"L I E> RA FLY OF THE UNIVERSITY Of ILLINOIS 977 2 InZ \UL HIST. SURVK Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign http://archive.org/details/journeyoflewisda85schw THE JOURNEY OF LEWIS DAVID VON SCHWEINITZ to GOSHEN, BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY in 1831 Translated By ADOLF GERBER Indiana Historical Society Publications Volume 8 Number 5 INDIANAPOLIS PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY 1927 The Wm. Mitchell Printing Co., Greenfield, Indiana INTRODUCTION The report which Lewis David von Schweinitz 1 made to the Provincial Helpers' Conference of the Moravian Church at Bethlehem, 2 Pennsylvania, of his journey in 1831 to In- diana and return to Bethlehem by way of Gnadenhutten and Sharon, Ohio, presents many points of interest. It gives an interesting chapter in the development of the Moravian Church in the United States, and an accurate account of the methods and conditions of travel between northeastern Pennsylvania and central Indiana. It throws light upon pioneer conditions in southern Indiana, and contains a vivid picture of an early settlement. It also includes notes of value made by a scientific botanist upon the flora of Indiana. Lewis David von Schweinitz was born at Bethlehem, Penn- sylvania, in 1780. His father, John Christian Alexander von Schweinitz, 3 was of an ancient and distinguished family of Silesia and his mother was a granddaughter of Count Zinzen- dorf. Both were devoted workers in the Moravian Church and served in Pennsylvania from 1770 up to the close of the 1 The German form of the name is Ludwig David von Schweinitz. In America the French form, "de Schweinitz," is as commonly used as the German, "von Schweinitz." In the letter to Martin Hauser in which a visit to Goshen is proposed, the signature is "De Schweinitz." His first name is sometimes spelled "Louis." 2 Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on the Lehigh River, a name which is a modified form of the Indian "Lechai" or "Lechi," was the chief Mo- ravian settlement in the United States, planted in 1741. A great many of the Moravian missionaries went out from this place. When two provinces of the Moravian Church were organized, Bethlehem re- mained the headquarters of the northern province; Salem, later Win- ston-Salem, North Carolina, being the headquarters of the southern province. 8 Von Schweinitz, Rev. Paul D., "German Moravian Settlements in Pennsylvania. 1 735-1800," The Pennsylvania-German Society Proceed- ings, vol. IV, p. 72 (Published by the Society, 1894). (205) 206 Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 century without compensation other than a house to live in. Von Schweinitz received his early education at Nazareth Hall, 4 the Moravian meeting-house and school at Nazareth, Pennsylvania ; while preparing for the ministry, he was also a great student of science, particularly of cryptogamic botany. In 1798 he went to Germany with his father and the rest of his family for the purpose of fuller classical and theological training at Niesky in Upper Lusatia. 5 There he devoted his leisure hours to the study of fungi. In recognition of a paper which he prepared on the species of the order found around Niesky, published at Leipsic in conjunction with Professor Albertini, the degree of Ph. D. was conferred upon him by the University of Kiel. In 1812 he was called to Salem, North Carolina, to take charge of the property of the Moravian Church. 6 In Decem- ber, 1821 he was transferred to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, as minister and principal of the school for girls. The following year he became administrator of church property. In 1822 his great work, A Synopsis of the Fungi of North America, was presented to the American Philosophical 4 "At Nazareth, nine English Miles to the north of Bethlehem, there is built a roomy Meeting-hall called Nazareth-hall, in which the Brethren's Congregation which lives round about Nazareth in dif- ferent places, Gnadenthal and Christian's Spring, has their divine Serv- ice on Sundays & festival Days. At Nazareth-hall there is also the Paedagogium of the Unity of the Brethren in America. Last year [1771] the building of a new Congregation Place near the Meeting-hall was begun." Spangenberg, Bishop August Gottlieb, "A Short His- torical Account about the Present Constitution of the Protestant Unity of the Bethren of the Augustan Confession" (1772), translated by Bagge, Traugott (1778), in Fries, Adelaide L. (ed.), Records of the Moravians in North Carolina, vol. Ill, p. 1986 (Raleigh, 1926). 5 " Niesky, also in Upper Lusatia, [Electorate of Saxony] Germany on the Manor of Trcbus, 12 miles from Görlitz. It was begun to be built in 1742, by exiles from Bohemia. Here is at present the Paedogo- gium of the Protestant Unity of the Brethren." Ibid., p. 981. 6 Von Schweinitz' account of his journey to Salem from June 4 to September 16, in the opening days of the War of 1812, is being printed at Herrnhut, Saxony, Germany, with omissions and some changes of style. It will be published under the title, "Über Welt- meer." Salem, now part of the important city of Winston-Salem, For- syth County, North Carolina, was and still is an important Moravian center. According to Bishop Spangenberg (op. cit., p. 988), it was founded in 1766. Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 207 Society of Philadelphia. In this he enumerated 3,098 differ- ent species, including 1,203 new to science. 7 During the same period he also prepared his Monograph of the Carices of North America, which was accepted and published by the New York Lyceum of Natural History. 8 As a scientist, von Schweinitz was further honored by having his name embodied in a genus of flowering plants of the heath family, Schweinitzia, rep- resented by a brace of rare species, one of them at home in the mountains of the Carolinas and the other in Florida. Twice, in 1818 and in 1825, von Schweinitz was sent as delegate to the Synod at Herrnhut, 9 Saxony, Germany, and on the latter occasion he was ordained "Senior Civilis." 10 Like his parents, he was always a devoted worker in the Moravian Church and was most conscientious in the discharge of his ministerial and financial duties. In 1830 his health began to fail. His journey through Indiana made only a temporary improvement. He died Feb- ruary 8, 1834. 11 7 The Library of Congress catalog gives the following title : Syn- opsis fungorum Carolinae superioris secundum observationes Ludovici Davidis de Scweinitz — Ed. a D. F. Schwaegrichen, 1822 (E Commen- tariis, Societatis naturae curiosorum lipsiensis excerpta). 8 This was placed in the hands of Dr. John Torrey for publica- tion, since von Schweinitz was called to Germany. He therefore in- sisted that the paper appear as a joint production, in recognition of the editing and a few additions made by Dr. Torrey. The Library of Congress Catalog gives : The Correspondence of Schweinitz and Tor- rey, ed. by C. L. Shear and Neil E. Stevens (New York, The Club, 1921). 