HTML: 1H 1863-1865
W.W. Coleman, 210 East Water Street, Milwaukee, Wis.
March 20, 1863.
Dear Sir! In a letter dated April 12, 1862 you offer to send me the Herald for 1/2 year and to take for $1 flower seeds in return as payment. I mailed the flower seeds at once to you, but as I did not receive the Herald I suspect that it had the same misfortune as the ‘Atlas.’ Yesterday, however, I received through our deputy in Madison the 77th edition of the Herald. This causes me to remind me of your promise. You can also print the following ad in the Herald, if you think you will be able to receive enough orders for seeds to pay the cost.
Flower Seeds: Every collector can have sent by mail—postage free—inexpensive and good seeds of nice summer flowers for the following prices: six kinds for 25 cts., 12 kinds for 50 cts., 18 kinds for 75 cts., 24 kinds for $1.00. Everyone who sends in his order with the money is asked to write his address clearly. Mount Pisgah, Monroe County, Wis., F.A.M., Flower and Seed Gardener. Offers also accepted in the office of the Herald.
Hermann, Missouri, Aug. 2, 1863.
Dear friend. I am glad to hear from your last letter that all of you are well and nice. I wish I could say the same for us, but the region is here so unhealthy. We have to fight hard with fevers. I therefore decided to leave this place and to move into your neighborhood, as they are a lot of small farms are for sale around you according to your letter. I want to ask you to manage [arrange?] a small farm for us, that it <T96> won’t be necessary for me to camp in an inn or under the free sky when I will arrive. Both would be impossible for the bad health of my family.
If you can find 40 or 80 acres of land with a house—not too small, wherein I can sit dry, good spring water, enough firewood, at least for five or six years, and some land already broken up, and not farther from Sparta than I could travel to and from in one day, for $150 to $200, you might purchase it, so I can be sure that I can start right away when I arrive. I depend entirely on your old, tested friendship. I will pay the price of the farm when I have moved.
Give my regards to your dear wife and children from your faithful friend, Traugott Füher.
Hermann, Mo., Sept. 25, 63.
Dear friend! I have received your letter and was very happy about the bargain you made. The farm is cheap and if there is a pretty good house, good spring water, the pure gift of the Lord, and enough firewood as you write, I am entirely satisfied. I will sell out as soon as possible and prepare myself for the trip, but in case I would be unable to arrive at the fixed time I will send you the money and you may take over the farm for me. We are now all quite well. Best regards to you and your family from your true friend, Traugott Füher.
Mount Pisgah, Wisc. Oct 31, 1863.
Mailed Saturday, the 31st in the morning at the post office.
Friend Oster! Already a long time ago I wanted to go to Sparta, but I am not yet ready with my autumn work. I would like to know whether you bought already cabbage. Caused by the dry summer and early frost, I did not get too many heads and can sell them all here, the best for six and the smaller ones for five cents. If this is not too expensive for you, I can bring you still 25 entirely good heads at six cents, and as many small ones for four cts. as you want. Please be so kind as to let me know about it by the next Tuesday mail.
If John Kränbühl should ask, you can tell me about it in your letter.
Best wishes to you and your dear wife from your F.A.M.
<Written in English> George H. Meißner, Co. F, 3rd Reg. Wis. Vol., 12the Army Corps.
Nov. 13, 1863.
Dear Henry: Your letter of Nov. 5 was received by today’s mail and has given me great pleasure. When your letters to me stopped, it was about at the time when the Pikes Peak fever raged. I concludet you had like others catched the same and perished.
Somtime last fall on a Sunday morning a man drove by with a team of Horses, he stopped to read my sign, then he told me that he know a yung man by the name of Henry Meißner etc. and I found out by him that you had enlisted in the service and that at last accounts you was missing. The same day I got a news paper in my hands who stated that G.H. Meissner with several others had been send to Front royal and had since not been heard form. Later I wrote to Mr. Carver and as he had died his daughter Martha answered my letter and told me that you had been a prisoner of warr but had comen back to your regiment. In reply to an other letter which I addressed to Miss Carver, she send me your letter of Sept 20.
