57. From America to Switzerland, the good and the bad news

There were absolutely direct connections between the Swiss village Zweisimmen and the doomed North Carolina settlement of 1710.    The communications from the settlers were written for the benefit of anybody who cared to learn from their experiences.   But in particular the settlers were writing to their relatives and former neighbors, the Swiss people.   Their messages were not missed -- America was a place of promise and dreams, opportunity and freedom.  

One gets the feeling that many in Europe were already making their arrangements for overseas travel, and packing their bags with the intention of joining the North Carolina Swiss farmers.   Then they got the news that the settlement had been annihilated.

Did they continue to pack and to remain determined in their intentions to move to America?   Many did, for this North Carolina location eventually became distinctly Swiss and was named New Bern.

But for others, the time was not ripe for immigration to America.

56. Zweisimmen folks knew all about New Bern, North Carolina

Why do I dwell on the circumstances of the 1710-11 settlement in North Carolina?   First, to show that migrations from Europe, specifically Switzerland, were taking place early in U.S. history.

Second, to point out that communications went back and forth between Europe and America.   People all around Switzerland were aware of the American colony's beginnings -- for these letters of the settlers were posted home (certainly through Mr. Ritter of Bern!) and distributed.   These letters requested money, supplies, equipment, knives and axes, among other things.  Don't you know that the distribution of these letters was widespread among Swiss as well as Germans.   The English were already there, having arrived in 1705.   One Swiss man wrote,

We live along a stream called Neuse.   There six years ago the first [people], English, until two years ago [when] the Swiss people [came], began the cultivation.   They are, as it seems to me, rather rich in cattle, all sorts of crops, the finest tree-fruit, and that, the whole year [except for] two months.   From the nature of things we were behind in that regard, so that we do not have it yet;  but we hope, through God's blessings to get it.   We came shortly before Christmas and we have by God's blessings ... much stronger houses than the English; have also cleared land in addition, and the most have put fences around."(Note:  the writer of the letter says the Swiss people came "two years ago," and it is possible that there were early Swiss experimenters in this project of attempting to settle an American shore.)

News that brilliant and full of dreams could not be hidden in Europe.   The hope of a new beginning of life in the Americas was tempting, especially to those who were not among the rich and ruling classes.

Third, this relates directly to  Zweisimmen.   One of the letter writers, Samuel Jacob Gabley, writes that he married Margreth Pfund of Zweysimmen.   Another one, Jacob Waehre, writes that he is "of Zweysimmen."   Their letters certainly would have found their way to Zweisimmen and been read by all who could read!   The Treuthardts read the letters from people who were their friends and acquaintances.    

Fourth, similar names to Treuthardt are mentioned in the letters.   Jacob Waehre sends greetings to "Truwhart and their whole house";  and "Heinrich Egender of St. Stephan's Court and his whole house for his sons Jacob and Peter Treuthart."

Another writer identified only as "V. H. T." sends greetings to several. 

I am delivering the greeting of us all to our dear and faithful pastor, to the whole number of honored persons, especially Godfather Kilchmeyer Dreuthart and Andreas Aescher, Christen Jantz.   

There are in these letters three variant spellings of Treuthardt -- Truwhart, Treuthart, and Dreuthart.   ("D" was a precursor to "T", notably at a time before spellings were standarized.)   Because Dreuthart was Godfather to V. H. T., it might be that V. H. too was a Treuthardt.   

Because I cannot see the original letter, I don't know whether Kilchmeyer is transcribed correctly.  It may be that the word is actually Kirchmeyer.   When I googled for "Kilchmeyer" it directed me first to "Kirchmeyer," so my theory is not unrealistic.  However, Kilchmeyer is actually a name that was prominent in Reformation Switzerland, and it might have been an unusual first name?   I doubt it though.   The Swiss did not try to be creative with first names.     It must remain unknown whether the word is Kilchmeyer or Kirchmeyer.   If it turns out to be Kirchmeyer, you can guess what I would say about that.   (See Post #35)    As for whether any of these Truwharts, Treutharts or Dreutharts are persons of interest to our family history, you can probably guess what I would say about that too.  
  

55. Swiss colony in North Carolina, the end of it in 1711

From this website,
ncpedia.org/german-settlers
we learn the frightful end of the Swiss colony at New Bern.

The largest influx of German people to North Carolina occurred in the eighteenth century, beginning with a joint effort between a Swiss land company and the British Crown to settle 100 families of German Palatines in the town of New Bern on the Neuse and Trent River in 1710.   The colony flourished and prospered for 18 months, but in 1711 the colony was virtually destroyed after suffering an attack by Tusacarora Indians.    

54. Swiss migration to colonial North Carolina in 1711: hopes and dreams

The following is quoted directly from "The Colonial Records Project," of the Historical Publications Section in Raleigh, NC.

The Colonial Records Project

Jan-Michael Poff, Editor 

Historical Publications Section 

4622 Mail Service Center

Raleigh, NC 27699-4622 

These letters of 1711, written by the successful original Swiss settlers to New Bern, North Carolina, were translated by The Colonial Records Project from German into English, in a collection called, "Christoph von Graffenried's Account of the Founding of New Bern," edited by Vincent H. Todd, Ph.D., "Copies of Various Letters from North Carolina."   The website is at

http://www.ncpublications.com/colonial/Bookshelf/Graff/Letters.htm

In their letters to home, the Swiss colonists to New Bern, North Carolina in 1711 wrote about their impressions and experiences.

We are in a very good and fat land.   I am in hopes that within a year I shall have over a hundred head of horses, cattle, swine.

Regarding the land in general.   It is almost wholly forest, with indescribably beautiful cedar wood, poplars, oaks, beech, walnut and chestnut trees... and so many other fragrant trees that I cannot describe the hundredth part.