9 "Herrnhuth, in Upper Lusatia, on the high road that leads from Lobau to Zittau, on the Manor of Berthelsdorf, formerly the estate of Count Zinzendorf, now of Baron de Watteville. This place was be- gun to build in 1722, and the Congregation has in process of time been confirmed in its Regulations by Privileges from the Elector." Spang- enberg, op. cit., p. 981. 10 The duties of the Seniores civiles were to inspect the decorum of the respective congregations and their observation of the national laws, and when necessary, to prevent any infringement of the rights and privileges granted them by the government. These officers, ap- pointed and blessed by central church authorities, ranked between bish- ops and the presbyters. 1:L This sketch is based upon the notes of Dr. Adolf Gerber, the translator of the following report, upon Porter, Rev. Thomas C, "The Pennsylvania-German in the Field of the Natural Sciences." The Pennsylvania-German Society Proceedings, vol. VI, pp. 30-33 (Pub- 208 Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 The congregation of United Brethren or Moravians at Hope (Goshen) which was the objective of Lewis David von Schweinitz, was formed by Martin Häuser and other settlers from Salem, North Carolina, about fourteen miles east of Co- lumbus, Indiana. Von Schweinitz, as a member of the Pro- vincial Church Board at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1830, advanced $200 for the establishment of a church by these settlers. A rude log church was built and the first services in it were held on June 17, but the formal organization of the church awaited von Schweinitz' visit the following year. Mar- tin Hauser was ordained to the ministry at Bethlehem in 1833, and became the first settled pastor. The church has main- tained its identity and its activities down to the present time. 12 When the settlers sought to obtain a post-office, the name, Goshen, which had been applied to the settlement itself was found to be duplicated in Goshen, Elkhart County, Indiana. Accordingly the post-office was given the new name, Hope, which it has retained to the present. The post-office of Hope was established February 8, 1834, with Martin Häuser as its first postmaster. 13 For information about the relation of the North Carolina churches to those in Indiana, and the movement from the former to the latter, we are indebted to Miss Adelaide L. Fries, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, archivist of the Moravian Church in America, Southern Province. Miss Fries is a granddaughter of Lewis David von Schweinitz. She writes that a large loss of membership in North Carolina be- gan about 1818, and assumes that much of it was due to the lished by the Society, 1896), and upon Hamilton, J. Taylor, History of the Moravian Church, pp. 357-61 {Transactions of the Moravian His- torical Society, vol. VI, Bethlehem, Pa., 1900). The latter contains a full-page portrait of von Schweinitz, p. 361. 12 "The Moravian Church of Hope," in History of Bartholomew County, Indiana, pp. 527-34 (Chicago, 1888) ; manuscript diaries of Martin Häuser and Sand ford A. Rominger ; manuscript church rec- ords at Hope. Photostats of the diary and reminiscences of Martin Häuser and of many of the church records are in the Indiana State Library. Early traditions of the church are unusually well preserved. Its Easter services draw many hundreds of visitors. 13 Record of Indiana post-offices, Indiana State Library. Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 209 western movement. However, there is little definite infor- mation in the records at Salem prior to 1829, when the Pro- vincial Elders' Conference gave official sanction to the Hope movement. Miss Fries's translation of extracts from the minutes of the Provincial Elders' Conference, Salem, North Carolina, gives the background of the Indiana settlement: Sept. 8, 182g. Some of our former neighbors have moved from this part of the country to the State of Indiana, whither our Br. and Sr. Martin Häuser, — who have been living outside Salem, N. C — plan to go shortly. On his visit there last year Br. Häuser found his brother and certain others who belong to the Unity, who live near together, who desire a spiritual association, and greatly desire that they may be provided with a Brother belonging to the Unity who can serve them as pastor or preacher as soon as a sufficient number of them have associated themselves together. There is a prospect that the estab- lishing of a Country Congregation there would be of service to that neighborhood and others for the kingdom of Christ. Br. Martin Hauser has taken up the matter with Br. von Schweinitz [of Bethle- hem, Pa.] offering to take up a Quarter Section, — 160 acres, — in the name of von Schweinitz; thinking that the land can be used for the support of a minister there, where money is likely to be scarce. Br. von Schweinitz approved the plan, especially as the land is fertile and cheap, that is $1.25 per acre. Br. von Schweinitz has given Br. Mar- tin Häuser a written statement of his thoughts and views, and has recommended the plan to this Provincial] E[lders'] Conference], sug- gesting that the money be raised through private subscription or through an advance from the Administration here, in order that those who are seeking the preaching of the Gospel may be helped if possible. As the carrying out of this recommended plan could be more easily accomplished by the Bethlehem P. E. C. than from here, it seems to us that for the present it will be best to advise that they do it. But as a preparation it is very necessary that some one shall receive a pre- liminary commission to serve as leader for the souls who are hungry for salvation, to visit them, hold meetings for reading, exhortation and prayer, as Br. Martin Häuser has set forth to this P. E. C. ; and it seems to us that this Brother is himself fitted to act in this capacity, for we understand his position in the matter, and he has been suc- cessful in work of the same sort among awakened souls in this neigh- borhood. We therefore believe ourselves to be able to give him a written Call, and in order to avoid trouble we will also give him a letter of instructions, under which he can act. Br. Bechler will draw up the letter. Dec. 14, 1830. The families who have moved from this neighbor- hood to Indiana are very anxious to have a Country Congregation es- tablished, and to have it served by an ordained minister of the Unity of Brethren [Unitas Fratrum or Moravian Church], Br. Martin Häuser has made this wish known to the Pennsylvania P. E. C, and has asked whether the matter ought to be presented to that P. E. C. or to this one. In his last letter Br. Anders has asked Br. Bechler for a speedy expression of the thoughts of this Conference in this matter, and es- pecially whether the families who have moved thither