Austin County, Texas

Czech Migration to Austin County, Texas

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Czech Migration

The following was published as the lead article in Volume I of a series of books published by the Texas Czech Genealogical Society in 2005 and 2007 titled “Czech Family Histories.”

AN ACCOUNT OF
THE FIRST GROUP MIGRATIONS OF CZECHS TO TEXAS

by James Woodrick

The first group migration of Czechs to Texas occurred during 1851, followed by several other groups in the next several years. This account identifies these pioneers and explains why they chose to come to Texas, some of the difficulties they encountered in their journeys, and some of their early experiences in their adopted land. A glance at the lists of Czech immigrants to Texas during 1851 to 1855 will reveal many family names of current residents who can trace their heritage to these pioneers. For the purposes of this account, “Czechs” refer to people of Slavic origins primarily from the geographic region known as Bohemia (Cechy) and Moravia in the 18th century and today known as the Czech Republic. Included in this account also are Slavic people of Czech origin living in Slovakia and Silesia. Most were under the political control of the Habsburg dynasty of Austria in 1850.

Among the first Czechs to come to Texas were Dr. Antonin M. Dignovity (1832), Bedrich Lemsky (1836), the everend Bohumir Menzel (1840), the Reverend Josef Arnost Bergman (1849), and Vaclav Matejovsky (1851). These men came either alone or with their families as members of German or Dutch groups. They were not accompanied by groups of other Czechs.

The Reverend Bergman, who left Prussian Silesia in 1849 and came to Cat Spring, Austin County, Texas in early 1850, set the stage for the first several groups of Czechs to become attracted to Texas. Bergman wrote from Cat Spring about the advantages of his new home to the Kolacny family, friends from Silesia whom he wished to persuade to join him in Texas. He liked the climate, was impressed with the local people and the abundance of available timbered and watered land, and especially appreciated the religious and political freedoms. Some of the letters were circulated among the people in that region, and a copy was obtained by Joseph Lidumil Lesikar from the Landskroun region of northeastern Bohemia who was at that time was encouraging friends to leave the area to seek more opportunity in another country. Lesikar forwarded a copy of the Bergman letter to an acquaintance named Klacel who reproduced the letter in “Moravske Noviny”, a Czech-language newspaper that was circulated in Moravia and Cechy. The first of Bergmann's letters is included in Appendix VII.

The favorable reports about America which were written by Karel Antonin Postl, a native of Moravia who wrote under the pen name of Charles Sealsfield, may also have had some influence on the enthusiasm of the first groups. Postl's work definitely had an effect on later Czech immigration.

There were many reasons why the Czech people were willing to leave their homeland. One reason was the religious persecution of the Protestants. Family manuscripts from Europe depict how a Kroulik ancestor was physically beaten because of his religious faith. Several Krouliks were condemned for reading non-Catholic books. Such books, when found, were confiscated and burned. The Czech people also resented the Germanization of their homeland by the Hapsburgs, the ruling family in neighboring Austria. The Czech language was saved from extinction only by the peasants, who kept the spoken language alive. The Czech people, especially the young men, were willing to leave their homeland in order to avoid serving in the Austrian army under their vicious oppressors.

Northeastern Bohemia, as most parts of the Czech lands, was not very industrialized. It was difficult for the people to obtain employment, especially if they did not have Teutonic surnames. This was one of the reasons why many Czechs felt it necessary to adopt German family names. Some Czech names were Germanized by the Hapsburg government. This latter procedure-- Germanization by the government--was especially applied to the names of most of the Czech villages and cities.

The climate and soil conditions of northeastern Bohemia were not very conducive to the production of agricultural crops. Only a small portion of the people owned land, and usually these were only small plots because of the subdivision of family land over time among a number of children who would survive their parents. The small plots of land did not produce enough to support a family. The majority of the people were laborers, but there was little demand for their work. Living conditions were very congested. Often more than twenty individuals lived in one small cottage. The people were poor; perhaps at times even hungry.

By the middle of the nineteenth century the Czechs felt that they had little chance of gaining relief from the authority of the Catholic church and the absolutism of Austria's repressive regime. The encouraging letters about Texas from Bergman were of great interest, and there was much enthusiasm about starting a new life in a new land. Meetings were held, and plans were formulated for the transfer. Much of this planning was done under the leadership of Josef Lidumil Lesikar, an advocate of Czech migration.


Lesikar was born to Josef and Rozalie (Prokop) Lesikar of Herbortice, Cechy, on May 16, 1806. As a young man he spent some time in the Banat region of the Balkans. Later he settled in Nepomuky, Cechy, where he was a tailor. He was a Notary Public and also served as secretary to the Justice of the Peace. The Hapsburgs considered him an agitator. Josef Lidumil Lesikar married Terezie Silar, daughter of Jan and Rozalie (Rypl) Silar of Nepomuky, on February 18, 1828.

At about the time the Bergman letters were appearing, the Czechs living in the northeastern part of Cechy were considering moving to the Banat in the then Hungarian Empire, which at that time contained diverse ethnic groups. However, the Magyars (Hungarians) were not very receptive to having more Slavs (nor Germans) settle in that region. Thus the Czechs abandoned the idea of settling in the Banat and began looking to Texas.

Details of how the Czechs of the Lanskroun area prepared for their departure have been uncovered in Czech archives and reported by Frantisek Silar, historian from the Landskroun area, in the 1970's and 1980's. On August 19, 1851, about 118 passports were issued to Czechs desiring to leave their homeland. The passports for the Czechs were issued in Vienna, Austria. Most of the people began making final preparations for the journey. They sold their property if they had any, and many of their personal belongings in order to have enough money to make the journey and hopefully to have enough left to purchase land and the essentials to live in the new land.

As the day for departure approached, however, about 44 of the people who had obtained passports decided, for various reasons, not to go. Mr. and Mrs. Josef Lidumil Lesikar and their four sons originally did plan to go with the group in 1851, but later Mrs. Lesikar decided that she could not abandon her way of life and start over in an alien land. This left the group without a dominant leader, but apparently a 61-year-old widow from Nepomuky, Mrs. Pavel (Johanna Balcar) Silar, became the spokesperson for the group.

This partially blind and devout Christian woman was leaving her homeland with eight of her children and nineteen grandchildren. Another son of Johanna Silar, Frantisek Silar, recently married to widow Rosalie Coufal Lesikar, remained behind. They later came with a second group on the SUWA.

On November 6, 1851, about 74 Czechs left their homes in Albrechtice, Dolni Hermanice, Horni Cermna, Horni Tresnovec, and Nepomuky (all small villages near the town of Lanskroun in northeastern Bohemia) to board the train in Usti nad Orlici for the first leg of the long journey ahead. The boarding of the train at 4:30 a.m. on November 7, 1851, was a very emotional experience not only for those who were leaving their homeland forever, but also for the relatives and friends who stayed behind.

The group left Usti nad Orlici for Hamburg, Germany, where they were scheduled to board a German ship directly for Galveston, Texas. Misfortune beset the Czechs in Hamburg, where they were defrauded by a man named Hirman, who talked them into abandoning their plans of taking a German ship directly to Galveston and taking instead a ship from Hamburg to Liverpool, England, boarding another ship at Liverpool bound for New Orleans, Louisiana, and finally a third ship to Galveston, Texas. His selling point was that although there would be transfers, in the long run the trip would be cheaper. Unfortunately the Czechs fell for his sales pitch - the decision ultimately cost the lives of half of the group.

It is believed by some historians that a ship of the VICTORIA line took the group from Hamburg to Hull on the Leeds in eastern England, and that then the passengers went overland to Liverpool.

The group left Liverpool for New Orleans on December 1, 1851, on the sailing vessel MARIA. A passenger list (Appendix I) compiled in Liverpool of the people who sailed on the MARIA on that trip is in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. It contains the names of 74 Czechs with surnames as follows: Coufal, Jezek, Lesikar, Mares (Maresh), Motl (Mottle), Rosler (the Roslers were from Dolni Hermanice, Cechy, but they may have been descendants of Sudeten Germans.), Rypl (Ripple), Silar, Szornovsky and Votava. Thirty-one of the 74 names listed were of the surname Silar (later Shiller or Schiller).

