Newburg, Wis. November 26, 1875
Dear Brother and Sister-in-law,
I received your dear letter of the 23rd of last month
on the 16th of this month with the sad news that our dear father ended his earthly pilgrimage on the
27th of last month and, hopefully, has stepped over into better pastures.
Yes, it is hard to lose one's parents, especially,
when one is so far away on foreign soil. Although, I always knew that it wasn't going to take much
longer.
Well, what can one do, sooner or later, it will be
our time, and we shall go the same way. Let us thank the Lord that he loaned us our parents for so
long, and let us for ever and intensely pray for their poor souls, as this is our duty and the only
way we can still help them. Hopefully, next week, we shall offer a mass for them. It would have
already happened, but we just got another priest. It had to be moved up until he arrives. And here,
I'd like to tell you (not that it has anything to do with the postponement) that a mass here costs
$1.00.
How are things now with your church situation?
Doesn't it stop soon, or is it still getting worse? I don't hear much these days. I don't read much
in German newspapers at the moment, for one, I don't have much time, and then, I have to devote all
my time and energy to learn the business. And should I have some time, I'd rather take an English
paper or an English written book to learn to read English. I bought an English book which cost me
$5.50. That is a lot for a book, but it is a practical book, since it contains a lot relating to
business and much more.
When I got your letter, I had just finished one to
you, because I wanted to send some nice toys to your little Wilhelm for St. Nicholas. But my boss
advised me against it, for it would cost me more on fees and duty than it was worth. So, I decided
against it and thought you might better buy him something instead.
I had also written that I am half willing to open up
my own store next spring. I haven't made up my mind, yet, but thought to let you at least know
about it already. As soon as I am sure about it, I'll tell you more. There is here in Newburg a
German catholic teacher who also would like to run his own store. He asked me if we couldn't go in
together, as neither of us has the means to go it alone. Most of the local stores are co-owned buy
two people, sometimes three. This co-ownership is more prevalent here than in Germany. The place
we have in mind is in the State of Iowa. It's a new locaton and at the entrance of the village.
There are only a few houses, yet, and a cartholic chcurch. But there are a number of farms in the
area who wrote us in unison, stating the need for a store.
You may think, why won't I stay where my friends and
relatives are? I would love to do that, but there are sufficient stores here already, so that a new
beginner would have a hard time competing. I even think, I could purchase half of the store I am
working in right now, which also is co-owned. But that would cost me $7,000 to $8,000, and that is
beyond my means. For a new place, I won't need as much, as I won't need as large a selection of
wares. There, the people would be happy to be able to buy anything local at all. Here, it's
already like, when one carries 15-50 different colors, they'll ask you for a color that's not in
stock.
Bernard Huenck, as well as Ludwig Esselmann
and Mrs. Gertrud Esselmann, nee Huenck, are quite well, so far, although Ludwig is
beginning to suffer from rheumatism. He complains about back pain. Also, all the rest of the
Esselmanns are all still healthy and send their best.
We already heard from Fritz Huenck what happened to
him and that his daughter died. I think, poor Fritz may well [concern ?? =unreadable] with his
100 Taler.
The Esselmanns thrashed the following:
Bernard Esselmann has 643 bushels of wheat, 494 bushels of oat and 200 bushels of barley.
Clemens Esselmann has 420 bushels of wheat, 300 oat, 300 barley.
Franz Esselmann has 8-9000 bushels alltogether, but I don't know the individual kinds.
Ludwig Esselmann has 260 bushels of wheat,175 bushels of oat, 70 bushels of barley and 28 bushels of rye
How much welzcorn one or the other has, I don't know. That didn't do well this year, a lot of it froze.
I was surprised that you had 500 R (?) on one ear.
That must have been good, considering. You wrote, how to get it off the ears. As I wrote to you
already, what you want to do to use it for the next planting: you have to always tie 2 and 2
together and hang them in a dry and airy place, maybe in the attic or a bee house. What's left is
fed to the cows and pigs. What you want to plant in the spring, you can either take the kernels off
by hand or take the ears at both ends and shave them over the edge of the bucket, that way, the corn
drops right into it. If you did that now alrady, it'll be to late, of course. Don't pile it up in
the fields and leave it there for days, it'll stink. Whatever people don't use for planting, they
keep in sheds, sort of like bee houses, under the floor boards, both sides secured with slats nailed
with 1 - 1 1/2 inch spaces for air. Chickens and geese love it, too. And here, I recall,
and what I had already wanted to write to you, that geese, real geese, (or in low German: Gantens)
are all white, and no goose is all white (surely a fact).
In ending, I wish you all a merry Christmas and a
happy new year. And I wish, from the bottom of my heart, that for all of you, this day may return
many times and find you in the best of health and happiness.
Hoping, that this letter, too, will reach you in such god health as it leaves me, greeting you whole-heartely,
your brother and brother-in-law,
Clemens Diekaemper
Greet all the relatives and friends from me. I also sincerely congratulate Max Struffert.
Write back soon.Translated courtesy of Lucia Nezelek
