From Karolina God's Protection and Mercy.
First my friendly regards and wishes for
all the best, my very honored
Godfather Major Walti and Godmother, your honored wife, also your dear
son and
daughters. I cannot fail to write you an answer , that we
are still hale and
hearty thanks to God's loving grace. To hear the same from
you will give us
great pleasure. Besides I ask you very kindly to report to
us again about my
daughter-husband Galmann and my daughter -
husband Ulrich Biniger from
Utikon, same (about) my beloved brother Hans Jacob Gallmann,
and sister Rudi
Jagi, same (about) all good friends
and acquaintances, and the whole
neighborhood and parish.
It is now one and a half years ago that I have written to you
and received no
answer, therefore I will report again
how we fared on the journey. We
travelled with Pastor Gottschi from Zurrich to
Bassel, in which place we
stayedfour days and did not know when Gottschi would
get a ship. Then 28
persons of us joined together and got a passport from Bassel,
also a passport
from the commander of Huningen. Then we went into
France on foot, travelled
through in what we would have had to pay for ship's fare
, also could travel
free and safe, had three weeks and three days to Cali (Calais). There
we met a
Londoner ship's captain, he contracted us on his ship, and each
person had to
pay 1 thaler up to London, but we had to stay in Calais 8 days
until his ship
was loaded with wine. Then we set one and a half
days and two nights until
we got to London , where we had to stay 8 days. Then the governor called
me and
my family to the castle amid gave us a splendid meal, and
when that had been
eaten, his servant h ad to guide us to the
armory. There we saw something
artful such as I had never seen in my life.
Then we contracted for another ship, and each person
had to pay 5 guine to
travel to Carlistath ( Charleston ) and the persons that cannot pay
must serve
for it. One guine is 8 lb, and 1 lb is as much as 20
Swiss batzes. One must
serve 4 years for it.
And so we went on the ship in God's name, and safely set out,
from London and
from the English coast, and got on to the high seas where it
was very warm so
we had to take off our coats and camisoles,
until we got to Braffeidenz
(Prividence ), and had to ride 9 weeks. During that time
we saw no land and
met up with only one single ship which came from Affrica. During
that time we
suffered considerable wind such as to break the rear mast
in 2, but no harm
was done to the ship and we were lucky all along.
Up to Braffeidenz, we had several soldiers
along that sailed with us.
Braffoidenz is a pass where the
Spaniards have to pay a large toll.
Braffeidenz is not fertile land because every year the sea throws off
salt and
leaves it there 2 times a year. Braffidenz lies straight under
the sun where
it is very hot. We stayed there for 8 davs because things had
to be taked on,
our ship was loaded with Brazil-wood. Carlistath is 150 hours from
Carlistath.
We had another 8 days to Carlistath and arrived at Carlistath
the 7th day of
Hornung (February), the 1735th year. Thus our
travel took 11 weeks from
Londonto Carlinstath, But we took a ratger round about way
because we had to
go to Braffeidenz. Then we were supplied with new provisions,
meat, rice and
salt, and a special kind of potato the likes of which are
grown all over the
country, and which gentlemen and farmers like to eat.
After three weeks we were taken to Ganganlist
(Congaree) 50 hours to the
northfo Carlistath. There they gave each person axes and hoes,
in the town of
Farziganten (Saxa Gotha), one half acre of land for to
have house and garden
intown; after that 30 acres land for each person, men and women, and
that for
ten years free. Provisions they give enough for one year. By that time
you can
grow you own , so you do not suffer want at any time. When
the ten years are
over, field rentand head taxes on one hu ndred acres comes to less
than 4R(?).
We were given an exceedingly beautiful place only
half an hour from town.
The whole farm is garden-like ground. It is
a good four-and-a-half hundred
acres in one piece, all black-brown earth, nary a rock, all even
land, wheels
need no brakes. I have given five acres land to each
of the children, but
Heini has 150 acres in one piece: Heiri, too
has 100 acres in one piece,
doesn't know yet how much he will get; Hanss, too has 100 acres in
one piece.
My children are all married, all except Hanss, he still
serves and gets 9 lb
amonth, he tans deer skins. Heiri lives with
me and has a wife from the
Rhienthal and a little son . Heinni has Heiri's wife's sister, he lives
on his
farm and is doing well. He has 5 cows, milk and butter
he has enough. I and
Heiri have 14 cattle, cows, and others more, 3 horses,
more than 20 pigs,
bread and milk and butter we have enough. We can slaughter
2 fat oxen (when)
we want to, 6 pigs besides, so in winter we have enough
meat for every day,
and in summer we have some too.
Elssbeth is married to Master Jacob Schall (Spuhel)
from Taurgau (Thurgau)
andlives in town. He has his farmland near the town
and lives well, has 4
cows, is able to have more if he wants to. He had a little daughter
that died.
Annababeli has already another husband, from the first she
has a little son,
he was an Irishman. This time she has (a husband named)
Eunicher, she comes
dressed like our pastor's daughters. She has
20 head of cattle and many
horses, also many pigs. She has 3 niggers, those
are black people or Moors
that one buys. They bring whole ship loads from Affrica, and one of
them costs
100 to 200 lbs (depending, on how they are, this year are a great
many. And so
we are doing well, indeed very well, and we owe nobody anything.
I wish that the neighbors that are much in need
could all be with us. and
especially my children, Rudelli who is in Holland, and Anneli with
her husband
and children. I therefore ask very kindly,
my dear godfather, that if my
brother perchance is not alive anymore, that you would be so
good and report
to my son how things are withus. If he does not wish to
be a soldier a11 his
life, that it would be my wish for him to come here.
