MARYLAND SCHOLARS AT GERMAN UNIVERSITIES
1824-1910
By JOHN T. KRUMPELMANN
Tulane University
The same Yankee enterprise which sent Yankee " pedlars" with
" wooden nutmegs " and " wooden hams " down the Mississippi River to
New Orleans and New England circuit riders west of the Alleghanies was
responsible for the expedition of Yankee clippers to the four corners of
the world. The fault lay not in them if their Stars and Stripes as well as
their Puritanism, their Abolitionism and their thrift and their learning were
not disseminated throughout the States of the Union and the Nations of the
World. Their zeal, which succeeded in establishing in New England " the
Hub" of early American cultural endeavor, deserves and receives our
highest commendation. The failure, or the tardiness, of Southern scholarship
to match the resourcefulness and the aggressiveness of our New England
cousins by proclaiming the erudition of the Southern tier of States would
deserve censure were it not for the fact that the destruction of the cultural
pattern of our agrarian South was accomplished just when the South had
attained its florescent stage, and that the resultant ruin and desolation
was so great that a " struggle for existence " rather than a restoration of
lost values and past accomplishments was all that was possible.
There was no " lend-lease " in those days, no friendly enemy-troops to
assist in reconstruction and to protect the defeated white Southerners
vis-a-vis the hostile Southerners and the occupation forces. Many valuable
records had irretrievably " gone with the winds ", others were temporarily
dislocated. Only the coming of post-World-War-I prosperity and well-being
made a resurgence of literary activity and research possible in Mencken's
" Sahara of the Bozarts ". Much remains to be researched, but the gleaners
are few and the greener pastures of science, industry and commerce seem
to be more attractive, even to the few humanists, than are the memories
of ante-bellum aristocracy.
In 1935 the Harvard University Press published a study by a New
England Gentleman and Harvard scholar, Orie W. Long, Literary Pioneers.
Early American Explorers of European Culture which was needed and wel-
comed by students of German-American cultural relations; but its field of
research was restricted to academic interests and to New England " pio-
neers ", one might dare to say to Harvard scholars and Massachusetts men
of the ante-bellum nineteenth century. The appearance of Professor Harold
Jantz's article " German Thought and Literature in New England, 1620-
1820 " in the Journal of English and Germanic Philology in 1942 (XLI,
1-45) extended the field both chronologically and in subject-matter but
remains geographically provincial. My Bayard Taylor (1825-1878) and
German Letters (Hamburg, 1959) extended the field southward but only
incidentally penetrated beyond the Mason-Dixon Line, even though the
author was convinced that the South had also displayed much interest in
German culture in the first half of the Nineteenth Century. This conviction
[ 40 ]
resulted in the appearance in September 1965 of my volume Southern
Scholars in Goethe's Germany (University of North Carolina Press).
To match Long's Everett, Ticknor, Cogswell, Boncroft, Motley and
Longfellow the southern volume deals chiefly with the Hugenot, Hugh
Swinton Legare, George Henry Calvert, Jesse Burton Harrison, Thomas
Caute Reynolds, Basil Lanneau Gildersleeve and James Woodrow in
extenso, and notes the German cultural interests and studies of hundreds of
other young Southern scholars.
Although much has been revealed in that volume of the roles which
Marylanders played in the invasion of cultural Germany, much of the
interesting data uncovered in that research could not be included in the
published volume.
The chapter on George Henry Calvert (pp. 23-45) is devoted to a scion
of the founding family of Baltimore, a descendent of Lord Baltimore and,
on his mother's side, of the renowned Flemish painter, Peter Paul Rubens.
He later became the first Democratic mayor of Newport, Rhode Island.
Chapter Six is devoted to Basil Lanneau Gildersleeve, a native of Charles-
ton, South Carolina, who later moved to Virginia and terminated his career
as the " Arch Apostle of the Classics " (SS i GG, p. 133), having been the
first appointee to the original faculty of the Johns Hopkins University.
