my German sources describing such hardship.
Palatines (Pfälzer) (by Rainer Oberacker)
Kommentar von Rainer Oberacker:
Palatines (Pfälzer) ist eine Herkunftsbezeichnung, die neben den wirklichen Pfälzern auch andere
deutsche (insbesondere süddeutsche) Auswanderer in die USA umfasst. Da die Verhältnisse am
Oberrhein im frühen 18. Jahrhundert in Baden und der Pfalz für die Bevölkerung sehr ähnlich waren,
ist die Anlehnung von Joan an die "Palatine"-Literatur sicher angebracht. Die Overackers kamen
ziemlich sicher aus der Markgrafschaft Baden, vermutlich aus Liedolsheim.
Das Leben war sehr schwer für die Menschen in der Pfalz im 17. und 18. Jahrhundert. Kriege, hohe
Steuern, religiöse Verfolgungen und der extrem lange, kalte Winter 1708/09 hatten großes Leid
verursacht. Einige Engländer waren gekommen und hatten versucht, Menschen zur Auswanderung
nach Amerika zu ermutigen. Dort, so das Versprechen, gab es Freiheit und ein besseres Leben. 1708
richtete Pastor Joshua Kochertal, der Führer einer kleinen Gruppe von Auswanderern aus der Pfalz,
eine besondere Bitte an die Königin von England, Queen Anne: "Wir schlagen in aller Bescheidenheit
vor, ausgeschickt zu werden, um uns am Hudson River in der Provinz New York anzusiedeln, wo wir
dem Königreich nützlich sein könnten, insbesondere bei der Produktion von Vorräten für die Marine
und als Grenze gegen die Franzosen und ihre Indianer."
Queen Anne nahm die Vorschläge im Mai desselben Jahres an. Sie erließ eine Anordnung, nach der
sie die Kosten für den Lebensunterhalt und die Überfahrt der Auswanderer nach Amerika übernehmen
würde. Sie garantierte ihnen, daß sie zwölf Monate lang neun Pence pro Tag für ihren Unterhalt
erhalten sollten sowie ein Stück Land, auf dem sie sich ansiedeln könnten. Die Queen akzeptierte nur
protestantische Familien. Sie sollten Nadelholzteer für den Bau britischer Marineschiffe herstellen.
Jedes Familienoberhaupt unterzeichnete einen Vertrag, wonach sie alle Auslagen zurückzahlen
würden; danach sollten die Auswanderer vierzig Morgen Land pro Person erhalten und sieben Jahre
lang steuerfrei bleiben.
Tausende fuhren an Bord kleiner Schiffe den Rhein hinunter nach Rotterdam. Sie ertrugen extrem
schlechtes, kaltes Wetter auf offenen Booten, und das vier bis sechs Wochen lang. Bis zum Frühling
1709 hatten die Überlebenden – etwa 10.000 Personen oder mehr – Rotterdam erreicht. Sie blieben
hier einige Zeit ihrem Schicksal überlassen, bevor sie von britischen Schiffen nach London gebracht
wurden. Dort kam es wiederum zu Verzögerungen und die Auswanderer überlebten nur knapp in
überfüllten, primitiven Behausungen mit wenig Nahrung. Einige wurden nach Irland geschickt. Endlich,
viele Monate später, erließ Queen Anne schließlich eine Anordnung, mit der sie einen Teil der
Auswanderer nach Amerika schickte. Im Verlauf der Überfahrten wurden Kinder geboren, sehr viele
Menschen starben aber auch während der Reise. Die Auswanderer waren zäh, aber die mangelnde
Hygiene und Krankheiten wie Typhus forderten ihren Preis.
Diejenigen, die die Reise überlebten, fanden sich in Amerika unter fast unerträglichen Bedingungen
wieder. Viele hatten sich auf der Überfahrt mit Typhus angesteckt und litten noch an der Krankheit.
