In my many years of doing family research, I have never come across a first-person account of what it was like to cross the Atlantic on a sailing ship. If your ancestors immigrated to the United States (or Canada) prior to the introduction of steam power to ships, you will find this account spellbinding. I know this story gave me a much better appreciation of the dangers these brave people faced just to get here.
Introduction
G. Jakob Huber is my great, great grandfather and author of this journal of his family’s 1852 journey from Germany to Baltimore, Maryland.
Part I covers the period from February 24, 1852 to February 29, 1852, the trip from Magstatt, Germany to Bremen, Germany.
Part II covers the period from March 2, 1852 to March 27, 1852, the voyage from Bremen, Germany to Baltimore, Maryland.
Please note that the narrative ends abruptly, either because there might be a missing page, or there was no time to write more. The story thus ends as they are approaching the first signs of civilization as they sail up the Chesapeake Bay toward Baltimore.
The family first settled in Pennsylvania. My great grandfather, John D. Huber, was a young boy on the trip. He was in the Civil War at Gettysburg and his name is on the Pennsylvania memorial there. He married and moved to Ontario, Canada (near Lake Huron). He had 9 children, all born in Canada. He later moved back to the U.S. (Toledo, area) with the younger members of his family. His older children stayed in Canada (3, I believe).
Carolyn F. Lovell
Pemberville, OH 43450
May 23, 2024
P.S. My great uncle, Charles Huber, who arranged to have the journal translated into English, decided to take a trip to Europe sometime in the 1950s or 1960s. I was told getting the passsport took longer than usual, and involved the assistance of his Congressman.
Part I – Magstatt, Germany to Bremen, Germany
On the 24th of February 1852 we left Magstatt and reached Pforzheim. We stayed over night at the “Steamboat Inn”. We were received very friendly and for supper we received a quart of wine, pork-jelly, pot roast, fried potatoes and sauerkraut in addition to a loaf of bread. The morning of the 25th at 4 in the morning every one of us received a small cup of coffee and two rolls. We reached Durbach and there at the “Railroad Inn” we had our lunch. We feasted as if at a wedding party. At two o’clock in the afternoon the train brought us as far as Mannheim. There we stayed at the “Rhine-valley Inn” and again we had our due supper and rest. Next morning, the 26th of February we boarded the steamboat at Mannheim on the Rhine. There we received just before leaving a large pot with pork- jelly, a dozen sausages and 2 loaves of bread, this food had to last until 12 o’clock midnight. At that time we reached Cologne. The inn-keeper from Cologne had met us two hours before on the steam boat and as we disembarked we assembled around him and he led us to his place. Since he couldn’t find room for all of us in his own inn, he took the “Maurer” Bety, Himmel, Breitling and me with our 4 families and took us to his brother-in-law, who was an inn-keeper also. Everything was so ritzy, as if it would be for a prince. We wanted to look after our “things, but were not admitted to the boat, everything was so well taken care of that we didn’t have to look after anything. At 6 o’clock next morning, the 27th, we were at the railroad station. Before we left our inn in Cologne, while we were drinking our coffee, our host came and asked us over to his place and gave us, for my family, two loaves of bread, 2 jugs of wine, each of which contained two small pints, and he gave us also 4 pounds of sausages, since I hadn’t had my share yet, and they were distributed to the heads of the families. These provisions lasted us from Cologne until we reached Bremen, and we were enjoying them without moving foot or hand during the trip. Only somebody too sleepy to eat and drink would have turned down such an offer. Our train had two engines and forty cars. It was 1 a.m. when our train arrived in Bremen. There our innkeeper was already at the station waiting for us with a number of his help and he led us to his place. Then we were divided into two even groups. Half of us went to stay in a different inn, since there was not enough room for us all . In the morning every one of us got a small white loaf of bread. These loaves were about as big as two good sized rolls together. At noon time vegetables and meat was served and evenings again coffee and the small loaves of white bread. Also we received for each family three pounds of white bread. Such were our meals for the three days we had to wait in Bremen.
On the 1st of March we went aboard the good ship “Aeolius Lazitius Luebben.” As head of the Family I received $18, or about 45 fl. board money. Father and mother received 10fl each, children under 10 years of age 2fl 50, and children over ten years 5 fl.
