___________________
SYNOPSIS
OF
PROF. O. SEIDENSTICKER'S
ADDRESS.
___________________
SYNOPSIS OF PROF. O. SEIDENSTICKER'S
ADDRESS.
THE PROFESSOR SPOKE SOMEWHAT AS FOLLOWS:
ITH great pleasure I have heard of the organization of
your Society. I consider it the duty of the Germans to
take an
active interest in the history of their fellow
countrymen in America. If they are indifferent to the
part which their kinsmen have acted in the development of our
adopted country, what right have they to complain that others
do not display more zeal? As German-Americans we, in a certain
sense, enter upon the inheritance left by those, who came to this
country before us and it is our duty to inquire, who they were,
what they aimed at, what they suffered, what they achieved.
Would it be becoming for us, for instance, to be acquainted only
with the old story of the Hessians, who, sold by their own Sover-
eign, fought as hirelings in the ranks of the enemies of our lib-
erty, and not to know anything of the valor and endurance, with
which German-Americans fought FOR the independence and the
liberty of this country during the Revolutionary War ? It is not
my intention on this occasion to enter more fully upon this sub-
ject, but since I am speaking to Maryland Germans, I will at least
mention, that at the beginning of the war on May 25th, 1776,
Congress in compliance with the urgent request on the part of
Germans, resolved to accept a regiment consisting exclusively of
Germans. At the same time, be it remarked, the Germans were
numerously represented in other organizations of the American
army.
The above regiment was to be made up by four Pennsylvania
and four Maryland companies. But so great was the rush of vol-
unteers, that Pennsylvania on June 17th, 1776, was ready to offer
five companies for service, and all were accepted. The Maryland
Germans arrived in Philadelphia September 18th. On the 25th
of the same month the regiment was mustered into service in the
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army of Gen'1 Washington, and at Gen'1 Washington's departure
from Philadelphia was, at first, with others ordered to protect the
city against the enemy from without as well, as against the rapid-
ly increasing party of mal-contents within. In December the
regiment joined Gen'l Washington's army at Bristol and shared
in the glory of that bold surprise at Trenton on December 26th,
1776. The German regiment was, at first, commanded by Col.
Hausegger, later by Baron von Arendt, and finally by Major Lud-
wig Weltner of Baltimore, who continued in command to the end
of the war.
I must, however, continued Prof. Seidensticker, refrain from
dwelling upon the history of this regiment, nor can I enter upon
the participation in the Revolutionary War on the part of the
Germans in general, since I have selected for my theme this even-
ing a different subject. I merely intended to show by the above
how proper it is for us Germans to concern ourselves with the
history of immigration, and at the same time to call attention
to the fact, that the Maryland Germans gave proof of their love
for liberty, and of their loyalty to their adopted country, not only
during the great rebellion, but also in the war for independence.
Among the sources which furnish us intelligence of the past,
the newspaper is one of the most important. Apart of the infor-
tion on cotemporaneous events, the newspaper by its
very existence,
its circulation, character and partisan-ship is a speaking witness
of its time. According to "Rowell's Newspaper Guide," there
appear at present, more than seven hundred German periodicals
within the U. S., while only forty-three are published in the
French language. A glance at their circulation in the different
States and Territories, at their aims, partisan-ship, etc., will give
useful clues as to the distribution, the influence, the pursuits and
leanings of the Germans within the U. S. The remarkable de-
velopment of the German-American Press of the present day can-
not but awaken in us a desire to learn something of its beginnings
and earlier history, so much the more as we may expect to glean
from these papers some information concerning the condition of
the earlier German immigrants.
The speaker then alluded to the perishable character of paper
and the habit of people to cast aside as of no further value the
newspaper when once read. Hence much valuable material has
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been destroyed and is utterly lost to us. — In the last century
there appeared in the United States twenty-nine newspapers, ex-
clusive of two magazines and two papers, supposed to have been
published in Baltimore and Fredericktown. Of eighteen, out of
these twenty-nine newspapers, single copies and files have "been
preserved, the rest are known to us only from advertisements and
other references. On June 11th, 1737, Benjamin Franklin gave
notice in his "Gazette," that he would publish a German "Phila-
delphische Zeitung." And this is the only knowledge that we
have of it. Christoph Saur's "Hochdeutscher Pennsylvanischer-
Gesehichtsschreiber," which was began in 1739, met with better
success than the former. In 1746 its title was changed to "Penn-
sylvanische Berichte" and later into "Germantowner-Zeitung."
