Herman Heinrich Schroeder was born on December 7, 1764 in the city of Hamburg, Germany. He was the son of Joachim Friederich Schroder (1719-1772) and Catherine Elizabeth Heilper (1739-1791). His paternal grandparents were Friederich August Schroder (1693-1773), Minister of a German Lutheran Church in Mecklenberg, Schwerin, and Catharina Elisabeth Klunners. His maternal grandparents were Heinrich Lorenz Heilper and Anna Diechmarrn, who lived in Wandsbeck, a suburb of Hamburg.
By his first marriage, Joachim Friederich had two children: Johan Nicholas and Maria (Mary). By his second marriage he had four children: Herman Heinrich, Elizabeth, Johan Vincent Friederich and Anna Dorothea.
Herman Henry was baptized Herman Heinrich, but Americanized his name after settling in the United States by changing Heinrich to Henry, and became known simply as Henry Schroeder.
Joachim Friederich kept a grocery store. He also refined or distilled some 40 different kinds of cordials. He was known to be a pious man. He read the bible to his children every Sunday afternoon, and he examined them on what they had learned in school. He said grace every day at dinner, usually following the portion of psalms:

“All eyes hail thee, Oh Lord,
And thou givest them their meal in
Due Season: thou openest thine hand
And fillest all things living and plenteousness.”

Joachim Friederich built a large 5 story house on Dovenflulstrasse where the family occupied the first two stories. A separate front door and staircase led to the upper two stories which were divided into 8 apartments and rented to “very decent people”. The family attended St. Catherine’s Church where Herman Henry was later confirmed. Joachim Friederich died at the age of 63, when Herman was only 7 years old. The family continued to live on Dovenflulstrasse. Herman Henry attended school there and was bright and generally head of his class.
At 15 he went to work for a banker by the name of Hamfeld, who was primarily engaged in buying and selling foreign and domestic bills of exchange, particularly in Hamburg, Hanovian, Danish and Prussian money. Hamfeld died two years later and Herman Henry closed his business.
Immediately after he had numerous offers for a new position. He finally accepted a position under Samuel Johan Casper Fesser, one of the principal bankers of leading merchants. Herman Henry worked in the counting house (the bookkeeping department). It was there that he met and became friends with Charles Ghequiere, a man who was 10 years his senior and one of the principal clerks in the counting house of Casper Voght, a senator in the Hamburg government.
During this period he stayed at a lodging house in Wandsbeck, which was an area that he loved. This was a very prosperous community, including the palaces of several Danish counts. Since his mother had lived there as a child, he had frequently visited friends with her during his boyhood.
Early in 1783, Ghequiere’s employer sent him to America to oversee his business in Philadelphia, Charleston and Baltimore. Herman Henry was anxious to follow and on July 21, 1783, with his mother’s permission, he set sail from the harbor in Hamburg with Captain Adriansen aboard a small schooner down the Elbe River or Coxhaven. He was 18 years old and a temporary clerk for John Melbeck, who was taking him to the United States.
At Coxhaven they boarded the small sailing ship “Henrietta”, with 5 or 6 other passengers and Captain Adriansen in command, bound for Philadelphia. They had a long and tedious passage down the English Channel, across the Atlantic to Newfoundland and down the coast to the Delaware River. It was there that they encountered a severe storm and spent an uncomfortable night outside in the Atlantic until the storm passed. The next morning it was clam and the proceeded up the river to Philadelphia where they landed on Sunday, October 12th, 1783. The crossing from Hamburg had taken 83 days.
The next morning in Philadelphia, Herman Henry encountered an acquaintance from Hamburg who found a position for him with a man named Reimer Ruge. Ruge had a store on Walnut near Front Street and needed help to close the business because he was leaving for Hamburg 6 weeks later. During this period, Herman Henry took lodging at the home of a Captain Easterly on Race Street, and he applied himself to learn English.
Ruge consigned his remaining goods to a German named Saunders in New York, and Herman Henry left Philadelphia to go to work for Saunders in late November or early December 1783. It was a three day trip by stage coach with stops at Princeton and at Amboy for the night, and then a ferry to Manhattan. In February 1784 he returned to work for another German named Peter Burger.
In May 1784 in Philadelphia, Herman Henry met by chance Charles Ghequiere, who had established a grain business in Baltimore. Ghequiere employed Herman Henry to handle some of his grain transactions and took him o Baltimore where he lived with Ghequiere until Ghequiere married in February 1785.
At that time Herman Henry opened a store of his own on Market Street in Baltimore where he dealt in English and German goods. His store was opposite the Alexander Brown & Son counting house. In September 1785 a customer, Mrs. Trisler, introduced Herman Henry to her niece, Susannah Schwartz, who lived with her father, Valentine Schwartz, in Frederick, Maryland.
On October 30th, 1785, when he was 20 years old, Herman Henry and Susannah Schwartz were married. She was born on April 29, 1766. They had four sons; Valentine Henry (1787-1870), Frederick William (1788-1854), Thomas Charles (1791-1794), and a fourth son, Augustus Edward, born on January 17th, 1793 and died in childhood.
Herman Henry’s business prospered and he became a wealthy importer and dry goods merchant. He was active in civic affairs, and the family attended St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Baltimore. He was one of the founding directors of The National Union Bank of Maryland, which later merged with Baltimore Trust Company. He was also a member of the first board of directors of The Baltimore Fire Insurance Company and a member of the Mechanical Society.
Herman Henry acquired property on what are now Schroeder and Franklin Streets in Baltimore where shortly after his marriage to Susannah Schwartz he built a fine, Federal style house, and named it Wandsbeck after the area he visited with his mother during his youth.
Susannah Schwartz Schroeder died on November 2 1794 at the age of 28 and is buried in Greenmount Cemetery in Baltimore with her husband.
On April 5th, 1795 he married again, Mary Schley of Frederick, Maryland. She was born on January 4, 1774, and was the daughter of George Jacob Schley (1739-1811) and Margaret Fortney (1741-1807). They had five children; Herman Charles (1796-1851), George Repold (1797-1799), John Frederick (1800-1857), Mary Anna (1802-1838) and Margareta Elizabeth (1804-1864).
Herman Henry Schroeder died on July 24th, 1839 at the age of 74 and Mary Schley Schroeder died shortly after on January 20th, 1840 at the age of 66. They are buried in Greenmount Cemetery in Baltimore beside Susannah Schwartz Schroeder.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Wandsbeck, Maryland
_______________1837

Rev. J.F. Schroeder, D.D.
My dear son:

Your having so frequently and earnestly requested me to give you a history of my life, and after postponing it too long, I am now resolved to go about it.
I am commencing near the epoch of the beginning of my 74th year, for I was born on the 7th of December, 1764, in Hamburg, Germany. My father’s name was Joachim Frederick Schroeder, and his father was a Minister of the German Lutheran church in Mecklenburg Schwerin. I do not ever remember to have seen him, but he was in Hamburg when I was a child, as I am told; his name was J. Frederick Schroeder. My grandfather on my mother’s side lived in Wandsbeck near Hamburg; his name was Henry Heilper; he had an establishment of chemistry; he refined camphor in large quantities, and attended to other chemical operations; he also had a large establishment for bleaching wax; he died when my mother was young, before she was married; she was his only child. Soon after his death my grandmother with her daughter removed to Hamburg – her name was Anna or Hannah Heilper, and my mother’s name Catherine Elizabeth.
My father kept what is called in this country a grocery store, say sugar, tea, coffee, etc. He also refined or distilled liquors; that is to say, he had no distillery of whiskey, but he made what is here called cordials, say aniseed, caraway, cinnamon, calmus, persies, etc. etc. I have often heard it mentioned that he had 40 different sorts of these liquors.
My father was twice married; by his first wife he had two children, a son and a daughter. His son’s name was Johan Nicholas, and his daughter’s name was Mary or Maria; his son I believe settled in the upper part of Germany, and that is all I know of him; the daughter was married and settled in Hamburg to a respected man; his name was Reiner Ruge – she had no children, and is long since deceased.
I am the first born of my mother, and I was baptized by a worthy minister named Zimmerman. My parents belonged to the congregation of St. Catherine’s Church, as we lived in the ward belonging to that church, & Mr. Zimmerman was the Arch-Diaconus of that church.
There were two sponsors present. One was named Herman Wellman – he was one of the richest men in Hamburg. I was called Herman after him. The other man’s name I do not at present recollect. I was called Heinrich or Henry after him.
My mother had one daughter since my birth; her name was Elizabeth; after that a son named Johan Vincent Frederick, and one more daughter named Anna Dorothea. She came to this country after my mother’s death and resided with us some time, until she married a Dr. Hanecken and went with him to Batavia, in the West Indies. They are all now deceased and left this mortal stage.
My father died when I was about 7 years old, but my mother kept the establishment as kept by him, many years after his death. My father had built a very fine house, which must have been 50 or 60 feet front, and certainly 5 stories high; the first and second stories were occupied by my father, the proprietor; then there was another large or principal front door which led to a large staircase to lead to all the other or upper apartments, which were so many different dwelling; there were certainly 8 different dwellings above, all good, roomy & genteel, which were rented out to very decent people; I have been frequently among them. The name of the street was, Dovenflul. Some time after my father’s death that large house was sold, but my mother still lived therein for several years, after which she removed to another house in the neighborhood which she purchased afterwards, in which she lived until her death.
My father was a pious good man. I well remember every Sunday afternoon he made us read in the Bible and examined what we had been learning in school. I perfectly remember he said grace every day at dinner, and his principal and daily prayer at the table was from the psalms:

All eyes hail upon thee, Oh! Lord,
And thou givest them their meal in
Due season; Thou openest thine hand
And fillest all things living with plentiousness.

I remember it perfectly well when he said it in German, though it must have been 65 or 66 years ago.

CHAPTER II

The first exploit of my boyhood was when I went to school at about 5 or 6 years old. The school was kept by two elderly ladies, and was situated directly opposite my grandmother’s; she watched every morning to see the man take me to school, and after school the girl would have to take me to her house. She lived upstairs in the house of a wine merchant. His name was Puest, & he and his wife caressed me, and kept me sometimes with them. When I was 6 years old I got a present of a Bible. I could read the Bible then readily and was learning to write. My school mistress wrote verses in this Bible in German, all of which I perfectly remember.
I further remember, just about this time, the wine merchant Mr. Puest had been married to a young and handsome lady, and I was very fond of looking or staring at her, but whenever she noticed it, I looked shamefaced & turned my head aside. Now although I was such a young boy I had accidentally picked up some poetry addressed to a young married couple, so I resolved I would address it to them, and I boldly requested them to permit me to make my speech. I really thought I deserved great applause for it, it being my own notion without any instruction, and you may depend, the applause they bestowed on me and my talents and their praises of me were unbounded. Whenever I came after that they gave me some cherry cordial made of wine and other sweet things.
Soon after that I left that school and was placed under a schoolmaster. His name was Wetzel. I was not more than 7 years old, but I remember it almost perfectly. The schoolmaster I went to, Mr. Wetzel was a remarkably correct and worthy man in every respect. I shall ever esteem his memory. I became very soon a favorite of his and, although I say it myself, I was very generally ahead in my classes.
One afternoon in every boy had his Bible before him. The master would then mention any chapter in the bible & read the beginning of the verse. For instance he would say, “St. Luke 5th Chapter, ‘and when they had brought up their ship to land, they forsook all and followed him.’” This is the eleventh verse, and any boy who found it first would call out, “The eleventh verse.” The master then would call out some other verse, in some other Book, and if any boy found it first three times in succession he would get a quill for a premium. I found it first so readily & so quickly that my master proposed to me that he would make me frequently a present of a dozen colored quills, instead of the common white. I agreed to it, but I was to continue calling out as before, which, I in pity to my comrades declined, and whispered the word to them.
During my boyhood from 7 to 14 years, my mother of course took me to church regularly, at least twice every Sunday, and I had to read daily the morning and evening prayers, there being an excellent collection of them, by Benjamin Smollet, in double set for every day in the week; one week in rhyme, and at the end of every prayer a hymn, and for another week in prose, but few lines of poetry at the end of each prayer. I know them with all my heart. I have not the same book now, but fortunately I saw it at my gardener’s, Mr. Schwartz, some years ago, and I bought it from him and have it before me. Some of the hymns are extremely beautiful. Among them is one for Saturday night. It is extremely pious. Yes, my dear son, I had to read them all for a number of years for my mother, and the family and I love them yet.
I may now say something of my mother and Hamburg. There was a worthy minister in Hamburg. He was what is called Arch – Deaconus of St. Catherine’s Church, to which congregation we all belonged, this Mr. Schwabe was elected minister to St. Catherine’s in August 1767, and my mother scarcely ever omitted to attend his preaching’s. She regularly set down on a sheet of paper, every time, the text and head divisions of his sermons, any principal statements, verses of poetry, etc., and the Rev. Mr. Schwabe called on her and gave her any explanations that she required. Oh! How such recollections are gratifying to a feeling soul! The minister’s name was Johan George Schwabe. He was between 40 & 50 years the Minister of that church.
In Hamburg there are five principal churches besides numerous small ones. The 5 principal churches are St. Michael’s, St. Petri and Paul, St. Catherine, St. Nicholas, and St. Jacobi. To each church there are 4 standing ministers, called Diaconi, say 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Diaconus. The head minister only preaches, and always in the forenoon at about 9 ½ to 12 o’clock. The Diaconi preach by rotation a 6 or 7 o’clock, or at noon services at 1 o’clock, or afternoon service at 3 o’clock. The head minister does not baptize, neither does he attend to the administration of the sacrament, all of which is only done by the Diaconi. He however attends to the performance of the rites of marriage, as the other’s do.
In each church there are three small private rooms or cabinets partitioned off, in each of which attend a deacon all day Saturday, and a number of persons attend around them, and generally 2 or 4 persons enter the apartment together – generally a man, his wife, and children. The minister bids them welcome, & they sit down, and each person states or repeats a short address, or confession as it is called, & the minister then addresses them and repeats an absolution. When they retire thru an opposite door, each puts in the hand of the minister a small piece of money, say half a dollar or thereabouts, some more, some less.
The next Sunday these people go to Communion. When attending the Communion every gentlemen or man in good circumstances wears a black cloak, and when the Communion is administered all the communicants stand round the altar. The place where the altar is situated is generally the west end of the church, and nearly as large as St. Paul’s altogether. The altar is generally in front of two or four immense columns, and 2 cherubim’s or angels on each side, and it stands clear of the walls, so that the communicants can go around it. They step up to the minister and receive the wafer. They then walk behind the altar, around it, and on the other side they receive the cup. The men always go first, and if a man has the title of Dr. he goes first, then the Senators or high church officers, etc., and then the females. In each church there are generally 3 to 400 communicants every Sunday. The females very generally dress in black, even the maidservants. When I went to sacrament first, my sponsor, Herman Wellman, presented me with a valuable black cloak. The minister who administers the cup & performs the principal ceremonies in preparation of communion wears over his white surplice a crimson colored velvet mantle, full length, on the back of which is embroidered at full length a cross, as broad as my hand, stitched in gold, and Christ on it stitched in silver. This was an imposing effect, but how it savors of Catholicism! The minister wears this splendid cloak during the whole ceremony. When young persons are 15 or 16 they are confirmed by any of the Diaconi, in such churches as are in the ward.
I was confirmed of course by the Rev. Johan George Schwabe of St. Catherine’s, after having received the necessary instructions in school, by my worthy schoolmaster Mr. Wetzel. He called me and some others up before all the school and addressed the scholars on the subject: That we were now leaving the school, and going into the business of the world. To me he addressed himself in a very particular manner, and he mentioned to each one generally some verse of scripture.
To me he said:
“Hold what thou hast; let no one take thy crown.”

