SWISS AND GERMAN EMIGRANTS TO AMERICA
IN ROTTERDAM, 1736
EXCERPTS FROM A TRAVEL JOURNAL OF HIERONYMUS ANNONI
By WALTER L. ROBBINS
Nasson College
Our knowledge of the Germans and Swiss who emigrated to America
in the eighteenth century is supplemented by some entries in a travel
journal kept in 1736 by a Swiss minister, Rev. Hieronymus Annoni (also
called d'Annone) (1697-1770).
l
Born and raised in Basel, Annoni was
ordained in 1719 and in the same year became tutor to the prominent
family Im Thurn in Schaffhausen. He served in this position until 1732
for two periods interrupted by a stay as curate in Sissach. In 1740 he
became minister in Waldenburg and, in 1747, pastor in Muttenz near
Basel, where he served until his death. Annoni is remembered as a popular
preacher and hymn writer. He was a devout pietist of the moderate strain
of church pietism, although he did associate with pietists of all shades of
belief, including radical separatists and "inspired ones," especially on
several trips in Switzerland and abroad.²
It was while Annoni was on such a tour, featuring visits to fellow
pietists, that he encountered emigrants to America. In April, 1736, Annoni
and two companions, Joh. Ulrich Hegner, of Winterthur, and Bernhardin
Im Thurn, of Schaffhausen, set out from Basel on a trip abroad.³ Their
itinerary is reflected in the description of Annoni's journal of the trip in the
catalog of his papers in the Universitätsbibliothek, Basel: "Travel Journal
from the Year 1736 (April-October). Journey through Alsace, the Rhine-
land, the Palatinate, Belgium, the Netherlands, Hesse, Saxony, Herrnhut,
Bohemia, Swabia and Return."
4
Annoni and his companions first met with emigrants to America in
Mannheim, where he noted in his journal for Wednesday morning, May 2
(p. 73): "On Wednesday, May 2, we strolled to the Neckar Bridge to
see the Swiss who had recently arrived and were heading for Pennsylvania.
However, because most of them were compatriots of ours from Bern and
other compatriots whom we did not know, we did not stay with them
long." ("Mittwochs den 2. Maji spazierten wir zu der Neckar-Bruck,
die neu-angekommene und nach Pensilvanien zihlende Schweitzer zu
besehen. Weilen es aber meistens bernerische und uns unbekandte Landleute
waren, so hielten wir uns mit denselben nicht lang auf.") In Rotterdam,
on Saturday afternoon, June 9, the travelers met the same group of emi-
grants again (p. 227): "Otherwise, we encountered this time many
pilgrims to Carolina and Pennsylvania, who were happy to see us and
complained of their manifold vexations. They were the very same ones
whom we had met in Mannheim." ("Sonsten begegneten uns diessmals
viele Caroliner und Pensilvanier-Pilgere, welche sich über unseren Anblick
erfreuten, und über ihre mannigfaltige Widerwärtigkeiten klagten. Es
waren namlich eben diejenige, welche wir in Manheim angetroffen.") On
[ 46 ]
June 10 and 11, Annoni and his friends visited the emigrants on board
ship in the Maas River. Unfortunately, Annoni mentions no emigrants or
ships by name. But, from what is known of emigration to America at
this period, the "ships joined together," where the emigrants were quartered,
were undoubtedly British vessels. Further information on the ships and
passengers might be gleaned from whatever records have survived, such
as records of ship arrivals and departures at Rotterdam, ships' logs and
passenger lists.
5
What Annoni does relate is vividly presented: his sermon
on shipboard; the jeering of the Palatines, answered by him with threats
of divine vengeance; and two other matters, familiar also from other
accounts: the wretched condition of the emigrants due to hunger and
disease and the lack of ministers in the settlements in America. Annoni's
otherworldly disapproval of the emigrants' undertaking may have mirrored
a widespread attitude: A pamphlet of the time contrasts Carolina, where
those seeking a better life are doomed to disappointment, with the splendors
of the Kingdom of God.
6
[Sunday afternoon, June 10 (pp. 228-230) ] In the afternoon we repaid
Mr. Reiz's visit.