The MARIA was built in Quebec, Canada, in 1849, of oak, hackmatock and pine. She was of 1014 tons register or 837 tons net. She had one main deck and a poop deck, and was 150 feet long, 32 feet wide and 22 feet in depth. As the MARIA left Liverpool, there were about 295 passengers on board. Besides the Czechs, there were German and Irish people coming to America. This made the living conditions rather congested. The food was scarce and of inferior quality. Much of it was stale. The rationed water was dispensed in an unsanitary fashion. As a result of the poor living conditions, many of the passengers became ill.

About 63 days after departing from Liverpool, the MARIA reached New Orleans on February 3, 1852. Many of the Czechs who had become ill entered a hospital in New Orleans, and several of them died in that city. Much of their financial resources were exhausted in medical payments and in living expenses for the unanticipated delay in their journey to Texas.

After staying in New Orleans for 10 days, 36 of the healthier Czechs departed on the coastal steamer MEXICO, leaving those still very ill in New Orleans to follow later. This first group landed in Galveston on February 17, 1852.

From Galveston the surviving Czechs went to Houston via Buffalo Bayou on a steamer. Two infants died on this leg of the journey and were buried in Galveston Bay.

Arriving in Houston on February 18, the Czechs again faced delays due to illness and difficulty in obtaining land transportation. They were in Houston for 14 days, during which time 18 more of the group died, including their leader Johanna Balcar Silar. It is presumed that these dead were buried in the old city cemetery by Jeff Davis hospital. Some Houston newspaper accounts (Appendix IV) mentioned the Czech immigrants and their troubles, suggesting that immigrants like these were becoming a burden on the Houston residents and perhaps should not be allowed to land.

The journey from Houston to the Cat Spring area in Austin County was made mostly on foot. There were no railroads along that route at that time. Some of the heavier possessions and a few of the individuals were transported by ox-drawn wagons.

 The first group left Houston March 4, and arrived at the Brazos River near Brookshire on March 10. The river was flooding at that time, forcing the Czechs to camp on its bank for 18 days. During this time, those who had remained behind in New Orleans caught up and reunited with the first group. They ran out of food and had to pay a high price to have supplies shipped from Houston. Six more died before crossing the Brazos. The survivors finally arrived at Cat Spring about April 5, 1852. There is no accurate record of how many of the approximately 74 Czechs reached Cat Spring almost five months after departing from their homes in Europe. Most estimates are that fewer than half (about 34) reached their destination. Apparently the entire Szornovsky and Votava families died or went elsewhere from New Orleans, because there are no known records in Texas of them. Of the Lesikar family (this was not the Josef Lidumil Lesikar family), only two small children reached Cat Spring where they were raised by other families.

An account of the journey is told in a letter found in Czech records in 1987, believed from MARIA passenger Vincenc Silar, written October 26, 1852. This letter is reproduced in Appendix V.

Most of the surviving Czechs settled in the Cat Spring/New Bremen/New Ulm/Industry area of Austin County. Instead of settling in a colony, they scattered among the Germans, depending on where they were able to buy or rent land. Most of the Czechs were fluent in the German language, which was to their advantage under the conditions as found at that time.

A small group of Czechs from the Hradec Kralove area arrived in Galveston on May 25, 1851, on the ship “Herschel”. These included Vaclav Matejovsky, Franz Herrmann (7 persons) Joseph Slievensky, Catharine Schultz and George Pech. The Herrmann family returned to Bohemia after a short stay in Texas. Matejovsky lived for a short while in Bastrop, then married and settled northeast of La Grange, founding the town of Nechanitz (named for his home in Bohemia).

Another early group of Czechs influenced by Rev. Ernst Bergman's letters migrated to Texas in 1852. They sailed on the Brig WANDERER (Captain J. D. Halden) on October 12, 1852, arriving in Galveston on December 1, 1852. The passenger list printed in a Bremenhaven newspaper indicates 118 individuals, but other sources indicate 148 people. Occasionally poorer "steerage" passengers were not included on the published lists. The passengers were mostly from Germany, but there were eleven families aboard who were of Czech ancestry from the town of Mnichovo Hradiste (renamed Munchengratz by the Hapsburg Austrians). Mrichovo Hradiste is located north of Prague and adjacent to Zapudove, where the Rev. Bergman was born. It is assumed that this group of immigrants decided to do so because of Bergman's letters, which were received by family and friends and printed in several issues of the newspaper, "Moravske Noviny".

These Czech families numbering some 42 individuals were as follows (some names Germanized):


It is believed that the Josef Kostka and Antonin Medlenka families settled in Houston. The Anton Stupl family first settled in Austin County. One of the children became a well-known photographer in Industry, with descendants moving to Houston. The Michael Bubak family first settled in Austin County, but later moved to Dallas. Mathias Kuna first settled in Millheim in Austin County; descendants later moved to Hempstead.

Another large group of Czechs who left for Texas about 23 months after the first group was from Horni Cermna, Nepomuky, Dzbanov, Voderady and other small villages near the towns of Lanskroun and Litomysl in Cechy. Many of this group were relatives of the MARIA group, and had received word of the results of their journey.

Josef Lidumil Lesikar was the leader of this group. Mrs. Lesikar had finally consented to leaving her homeland for the new foundations in a secular country. They were aware of the fate of the MARIA group before they left, through the receipt of the letter mentioned above from Vincenc Silar in Texas. This fact would later be related in a letter from Josef Lidumil Lesikar in his later years (Appendix VI).

The group left their homes by railroad on about October 9, 1853, for Bremenhaven, Germany, where on November 11, 1853, they boarded the German bark SUWA, bound direct for Galveston. There were about 206 passengers, mostly Germans, on board the SUWA. At least two Czech infants, Jan Janecek and Amalie Silar, were born on board the SUWA at sea.

The towing of the bark SUWA into the docking area at Galveston apparently occurred on December 23-24, 1853. The arrival of the SUWA at Galveston is recorded in the Galveston newspapers for that week. The passengers disembarked the SUWA on December 26, 1853.

After a few days rest in Galveston, the Czechs went by water on a schooner to Houston, where they remained just long enough to purchase the necessary supplies and to make the arrangements for the overland trip to the Cat Spring area in Austin County. As was the case with the earlier group, most of the settlers proceeded on foot, with a few individuals and the heavier possessions transported by ox-drawn wagon. This 60-mile overland journey lasted about 14 days, and the group probably reached the Cat Spring area about the middle of January 1854. Austin County deed records indicate that three of the families of the SUWA group (Kroulik, Janecek and Cermak) pooled their interests and paid $300 cash for an 80-acre farm a few miles west of Industry on January 19, 1854. A copy of the official passengers list for the SUWA has been located in Germany.

The January 13, 1854, issue of the Neu Braunsfelser Zeitunq, a copy of which is in the Texas State Archives in Austin, contained a list of the surnames of the families. A translated copy is included as Appendix II. On this SUWA passenger roster, the first name was given only when one or two people were of the same family name. In other cases only the number of individuals of the same surname was given. The names of the cities where the passports were issued were shown, rather than the names of the villages from where the people originated. To complicate matters, all of the Czech names except one (Janecek) were misspelled and/or Germanized. Fortunately, in July 1987, Frantisek Silar of Horni Cermna, Czechoslovakia, developed a detailed list of the SUWA passengers from Cechy, including additional data on the families and individuals obtained from records on their passport applications. This partial list of the SUWA passengers is attached as Appendix III. Czech surnames on the SUWA include Busek, Cermak, Coufal, Janecek, Jarasch, Kroulik, Lesikar, Marek, Mares, Pavlicek, Pechacek, Rypl, Silar, Slezak and Tauber. There were about 85 Czechs in the group. The Silars again comprised the largest group. At that time the Lanskroun district in Cechy had over 200 individuals with the surname Silar (Shiller).

