Report15Secretary

15th ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

SECRETARY OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE

HISTORY OF THE GERMANS IN MARYLAND.

Mr. President und Members:

ITH to-night our Society stands at the close of another,

the 15th, year of its existence. During the last twelve

months the second part of Mr. H. Schuricht's valuable

work: "History of the Early Germans in Virginia," appeared

under the auspices of this Society, making together with the

Secretary's, the Treasurer's Annual Reports, List of Members

and Obituary Notices, a stately volume of 362 pages.

Two articles of original research were read in our meet-

ings during the same period, neither of the authors, however,

I am sorry to add, being officially connected with the Society.

The subject of the first article by Dr. Eugene Cordell was a

biographical sketch of D®.

AAL,

a German surgeon of the

revolutionary army, and residing for a number of years in

Baltimore City, where he also died. The other article by the

Rev. J. A. Weishaar of Annapolis, treated of "The German

Element in Maryland till the year 1700."

But one active member was added to our list during the

year, and as one resigned his membership, we have on our list

at the close of the year the same number with whom we en-

tered upon it, viz.: 53.

Our library has been considerably enriched by donations

as well as by purchase, numbering now some 300 volumes,

most of them being of a historical character, besides many

valuable pamphlets, magazines, etc.

Those who have kindly remembered this Society by dona-

tions to its library during the year are:

The Pennsylvania German Society,

The University of the State of New York,

The Archaeological and Historical Society of Ohio,

The Northern Indiana Historical Society,

The American Jewish Historical Society,

Der Bremische Künstler-Verein,

The Enoch Pratt Free Library of this City.

The Wisconsin State Historical Society,

The Franklin and Marshall College,

Mr. J. G. Rosengarten of Philadelphia,

Prof. J. Hanno Deiler of New Orleans,

Dr. W. A. Fritsch, of Indiana,

The Proprietors of the "German Correspondent" and of

the "Baltimore Journal."

If the Society is again indebted to the "Germania Club"

for the free use of our place of meeting, we are also obligated

to the Rev. Ed. Huber for the privilege of storing our volumes

of Daily Papers, Annual Reports, etc., with which our book-

cases had become over-burdened, in a spare room of St. Mat-

thews' School House.

It is a fact generally admitted, that this Society was the

first one that entered into the field with the object of recover-

ing from oblivion, as far as possible, the adventures, the trials

and the achievements for personal and general welfare of our

German predecessors in this country. Quite a number of

Societies with similar objects in view have since then arisen

in different States of the Union. But more than that, whilst

but comparatively few years ago there reigned a spirit of utter

indifference, if not of shame, amongst many of the descendants

of these German Pioneers as to their forefathers, at the present

time not a few are earnestly concerned to unearth the history

of their ancestors, and quite a number of valuable books refer-

ring to the subject have already made their appearance as the

result of these individual efforts. Whilst we cheerfully recog-

nize all these efforts, have we no reason to rejoice in the fact,

that the first impulse for this general movement has been

given by this Society? And if some of these Societies, though

born later than ours, have nevertheless outstripped us in the

result of their work, whilst we have thus far not been able to

furnish a complete history of the Germans in Maryland, we

may comfort ourselves with the fact, that this State is not

only one of the smaller ones of the Union, but also with this

fact, that the immigration of Germans to our shores in the

earlier years and their settling in our State, aside from the

City of Baltimore, has been comparatively small. Even of

those who came hither in the earlier times almost no record

whatever has thus far been discovered. But notwithstanding

the meagre sources from which to draw, fragmentary articles

have been furnished by members and published by the Society

of sufficient historical import to have met not only with favor

generally, but of sufficient value to be quoted by authors of

no mean reputation in their larger and more general works.

If an increase of membership appears desirable, from rea-

sons stated, a greater interest in the object of this Society on

the part of many of its members seems even more desirable.

This may be accomplished with very little sacrifice on the

part of the individual member, to be recompensed, I dare say,

with much pleasure and profit to themselves as individuals as

well as to the Society by a more general and active attend-

ance of our monthly meetings. The place of our meetings, by

the courtesy of the "Germania Club," is centrally located,

easily reached and comfortably furnished. The discussions

which arise in our meetings frequently take a wide range and

often in a most striking manner suggest avenues for further

research of which the speaker perhaps had no thought what-

soever at the time. Thus whilst a member may not be expected

to furnish articles of a historical character, he may become

the means of suggesting such.

It remains for the Society to elect at to-night's meeting

officers for the ensiling year, viz.: a President, two Vice-

Presidents, a Treasurer and five additional members to compose

with the above officers, the Executive Committee.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,

F. PH. HENNIGHAUSEN,

Baltimore, February 19th, 1901.

Secretary.