My schoolmaster Mr. Wetzel afterwards spoke to the Rev. Mr. Schwabe of me and my conduct in the highest terms. When the Rev. Mr. Schwabe confirmed me, he also addressed me particularly, stating the immense responsibility I had in my talents, and he said, “He to whom much is given, of him much will be required.”
When I dined with you in Princeton, Dr. Green, audibly at the table, before a large company, stated your exemplary conduct and said, “ I can say of your son Mr. Schroeder, what I can say of but few: During his residence here of four years he never made me one moment’s uneasiness!” I then thought of Mr. Wetzel & Mr. Schwabe and the character they gave me. Oh! How it makes my heart beat now!


Chapter III

Soon after I was confirmed, I was, I think, very fortunately, placed with a respectable Banker, Mr. Hamfeld. There was very little else to do than headwork, and I was soon up to it. In Hamburg there was no bank note circulation. It, was and I believe is yet, all gold and silver, but the merchants did not dirty their hands with it; they gave a check or order on their banker: for instance if a vessel arrived they gave the Captain a check on a Banker, the Banker gave the Captain what is called course currency, which is generally dollars, halves, & quarters, and also what is call shilling pieces, but rather thinner. Forty eight such shillings is a dollar. These are counted out and fixed up in small paper packages of $10 in each, and these $10 packages, if they are made up by a respectable banker, pass through numerous hands. These which were packed up and sealed by me for Mr. Hamfeld passed everywhere. The Bankers have also to attend at the Exchange every day, buying and selling foreign and domestic bills of exchange for their Merchants to collect through the Bank, etc. Then again, as Mr. Hamfeld lived near the principal market, the market people came every day with their large and small money, etc., etc. All Hamburg money, which they could not pass in the little places where they lived, say about 5 miles or more from Hamburg. Some wanted Hanoverian money, some Danish or Prussian money, etc, etc. all these moneys are inferior to Hamburg money, and they gain something by giving Hamburg money for the inferior coin. I was a great hand with these country folks, and had much of their custom and confidence.
The family of Mr. Hamfeld was a wife, an amiable woman, and three children. I was quite a favorite with the family, Mr. Hamfeld was sickly and infirm, and very frequently in the evening he and his wife would take a ride just for an airing, or on Sunday’s with one or two of the children, and they always took me along. Mrs. Hamfeld had a brother, the Rev. Arch Deacon Mr. Ruderlph Gerhard Behrman. I have his name in the Hamburg state calendar for 1816 now before me. He was elected in 1775 in August, and has been more than 41 years there. This Mr. Behrman was of course a highly respectable minister. He came very often to see the family and spent the evening, but there is a circumstance which now surprises me: in Hamburg it then was the custom, and I am told is yet throughout Germany, that you cannot spend an evening sociably without playing cards. I have seen the Rev. Mr. Behrman very frequently & generally joining in the cards. To be sure they did not play for money of any consequence, but such is the custom there. After I had been at Mr. Hamfeld’s about 2 years he died, and as young as I was, a little more than 17, I closed all of his business. Mr. Hamfeld had formally been in business with a Mr. Morchan, another rich banker, and he superintended the closing of the concern & highly approved my conduct.
Immediately after, I had numerous offers from several Bankers to attend to their counting houses. I selected Mr. Sam’l Johan Casper Fesser, one of the principal Bankers, who had a very large concern, among many of the first merchants. Of them was the house of Casper Voght. Mr. Voght was a Senator in Hamburg and his concerns were so large that I was almost daily at his counting house. Mr. Charles Ghequiere was one of the principal clerks, and I became intimately acquainted with him. There I got my first notion of leaving Hamburg and going to America. Mr. Voght had sent one or more ships to Philadelphia, Charleston, & Baltimore, and becoming perhaps uneasy about his agent, he was determined to send Mr. Ghequiere to look after him. I had several conversations with Mr. Ghequiere on the subject, but my dear Mother opposed my going.
Before I come to the period when I left Hamburg I will state a few particulars of how I passed my time while I lived with Mr. Fesser.
During the week we were always busy from morning until night, but Sunday I had entirely holiday, whereas many young men of my acquaintance, who lived with Merchants who had large correspondence all over Europe, had often to attend to the arrival of mails on Sunday, etc.
I was well acquainted in Wandsbeck through my Mother and I often rode or walked there. There had been a Merchant in Hamburg some years before, called Schimmelman, who was very intimate in the family of Mr. Wellman, where my Mother had often seen him. Mr. Schimmelman failed suddenly and went off, but Mr. Wellman had him stopped in Germany, between Austria and Prussia. Mr. Schimmelman became a contractor to supply the armies, and many severe things were said against him, how he overreached the King of Prussia, etc. He acquired an immense fortune. He threw himself and his fortune under the protection of the King of Denmark. He purchased Wandsbeck and its territories from the King of Denmark and built a grand palace there. He improved it wonderfully & married one of the ladies of the Court, a relation of the King, and became a nobleman, “Count Schimmelman,” and lives in splendor. When he took possession of Wandsbeck, he took a walk in the Park accompanied by all his retinue; Mr. Wellman’s country seat being in Wandsbeck, he stopped at Mr. Wellman’s garden gate and knocked. My Mother told me this herself, she was there. Mr. Wellman at first declined going into the garden to meet him. However, after much entreaty by Mrs. Wellman, he went. Mr. Shimmelman made free and easy, for he was in the manner of a perfect gentleman, and among other things he said, “My dear Mr. Wellman, make no restraint in our intercourse, I am the same Schimmelman I was when we had a frolick in your house, and threw our wigs at each other.” He further said, “Oh Madam Wellman, I well remember when, partly through my fault, we broke some handsome china for you. If you will permit me I will reinstate it as far as I am able,” and he sent in a day or two a splendid service of china, worth several hundred dollars. This Mr. Wellman refused to accept, and there was a great contest between Mr. & Mrs. Wellman on the subject, so much so, that Mrs. Wellman got her Minister to persuade Mr. Wellman to retain it. Mr. Wellman always said that Mr. Schimmelman did not act correctly and he would have nothing to do with him.