This group of Czechs also dispersed out of the Cat Spring area to various parts of Austin County, and apparently to other parts of Texas. Some of the people settled in Colorado County, especially near Frelsburg.

Arriving in Galveston on January 23, 1854, on the bark “WESER” from Bremen were 27 Czech families including:

Later in 1854 the “WESER” brought another group of Czech and Polish families to Texas, landing in Galveston on December 3. Czechs included Franz Blaha and family, Ferd. Dubsky, Maria Kotulla, Jan Kovajan and family, Franz Maniko, Jos. Matchotka, Franz Strade and John Zvolanek, his wife Amalia and daughter. Zvolanek was an ordained minister and a medical doctor. He first settled in San Falipe where he practiced medicine. In 1855 he began serving the early Protestant Czech settlers of the Ross Prairie (near Frelsburg) area as their preacher, leading certainly the first services spoken in Czech in Texas and perhaps the U.S.A. The Polish families founded the town of Panna Maria in Karnes County.

On June 3, 1855, the Bremen brig “WESER” under Captain Vespermann landed in Galveston with a group of 13 Czech families primarily from the Vsetin area of eastern Moravia. Also on this voyage were 15 Polish families. The Czechs included:

The Bremen bark “VOV VIENKE” arrived in Galveston on June 14, 1855, with 20 Czech families listed as from Moravia and believed to be part of the same group that arrived 10 days earlier on the “WESER”. These families included:

Four Czech immigrants arrived in Galveston on July 4, 1855 on the Bremen bark “FRANCISCH”. All are listed as from Bohemia and included Vincenz Marek (2 persons), Cathrine Ripple and Anna Pechacek.

A Shiller family connection is believed to have sparked emigration of a large number of Czechs from eastern Moravia. Among the passengers of the bark MARIA were Josef Shiller and his sister Rosina, wife of Josef Jezek. They had a sister Anna Silar who married Petr Mikeska, owner of the flour mill at Zadverice. Letters were exchanged between these siblings, and a group of Mikeska's and others from Zadverice soon followed to Texas, with Petr Mikeska and family arriving in 1855. This Shiller connection is further reinforced by the recollections of Clara Reymershoffer, an early Czech immigrant to Texas, who wrote (in "Hospodar", 1907, Volume XVIII, Number 1, page 93): "There was a miller lady in Zadverice who had a sister in Texas, but since neither of them could read or write, their correspondence was carried out by Rev. Bergmann here in Texas and by my father in Moravia. In those letters Rev. Bergmann, and especially Mrs. Bergmann, spoke so well of Texas that my parents gave priority to Texas even though a Mr. Majer from St. Louis did not speak well of Texas." The Reymershoffer, Kristofek, Kasparek and Rudlof families left Moravia in September, 1854, for Texas. Several other families from the Vsetin region in Moravia came to Texas in 1855. They included three Mikeska families, Sebesta, Rubac, Roznovjek, Mikus, and other families. They arrived in Cat Springs and then spread to communities in Austin and Colorado Counties.

The Reverend Bergman and Josef Lesikar, both of whom were prolific writers, continued their correspondence to Europe about the opportunities in Texas, and thus encouraged many more Czechs to come to Texas. Many more did indeed come in the period between 1855 and 1861, from both Cechy and Moravia. Among the Czechs who came to the Cat Spring area during this period were Jan Reimershoffer, Josef Masik, Bohumil Kolacny, Jakub Pachr and many others. A relatively large group of Czechs, mostly from Moravia, reached Texas in 1860 on the JEVERLAND. Many of these people settled in Fayette County. The outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 virtually stopped any immigration from Europe to Texas until the war ended in 1865.

The greatest influx of Czechs to Texas was after the Civil War. The majority of these new settlers came from Moravia. Among those who located in Austin County, many were from Zadverice; but Vsetin, Frydek-Mistek, Jemnice, Chotebudice and other areas were also well represented. The community of Nelsonville in Austin County became a popular place of residence with the Czechs during this period. Many children was the norm for Texas Czech families at that time, and as the second generation children came of age many moved away from their homes in Austin, Fayette and Colorado Counties to other parts of Texas in search of new lands to farm. The following chart shows the growth of Czech population in Austin County from 1850 to 1900.

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NOTE: This origin of this document was prepared as the basis for a ten-minute presentation at the CZECH SYMPOSIUM, Temple, Texas, October 28, 1977, by Houston residents and prominent Texas Czech historians John T. Kroulik , PhD (then retired U. S. Army bacteriologist), Mrs. Guy Oliphint (then Executive Assistant of Denka Chemical Corporation) and Albert J. Blaha, Sr. , B.S. (then Assistant Construction Manager of International Products Petroleum and Chemical Group). An early version was printed in “Czech Immigration Passenger Lists – Volume 1” by Leo Baca. It was revised by John Kroulik in the late 1980’s and has been expanded by James V. Woodrick after 1989 to include new information from a number of sources, especially from Frantisek Silar of the Czech Republic and Albert Blaha, who compiled Czech immigrant lists from mid-1850s ship arrivals.
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APPENDIX I

List of Czech Passengers on the MARIA Roster as Compiled in Liverpool, England.

AGE AGE

1) Johann Szornowsky 38 10) Josef Maresh 30
Rosalie Szornowsky 36 Theresa Maresh 24
Johanna Szornowsky 12 Vincenc Maresh 3

2) **Johannah Shiller 53? Frantiska Maresh Infant
*Bernard Shiller 22 11) *Josef Shiller 42

3) *Johann Shiller 35 Ann Shiller 42
Rosalia Shiller 34 Johann(ah?) Shiller 8
Rosalie Shiller Infant Vincenc Shiller 13
Vincent Shiller 6 Franz Shiller 6
Ann Shiller 3 Teresie Shiller Infant

4) Josef Jezek 26 Ann Shiller 10
Rosine Jezek 30 Rosalie Shiller 2
Rosalie Jezek Infant 12) Wenzel Motyl 34
Josef Jezek 6 Ann Motyl 31

5) Josef Leshikar 35 Josef Motyl 6
Ann Leshikar 37 Ann Motyl 4
Vincenc Leshikar 10 Rosalie Infant
+Josef Leshikar 9 13) Johann Rosler 46
++Theresa Leshikar 4 Karoline Rosler 29
Anna Leshikar Infant Ferdinand Rosler 5

6) Josef Rypl 24 Johann(ah) Rosler 3
*Ann Rypl 31 Vedielin Rosler Infant
Vincenc Rypl 2 Wendlin Rosler 54
Anna or Josef Rypl Infant 14) Josef Rypl (alone) 26

7) *Vincenc Shiller 26 15) Johann Coufal 31
Ann Shiller 26 Veronika Coufal 30
Josef Shiller 2 Vincenc Coufal 7

8) *Carl Shiller 33 Anna Coufal Infant
Ann Shiller 28 16) Anton Votava 55
Johann Shiller 2 Antonia Votava 48
Anna Shiller 6 Vincenc Votava 22

9) Josef Shiller 45 Rosalie Votava 17
*Rosalie Shiller 39 Franciska Votava 16
Vincenz Shiller 13 17) Josef Shiller 29
Josef Shiller 10 *Theresa Shiller 21
Ann Shiller 9 Anna Shiller Infant

NOTE: Asterisk (*) denotes children of Johanna Shiller
+ later raised by Palm family (became Joseph Palm)
++ later raised by Schneider's, married Herman Sens

The MARIA passengers in greater detail, as researched by Frantisek Silar, follows:

1. Johanna SHILLER widow of Pavel Shiller from Nepomuky No. 3, daughter of Vojtecha Balcar from Cermna 174, born 8 September 1790.
Bernard SHILLER her single son, born 8 November 1829.

