Email From Adrianne  kee46@email.msn.com  to  HUNSUCKER-L@rootsweb.com
Email Dated June 13, 2000



Dr. Bruce Barnes continued...

There are generally several causes for the migration of people.  Rarely does
one event cause people to move in mass exodus the way the German-speaking
people did to North America in the 17th & 18th centuries.  In reviewing
these movements of my ancestors, it seems that they were infected with
wanderlust in much the same way as I am in the 20th century.  For example,
Jacob FEGERT, my ancestor who came to America, was born in Waldorf, Baden.
His father was born in Marburg, Hesse Cassel, while his grandfather was born
in lamsbedt, hanover. 14 {}

In general, the two main causes of migration to America appeared to be the
burdensome economic conditions, especially those of the masses, and a
tyrannized, unstable religious life.  15 {}  Both of these causes were often
both the root and consequence of European wars.

During the War of the League of Augsburg (1689-1698), contending armies,
which destroyed the cities of Mannheim, Heidelber, Worms and Speyer along
the Rhine, combined with the severe winter of 1688-1689 to drive nearly five
hundred thousand Germans from their homes into the snow.  16 {}  Fifteen
years earlier (1673), the armies of Louis XIV had devastated the same area,
including the famous castle at Heidelburg, which has never been rebuilt to
this day. 17 {}  The War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) combined with
a terrible winter {1705-1709} again to drive thousands from their homes.
Many persons and animals froze to death in subzero conditions.  18 {}

Changes in political power as the results of war also often resulted in
changes of religious orientation for the losers and persecutions for those
who were not of the new ruler's faith.  For example, when Catholic heads
were installed in the duchies and cities, the Protestants were oppressed.
19 {}  Under conditions such as these, the desire of the sufferers for
emigration to other lands was overwhelming.  In 1709, fifteen thousand
persons left for Rotterdam and subsequently embarked for England.  When one
visits the region from Heilbronn to the Rhine, the cities and towns are
relatively new, and there are few remains of the historic past.

My ancestors left their homeland for PA in 1751 at a time between wars.
Their reasons for leaving could not be directly linked to the conditions of
war, but no doubt the glowing tales of "greener pastures" in America must
have encouraged them to leave."

By 1750, William PENN's colony of PA had attracted seventy to eighty
thousand Germans. 20 {} Since the majority of them could not read or write,
it is doubtful that the printing press played a role in their migration.  By
1750, another technique was employed to promote immigration.  Newlanders
(neulaender) were people who could speak German, were well addressed and
paid for their work of luring Germans to migrate to the English colonies in
America.  For every head they could deliver to Amsterdam or Rotterdam, they
would receive a certain sum of money for the merchants.  It is known that
these Neulaender were active in Wuerttemberg and vicinity.  They promised
the people that in this new land they would have everything that they wished
for, and that everyone would become rich as a nobleman. 21 {}  One could see
how this method would be more effective than the printed word, since few of
the peasants could read or write.

Gottlieb MITTLEBERGER wrote an interesting account of the journey from the
Rhine to Philadelphia.  He stressed the plight of the "redemptioners."

MITTLEBERGER recorded how the journey from the Palatinate to Philadelphia
would take as much as six months.  Many people became sick and some died at
sea.  After their arrival in Philadelphia they would be sold as indentured
servants.  22 {}

My reason for giving the accounts of Newlanders and Redemptioners is to
provide a contemporary observer's view of conditions as they were at the
time my ancestors were coming to America.  I have attempted to show that
previous migrations from Germany to the colonies were cause by wars,
religious problems and poor economic conditions.

......next and final installment MOVEMENT FROM PA TO CAROLINA.....

 

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