should be 210 Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 counted as belonging to the northern P. E. C. or to ours, for advice and direction. After again considering the matter we think on the one hand, as we did before, that while there is not much difference in the distance from here or from Bethlehem to Indiana, yet the postal facilities are better and the transportation cheaper from Penn- sylvania, and so it would be better to have the work supervised from there. On the other hand it must be remembered that those who have moved thither are all North Carolinians, for whom it would be dear and interesting to maintain the connection with us and with their friends here, and they would always prefer to have teachers from here who were accustomed to the same customs, manner of living, and church observances, as they have already said, and they have suggest- ed several Brethren. Moreover the success of the undertaking there demands that the Minister, along with other necessary qualifications, must be a good business man, and it seems hardly likely that such a man can be found in Pennsylvania. All of this argues on the other side. In order not to decide in too much haste, but to look ahead and consider the matter well, Br. Bechler will send these our thoughts to Br. Anders for the P. E. C. there, in order that each may learn the opinion of the other before the matter is closed. Sept. 23, i8?9. As collections of various kinds are often taken up in our town we cannot interfere with the efforts of Br. Jacob Schulz — who has recently returned from a visit to Indiana, — to secure private contributions toward the erection of a plain meeting house in Henrix [Hendricks] County, Indiana. Some of our neighbors have moved thither, and are too far from Hope, although Br. Martin Häuser has visited them several times a year. Br. Philips has given two acres of land as a site for the house, and for a Graveyard, for those who live there. May 4, 1840. Some time ago Br. Martin Häuser asked the local P. E. C. for permission to send his two youngest daughters to school here, where he has many friends. The request came through the P. E. C. in Bethlehem, in which Province he is working as a minister. The answer has been sent that in view of his former service here the daughters will each be allowed $50.00 a year, and Br. Häuser himself must pay the balance. Br. Van Vleck will write to Br. Häuser that we will take his daughters on these conditions, if place can be found for them in the town, for the boarding school is full. Sept. 25, 1840. A letter from Br. Martin Häuser at Hope, Indiana, states that he plans to visit here in October, with his six children, bringing his two youngest daughters to the school here. May 8, 184 1. The question arises regarding Brethren from Wach- ovia who have moved to Illinois : — would it not be worth the trouble to do as was done in Hope, Indiana, and have the Unity buy some Sec- tions of land, and its value would soon double, and it would provide place for the building of a school house, and other buildings? Our idea is that there would be no objection to the buying of some Sec- tions of land if that were all there would be to it. So long as those settlers were satisfied with their own services it would be all right ; but soon they would ask for Brethren who could administer the Sac- raments, and then they would want a stationed minister, which would bring with it heavy expense and many difficulties, as has been the case at Hope. As Br. Van Vleck is writing to Br. Benade he shall do well, per- haps, to mention our thoughts about the Illinois matter, and he might ask whether the P. E. C. there would be willing to instruct Br. Martin Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 211 Hauser to extend his Diaspora journeys to Edwards County, 111., that he might visit the settlers from Wachovia, and that they would take further consideration of this matter into their hands. June 2$, 1841. Two letters have been received from Br. Benade. The P. E. C. in Bethlehem have considered the matter of the settlers in Edwards County, 111., will send either Br. Ebermann or Häuser there on a visit, and will buy several lots of land. 14 The manuscript journal of Lewis David von Schweinitz' trip to Indiana of which a translation is here presented is in the Archiv der Brüder-Unitat in Herrnhut, Saxony. 15 It was brought to the attention of the Indiana Historical Society by Dr. Adolf Gerber, formerly of Earlham College, who has supplied a copy of the original German text as well as the English translation. 16 Dr. Gerber states that von Schweinitz completed his report in August, 1831, a month after his jour- ney, and that it or a copy of it was sent from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to Herrnhut. The manuscript in the archives of the United Brethren at Herrnhut has marginal corrections and bears the annotations, ''ausgefertigt L. v. Stz Sept. 32" (submitted by Lewis von Schweinitz, September, 1832), and "zum 2t. mal ausgearbeitet Dec. 1833, L. v. s." (work- ed over again December, 1833 L. v. S.). This latter annota- tion refers, according to Dr. Gerber, to an abridgment of the report, which was submitted to the Unity's Elders' Conference and printed in the Gemein Nachrichten 11 in January, 1833. In the present translation marginal corrections on the manu- script are incorporated in the text. The translation furnished by Dr. Gerber has been modified in the interest of fluency. No attempt has been made to fol- low the paragraphs, and lack of paragraphing, in the original manuscript. Notes have been supplied by Dr. Gerber, 14 The Memorabilia of 1849, in the appended statistics, notes that "New Salem, 111. has 95 communicants." 15 The manuscript is numbered R. 14. A. 36 No. 37. 16 The copy of the original German text is in the possession of the Indiana State Library. 17 The Gemein Nachrichten were communications from the Unity's Elders' Conference in Germany which kept the provinces informed of the activities of the General Synod and all other church concerns. A package of Nachrichten was received with great stir and excitement in the early settlements, where they were read before a large gathering of the brethren. 