The Forgotten Immigrant: Remember Me

By Paul Demetter

AS THE 19TH CENTURY COMES TO A CLOSE IN EUROPE many countries are in a state of unrest. Thousands flee their current environment of political upheaval, uncertainty, poverty, and famine in hopes to settle in a country that can offer the promises made in the U.S. Co

• Language: English
• Publisher: ReadersMagnet LLC
• Release date: Jun 18, 2024
• ISBN: 9798890915870

Paul Demetter

Paul Demetter, author of the Uelzen Series trilogy and The Journey We Call Mortality, presents a new historical fiction novel set in late 1900s Transylvania. With a background in Business Management and Human Resources, Paul draws from his forty-four years in international retail. A seasoned speaker and instructor, he showcased his work at the 2023 Frankfurt International Book Fair. Paul and his wife, Gena, live in Mooresville, North Carolina, cherishing their four children and thirteen grandchildren.Explore more at www.pauldemetter.com.

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The Forgotten Immigrant: Remember Me

Copyright © 2024 by Paul Demetter

Published in the United States of America

ISBN Paperback: 979-8-89091-585-6

ISBN Hardback: 979-8-89091-586-3

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To my grandchildren:

Sebastian, Chloe (Seb’s wife), Gabriel, Olivia, Isaac, Peter;

Maria, Kate;

Owen, Berkley, Maxwell;

Natalie, Camryn, Claire

You bring more joy to my life than you will ever know.

Fictional Characters

1.Anna Kraus – widowed passenger on the SS Kaiser Friedrich to America

2.Ernst Richter – Businessman from Bremen, Germany

3.Klaus Schreiber – Erie, PA. Formerly from Transylvania and a sponsor for immigrants.

4.Jacob Weschler – prominent Jewish citizen in Erie, PA and friend to Gustav.

5.Emilio / Carlotta – Emilio was a competitor of Gustav’s at the Central Market. Carlotta was his wife.

6.Angela – Emilio’s mistress

7.Tony – Emilio’s employee

8.Anton Schneider – baker and friend of Gustave

9.Oskar – member of the Siebenbüerger Club in Erie, PA

10.Bengt – member of the Siebenbüerger Club in Erie, PA

11.Stuart Peterson – Manager of City Market in Erie, PA

12.Margaret – administrative assistant to Mr. Peterson

13.Charles Thompson – proprietor of produce stall in City Market

14.Charles De Jong – Manager of C.A. Curtze

15.Smythe – Supervisor at C.A. Curtze

16.Ehrhart Schlaudecker – Executive at NDL Cruise lines

17.Rada and Gunther – traveling companions on the SS Wilhelm der Grosse

18.Greta – housekeeper for Ernst Richter

19.Dr. Brockmeir – family physician in Erie, PA

20.Ira – employee of Jacob Weschler sent to help Gustave when he was injured

21.Hertha Kramer – Midwife in Hermannstadt

22.Otto – Tschismenmacher in Hermannstadt

Non-Fictional Characters

1.Ernst, Otto, and Bernard Behrend – prominent businessmen in Erie, Pennsylvania that were involved in manufacturing

2.Baron Simon von Brukenthal – Habsburg Governor of Transylvania

3.Charles Curtze – founder and president of C.A. Curtze, primary food wholesaler

4.President James Madison – 4th U.S. President

5.Rufus and Charles Reed – businessmen in Erie, Pennsylvania prominently involved with the docks of Lake Erie and shipping

6.Robert J. Saltsman – Mayor of Erie, Pennsylvania

7.François Benoit Rolland – Captain of the SS Kaiser Friedrich

Preface

…and they came in droves; mostly to escape poverty, persecution, oppression whether cultural, political, or religious. They came with hopes and dreams: hope for freedom, employment, riches, education, ownership of land, speech, or religion. A strange land, a strange language, discrimination, and different customs greeted them. Sheer determination and fortitude were required. Friendship, reliance, faith, risk, resilience, and work were the ingredients necessary to survive and prosper, for dreams had no promises. For them, looking back to ‘what once was’ meant nothing; they could only focus on ‘what could be.’

There are times in most people’s lives when they reach a crossroads in their personal journey, for all lives are a journey of some kind. Occasionally it is calculated and the decision has been well thought out, but frequently it is a course that is unplanned in which a direction to take has not been considered. Often an obstacle occurs that was never foreseen that requires a decision to be made. The choice that is made at a moment like that can often be life changing. Sometimes we simply dismiss the result as fate. At times like this, if we had the ability to look forward and see the outcome of either decision, it would be easier. Sadly enough, we do not have that luxury.