Die Briten hatten Gewehre und Schießpulver für sie bereitgestellt, da die Einwanderer an der Grenze
zur Wildnis leben würden und sich gegen Angriffe der Indianer verteidigen müßten. Sie erhielten Zelte,
in denen sie wohnen konnten bis sie selbst primitive Hütten errichtet hatten.
In Amerika wurden diese Einwanderer „Palatines„ genannt, da sie aus einem Gebiet kamen, das von
früher von einem Pfalzrafen (engl. count palatine) regiert wurde. In seinem Buch The Palatines of Olde
Ulster schreibt Benjamin Meyer Brink: "Die pfälzische Einwanderung war der bis dahin größte Zustrom
von Menschen in die Neue Welt. Diese mutigen Leute waren auf die Begegnung mit den Härten der
ungezähmten Wildnis gut vorbereitet. Ihre Arbeitsmoral und die Fähigkeit, scheinbar unmögliche
Schwierigkeiten zu meistern trugen dazu bei, die Menschen zu formen, die man einst Amerikaner
nennen würde."
Leben in America.
Ein kleines Buch, geschrieben von der Palatine Society mit dem Titel "Die Palatines (Pfälzer) des
Staates New York" hat mir ein besseres Verständnis vom Leben meiner Oberacker Vorfahren
gegeben. Es beschreibt einiges über die Merkmale und Sitten der Palatines. Nach diesem Buch war
es ihr oberstes Ziel, Grundbesitzer zu werden. Sie waren entschieden, ihr eigenes Land zu besitzen.
Die meisten sprachen über mindestens drei Generationen weiterhin Deutsch. Sie waren geschickter
im Umgang mit ihrem Vieh, als andere Pioniere. Sie bauten riesige Frachtwagen, um Produkte zum
Markt zu fahren. Ihre Scheunen und Umfriedungen waren größer und solider gebaut als die der
meisten anderen Europäischen Siedler. Sie waren sehr gute Bauern, und wo immer sie auch lebten
verwandelten sie die Wildnis in fruchtbare Äcker. Die Mondphasen dienten als Richtlinien für die
Aussaat. Gesät wurde im Zeichen der Zwillinge, und sie bevorzugten es, bei zunehmendem Mond zu
pflanzen anstatt bei abnehmendem. Die Schlachtung der Schweine richtete sich auch nach den
Mondphasen. Zur Erntezeit verließen die Frauen ihre anderen Tätigkeiten und halfen den Männern bei
der Feldarbeit. Ihre Holzschnitzer machten Butterfässer, Schöpflöffel, Kornkästen, Gerstengabeln (?)
und Handrechen, die nicht nur praktisch waren, sondern manchmal auch ein Kunstwerk darstellten.
Die Pfälzer Bauern waren die ersten, die die langen holzbestielten Sensen zur Getreideernte
benutzten anstatt der Sichel. Die hölzernen Spinnräder, die sie machten sind heute wertvolle
Antiquitäten.
Sie wußten aber auch zu leben. Sie liebten Musik, Gesang und Sport. Zum Erntedank, an
Weihnachten, Neujahr und bei Hochzeiten tranken sie Wein und heißen Butter-Rum (?). Verwandte
nahmen oft lange Wege auf sich, um bei einem Begräbnis dabei zu sein. Nach dem Begräbnis gingen
sie in das Haus des Verschiedenen und manchmal wurde dabei Wein serviert, der lange Jahre für
diese Gelegenheit aufgehoben worden war. Da viele Familienmitglieder sich selten sahen, war dies
eine gute Gelegenheit für eine Wiedersehensfeier. 1789 schrieb Dr. Benjamin Rush, ein Mitglied von
General Washington´s Stab während des Revolutionskrieges über sie: " Die Palatines von New York
und ihre Nachkommen haben durch die Jahre ein gutes Beispiel gegeben für die bescheidene
Rechtschaffenheit des Bürgerrechts einschließlich der Achtung des Gesetzes und die bare Erledigung
ihrer Verbindlichkeiten. Wo immer sie sich niederließen, wurde die Gemeinde bekannt für die
Einhaltung von Recht und Ordnung." Es ist klar, dass unsere Pfälzer Vorfahren unseren Respekt,
Bewunderung und Anerkennung verdienen für die bedeutende Rolle, die sie bei der Gestaltung
Amerikas spielten
Übersetzung/Translation
Palatine Immigration to America/Pfälzer Auswanderer nach Amerika
(G. Hackenschmidt, Translation and Excerpt from sources mentioned below)
For Palatine People life in the 17th and 18th Century was hard. Wars, high taxes, religious
discrimination and extremely cold winters had brought a lot of harm, illness and child death.