212 Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 George Pence, of Columbus, Irma Ulrich, of the State His- torical Bureau, and myself. Modern botanical terms have been supplied by Charles C. Deam, state forester of Indiana. For financial contributions toward this publication we are in- debted to Charles C. Deam, of Bluffton, and William G. Ir- win, of Columbus. The preparation of the manuscript for the press has been for the most part in charge of Irma Ulrich. Christopher B. Coleman, Secretary, Indiana Historical Society THE JOURNEY OF LEWIS DAVID VON SCHWEINITZ FROM BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, TO GOSHEN, INDIANA, IN 1831 Report Of a journey undertaken, for the restoration of his health, by Brother Lewis David von 'Schweinitz, accompanied by Brother Eugene Alexander Frueauf, 1 on behalf of the Provin- cial Helpers' Conference, 2 for the purpose of visiting the con- gregation who recently settled in Goshen, 3 Bartholomew Coun- ty, Indiana, from North Carolina, and also our two congre- gations at Gnadenhuetten 4 and Sharon, 5 Ohio. This journey extended from May 31 to July, 1831. ^Frueauf was a nephew of von Schweinitz. In 1856 he was ap- pointed administrator of general church finances, and in 1864 he was elected by Synod as a member of the Board of Visitors, created at that time as an advisory council to the Provincial Elders' Council in all concerns of the college and theological seminary. He was later principal of Linden Hall Seminary, at Lititz, Pennsylvania. Hamilton, History of the Moravian Church, pp. 407, 447, 485. 2 The congregation at Hope, Indiana, belonged to the northern province whose headquarters were at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The Provincial Helpers' Conferences were created at the 18th General Syn- od at Marienborn, in 1769, to govern the subordinate branches of the British and American provinces. They were appointed by and respon- sible to the Unity's Elders' Conference and not to the congregations whose general interests they superintended. After 1848 the Provin- cial Helpers' Conference was made responsible to the American Pro- vincial Synod, when that body was given authority to convene itself at stated intervals. American Church History Series, vol. VIII, pp. 468, 489 (New York, 1894). 3 Now the town of Hope. See Introduction. 4 Now spelled Gnadenhutten, in Tuscarawas County. 5 Sharon was founded in 1815 through the efforts of Jacob Blick- ensderfer. (213) 214 Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 [The Journey to Madison, Indiana] At the urgent request of our brethren and sisters from North Carolina who are settling in Bartholomew County, In- diana, to the Provincial Helpers' Conference that, during the course of the summer, they might be encouraged by the visit of an ordained brother, the most necessary institutions be established among them, and the holy sacraments ad- ministered, we promised them to see that this was done. 6 As it was thought that an extended journey, which the dear brethren urged upon me, would aid in the restoration of my long-impaired health, and since I would have to take such a journey this spring or summer, anyway, it seemed proper to give it this direction, so that at the same time the above promise might be fulfilled and the Conference also might be given, from a personal inspection by one of its mem- bers, more exact knowledge of the whole situation and the important opportunity recommended to it in the state of In- diana. Trusting that the Lord would graciously assist me in the considerable hardships and privations to be anticipated upon such a journey, which could be taken only on the public stages, I gladly accepted the commission given me by my dear colleagues, especially since they allowed me my dear nephew, Brother Eugene Frueauf, for a companion. It would have been too much of a venture to undertake such a journey all alone. I recovered from the heavy discomfiture of winter in a gratifying manner at the end of February and the beginning of March. After a visit in Philadelphia in the month of April, I suffered an alarming relapse which, with the renewal of the 6 Martin Häuser had arrived in Bartholomew County, whither some of his North Carolina neighbors had preceded him, about the end of 1829. Von Schweinitz had labored in North Carolina before tak- ing up his work at Herrnhut. See Introduction. A letter from von Schweinitz to Häuser, dated at Bethlehem, October 29, 1830, promising that an ordained brother would visit the Indiana settlement and stating that an appointment of Häuser as agent was enclosed, is preserved in the church records at Hope. A photostat of it is in the Indiana State Library. Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 215 violent cough that seems to be at the bottom of my whole illness, produced a tightness in my chest, not felt to that de- gree before. I also felt a languor of my mental powers which was so depressing that I scarcely knew whether I dare go. Nevertheless I felt an overpowering impulse to enter upon the journey in the name of the Lord who gave me courage, al- though I did not feel relief until the eve of my departure from Bethlehem, on Ascension Day, May 12th. At the eve- ning meeting on this day, I bade farewell to the dear con- gregation at Bethlehem and commended myself and my com- mission to their loving remembrance and prayer. After a sorrowful but, at the same time, hopeful parting from our family, we began our journey to Philadelphia by stage coach on Friday morning, May 13th, at seven o'clock, in cheeringly bright weather. I had chosen the roundabout way through Philadelphia and Baltimore in order not to be exposed at the beginning of the trip to the great and un- interrupted hardships of a stage coach journey to Pittsburgh, but to have an interval of some days of rest ; a measure which proved to be very wise. The ride to Philadelphia, on which for the most part we had little company, was pleasant and left us time to do some little errands and to make calls before night. At six o'clock in the morning of the 14th, we betook our- selves on board the steamer and greeted some friends, who introduced us to several interesting persons among the nu- merous passengers. We began the delightful ride, in excellent weather, down the river to the new town of Delaware, a few miles below Newcastle, at the mouth of the splendid ship-canal. This canal now connects the Delaware with the Chesapeake Bay, opposite the fortress on Peapatch, which was destroyed by fire only a short while ago. It is needless to give a de- tailed description of the comfort, elegance, and speed of travel on these magnificent and large steamers upon which one dines almost better than in the best hotels. It is also easy to imag- ine the charm of floating down the river, covered with ships, 216 Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 and along the occasionally beautiful banks. Since the route to Baltimore is not apt to be overcrowded — perhaps seventy or eighty passengers at most — everything can be enjoyed in com- fort. As for conversation, it is by all means very desirable to be introduced to some fellow-passenger since otherwise, as is well known, in America, it is difficult to engage in con- versation. Soon after ten o'clock we arrived at the entrance of the canal, left the steamer, and went down a board walk several hundred paces long to the packetboat lying in the canal. This boat is drawn by five briskly trotting horses and is fitted up with the same splendor and comfort. In spite of the summer heat we remained on deck most of the time and enjoyed the interesting trip, fourteen English miles