7
He first served us tea and then, together with his brother-
in-law, accompanied us to a place outside town on the Maas River. Here
our poor fellow countrymen, together with others heading for America—
Franconians, Palatines and the like—were dispersed on various ships and
were awaiting with longing the rather distant departure across the sea.
Conditions among them were very chaotic, and on most of their faces one
could see remorse and dissatisfaction, so that just a few words of comfort
brought forth sighs and tears and the misery of these people affected us
deeply. Many, especially young people, lay sick with smallpox, and the
Swiss had already buried over seventeen of their children. Many tried
to drive away their sorrows by drinking, singing and gambling, and these
were joined by people of the same type from Rotterdam. Many, whose
purses were already empty, let their children go begging. In short, it was
a lamentable spectacle and at the same time a living proof of how very
much the desire to become richer and more respectable can ruin people.
(Nach Mittags machten wir bej Herrn Reiz
7
unsere Gegen-Visite, der
uns erstlich ein Thée aufstellen liesse, und hernach samt seinem Schwager
an einen aussert der Statt an der Maas gelegenen Ort geleitete; woselbst
unsere arme Landsleute samt anderen nach America zie[229]lenden
Francken, Pfälzern und dergleichen auf verschiedenen Schiffen zertheilet
waren, und mit Verlangen auf die fernere Abreise über Meer warteten. Es
gienge unter ihnen sehr confus her, und bej den meisten ware die Reue und
das Miss-Vergnügen aus dem Angesicht zu lesen, also dass auch nur bej
wenigem Zuspruch
8
es Seufzer und Thränen setzte, und uns das Elend
dieser Menschen sehr zu Herzen gienge. Viele, sonderlich junge, lagen
kranck an den Kinderblatern, und die Schweitzer batten bereits über 17.
von ihren Kindern begraben. Viele suchten sich die Melancholie mit
Sauffen, Singen und Spihlen zu vertreiben, zu denen sich auch einheimische
Leute gleicher Art geselleten. Viele, deren Seckel bereits lähr war, liessen
ihre Kinder betteln gehn. [230] Kurz es war ein jämerliches Spectacul und
zugleich auch eine lebendige Prob, wie sehr das Verlangen nach Reicher-
und Fürnehmer-Werden die Menschen verderben könne.)
[Monday morning, June 11 (pp. 231-237)] On Monday, June 11, we
returned early in the morning to our fellow countrymen outside the town
to preach them a farewell sermon, which, the day before, they had requested
me to do. I sat down on the deck of the ships which were joined together
and in which most of the people from Basel and Bern were staying. Some
[ 47 ]
of them still lay below deck in their miserable dens, but others gathered
around me and already stirred my heart with their sad appearance. So we
first implored the Lord Jesus,
9
who, in days of yore, had also preached from
a ship,
10
for his gracious help and blessings. Then I spoke on the text
(1 Peter v. 6) : " Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that
in due time he may exalt you," which text I briefly and simply explained
and applied to the circumstances of my listeners, who were gradually
joined by others. I showed namely that by the phrase, the mighty hand
of God, all sorts of divine afflictions, temptations, chastisements and perse-
cutions were to be understood; that one humbled himself under it when
he recognized, confessed and repented of the sins with which he had brought
it on himself, and when one consequently bore his cross and suffering
with patience and was brought by this means to truly repent and improve
his life; that then such mortification would be followed by consolation,
blessings and exaltation, both of the body and of the soul, etc., etc. Then
the admonition was principally as follows: The poor people had acted
foolishly, in that, by needlessly leaving their native land, they had strived
to become happier elsewhere and to avoid the dear cross, etc. For that
reason, they had, in all fairness, to consider the adversities, which they had
already suffered on the journey and which they would experience in the
future, as God's paternal rod of chastisement and his mighty hand of
judgment. Consequently they should not curse and grumble at their
miserable state, nor become impatient or desperate and wanton and
uncharitable and faithless toward one another, by which they would only
go from bad to worse and bring complete destruction upon themselves.
