Ruedigers Genealogy Website

Desperate letter to the emigrated siblings

Brief Johann Adam Schettler

In 1832 Johann Georg Schettler emigrated from Wankheim as the first one of the Schettler family to Amerika and settled in  West Unity, Williams Co., OH. In 1846 all his other siblings Johannes, Johann Jakob, Anna Maria, Luzia, Anna, Heinrich and Christina as well as his widowed father,  Johan Adam Schettler cane to the U.S. as well. Only his brother,   Johann Adam Schettler stayed in  Germany. So far I was not able to determine the reasons for this but I assume that his marriage with  Wilhelmina Dorothea Berger on May 20, 1846 was a reason. At this point in time  Johann Adam Schettler didn’t lived in Wankheim any more, he was a armorer  in Koenigsbronn close to Heidenheim.

Thanks to the descendants of the emigrated Schettler family, I have several letters between the siblings in the U.S. and letters from Johann Adam Schettler to his siblings in the U.S. One of the letters I would like to publish here, because it describes the desperate situation of Johann Adam Schettler and his need for financial support from his siblings to be able to emigrate as well. The reasons why the siblings couldn’t or didn’t want to help him remains a secret.

Letter no. 19 from Johann Adam Schettler

My beloved brother,

I feel it necessary to write a few lines, as I can’t write to any of my other siblings. It’s quite a long time, that I have received a letter from you. From the other siblings I haven’t heard anything else as what you have written me. I feel myself lonesome and have to think that I have no siblings and no friendship any more, as no one is thinking of me. My brother Johannes has promised me to remember me write, when he left us. But so far nothing has happened. I would have sold my home already if I could. That mean, I could have sold it, but I wouldn’t have received anything for it and without anything you can’t leave.

It’s so bad here, that you only can save your life. Now my beloved brother and if you know about the whereabout of the other siblings ask them for a contribution that I could come to the U.S. as well. I don’t want it for free. I will work for you until I have it paid it back. But here I will collapse with my household. My household is not large yet. 5 persons, I, my spouse, two kids and my mother-in-law.

Beloved brother I will describe you my home. I have a one story house and rights for wood 4 cords a year and about 200 ??? [1]

Beside the house there is my garage and a part, where I can plant some potatoes. But unfortunately in the last six years the potatoes didn’t grow at all and potatoes is one of the main food for us. The fruit is getting more expensive and the earnings is going down. The home I described, I have bought for 1100 guilder. Thereon I have a debt of 650 guilder but it was not expensive. If I could earn this money back I think I could come to the U.S. as well . But here nobody is purchasing anything if he doesn’t get it for half the prices. Now I would like to ask again that you send me some money. I would be prepared to loose some money here, if I could get out of this “valley of sorrow”. Here a lot have left already and more would be prepared to leave if they could. But that the problem is nothing has any value anymore.

Beloved brother, please write me as soon as possible and especially of your conditions. In your last letter you mentioned 3 sons, but you haven’t old me anything about your wife.

We all greet you thousand times.
I remain your faithful brother
Johann Adam Schettler
Armorer

The address:
Johann Adam Schettler
Armorer in Koenigsbronn,
District Heidenheim,
Jagst County,
Kingdom of Wuerttemberg

[1] Sorry no idea, what could be meant in German

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