2. Jan SHILLER from Nepomuky No. 3, son of Pavel and Johanna Shiller, born 15 February 1816.
Rosalie SHILLER wife, daughter of Josef Jezek from Cermna 307, 34 years, and children:
Rosalie SHILLER born 2 September 1850
Vincenc SHILLER born 14 December 1844
Anna SHILLER born 23 July 1848

3. Johann SZORNOWSKY
Rosalie Szornowsky
Johanna Szornowsky

4. Josef JEZEK from Cermna No. 324, age 26
Rozina JEZEK wife, nee Shiller from Nepomuky No. 29, age 30, and children:
Rosalie JEZEK
Josef JEZEK 6 years

5. Josef LESIKAR from Cermna No. 307, son of Frantisek Lesikar and Veronica Dusek, cousin of Josef Lidumil Lesikar, born 11 September 1816.
Anna LESIKAR wife, daughter of Josef Jezek from Cermna No. 307, age 35, and children:
Vincenc LESIKAR born 8 April 1845
 Josef LESIKAR born 12 January 1841
 Teresie LESIKAR born 8 February 1843
 Anna LESIKAR born 18 June 1847

6. Anton VOTAVA Nepomuky, 55 years
Anna VOTAVA wife, age 48 , and children:
Vincenc VOTAVA age 22
Rosalie VOTAVA age 17
Frantiska VOTAVA age 16

7. Josef RYPL Nepomuky No. 19, born 14 May 1827
Ann RYPL, daughter of Pavel and Johanna Shiller from Nepomuky No. 3, born 22 June 1820, and children:
Vincenc RYPL born 3 February 1849
Anna RYPL born 5 July 1851
Josef RYPL born 5 July 1851

8. Josef SHILLER Nepomuky No. 7, born 16 AUG 1830
Teresie SHILLER wife, daughter of Pavel and Johanna Shiller from Nepomuky No. 3, born 5 OCT 1822, and child:
Anna SHILLER born 8 June 1850

9. Vincenc SHILLER son of Pavel and Johanna Shiller from Nepomuky No. 3, born 22 MAY 1825.
Anna SHILLER wife, Nepomuky No. 6, born 20 NOV 1826, and children:
Josef SHILLER age 2
Vincenc SHILLER born 20 DEC 1850

10. Karel SHILLER Nepomuky No. 12, son of Pavel and Johanna Shiller, born 15 JUN 1818.
Anna SHILLER wife, nee Rypl, born 14 MAR 1824, and children:
Jan SHILLER born 16 JAN 1850
Anna SHILLER born 9 OCT 1845

11. Josef RYPL Nepomuky, born 30 OCT 1826

12. Josef SHILLER Nepomuky No. 3, son of Pavel Shiller and Kateriny Markove from Nepomuky No. 7, born 24 SEP 1805
Rosalie SHILLER wife, daughter of Pavel and Johanna Shiller from Nepomuky No. 3, born 30 MAR 1812, and children:
Vincenc SHILLER born 28 JAN 1837
Josef SHILLER born 20 APR 1839
Anna SHILLER born 18 MAY 1841

13. Josef MARES Cermna No. 140, age 30
Teresie MARES wife, nee Shiller, age 24, and children:
Vincenc MARES age 3
Frantiska MARES ---

14. Josef SHILLER Albrectice, son of Pavel and Johanna Shiller, Nepomuky No. 3, born 14 MAR 1810.
Anna SHILLER second wife, nee RYPL, Nepomuky No.15, born 6 AUG 1817, and children:
Jan SHILLER born 20 AUG 1843
Vincenc SHILLER born 18 MAR 1838
Frantisek SHILLER born 1 NOV 1845
Teresie SHILLER born 24 JAN 1851
Anna SHILLER born 8 NOV 1839
Rosalie SHILLER born 6 JAN 1849

15. Vaclav MOTL Cermna, born 1817
Anna MOTL wife, nee Shiller from Nepomuky No.17, born 1820, and children:
Josef MOTL age 6
Anna MOTL age 4
Rosalie MOTL ---

16. Jan RESLER Dolni Hermanice, age 46
Karolina RESLER wife, age 29, and children:
Ferdinand RESLER age 5
Jan RESLER age 3
Vendelin RESLER ---

17. Jan COUFAL Cermna No. 234, born 1820
Veronika COUFAL wife, nee Lesikar from Herbortice, born 1821, and children:
Vincenc COUFAL born 1844
Jan COUFAL born 1846
Anna COUFAL born 1849

APPENDIX II

Bark SUWA - Captain D. Schwarz
Left Bremerhaven Nov. 11, 1853
Arrived Galveston Dec. 23, 1853
84 Entries 206 Persons
New Braunfels Zeitung 13.1.1854

PASSENGER LIST

APPENDIX III - CZECH IMMIGRANTS ON THE SUWA

The generalized listing of passengers on the bark SUWA was found in the German newspaper "Neu Braunfels Zeitung". In July, 1987, Frantisek Silar in Horni Cermna, Czechoslovakia, developed and made available a list of persons or passengers who were issued passports. This information has been translated by Albert J. Blaha, Sr., as follows:

1. BUSEK, Frantisek, born 1817 in Dolni Hermanice near Lanskroun, had 300 "Zlaty" (Czech currency).
Marie, wife, born 1817

2. CERMAK, Frantisek, b. 1817 in Dzbanov u Usti nad Orlice, a laborer, had 500 Zlaty of property.
Katerina, wife, born 1833
Josef, son, born 1851.

3. JANECEK, Vaclav, born 1826 in Dzbanov u Usti nad Orlice, a laborer.
Anna, wife, born 1832, nee Kroulik.
Jan, son, born at sea of December, 1853 on the bark SUWA.

4. JARASCH, family of three persons. On the earlier translation of the NBZ passenger list, this was shown as being the family JIRASEK. It appears this was an error and the name of the family is JARES.

5. KROULIK, Anna, born 1805, from Voderad u Litomysle, had 800 Zlaty.
Jan, son, born 24 December 1837, in Voderad.
PAVLICEK, Frantisek, born 1786, father of Anna Kroulik.

6. LESIKAR, Josef Lidumil, born 18 May 1806 in Nepomuky u Lanskroun, a tailor.
Teresie, wife, born 14 February 1808
Josef, son, born 9 June 1833
Karel, son, born 30 August 1835
Vincenc, son, born December, 1839
Jan, son, born 16 October, 1842.

7. LESIKAR, Karel, born 19 November 1814 in Cermna, laborer, a brother to Josef Lidumil Lesikar.
Anna, wife, nee Marek, widow of Hajzler
Anna, daughter, born 1848
Karel (I) born 3 June 1852
Ludmila, born 3 June 1852.

8. MAREK, Frantisek, born in Cermna, a tailor.

9. MARES, Josef, born 1805 in Nepomuky u Lanskroun, a family man
Anna, wife, born 1809
Rosalia, daughter, born 1837
Josef, son, born 1840
Vincenc, son, born 1843
Teresie, daughter, born 1845
Frantisek, son, born 1848
Frantiska, daughter, born 1851.

10. PECHACEK, Josef, born 1812 in Dolni Hermanice u Lanskroun, a farmer.
Frantiska, wife, born 1813
Frantisek, son, born 1838
Mariana, daughter, born 1840
Anna, daughter, born 1845
Matylda, daughter, born 1847
Teresie, daughter, born 1852

11. RIPL, Frantiska, born 1840 in Nepomuky

12. RIPL, Frantisek, born 1831, had 120 "Zlaty"

13.

a. SILAR, Frantisek, born 10 June 1827 in Nepomuky House 5, son of Pavel and Johanna Silar (nee Balcar). He did not go with the first group (ship MARIA)
Rosalie, wife, born 1829
Vincenc, son, born 20 October 1850
Jan, son, born 17 July 1852.

b. LESIKAR, Frantisek, born 1840, son of Rosalie Silar from her first marriage to a LESIKAR
Josef, born 1845, son of Rosalie Silar
Rosalie, born 1847, daughter of Rosalie Silar.

14. SILAR, Ignac, born 13 March 1804 in Cermna, a laborer.
Teresie, wife, nee Chaloupka
Anna, daughter, born 21 February 1828
Vincenc, son, born 22 December 1831
Rosalie, daughter, born 13 March 1834
Ignac, son, born 20 March 1839
Frantisek, son, born 18 September 1843
Bernard, son, born 31 October 1846.