But they should rather humbly recognize the wrongs which they had
committed and the sum of their transgressions in Europe; they should ask
the Lord and righteous God for forgiveness and, from now on, long for
and strive for, first of all, the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and
for the indwelling and guidance of the Holy Spirit; and they should long
and strive to speedily inherit and possess the heavenly Canaan and New
Jerusalem. Therefore they had to devote their leisure time, not to frivolous
chitchat, singing, drinking, gambling and the like, but to common prayer,
reading, singing and good works; and they had to make an earnest resolve
to be, from now on, righteous Christians, true children of God and gentle
and humble disciples of Jesus. Then the Lord of heaven and earth would
not fail to exalt them in return, to comfort them with the gift of his Holy
Spirit, to bless them in this life with rest, peace, physical necessities and
happy hearts and to raise them up some day into eternal blessedness. The
mockers, however (some of whom expressed themselves, especially from
among the Palatines), had better believe that the Lord saw this and would
punish them for it; that the ocean waves could still inflict on them the very
same punishment that the waters of the Flood had inflicted on the blas-
phemers of the first age;
11
and that there were still the same kind of fishes,
which, as had happened to Jonah, would swallow the obstinate ones but
would not vomit them forth, etc., etc.
12
Finally I concluded by again
invoking the divine name and praying that he inscribe these and all of his
truths in our hearts and that he grant the travelers the grace of humility
and exaltation in due time. Whereupon the benediction of the whole
company followed, at which many sighs were again heard and many tears
flowed. Finally we took our leave and received many letters to people left
behind in Switzerland.
Specifically, a little old woman from Nassau, who was almost eighty,
came up to us with thanks for the sermon and with the request that I might
[ 48 ]
agree to come with them as a preacher or to follow them soon, because
her relatives in Pennsylvania had written that they had a great need of
one or more faithful pastors.
On the way back to town, we were accompanied by a few persons who
would gladly have made preparations for a return trip and who regretted
their undertaking with bitter tears.
We were also joined by a Jew of Rotterdam, who had attended the
farewell sermon and who showed his approval with these words: " The Jew
Moses was in your sermon," and he had liked me better than his own rabbi.
(Montags den 11 ten Juni verfügten wir uns bej frühem Morgen noch-
malen zu unseren Landsleuthen aussert die Statt, um denenselben eine
Valet-Predigt zu halten, als wozu ich von ihnen tags vorher ware ange-
sprochen worden. Ich sazte mich dan auf das Dach der zusammen gefügeter
Schiffen, worinnen sich die meiste Bassler- und Bernerleuthe aufhielten,
welche theils noch unter dem Dach in ihren Nestern lagen, theils aber
[232] sich um mich herum lagerten, und mir bereits durch ihren traurigen
Anblick das Hertz bewegten.
13
Mithin ruften wir erstlich den Herrn Jesu
9
der ehmals auch aus einem Schiff geprediget,
10
um seinen gnädigen Bejstand
und Segen an. Demnach verhandelte ich die Worte des seligen Petri 1.
Epistel 5:6. Demühtiget euch unter die gewaltige Hand Gottes, dass er
euch erhöhe zu seiner Zeit. Welche Worte kürzlich und einfaltig erkläret
und auf die Umstände der anwesenden Zuhörer, zu welchen sich nach und
nach andere geselleten, appliciret worden. Ich zeigete namlich dass durch
die gewaltige Hand Gottes allerhand göttliche Heimsuchungen, Anfech-
tungen, Züchtigungen und Verfolgungen zu verstehen seÿen; dass man sich
darunter demühtige, wan man seine Sünden, womit man sich solche zuge-
zogen, erkenne, bekenne und bereue, und wan man folglich alles Kreuz
und Leiden mit Gedult trage, und sich dadurch [233] zu wahrer Buss und
Besserung des Lebens bringen lasse; dass sodan auf solche Demühtigung
auch wieder Trost, Segen und Erhöhung nach Leib und Seele erfolge usw.