Charles W. Eliot, President Emeritus of Harvard University, has en-
titled him " the most eminent classical scholar and teacher that America
has produced ". (SS i GG, p. 108). Of course there are frequent mentions
of Marylanders in Southern Scholars in Goethe's Germany, but there is
much more that should be added, as the following remarks will indicate.
My studies included extensive searches into the matriculation documents
of the universities of Goettingen, Bonn, Marburg, Heidelberg, Munich and
Berlin (Humboldt University) for the first half of the Nineteenth Century.
As early as 1910 Professor Daniel B. Shumway published in the German-
American-Annals (N. S., vol. 8, pp. 171-254) an article " The American
Students of the University of Goettingen " which reveals that between
1830 and 1860 South Carolina sent more of her sons to study in Goettingen
than did any other state with the possible exception of Massachusetts.
He lists all Americans (circa 1200) who studied at Goettingen and comes
up with 31 who, between the years of 1824 and 1910 claimed Maryland
addresses. I have listed as Marylanders not only those students who were
residents of that state at the time of their Goettinger Matriculation
(Shumway's list) but also those students who later became illustrious in
positions and/or careers in that state, e. g., Gildersleeve and Remsen.
" Realizing the likelihood of error " I make for my list the same apology
Shumway makes for his, when he writes: " Of course mistakes are bound
to occur in such a compilation inspite of the utmost care." (p. 159 f.) The
inability to attain complete accuracy is due in part to the facts that there
was no uniformity in the matriculation practices at the several universities
and that, in some cases, the individual students, who evidently made their
own entries in the registration records, were both poor penmen and posses-
sors of an imperfect knowledge of the German language. I have endeavored
to retain the original expressions of the young Americans where the intent
is clear, despite the inaccuracy of their vocabulary. In some cases the entries
in this " Address Book " are at variance with those in the official matricula-
tion records. The Heidelberg matriculation is preserved in a monumental
work of seven large volumes: Die Matrikel der Universitaet von 1386-1662.
Bearbeitet und herausgegeben von Gustav Toepke, Erster Theil 1386-1581,
Heidelberg, 1884 (pp. 697) through Siebenter Theil (pp. 701) Register
[ 41 ]
1704-1870. A copy is found in our Library of Congress. This form has been
accepted as the standard for our listings.¹
Other records in diverse forms and more difficult to discover and to
decipher were examined at the universities named. With the assistance
of the following notes and abbreviations the general reader with little or no
knowledge of German should be able to understand and appreciate the
endeavors of our youthful Southern pioneers at the six universities here
introduced in the earlier decades of the Nineteenth century, when Germany
attracted and enlightened such a large number of our academic intelligentia.
Abbreviations and Notes
1. = indicates number in this list
#
= indicates the semester matriculation—number in the Univer-
sity records, if any.
*
= father or guardian
c/o
= student's local (university) address
7.20,
= Matriculation fee 7 (11) florins 20 Groschen. The smaller
11.20.
always indicates that the student has previously matriculated
at another European university.
Mich.
= Michaelmas
Ost.
= Easter
SS i GG
= Southern Scholars in Goethe's Germany, University of North
Carolina Press, 1965
Sh.
= Shumway, Daniel B.
chem.
= Chemistry
DAB
= Dictionary of American Biography
ep.
= Episcopal
ev.
= Protestant
Ju.
= Jurisprudence
jü.
= Jewish
lu.
= Lutheran
Me., Md. = Medicine
me.
= Methodist
pb.
= Presbyterian
philos.
= Philosophy
pr.
= Protestant
theol.
= Theology
1
Columbia University has a work Goettingen Universitaet Die Matrikel der Georgia—Augustus
Universitaet 1737-1837 (R. 378. 43; S. G. 2). Goetz von Selle, 1937; 2 v. 30 cm., which I have not
consulted.