15. SILAR, Jan, called BOROVY, born 19 November 1795 in Nepomuky House 6.
Teresie, wife, born 1813, nee Jirasek
Rosalie, daughter, born 28 May 1831
Jan, son, born 25 January, 1835
Josef, son, born 27 April 1849.

16. SILAR, Jan, called MARTINKU, born 11 November 1815 in Nepomuky.
Rosalie, wife born 1821, nee Coufal
Rosalie, daughter, born 2 April 1843
Anna, daughter, born 22 December 1847
Jan, son born 30 July 1849
Amalie, daughter, born 10 December 1853 at sea on the SUWA.

17. SILAR, Josef, soapmaker, born 8 October 1800 in Cermna.
Katerina, wife, nee DUSEK
Vincenc, son, born 15 September 1838.

18. SILAR, Pavel, born 5 June 1808 in Nepomuky House 6
Katerina, wife, nee JUNEK.
Amalie, daughter, born 6 April 1836
Anna, daughter, born 7 June 1839
Rosalie, daughter, born 30 April 1841
Teresie, daughter, born 11 April 1847
Frantiska, daughter, born 28 August 1851.

19. SILAR, Vincenc, born 13 August 1829 in Horni Tresnovec.
Frantiska, wife born 1 November 1834
Frantiska, daughter, born 28 January, 1852

20. SLEZAK, Jan, born 1824 in Ceska Trebova, miller's helper.
Anna, wife

21. TAUBER, Josef, born 1820 in Voderady u Litomysle, a tailor.

Katerina, wife, born 1821.

22. ZACHAR, Josef, weaver's helper, born 13 March 1829 in Sloupnice, father: Jan Zachar, cottager in Dzbanov, mother: Zofie, daughter of Anton Pankert, cottager from Chotesin house 13 (single).

Note: Families 13 a. and b. first settled in Colorado County, where the Lesikar children were listed in the 1860 census as "Lessing". These three Lesikar children were counted as Silars on the NBZ passenger list.

Note: One American dollar equaled approximately two Czech Zlaty.

APPENDIX IV - NEWSPAPER ARTICLES ABOUT ARRIVAL OF "MARIA" GROUP IN HOUSTON

The following article is from the 5 March 1852 edition (#843) of the TELEGRAPH AND TEXAS REGISTER of Houston. Editorial notes later added for clarity are shown in parentheses.

"We regret to learn that a report has been circulated in the interior to the effect that cholera has made its appearance in Houston. This report, like a dozen others that precede it, is incorrect!

"It probably originated from the fact that a number of miserably poor immigrants have lately arrived in Houston destitute of the comforts of life and suffering from the effects of diarrhea. Several of them have died a week or two ago. Most of the others are recovering. We have been informed by their attending physician that the disease is not contagious and that the remainder of the immigrants will probably soon recover, so as to proceed on their journey. They intend to settle in Austin County.

"They state they were detained for several weeks in New Orleans and that their expenses were so great that they are now reduced to beggarey.

"They have been furnished with provisions and medicines at the expense of this city (Houston); otherwise probably several more of them would have died. It is to be regretted that such destitute immigrants should be brought to this country when, owning to the want of the ordinary comforts of life and the debilitating effects of the climate, they will be liable to fall victims to the diseases of summer."

In another later part of this same issue of the "Telegraph and Texas Register" published in Houston for 5 March 1852, appears another similar article:

"DESTITUTE EMIGRANTS: Several families of German or Polish (actually Czech) emigrants have recently arrived in this city in the most deplorable state of destitution. Some of them are laboring under the effects of "ship fever" or a disease similar to it, and were destitute of the common necessities of life. Two or three have died and others are dangerously sick. (eighteen ultimately died in Houston). "We think that some measure should be taken to prevent the captains of the vessels from transporting such wretched and destitute persons to our shores, unless they can give security that they will not become a burden to this country as soon as they are landed. We have enough paupers at homed, without having others introduced merely to benefit a few foreign capitalists at the expense of the whole community."

There is no direct reference that these were members of the "Maria" immigrant group, but all inferences seem to indicate that they were. Perhaps the most direct reference is to the statement made that they were suffering from "ship's fever". The Vince Silar letter back to Lanskron states the people in Houston told them they were suffering from a "ship fever" after landing. Further, in the 20 February 1852 issue of the newspaper, there is a statement that the (coastal) steamer "MEXICO" arrived at Galveston on 17 February and brought dates (news) from New Orleans to the 16th. This also checks with the estimates of their arrival in Galveston. It thus can be assumed the trip from New Orleans to Galveston was made on the "MEXICO".

In the issue of 28th February 1852, reference is made that "The Brazos River rose 25 feet at Richmond on 22 February". This all seems to check with the flooding upon their arrival at that river crossing.

Albert J. Blaha, Sr.

APPENDIX V - LETTER FROM VINCE SILAR DESCRIBING THE "MARIA" JOURNEY

The following letter was written from Texas by one of the Czechs who had immigrated on the MARIA. Although unsigned, the author is believed to be Vincenc Shiller writing to his father-in-law Jan Silar (nicknamed "Borovy", meaning "from the Pine Grove", referring to the fact that he lived in House #6 in Nepomuky, which was adjacent to a forest of Pine trees). The letter was sent back to their place of origin (Lanskroun District, Cechy) and was printed in newspapers (Moravsky Noviny and Moravsky Narodni Listy) in April, 1854. The dates and words in parentheses were added by Albert Blaha in 1987. This letter was received by the group of Czechs who came on the SUWA before they departed for Texas (Appendix VI). One of the group, Joseph L. Lesikar, sent a copy to the newspapers for publication.

"26 October 1852

"Dearest father and all our friends:

"It may seem strange to you that you did not receive any news for such a long time from us when you by coincidence found out elsewhere about our unfortunate journey. The reason for my silence, as well as the others, was due to the fact we wanted first to look around in order to better describe our experience.

"We felt as if we were intoxicated and in this new beginning, everything was spinning around us; first because of our weakness, and then also because of the features and appearance of this land (Texas) which was altogether entirely new to us. Our minds are calmer now and we hope you will better appreciate the news we send.

"First of all then, we cordially send greetings to our dear and sincere friends and relatives. We are grateful for all your love and sincerity you all granted unto us when you blessed our departure with your words and tears. May the good Lord reward you all for this friendly devotion.

"As you know, our journey (to Texas) was very unfortunate for all of us. The sorry fact was that for the entire trip, we used an English ship straight (from Liverpool) to Galveston in Texas. This ship belonged to a shipping company named 'Victoria', that was concerned only in making a profit and ignoring the value of human lives. We did not have any complaints before reaching Liverpool in England but then, quickly, everything changed as soon as we departed for the high seas.

"We had a written contract from Frankfurt which specified we were to receive proper, ready prepared, and healthful meals but they (the Victoria Company) changed all this in Liverpool. They 'gave' us a new, changed, English contract which stated we were to prepare our meals ourselves from the rations the ship would give us. So while we were at sea, we received rations for a person for the whole week as follows:

8 measures* of oat flour
1/2 measures of wheat flour
2 measures of moldy and almost green rice
enough of inedible biscuits (crackers)
2 ozs. of salted meat full of bones and suitable only for dogs.
1/2 gal. of water per adult (1/4 gal. for each child) for cooking and drinking.
1/2 measure tea and sugar (substandard)
* The size of the "measure" is not known but perhaps the British ounce.

"This voyage from Liverpool (1 Dec 1851) to New Orleans (3 Feb 1852) lasted nine (9) weeks and four days (67 days). We managed to stay healthy for seven weeks but seventeen (17) of our Irish passengers died. Finally, even our strength collapsed because of the lack of water, for we did not know if we should keep the water received for drinking or should we use it for cooking. The children cried of thirst and we gave them water by teaspoons. Even yet I can't think about how these miserable little creatures begged for a drop of water.