I send you another special message, my Dear friends, and neighbors about the disadvantage in which we find ourselves against our North-German brothers, in special the farmers. A disadvantage that can be easily recognized in their beautiful small buildings, their cleanliness and the scrupulous order in their gardens and fields. Be sure no straws or pieces of wood or brush are placed without utmost care and particularly the closed pastures and fields are kept as if everything would be part of a guest room. Every tree in the woods and every hedge has its beautiful place and proportion. All this looks in our village like a messy scattered deck of cards, this being detrimental to our land and our people. What we would consider as in perfect order proves itself here in the lower lands as being in great disorder, which sorry to say seems to be a great disadvantage for our Wuertemberg. This habit affects all ranks and groups, mainly because every one of us wants to have his say and nobody really knows what it is all about, that is why everything is so disrupted and in disorder. As I know and as I observe the beauty, cleanliness, punctuality and politeness of the Northern Germany you can not find any place else in the whole world.
The fields are also taken care of painstakingly.
If the fields are plowed under, they are turned from one corner to the opposite corner and after the seeds have been sown the fields are plowed back straight with the border. In the same manner the harrow is used once across and once straight. This should also prove to our advantage in the heavy soils of our district . As this plowing is not done, the soil is worked only half as well by the careless peasant, who thinks only to get it over with fast.
Dear friends and neighbors, I think this will be enough for the present and God be thanked we all here as healthy and well as when we left home. Not a single one of us and none of us at all has been lacking anything, and especially since no one is troubled with the voyage and everything is on time and well prepared the head of the family has not as trying a voyage as you would expect it to be with a family. We are now going to be sent to Baltimore, in the case if my Jakob should be sent to us he should be careful to approach the previously mentioned companies and buros, where he will receive correct information just as we have been advised. Mr. Schmidt, please be so kind and tell him particularly , he shall gather his belongings in a knapsack, thus he will be free and not hindered and he would be able to take it on his back whenever he has to change trains and he would not have a thing to worry about, and again all of us thank for all what has been done for us. Ounrheartiest greetings to Mr. Mayor, the district council, the citizens committee, to all our friends, neighbors, fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers.
To all of you, farewell. Farewell to thee my German Fatherland, filled with hope and longing we leave for ur new country, goodbye, farewell.
Bremen, the 29th of February 1852
G. Jakob Huber
For all your beloved.
Part II – Bremen to Baltimore, Maryland
In the early morning of the 2nd day of March we departed from Bremen on the water for the Fort of Bremen. It took from 9 o’clock that morning until the next day noon to reach this Port where the really large vessels were docked. The 3rd and 4th of the month we remained in port on the large boat and on the 5th we finally went off on the high seas. During the first day of our sea voyage we had calms and it was nice weather and our “Lazitius” had hired a tug boat, to which also several other sailing ships were roped and we were towed until late the same evening.
This proved a valuable advantage because during the second day we had good wind and advanced rapidly. The 6th of March we had again a fine wind and made rapid progress, however every one of us became sea sick in the throat. On this very day a child was born, this being lots of work for the “Maurer” Betze. The 7th was spent by nearly everyone in bed because of seasickness. On the 5th all of us were back on their feet and the good time everybody had caused a brawl following a card game. One of the boys of Bleicherl, the eldest, was knifed in the right hip so badly that he almost passed out. So far we have had excellent wind and up to the 10th the voyage had always progressed favorably. During the days from the 7th to the 8th we have again seen parts of England. From the 10th to the 16th we had such strong winds that we made 10 to 12 miles in an hour. On the 16th a fifty-three year old woman died, (on the 20th a child had died) she was also from Wuertemberg.
From the 16th to the 2lst it was almost continuously rainy but we enjoyed however fairly favorable winds. The beginning of spring was a lovely day on the sea, but the 22nd was again rough and cold, the 23rd and 24th were somewhat milder but very windy. The 25th was a nice warm day but what a night did follow. From the West several thunderstorms formed and crept over the sky, then united and made such a storm with so terrific noise that we could no longer make out what was thunder and what was storm. I do not care to tell about the blaze which lasted all night like a column of light and fire.