Carolina lies under the sun which makes it very
warm. In summertime it is
much warmer than in Swirzarland wherefore it is called South
Carolina, but in
wintertime rather cold but there is no snow and summertime
no hail. The land
is real good and fertile with all kinds of grain. You fell
the trees, then
you begin to till and sow corn. The first year you got plenty
and good, after
that there is wheat, too, then corn again, everything you
wish that you can
plant. Round the corn you plant peas and beans , melons, watermelons,
a great
number of all sorts plants. If the land is goodyou begin planting all
sorts of
grain, barley which turns out well here, rice is
planted here aplenty, and
there is a very large trade with r? to Carlistadt and other places.
There are many strawberries, many blackberries,
very many mulberry trees,
peach trees in the woods, also many apple and pear trees, they do not
have all
of those trees here, some have to be brought in from far awav.
Cherries there
are too but we don't yet have the trees, also very many
grape vines but all
which have small berries like juniper berries, black, make a good wine
but are
not so easy to get, grow way up in the tall. trees. Also
many nut trees , a
great many with wild nuts so hard they have
t o be cracked with an iron
mallet. There are countless numbers of oak trees on which the
pigs can fatten
themselves.
They do not have fences here, only where things are
planted, every. else is
left to itself. Cattle, horses and pigs are left to roam
together, no fodder
is made, no cattle herded, not even pigs, no horse is shod,
and everyone can
have as much livestock as he wishes or can handle. There are such that
have as
much as up to 100 or 200 cows, and if there were 10 times as
many, they would
all have enough to feed on. There are very
many rabbits in hollow trees,
turkey chickens, ducks, wild geese, in winter also wild pigeons,
turtledoves,
bees can also be found in hollow trees. There is a water
near our place, it
runs down to Carlistath, a water full of ships and has much and good
fish. One
does not have work half as much here as in
Switzerland. When the heat is
greatest one goes in shade under the roof and lies
down to sleep. One also
doesn't walk much but goes on horseback to see one another.
It is also very
good here for tobacco smokers, each grows it himself.
This country is not at the end of the world,
it borders on several other
countries such as Virgioln (Virginia) and (West) India. That
is where a wild
people live; much trading is being done with them. These
savages live mostly
in part on shooting game.
There is much deer here and there, for which reason, many traders
ride there
with 20 or 30 horses right through my pastures with
brandy, also with shot
guns, muskets, lead, bullets, belt straps,
pouches and dear skins. Many
savages come here too, and shoot game. We (don't
do) anything to them, so
neither they to us. When we give them something they give meat
in return. And
so it is that Carlina is good and large.
From here one can also go to
(Virginia) by water and by land, it is 100
hours. One c an also get to
Pensillfanen, is 200 hours by water and by land. I could write
you much more,
must keep it short. We lived in our town Sageigten
(Saxa Gotha) and built
huts. My daughter - husband Heirich Buchman from Trachsler (Dachlesen)
had his
own little house, worked hard, liked it here, but
both died, one after the
other within two days, he and the wife, and had been sick no more than
5 days.
This happened in Autumn month (September) 1735th year. Cousin
Heinrich Walder
from Knonau left London with us and staved in Carlistatt
with Naffen (Naf)
from Kappel, did not go with us to our beautiful splendid
town of Sageigten
(Saxa Gotha) but to Buris Burg (Purisburg), is 100 hours.
There would be room for many people, whoever wants to can
come. It is a real
good country, could almost be compared with an earthly
Canaan or paradise.
Whoever wants to can come with this man, Master Hans Spring
is a very honest
man, stands in good cre dit. If some people, blacksmiths,
shoemakers, came
here, they would do well inall trades. They give to one
that does planting 7
and a half Swiss batzes a day, and to people with a trade they give
much more.
Flax is doing very well here, grows a little larger than in Switzerland.
There
is also very fine cotton. So one can see that I did
well by my children in
having left my father land and being here. God be
thanked forever. We live
under a good, mild government. The administration is quite
favorable to us,
which the dear Lord may save and preserve for us.
Heiri sends his regards to his godfather and godmother,
wishes they were all
here with us. My dear godfather and major, I send a thousand
regards to all
ofyou. Please do not leave the man ( Hans Spring),
that brings this letter
unrewarded. The communi ty of Metmenstetten will surely pay
for it; give him
another letter to take along. Master Hanss
Ulrich Stehrli (Scherli from
Bandeliken, the blacksmith) is also with us, he too is
doing well. There are
all sorts of nations and people here, could write e ven
more. Commend all of
you to the care of theMost High and to the care of God.
South Carolina written in the town of Fassigaden the
15th of Autumn Tenth,
the 1738th year.
Jacob Gallman
God be with all of us:
My friendly regards and well-wishes to you, my dear
godfather and godmother
Major Walti in Bondler. I cannot fail to send you
some good news that we,
through God's loving grace are still hale and hearty, thanks
be to God, but I
also report to you our mo urning for our dear late father, because
he died on
the 20th day of Wine Month (October) and was abed no more than
one day, about
which I am very sad, and we are deeply sorrowful, and he
was much mourned by
the Germans and the English, and he has led a pr aiseworthy
life. He had to
baptize children and join people in marriage for westill
have no pastor; and
all that is written in my father's letter is true. I do not have anything
else
to write, you will find it all in my father's letter, except I, too,
send many
1000 regards to my brother Rudolff and my sister Anna and
my brother-in-law,
and I and my 2 brothers and sister send many1000 regards to
all our f riends
and the whole community, and commend you to God's
care.I ask you to please
write me again whether or not you have
received this letter, mine and
myfather's.
The 12th of Winter Month (November). From me 1738th year. Heiri Gallmann
in Saxigoten.