long, right across the state of Delaware. For a long time the canal runs through great swamps and ponds. One must be acquainted with the history of this country in order to realize the difficulties of the great enterprise which has cost over four million dollars. These difficulties are by no means obvious, as hardly anything is seen but a path, rising a few feet above the water, for the horses. To achieve this was the great task, since the filling required endless efforts. In many places one hundred feet of sand were excavated before firm soil was reached. A daily increasing navigation passes through this canal from the Chesapeake Bay to the Delaware, and vice versa. We met a large number of vessels which were all drawn by horses. There were only two locks. About seven miles from the Delaware the so-called Deep Cut, which is three miles long, is reached. Here the canal is cut right through the sandhills, to a depth of one hundred feet at the highest point, and a wonderful one-arch bridge, which serves as a highway across the canal, extends across the ex- cavation at an incredible height. It requires great effort to keep the sides of this immense excavation from caving in. Soon after it is passed, the canal debouches into Back Creek, an inlet of the Chesapeake Bay, where one boards another Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 217 steamer, which is lying ready. After a ride of some length upon the narrower branches of this bay, we reached its wider expanse, as smooth as glass that day and covered with count- less large and small craft, and sailed along, not far from the mouths of its great rivers such as the Susquehannah. The ride becomes supremely beautiful after one has entered the Patapsco at North Point and approaches the city of Balti- more past Fort McHenry and the Lazaretto. 7 We arrived there quite early, having covered the whole distance of 130 English miles from Philadelphia, according to the newspapers, in a little less than ten hours. I had intended to spend Sunday, the 15th, quietly in Bal- timore, but soon found that I should have to wait until Tues- day morning, unless I wanted to go by the stage coach proper, which covers the 266 miles to Wheeling on the Ohio in three and a half days without nightly stops, which seemed to me to be too much of a venture. The accommodation coach, which allows nightly rests of several hours, leaves Baltimore only every other day. I readily agreed to this delay, for there could be no lack of pleasant acquaintances as we had received, that very night, a very kind invitation for the next day from Mr. William Frick, a highly esteemed lawyer and former pupil of Nazareth Hall. Apart from seeing the most inter- esting things in the city during the next two days — on Mon- day, we were often in the company of the Lutheran minister, Mr. Uhlhorn, who was exceedingly kind to us — we spent many pleasant hours at Mr. Frick's, who introduced me also to sev- eral naturalists whom I did not yet know personally. Mean- while Brother Frueauf had an opportunity to meet again, to their mutual pleasure, many of his former fellow-pupils of Nazareth Hall. The renewal of my acquaintance at Mr. Frick's, with Mr. William Winchester, an old schoolmate of mine, whom I have 7 The Lazaretto, authorized by the General Assembly of Mary- land in 1801, was used for smallpox patients. It is now used as a workshop for the lighthouse near by, to which its name has been transferred. 218 Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 not seen for almost forty years, was quite unexpected, but all the more delightful, because I was under the impression that I had heard of his death long ago. Mr. Winchester is the pres- ent director of the city water works. Besides happily recalling times long gone by, it was particularly gratifying to me to hear from him the statement that he was fully convinced that he owed it to the deep impressions of religion received during his schooling at Nazareth, that its heavenly consolation had never forsaken him among all the varying experiences of life. He knew that the same was also true of his sisters, who were educated at Bethlehem at that time and who had had to en- dure very great afflictions. Of course the state of my health forbade me to comply with Mr. Uhlhorn's request to preach in his church on Sunday, just as I had to deny myself all strenuous walking. From here I wrote home for the first time and could report an improvement of my health which surpassed my expectation. Early on the 17th we were ready for the carriage which was to take us shortly to the depot of the Baltimore Railroad, 8 recently completed as far as this part is concerned. On this route one travels the first eleven miles to Ellicott's Mills by rail and not until then does he board the regular stage coach. This immense enterprise is to be continued to the Ohio — and twenty-eight more miles have actually been completed in the course of this summer — in order to preserve part of the west- ern commerce for Baltimore. However greatly exaggerated the expectations for these enterprises may be, they are, never- theless, worthy of admiration. Surely the owners of real estate in a city like Baltimore may well invest several hnudred thousand dollars in such enterprises without much hope of considerable return from their charges, if, thereby, the value of their real estate in the city is doubled or trebled. This really seems to be the way they are calculating and it has al- ready, in great measure, proved correct. I am not in a posi- 8 The Baltimore and Ohio. To von Schweinitz, as late as May, 183 1, the enterprise consisted of laying rails so as to increase the load horses could draw. He says nothing of locomotives. Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 219 tion to describe the work here, since we could make only imperfect observations during the drowsy ride in the rather uncomfortable railroad coach, which, in spite of its size and load (about twenty persons), was drawn by only one horse. At Ellicott's Mills we had an unusually poor breakfast, at a very high price, and then got into the comfortable accom- modation coach running to Hagerstown by way of Frederic [k]- town. Through Baltimore and Anne Arundel counties one strikes hardly any good land except where there are immense plantations of wealthy proprietors, as, for example, that of the well-known Charles Caroll, of Carollton, where the homes of the negroes form whole villages; one also strikes, besides, a few miserable looking places such as Lisbon, New Market, and the like. Nevertheless, the entire road between Hagers- town and Baltimore was covered with an unparalleled number of six-horse teams, all carrying flour to the city. We counted over three hundred of them this day. After having progressed a considerable distance in Frederic [k] County, we enjoyed the splendid fertile region, which kept increasing, in charm and beauty as far as Hagerstown in Washington