Some British Officials came and tried to convince people to immigrate to America. There, so their
promise, would be freedom and a better life. It all started, when in 1708 Priest Joshua Kochertal, the
leader of a small group of Immigrants, made a special request to the Queen of England, Queen Anne:
“With all respect we allow us to propose to be sent to settle on Hudson River in the Province of New
York, where we can be of advantage to the Kingdom especially through the production of stocks and
provision for the Marine and form a borderline against the French and their Indians”. Queen Anne
accepted the proposal in May of the same year. She made a decree, according to which she was
prepared to take over the cost for living and the transfer to America for the immigrants. She
guaranteed, that they would receive 9 Pence per day over a period of twelve months for maintenance,
and in addition a piece of land, on which they could settle. The Queen accepted only protestant
families. They were ordered to produce Pine tree –tar for the British Marine Ships. Every Family Head
signed a contract to repay all costs. Thereafter they should get title to forty Acres of Land per Person,
and a seven years tax exempt.
Thousands went on board of small ships downstream the River Rhine to Rotterdam. Parts of the
groups had to board, where the River Rhine was most dangerous (Blackhole of Bingen, miles of rapids
on Middle Rhine etc.). They suffered from extremely bad weather in open boats, and this mostly about
4 to 6 weeks. The surviving ones- about 10.000 or more- reached the Rotterdam Rhine River Delta in
spring 1709, and there they were left to their fate under inhuman conditions in the Swampsconsiderable time even before they were brought by British Ships to London. There again was delay
and the survivors suffered again from food shortage and desperate housing conditions. Some of them
were even brought to Ireland instead. Finally, months later, Queen Anne made a decision, by which a
part of the Immigrants were shipped to America. In the course of the passage Children were born and
many people died during the journey. Many immigrants could not resist any more the lacking Hygiene
and illnesses like Typhoid fever went epidemic.
Although later passages were partly better organized in terms of contracts, Life risks and time, the
fundamental problems remained the same. Those who survived, now found themselves in America
under similar unbearable conditions. Many of them continued to suffer from unhealableTyphoid and
other fever. The British gave them arms and Gunpowder, and they immediately had to defend their
lives against the Indians at the direct border to wilderness. They were given tents, in which the lived
until the had built their houses by their own hands and without any help from the Government.
Following mismanagement and weak planning the British abandoned all payments to the Immigrant
from 1712 on. The Pinewood Tar Production Project failed.
According to the written records, the Immigrant’s highest aim was, to become Land Owners. The
majority of them continued to speak German over at least 3 Generations. They were experts in all
kinds of Food processing, storage ,maintenance and transportation. They built huge Freight wagons
and brought their products at best times to the the markets. Wherever they lived, they transferred the
wilderness into fertile agrarian regions. The moon phases were used as indications for seed, harvest,
slaughtering and for the wood industry. From wood they produced and invented harvest and
household utilities like forks, spoons, rakes, sewing equipment, barrels and boxes etc. But they also
knew to live: they loved music, singing and sports. On Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year ,burials
and Marriages they were drinking wine and hot butter-Rum. Relatives and friends often took long ways
to such events and occasions to stay together and to meet again after years.