I always spent Sundays in summer at my favorite Wandsbeck. The grounds around the palace must have been 1 or 2 miles square. There was no end to the shady walks among the trees – Summer houses, Bathing houses, Marble statues in immense quantities, not only single statues round the Palace and in niches in the woods, but several groups of statuary, many of them in view of the Palace. The Summer houses & Bathing houses were paved with white marble, elegant sofas in the apartments, some with gilt edges and silk cushions on them, and the chairs also, and all “pro bono publico,” open for every person to go in & sit down, at there ease, with their friends and families. In the town of Wandsbeck there were numerous Taverns, for it appeared to be the object of Count Schimmelman to induce the people to visit these taverns and spend their money. I assure you I never saw any impropriety committed in these gardens or in he enclosure of the Palace grounds. Everybody could go in, but no smoking of any kind was allowed, nor any noise or rude conduct; everything was conducted with the greatest decorum, & many a happy hour I have passed there. My dear Mother frequently took walks there with her children, scarce an hour’s walk, and spent the day there. In the taverns was dancing, musick, & playing 9 pins, all the afternoon of Sunday, & I sincerely declare I scarcely ever saw a drunkard there, everything is done so genteelly. If you go into any of these genteel taverns, you call for a “portion of coffee, as it is called. A neat round table is set immediately with a cloth on it, a genteel and well dressed woman generally attends, you get the coffee in a new china pot, some slices of bread and butter with smoked sausage out, the young woman pours out your coffee and offers you a long white smoke pipe of tobacco (which I have never made use of in any shape) and the whole charge was 4 Hamburg shillings, which is about 8 cents of our money – there are 48 shillings to a Hamburg dollar, which is about the value of a dollar here.
There is a neat church in Wandsbeck, and I have of course been frequently in it. The Palace was an elegant edifice and as far as I can guess 250 feet or more square, with a spire on it – all around it a sheet of water, which was not considered unwholesome there – on the water were numerous swans – the water however was only on three fronts – the principal front was level with higher ground. I remember in the Hall of the Palace were two colossal statues. They were black, but not Negroes; they represented Moors, with long hair – each held in one hand a very large glass lamp, and in the other the cover of the lamp, some distance above it. The elegant furniture in the rooms I cannot attempt to describe. Some apartments were filled with paintings of several of the Kings of Denmark on horseback as large as life.
There were two smaller villages belonging to the village of Wandsbeck, which Count Schimmelman of course bought with it. One was called “Arensburgh” & the other “Iesbeck.” In each of these was also a Palace, but they were old fashioned. I have been in each of them. One Palace was in the shape of an ancient castle. As far as I could learn there was a governor residing in each Palace, and very often the family of Schimmelman resolved, sometimes in the forenoon, to dine at Iesbeck, or Arensburgh. There was always a dinner prepared in each, and as I stayed in my lodging house at Mr. Vogal’s, who kept several carriages for hire, the servants of Schimmelman often came in a bustle to get extra carriages to take things to these Palaces, and I was told there were daily invitations to strangers to any of the Palaces, and when they came the Governor of the palace entertained them. Each of these Palaces was about 4 or 5 miles from Wandsbeck.
Mr. Vogal in Wandsbeck, at whose house I always staid, kept several carriages for hire. These carriages have no covers on them. They were light neat summer wagons, open, the backs of light wicker work. Very often on a Sunday afternoon I would drive myself to the gates of Hamburg, and numerous young men of my acquaintance took seats immediately. But I always drove myself. Such a wagon holds at least 8 persons. There are hundreds of tem attending round the gates of Hamburg, particularly on Sundays. Scarcely one in a hundred is seen with a cover on. They are light and you can drive very fast.
I omitted to say in Wandsbeck there are numerous manufacturies such as calico printing, bleaching, etc. I may further add I noticed, some years ago, that one or two of these young counts Schimmelman were governors of some of the Danish islands.

Chapter IV

Now something about the manners of Hamburg, and of the city. When I was about 14 years old there was one of the head ministers, a man of much influence and very pious, but rather violent in opposing any amusement which he thought frivolous. His name was Melchior Goetze. He was generally called the Orthodox. He had some contest or controversy with one of the ministers named Alberty, who he thought was not pious enough. Alberty died. Soon after appeared in a newspaper a small piece of poetry:
“For the tomb of the Orthodan (by Orthodan meaning Pastor Goetze): The Pope of Hammonia rests beneath this stone. In Heaven he will not suffer. Socrates the Heathen, neither Alberty the heretic, to be there. If therefore the Lord does not give him a Heaven for himself, we do not know where he will abide.”
There was a young and very beautiful actress, an uncommon favorite with the public. She died suddenly. A long and very elegant elegy was written on her death in German. I know every word of it yet by heart though more than 60 years ago. The last few lines are rather too pious for an actress. Here they are:

Translation

But often o often I return
To nourish myself with high feeling & wisdom
To the monument of her resting place
And then whisper to me
To comfort me, Oh! Charlotte,
Whisper – of the happiness
Thou enjoyest in the presence of God:
Some sweet foretaste to me here below.