County. An in- tervening range of hills afforded an excellent opportunity for an outlook, far and wide, without interfering much with the unusually fine turnpike, upon which we were proceeding so fast. We reached the town soon after sunset, after having traveled eighty odd miles this day. We could enjoy a longer rest than we had expected, because we did not start again until four o'clock on the morning of the 18th. That morning I awoke with peculiar feelings, thinking of my dear wife who was celebrating her birthday that day, and all day long, I was with her and my family in spirit a great deal. From here on we found the coach well filled. The lovely fertile country was gradually approaching the mountains, which, however, were not actually to be traversed this day, since the road descends into the valley of the Potomac and continues in it as far as Hancock. Here the state of Mary- land grows exceedingly narrow because, as is well known, 220 Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 the Potomac which all along forms the boundary between it and Virginia approaches the southern boundary of Pennsyl- vania within two or three miles. Farther west in Allegheny County the state expands again considerably. Although mountainous, the turnpike remained good; we made only fifty-six miles this day, however, and spent the night at an isolated inn. By breakfast time on the 19th we reached the town of Cumberland, where begins the ill- famed National Road, which was to connect the western with the Atlantic states across the Allegheny Mountains. It was constructed several years ago by enormous appropriations by Congress, and sat- isfied all requirements by effecting a welcome improvement in transportation, but at present, especially here in the moun- tains, it has relapsed again into a deplorable state of decay in consequence of the violent controversies which have arisen about it. As is well known, a large party denies to the United States any constitutional right, even with the consent of the individual states, to spend money on internal improve- ments, since this is the business of the indvidual states; just as it is admitted there exists no right to levy turnpike tolls. The latter fact has prevented the necessary annual repairs of the National Road because new appropriations for it were, for the most part, refused. A large part of the road has therefore got into such a condition that it is inadvisable, on account of the cost of the repairs immediately devolving upon them, for the states of Maryland and Pennsylvania to take it over from the federal government, as the state of Ohio has lately done with its part of the road, which is still in good condition. Travelers to whom, as to us, the beginning of this great work is indicated by a loaded wagon, lying com- pletely overturned at the bottom of a sharp, deep incline, and whose bones are jolted to pieces on the terribly torn-up road, would find less difficulty in overcoming the constitutional scruples which prevent the repairs of this road than do the gentlemen in Congress in their upholstered seats. It is to be Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 221 greatly regretted that the millions spent on it in so useful a way must be regarded as thrown away. At times it was better to go on foot. I could not, however, do this very long, although it afforded me much botanical enjoyment in the higher mountain regions where, by the way, the oaks and similar trees were just beginning to put forth their foliage. In addition we had a severe thunderstorm and a rather heavy rain. About eight o'clock in the evening we entered the state of Pennsylvania and spent the night at Smithfield in a romantic mountain valley. The ride on the 20th began at four o'clock in the morning and, as the condition of the road improved, it soon grew very interesting. From the crest of the last Allegheny Mountain range, Laurel Hill, one enjoys an incomparably wide and splendid outlook over the western country, and finds that he is now in the great Mississippi Valley into which all streams west of the mountains are gathered. At the important town of Union 9 in Fayette County, the Yohiogany 10 is crossed and at Brownsville, whence steamboats go to Pittsburgh, the Mo- nongahela is crossed by ferry. Fayette and Washington counties are distinguished by very charming, cultivated, but quite hilly regions, in which unusually extensive sheep breed- ing is to be seen. In the county seat of the latter, which has the same name, a large steam mill was burnt in the pre- ceding night. We found excellent night lodgings there and since there was not any hurry, we did not proceed upon our journey to Wheeling until after breakfast on the 21st. The road here is still in a passable condition and exceed- ingly charming, in part even romantic. Right after the little town of West Alexandria, which was almost entirely burnt down two weeks ago, we reached the state of Virginia, 11 a long narrow strip of which penetrates far north between the straight west line of Pennsylvania and the Ohio. At the same 9 Uniontown. 10 The Youghiogheny flows east of Uniontown which is on a smaller tributary of it. ia This region is now a part — the "Panhandle" — of West Virginia. 222 Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 time we reached the valley of Wheeling Creek, which, after two o'clock, we crossed perhaps thirty times on small bridges, finally reaching the town of Wheeling on the great Ohio River. I planned to embark here on the Ohio and to make the journey as far as Madison, in the state of Indiana, by water. After spending the remainder of the day pleasantly and rest- ing well after the ride, which had been much less fatiguing than I expected, we awaited a steamer on a rainy Whitsunday, the 22nd. A large number of these vessels, of from one to five hundred tons, are constantly plying the river from Pitts- burgh down to Louisville and even all the way to New Or- leans. At places like Wheeling they generally put to shore to see whether passengers are to be had. Of course, how- ever, they cannot keep any definite hours and it is necessary to wait till a boat going in the desired direction appears. The "Potomac," with Captain Stone in command, appeared soon after ten o'clock ; it was, to be sure, One of the smaller steam- ers, yet had excellent furnishings. We therefore did not find it worth while to wait for a larger one and agreed with the captain on ten dollars a person for the passage to Louisville, Kentucky, at the great falls of the Ohio, a distance of 550 English miles, which he hoped to cover within three and a half days. Board, which is as good as at the best inns, is included in that rate. We had decided to go all the way to Louisville, although it is fifty odd miles farther than nec- essary, because otherwise we should have arrived too early at Madison to go immediately on the stage coach into the interior. The cost was only slightly