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Memoranda
IN REFERENCE TO
Early German Emigration
TO
MARYLAND
.
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MEMORANDA IN REFERENCE TO EARLY
GERMAN EMIGRATION TO MARYLAND.
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BY F. B. MAYER,
ANNAPOLIS,
MD.
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Read at the meeting of the Society for the History of the Germans in
Maryland, October 21, 1890.
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ANNAPOLIS, October 6th 1890.
Louis P. Hennighausen, Esq.
Dear Sir:
T gives me pleasure to send you the data in reference to
the claim of Christopher Bartholomew Mayer as a pio-
neer in the German Emigration to Maryland. He was
the son of a Lutheran clergyman of Durlach, who was also
Diaconus or Chiefmaster at Pfortzheim and other places, and
was born at Carlsruhe in 1702. With his wife, two sons and
two daughters in 1752 he emigrated to America, having previ-
ously in 1751 resigned his office of Notary and his citizenship
of the "Free Imperial City of Ulm" in Suabia and removed
with his family to the Hague in Holland.
" So great was the esteem in which he and his family were
held by the Ulmers that the city Authorities had a certificate
in Latin fairly engrossed and sent after him to Holland, re-
serving to the emigrant and his children the right of citizen-
ship should he or they at any time return to Ulm."
That Maryland was not his destination when he left Ulm
is evident from a statement in Weyermann's "Nachrichten
von Ulmischen Gelehrten und Künstlern " that " he went away
with his wife and children to Ebenezer in Georgia, and that
on the 11th of June of the year in which he departed no less
than seventeen persons followed him from Ulm."
16
At this time religious persecutions had driven great num-
bers of Germans from their homes and many found a refuge
in the Lutheran settlement in Georgia in response to the
generous inducements of Gen'l Oglethorpe and it was with the
purpose of joining others of his faith in Georgia that he left
Ulm, but from unexplained circumstances he was detained a
year in Holland and, it is presumed, subsequently, went to
England and sailed from Cowes for Maryland in the ship
"Patience," Captain Hugh Steel, arriving in Annapolis on the
4th of October 1752. The change in his destination may have
been due to the marriage of his daughter during their de-
tention in Holland to the Rev. Bernard Michael Houseal an
energetic young clergyman of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
and a subsequently staunch adherent of the English Crown.
In the Letter book of Cæcilius Calvert, Secretary and
acting Proprietary of Maryland during the Minority of Frede-
rick, sixth Lord Baltimore, preserved in the recently recovered
"Calvert papers" in the Maryland Historical Society, we find
the following:—
"The Honble. Cæcilius Calvert Esqr. His Lordship's Secre-
tary of Maryland to the Honble. Benjamin Tasker Esqr.,
first in the council of State there recommending Mr. Christo-
pher Bartholomew Mayer to Civilitys on his arrival in Mary-
land."
LONDON, July the 9th 1752.
"Sir,
The bearer Mr. Christopher Bartholems Mayer a Gentle-
man from Germany inclining to visit the Province of Mary-
land, I am desired to give him a Line to you on his Arrival.
Please therefore to show him all Civilitys and make the
Province agreeable to him during his stay. He wants no
credit; But it is fitt he should be introduced by a proper
notice being taken of him on such a occasion, I am, Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
CÆCILIUS CALVERT."
By a strange coincidence the house whence I write and
which I call the "Mayer's Nest" was owned by "Benjamin
17
Tasker Esq." from 1720 and it is not impossible that Chri-
stopher Bartholomew presented his letter on the same spot
where I now write of him.
In the letter book on the following page and of the same
date similarly addressed to Benjamin Tasker, Esquire, is a
letter "for assisting the Palatines embarked for Maryland on
board the ship "Patience," Captain Steele, on their arrival
there."
LONDON, July the 9th 1752.
''Sir,
By the ship "Patience," Captain Steel, a number of Pa-
latines are embarked for Maryland to settle there, which being
notified to me, and a Recommendation to you desired of me,
in favour of Messieurs F. & R. Snowdens & D. Wolsten-
holme, to whose care they are consigned and recommended.