I am living still in my little warm log house and have remembered often … that it was you who helped me build the same, and have woundered what in the world would have estranged you so much. That I was married again I have written to you before. Ernest four years old, Adolph 2-1/2 year old and little sweet Dorothea eight months old, ar playing around and up the table, disturbing my writing.
<T97> W.W. Coleman, Editor of the Herald, Milwaukee, Wisc.
Mount Pisgah, M.C., Dec. 5, 63.
I would like you very much to collect the small enclosed bill for me, that Mr. Domschke should not mind at all as you know him and he is a friend of yours. I want you to use this amount as a prepayment for the Herald. I would also like to know whether I could send you flower seeds of a couple dollars’ value in spring for the same purpose. Respectfully …
[BILL: ] Bernhard Domschke to F.A. Meissner. April 1861, Flower seed. Please pay to W.W. Coleman and oblige—$1.00—F.A. Meissner.
<Written in English> 12 Dec 1863 [excerpt].
… I ame anxious to hear of you …
<Written in English> 27 Dec 1863 [excerpt].
… glad to hear of the continuance of your good luck. Your likeness was a welcome Christmas gift; I had imagined you was looking a good deal older. … I should like to live somewhere where I could raise Peaches, Grapes, and Apples, but moving is getting for me somewhat out of the question: I am today 59 years old. .. I hope you will come and see us. … Your Father, F.A.M.
<T97, cont.> To: Mr. W. Anger, Milwaukee, Wisc.
Feb. 10 [1864].
Dear Sir! I read from your ad in the paper that you have glasses for sale, which you recommend as good. The glasses I use right now don’t seem any more to be sufficient. I would like to have a stronger one, but if you want to send them by mail—how do you know what glasses do fit for me? Are you able to determine it if I send you one glass of my present glasses? What is the price for a good pair of glasses? A silver frame is too expensive, I don’t like brass either, about German silver or horn, with a cheap case, and how much will be the postage?
<Written in English> 2 Mar 1864 [excerpt].
… By your letter [I see] you intended of getting married when you was out here, but you never told me who is the girl ….
<Written in English> 26 Jul 1864 [excerpt].
… Since … April 1 I have not heard of you …
<Written in English> 4 Sep 1864 [excerpt].
… Your letter of Aug 3 … how ease you may have been killed instead of your comrade. … If the next election don’t give us a more energetic and smarter President than Old Abe is, I think the country will go to ruin.
<Written in English> 27 Sep 1864 [excerpt].
… We all feel very sorry about your bad luck, but still it is better to loose a leg than a head, your wound may be the means of saving your life. … It has hurt our feelings very much when you was home on furlough that you put up by the Russells, and besides som talk you had there. A man who is ashamed of his father and his nativ country shows little character ….
<T97, cont.> To: Mr. Helms, Seed Merchant on the Kleigberg in Hamburg.
Sept 27 [1864].
Dear Friend! Please do me the favor and send me the following items as soon as you receive my letter: one seed genuine Berlin bulb celery and two lot parsley root. Pack the seed in possibly thin but strong paper. Glue the capsules together and enclose these into the enclosing envelope and deliver it sealed to the Hamburg post office for transport.
W.W. Coleman, Milwaukee.
M.P., Oct. 26, 1864.
Dear Sir! Your last receipt with remarks does not entirely agree with my bill. You have forgotten the money order for $1.00 for Mr. Domschke, but in order to add my little bit for the existence of the ‘Herald’ I include this dollar, through which I am behind in your bill, and you can write it to me in my favor later on, when you get it from Domschke. I also include a second dollar with the request <T98> to write it in my favor as long as it will reach.
I want to have in my family a little girl of German descent, best an orphan of 8, 10, or 12 years, from which my wife can raise herself a helper, which we can send to school and which we can instruct in such arts as sewing, knitting, cooking, etc. Could you maybe help me or tell me to whom I could turn in this matter? Maybe to the Minister of a German parish, or to the superintendent of a poorhouse or an orphanage.
Expecting a kind reply soon, I enclose a stamp. … F.A.M.
<Written in English> Mt. Pisgah, Monroe County, Wisconsin, November 10, 1864.
George Henry Meissner.
Your letter of Oct. 17 is in front of me. I ame very glad that you have unmasked your self and shown your true face. I rather have an open enemy than a false friend. What a miserabel hipocrit must he be who comes to my house, calls me father, shakes hand as if he never would part again, and has all the time a grudge in his heart against me.