In 1789 Dr. Benjamin Rush, member of General Washingston’s Staff during the
Revolution wars, wrote:” The Palatines of New York and their successing Generations have over the
years given a good example for their modesty and honesty under our civil right as well as their general
respect of the Laws including fulfilment of their obligation. Wherever they settled, their communities
became known to abide absolutely to Law and Order.
It goes without saying that our Palatine Forefathers deserve our full respect, admiration and
appreciation for the important role they had during the formation of the American Spirit .
Quellen/Sources:
Palatines (Pfälzer), von Rainer Oberacker, Liedolsheim
The Palatine Immigrants to America in 1739 ,www.oberacker-dettenheim.d
Busch, Isaak, Offenbach, In Amerika Vorsitzender des Vereins der Pfälzer
www.queichtalmuseum.de/historisches/ Auswandererkartei Westpfalz und östliches Saarland
_
Life in Mid-Eighteenth Century- Pennsylvania
by John T. Humphrey, Genealogist, National Genealogical Society, Arlington
-extracts in parts from Hockersmith – NewsletterDetails concerning what an ancestor may have done on any given day can be difficult, if not
impossible, to find. But, details concerning shared or common experience have been recorded, and
that information is useful in gaining insight into eighteenth-century life in rural Pennsylvania. Shared
experience is an analytical tool used by historians to research, interpret, and analyze the past. Men
and women of all generations have shared experience, such as our contemporary habit of purchasing
food in a grocery store. Details of that experience include the day of the week, time of day the
purchase, and the name of the
store. The fact that most of us purchase food in a store provides an experience we all share in
common. Immigrants Had “Shared Experience”. The same was true of all eighteenth-century
Pennsylvania immigrants. All newcomers had to journey there on a ship—an experience shared in
common. The specifics of each voyage were unique to that journey and to the passengers who
traveled on that particular ship. But, on that ship and others, people had shared experiences as well.
Ship’s captains carried out similar or routine sailing
maneuvers on each and every trip across the Atlantic.
As a sailing vessel approached the North American continent, for example, the captain of the ship
would have ordered a member of his crew to start “sounding for the bottom. ”The crewmember
dropped a rope with a heavy lead weight over the side of the ship to test the depth of the water. He
was trying to find the bottom. If the weight touched bottom at eight fathoms, that meant the ocean was
only forty-eight feet deep. (One fathom equals six linear feet.)That indicated the ship was approaching
land. Testing for the bottom was especially important if the ship approached the coast of New England
or New York in a fog bank, a common occurrence. An account of one voyage noted, “No land was
seen even though the ship had proceeded to eight fathoms. When at 10 a.m. the mist lifted, America
was seen for the first time.” [2]A 1742 account of another voyage noted that the captain found the
bottom at 35 fathoms or 210 feet. On May 19 a cold, thick fog covered the sea. [3] The captain of this
particular ship dropped anchor, as he wanted to send a small boat ashore to find a local navigator—
another common experience. If a ship’s captain was unfamiliar with his present location or his
destination port, he waited until he could arrange with a local expert who could pilot the boat into the
harbor with some degree of safety. Depending on the distance to shore and the condition ofthe
passengers and crew, the captain may have sent a smaller boat ashore for other reasons—to get
fresh water or to bury the dead. A record kept of one crossing noted that a boat went ashore near New
London, Connecticut, to bury an infant born in route to Pennsylvania. [4]
While ashore they encountered a resident who commented onhow fit they appeared after such a long
voyage. He noted that passengers on most ships usually got a fever and many often perished. He
went on to say, “They [the dead] were placed in scores in large ditches near the shore and covered
with sand…” [5] Statements similar to this one suggest that the remains of many immigrants were,
perhaps, similarly buried on the beaches of New England, Long Island, New Jersey, and Delaware.