[42]
MARYLAND SCHOLARS AT GERMAN UNIVERSITIES
1824-1910
1. Calvert, George Henry, America.
GOETTINGEN
:
# 349, Feb. 3, 1824. Philos. * Particulier, Etats unis
de 1'Amerique. c/o Senator Berg, Nicolaistr.; Breda
Johannisstr.; Mich. 1824—Ost. 1825, c/o Keil, Jueden-
str. Calvert arrived at the Crown Inn Jan. 1, 1824.
On Jan. 24 he moved to Birkenbuschhaus, Weenderstr.
37. cf. S. S. in G. G.
2. Zoller, Edwardus, Baltimore-Americanus, Medicina.
MARBURG
:
Apr. 29, 1827, age 17½, * Physician in Baltimore.
Relegatione publica punitus, d. 30. Aug. 1828.
3. Keerl, William M., Baltimore.
BERLIN
:
Mich. 1828, Medicine. * M. D.
c/o Poststr. 5. Came from Paris. Left Berlin Jan. 22,
1829.
4. Boehm, Charles, Baltimore, N. Amerika.
HEIDELBERG
:
# 361, Oct. 29, 1831, age 19½, Medicine, pr. * Mer-
chant, c/o Maler Prof. Nuss. Also Ost. 1832. 11.20.
(First American at Heidelberg). One week later,
Nov. 5, 1831, registered at
HEIDELBERG
:
# 479, Nicolaus Niembsch von Strehlenau, age 29, of
Cstad, Ungarn (i. e. the poet) Nicolaus Lenau (1802-
1850), Catholic, Medicine. (earlier, Univ. of Vienna)
who landed in Boehm's Baltimore on Oct. 8, 1832.
On the day of his Heidelberg registration Lenau
wrote: " Wenn ich mich einst in Amerika umsehe."
After March 1832 America is constantly mentioned
in his letters. He left Heidelberg about the middle
of March. On March 15, 1833 he leased at Economy,
Pennsylvania to Ludwig Haeberle the land he had
purchased in Crawford County.
GOETTINGEN
:
Boehm matriculated Apr. 24, 1833, Medicine, c/o
W. Blume, Gothmannstr. He continued in Goettingen,
registering, at Mich. 1835. Here he died before the
end of the semester. He was a member of the Corps.
# 247. Suevia, 15/12/1831.
5. Walker, A., Baltimore (Sh.)
GOETTINGEN
:
Mich. 1836—Ost. 1836. Science.
6. Batzell, Edward, Baltimore.
BERLIN
:
#70, Oct. 24, 1840, America, Philos. * Particulier,
(Cambridge). c/o 1 Bauakademieplatz.
GOETTINGEN
:
Ost. 1841—Mich. 1841. (Sh.)
7. Frampton, Singard A., Charleston, S. C., N. A.
BERLIN
:
# 378, Nov. 4, 1840.
8. Johnson, Reverdy, jr., United States.
HEIDELBERG
:
#47, May 1, 1844, age 18. pr. Ju. * Advocat, Balti-
more. 11.20. c/o Hochstaeder, Merchant.
BERLIN
:
# 29, Oct. 16, 1844. Ju. * Advocat
c/o 67 Jaegedstr. Transfer from Heidelberg 14/3/45
[43]
HEIDELBERG
:
#237, May 13, 1845, pr. Ju. (earlier Berlin) 7.20.
See DAB and N. 0. Times-Picayune, 23/5/62
9. Ogslon, Georg, North America.
HEIDELBERG
:
# 267, Oct. 31, 1844. age 17, pr., Ju.; guardian, Advo-
cat, Baltimore. Remained 3 semesters, Ost. 1845 and
Mich. 1845-1846, c/o Frl. Gerlach, widow.
10. Pennington, Wm. C., Baltimore.
HEIDELBERG
:
# 362, Oct. 14, 1845, age 17. * Baltimore; pr., Ju.,
11.20. c/o Prof. Behagel. Also Mich. 1846-1847.
BERLIN
:
#443, Mar. 31, 1847. Ju. * Advocat. c/o 150 Frie-
drichstr. at same address, also Mich. 1847—Ost. 1848
Ost. 1848—Mich. 1849.