The young man proposed to erect a marble monument over her grave. This was violently opposed by pastor Goetze. He said so many Patriots and pious men had died, and there was no monument over their grave, etc., & his influence prevailed. It was not permitted. I believe they erected a handsome monument in Wandsbeck in the graveyard. Not long after, a piece appeared in the newspaper, in which the writer says, “He has now for time observed that the sun shines kindly and benevolently in Wandsbeck, and it rains refreshingly, etc., also there – he thought since that monument was erected there, all these things should cease.” Though I do not recollect much of politics at that time in the papers, such little controversies were plenty.
I have before me a book called the German Tourist for 1837 published in Philadelphia by DeSilver, Thomas & Co. It contains descriptions of several cities in Germany, among them Hamburg. It is to me very interesting. Hamburg was called Hammonia in ancient times. The founder of it is allowed to have been Charlemagne, many hundred years ago. There are 5 principal churches, as I stated in the second chapter. “The most ancient is the church of St. Peter & St. Paul. It is in the form of an oblong parallelogram with a very slender and therefore handsome steeple, 416 feet high, and has a fine peal of bells; the steeple of St. Catherine’s is 390 feet high.” St. Michaels is in the Tourist called, “the chief ornament of Hamburg is the church of St. Michael’s; the steeple is 456 feet high. The former old church was burnt in 1720 0r 1730. It took 30 years to build the new one. It was completed in 1762 and cost 1,600,000 marks, which is about $500,000. The spire however was not built or finished until the year 1768, and mush have cost an enormous sum.” I saw a large copper bell put on it, I think in the year 1768. It was an enormous size. My mother was acquainted with the coppersmith where it was made. When I saw it, it was in two halves, each half was as far as I can recollect about 6 feet high. A step was on it, and my mother and her 4 children went up the step and got into that half. There were several small seats in it, and we sat down, & there was room for several persons more. A small table stood in the center, and the man gave us each a glass of wine, so that we could say when it was up that we had been drinking wine in that bell. When I saw it up, it looked very small indeed.
The Tourist says, “Hamburg contains at present 125,000 inhabitants, among them 14,000 Jews, 4000 Calvinists, 3,000 Catholics and 5,000 Menonists and Moravians, the remainder are Lutherans. The constitution is, and ever has been, a moderate Democracy (I am therefore a Republican born). It is governed by 24 Senators and 4 Burgomasters. No tax can be laid without the consent of the citizens generally. It has an admirably organized Burgher guard, which consists of 10,000 Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery and is equal to any militia.” “The Hamburgers are very attentive to business during the week, but Sundays and holidays they enjoy themselves, especially during the summer. It may be affirmed that on Sundays and holidays the city pours out of the gates in all directions, and in the evening of some Sundays and holidays 30 or 40,000 persons are entering the city before the gates are closed. Whoever has visited these scenes & enjoyed the thousand pleasures which they offer will certainly allow the native of that good ancient city to be in the right when he affirms, “There is but one Hamburg in the world.”
In the 3rd chapter I mentioned that after Mr. Hamfeldt’s death, I entered in Mr. Fesser’s Counting or Banking house, and how I became acquainted with Mr. Ghequiere at Mr. Casper Voght’s, and that Mr. Ghequiere left Hamburg for America. This was early in 1783. Some time after that I accidentally met Mr. John Melbeck, an acquaintance of mine at the Exchange, who told me he intended going to America as Supercargo and that he would sail in a few days. I immediately offered myself to him as a clerk, as I looked upon him as a particular friend of mine. He said he had engaged a young man named Uumezer. After some hesitation he proposed if I would go in the same ship with him and assist him as a clerk, on our arrival he would at any rate pay my board until I could do better. This I immediately agreed to. The ship he intended to go on was the Henrietta, a small but nice vessel intended for Philadelphia. I immediately went to my Mother. She at last consented, and Mr. Fesser was also satisfied, and in a few days I was prepared. The Captain’s name was Adriansen. I went with my Mother to his house, and agreed for my passage, which was moderate, as I stated that I was to be assistant clerk to Mr. Melbeck. He said the vessel would drop down the river that week, and on Sunday or Monday the passengers would go down – there were only 5 or 6 gentlemen passengers. I was to attend at the Baum house, as it is called, on Monday morning about 8 o’clock to go with the Captain in a small schooner with some provisions, etc. Thus in less that a week all my preparations were made to leave my Fatherland and all. However, I was in High Spirits and desired to see the world. My Mother gave me about $150 in Duckets, and I had a fine stock of clothes of all sorts as in addition to my salary at Mr. Fesser’s my dear Mother had provided for me well. It was on Monday the 21st of July 1783 that I went with my Mother to the Baum house. It is something like a ferry house at the mouth of the harbour. There is an upper story on it with a gallery, and the little vessel went off with the captain and myself, she waved her white handkerchief towards me, and I never saw her more! Such are the interesting scenes of life – to have a Mother and such a Mother who had so perfectly fulfilled all her maternal duties towards me – it is only Almighty God who could and I trust has rewarded her. I have often wondered at myself how I could have resolved to leave her, and my happy home and situation, but so it is. I corresponded with her for several years, say 7 or 8, when she died.

Here ends my history of Hamburg.