usw. Mithin gienge die Erinnerung furnemlich dahin: Es hätten die arme
Leute thörlich gehandelt, dass sie mit unnöhtiger Verlassung des Vatter-
landes sich anderwerts glücklicher zu machen und das liebe Kreuz ausszu-
weichen getrachtet hätten usw. Sie hätten derohalben die Widerwärtig-
keiten, welche sie auf bissheriger Reise bereits erlitten, und welche sie ins
zukünftige erfahren müssten, billich als Gottes züchtigende Vatters-Rute
und gewaltige Richters-Hand anzusehen usw. Folglich solten sie über
ihren Jammerstand nicht fluchen, murren, ungedultig oder desperat und
muhtwillig und gegen einander lieblos
14
und untreu werden; als wodurch
[234] sie nur aus übel ärger machen und sich den gänzlichen Untergang
auf den Hals ziehen wurden. Sondern sie solten vielmehr ihr begangenes
Unrecht und alle in Europa gemachte Sünden-Schulden demühtig erkennen,
den Herrn und gerechten Gott um Vergebung bitten, und von nun an am
ersten nach dem Reich Gottes und nach seiner Gerechtigkeit, nach der
Einwohnung
15
und Regierung des Heiligen Geistes, und nach der baldigen
Ererbung und Besitzung des himlischen Canaans und neuen Jerusalems
verlangen und trachten. Mithin hätten sie ihre müssige Zeit und Stunden
(nicht zu leichtfertigem Schwäzen, Singen, Sauffen, Spielen und der-
gleichen) sondern zu gemeinschaftlichem Beten, Lesen, Singen und guten
Wercken anzuwenden, und einen ernstlichen Schluss zu fassen, künftighin
rechtschaffene Christen, [235] wahre Gottes-Kinder, und sanft und de-
mühtige Jesus-Jünger zu seÿn. Alsdan wurde der Herr über Himmel und
Erden nicht ermanglen, sie wiederum zu erhöhen, mit der Gabe seines
Heiligen Geistes zu trösten, in dieser Zeit mit Ruh, Friede, leiblicher
[ 49 ]
Nohtdurft und vergnüglichen Herzen zu segnen, und sie dereinsten in die
selige Ewigkeiten aufzunemmen. Die Spötter aber (deren einige, fürnemlich
unter den Pfälzern, sich äusserten) solten nur glauben, dass es der Herr
sehen und suchen wurde, dass die Meeres-Wellen noch eben diejenige
Straffe an ihnen aussüben könnten, welche die Wasser der Sündflut an
denen Laster-Mäulern und Herzen der ersten Welt aussgeübet;
11
und dass
es noch dergleichen Fische gebe, welche die Widerspenstigen, wie dorten
dem Jonas wiederfahren, [236] verschlingen, aber nicht wieder ausspeÿen
dörften usw. usw.
12
Endlich machte ich den Beschlus mit abermaliger
Anruffung des göttlichen Namens, dass er diese und alle seine Warheiten
in unsere Herzen einschreiben,¹
6
und denen Reisenden die Gnade der
Demühtigung und Erhöhung zu seiner Zeit angedeÿen lassen wolle usw.
Worauf die Sprechung des Segens über die ganze Reise-Geselschafft
erfolgete, wobej es abermals viele Seufzer und Thränen sezte. Zuletzt nahmen
wir Abschied und empfiengen viele Brieffe an hinterlassene Landleute in
der Schweitz.
Ein altes bald 80jähriges Mütterlein aus Nassau trat in specie zu uns,
sich für den geschehenen Zuspruch bedanckende, mit angehängtem Wunsch,
dass ich mir möchte gefallen lassen, [237] als Prediger mitzugehn oder bald
nachzufolgen, weilen ihre Angehörige aus Pensilvanien geschrieben, dass sie
einen oder etliche treue Menschenhirten gar sehr nöhtig hätten usw.
Auf dem Heimweg nach der Statt begleiteten uns etliche Personen,
welche gerne Anstalt zur Ruckreise gemacht hätten, und ihre Unternehmung
mit bitteren Thränen bereuten.
Auch gesellete sich ein Roterdamischer Jud zu uns, welcher der gehaltenen
Valet-Rede bejgewohnet hatte, und sein Placet mit diesen Worten bezeu-
gete: ["]Der Jud Moses ist in Ihrer Predigt gewesen["], und man hat ihme
besser gefallen als sein eigener Domine.)
1
An earlier version of this article appeared in the mimeographed Swiss-American Historical Society
Newsletter (Embassy of Switzerland, Washington, D. C.), 1, No. 3 (Oct. 1965), 16-18.
