1848 04
Submitted By Roy Pfeiffer
Study notations:
[] indicate
word or punctuation modification of translated text() are frequently used in
conjunction with [], but may be additions to the text, as originally
translated.(()) are used to raise questions or comment, in context,
on the text. Letter from the Deinhards in Germany to their daughter
and son-in-law, Anton Pfeiffer, in Texas
LAABER, APRIL
20, 1848,
DEAR SON-IN-LAW
AND DAUGHTER,
YOUR DEAR
LETTER OF DECEMBER 26, 1847, ARRIVED IN GOOD ORDER AND I WAS
PLEASED TO SEE
THAT YOU ARE IN GOOD HEALTH, AS WE ARE ALSO.
WRITE ME AT ONCE IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE BOOKS AND THE MANUSCRIPTS.
IN SEPTEMBER OF
THIS YEAR BARBARA AND MICHAEL((Maria's siblings))WILL ALSO GO TO AMERIKA AND
MARIA DEILHART AND SEVERAL OTHERS WILL TAKE A BOAT FOR NEW ORLEANS. IN APRIL THEY THINK THEY WILL FIND SIMON AND MARGARETHA
DEILHART WHO ARE QUITE PLEASED. MARGARETHA
MARRIED THE SHOEMAKER OF PARRATHAUSEN ((MARGARETHA IS SIMON'S SISTER.)); [HE](THE
SHOEMAKER) HAS SEEN SEVERAL SETTLERS AND SIMON AND HE HAVE WRITTEN THAT BARBARA
BAUMER WILL COME ALSO[, AND HE](. SIMON)
WILL SEND THE FARE FOR TWO PERSONS. ALSO WRITE ME WHERE BASTROP IS, HOW FAR
FROM
GALVESTON OR FROM HOUSTON OR FROM NEW ORLEANS.
I HOPE YOU WILL
RECEIVE THIS LETTER BEFORE YOU SET OUT (FOR A NEW LOCATION) ((THIS CLARIFICATION
TAKES INTO ACCOUNT AND EARLIER LETTER IN WHICH BOOKS, ETC. WERE SENT WITH
INSTRUCTIONS TO CONTACT SCHMITT, IF ANTON WAS NO LONGER IN BASTROP.
IT ALSO IMPLIES THAT ANTON may have been UNCERTAIN ABOUT SETTLING IN
BASTROP COUNTY.)); WHEN [YOU DO] (ONE DOES) NOT THINK IT IS WISE TO COME [YOU]
(ONE) ALWAYS CAN CHANGE [YOUR] (ONE'S) MIND.
MICHAEL HAS BEEN IN BREMEN [AS WORKMAN] (WORKING) SINCE APRIL 10; BUT HE
IS [GONE (COME) HOME BEFORE HE LEAVES THE COUNTRY.
AS NEWS I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT IS SO RESTLESS HERE THAT IT CAN NOT BE
DESCRIBED. KING LUDWIG HAS
ABDICATED AND THE CROWN PRINCE HAS BECOME CONSTITUTIONAL KING. IN ALL LANDS THERE WAS REVOLUTION AND EVERYONE MUST ADOPT THE
CONSTITUTION. THERE WAS MUCH
BLOODSHED IN VIENNA; IN BERLIN MORE YET, FOR THERE WERE 186 CITIZENS BURIED IN
ONE GRAVE OVER WHICH WAS PLACED A MONUMENT.
THE MILITARY BURST ALL BOUNDS ...???... THIS YEAR IT WAS INDESCRIBABLE.
MY MICHAEL HAPPENED TO BE IN BERLIN AND [HAS BEEN](WAS) WOUNDED. THERE
ARE GENERAL ELECTIONS BEING PLANNED FROM THE LOWEST CLASSES UP AND DURING
CONFEDERATION DAY AT FRANKFORT THERE IS NOTHING DECIDED.
SOME WANT A REPUBLIC AS IN FRANCE AND SWITZERLAND; OTHERS A CONSTITUTION;
SOME WANT A GERMAN EMPEROR; THEY ARE WELL MEANING BUT THINGS HAVE TO BE WORKED
OUT. THE NATIONAL GUARD NEEDS OFFICERS, THE ARMY 15,000 MEN
REINFORCEMENT, AND AS TO THE CLERGY THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED;
IN ROME ALL THE GERMANS WERE EXPELLED, AND THE STUDENTS AND PROFESSORS
OUSTED THE JESUITS AND THE RESTORERS. I
MYSELF HAVE SPOKEN WITH AN ARMY MAN WHO STUDIED IN ROME(.)
WRITE TO ME
...?... ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE HÄRRINGS AND WAGNER.
WRITE ME EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE SO THAT YOU CAN BE FOUND. GOODBYE AND DON'T FORGET US AS WE DON'T FORGET YOU.
A GREETING FROM US ALL, WE REMAIN
ALWAYS YOUR FRIEND,
JOHANN DEINHARD, INNKEEPER