I therefore desire you will give such necessary Assistance
to these People on their Arrival, to forward them to Mano-
ckesy (which I understand is in Frederick County) or where
else they shall want to go to settle within the Province, as in
your Power, and that they may be accomodated in a proper
manner; But the charges attending any such service to them
must be done in the most moderate manner in respect to the
Proprietor and to answer their requisites necessary to their
service. The increase of People being always welcome, your
prudence would have supplied this Letter in a kind Reception
of them; nevertheless as particular occasions may require your
Favour I conclude my recommendation of them, in giving
them all possible satisfaction relating to the manner and Place
they shall choose to settle in Maryland — I am, Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
CæCILIUS CALVERT."
Some years ago it was my good fortune to save from the
paper mill two parchment bound volumes entitled "Records
of Arrivals and Clearances at the port of Annapolis" com-
mencing 1748. — They are now in the Loganian Library,
Philadelphia.
From these "Entries for Christmas Quarter to 1st Jan.
1753" we copy:
18
Oct. 4th 1752 —Ship "Patience,'' Hugh Steel, Master, 200
tons, 8 guns, 16 men —
package 11 chests, 1 trunk Baggage of cloaths as per
Cocket — From whence — Cowes. —
Dec. 23th 1752 — Cleared from Annapolis.
Ship ,,Patience," Hugh Steel, Master, built in New
England 1746, registered at Cowes 23th July 1748,
Owners John Brown and Jo. Stedman — Cargo — 266
hhds. Tobacco, 32 tons Iron, 4581 Staves, 1 cask seeds,
12 casks Jensing and other roots — bound for London.
So much for the ship ,,Patience;" of the arrival of
"Palatine Passengers" as the Germans were all known as
"Palatines" we have no mention except in connection with
their baggage. — So in "1752 Sept. 18th, Ship "Integrity,"
Jo. Coward, Master, 150 tons, 6 guns and 14 men," brought
"the baggage of 150 Palatine Passengers" from Cowes.
Sept. 19th 1753 — Ship "Barclay," J. Brown, Master, 120
tons, 12 men — baggage of 160 "Palatines."
Novr. 8th 1753 — Ship "Friendship," baggage of 300 "Palatine
Passengers."
Jan. 16th 1755 — Ship "Friendship," baggage of 450 "Palatine
Passengers."
Previous to the arrival of the ship "Integrity," the 18th
Septr. 1752, she having preceded the ship "Patience" or out-
sailed her, we have no mention of the arrival of "Palatines."
It is therefore to be inferred that the two ships conveyed
the nucleus of the German settlements on the Monocacy and
at Frederick Town.
It is supposed that land was purchased of Danl. Dulany
and of the Proprietary for the colonists and thither went
Mayer and Houseal. The latter became pastor of the First
Lutheran church in Frederick and subsequently went to New
York, on the outbreak of the Revolution espousing the Royalist
cause and finally removing to Halifax, "where he died aged 71,
his children having formed English alliances of distinction."—
His widow attained the age of 91 years and lies in Plymouth
church yard. — Christopher Bartholomew Mayer died six
19
months after his settlement at Frederick and his family re-
moved to Lancaster and York Penna. where their descendants
reside. From the letters quoted he held, it seems, a prominent
position with the emigrants and with his son-in-law divided
the civil and religious guidance of the colonists. — He was
a cousin of Christian Mayer who emigrated to Baltimore in
1784, the first president of the German Society, Consul Gen-
eral of Wurtemberg etc. — In the person of Mr. Charles F.
Mayer, president of the Baltimore & Ohio R. R, the two
branches of the family are united, his father as the son of
Christian and his mother a descendant of Christopher Bartho-
lemew.
From the "entries" at Annapolis it appears that from 1752
to 1755, 1060 emigrant Germans arrived. — In 1752 150, in
1753 460 and in 1755 450. — Of subsequent arrivals I found
no records though a more careful examination may discover
some. It is possible that for some cause the bulk of the pas-
sengers in 1752 took the "Integrity" instead of the ''Patience"
as stated by Secretary Calvert. I have given the return cargo
of the "Patience" as showing the character of the trade of
that day with Maryland.
An investigation of the early records of the Lutheran
church at Frederick would probably give the names of some
of these first emigrants. For more detailed account of the
Ebenezer movement and the lives of Messrs. Mayer and Hou-
seal I refer you to the Memoir of Brantz Mayer in possession
of the German Historical Society to whom if these memoranda
be of any interest I beg respectfully their acceptance.
Believe me, Sir, very truly yours,
FRANCIS B. MAYER.
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