11. Pennington, Jaz. Wm. Charles, Maryland.
HEIDELBERG
:
ex-slave, (not matriculated)
Honorary degree, Mich. 1849 See DAB
12. Tiffany, Francis, Baltimore.
BERLIN
:
Nov. 11, 1848, Theol. * Merchant, c/o 13 Behrenstr.
Brussels, 5/2/49 See C. L. Tiffany. (DAB)
13. Geddings, Edward Wyatt, Baltimore.
BERLIN
:
# 53, Oct. 1840. Medicine, c/o Prof v. Kunz, 32 Mit-
telstr., also Ost. 1850; Mich., 1850; Ost., 1851 at 2
Bauhof. Mich., 1851 and Ost., 1852 at 8 Hausvogtei,
Ost. 1853 and Mich., 1853 at 47 Unt. d. Linden (73
Friedrichstr.) May 20, 1854 transcript Vienna.
BERLIN
:
# 722 Am 16 Apr. 1853 (2 nd registration).
14. Atkinson, J. S., Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Ost. 1851—Mich., 1851. Ju. (Sh.)
15. Gildersleeve, Basil Lanneau, Charleston—Virginia—Maryland.
BERLIN
:
# 901, Oct. 2, 1850, Charleston, S. C., U. S. A. Philos.
* Prediger, c/o Dorotheastr. 22, Depature Apr. 14,
1851.
GOETTINGEN
:
#40, Ost. 1851—Ost. 1852. c/o Wedenmeyer, Ween-
derstr. 58, and Deuerlich, Weenderstr. 59.
BONN
:
Lanneau—Gildersleeve, Basil, Richmont (sic!)
Apr. 26, 1852-Mar. 8, 1853.
GOETTINGEN
:
Ph.D. March 15, 1853. See more data SS i GG,
p. 104 ff. and notes 182 ff. and DAB.
16. Pennington, H. Baltimore.
BERLIN
:
# 534, April 22, 1854, Philos. * Advocat. c/o 146 Frie-
drichstr. for 3 semesters. Transcript Oxford.
17. Easter, John Day, Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Mich. 1852 to Mich. 1854, Philos. (Sh)
HEIDELBERG
:
#424, Oct. 28, 1854, age 24; Baltimore, America,
* Privatier, Baltimore; pr. Chem. 7.20. Ph. D. (Heidel-
berg) Dec. 11, 1854 in Natural Science.
18. Tiffany, Charles Comfort, (See No. 12, supra.)
HEIDELBERG
:
# 140, Apr. 28, 1855, age 25. Baltimore, Md. U.S.A.
* Rentier, Williamsport, Penna; pr., Theol., 11.20.
BERLIN
:
#327, Oct. 21, 1855, age 25, Baltimore; * Rentier.
Theol. (earlier) Heidelberg c/o 146 Friedrichstr.
Transcript from Heidelberg 4/2/56.
19. Carroll, Charles, Baltimore in Maryland.
GOETTINGEN
:
Mich. 1854—Ost. 1855. * Boston. Philos.
[ 44 ]
BERLIN
:
#626, Apr. 21, 1855. * Merchant. Philos. c/o 141
Friedrichstr. Transcript (Goettingen) 28/6/55. (Not
in Shumway list).
20. Slingluff, Charles B., Baltimore.
HEIDELBERG
:
# 150, Oct. 25, 1859, age 19, Baltimore, America.
* Banker, Baltimore; pr. Philos. 11.20.
HEIDELBERG
:
#93, Oct. 30, 1863, age 23. America; * Banquier,
Baltimore; pr. Ju. 7.20. Also Ost. 1864.
21. Brewerton, Henry Feltus, Baltimore, America.
MUNICH
:
# 70, Oct. 24, 1860. Philos. c/o Fuerstenstr. 21
22. Johnson, Harrison T., Annapolis, Maryland.
HEIDELBERG
:
# 119, May 9, 1862, age 22, Annapolis. * Chancellor,
Maryland; pr., Ju. 11.20.