increased thereby, and it was desirable to see this important commercial town in Ken- tucky. By far the most of the steamers on the Ohio and Mississippi are so-called high pressure boats, from which superfluous steam escapes every minute automatically through a pipe, making a fearful noise, which in still weather and evenings can be heard over four miles on the river. The whole con- Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 223 struction of these vessels is very different from that of the steamers on the northern rivers. The larger ones have three decks, rising one above the other, the length of a frigate. The cabins for the ladies and gentlemen are usually on the upper deck; on ours, they were on the lower, back of the en- gines. All are equipped not only for passengers, but also for heavy freight, as they carry an immense trade. They are, nevertheless, always crowded with passengers because, besides the large number in the cabins, crowds of deck passengers, emigrants, and so forth — often with horses and wagons — make use of them. Life on such a steamer is quite unique. The throng of people, the noise of the steam, the continuous, pulsating vibra- tion ; the changing scenes of the glorious, almost wholly wood- ed, hilly banks of the gigantic river, which here and there form valleys, either receding or approaching, with newly set- tled towns and active cultivation frequently seen on both sides; charming groups of islands around which one navigates with great caution to avoid hidden snags and dangers of all sorts ; the close perpendicular river banks, always the same, with their denuded, horizontal stratifications — all these make a combination which one must see and hear in order to com- prehend, especially to realize the impression one gets when these scenes remain almost entirely the same for days and nights. The cabins and berths, usually most elegantly deco- rated, are fitted up as comfortably as can possibly be desired, and nowhere is an opportunity wanting to spend the time pleasantly in viewing the interesting scenes. Very often a short stop is made in order to replenish, from the long rows of corded wood piled up for this purpose all along the bank, the stock on board, which is kept small in order not to lose space for freight. Vessels going upstream, however, take flatboats, lying ready for this purpose, loaded with wood, with them for some distance until their supply is hauled aboard; then the flatboats can easily go back to their places with the current. From time to time calls are made 224 Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 at small towns, where passengers, and occasionally also freight, are taken on and off ; and whenever a signal is given from the bank, the small boat puts off to pick up passengers who desire to come along. When one becomes accustomed to the noise of the steam and the pulsating vibrations, one enjoys a good rest by night and day in the comfortable berths. Aside from the steamers, the river is still plied by many keelboats and flatboats which come principally from the smaller streams flowing into it, but they go almost exclusively down- stream. Frequently we meet other steamers which are a won- derful sight, especially by night, as their fire is seen from afar. On the steep banks close at hand, there is an oppor- tunity to observe closely the origin of the dangerous snags which hinder navigation so much on the Ohio and still more on the Mississippi. Everywhere are to be seen living and dead trees, of large and medium size, the whole root system of which has gradually been denuded of all earth; they are swept into the river by the high floods. The weight of the entanglement, which hangs on the roots, sinks them somewhere and causes them to get fastened in the mud at the bottom. The branches soon break off and the trunk stays, retaining a slanting position in the direction of the current. It knocks most dangerous holes in vessels, which, going upstream dur- ing the night or in a fog, happen upon such a snag, as it is called. In the course of this year several of the largest steam- ers on the Mississippi have been wrecked in this way. In dense fog it is therefore customary to anchor, especially when going upstream. It is strange how insignificant the mouths of the large rivers, such as the Muskingum, Scioto, and the Miami on the Ohio side, and the two Kanawhas and the Kentucky on the opposite side, appear, principally on account of the deep in- dentations into which they flow and which are generally seen only at an angle. However interesting such a trip may be, one still needs reading matter to keep from becoming bored, if it lasts for days, just as on the ocean. Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 225 On the 24th, about half past two o'clock, we made the first stop of any length at the exceedingly beautiful city of Cincinnati, which contains almost 30,000 inhabitants. We re- mained here a couple of hours since part of the cargo had to be unloaded. We availed ourselves of the opportunity to look around a little in the city, but only in the vicinity of the curious landing place where the steep river bank, paved and graded off to a sloping surface, forms a large square sur- rounded by buildings, which, by the time we arrived here again on our return, had been almost consumed by fire. Little distress was shown, however, because the buildings were of small value and now are to be replaced by large, magnificent ones. Very early in the morning of the 25th, we arrived at Madison, where again freight and passengers were landed, and then we proceeded at high speed to Louisville. From the beginning of our boat trip, down to below Cincinnati, we had the states of Ohio and Indiana on our right side ; on our left, we had Virginia down to the mouth of the Sandy River, and then Kentucky. The name of a certain little town below Madi- son we learned, curiously enough, was Bethlehem. It is, in- deed, quite strange how the same place-names are repeated innumerable times in the West, to the great inconvenience and uncertainty of addresses. Washington, Columbus and Colum- bia, Salem, and Alexandria are names met with almost every other day, as if no new names could be invented any more. It is a matter of regret that the often euphonious Indian geographical names are so rarely used, especially for the rivers. To change the designation of the second branch of the Mus- kingum, which together with Tuscarawas, forms this river, from the Indian Walhonding into White Woman is bad taste. 12 The approach to Louisville, the flourishing and leading commercial city of Kentucky, was very pleasant. Only when the landing is reached — where we counted eighteen steamers 12 The name Walhonding is now used. The Walhonding and the Tuscarawas unite at Coshocton. 