Since my own biography is so interwoven with the story of Frankentrost I decided I could hardly avoid referring to my life in a few short sentences, and how by God^Òs direction it came about that I became attached to Frankentrost. What I am writing here is not meant for the public but I want to relate a piece of my family story for my dear children, and perhaps dear grandchildren.
I was born on July 7, 1819 in Burghaig near Kulmbach in the district of Upper Franconia in the Empire of Bavaria and was baptized on the following Sunday in the parish church at Melkendorf in the name of the Triune God. I was given the name Johann Heinrich Philipp. My parents were Johann Graebner and Catherina Eleanora nee Rehm. My grandfather on my father^Òs side owned a small piece of land in Windischenhaig which he took care of in summer. He really was a teacher at the local village school which at that time was attended regularly in winter. But I do remember my father saying, ^ÓI went to school to my father only in the winter but I learned more than you, who go daily year in and year out.^Ô My father had an especially beautiful German and Latin [English] penmanship. He was a master at arithmetic and could always help us with our lessons when we had difficulty. Grandfather on my mother^Òs side was a farmer in Burghaig who kept horses. During the war under Napoleon I, he lost a great deal and his two oldest sons divided the land he owned, but they had to give their father a sort of annuity as long as he lived.
My father was a master tailor in Burghaig and was always considered the best musician in Kulmbach and always had quite a number of music students from near and far. From my mother I often heard that in the depressed year 1817 he gave music lessons in wealthy families in the city of Sonnenburg in the Saxony area and earned enough that the family suffered no financial difficulty during the ^Ñlean^Ò years.
At that time the matter of true Christianity was very bad. Just at that time rationalism had celebrated a real victory. From all pulpits one heard at best some insipid morality sermons. Although the children of my dear parents experienced this, the true Christianity was not completely lost in our family. We children had from infancy heard our good mother pray ^ÑJesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness^Ò. Especially did she know from memory some of the hymns from the good old royal hymn book. She seldom went to bed without praying a precious evening hymn ^ÑLord, It is of My Life^Ò, etc. Really she always prayed that hymn so loudly that we boys in the adjacent room could hear every word and pray it along with her. I must say that after my baptism the first Christian impressions I received were from my dear mother and these have never been completely erased.
Father traveled frequently. However, when he was at home he attended the church service regularly and also on high festivals he assisted the cantor in the parish church at Melkendorf. As the aged cantor led the church music he stood at his side faithfully. In what relationship the aged cantor stood toward my father can be seen in the following story: For confirmation instruction the Burghaig students were required to go to the church in Melkendorf. Now, since the children in the schools more distant from the church always arrived at church too early, they, of course, were without supervision until the instruction began. When I was going to confirmation instruction one morning the children who were brought in from more distant places were all left in the church. It didn^Òt take long before some of the young boys began to play hide and seek. All, except I, took part and they made all the accompanying noise. Then, suddenly the cantor came into the church storming. Seeing me sitting quietly in my pew he rushed at me and as he recognized me he yelled ^ÓYou ^Ö you Graebner? You sit here and are putting up with this nonsense? Wait you scoundrel! I surely will tell your father about this.^Ô The playful group became very quiet. Without any concern about their guilt the cantor dashed out of the church. For some weeks I was in constant fear that there would be some reaction from my father.
Now I first want to turn back to the time when I had to go to school with my three older siblings. ^ÑHad to^Ò was meant for me since I, at first, was not happy to go to school. Yet frequently in the first weeks it took a spanking from my mother before I finally left for school until the teacher, Mr. Meyer, succeeded in enticing me with a lovely, large pear to make me willing to go to school. Learning was easy for me and in fact by the time I was ten years old the teacher used me to help the children who were newly enrolled. Only once was I spanked in school, which really was two quick strikes of a switch on the open hand, stinging the palm. Two of my fellow students were responsible, three times a week, for supplying the penmanship books of the younger students with lines to be used for writing and I was to write the samples of the letters to be practiced. One day our teacher, after we three had read our lessons, brought us the stack of penmanship books. I shoved them to the other two to make the lines and they shoved them back to me with the remark ^ÓWho writes the samples can also make the lines.^Ô We shoved the books back and forth until they lay under the bench. Since no one wanted to pick them up they remained on the floor until the teacher asked for them to distribute them to the class. Then we received a well deserved punishment. That was my first and my last spanking in school.
