Johann Dietrich Kasselmann
Christmas 1707 followed a record hailstorm that had ruined the entire wheat and wine crops, leaving the peasant farmers even poorer than they had been made by the War of Spanish Succession and the scorched earth policy of the French military. In the summer of 1708 a Lutheran Pastor named Joshua Kochertal was distributing hope for a new life to the suffering population. This hope came in the form of a pamphlet that described the success of persecuted migrants that were transported to these new lands by a generous and compassionate Queen Anne of England.
Two Kasselmann families heard this message of hope and were among the 3000 that arrived in New York in May and June 1710. They were part of the larger group known as the Poor Palatines due to their origin from an area of Germany and their overall poverty upon arrival in London, England. These families were headed by two sons of brothers Johannes Hans and Hans Franz Kasselmann and driven by circumstances they packed up their families for the journey to the promised land described in the Golden Book.
The son of Johannes Hans was Johann Dietrich who was 46 years old and married to 44 year old Anna Elizabeth. Of the six children they began the journey with only two lived, a young woman of 22 years, Anna Elisabeth and a boy that was 12 when they arrived named Andreas Ludwig.
The son of Hans Franz was named Christian who was 34 years old when he and Anna Maria Judith Hirtz, 26 joined Dietrich and his family for the journey with their two young sons, one who died on the way. Though Christian's branch of the family has a rich and interesting history, Dietrich is the direct ancestor to me as he is my 6th great-grandfather. What an impressive family they were!
"A Compete and Detailed Report of the renowned District of Carolina" written by Joshua Kocherthal, the former Lutheran pastor of Landau (Bavaria).
Dietrich worked the fields as a vinedresser and husbandman which in modern terms means he was skilled at managing grape vines as well as cultivating land for crops such as wheat, corn and other cash crops. The family did not own the land or vineyards that they worked in, rather they leased them and paid rents plus a share of the harvest to the princes and royalty that had claimed the land in previous wars. Even in the best years the future was never very promising as they were condemned to peasant life by the strength of the armies employed by the Holy Roman Empire. In many ways these people were slaves to their masters of the Empire.
Nevertheless God's commandment to "be fruitful and multiply" was eagerly embraced by men and women who were members of a society deeply connected to their local church. Detailed records of births, baptisms, marriages, deaths and family lineage were kept by these churches that still exist in genealogical libraries. These records along with published history inform our view of these ancestors and the lives they had.
Dietrich was 25 years old when he married 23 year old and Anna in 1687. For twenty years they had toiled under the oppressive conditions of serfs that owed their lords and masters a portion of every aspect of their lives. From a tenth of the harvest and a portion of their labor to the service of their children in the masters armies or household. Even when one of the family died the masters had a claim of tax before whatever meager possessions could be distributed. For an in depth examination spanning AD 1240 thru 1790 I have reproduced Pictures of German Life in the XVIIIth and XIXth Centuries, Vol. I., by Gustav Freytag on this website.
When a clear understanding of these circumstances is obtained it becomes easy to understand why these families were so impressed by the idea of freedom and a chance to own land that they could cultivate and hold to the full benefit of their own families. These simple sturdy people had endured so much they were not intimidated by the prospect of an arduous journey thousands of miles if it held this promise of Liberty and Prosperity.
Leaving Germany bound for "Carolina" the land of milk and honey promised in the "Golden Book"
Johann Dietrich Casselman 13 November 1662 Adelshofen, Eppingen, Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany (Now one “N” and first letter changed to “C”, probably in England) Death 1744 Stone Arabia, Tryon, New York Colony, British Colonial America. He was 82 years old. He was a member of the Lutheran Church in Adelshofen, Germany and Lutheran Church in Stone Arabia, New York and West Camp, New York. Was member of the Palatines in Walworth, England. He was married to Anna Elizabeth (Rinder) in Germany.
Johann Dietrich's family is listed in the Adelshofen Germany Lutheran Church. The family went to England in 1709 because they are listed in the group of Palatines in Walworth England: Board of Trade, Miscellaneous. Vol 2 D.64: compiled 27 May 1709 by Mr. Tribbeko and Mr. Rupert, German Ministers. "Casselman, John 49, wife, sons 10, 3, daughters 19, 13, 1/2, Lutherans" The sons were Andreas Ludwig and Johann Dietrich and the daughters were Anna Elizabetha, Elisa Greta, and Anna. In 1710 the ration lists of Gov. Hunter lists the family living in West Camp, NY: Kasselman, Deitrich 1 1 0 2 0 0 4. (1 man, 1 lad 9-15, 2 women, 4 people total.) These are Hans Dietrich, Andreas Ludwig, Anna the wife, and Anna Elizabetha. The rest of their children died during the 5 months it took for the British ship to reach New York. These were Anna Barbara, age 12, Elisabeth Greta, age 14, Johann Dietrich, age 3, Anna, age 2. Children that survived the journey are: Andreas Ludwig, age 12 upon arrival, Anna Elisabeth, age 20 upon arrival.
The Simindinger List which was published in Germany in 1717 but was taken 1713 shows Deitrich and wife Anna living in Stuttgart (Weiserdrof), now the Schoharie NY area with two children (Johann Deitrich & John Wilhelm).
The family first traveled 500km (310 miles) to reach Rotterdam. If they had horse and wagon the journey took about 2 weeks if they were on foot quite possibly 3 or maybe even 4 weeks. Many families used sail boats on the Rhine which were subject to the winds and often stopped in ports along the way. After a time in Rotterdam they boarded a ferry that probably took them to Harwich, UK and then by land to London where they would eventually board the HMS Midfort bound for America in December 1709. There was a long delay before the voyage got underway while details of the contract to pay for their passage and sustenance upon arrival were discussed. The Atlantic crossing that typically took about eight weeks stretched out to five months and during this time about a third of the passengers died due to malnutrition and disease.
The HMS MIDFORT arrived in June 1710 with the passengers destined as indentured workers to make tar for the British Navy. The tar project was not successful and rations were stopped in 1712. In the middle of the winter 1712, many of the Palatines left for Schoharie Valley, NY. After building several villages and cultivating their farms, it became clear that there was a problem with the land titles. A period of riots, running the High Sheriff out of town on a rail and general disorders followed. As a compensation the Palatines were offered land in the Stone Arabia area. Some took the land offer, Hans Dietrich was one, some went to Pa. and some made arrangements to stay on the land in Schoharie, Christian was one. "Casselman Family Text 1985" CMMIS00013.1-2
Christian Casselman was a cousin to Dietrich that also migrated from Germany at this time and his descendants also have a very interesting history, which will be included as a separate chapter.
What caused these families that had been part of the same community for 3 generations, over 100 years, to pack up everything they owned and embark on this arduous journey? Some have said it was in response to land speculators brochures and perhaps that played a role, but more importantly it is important to understand the political, religious and natural environment to gain a better understanding of the events powerful enough to motivate such a dangerous and unknown journey. They had to be pretty desperate to give up everything to do this!
Here is an approximate route of the migration from 1550 in the Holy Roman Empire and then in 1708-09 to England.
A typical sailing ship that was in service in 1709 would be packed with about 300 people plus a crew of around 60. Our family boarded around Christmas 1709 and arrived in New York in June of 1710. There had been a months long delay soon after they left England as final details of the work contract were negotiated. One can imagine the excitement and joy of that Christmas boarding after months of living in tents and barns and subsisting on scant rations. Then, once these impoverished refugees were stuck on ten boats anchored at sea representatives of the Crown withheld departure until the mostly illiterate group agreed to the contract to produce "Naval Stores" for the Crown.