The paper came to its end in 1777. As successful papers deserve
further to be named: H. Miller's "Staatsbote" 1762 to 1779;
M. Steiner's " Philadelphische Correspondenz" 1781 till about
1796 Albrecht's "Lancaster Zeitung" which continued to appear
under different names from 1787—1808, and the Reading "Adler,"
which was started in 1796 and is still in existence. It is a signif-
icant fact and characteristic of the German immigration of the
last century, that all newspapers, of which we possess any reliable
information, appeared in the State of Pennsylvania. — Nicolaus
Raitenbauer, Nicolaus Tschudi and John Schultz were known at
1776 as booksellers and newspaper agents in Baltimore City.
The speaker next discussed at some length the stand taken by
German newspapers, with regard to important events of the times,
politics and party issues. The papers coming under consideration
were Christoph Sauer's Germantowner Zeitung, B. Franklin's
and A. Armbrüster's Philadelphische Zeitung, H. Miller's Staats-
bote, M. Steiner's Philadelphische Correspondenz, Die unpar-
theyische Readinger Zeitung, Der Readinger Adler and Die
neue unpartheyische Lancaster Zeitung.
The lecture closed with an account of the first German print-
ing establishment in Baltimore. It appears, Prof. S. said, that
the honor of having carried German printing to Baltimore is
really due to Nicholas Hasselbach, who in 1763, and perhaps a
few years after that date, was a printer and publisher in Chesnut
Hill near Philadelphia. According to a statement in Thomas'
History of Printing, he removed from there to Baltimore, where
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he resumed his business of a printer and publisher. By the same
authority we learn, that on a trip to Europe he was lost at sea
and that his widow in 1773 sold his stock and printing material
to Wm. Goddard. But no Baltimore imprints of Hasselbach
have turned up and all our information about his establishment
in Baltimore is confined to the meagre notice just alluded to.
Better known and, in fact, the first German printer of Balti-
more, who rises distinctly into view was Samuel Saur or Sower,
as he spells his name in English prints. He was the youngest of
the ten children of Christoph Saur, the pioneer printer of Ger-
mantown, and there born on the 20th of March 1767. He had,
at first, chosen the trade of a carpenter, but subsequently followed
his father's pursuits, as did so many others of the same family.
In 1791 he set up a printing and publishing office in Chestnut.
Hill, in 1794 he removed to Philadelphia and 1795 to Baltimore.
How industriously Samuel Saur plied his craft may be seen by
the subjoined list of his publications.
In Chestnut Hill:
1791. Das kleine Davidische Psalterspiel der Kinder Zions. 594 pages. With
an appendix: Die kleine Harfe. 65 pages.
" Ein ganz neu eingerichtetes Lutherisches A. B. C. Buchstabier und Na-
menbuch.
1791—1794. Die Chestnuthilller Wochenschrift.
1791— ? Der neve Hochdeutsche Amerikanische Calende., 4to. Appeared
regularly in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia and Baltimore, till at least
1807.
1792.
Geistliches Wetterglöcklein oder christliche Donner und Wettergebäter.
"
Die Wege und Werke Gottes in der Seele.
"
Auserlesenes und gemeinnütziges Handbüchlein, von Tobias Hirte.
"
Verschiedene alte und neue Geschichten von Erscheinungen der Geister,
" Ein Gespräch zwischen einem Pilger und einem Bürger, von Valentin
Mack.
" Kurze Beschreibung einer langen Reise von Babylon nach Bethel.
1793. Kurzer Bericht von der Pest, deren Ursprung, Zeichen und Eigenschaften.
" Geschwinder Rechner oder des Händler's nützlicher Gehilfe. "The Ready
Reckoner."
1794. M. Carey's Nachricht von dem, bösartigen Fiber, welches kürzlich in Phila-
delphia grassirt, samt Nachricht Von der Pest in London.
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In Philadelphia:
1794. Prophetische Muthmassungen über die Französische Revolution. —
Erzäh-
lungen von Joseph II.
" Das Philadelphier Wochenblatt.
After his settlement in Baltimore S. Saur published in
1795. Johann Lassencius' Politische Geheimnisse vieler hin und wieder heutigen
Tages einreisenden unartigen. Atheisten, Gedruckt von S. Saur und
Jones.