Like many teachers at that time, also Teacher Meyer in Burghaig was a confirmed rationalist but never have I heard any scoffing or blaspheming remarks concerning the Word of God coming from his mouth. As I recall in detail he never promoted his own convictions in our religious instruction. In the Bavarian state-schools at that time the old Seiler catechism was still in use. This text, with the exception of the preface, contained the Luther^Òs Small Catechism in its entirety and the added Bible verses for proof were mostly of pure Lutheran content. The old Seiler also gave a brief but very clear condensed Bible History lesson. This catechism was used year after year and every day a portion was recited and quizzed. Besides this we spent an hour every forenoon in Bible reading, however only in the New Testament. I can truly say that from my school days I have the complete conviction that every word in the Bible is an unswerving divine truth. Because of that, during my confirmation instruction the old Pastor Kispert said, regarding on the second article as it speaks of the Ascension of Christ, that there is nothing sure concerning this. I thought to myself that this surely is a Godless statement, because the catechism says, ^ÓHe arose to heaven.^Ô He surely is no Christian who doesn^Òt believe that with his whole heart. I was determined to be a Christian and at my confirmation it was my most sincere confession and my determination that I would continue in the true faith and would have salvation through that faith. Since my dear father died that spring after my confirmation, I can recall today how I would kneel behind the house crying to God that he would please take my father to heaven. I never doubted the real faith of my father. I want to mention only one memory I have of him. One day he brought home a very old book which was held together with string. I saw him read in the book frequently but he kept it in his locked wall cabinet for which he always carried the key. After his death I was eager to know what he had been reading and found the book contained Epistle Sermons by Lütkemann. Later I had the book rebound and claimed it as an inheritance from my father.
My father had planned that I should become a teacher. However since his early death I had to help with the work around the property and to become a support for my mother and younger sisters and brothers. I worked with my brothers until my twenty-third year, at which time my brother, Adam, could work out his Master right which came to him without more training as a Master^Òs son as a support of a Master^Òs widow. About this time it happened that more of the Loehe boarding pupils were being sent to America. I was urged by Mr. Bachmann and more of my Christian friends to enroll at the Loehe School to which my mother gave her happy consent.
So about the beginning of March in the year 1845 I was on my way to Neuendettelsau to the Rev. Loehe to whom I had been warmly introduced by Bachmann earlier, and found a friendly reception.
On my first trip to Neuendettelsau I met near Forchheim a wagon on which a number of young men were riding. These were, as I found upon my arrival at Neuendettelsau, candidates Craemer, Lochner, Trautmann, etc. who were about to leave on their journey to America. Not long after my arrival at Neuendettelsau a second group of Loehe students were to take their examinations and until then I and several others should go to Rev. Brock at Auernheim to spend several months of study. In the spring of 1846 the seminary at Fort Wayne opened, to which several boarding pupils of Loehe were sent. In fact several months earlier Loehe took me into his room and said, ^ÓNow Graebner you are not free from military duty but the Countess Hahn Hahn in Mecklenburg has offered to buy a military substitute for you. I want to make a suggestion. Would you, until your military time is complete, remain with me and instruct my children and I will instruct you on the side?^Ô Such an offer I could hardly refuse. So I remained behind alone with my fatherly friend Loehe as other students left for Fort Wayne across the sea.
What Rev. Loehe at that time had planned for me I really discovered perhaps a half year later.
Near the fall of 1846 a number of fathers and single men determined to gain the advice of Rev. Loehe regarding emigrating. So he presented a plan with which he and several friends had busied themselves recently. In order to prevent these blessed Lutheran immigrants from running into trouble as they arrived in America, by getting into the nets of sects, losing their German culture, etc. he hoped, as with Frankenmuth earlier, to set up in Michigan a row of German Lutheran colonies of which one colony would always be able to depend on another. The plan appealed to those emigrants seeking advice and the decision to emigrate ripened. In the spring of 1847 the colony of Frankentrost near Frankenmuth was to be founded. Before leaving Germany, the emigrants should organize as a Lutheran congregation and call a pastor.
While I was alone with Loehe I had a monthly lecture, usually on a Sunday evening, in the parsonage. Here I had Rev. Loehe and the local government court assessor in the Heilsbronn Monastery, Mr. Hommel, and a small number of blessed congregation members of Neuendettelsau as listeners. One evening at the close of the lecture Loehe and Hommel told me that I had been nominated as pastor of the colonists to Frankentrost and also elected by them. I tried to tell them that I was lacking the training and asked them to withdraw the call. In fact they overruled my conscience problem, especially with the fact that I would have Craemer as my neighboring pastor and he had already promised that he would assist me as I wished both in word and deed. At the same time four Hannoverian candidates: Roebbelen, Wolter, Fick, and Franke came to Neuendettelsau for a visit. They wished a position where they could be of service to the Lutheran Church in America. They remained with Rev. Loehe for several weeks and I was introduced as the future pastor of the Frankentrost colony. Later on when we met at Synods, etc. these brothers, all of whom have left for their eternal Home all remembered in a friendly way our early meeting in Neuendettelsau.