Chapter V

Captain Adriansen and myself proceeded on in our small schooner, leaving the harbour of Hamburg on Monday July 21st 1783. I was then 18 years old. We proceeded down the river Elbe. Our vessel the Henrietta must have been a considerable distance from the city, perhaps 50 miles or more. The morning was fine and clear, but about noon a heavy thunder storm gust came on, with high wind, and I became very sick. It was the first time in my life, as I had been very little from home on water. The Captain was very kind and advised me to eat nothing and drink but little, and if I followed his advice I probably would not suffer much from sea-sickness afterwards. I of course did as the Captain advised me. In the evening at dusk we reached our vessel. The Captain immediately said to the passengers, “Here I bring you a seaman. He will not be troubling you much with sea-sickness.” I had gone through a pretty severe trial that day. The next day we proceeded on our voyage down the river and came near a harbour called Cuxhaven, which is Hamburg territory and at the mouth of the river near the sea. We stopped one day there to lay in some provisions, and I and the other passengers went on shore, to spend our last Hamburg small pocket money as we said. We amused ourselves at one of the hotels playing nine-pins, got a good dinner, among the rest plenty of strawberries and cream, and all went on very cheerful. To me it was altogether new, as I had been so little from home on any excursion of pleasure.
Next day we went on the open sea and saw immense quantities of large sea fish surrounding the vessel. They are call I believe Bottlenoses. In the Atlantic is a species much the same as these – they are called porpoises. They were constantly in sight, but the Captain said they were scarcely fit to eat.
I soon thought of keeping a daily journal, which I did, and I had it several years afterwards, but it was neglected and is now lost, for which I am very sorry now.
I remember well when we passed through the British Channel we saw the coast of France at a distance, but we passed very near the coast of England and saw the Isle of Wight and many houses on shore. Some time after, when we were on the Atlantic, we saw two young whales sporting in the water. One of the passengers shot with a musket at them, but of course they did not notice it. Sometimes they would go under the water and then appear again, but at length both disappeared. They appeared to go down perpendicularly, for they went down head first and their tails appeared high in the air. The Captain said they are gone, we shall see them no more.
We had a very long tedious passage over. The Captain was so prudent that at night the upper sails were generally taken in, and I, being very impatient to go on and make progress, soon I was on good terms with the mate, who had been often in England and I believe was a good seaman. I had a good stock of cordials and would often persuade the mate to set up a few more sails, and we of course went on a little faster and the vessel often then labored more, so as to wake the Captain. He would soon be on deck and command all the upper sails be taken in, etc. Some time after that he found that I had prevailed on the mate to set more sail, and he said he would soon put a stop to it, and whenever more sail was set at night he would call all hands aloft, “Ahoy,” and in that case every hand must leave his berth, etc. Next day he told the passengers, “I am not going to hurry my ship that Mr. Schroeder may have the pleasure of parading the streets of Philadelphia with his three-cornered hat and gold tassels on it.” Gold tassels were the fashion in Hamburg in my time with well dressed men, but in America I soon quit the gold part.
As my Captain predicted, I had very little if any sea-sickness. Most of the other passengers, 5 or 6 in number, suffered terribly. I left the cabin soon after we got to sea. It was too confined and sickly for me, and I took a berth under the mate’s, which was in front of the cabin near the steps. This was a pleasant place for me. When the weather was rough I sat on the mate’s chest with my back resting against his berth and my feet against the step. There I had fresh air, and when the vessel labored much I sat firm. We had a plentiful stock of provisions – twice a week salt fish – very often nice Westphalia hams, etc. I sometimes after dinner would take a large brown biscuit such as the German ships now have I believe, place it on my knee, as a plate, with a good slice of raw (not boiled) ham on it, and display a good appetite. The Captain would say, “Si Signore” (this is a Portuguese expression); “you eat for pastime.” I would answer, “Well, my dear Sir, why don’t you hurry on to Philadelphia to get rid of me.”
At last we reached the banks of Newfoundland not very far from our coast. This must have been late in September. This is where the cod fisheries are carried on to such an extent – there are many vessels there all engaged in the fisheries. It happened to be a calm fine day, the sea smooth. The Captain and the mate were well prepared. They fitted up strong lines, such as are used for drying clothes on. On the end of the line was a stick 1 to 2 inches thick and about 2 ½ feet long. The stick was then tied across the end of the line, and smaller lines fastened on each end of the stick, on which were secured the hooks and baits with a small weight attached thereto. Most of us had such a line to attend to, and such is the enormous quantity of fish that we had nothing to do but to throw the lines overboard and immediately after haul them up with one or two codfish on it. The fish were so ravenous that the bait scarcely reached the water before the fish jumped up to it. The other vessels being much engaged as we were, we observed them in full operation, many of them at anchor. Indeed, such was the prodigious throng of fish below that it happened twice that the hooks came in the throng between the fish, so that the hook caught them in the side or in the body, and were positively brought up two of them in that way. Some of the fish were very large. When such fish were hauled over, they would spring and jump violently. The cook and one or two other men would stand ready with knives, and often had to throw themselves whole length on the fish to rip them open, for they would spring overboard if not held down by force. All these things were very amusing and interesting to me. In about half a day we had caught 2 or more hogshead full. This was a treat to us all, who had been full 2 months without fresh provisions. Some were salted and pickled, and some left to eat fresh.
The livers of the fish made an excellent dish. I was always fond of fish and the livers. I was young and healthy and I ate hearty. The Captain entreated me to be careful or I might get sick – at last he declared I should have no medicine from his chest. I laughed at him, and I am happy to say I was healthy and well all of the voyage.
Thus speaking of codfish, I ought to mention that in Hamburg there are plenty for sale throughout the year. Hamburg, it appears, is one of the greatest fish markets in Europe. “The German Tourist” says there are 70 different species of fish in the river Elbe alone. In Hamburg all the fish offered for sale must be alive. They have the carp in profusion. We get some Carp from the Susquehanna; they run generally with the Shad in the spring; in Hamburg they are very generally attended to and are for sale a great part of the year. They are fattened near Hamburg in fishponds made for the purpose. Several ponds are near each other, in some of them the water is let off and Rye is sown. When the Rye is grown about 3 or 4 feet high, the water is let in and plenty of carp at the same time. It appears they are there in large tubs filled with water and they swim about. No one thinks of buying a dead carp; they must be alive. I have gone to market frequently in the evening about 7 or 8 o’clock to get them fresh and perfect for supper, as in Hamburg very generally supper is eaten about 10 o’clock, and carp is one of the favorite evening fish.
Thus have I made rather a digression from my sea voyage when I came to the article of my favorite Cod, etc. We proceeded on our voyage slow and sure, and on about the 5th of October we came near the coast, it being then nearly 80 days since we left Hamburg.
The wind was fair but rather strong and about north easterly. It was the afternoon and the Captain feared to enter Delaware Bay. He apprehended a storm might arise and we would not get high enough in the Bay before night, and ordered the ship to beat off. I humbly believed, under the blessing of God, this saved us all from a watery grave. The mate was outrageous, and openly quarreled with the Captain; the ship’s carpenter, and elderly clever man, took off his wig and trampled on it in vexation. I went below and shed tears.
We met several vessels going in, and we told them we returned to the open sea rather than go on and have a storm in the Bay. One ship passed us pretty close; when we told them, they laughed aloud at us and we saw these vessels all go into the Bay.
During the night the wind increased to a furious storm. We kept beating off the coast as well as we could, and at last our vessel was fairly laid on her beam ends. The Captain after consulting the mate resolved to cut away one of the masts, but so dreadfully did the waves beat over the vessel that the sailor who held the axe was very nearly washed overboard, and the axe was lost in the sea.
I sat in my usual seat near the steps, the lamp was out from the violent beating of the ship. The Captain for a moment open the cabin (door) upper enclosure and requested me if possible to find a small hatchet which we had in the cabin for cutting loaf sugar, etc. I knew where it was in the cabin and crawled in on my hands and feet and got it, and was up half the step to give it to him when a dreadful wave overwhelmed us all. The water rushed down the step, and I lost the hatchet in the baggage below, all in the dark, so nothing could be done, and we had to be quiet until daylight when the violence of the storm somewhat abated and the vessel rose gradually up.
By fair daylight it became almost calm. Then we all were convinced had the mast been cut away, the vessel would have drifted on shore, as we were very near the coast. We all admitted it to have been a Providential preservation of us. By about noon the sea became more calm and we all appeared on deck. The sun shone bright and we all began to dry our clothing, beds, etc., and nearly all by unanimous consent fell upon our knees, and thanked God for our wonderful preservation. The following night was fine and clear, we could see the coast and heard the waves roaring on the shore.
In the morning we saw the lighthouse, but no pilot came off. We were fortunately overtaken by a schooner from North Carolina. The Captain said he was well acquainted there, and went on before us towards the lighthouse. At last a Pilot boat came off and congratulated us on our safety. When we came inside of the Bay we saw 5 or 6 vessels, the very ones that met us as we returned to sea again, also the nice ship that met us and laughed at us. The vessels had all been at anchor and were driven on shore, and the greater part of the crews perished. The Pilot had been detained in the Bay endeavoring to save all they could from the wrecked vessels, which was the cause of their not promptly attending to us when we came in sight of the lighthouse. The sea around us was covered with floating wrecks; all these occurrences made a wonderful impression on my mind – and this history how almost miraculously we escaped shipwreck, I told it over many times when we arrived in Philadelphia. The newspapers and other accounts spoke of the great storm that had been raging all along the coast, also down to the West Indies.
Our ship proceeded up the Delaware, and on Sunday the 12th of October near sunset we arrived before Philadelphia. Thus ends my sea voyage and I come to the 6th chapter of my history.