Voyage A “Slow Boat”T he voyage from the capes of the Delaware Bay to Philadelphia was neither
fast nor easy. Everything depended on the wind. If the prevailing breeze came from the south, then the
ship probably reached Philadelphia in short order, as was the circumstance when Gottlieb Mittelberger
came to Pennsylvania. He noted in his travel journal that the journey up Delaware Bay took forty
hours, or about 1½ days. [6] In a letter to Germany, Christopher Saur noted that some ships needed
eight to ten days totravel the same distance. [7] When a ship finally arrived in Philadelphia, people
usually gathered on the wharf. The narrator of another journal noted as they approached the dock, “…
a crowd of persons was seen gathering on shore in expectation the newly arrived immigrants were to
be exposed for sale.” [8]
Merchants looking for servants soon boarded. Frequently, those merchants were the proprietors of the
ship or were in the employ of the owner. An official account was taken to determine the passengers
who could be sold as indentured servants. The merchant then placed an advertisement in one of the
Philadelphia newspapers, “German Servants For Sale.” Sometimes, those advertisements noted the
wharf where the ship docked—information that can be especially useful for any family historian whose
ancestors may have arrived on a ship so advertised. Frequently, a representative of the government
accompanied the merchants. The official was not looking for servants, but wanted to make certain that
all fit males sixteen and older who were aliens disembarked and proceeded to the courthouse where
the required oath was given.
Immigrants, whose origins were not in the British Isles, made their way to the courthouse located at
second and High Streets. As they proceeded to the courthouse they climbed the steep riverbank to the
city on some very wobbly legs. After an extended period of time
at sea they were used to the rocking motion of the ship, and they did not have their “land” legs. Most
probably looked like a pack of drunken sailors as they proceeded to the courthouse. The captain of the
vessel usually led the way. When the alien immigrants entered the courthouse, a representative of the
government—namely the Mayor, President of the Assembly, or a Justice of the Court—was waiting.
He told them they were now in a country that belonged to the King of England; a fact that required
them to take an oath of allegiance to that King and his successors. [11] The oath was then explained
to the immigrants. Given the numbers of Germans arriving in Philadelphia, one presumes that
someone was available who could translate. The immigrants had to promise they would conduct
themselves as good and faithful subjects, that they would not revolt against his Majesty, nor would
they settle on lands that were not their own. They were also required to
abjure or renounce allegiance to the Pope. In the words of another narrator, “After we took the oath,
we signed our names to two different papers, one belonged to the King and the other to the
government of Pennsylvania.” [12]
Arrival In Pennsylvania Immigrants undoubtedly formed some interesting impressions of Pennsylvania
in the days and weeks following their arrival. In fact, their initial impressions were probably formed on
the docks. Mid-eighteenth century maps of Philadelphia show sixty-five docks covering a fairly
extended area along the west bank of the Delaware River. Philadelphia had become the largest and
single most important port in the American colonies. [13] Immigration records reveal a very busy place.
In one month alone, September 1753, fifteen ships arrived with German immigrants; on average they
arrived every other day during that month. [14] Other immigrants arrived as well, including the ScotsIrish, who came in numbers almost equal to the Germans. And, there was relatedactivity—numerous
ships in the harbor were used to transport agricultural products from Maryland, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, and Delaware to Europe and the West Indies, and other ships brought manufactured goods
from Europe. [15]
The Philadelphia of 1760 may not have felt as foreign to Germans arriving in that city as many latetwentieth century historians may think. Based on the number of recorded baptisms found in
eighteenth-century Philadelphia church registers, Germans may have accounted for one-half of the
entire population of the city. Most of those Germans lived in an area of Philadelphia located in the
northern end of the city around Arch, Vine, and Race Streets. In this section of the city, Germans
started a tradition that would continue for generations in this country—even into this century: They
created the first ethnic neighborhood. [21] In the German section of town, signs were written in
German and English, and to the consternation of many English residents, some signs were inscribed
solely in German! [22] In this neighborhood Germans built their churches—St. Michael’s Evangelical
Lutheran Church, the First Reformed Church, and later, Zion Lutheran Church—the largest in the
colonial city and, later, the Federal Capital. German settlers, who arrived in Philadelphia, most likely
disembarked, and proceeded to the German enclave because here they could make contact with
friends and neighbors who came earlier. Here they could begin the process of getting re-established.