"For the last period of the voyage, I myself became ill and bedridden because of weakness and nightmares. My wife and my children did not become ill during this time. When we arrived at New Orleans, all of us, except seven, wound up at the hospital there. There was a very unhealthy climate there and we waited anxiously for ten (10) days for some of the ill to get better, which happened in a few cases. They were very weak and got on board the ship sailing for Galveston only with great difficulty.

"There were still thirty-six (36) of us left (on this departure for Galveston (13 Feb 1852) because in New Orleans we lost these persons:

1. The wife of my brother Josef.
2. Mares
3. Lesa --(Perhaps Lesikar)
4.,5.,6. My sister and her two (2) children.
7.,8.,9. Three (3 other persons.

Total - nine (9) persons in all.

"The rest of our group stayed in New Orleans for further treatment.

"This new voyage (New Orleans to Galveston) lasted three and one half days. In this time, my wife and two (2) children became ill so again sorrows became our companions. We stayed in Galveston only for lunch and immediately took a steamer for Houston (17 Feb 1852).

"On this journey (Galveston to Houston) which lasted from early afternoon to 3:00 a.m. (18 Feb 1852) our little son Vincenc struggled for his life until he died. We buried him in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Galveston Bay). Soon afterwards died my brother's little daughter Rosalia who was also laid to rest in this wet grave.

"When we finally reached Houston (18 Feb 1852), we faced another delay against our will since all the roads were bad. We had to travel on land that was dry and we could not find enough transportation for us adults and our children nor for all our luggage and belongings. This was most unfortunate for all of us since this place (Houston) was extremely unhealthy like New Orleans. We were already weak and exhausted and like flies, we again became very ill because of an "after-sea" sickness per the local inhabitants.

"Here in Houston, the following persons of our group died and were buried:

1. My brother Josef.
2.&3." " Josef's two (2) children.
4. My mother (Johannah Silar nee Balcar).
5. My older and only son.
6. Ripl's child.
7. Mares' daughter.
8. Jezek's daughter
9.&10. Coufal's two (2) children.
11. My brother Karl's child.
12. through 18. Seven other persons

Total - Eighteen (18) persons

"We stayed in Houston for fourteen (14) days. I became gravely ill, with not much hope of getting better. I had hallucinations and my brothers had to tie me up. My wife almost lost her life because of desperation. It was an indescribable situation of sadness and misery. We eventually pulled out from there (Houston) 4 March 1852, and came to the Brazos River about 10 Mar 1852, which was flooded (out of banks) for several miles. We had to camp there on higher ground under the skies for eighteen (18) days (until 28 Mar 1852)! In the last ten (10) days, we were out of food and had to pay a high price for food shipped from Houston.

"Here, the persons we left behind (in New Orleans) caught up with us and they told us how many more persons died over there (New Orleans).

"Our numbers lessened even on the banks of the Brazos River, where we buried six (6) more persons (perhaps at Brookshire).

"We finally made it to Cat Springs (about 5 April 1852) where we found a roof and celebrated our Easter holiday, our Lord's and our own resurrection.

(not signed)"

End of the letter

APPENDIX VI - EXCERPTS FROM JOSEPH LIDUMIL LESIKAR'S MEMOIRS

The following is taken from the personal memoirs of Joseph Lidumil Lesikar, written in his later years of life in Austin County, Texas. Some of the information does not match other sources, probably due to Lesikar's inability to remember exact details of happenings twenty to thirty years before he wrote his memoirs. An extensive account of the Lesikar family including these memoirs is in a book titled "Memorabilia - Joseph Lidumil Lesikar and Family", compiled and privately printed in 1988 by Frances M. Duncan.

In the introduction of his memoirs, Lesikar writes of his early life and the conditions in his homeland at that time. Speaking of the reasons he chose to emigrate, he writes as follows:

"…. my materialistic condition was diminishing. I felt sorry for my wife who labored constantly. The blessings of a married life kept increasing our family. Up to now I was doing fairly well. Since the disbanding of the national parliament, I was at a loss as to what to do. I knew little about the free America. There was also much suggestion to move to the Banat, in Hungary, but I did not favor such a move. My opposition would not have had much effect had I not gotten hold of one of the Protestant minister's, E. Bergman's, letters, who had moved to Catsprings, Texas, and had been writing to a certain man, Kolacny, to move after him. He informed him about Valentine's cost of the journey from Hamburg to Texas, about the meals and service on the ship. He also wrote about the lands of this country, the people, the work they did and the money they earned.

Some of the people still wanted to go to the Banat, but I preferred to move to Texas. I sold my property with only a provision, as my wife did not favor the move, to leave the place of her birth and move into an unknown country overseas. I did not want to force her to go so we stayed on in our home. Sixteen families started to move out early in the fall of 1851 to Hamburg and on to Texas. This was the first move from eastern Bohemia and Moravia. For quite a long time nobody knew if any of the Czech people had reached America or not, because the government kept it a secret. In Hamburg, our poor emigrants got into the hands of a Jew named Hirman, who through a fair looking contract got them to Liverpool. There they were given other contracts and food that was unsuitable for use. Their ship "Victoria" was overloaded with the Irish and so it happened that half of the people died on the way which lasted seventeen weeks. We did not hear anything about our people for at least a year. It was in September of 1852 that we \received the first heartbreaking news of what had happened to them and finally some letter writing began. I wrote a few times \ to Klacel. He was anxious to hear the news and was determined to get it into the "Moravian News". Everything was done and published, even the letter of E. Bergman and the news of Texas in America was spread, especially in eastern Moravia in Vsetin and surrounding places. I consider myself one of the first supporters of the emigration from Moravia to Texas and I do not think that anybody will claim a right to blame me.

"In the year of 1853, my wife finally decided, upon the pressure of my growing up sons, that moving to America might be a good idea. But this was much more difficult now because my oldest son was now twenty and afraid that he would not easily get permission to move to America. However, at the intercession of Count Norbert Poeting, he was considered unfit for military service and was dismissed. Now things went fast.

"There were seventeen families that got ready to come along with me. October 9, 1853, we left our homeland. At the beginning on November we boarded the ship, "Sava" for which we had to wait two weeks at Grage (Ed. Note: Bremenhaven), and on the Navity of our Lord, we landed in Galveston. The sail on the ship took about seven weeks. After a short rest in Galveston, we were taken by a smaller boat to Houston. From there on, the road was very, very slow. There were no railroads in Texas in those days. Texas was not what it is now. We traveled by oxen and finally after fourteen weeks, reached the remains of our beloved countrymen in New Ulm. About four families built a small log house which they occupied together. Their minds did not sink, but were looking forward to a future. To my wife, this kind of a coming to Texas was not anything pleasant. However, she was quiet and silently suffered. I found freedom very gratifying. My children were helping others, and I with my wife stayed with another family, who after losing his home by fire, built himself another home. This was Charles Siller, who is already resting in his grave. The same year, I bought another small farm with another Czech-German and stayed three years in this poor hole.

"Truly, this was not a land to be envied by anybody. We divided that land among ourselves and to me was apportioned the land which was not cultivated or had a building on it. Now, my two oldest sons and I began building hard and in 1856, at Christmas time, we were under our own roof. It is well known that every beginning has its own difficulty. This I experienced to the utmost myself. My partner and I were cheated and we owed quite a bit as we did not have the money to pay for it. Out of necessity I bought a Mexican pony which threw me off whenever it felt like it. Once he almost killed my wife. I also had to buy a pair of oxen, one of which soon died. Something like this happened to us several times, for as the saying goes: those who have nothing, pay the most, especially when you buy on credit. And so we made a very slow progress.

"I have already mentioned that in those days Texas was not then what it is now. A decent building could not be seen anywhere, only a few log cabins with no nails at all; instead of windows, there were only holes; instead of doors, just a few make-beliefs. Not once did I get homesick after my land. I was thrilled to be free. .....(the memoirs continue to deal with the struggles in a new land, the persecution of the Czechs during the Civil War, and later memories)."