Chapter VI


On Sunday evening about sunset, nearly opposite Market Street Warf, several gentlemen came on board. I was about dressing myself to go on shore, but I had become so fat that I could not get any of my waistcoats on. I had worn sea clothing during the voyage. I had to cut open my waistcoats behind and put strings on them, so I staid on board that night, and on Monday morning I went on shore.
I took a walk up into the city and perfectly remember I walked up through the market hour and bought two apple pies, such as I often see for sale now. They are about the size of a small hand, oblong, and I ate one of them going along. Since then I have often thought of the story of Dr. Franklin, who bought some bread when he arrived in Philadelphia and ate it in the street.
After I had gone up two or three squares, I turned to the right, which must have been into 3rd or 4th Street. As I went on I noticed a young gentleman standing before a store and I thought I knew him; however I passed on; but I walked around the square intending o pass him again. When I came near the store he was there still. I stepped up and immediately recognized him. It was Mr. Benck, with whom I was intimately acquainted. He appeared very glad to see me. I soon told him my history in full, and he said if I wished a good place directly, he knew a gentleman, Mr. Reimer Ruge, who wanted a person to close up his accounts, etc., as he had been a supercargo and was returning to Hamburg. He had a few goods still to sell, etc. He said he would see Mr. Ruge, and I should call next morning. I did so and saw Mr. Ruge, who immediately engaged me as a clerk. He said he only wanted me a few months, and would liberally compensate me – and then I had a respectable situation at once. When I called on Mr. Milbeck and told him of my success, he was astonished – he had no idea of it, as so many young men were looking for places. I felt very happy and much gratified indeed.
Mr. Ruge had a store in Walnut Street near Front Street, and lodged at Mrs. Van Beuren’s in Pine Street, and I took lodging at Captain Easterly’s in Race Street, and I applied myself closely to learning the English and pretty soon acquired it.
A few days after, there was a public concert, and I dressed myself in my best Hamburg style. Here I give it: I had a purple colored cloth coat, black velvet small clothes, white silk stockings, silver knee buckles and shoe buckles, as I always wore, white waistcoat; on my coat large mother of pearl buttons, in each button a colored stone in the center the color of the coat; a three cornered cocked hat with gold button and loop and gold tassels hanging on each lower corner; a large handsome ring on my finger, set with 16 rubies – this day they are owned by my two dear daughters – Eliza has seven of them in a ring, and Mary has 5 set in the original ring now and 4 yet remaining which she intends for Louisa – this is indeed gratifying to me beyond expression.
Well, I made a conspicuous figure at the concert, just arrived from Germany and so well dressed indeed they all stared. I was introduced to several ladies and their families, and the next evening was invited to a little friendly party. Many of them spoke German and I was free and easy. It is the truth they were playing pawns, and I somehow snatched a kiss or two, telling them that was the fashion in Germany. Many of them laughed and several said, “Never mind, never mind” – I did not know what that meant as I never heard that word, and to me it appeared a very singular expression, so I laughed very heartily with them all. Thus commenced another very happy period of my life. I made myself at home and welcome everywhere. Mr. Reimer Ruge boarded at Mrs. Van Beuren’s, a very genteel lady, and they often had company there. So I attended strictly to my business during the day, and in the evening I was often in company. I never went to tavern drinking or frolicking, and Mr. Ruge became a sincere friend of mine.
In about 6 weeks Mr. Ruge’s business was closed, all the remainder of his goods sold, etc., and he kindly endeavored to find out a proper plan of employment for me. He had consigned several of his remaining goods to a Mr. Sanders in New York, a German, and he recommended me so strongly to him that he was induced to engage me, and I started for New York either late November or early December.
I well remember I met General Washington on the way. General Washington was returning from New York, as the peace was then fully established, the British troops having evacuated New York on the 25th of November. The General was attended by about a dozen light horsemen.
I further remember going to New York in a public stage and we were three days and two nights on the route. The first night we slept in Princeton, the second I think at Amboy, and went the following morning by water to New York. I liked New York very well but not equal to Philadelphia.
Some time in February 1784 Mr. Ruge came to New York to have a settlement with Mr. Sanders, and I had a notion to return to Philadelphia, when I was introduced to a highly respectable gentleman, Mr. Coster, who had lately arrived from Holland and expected to do a large business in the spring. I showed him my handwriting and he showed me his letter book which was written in a very clear and handsome manner, and I engaged myself to him, but as he said he had little to do until spring, I requested him to permit me to take a short trip to Philadelphia, and I went.
The road was then hard and firm, fine sleighing, etc. When I arrived in Philadelphia my friends and acquaintances were all very happy to see me. I was introduced to a Mr. Peter Burger, a German, who wanted his books closed much like Mr. Ruge, and I preferred remaining in Philadelphia, so I wrote to Mr. Coster on the subject, and he very readily consented to my staying. I then had my hearts desire, and I may say my halcyon days commenced again.
Mr. Burger had but little for me to do, and I boarded at Captain Easterly’s, where I became quite domesticated. He had a fine farm not far from Philadelphia, near Frankfort. He frequently went there and took me with him. He had a step-daughter by his wife. She was a genteel agreeable young lady, Miss. Betsy Hess, and I often went with her to her father’s place in his gig. The evenings I generally passed with genteel families. Early in April several German houses in Philadelphia proposed to me that I should go to New York and they would consign goods to me, to sell on commission – this was a very inviting offer, and I went on to New York, and if I found it eligible I was to rent a store and go into business.