The statements you make in your letter are so far from the truth, that I can only excuse the same by thinking you have written in fever. The letter whereof you speak [see 27 Sep 1864, above? -LPM] I cannot remember, yes I am positiv I have never written, and what you say about scanty clothing I think your memory has lost you all together. Do you not remember that when we came through New York on our way to Wisconsin that I equipped you and me all alike complete? Have you all together forgotten that when you left for Muscoda I lend you also my new Overcoat, which you promised to send back on your arrival, but you did never send, and I the old man had to get long without, and never complained about.
About your many friends you have, I will only say if they are like Mr. Russell, (who would like to couple his painted girl, who had already more Beaus than she counts years to you) I shall not envy you, if they are true friends I pitty them their love will be paid as you have paid myn.
If you had a true memory it would tell you that you since you was a year old [1839] slept in my arm, that I carried you with me to field to work and every where, that it was only because I could not part with you that I took your mother with me to America [1845, when GHM was seven years old].
I ame not telling you this because I ask any pay for my love, nor to beg you to come back to my affection, only I wish to show you what a black heart you have, how deficient you are of all better feeling. As you have shown your true Character now I hope you will also resume your true Name [Sennewald?] and dont disgrace mine any further.
I wish you all the happiness you can enjoy.
[See Appendix 1: Descendants of George Henry Meissner located in Oregon and Texas, 1989. See also <T201> (1882) and <T308>; also in English: 1896.].
<T98, cont.> Mr. Autweiler, German Tavern of the Depot [Sparta, WI].
M.P. M.C. Wis. Nov 22, 1864.
Friend Autweiler! We have two barrels full of sauerkraut, one about 1-1/2 times as big as the other. My wife wants to keep the smaller one for us. She thinks it is enough for us. I would like to know, whether the big barrel might be too much for you too; the price is $10 per barrel or 1-1/2 barrel is $15.
W.W. Coleman, Milwaukee, Wis.
M.P., Nov. 23 [1864].
I received your receipt for $1 with the Herald from Nov. 19, but I sent you $2 and I want you to rectify your mistake.
Mr. Autweiler, Union House, Sparta, WI.
M.P. Dec 13, 1864.
Friend Autweiler! I am sorry for being unable to fulfill your request. As I wrote you already earlier—we have decided to keep the smaller barrel for our own use and it is now nearly half empty. If you don’t want the bigger barrel for $15, I can easily sell it here. It costs me at least $3 to drive to Sparta, $1 for my night’s stay, 50 cts. for drinks, $1.50 for the barrel—that’s $6—what is there left for my kraut? As I promised it to you I will bring it to you still before Christmas, if you let me know.
My regards to your wife from your F.A.M.
Mrs. A. Wolff, No. 226 East Water Street, Milwaukee.
Jan 3, 1865.
Mr. W.W. Coleman, Editor of the Herald, writes me that you are superintendent of an orphanage and I might turn to you in my wish to take a girl of eight to 10 years into my family and to raise her. I have four children with my 2nd wife; the oldest ones are all boys. The oldest will be six years next summer. As you see, my wife has little prospects of getting help. Therefore we would like a girl a little bit older, who could help her soon. We would take this girl into our family, feed and clothe <T99> her, send her to school, nurse her when she is sick, teach her all necessary and useful domestic works—with one word—treat her as one of our own children. I even will obligate myself, if she stays with us until she is 18 years old or gets married earlier with her own consent, to give her as dowry a bed, a cow, and decent clothes.
The region is excellently healthy. We have the nicest spring water, fresh butter, and milk throughout the whole year, and as my profession is gardening and seed raising, we have the best vegetables. Many travelers passing by have assured me they saw no garden more beautiful than mine in the whole state.
My children are all well raised and very healthy, and you surely will do a favor to every child, if you help him to change a big city for such a wonderful region.
If you could send us a girl who mentally and physically is not crippled and has a good heart, we will be very grateful to you. I also include a certificate from our town official about my character, and I am willing to give still more information about me if you require it.
Expecting a kind reply, I sign …
Mrs. Ann Wolff, Post Box 519, Milwaukee.