Between the years of 1870-1900, the population of the United States nearly doubled. To provide greater perspective, in 1870 the total population was slightly over thirty-eight million. This young country increased to seventy-six million by 1900 and the growth did not slow down. By 1920 it had grown to over one hundred and six million, another increase of 39% in only twenty years.

The challenge that many of these immigrants faced included learning a new language, finding employment, limited education, finding suitable housing and integrating into a culture and political environment they knew little about.

The common bond they had was hope: hope to find a home that offered them opportunities they lacked, in the country left behind.

One interesting period of United States history occurred in the ten-year span of 1845 to 1855, when over 1.5 million Irish adults and children left Ireland during the great potato famine, to seek refuge in America. Just prior to the onset of the Irish famine, nearly half of those families lived in rural areas in windowless mud cabins, most with little or no furniture. They were desperately poor and devoid of hope. The Potato Famine killed more than one million people in five years.¹ I paint this picture to illustrate just one segment of what could be called the great migration to America, a land of dreams. And yet for these people, they also left the dreams of home behind, for most, a home and relatives they would never see again.

For everyone that fled to America, they had a price to pay. The story of these immigrants is in some cases heart-rending as they incurred death and sickness, unrealized dreams, and the gradual absence of distant memories of a life they once knew. In all cases, their stories are intriguing.

And what was occurring during that time within the United States? In 1870, there were thirty-seven states that made up the country of the United States of America. By 1920, the number of states increased to forty-eight. The United States was expanding geographically and experienced the challenges of growth.

This is a book about a real family with an historical fiction application that will illustrate the trials and struggles that many of our ancestors faced. They experienced trials far greater than many of us will ever encounter. May we take the time to learn their stories and learn from them, as a token of gratitude for what they experienced. They learned that great lessons might be the result of experiencing trials and unexpected difficulties. Challenges are what many of them chose to face. To those of us who had ancestors forge the way to this country to provide us the benefit of liberty, we owe a great debt. This debt can be repaid by telling their story to their posterity and others. If we close our eyes, we can almost hear them say, Remember me.

Background History of Transylvania

Our story begins with a family living in a faraway central European country that many people have little knowledge of. The country/province of Transylvania had a reputation of vampires and Count Dracula fueled by Bram Stoker’s writing in 1897. It was a country of amazing beauty, and of mixed ethnicity consisting of Saxons, Magyars, Slavs, Romans, Turks, and Romanians.

The Romanian name Transylvania or Ardeal, Erdély in Hungarian, depicts a geographical and historical area with a colorful history. Today, Transylvania belongs to Romania. The origin of the German name, Siebenbürgen, has not yet been determined. Although there is evidence that this German name has been used since the 13th century. Over time, this name was related to the Seven Sees, or administrative units, established by the German settlers. For centuries, the term Transylvania had only been used in written texts. It is derived from the Latin name trans silvas, meaning beyond the woods.

Transylvania is an historical region located in the west central part of the country Romania. On the east and south of Transylvania are the natural borders of the Carpathian Mountains and the Apuseni Mountains. The term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also parts of the historical regions of Crisana and Maramures. It also covers the parts of Romania of Banat.

The Transylvanian coat of arms shown has been familiar since 1590. The heraldic symbols represent the three Transylvanian nations or estates: Hungarian Nobility (the eagle), Szeklers (sun and moon) and the Transylvanian Saxons (seven castles). Transylvania’s coat of arms was part of the combined coat of arms of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and is now part of the national Romanian coat of arms.

Compliments of Wikipedia

The region of Transylvania is known by its beautiful landscape of the Carpathian Mountains and its rich history. Today it includes major cities such as Cluj-Napoca, Brasov, Sibiu, Târgu Mures, Alba Iulia, Bistrita, Sighisoara, and Medias. As with many European countries, Transylvania has been dominated by several different cultures, countries, and ethnicities throughout its history.

A brief illustration of who dominated it, is as follows:

•82 BC – 106 AD – controlled by the Kingdom of Dacia

•106 AD – 271 AD – controlled by the Roman Empire after defeating the Dacians. Most of the nearly one million Dacians were killed, enslaved, or conscripted into the Roman army. The Roman Army finally withdrew from Dacia Romana about AD 271.