" Der heilige Krieg, wie derselbe geführt wird von Christo Jesu wider den
Teufel.
" Count Roderick's Castle. 2 vols. in one. Printed by Sam. Sower and
S. Keating.
1796. There also appeared published by Keating in Baltimore and probably
printed by S. Sower:
" Dem Andenken Deutscher Dichter und Philosophen, gewidmet von Deut-
schen in America. — It contains Gessner's Tod, Abels and other poems.
" Der Psalter des Königs und Propheten David.
" A, B, C, Suchstabir- und Namenbuch.
1798. Der merkwürdige Lebenslauf, die sonderbare Bekehrung und Endzüchungen
des verstorbenen Dr. De Benevile.
1799. Christliches Handbüchlein von Jeremias Telbinger.
" The Citizen's and Countryman's experienced Farrier.
1800. Washingtoniana, containing a biographical sketch of the late Gen. Geo.
Washington, etc., with portrait.
1S01. Der geschwinde Rechner.
Sometime previous to the last publication, Sam. Saur combined
with his printing establishment a type foundery in partnership
with a Mr. Wm. Gwinn. This branch of his business seems to
have henceforth occupied most of his time and attention. This,
no doubt, explains the cessation of further publications, except
that of the Almanach. His types were much sought after, as a
letter of his, dated Dec. 7th, 1808, shows. In it he says: "I am
chained down (to business) closer than ever, for I am employing
the two Kempfers, a journeyman and a young learner, besides the
stamp cutter, and six or seven apprentices, and expect to employ
one or two more journeymen. — My partner will not bother him-
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self with business, having invested between $7000 and $8000 in
the business and built for me a home costing at least $3000. I
see him not more than once a month and he leaves everything in
my hands to manage, saying if he had not the utmost confidence
in me, he should not have gone into it. — The business of type
founding is making great strides, — orders are pouring in from
everywhere, so that we cannot fill the half of them. We have
undertaken to cast the smallest type that have yet been used in
the world. You may judge of its fineness when it takes 4--5000
spaces to weigh one pound. Of this type we have an order from
New York for 300 pounds for a Bible. — I send Brother David
a Catalogue containing almost all the type we have had engraved
and you may never have looked upon a neater specimen of type.
We have received an order from Albany for a note-type for a
book of hymns, 1500 pounds for $2587. If we could get Antimony
enough, we could have work for twelve founders. I am working
night and day. We have eleven boys and sis journeymen at work
and orders for 5000 pounds type."
During the invasion by the British in 1812 Samuel Saur partly
removed and partly hid his types, etc., in the ground for safety
sake. Being, like his father, a man of deep religious convictions
and of strictly peaceable principles, he looked upon war only with
feelings of abhorrence. The bombardment of Fort McHenry
near Baltimore, he describes as having been "terrific."
During the year 1813 he was called to the ministry by his
Dunkard brethren, even as his father had been before him. (It
will be remembered, that this religious sect will select any one
from their number for the sacred office, who, in their opinion, is
both worthy and able to be their teacher.)
Samuel Saur was married three times. But one child was born
to him, a daughter, Maria. She married Richard Spalding, a
Roman Catholic and soon after joined that denomination herself.
This naturally caused her father, with his strong personal re-
ligions convictions no small amount of grief, though he readily
admits that his son-in-law was a respectable, industrious, home-
loving, sober and honest man. He was educated as a lawyer, but
preferring business to law, became a merchant. Bodily afflictions,
the failing of his eyesight, and poor health were added to Samuel
Saur's inward sorrow, yet he is cheerful in the midst of all his
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trials. "Jesus and my small chamber are a world to me," is his
confession. The connection of his daughter with the Catholic
Church isolated him from his own kin; he boarded with stran-
gers and utters the pathetic lament: " I have a wife and no wife;
a daughter and no daughter; a home and no home." Yet in a
later letter he speaks of his daughters filial conduct toward him
and his own undiminished love for his wife.
His business during the latter years of his life, as well as his
property became somewhat reduced in extent as well as value,
nevertheless, he continued to live in comfortable circumstances
up to the time of his death, which occured in Baltimore, October
12th, 1820. There is sufficient ground for believing that Samuel
Saur published in Baltimore a German newspaper, but as none of
the numbers, said to exist, could be procured for inspection, the
matter must remain in abeyance for further inquiry.
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