I am in hopes that if I stay well to provide five or six households with food and drink for possibly a year long.

I live well and happy and would not wish to have remained at home... [A colonist] can get land as much as he needs.  He can keep as much stock as he is able.  Swine cost nothing to keep.  Cattle go the whole year on pasture, become fat and good to butcher by themselves.

I will soon take up a plantation which comprises toward three hundred acres. 

One can have as much swine and cattle as he wants without labor and expense.

No one has any desire to be back in Switzerland, for one can eat but little meat in Switzerland, but here in Carolina I need have no anxiety from this year on, that every year I should not butcher thirty or forty to fifty swine, more if I wish.

... we went about a hundred hours by water and land, yet always guided and fed, and the people everywhere have done us much kindness and there is in this country no innkeeper.  All go from one place to another for nothing...

If one would present me with the whole lowland, in order that I should go back again to Switzerland and take up the former service I would not do it on account of the freedom of conscience.

The place and the country, the rivers where we now live and dwell is a good soil, and cattle raising also good and safe, and there is freedom in North Carolina.

But there are those other things which suggest hardship --

The land is good, but the beginning is hard, the journey dangerous.  My two children, Maria and Hansli died at Rotterdam in Holland and were buried in the common burial place.

The land is uncultivated, yet is to be hoped tolerably fruitful; but yet I would not cause any one to come here, nor would I advise it, because of the costly and difficult journey over the fearful and wild sea.  Yet we arrived safely and suffered little sickness, and for my part, did not get here so badly.   For old and young it is hard...  The great God has kept all.   To be sure it has cost much and gone slowly in these expensive, hard, war times.

Of vermin, snakes, and such like, there is not so much as they tell of in Europe.  I have seen crocodiles by the water, but they soon fled.  One should not trust to supporting himself with game, for there are no wild oxen or swine.

I do not lack food nor clothes, but money is rather scarce in this country.

We have no minister but we hope soon to get one.

But one thing lies heavy on us which I a cannot write without weeping, namely the lack of a true and a zealous pastor.   We have, indeed, prayers in our houses every Sunday, but the zeal to cleanse away the canker of our old sins is so small that it is to be feared it will consume everything to the foundation, if the pitying God does not come to our help.

We have no women folks that wash and mend for us.

The greatest failing and lack here in Carolina is that too few people are here, and no good mills.   There is one being built by us people who are in Carolina.

There is a great lack of German women folks.

No one else of us Siebentaler people has died, but of the others though, three Palatines.  Of the people among whom we live, however, a good many have died.

This place has been entirely uninhabited, for we have not seen any signs nor heard that anything else ever was here except the so-called wild and naked Indians.   But they are not wild, for they come to us often and like to get clothes of us... they guide the Christians through the forest and show new ways...  Some also can speak English well.   They have an idol and hold festivals at certain times.   But I am sorry to say, of the true God they do not want to know anything.

Brought here hale and hearty, the shoemaker Moritz did not die till he was on his farm.  He was well on the whole journey. 

53. Early Swiss migration to the U.S. - 1710, North Carolina

In days long before Texas was imagined or the United States was established, in 1710 a group of Swiss people made a voyage across the ocean and colonized themselves in [present-day] North Carolina.   The city where they settled, still in existence today, is New Bern.   An Internet website dedicated to recording the efforts of these first colonists is called "The Colonial Records Project," of the Historical Publications Section in Raleigh, NC.

The Colonial Records Project

Jan-Michael Poff, Editor 

Historical Publications Section 

4622 Mail Service Center

Raleigh, NC 27699-4622 

The original settlers -- the successful ones -- wrote letters back home in the following year, 1711.   These letters, translated by The Colonial Records Project from German into English, are in a collection called, "Christoph von Graffenried's Account of the Founding of New Bern," edited by Vincent H. Todd, Ph.D., "Copies of Various Letters from North Carolina."   The website is at

http://www.ncpublications.com/colonial/Bookshelf/Graff/Letters.htm

A detailed reading of these letters (12 pages single-spaced) written by various people, reveals quite a few interesting circumstances concerning this settlement dating to 1711.   I have extracted from the entirety of the letters concise instructions to Swiss people for a move to the colonies.
   

1)  Make arrangements with Mr. Ritter of Bern, to sail to the colonies.
   "Those who intend to go must call upon Mr. Ritter, so that when the other people wish to go they may travel together."

2)  Upon arrival in the colony, plan to lease/purchase land, a venture overseen by the Governor, Christoph von Graffenried, "citizen of Bern, formerly mayor, now landgrave in Carolina."    Von Graffenried distributed lands to the tenants/settlers under certain conditions. 

3)  The conditions were as follows:

Our Count von Graffenried will supply them with good land; after this he will give them a four-year lease, supply them with stock and furniture, so that they can thenceforth be well supplied their life long, if they have luck.

This intriguing notation in a certain booklet printed before this time, about 1709 (or earlier?) in Frankfurt, Germany, advertised a colony.    "With regard to the rearing of cattle.  It costs almost nothing for the raising, as the booklet printed at Frankfurt says, for all stock pastures in the winter as well as in the summer.   And I know of nothing to find fault with in the booklet mentioned regarding these two items, although it writes of South Carolina."  

With such promises, about a hundred persons spoke to Mr. Ritter, made arrangements to travel, departed Bern on March 8, 1710, made their way across to the coast of England and set sail on the 24th of July for Virginia.   They cast anchor in Virginia on September 10th.

Not all of the colonial letter writers stated where in Switzerland they were from.   I was especially interested in two references to "Zweysimmen."   Remember, Zweisimmen is the Heimat of the Treuthardts.