•271 AD – 850 AD – controlled by various tribes (Carpi, Visigoths, Huns, Gepids, Avars, and Slavs.

•851 AD – 1002 AD – controlled by Bulgaria

•1003 AD – 1570 AD – controlled by the Kingdom of Hungary

•1571 AD – 1683 AD – controlled by the Ottomans and the Hapsburgs

•1683 AD – 1849 AD – controlled by the Habsburgs (also referred to as Hapsburgs)

•1867 AD – 1918 AD – controlled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire

•1918 AD – Present – controlled by Romania following World War I

From 1947 to 1989, Transylvania, along with the rest of Romania was ruled by a communist regime. The ethnic clashes that erupted in the cities of Târgu Mures and Timisoara occurred between ethnic Romanians and Hungarians in March 1990, after the fall of the communist regime.

Arrival of the Saxons

The Saxons, a name given to the early Germanic people, came from the Rhine and Moselle regions of Northern Europe to settle in Transylvania. Many of the settlers actually came from Saxony. Saxony, German Sachsen, lies in what is now eastern Germany. Poland lies to the east of Saxony, and the Czech Republic lies to the south. Saxony also borders the German states of Saxony-Anhalt to the northwest, Brandenburg to the north, Bavaria to the southwest, and Thuringia to the west. The capital is Dresden.

Saxon settlers arrived in Transylvania in the mid-1100s, after having been invited by the ruler of this Romanian land. They stayed in this hilly region for 850 years and named their lands Siebenbürgen (also spelled Siebenbüergen) after the seven fortress cities they built to protect themselves and their towns. These cities were primarily walled-in cities, to thwart off the invading Ottoman Empire. Looking at the following charts, most cities in the Transylvania area of Romania have several names identified as Romanian, German, and Hungarian. When the Germans settled what is now Sibiu, they named if Hermannstadt. As you drive around the surrounding areas, it is common to see signs with all three names of a city.

7 Primary Cities in Transylvania

Distance Between Cities in Kilometers

Over the centuries, the Saxons and their descendants not only farmed and protected the fertile lands between the forested Carpathian Mountains, but also formed guilds and became wealthy traders. Respected for their skills and talents, they gained a degree of freedom previously unheard of in medieval Europe. In their adopted homeland, any Saxon could move up in society based on merit.

The town of Hermannstadt (now Sibiu) was founded in the 12th century and predominantly settled by Saxons. For much of the 12th through the 16th centuries, it was the easternmost ethnic German city in Europe.

After the Romanian Orthodox Church was granted full legal status within the Hapsburg Empire (from the 1860’s onward), Hermannstadt became the seat of the church in Transylvania and was the meeting place of the Transylvanian Diet.

Hermannstadt (Sibiu) was the largest of the seven cities and became known by the German name Siebenbürgen and by the 14th century had become a major trading center. It was home to the Univeritas Saxorum, referred to as the assembly of Germans in Transylvania. The term, Siebenbürgen, will be addressed later in the book, as a society that was influential in the United States.

Sibiu / Hermannstadt / Nagyszeben

Much of the city’s location is due to its position, easily defensible, but allowing horizontal development. The old city of Hermannstadt (today referred to as Sibiu) lies on the right bank of the Cibin River, on a hill situated about two hundred meters from the river. It consists of two distinct entities, referred to as the Upper Town and the Lower Town. Traditionally, the Upper Town was the wealthier part and commercial outlet, while the Lower Town served as the manufacturing area.

The fortifications of Hermannstadt made the city one of the most important fortified cities in Central Europe. Multiple walls were built around the city, most of them out of clay bricks. Today the southeastern fortifications are the best kept, and all three parallel lines are still visible. The first is an exterior earth mound, the second is a ten-meter tall red brick wall, and the third line comprises towers linked by another ten-meter wall. All structures are connected via a labyrinth of tunnels and passageways, designed to ensure transport between the city and lines of defense.

The Appendix at the end of the book illustrates a chronological development of the city once called Hermannstadt.

The primary reason that I share these historical details, albeit watered down, is to illustrate the political climate that so many generations lived under. This story is about a German family that immigrated to Hermannstadt in the 1500s. There they acquired a trade, established a business, and raised several generations of family. The story will start with a young family deciding to leave Hermannstadt in 1900 and what led them to that decision.