APPENDIX VII

Bergmann Letter Published in Moravian Newspapers

The following is a translation of the first letter of Ernst Bergmann to be published in "Moravsky Noviny" newspaper in Cechy. It was sent to Albert Blaha by Wolfgang Berndt, a descendent of Mrs. Bergmann who has written articles on Bergmann in Czechoslovakia. Blaha translated the original draft of the letter, sending it to John Kroulik for editing on 6 FEB 1984.

“11 April 1850

“Dear Friends, brothers and sisters:

“In the end, it has taken a half-year for the trip from the time we left Strausney until our arrival. You have accurately heard how long we had to wait in Hamburg for a ship and that on 21 December before the Christmas holiday we were finally able to sail. Our ship "ALEXANDER" was pretty and well built, and her captain skilled as a sailor and very friendly and good to us. Our quarters on the upper deck were adequate and habitable; our fellow travelers between the lower decks, however, were in bad conditions.

“The ship, with space for 150 passengers, was half full from the start of the voyage. We spent our Christmas holidays on a calm ocean, though there was a great storm on Ash Wednesday. A strong wind started on Tuesday and this developed large waves and swells on Wednesday; Thursday and Friday it stormed without stopping and we did not see the sun in the daytime nor the stars at night - and even the captain was concerned. The conditions were scary and it was noticed how the mood of the people changed as they prepared to withstand the large swells and stormy winds. My greatest concern in all this rough weather was for the women and children who, in their sickness, could not hold themselves in their bunks and were afraid of being thrown out of their beds.

“I and my family were not bad sick and other passengers did not understand how I could help my close friends and serve them in their sickness. I spent much time on deck holding to the railing and spent hours looking about and wondering about life during the storm. What I saw and felt then, I cannot describe in writing to anyone who has not experienced this situation. The ocean calmed down Sunday at 4:30 and after a refreshing nap, we were happy to learn we were between England and France. The sun came out and on one side, we saw the cliffs of England and on the other side the blue waters toward France.

“On 31 December 1849, we stopped at the English port of Portsmouth so the ship could take on more passengers who awaited us here. On New Year's, I held services and gave thanks to the Lord for having protected us during the storm in which, I later learned, two ships (English and American) were shipwrecked. Calmness came after the winds and the children played happily on deck where we warmed ourselves in the sun. While our ship was at the dock, I looked around to see what was in the town and saw mainly the English ships which were as large as our homes and castles, and I wondered how the ocean can "push" them around.

“Sunday after the New Year, we were furbished with fresh water and meat and sailed on. Our deck was normal and a happy one until we encountered the large waves and swells of the ocean; then most became seasick except the sailors; they had to vomit and their heads began to hurt so that they could hardly stay on their feet - but this sickness is not lasting or dangerous. Our food was not tasteful, perhaps because of the seasickness, and consisted of: dried peas three times a week, beans one day, rice once and once or twice we had rolls; then pork twice per week and salted beef on other days. In the morning we had black coffee and green tea at night with cookies made from wheat flour and without yeast; baked kolache twice a week but so hard that they were suitable only for good teeth, although quite tasteful with butter brushed on. At the end, we were served kraut and potatoes in lieu of the dried peas and rice - and this tasted better. In addition, one received a half-pound of butter, a half pound of sugar, and on Sunday a bottle of wine! Then it began to get warmer.

“On 16 January 1850, there came a warm rain as would come to you on St. Johns.

“On 17 January 1850, the sun came out at 6:45 and it was so bright and clear that one wondered - because never does the sun shine this brightly in Europe. Every day I waited for the sunrise on deck just so I could get a view of this beautiful sun. We had warm temperatures of 20 - 24 degrees Celsius.

“On 25 January 1850, we arrived at the sign of the Crab and found hot temperatures of 20 - 24 deg. C. Here I saw, for the first time, the aurora borealis. The moon and the stars have an unusual appearance here and the nights are so different that a person stands for long hours and contemplates.

“26 January 1850: We reached the half way mark on our road to America! Our route now takes us more northerly and then we will go to the south. The winds started to blow and in 24 hours we traveled forty to fifty miles of our journey; the mornings and nights were pretty - but the noon is sultry. Whales are seen daily and they come even to the ship and think nothing about the three guns that were fired into their midst. They are a strange animal and spray water through their noses which looks very pretty. There are other smaller fish, especially porpoises (dolphins) which are so numerous that we hardly noticed them. European birds have long left us so we see only the fish.

“6 February 1850: The ocean was covered with a green moss (Saragasso Sea) and we pulled some of it aboard the ship. We saw it had white bulbs, something smaller than garlic or onions, and these are salty.

“8 February 1850: We saw the Island of Haiti for the first land! Ach, even I cannot write of our gladness because for a long time we saw only the ocean and the heavens, and here we again see beautiful blue mountains and forests.

“9 February, Saturday: The hog was killed and we picked our way further by the Islands of Haiti and Cuba - and for the occasion, on Sunday, we ate the whole hog! Tuesday, the ship was aimed toward the north so that the Island of Cuba was left to the side. American birds began to fly around the ship. We suffered from the heat now and the captain let us prepare for a bath which enlivened myself and others.

“23 February 1850: We saw America but it was so foggy that we had to stop.

“27 February 1850: Wednesday at 6:00 in the night, we arrived offshore at Galveston and anchored close to the town.

“1 March 1850: On Friday, our Captain went ashore.

“2 March 1850: At 3:00 in the afternoon, we left our ship "ALEXANDER" and rode a small American tug into Galveston where, at 6:00 in the night, we stepped for the first time on American land (soil). We lodged at a small German hotel "At the Stars".

“4 March 1850: On Tuesday, I found a place to stay in another home because in the hotel we were required to pay one-half dollar per day per person (about one "zlaty" silver). So we lived on the boat from 20 January 1849 until 2 March 1850 and from the 6th of January to the 8th of February, we saw nothing other than the heavens and the ocean!

“Galveston, a town in Texas, counts about a 5000 population and all homes, save the church and the Bureau (Federal Building) are built of wood and covered with oil paint for in such a warm climate other types of dwellings are not needed.

“On our arrival, the potatoes were just in bloom and the gardens had English peas. The trees were going into bloom and leaf: carrots, lettuce, turnips and other kitchen vegetables were fresh for pulling. Before each home, there were roses planted which bloomed very beautifully. Other trees, such as oleander, orange and lemon, were in bloom and could be smelled everywhere.

“However, we who had intended to settle in Galveston, did not like conditions here. There were very many mosquitoes and the children were getting sores like smallpox and became sick.

“12 March 1850: We left on a steamboat from Galveston for the Brazos River and changed to another steamboat at Quintana at the mouth of the Brazos. We traveled upstream on the Brazos. This was a very exciting trip as there were large trees overhanging the banks. Plantations were located at intervals where we saw negroes working with cotton and sugar cane, all of which grew profusely. There is a large concentration of these unlucky negroes - that is, "slaves" - in Galveston, perhaps as many as 1000 head.

“One young strong and healthy slave costs 800 - 1000 dollars per head, a woman slave 500 - 800 dollars, boy from eight to ten years, 100 - 200 dollars; because everybody who is able wishes to buy a slave for work. But so you, even though you are Christians, feel that keeping a human in bondage is not proper, I wish to tell you that these negroes live in a better way than the poor people in Cechy and Moravia. They receive coffee twice a day, meat and bread three times daily, with good milk, as much as they wish, because each plantation has more than 1000 head of livestock. They are occupied with working in the fields, grazing the livestock, and cleaning and butchering same. I saw those slaves playing with the "dollar" same as your boys play with a button.

“16 March 1850: Saturday afternoon we arrived at San Felipe; a prominent town destroyed so thoroughly during the war with Mexico that only about fifteen homes remain. Here we stayed with a German merchant who hosted us until the 19th of March. On 17 March, we visited the American rural countryside for the first time and saw pretty tall grass. Cattle freely grazed on it and the children picked the beautiful flowers, some of which in your country are grown in clay flower pots! I and my daughter Julia and the maid Justina, sat down on the grass and sang "Ja ve vaem mem cineni jen k bohu mam sve zreni" (I in all my deeds have only respect for God), and we thought of you that just now you are returning from the afternoon church services. Here it is 9:45 before noon, and at your place it would be 3:30 in the afternoon since the sun is six and a quarter hours later here.