2
W[ilhelm] Hadorn, Geschichte des Pietismus in den Schweizerischen Reformierten Kirchen (Konstanz
& Emmishofen: Verlag von Carl Hirsch, [1901]), pp. 298-310. Chr. Joh. Riggenbach, Hieronymus
Annoni. Ein Abriss seines Lebens sammt einer Auswahl seiner Lieder (Basel: Verlag christlicher Schriften,
1870). M. Schmidt, "Annoni, Hieronymus," Die Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart, 3rd rev. ed.,
I (Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr, 1957), 396.
3
Travel Journal, April 16, 1736 (p. 1). Im Thurn was a cousin of Annoni's former pupil (Riggen-
bach, pp. 15-16).
4
"Reisetagebuch vom Jahre 1736 (April-Oktober). Reise durch Elsass, Rheinland, Pfalz, Belgien,
Niederlande, Hessen, Sachsen, Herrnhut, Böhmen, Schwaben und zurück. 533 Blatt 8 autograph."
Call no.: "Nachlass Hieronymus Annoni. B. V." Where the travel journal is quoted in the text, an
English translation is followed by the original German text in parentheses. In the German text the
spelling and punctuation of the original have been retained, except that abbreviated and symbolized
words have been written out in full and capitalization has been modernized. Biblical references are to
the Revised Standard Version. I would like to express my appreciation to the staff of the Universitäts-
bibliothek, Basel, for making Annoni's journal and other materials available to me during my stay in
Basel in the summer of 1965.
5
Annoni's listeners may have been on board the Harle, the Princess Augusta or the John, whose
passengers signed the oaths to the crown in Philadelphia on September 1, September 16 and October 19,
1786, respectively. Ralph B. Strassburger, Pennsylvania German Pioneers, ed. by William J. Hinke
(1984; rpt. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1966), I, 154-168. Another possibility is the
Eagle Galley, which arrived at Charleston, South Carolina, from Rotterdam and Cowes, on September
27, 1736, carrying Swiss-German immigrants. South-Carolina Gazette (Charleston, S. C.), Oct. 2, 1736,
p. 2, col. 2, microfilm at South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, S. C.
South Carolina, Naval Office, Shipping Returns, Mar. 1736-Jan. 1764, CO 5/510: microfilm BMP/D571,
copy at S. C. Dept. of Archives and History. Recently a letter was discovered in the Generallandesarchiv
in Karlsruhe which might well have been written by one of Annoni's listeners. Dated October 11th,
1786, it was written by a Swiss, Joggi Thommen, soon after he arrived at Conestoga, Pennsylvania.
Thommen made the ocean trip aboard the Princess Augusta together with 380 persons. He describes
his journey from Basel to America in some detail. His dates seem to coincide with the time of
Annoni's trip down the Rhine: "From Basel to Rotterdam one reckons with 180 hours. From
Rotterdam to Philadelphia 1400 hours of travel. We spent 12 weeks on the ocean in the large ship.
On the 28th of April we left Basel and arrived in Philadelphia on the 15th of September." The
German original and an English translation were published in Schaefferstown Bulletin (ed. by C.
Richard Beam), Vol. VI (March 1972), No. 1, pp. 1-3.
6
[Joh. Rud. Ziegler], Christholds Gedancken / Bey Anlass der Bewegung / welche die bekante
Beschreibung von Carolina, in America, in unserm Land verursacht / und der vor etlichen Tagen dahin
geschehenen Abreiss verschiedener von unserm Volck (n. p.: n. publ., n. d.) (a pamphlet of 12 pages;
copy at Zentralbibliothek, Zürich).
[50]
7
Reiz was a gentleman of Rotterdam whose acquaintance the travelers had made in Utrecht
(Travel Journal, May 22 [p. 145]).
8
On "Zuspruch" as a pietistic term, see: August Langen, Der Wortschatz des deutschen Pietismus,
2nd rev. ed. (Tübingen: Max Niemeyer Verlag, 1968), pp. 61-62.
9
At this point in the journal, Annoni has rewritten the words: "the Lord" ("den Herrn") and
then crossed them out.
10
Matt. xiii. 1 ff.; Luke v. 3.
11
Gen. vii. 21-23.
12
Jonah i. 17-ii. 10.
13
On "das Herz bewegen," see Langen, p. 36.
14
On " lieblos," see Langen, p. 120.
15
On "Einwohnung," see Langen, p. 90.
16
On "in das Herz einschreiben," see Langen, pp. 62, 409, 425.
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