During the 19th century, much of Europe was in continual disarray. At least sixteen major wars were fought on the European continent including: ⁵

•Napoleonic Wars: 1803-1815

•French Invasion of Spain: 1823

•Russo-Persian War: 1826 – 1828

•Russo-Turkish War: 1828 – 1829

•Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence: 1848 – 1849

•First Schleswig War: 1848 – 1851

•First Italian Independence War: 1848 – 1849

•Second Italian Independence War: 1859

•Third Italian Independence War: 1866

•Crimean War: 1854 – 1856. Britain, France, and Sardinia join together to defend the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) from Russia. Most ground combat took place in the Russian peninsula of Crimea.

•Second Schleswig War: 1864. Austria and Prussia combine against Denmark to take Schleswig and make it part of Germany.

•Austro-Prussian War: 1866. Short conflict in which Prussia, in effect, forced Austria out of German affairs.

•Franco-Prussian War: 1870 – 1871. The last of the German Unification Wars. This war led to the formation of the German Empire (the Second Reich), and led directly to World War I

•Russo-Turkish War: 1877 – 1878

•Serbo-Bulgarian War: 1885

•Greco-Turkish War: 1897

These wars were a factor in mass emigration.

Acquisition of Transylvania by Romania

In August 1914, when World War I began, Romania declared its neutrality. Two years later, under the pressure of the Allies – specifically France, which was desperate to open a new front to the war, Romania joined the Entente on August 17, 1916 by signing a secret treaty known as the Treaty of Bucharest. This treaty aligned them with the Allied countries. It was agreed to promise Romania with the acquisition of Transylvania, then part of Austria-Hungary, following the war. Romania then declared war on Austria-Hungary. The Allied Powers, or Entente, consisted of France, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan, Romania, and the United States. The Central Powers consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria and their colonies during 1914-1918. ⁶

Prior to the annexation of Transylvania, Romania was not as large as it is now. About 40% of modern-day Romania was then part of Austria-Hungary. The Iron Gate formed part of the boundary between Romania and Austria-Hungary. Transylvania at the time consisted primarily of a large ethnically Hungarian population, a smaller German population and Romanians. The Germans and Hungarians tended to live in towns and cities and were involved in trade and professions, while the Romanians that resided in Transylvania were country dwellers for the most part and overwhelmingly peasants. Despite living surrounded by Romanians for centuries, the German community retained a German cultural space. These ethnic Germans proudly declared that they were German and not Romanian. It was not just language that separated them. Ethnic Romanians were primarily Orthodox Christians almost without exception. The Germans were chiefly Protestants, although some were Roman Catholics.

Although part of Austria-Hungary, more than half of the population was Romanian by ethnicity and language. There was a strong desire to reintegrate Transylvania into Romania and an equally strong desire on the part of Austria-Hungary to resist this. There seemed to be no chance of defeating Austria-Hungary, which was the strongest country in Eastern Europe, and Austria-Hungary was Romania’s main trading partner. Romania signed a treaty to help Austria-Hungary if they were attacked. Their most likely enemy was Russia, and Romania feared Russia just as Austria-Hungary did. Because of the Transylvania dispute this treaty was not popular in Romania.

Romania was such a new country, that it was relatively unknown to the outside world. Even in English there was no agreement on how to spell the name of the country, Romania, Rumania and Roumania were all used at this time.

Romania had a considerable Jewish and Gypsy minority. A significant number of indigenous Romanians felt hostile towards Jews and Gypsies. Jews were required to take a special demeaning oath in order to give testimony in court.

The Conclusion of World War I and the Impact in Europe

Following the conclusion of the First World War, the House of Habsburg was opposed to the rise of socialism and communism. The rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany, displayed his opposition of the centuries-old Habsburg principles and standards regarding the traditional ethnic, religious, and language practices. As a result, there was a strong resistance movement by the Habsburg loyalists who were persecuted by the Nazis and the Gestapo.

Overview

The reader may wonder why I start this book with this extremely edited version of the historical times of what was once the Principality of Transylvania. As previously stated, many thought that Transylvania was just a mythical place of vampires and imagined lore created by Bram Stoker and others, (much like the places of Camelot, Atlantis, and Middle Earth from The Lord of the Rings). And yet, it was only about one century ago, that the area known as Transylvania basically disappeared. Likewise, other countries, empires and areas that had names are no longer known. Examples are: Persia, Babylon, Assyria, Abyssinia, Moldavia, the Mughal empire, Gaul, Samaria, Canaan, Moab, and many others that were forgotten, replaced, or assimilated. Let’s take a moment to review how the disappearance of Transylvania occurred.