The presence of so many Germans in this area of Philadelphia undoubtedly eased their transition into
a foreign culture and a foreign land. The sounds immigrants heard would have been interesting as
well. These newcomers would have heard a dialect of English that was very different from English as
spoken in the late twentieth-century. Eighteenth-century ancestors would have heard a dialect of
English as it was spoken in Great Britain. They would also have heard dialects of German, and,
indeed, language may be provided the new German arrivals with a means of identifying others from
their own region of Germany. An immigrant from the Rhineland Pfalz, for example, may have heard
Germans speaking in a local dialect that would have immediately told him these men are from my
region of Germany—the “Pfalz.” That recognition would have provided the immigrant with an
opportunity to inquire about other arrivals from his region of Germany or perhaps even from
his village—immigrants who may have settled in one of the more distant counties, such as Lancaster,
York, Northampton, or Berks. Most Move to the Countryside. Most immigrants did not remain in
Philadelphia for any length of time, as evidenced by settlement patterns in
south eastern Pennsylvania. Those settlers wanted to get out on the land. Christopher Saur in a letter
sent to Germany noted, “Because one may hold as much property as one wishes, also pay for it when
one desires, everybody hurries to take up some property.” [23] In the
mid-1750s a Moravian minister in Philadelphia noted that members of his congregation spent a good
deal of time talking about the price of land and the places where they could buy it. This put the minister
in some distress as he felt they should be more focused on the spiritual realm and less on the
material.
The lure of land drew thousands of immigrants to Pennsylvania, both German and English—a fact
many twentieth-century family historians do not fully appreciate. Land played a very important role in
the lives of all ancestors. Our eighteenth-century forebears lived in an agrarian economy in which
practically everything came from the soil—food, clothing, and shelter. It was a simple fact: People who
controlled land controlled their own destiny. In Germany or England most people were tenant farmers
and did not control land. They rented the land and their ability to stay on that land depended on the
owner, generally a Lord or someone of minor nobility. If the tenant paid the rent on time and if he
caused no problems, the renter remained on the land. If he followed the dictates of the landlord, he
increased his chances of keeping his tenancy. Following the rules frequently meant attending the
church of the local ruler, as opposed to a church dictated by conscience. If the family lost its right to
remain on the land, another way had to be found to provide for the basics of life.
Population growth during the eighteenth century compounded the problem. As population increased in
Germany and Great Britain, the demand on the limited amount of land also increased. Consequently
rents escalated. Tenant farmers with limited or no access
to land in Europe had two choices—relocate or continue to live at a subsistence level. Many chose to
relocate and some who did came to Pennsylvania. The price of land and its availability influenced the
decision of where to locate in Pennsylvania. Historians are finding that settlement patterns were also
very important. In the case of German immigrants, scholars are discovering immigrants who came
from the same home village or region settled together in Pennsylvania. Obvious benefits were to be
gained by living near people
who came from the same village or perhaps the same region. A newcomer could seek help from
friends and distant relatives during those early years when life was literally being carved out of the
wilderness. [28] In terms of price, the further one moved from Philadelphia, the cheaper land became.
In 1750 Mittelberger noted, “The price of farms around Philadelphia are quite high. Even a days
journey from Philadelphia prices for uncleared land are high.”
Advertisements in Philadelphia newspapers show that in 1750 the price of a homestead with a house,
barn, and cleared field was twice the price of uncultivated land—a fact that forced many Germans to
search for unimproved land in the interior of Pennsylvania.