HEIDELBERG
:
# 196, Oct. 27, 1863, age 23, 11.20. (Fee should be
7.20.)
23. Goldsmith, S. Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Mich. 1863—Ost. 1864. Baltimore. Law.
24. Mitchell, John, Maryland.
HEIDELBERG
:
# 72, Oct. 20, 1863, age 21, Maryland America.
* Planter, Maryland; ep. Ju. 11.20.
25. Craig, James, Baltimore.
HEIDELBERG
:
#78, Oct. 20, 1863, age 22, Baltimore, Maryland.
* Planter in Florida; pr. Ju. 11.20. Also Ost. 1864
26. Gordon, Alexander, Baltimore.
HEIDELBERG
:
# 81, Oct. 20, 1863, age 20, Baltimore, U. S. A.
* Rentier, U.S.A.; pr. Ju. 11.20.
27. Claughbaugh, Usher, Baltimore.
HEIDELBERG
:
# 88, Oct. 20, 1863, (age not given), America. * Mer-
chant, Baltimore; pr. Philos. 11.20. Also Ost. 1864
and Mich. 1864-1865.
28. Slingluff, Charles, Baltimore.
HEIDELBERG
:
# 93, Oct. 20, 1863, age 23, America. * Banquier,
Baltimore; pr. Ju. 7.20. (See No. 20, supra)
29. Johnson, Harrison L. (address-book Johnsen)
HEIDELBERG
:
#196, Oct. 27, 1863, age 23, Annapolis. * Kanzler,
America; pr. Ju. 11.20. (Evidently a reentry of No. 22,
supra.) (Registration fee should have been 7.20.)
30. Stinnecke, Henry A., Baltimore.
HEIDELBERG
:
#262, Nov. 10, 1863, age 22, Baltimore, America.
* Physician, Baltimore; ep. Ju. 11.20. Also Ost. 1864
and Mich. 1864-1865.
31. Slingluff, Frank, Baltimore.
HEIDELBERG
:
# 2, Apr. 21, 1864, age 18, Baltimore, Maryland.
* Banker, Baltimore; pr. Chem. 11.20. Also Mich.
1864-1865 and Ost. 1865. This is evidently the younger
brother of No. 28 (above). It further seems that
returning students No. 28 (20) and 29 (22) were
conscious of the fact that they were " alte Herren ".
N. B. the " Banker " of No. 20 " Banquier " for No.
28, the "Chancellor" of No. 22 the "Kanzler" of
No. 29. Further the Marylanders #72, #78, #81,
# 88 and # 93 must have come as a group to Heidel-
berg, perhaps Nos. 29 and 30 also belonged to the
group. Cf. the registration dates.
[ 45 ]
32. Damman, J., Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Mich. 1865—Ost. 1866. Baltimore. Law. (Sh.)
33. Donaldson, Thomas, Baltimore.
MUNICH
:
#501, Dec. 6, 1865, Baltimore, North America;
Catholic. Natural Science, c/o Maximilianstr. 5a³.
34. Wiss, E., Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Ost. 1865—Ost. 1866. Laws. (Sh)
BERLIN
:
Mich. 1866—Ost. 1868, c/o 12 Charlottenstr.
35. Mehrens, John, Baltimore, Maryland.
MUNICH
:
# 652, May 24, 1865, Medicine. c/o Amalienstr. 63
Also Mich. 1865, Medicine, c/o Sendlingerstr. 1¹
" Ost. 1866 " c/o Muellerstr. 1¹
" Mich. 1866 " c/o Landwehrstr. 9²
GOETTINGEN
:
Ost. 1867—Ost. 1869 (6 semesters) Medicine.
Also Ost. 1871—Mich. 1871 (1 semester)
Medicine (Sh.)
36. Crook, Frank, Baltimore, Maryland.
GOETTINGEN
:
Mich 1867—Ost. 1868. Chem. (Sh.)