Feb. 4 [1865].
I received your kind reply to my letter.
Concerning my religious qualifications, I have to reply that I was born, raised, and confirmed in the Christian Lutheran Church (both my father and grandfather were till their death ministers of the church in Schönbach in the Kingdom of Saxony) and I confess myself to it and will probably, until my death comes, stay with it. I am however not so gifted to believe that it is the only true church (we believe all in one God!). I don’t think it bad to attend the services of other Christian religious groups. We have usually here every two weeks an English sermon. Also a German Catholic and a German Methodist parish are here in the vicinity. I like—however—the service of the latter one least—I don’t believe that our Lord is so deaf that such a crying and yelling should be necessary. I even believe still less that he would like it.
We would have liked it to get a child already sooner, but I believe with you that a German girl would be fitting best for us. It would not be for the language, because I am used to speak English with my wife and children. We are mostly interested in the fact that the child is healthy in body and soul and has no outspoken malicious, stupid, or wild character; and therefore we want to ask you, dear Mrs. Wolff, to take consideration of these <T100> things. To which class did the father of the little girl belong, what does he live from? How about the Polish girl? If you or the representative of the orphanage would rather like to define the girl’s outfit in money [?] I am entirely satisfied too.
My wife sends her greetings. Sincerely …
G. Derringer, Sparta, M.C. Wis.
Feb. 21, 1865.
Would you please be so kind and inform your brother-in-law, who works in your shop, about the following lines:
Dear Sir! My cow has not calved yet, but will do so in a few days. If you can, please come here the following Sunday. If you like my cow (I don’t doubt it!), you would do best to take it away before she calves. It will better get used to you and if you let the calf drink for eight days you will have already a wonderful meal.
Mr. Matthes, No. 589 Green Bay Road, Milwaukee.
[11 Mar, 1865].
I read in my last Herald that you took the children of the late soldier Fritz Moll and you included an appeal to philanthropes to have them help you [with] the burden you took thereby upon yourself.
In case there is among these poor, parentless children a girl from eight to 10 years, I and my wife would not mind to accept her in our family and to raise her with my children.
Expecting a kind reply, I would like to ask you from which German country Fritz Moll and his wife did belong, and whether the children are healthy and not crippled. Address your answer to F.A.M.
W.W. Coleman, Milwaukee.
M.P. M.C. Wis, March 11, 1865.
Enclosed you will find $1 for the Herald. No. 176 of the Herald and 116 of the Sunday paper got lost in the mail. If you still have a copy, especially of the Sunday paper, which would like to have complete, I would accept it with gratitude.
After I received your letter, I wrote at once to Mrs. Wolff. I got an answer, too, but cannot get a girl until July. Now I read in the last Herald of the death of Fritz Moll’s wife etc. Would you be so kind as to deliver the enclosed letter. I did not <T101> know whether he would like to get my letter by mail, as little, as whether Mr. Matthews can answer it.
In friendship …
Mrs. Ann Wolff, Post Box 519, Milwaukee.
June 28, 1865.
I answered your letter of Jan 18 on Febr. 4, and as now the time nearly has come, in which—as you said—we can get a girl. Besides—there has to be made a contract before, and so I want to remind you of your promise and please, let me know, what else I have to do.
Devotedly …
Mrs. Ann Wolff, Post Box 519, Milwaukee.
July 22, 1865.
Dear Lady! As I did not receive any answer to the following letter, I am afraid it got lost and I therefore take the liberty to write you a copy of it.
==
June 28, 1865.
I answered your kind reply from Jan 18 on February [4], and as the time nearly has come when we were to get a girl—as you said, and as a contract has to be made still before, and so on….
<Written in English> 19 Sep 1865 [excerpt].
… [John Krähenbühl] is the leader of a religious society in the valley where lives [over the hill to the north]. My father-in-law was intending to live with me and work for me [but] Krähenbühl induced him to move to his valley; here converted first my mother-in-law, then they tried to convert my wife and me. The power Krähenbühl had obtained over to old man Krauss he used to make him work harder than a slave, wherefore he paid him half in money and half in prayers. … [Krähenbühl cheated Krauss] … this griefed the old man so much … that he left the valley and the town.
HTML: 1H 1863-1865
WELCOME page