1798 Letter Penned by Martin Tschudy To His Cousin In Allentown, Pa.
On this page you'll find a letter written by Martin Tschudi, who was born in the canton Glarus, Switzerland. A gentleman named Edward Quinter contacted me via the email address which was offered on the website, after noting my relationship to Martin, and offered scans of the letter which is written in German script. He also mailed me the translation after obtaining permission to disseminate the document from the Zion Reformed United Church of Christ in Allentown, Pa. The kindnesses extended to me never cease to amaze me. Many thanks to all.
The letter was written to Rev. Abraham Blumer in Allentown, Pa. He was the son of Rev. John Jacob Blumer, minister at Belswander and Grabs in Switzerland, and cousin to Martin. Abraham was born 14 Dec 1736 in Grabs, ordained in 1756, and later sent to Pennsylvania to pastor members of the German Reformed Church. He landed in NY early in 1771. He died 23 Apr 1822. Martin not only had a grandmother with the surname of Blumer, but he had a brother-in-law named Peter Blumer as well. If you read the page on the Tschudi family of Schwanden online here, you'll see many marriages between these two families.
In June of 1776 Martin enlisted to serve in the Revolutionary War. He was discharged in January of 1777 in Philadelphia. On 9 Sep 1777 he married Anna Barbara Adams in Philadelphia at the German Reformed Church. On that same morning, Washington's troops were being positioned along the Brandywine River to prevent an advance toward Philadelphia by the British. On September 11 the American forces were defeated at the Battle of Brandywine, and the Continental Congress abandoned the city, moving the Capitol west. Before doing so, they called for the Liberty Bell, the bell that hung at the State House [now called Independence Hall], and bells from the surrounding churches to be moved out of the city to prevent the British from melting them down for ammunition.
According to the Zion's United Church of Christ's website, a train of 700 wagons, accompanied by 200 cavalrymen, left Philadelphia carrying the bells and military supplies. They were taking the bells to Allentown for safety. The Rev. Abraham Blumer, mentioned above, kept the Liberty Bell safe. He hid it under the floorboards of his church. There are more details within the pages of History of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania: And a Genealogical ..., published in 1914.
Along the side of the writing on page 1 of the letter, was an accounting of money lent to a man named Heinrich. As it doesn't provide information about Martin, and not knowing whether the notation was that of Abraham or Martin, I'm not providing that here.
Here is the translation Mr. Quinter sent to me:
Valued friend and cousin -
I take this opportunity to inform you that I and my loved ones continue in good health, thanks be to God. I also hope the same for you. This past summer I received the two letters from Mister Muller. He gave them to me in person. But the one that you sent to Mister Riegel in Frederick [?MD], I didn't see. My son, Jacob was at Riegel's, who said he didn't recall to whom he gave the letter. Please tell me if you hear any news. Or if you happen to be writing to Glarus soon, so please let everyone know we're getting on well, and are living in Baltimore in the province of Maryland. Two months ago I sent a letter with Bremer. Young Mr. Bund[?] was here among us. He preached in all 3 churches. I asked him about the activities of his father and also of Mr. Pflaumer[?]. He told me that ____ both are still well. That was really good to hear. In the newspapers comes the troubling news from Switzerland, that evidently the French have invaded our homeland. I heard that the Glarner defended themselves well, so too the folk from Wallis and Bern. Other cantons, however, did nothing.
Baltimore in Maryland
20th Nov. 1798
your loyal friend,
Martin Tschudi
#21 translated by Edward Quinter
Allentown Nov. 2002