37. Remsen, Ira, New York, America.
MUNICH
:
#223, Oct. 31, 1870. Chem. c/o Tuerkenstr. 82³.
Also Ost. 1868.
GOETTINGEN
:
Ph.D., 1870 (Chemistry). Colleague of Basil L.
Gildersleeve in the First Faculty of Johns Hopkins
University. Later became President of that Univer-
sity. (See SS i GG p. 107 f., 184 and DAB)
38. Kunkel, J. J., Maryland.
GOETTINGEN
:
Mich. 1868—Ost. 1869, Frederick, Maryland; Chem.
(Sh.)
39. Miller, Alamby M., Maryland.
HEIDELBERG
:
# 229, Dec. 15, 1868, age 20. Frederick City, Mary-
land; * Prediger, Petersburg, Va., pb., Ju. 11.20.
Also Ost. 1869. Address-book: Petersburg, Va.
40. Williams, R. D., Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Mich. 1869—Mich. 1870, Baltimore, Chem. (Sh.).
41. Stadtler, Sam'1, Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Mich. 1870—Mich. 1871, Baltimore; Natural Science
(Sh.) Received. Ph. D.
42. Poultney, Carroll, America.
BERLIN
:
Ost. 1871. Natural Science, c/o 22 Schoeneb. Ufer.
GOETTINGEN
:
Mich. 1871—Mich. 1872, Baltimore. History (Sh.)
43. Morrison, Robert B., Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Mich. 1871—Mich. 1872. Baltimore. Medicine. (Sh.)
44. Shryrock, Richard Fuller, Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Mich. 1878—Mich. 1879. Baltimore. Law. (Sh.)
45. Ellett, Maryland.
GOETTINGEN
:
cf. " American Colony " MS (Goettingen).
" Historical and other Data " Vol. II, p. 65.
Mr. Ellett, Maryland, shot himself Nov. 20, 1874.
46. Mahon, R. W., Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Ost. 1880. Baltimore. Chem. (Sh.)
47. Mish, Frank "W., Maryland.
GOETTINGEN
:
Mich. 1885—Mich. 1886, Clear Springs, Md., Philos.
(Sh.)
[46]
48. Reese, Dr. Charles L., Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Ost. 1886—Ost. 1887, Baltimore. Modern Languages.
(Sh.)
49. Hempl, George, Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Mich. 1886—Mich. 1887, Baltimore. Modern Lan-
guages. (Sh.) Berlin, Strassburg, Tuebingen; Ph. D.
Jena, 1889. See DAB and Who's Who (America)
1920-1921.
50. Franklin, Fabian, Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Mich. 1891—Mich. 1892. Baltimore. Math. (Sh.)
51. Mc. Crae, Th., Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Ost. 1899—Mich. 1899. Baltimore. Medicine. (Sh.)
52. Baker, F. S., Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Ost. 1900—Mich. 1900. Baltimore. German. (Sh.)
53. Gemmingen von William G., Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Mich. 1900—Ost. 1901. Baltimore. Philos. (Sh.)
54. Ellett, W. B., Virginia (cf. No. 45, supra).
GOETTINGEN
:
Mich. 1901-1904. Blacksburg, Va., Agricultura. 63 rd.
Patriarch, Summer 1902-Nov. 1902
55. Hobelmann, F. W., Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Mich. 1901—Mich. 1902. Baltimore. Medicine. (Sh.)
56. Shann, E. L. (Colony Book has L. E.), Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Mich. 1902—+1903. Baltimore. Natural Science.
(Sh.)
57. Shann, P. E., Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Mich. 1902—Mich. 1903. Baltimore. Chem. (Sh.)
58. Smith, W. H., Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Ost. 1905—Mich. 1905. Baltimore. Medicine. (Sh.)
59. Machen, John (Gresham), Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Ost. 1906—Mich. 1907. Baltimore. Theol. (Sh.)
MARBURG
:
(See DAB)
60. Ember, Aaron, Baltimore.
GOETTINGEN
:
Ost. 1910—Baltimore. Orientalia. (Sh.)
[47]
 |