The magnitude of the world war conflict that occurred in 1914-1918 effectively extinguished two dynasties – the Habsburg and the Ottoman, along with a number of country boundaries. At the outbreak of World War I, the Kingdom of Romania refused to join the Central Powers. They remained neutral, although King Carol I of Romania, and King Ferdinand, who became King after Carol’s death in 1914, were from the German Hohenzollern dynasty.

To say that there was political and ethnic conflict in the 18th and 19th centuries in Romania and Austria-Hungary is an understatement. Perhaps that contributed to families emigrating from the Transylvania area. At least that is my assumption as I write this.

This is a story about a family and the struggles they experienced in deciding to immigrate to a country they knew little about, a country they believed would offer great opportunity.

Map of the original boundary of Transylvania

Map of Romania Pre-Annexation of Transylvania

The map depicts the area outlined with a bold border that constituted Romania pre-World War I ⁹

The Map Archive; Map code Ax00904

Notes:

1.BRIA 26 2 The Potato Famine and Irish Immigration to America; Constitutional Rights Foundation; Bill of Rights in Action; Winter 2010 (Volume 26, No. 2)

2.Watkins, Thayer, The Economic History of the Western Roman Empire, The Emperor Aurelian recognized the realities of the military situation in Dacia and around 271 A.D. withdrew Roman troops from Dacia leaving it to the Goths. The Danube once again became the northern frontier of the Roman Empire in Eastern Europe

3.Dennis P. Hupchick, Conflict and chaos in Eastern Europe, Palgrave Macmillan, 1995, p. 62

4.Richard C. Frucht; Eastern Europe, An Introduction to the People, Land & Culture ABC-CLIO, 2004, p.408

5.Historyguy.com; Major Wars in Europe in the 19th Century

6.Wikipedia, Allies of World War I

7.Chris Leadbetter; 3 January 2019l The Telegraph; The Forgotten War Which Made Transylvania Romanian"

8.The Map Archive; Map code Ax00904

Author Note:

Between 1890 and 1900, the population of the century’s old city of Hermannstadt grew from 21,465 to 26,077. At that time, 62% of the population was Transylvanian Saxons. This was the most dominant Saxon (German) community in Transylvania, and the homes were primarily of German style. With the various ethnicities of German, Hungarian, and Romanian, many people were multi-linguistic out of necessity.

Religiously, the German people primarily were of the Lutheran faith in the 19th century. The famous Lutheran Cathedral of St. Mary (German: Evangelische Stadtpfarrkirche in Hermannstadt; Romanian: Biserica Evanghelicä din Sibiu) was built in the 14th century.

Chapter 1

Hermannstadt, Transylvania

Circa February 1830

Samuel / Sofia / Maria

The day had finally arrived that Samuel had been looking for. As he finished the last of the work he had that day, his thoughts turned to tomorrow, the day he would be wed to Sofia. Samuel was an average size man and had been trained how to make boots for farmers. It earned him a wage that had enabled him to save enough for marriage and tomorrow would be the day that he and Sofia would go to the Evangelische Stadtpfarrkirche in Hermannstadt to be married. The beautiful church with its four steeples ornamented the city of Hermannstadt people traveled from miles around to see and attend the ceremonies there.

The magnificent church had been constructed in the 14th century on the location of another 12th century church. For the next three centuries the grounds would serve as a burial place for mayors, earls, and other personalities from Hermannstadt. That practice however was banned in 1790, but one exception was made in 1803 when Baron Samuel von Brukenthal was laid to rest in the crypt.

Samuel had been born in 1813 in Gießhubel, Transylvania, a very small town about forty-three kilometers northwest of Hermannstadt. Other than farming, there was little to do in the community of Gießhubel and Samuel yearned for a bigger city. He was the second of four children and always wanted to get away from a farming type of life. Following his lead, his two younger brothers later followed him there.