226 Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 at that time — does one see the loud-roaring, rocky reef which here interrupts the navigation of the Ohio and changes its otherwise quiet current into raging waters. The level of the river was at that time still too high to admire the beauty of this cataract; indeed, at the very highest level, it disappears almost entirely. A two-mile canal, cut through the rocks from Louisville, has now been completed at great cost, so that the steamers from New Orleans can now go up to the town, in- stead of being compelled as formerly to remain at Shippings- port to unload. We found accommodations in a very elegant hotel and on this day and the following, we examined everything note- worthy and worth seeing, in which we were aided by the courtesy of a merchant, Mr. Danforth, to whom we were recommended. The canal, its locks, and the immense com- mercial activity formed a prominent part of the sights. The town itself contains many fine buildings and is quite large. Below the falls, on the opposite side in the state of Indiana, there is also a considerable town, New Albany. [In Indiana] As we were very anxious not to miss the stage coach, which, according to Brother Martin Häuser, 13 left Madison 13 Martin Häuser, virtually the founder of the Moravian Church and first postmaster of the village, was born September 23, 1799, at Salem, North Carolina. In 1821 he joined the Moravian Church by confirmation; in 1822 he was married to Susanna Chitty. He made three trips west, visiting his brother, Jacob, in Indiana in 1820; Gnaden- hutten, Ohio, in 1827 ; and Indiana again in 1828. Receiving encourage- ment from von Schweinitz in a conference at Bethlehem in the spring of 1829, he left Salem with his wife, September 29, 1829, arriving at Bartholomew County, October 28. He entered a quarter section on Haw Creek, and receiving $200 from von Schweinitz, entered the land on which Hope was laid out. He organized a Sunday school and church. On March 19, 1833, he was ordained deacon at Bethelehem. He received no salary as minister at Hope. In 1838 he resigned his charge there, but continued to visit Moravian groups at Enon, Tough Creek, New Holland, Coleman's and Warren's schoolhouses, and in Hendricks County. In 1846 he was finally granted permission to or- ganize a society at Enon, five miles south of Hope. In 1847 he was sent to Edwards County, Illinois, where he founded New Salem, later West Salem. He preached also occasionally at Woods Prairie, Wannboro, Albion, and Olney. His wife died May 2, 1867. On June 21, 1868, he married Eliza Spaugh, widow, and spent Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 227 for Columbus every Saturday, we decided to start on our return journey about six o'clock in the evening, on the 26th, on our steamer, the "Potomac," which was returning with cargo. This afforded us the enjoyment of an indescribably glorious moonlight evening on the river until late into the night — followed, however, by an unsatisfactory rest, which was in- terrupted two hours sooner than necessary by the false report that we had arrived at Madison, when it was only London. We actually arrived about four o'clock in the morning, when we were disembarked with our baggage in great haste upon a floating pier or wharf, provided with a watchman. Fortunate- ly, however, we found a porter who carried our things to Mr. Pugh's Inn in town. There we at once learned that, owing to impassable roads and missing bridges, the stage coach had not yet been able to run this year, but that it was expected to do so for the first time four days later. As there was no other way of getting to Bartholomew County, we had to re- sign ourselves to this tedious delay, which promised to be de- prived of part of its disagreeableness by several letters of in- troduction which I had to gentlemen of this place. When we finally went to breakfast at seven o'clock, we were not a little surprised to see our Bethlehem friend, Captain Schulz, of the cavalry, who is established in the vicinity of Cincinnati. He was here on business and remained until the evening of the following day. In the course of the forenoon, I delivered to Mr. [William] Hendricks, senator of the United States, my letter of intro- duction addressed to him, whereupon he informed us that, at ten o'clock that morning, there commenced a so-called four days' "meeting" of the Presbyterians and took me to church with him at once. Such "meetings" are held everywhere to produce revivals and were continued daily during our entire stay here without interruption, save for meals and short inter- missions, from nine o'clock in the morning until after eleven most of the rest of his life at Hope. He died on October 25, 1875. Häuser Diary, photostat copy in the Indiana State Library. 228 Von Schweinitz Journey 1831 o'clock at night. After a very brief address several members of the church were asked to offer prayer, and hymns were sung in the intermissions. Sometimes, also, members of the congregation were asked to sing a hymn, which they did, but it was always the same, "Alas! and did my Savior bleed." Then the various ministers present likewise offered long pray- ers, sang hymns, and delivered very eloquent sermons. After the first prayer meeting, at which, among others, a venerable old man offered a touching evangelical prayer in simple, heart- felt language — which unfortunately he repeated just the same way every day — Mr. Hendricks introduced me to Mr. John- ston, 14 the Presbyterian minister here, and several other gen- tlemen, all members of the church, the ones to whom I had my letters of introduction to deliver. They expressed them- selves pleased to see me here, but could not take any other notice of me under the circumstances. Owing to my misunderstanding a question which Mr. John- s[t]on asked me, I had the terrible experience at the close of the sermon, when it was already two o'clock, to hear an- nounced from the pulpit that a Moravian preacher present would preach at three o'clock in the afternoon. I felt en- tirely unable to do so, particularly after a sleepless night, without any preparation and without knowledge of the spirit reigning here, of which so far I had received the impression that, though it aimed at the Good, it sought to force it and bring it about in a manner with which I could by no means agree. I therefore felt obliged to correct this error in public and to allege among other reasons the state of my health, which forbade me to preach in public at the time — and it 14 The Reverend James Harvey Johnston, a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, arrived at Madison in 1824 as representative of the Domestic Missionary Society of New York. He was a pastor at Madison for eighteen years. After 1843 Crawfordsville was the center of his activities. He died in 1876 after a service in Indiana of fifty- one years — the longest in the annals of the Presbyterian Church in the state. See Edson, Harrford A., Contributions to the Early History of the Presbyterian Church in Indiana, together with Biographical Notices