With the early dawn I crept up to the sun deck and watched for an hour the awe-inspiring chaos, the usually mirror like surface of the sea looked like the mountains of Switzerland or Tirol during a blizzard. Nothing in our mountains could be compared to this spectacle. The storm chased the water through the air like snow flurries and it was just as white. The waves swelled to terrific heights and the white foam fell from the crests like tremenduous avalanches while on others the spray was tossed in the air like volcanoes. After the heights of the waves the drop into the valleys felt as if the abyss would swallow all of us.
You will now understand what strains our good ship was subjected to in theses mountains and valleys, especially if on the top of the waves and threw itself again in the depth so that it was all covered with water or lingered to one side for 10 to 12 minutes so far to the sides that the points of the sails stuck into the waves that grew up towering on both sides. From time to time a wave collapsed over our ship and then it rocked the ship as if we would have run aground on cliffs.
Thus I watched for an hour on the sun-deck where I clung to a rope lader even though I was protected. Over my face I drew the heavy wool cap, otherwise I would not have been able to stand the water which the wind drove in my face. Just as I was going to descend the captain came up and asked me how I like it. He wanted to jest. So I said if everything will pass and won’t last too long I like the view but I do not like the danger quite as well. He explained that now he is going to have the two little life boats readied and he and his men will leave us in them and then we will have to try to make the best of it. I just put him off by saying, if he were as afraid as that he would be more frightened as I was. He smiled, shook his head and walked away. He probably must have thought this one is no fool.
This storm lasted for 2 days and 2 nights. But how do you think the inside of the ship looked when the storm began. Our cases and boxes which we had with us in the room were placed in a long row for everyone in front of his own bunks. So left and right throughout the entire ship with two small wood blocks fastened with nails so that they would not slide . The moment the storm really got started these cases flew all over the place. Old and young, small and large children, clothing and dishes topsy-turvy just as in a play of dice. We did not know after what we should run first. After that we had to fasten our trunks with ropes. The people were chased into their beds and had to cling to the walls which were between the bunks. Our ship is approximately 180′ long and 36’ wide and on both sides were 2 galleries on which the bunks are placed. In the space between the wood posts bunks for 4 persons were an the lower and for 4 on the upper level the whole length of the ship.
On the 26th 2 children died. One of them was just born and the other was 3 years of age. On the 28th for the first time our womenfolk got up after their sea sickness. All of them had suffered very badly, for times we were afraid we would have to leave all of them. One could not tell which of them looked worst. The men and children were seasick for 5 days in their throat. Of the small kids up to 5 years hardly any were sea sick at all. The blacksmith Breitling had it worst and he had to stay in bed the whole trip. Lena and Marie were not at all affected ,we all have been well, but all the others from Magstatt were down and out. On the entire trip I didn’t have a bad minute and despite the many warnings I had received I stood better up than anybody else.
The 28th was again a day of peaceful weather after storm and wind, just as you calm a child after spanking it so quiet and calm was it over the waters. (On the 15th the Schbleicherl’s wife fell down the stairs during the night and dislocated her shoulder so badly that we could not make out if it was broken or not. She stayed in bed the entire trip). Also the ship was damaged where the waves had ripped pieces from the decks and also near the forward main mast, during one night a wave broke so hard over the stern of the boat that we thought the ship has gone to pieces and holes have been by the undaunted pressure of the water, the water came in through the doors and flooded the floor of our room.
The 28th had been Sunday a quiet calm day but the 29th, 30th, 3lst were again rough and stormy but bearable. The 1st of April we had fairly nice weather, the 2nd some rain, but the wind gave us good speed, on the 3rd it was again windy but on the 5th fog made it worse and another newborn child died. On the 4th I found out that Schmidtbleicherls’ youngest brother was the one who stabbed his eldest brother accidentally as they walked past each other in a hurry with the knifes open. The 6th and 7th were again so rough that a wave hit the deck 18 to 20 yards of the center of the ship that we thought the ship is wrecked. The water rushed through the doors, our womenfolk screamed somewhat awful, and on top of it the water containers on the deck were broken and the water poured over us as in the worst rainstorm.