Upon arriving in Hermannstadt in 1830 at the age of seventeen, he set out to find employment and a place to stay. He had saved some money during the years he had worked, but not nearly enough to pay for a room and food. On the second day in Hermannstadt he was fortunate enough to meet an elderly man. During their brief interchange as he asked the man for directions, he inquired if he knew of anyone that was hiring. The elderly man appraised him and asked him what skills he had. Not knowing how to answer the question, he simply told him that he was a hard worker. The kindly old man smiled and asked him if he would be interested in learning a trade. Samuel immediately replied that he would, and soon discovered that the man was a boot maker for farmers. To be more precise, he was referred to as a tschismenmacher and a cobbler. Samuel soon learned the difference between the two. The man explained that a tschismenmacher made new boots using new leather whereas a cobbler repaired boots and shoes. A young man that had recently worked for him had found another job and he needed someone that was willing to learn and could work hard.

Samuel willingly accepted the job without even asking what it paid. The money was commensurate with the level of skill and since Samuel had very little experience in that kind of work, the wages were very little, however the man had an extra room that Samuel could stay in. To be proficient, a cobbler and a tschismenmacher required years of study. However once expertise was learned, he could make an honest living, which loosely translated was a sustenance living.

Samuel was fortunate to work with someone that had years of experience and a willingness and patience to teach. There was always a demand for footwear since men spent hours on their feet in the fields and at work. Boots were taken care of and often re-soled since people didn’t have the money to purchase new boots with any degree of frequency.

The tschismenmacher’s name was Otto. He was a rather short man, slightly bent over from years sitting at the cobbler table and working on making a quality boot. His gray hair hung over his collar and his bushy eyebrows and moustache matched the color of his hair. He had blue eyes and a warm smile that he rarely showed due to concern of the condition of his teeth. Samuel estimated him to be in his 60’s and despite his age, his hands were surprisingly steady. The rimless glasses that he wore were low on his nose and he had the habit of looking over the top of them when speaking to a person.

Otto’s wife had passed away several years prior and their two daughters had married and lived in Hermannstadt but had little to do with their father. Whether it was due to their busy lives or their embarrassment of him, he never knew and didn’t complain. He knew he had some grandchildren but rarely saw or heard from them.

Otto began by introducing Samuel to the tools of the trade and showing them how to use and care for them. He insisted that Samuel learned the names of the tools and would often test him and ask for pincers, nippers, a last, dogs, a specific awl, cobblers hammer, a cobbler’s anvil, and shoulder sticks. He taught him how to use awls to create the holes through which a waxed linen thread would be inserted with a pig’s bristle. He explained the different shapes of awls and their purpose and eventually taught him how to use a stitching awl and a closing awl.

The months of understudy turned into years, and before he realized it, twelve years had passed and Otto now began to be too old to do the majority of the work anymore. One evening Samuel noticed that Otto was having a coughing attack and couldn’t seem to catch his breath. Samuel led him to a chair and got him something to drink. Eventually the coughing subsided and Otto slumped in the chair from exhaustion.

Samuel, he said, I am afraid I do not have a lot longer to live. Samuel had noticed that he had been coughing up blood lately but said nothing. You are the son to me that I never had, Otto said with a brief smile. I cannot continue with the work and would like to give you the business.

Samuel was shocked with such a magnanimous offer and had never expected it. He started to say that he couldn’t do it and the man held up his now unsteady finger.

"You have learned well. You are as good as I am at it. I didn’t build this business to let it crumble. You will be giving me a gift by accepting it and this building. I ask you to keep the name on it as a memory to me. I plan to move in with my younger sister who is a spinster and can take me in. She lives in Mediasch."

It was the first that Samuel had ever heard of Otto having any siblings. Otto continued, "The apartment above the shop is yours. I will take the next couple of weeks to clear my things out to move to my sister’s. I won’t be too far away. I think the distance is about fifty-five kilometers north of Hermannstadt. I hope that sometime you can come to visit me."

Samuel promised that he would and once again thanked Otto. Whom can I turn to if I have any questions? he asked. There may be things that I don’t know how to do.

Nonsense. I have taught you everything that I know. I believe that there is a cordwainer across town that specializes in making ladies shoes. He would have the technical skill to help you with any problem and is someone that I refer people to that are looking for new shoes. He does the same for me with people looking for boots that need repaired or replaced. Make as many connections as you can. I do have one thing to ask though.

Samuel was momentarily caught off-guard. Please, anything.

You are almost twenty-eight years old, ja? Otto asked.

Samuel nodded his head acknowledging that he was.

It is time you find someone and get married. You are a good-looking boy and should have no problem. I have seen girls look at you before. What are you waiting for?