“Tuesday on the day of St. Josef, we loaded our baggage on a wagon and two oxen carried it to our intended place of living, where we happily arrived that same day before night. Here we stayed with a Merchant and farmer named Boulton, son of a pastor from Hamburg for whom we had two letters from Europe. We found our stay friendly. Here in his garden, we planted 21 trees which we brought from Europe; also some seed was sown and we planted several rows of potatoes. The surroundings are very beautiful, the soil is black mixed with sand and three fruitful layers deep.

“Not far from Mr. Boulton lives a buyer, also from Europe who lives an ugly life. He cheats and wrongly treats his fellow citizens and from this he hopes to become rich. “Tuesday after Palm Sunday, a terrible storm came up and lightning hit the house of the buyer. He had many hundreds of dollars of goods on display and it all burned. No one came to put the fire out because he has had too many quarrels and suits and there were no volunteers. There was no loss to the community and he came to the end of his name. He then moved to Galveston so that he would not have to return to working in the field.

“At that same time, the evangelical group met in the community center near Cat Springs, about a mile by the road from Mr. Boulton where it is planned to build a school building. On Saturday before Palm Sunday, I took off for this center so that I could arrange and discuss various things; however it was not possible to do this because it had already been arranged that I was to hold church services at Mr. Boultons on Good Friday. An Evangelical missionary from South Carolina came to this gathering. He was young, healthy and a good speaker, and had already gathered people together to whom he preached. Arrangements were made with him that Easter services would be celebrated at Cat Springs and the Lord's Supper held: and we both left in agreement. On that day (Easter) a larger crowd of people from all sides then gathered, which I had expected, and the large room at Mr. Amsler could not contain all of us - the greater number had to stand by the windows and the doors.

“At the conclusion of this service, I was voted unanimously to serve as their spiritual pastor and a yearly salary of one hundred dollars was assured me - each voted on this of their own free will and more than one openly agreed to give eight dollars per year. I accepted this assignment and in order to be better able to serve my listeners, I bought myself a small house near Cat Springs, which has one setting room, two closets and a small sleeping room. There is a small three-quarter acre garden near the house and a fifteen acre field which is not plowed.

“On the 5th of April, our neighbors came for us with two wagons and we somehow managed to get settled. Today in the afternoon, April 7,1850, it is planned that we will hold another church service under the same shelter on 17 April unless the listeners decide otherwise. We now have the most beautiful weather and winds; the afternoons are warm but the nights are cool and fine when the fireflies come out and swarm about. The redbirds, here called "Cardinals", sing in the woods and the trees around the house, their song being similar to the nightingale in Europe.

“The land here west of San Felipe and five miles from the Brazos River, is not sultry and humid since the winds blow steadily, and there is no fever which exists in some lowlands. There is none of the prevalent human ailments, mainly of the chest, and whoever would come here with a lung ailment will get well quickly. I know two neighbors who, as they told me, with their damaged lungs would already have been laid long ago in their cold bed, whereas here they got completely well. In the lowlands (bottomland) we have very productive lands, so rich that they never need to be fertilized; however, it is unhealthy to live there and for this reason, the colony and settlements is found on the highlands where there is healthy weather. The bottom land fields of the rich planters and settlers is worked by negroes, but the highlands grow Turkish wheat (corn) eight to ten feet high. Rye and wheat are not yet planted here as first, there is no mill to grind the grain, and second, it has not been proven to be successfully grown and harvested. Corn, however, grows well in the small valleys and is more productive. So the settlers bake bread made from corn. The corn is ground daily on small hand mills similar to those one has for coffee. The larger corn grain particles are fed to the chickens which everybody here has large flocks of, sometimes in two coops. The small corn flour is prepared with milk and eggs and baked on an iron plate above the coals, although it is still not as good as bread from buckwheat baked in an oven.

“Others in the neighboring settlements are able to get enough wheat flour but again there is no bakery or yeast shop, not even a beer brewery. According to a late word, the rumor is out that members of the settlement are planning an Evangelical Church and mill! “Each family has a fenced field here but the remaining land is open and basically used for grazing cattle and horses, however many a person wants; there are hogs beyond count because if you ask someone how many he has, he cannot tell you.

“Now I would like to tell you something about our neighbors, but first about the closest.

“Ondrej Laass from between Berlin and Magdeburg, lived a long time in Prussia where he saved enough that four years ago he was able and emigrated to America through Bremen. He came alone, had nothing except his healthy body, and had to go to work for others. Now he is well off, has two hundred acres of land, fifty head of cattle, eleven horses and so many hogs that he doesn't even know how many; and to add to that, he has five sons old enough to work and he himself is a strong and diligent worker.

“Our other neighbor was a boatman, unloading from the ships in Galveston. Four years ago, he bought land here and now has his own livestock and a healthy sum of cash. Laass, however, has 600 dollars and is thinking of buying a negro for his work.

“The third is Haljn who has been here six years and counts among the better-off: he has 100 head of cattle and twenty horses.

“However, of all the oldest and first settlers, is surely Mr. Amsler, born a Swiss. He came here more than fifteen years ago, but brought nothing but his health and working hands; and now he has a pretty home, hotel and a store, 1500 acres of land besides two other houses, 300 head of cattle and 100 horses.

“From this, it is possible to see that an industrious and working man can soon bring into himself some wealth. However, it is to be noted that "here without work, there are no kolache!" and anyone who is not industrious will soon return to Europe.

“I have already brought two cows with calves for ten dollars and soon will be able to buy a horse so that I may be able to ride in our settlement, or perhaps to San Felipe, some five miles. I already have eighteen hens and a neighbor has promised me some hogs. I will work and fence four acres of field for the fall and will plant cotton because it brings the most. I hope, if God gives me good health, to have more in a few years - but the start is always hard.

“Beggars and robbers are not found here and people do not close their doors nor do they have concern for their fields. On our journey, we slept some distance from our wagons and nothing happened to us. In short, no one is concerned about stealing what belongs to others. My wife lost her satchel and in it she had some toiletries and some money. But see, in eight days, our neighbor brought it to us and said it was given to him by a stranger who said it belongs in our settlement!

“There are not many people in Texas which is a land as large as Germany and Prussia put together. Texas today has 200,000 inhabitants which is the same as Breslau alone. There are only a few women who are able to come to Texas from Europe and hence these are in great demand. Our maid, Justina, already could have gotten married three times to proper and occupied youths, but she has not yet decided on anyone. Besides that, she has to serve at our home for a time in exchange for the boat fare we paid for her. That will not last long and she will soon leave us and go to her own home and household on a beautiful saddled horse, and if she is fortunate, her groom will bring her the beautiful saddled horse as a gift.

“There is here an assortment of various trees such as oaks, maple, nut and so forth. There are forests five miles to the north with cedars and cypresses from which we are able to get boards (lumber). The trees in the forests grow wild, large and tall - from the ground up to the heavens. “You will be able to visualize how it actually all looks from all this I have said, as I have told you the whole clear truth. Whoever wishes to say goodby to Europe should emigrate through Bremen to America because the ocean voyage from there is better arranged and cheaper than from Hamburg.

“I wish to add that here we have many grouse (Prairie Chickens) and deer. Now, they are shooting turkeys and deer and Mr. Boltin killed a grouse which I saw with my own eyes that weighed twenty pounds. The quail and cranes here are smaller than in Europe but they swarm so no one hardly notices, though they don't stand to be shot. I have not yet had time to go on a hunt. Bees are kept at houses and can be found everywhere in the hollow trees; they swarm from spring to fall - but go into their hives or holes because with the snow and frost, they cannot live. The bees are "robbed" twice, in May and September.

“I will repeat once again that emigrants should start on their journey in the fall because in the summer it is dangerous and unhealthy. The best is to organize in groups with families.

“You'all be good - God be with you!
.....................
(unsigned)”