The 8th was Maundy Thursday and the most beautiful day of the voyage, but later in the day thunderclouds drew over the horizon and during the night we had again heavy cloudbursts and storm. On Good Friday it threw the Maurer Betzen with one mighty throw from his upper bed way across to the other side, and everybody else was kicked around as in a football game. The storm lasted through day and night and even Saturday we had the same storm but with the night to Easter Sunday approaching it became less violent, and Sunday became a beautiful day. Monday the 12th it was again stormy but not too bad and we all waited with anxiety for land. Most of the younger people had dressed in their Sunday clothes and had their fun on the decks, entertaining themselves and chatting with the seamen and officers. Tuesday and Wednesday the 13th and 14th we had again stormy nights and thunderstorms but most of the time a favorable wind drove the ship with great speed through the water, the ropes whistling like the engine of a railroad train. Thursday the 15th the day was so calm and nice that you would not believe it could be otherwise. Friday the 16th it was clear but extremely cool and during this day we saw the first fish in the sea. They came in such big schools that it looked as if the herdsman driving his pigs to market. The fish were also about the size of big hogs and their bodies reached far out of the water. Sunday the 18th it was another beautiful day but a cold and favorable wind drove us toward our destination. With increasing anxiety, we looked out for land.
Monday the 19th was a wonderful day. On Tuesday at noon it became so foggy we could not see 100 paces ahead and we had to stop. We were surrounded by a number of small American boats, about 10 to 15. We could not see because of the fog, otherwise we might have been able to see land. At that time it was hidden like the land “Laurean” (Shangri-La). We had to wait for better weather or for a pilot if we didn’t want to run aground. The trip to Baltimore is somewhat dangerous.
On Wednesday the 21st it was clear again but very cold, however. We finally could see far away to the right a dark line that was land. Towards the evening at 5 o’clock we saw in the distance an American boat with a flag and we knew immediately the pilot is coming because the other boats do not carry flags. In about half an hour the pilots reached us in an extremely beautiful sailboat with its jib set such that it looked like a butterfly moving fast toward us and a beautiful flag half blue and half red, and in the blue field a shining silver star. The sail carried the inscription No. 8 Posta Baltimore. The crew of 3 dark and two white men and two pilots brought their boat in a matter of seconds to the other side of our ship and the pilot was aboard. What excitement, what rejoicing. Before you could turn around the pilot boat had passed in front of our ship, turned around and gave us one more welcome and left us. The other pilot was looking for the two other ships that had left with us and should have arrived by now. They looked for us and 3 other ships that had left in the short interval of 14 days from Bremen. The Marianengen had left two days before us and came 14 days earlier to Baltimore, but she had not had to suffer under the terrible storms and had had only good wind. The other ships were now expected and our Aeolius was found. The ships Dorothean and Great Ocean were still missing. These two left with us. Thursday was nice weather but the wind was not favorable. To the right we saw nice forests, to the left only sky and water. The pilot expects to be in Baltimore in 2 days if the wind becomes favorable. Friday the 23rd the weather was nice and at noon the wind turned in our favor. In the evening we saw clearly on both sides land and forests. We could clearly recognize what it was. We could clearly recognize what it was. We met 30 large ships and to the left and right we saw light houses which were lighted during the night.
In the night at 10 o’clock we dropped anchor. On Saturday it became a wonderful day and the water sparkled from many little boats like butterflies. In the early morning we pulled in the anchor and sailed on. We passed a ship that got stuck in the sandbanks four weeks previously. It had buried itself so deep that only the masts showed above the surface. The people have been saved. In the afternoon the wind died down but we reached the first Sea Fortress “Roschclog”? The Schmidtbleichers wife came today for the first time to the upper deck after her fall down the ladder.
Sunday and Monday the 25th and 26th were nice days but no wind for sailing. Tuesday the 27th we were sailing through the American channel already for 8 days without seeing a single house, no village no town — nothing but forests. On the 26th we saw for the first time isolated cottages that was a great joy. On the 27th we saw the first church steeple or town. Today the Schmidtbarren Schmidt was hit by a rope one of the sailors had dropped out of the hands.
[Story ends here]