Samuel was a little embarrassed and said that he wanted to make sure that he could support a wife and someday children.

Well, I think I have just given you a way to do that, so it is time that you get to work and find a wife.

Saying goodbye to Otto was harder than Samuel had thought it would be. He realized that ever since he had met him, Otto had treated him as a son and now he had given him the gift of a very good start in life. During his apprenticeship he was very frugal and saved as much as he could. Shortly after Otto had moved, one day Samuel was at the market picking out some vegetables for the next few days. As he turned around, he literally bumped into a young woman who was shopping for her parents. Bumping her, a couple of things fell out of her basket and he quickly retrieved them and apologized. The first thing he noticed was her dark black hair and the beauty of her smile. He couldn’t guess her age but estimated her to be eighteen or nineteen years old and knew he was older than her and was now twenty-nine years old. He apologized profusely to her, never taking his eyes off of her. To him she was the most beautiful woman that he had seen in all of Hermannstadt.

She smiled to him and told him that it was okay, but he didn’t want to simply walk away. Noticing that the basket she carried was full; he asked if he could carry it for her. If she was surprised, she didn’t show it and thanked him for helping her. He offered to walk her home and she accepted. Truth be known, she found him to be as attractive as he found her. Upon reaching the flat where she lived with her parents, he told her that he didn’t even know her name.

She stuck her gloved hand out and smiled and said, I am Sofia Staffent.

And I am Samuel. Would it be too forward if I were to ask you out?

She simply smiled at him and told him that that would be very nice. From that time, they began dating. Less than two years later, they were married.

The years seemed to fly by. The business continued to grow, as did their family. Within the next seven years they had four children.

Samuel (b. 1813) – Sofia – m. 1843 (b. 1824); (d. 1854)

1.Samuel Petrus b. 1844

2.Sophie Elise b. 1846

3.Johann Carl b. 1848

4.August Johann b. 1850

5.Elisabetha Ludovica b. 1853 d. 1854

Samuel Petrus had been born in 1844; Sophie Elise in 1846; Johann Carl in 1848; and August Johann born in 1850. With four children under the age of seven, times were very busy for Sofia. They had now been married for eight years and Samuel was exceptionally happy with Sofia. In January 1853, Sofia announced to Samuel that once again she was with child.

Sofia had always been sick during the pregnancy however this time seemed to be worse. She lacked energy and was always tired. It was difficult for her to tend to the needs of the other four children and Samuel helped out wherever he could. The day finally came when the baby was born. Elisabetha Ludovica was born October 29, 1853. She was underweight and appeared to have respiratory issues. The delivery had been very hard for Sofia and her recovery was much longer than normal. Elisabetha had trouble nursing and gaining weight. She cried most of the time and the doctor stated that it was probably colic and that she should grow out of it. But the months went by and the crying didn’t cease. Samuel noticed how Sofia was at a breaking point and how easy it was for her to sink into depression and tears.

On the morning of May 16, 1854, Sofia walked into the room to pick up Elisabetha and found that she had died. Sofia collapsed on the floor in hysteria and Samuel and the kids came running into the room. Samuel quickly ordered the kids out of the room and told young Samuel to run and get the doctor who lived a few houses away.

When the doctor arrived, there was nothing he could do. The funeral was sparsely attended. Sofia’s parents attended the funeral, as did other family members. From that time on, Sofia’s health only continued to deteriorate, as did her depression. No matter what Samuel tried to do, it was in vain. On August 14, 1853, Sophia’s heart gave out and she passed away. When that happened, it seemed as though a light went out in Samuel too.

Several months went by. Samuel did the best that he could with the children now age nine, seven, five, and three. Neighbors assisted in the care so he could continue his business. It was not unusual for shoemakers to refer customers to others in specific areas of specialization. Samuel’s expertise was in making farm or peasant boots. An acquaintance that he had made, Samuel Simonis was a merchant. He sold fabric and leather, fasteners and eyelets, hardware, and cooking products and had a shop located on Elizabeth Gasse Street. One day Samuel walked over to Simonis’ shop to pick up an order of fasteners and eyelets that he had placed. Above the door hung a sign that was printed Simonis Einzelhandelskaufmann. Upon entering the shop, Samuel noticed an array of merchandise from fabric to hardware. As Samuel greeted Samuel Simonis, his daughter appeared from the back room. Samuel was taken aback at her beauty and her father