I was acquainted with a German gentleman in New York, a Mr. Mayer, who was an importer of German goods, etc., a worthy, clever man. I consulted him, and he advised me to stay a week and reflect on it and he would then advise me further. I did so, and as I was a great deal in his store I saw his business, and frequently assisted him, as he had a cargo of goods just landing. However, I became fearful of undertaking the responsibility of having a quantity of goods consigned to me for sale, being myself only 4 or 5 months in the country, and Mr. Mayer advised me to decline it for the present and presented me with two guineas as a compensation for my voluntary assistance.
While I was in New York I lodged at an Oyster house, I think in William Street. We had oysters every hour in the day. At that time the blue point oysters were plenty – now they are scarce and sell in New York at 12 ½ cts. each. I being a young man and a friend to oysters I enjoyed them indeed.
I returned to Philadelphia and was in Mr. Burger’s employ again and lived a cheerful pleasant life, when Mr. Charles Ghequiere, unexpectedly to me, arrived in Philadelphia. He soon met me and proposed that I should go with him to Baltimore, as he had extensive business of every kind to attend to, and told me he expected in the spring to go to Havre in France and establish a house there, and of course I should go with him t, etc. So I resolved at once to go to Baltimore. This was early in May 1784. I can again relate the stages were then about commencing to run between Philadelphia and Baltimore, and as far as I can remember it was the first trip, and I was 2 days and 2 nights on the road. I left Philadelphia with some regret, and parted with my friends, Captain Easterly, Miss Betsey Hess, and all. My friend Mr. Milbeck married Miss. Betsey Hess sometime after that.
In Baltimore I lived very comfortable at Mr. Ghequiere’s. He had a regular establishment of housekeeping, etc. I well remember a few months after he went on business to Virginia, and left his affairs altogether in my charge. He had a Russian vessel consigned to him to load corn for Lisbon, called a Russian name, “The Chwalt.” At that time you could not go to the dealers to buy corn wholesale, but every morning I went to the Warf early and bought corn as it arrived from the eastern shore. However, I had the vessel loaded and all ready when Mr. Ghequiere returned, and all was right.
I rode his horse every day to the point, and the people said to him, “You have a young Frenchman there who rides very well.” I wore my large cocked hat, but the gold button, etc., I had given up.
I lived with Mr. Ghequiere more than a year very pleasantly, he then married early in February 1785, and proposed to me to open a store in Market Street, as he had sundry goods on hand and I could purchase such as I thought profitable, and he would be concerned with me in business, which I readily accepted. I think in May 1785 I rented a store nearly opposite where Alexander Brown & Son have their counting house. I soon discovered that my prospects of success were very fair. I bought a good many English and German goods, and as I could speak German with many of the traders I very soon had an extensive custom.
Nearly opposite to me there was an extensive tavern kept by a German named Rutemaner, and many people, particularly from Frederick, put up there, among the rest Mrs. Trisler. She came to my store and bought goods and promised me she would come again in September and bring her niece Miss. Susan Schwartz with her, a daughter of Mr. Schwartz in Frederick Town for whom she purchased the goods. Sure enough in September she came again and brought her niece with her. When they came to buy goods of me, the store was crowed with customers, and although I had a young man to assist me we could scarcely attend to all. As the throng was so great I begged the favor of Miss. Schwartz to hand down some calicoes, etc., to some persons, as she and Mrs. Trisler were both behind the counter. Miss. Schwartz did attend as I requested, and waited on some few, so readily and becomingly, that I was pleased indeed. The next day the same thing happened again, and in the evening I call at Mr. Rutemaner where they stayed and paid them a visit. The next day they were in the store again, directing their goods be packed up. I requested the favor of them both to take a short walk with me in the country in the afternoon, and I took the opportunity at once to express to Miss. Schwartz seriously my desire of addressing her and to apply to her parents on the subject.
I should mention that I had made diligent enquiry of many respectable people who resided in Frederick, and I was fully satisfied that the family were highly respectable, and I had also consulted Mr. Ghequiere, who without any hesitation not only consulted to my marrying, but strongly advised me to do so. Thus in 3 or 4 days I had fully made up my mind on that, to me so important a subject.
The next day Mrs. Trisler and Miss. Schwartz returned to Frederick in a hack which was a regular stage between Frederick and Baltimore. There were no other passengers at that time, so I hired a horse and rode with them as far as Ellicott’s Mills, and we arranged every matter. In about a week I rode up to Frederick and made my application to her parents. The old gentleman, Mr. Valentine Schwartz, consented to go with me to Baltimore and enquire about my character, etc. He went with me to Mr. Ghequiere, and there dined with us, and all was fully arranged and agreed on, and on the 30th of October we were married. I was then 20 years old. Mr. Ghequiere went with me to the wedding and all went on happy and pleasantly.
It seems incredible that I should have engaged myself to be married after 3 or 4 days of courtship, but such is the fact. What may be done by an ardent and vigorous mind, taking time by the forelock! My family all know how prosperous and how extremely happy we were in every respect, until it pleased God to call her to a better world.
Thus, in the month of October 1783 I arrived in this happy country, then 18 years of age, and in October 1785, then 20 years old, I was married – since which I have looked upon the month of October as a favorite month of mine, and I may say with the poet to the month of October:

Solemn yet beautiful to view,
Month of my heart that dawnest here,
Oh! Solemn month I hear thy voice,
It fills my soul with other days,
When but to live was to rejoice –
When earth was lovely to my gaze –
How like those transports of my breast,
When life was fresh and joys were new,
Soft as the halcyons downey nest
But transient all as they are true.

Taken fron an autobiography sketch sent to his son, John Frederick Schroeder. Now in the collection of The Maryland Historical Society.