Travel Presented Obstacles. Usually newly arrived settlers made their journey to Lancaster, Berks,
Northampton, and York counties on foot, and the trip took several days. Immigrants leaving
Philadelphia would have set out on one of the three roads leaving the city. As the traveler left
Philadelphia, he or she would have seen barns with some frequency. But, once
the sojourner reached upper Bucks, Montgomery, or Berks Counties, the distance between
farmsteads would have grown considerably. In an early journal entry Muhlenberg noted, “When one
travels on the roads, one constantly travels in bush or forest. Occasionally, there is a house and
several miles down the road there is another house.
Rivers and streams set up serious obstacles to travel. In more settled areas boats or canoes could be
found along most rivers and some streams, but once a traveler entered the forest, there were no
ferries. For the sojourner traveling on foot, a horseman or boatman passing by might be persuaded to
carry him to the other side. If not, the traveler’s only alternative was to swim. In the mid-eighteenthcentury much of southeastern Pennsylvania was still forested. Muhlenberg noted, “ The settlements
here are totally surrounded by forests.” The forest caused sounds to echo and re-echo. One of
Muhlenberg’s colleagues, an Anglican minister, noted in a report sent to England that, “the whole
country is one continuous woods!” The Anglican missionary complained bitterly about it. He told his
superiors in London he could not send a proper report, as he had no idea how many people were
members of his congregation. He had no way of counting them because they all lived in the woods;
when he went out to find them, he generally got lost.
Re: Hackenschmidt: Further US-immigrants from Coburg/Bavaria to USA
It has been proved that at least 2 families immigrated to USA and founded Families in the
USA .They originated from our Coburg/Frankonia as well as from our Thuringian Family arm.
- It appears that they all immigrated to USA between 1900 and 1901
- Further information in the files of “Ancestry.com” and “geneanet.org
Die Familien Hackenschmidt in Coburg sind Teil der Thüringisch/Böhmischen Urlinie. Seit ca
1620 sind Teile dort angesiedelt und wohnen bis heute im Gebiet um Coburg
Coburg liegt ca 70 km entfernt von Plauen und Eichigt, der Kernregion der Familie /
The Hackenschmidt Clan in Coburg refers to ist Core Line living around Plauen and Eger in
Thuringia/Bohemia. Coburg has a distance of around 70 kilometres away from the Core
Family region in Saxony.
Some insigt into the City of Coburg
Stadthaus
Veste Coburg
Die erste Siedlung im Tal der Itz trug den Namen "Trufalistat", war die Stätte der
Trufali, der Thüringer. Es erscheint der Name Coburg 1056 erstmals in den geschichtlichen
Quellen. in der Stadt mehrt sich der Reichtum, bedingt durch den Ausbau der großen
Handelsstraße von Nürnberg nach Leipzig. Coburg wird zu einem Wirtschaftszentrum und
Knotenpunkt im fränkisch- thüringischen Raum. Die ersten Herrscher von Coburg sind die
Meranier. 1265 werden sie von den Hennebergern abgelöst, bevor das Gebiet 1353 an die
Markgrafschaft Meißen kommt. Schließlich ist Coburg ab 1423 Teil des Kurfürstentums
Sachsen.. Eine Blütezeit erlebt die Stadt unter Herzog Johann Casimir (1564 - 1633). Den
Geist der Restauration überwindet er mit der behutsamen Einführung demokratischer
Neuerungen. 1846 teilt er dem Landtag mit, er wolle die konstitutionelle Staatsform
einführen..
Translation
The first settlement in the Itz-Valley was named „Trufalistat“, The place of the „Trufali“ ,
Thuringians. The name of Coburg appears in literature first around the year 1056. The
settlement became rich dure to ist crossroad position between the Royal Trade Street from
Nuremberg to Leipzig. later it was one of the knotpoints of Industry in Frankonia. The
Countship was donated first to the Meran Families, thereafter to the Henneberg Families.
Later it became part of the Grand Duchy( and later kingdom)( of Saxony.