Early in February 1847 I had to pass an examination. As a written assignment I had ^ÑSerious self examination prior to entrance into the Lutheran office of the ministry.^Ò; also a sermon had to be presented. These presentations were sent to Dean Brandt and his vicar Schaller in Windsbach, Rev. Wucherer in Noerdlingen, and Rev. Mueller at Immeldorf (the editor of Symbolical Books) for judging and appraising. Then the necessary arrangements for the departure were made. Shortly before my departure from Neuendettelsau a young student appeared. He had left for Fort Wayne a year before but in Bremen he could not legally make the trip so he hoped to return. There were fourteen paragraphs in the article Loehe and the pastor dictated to us, intending that we take them to their friends in America. As I arrived in Frankenmuth I handed this material to Rev. Craemer to read and judge. He however did not consider it wise to broadcast the contents of these papers. He felt that this document had no historical value and could be passed around at any time. After working on it, I would gladly have had the original because I wrote it from dictation, exactly in the writing style as directed by Rev. Loehe to use at that time.
I left Neuendettelsau about mid-March. In fact my farewell from that parsonage was very intimately friendly. Especially Loehe^Òs three children clung to me with a great deal of love, so much so that they did not want to be separated from me. They were allowed to go with me for about an hour accompanied by the pastor^Òs hired man. When the final farewell came they wept most pitifully. I shall never forget the love I experienced in that parsonage.
After spending some weeks at home with my mother, sisters, and brothers I left early in April in the company of my colonists, leaving from Kulmbach. At that time the trip from Kulmbach to Bremen for the most part had to be made by wagon. About mid-April we were to locate our ship to board in Bremerhafen. We were to make our journey across the ocean on the new three-master Hermine under Captain Volkmann. This ship was to be in Bremen when we arrived but it had not returned from its first voyage to New York although it was expected every day. A number of my colonists who left home before I did and some who had traveled with me had allowed someone to influence them to make the journey to New York on another ship of the same ship company because they feared their Hermine would be delayed too long. However our ship arrived on time and we could leave Bremerhafen on that same day on which the other ship carrying some of our colonists left the harbor.
I want to mention here that on this trip in Leipzig I met Missionary Baierlein who was to become an assistant to Rev. Craemer at Frankenmuth and who wanted to make the journey with my colonists. Soon after our arrival in Bremen we made the acquaintance of two theologians who also wanted to travel to New York on the Hermine. These were Rev. Dulitz and Candidate Schroer. Dulitz was an ordained pastor in the Prussian State Church and was going to America having been sent by Gossner. Without a definite area of work Schroer was to represent the Barmer Mission and had been put under the jurisdiction of the New York Ministerium. Both, of course, said they were Lutheran and Dulitz was appointed Ship^Òs Pastor by the captain. As such he held morning and evening devotions every day. In the evening he added a brief consideration of a biblical selection. He preached every Sunday morning. The services were held on the middle deck giving an opportunity to the cabin passengers together with some of the sailors to tell some raw jokes. As soon as the devotion was concluded the captain gathered those sailors and warned them that such disturbances in the future worship services would be severely punished. From other travelers it will be expected that they observe the strictest order and silence during any services in the future. From then on there was no disturbance at any time. Dulitz later became a member of our synod. Schroer wrote to me at Frankentrost several years later and said that his conscience was bothering him and that he could not continue his ministry in the deplorable church circles where he was. He had decided to buy a small piece of property in the Frankentrost Colony and become a member of the church there. He asked for my sincere, heartfelt opinion of this plan. Upon this I wrote to him that to me it was certainly understandable that he wanted to get out of that church circle in which he found himself and that instead of moving to Frankentrost he should approach our synodical president Dr. Walther. I said I was convinced that he would find a welcome there and would also feel very much at home with him. Schroer did get in touch with Walther but since, at that time, Walther and Wyneken were in Germany, Dr. Sihler was taking Walther^Òs place. It is said that Dr. Sihler gave his request a most unfriendly welcome. Later I heard that Schroer turned up in the Buffalo Synod, where he became insane and later died in an insane asylum.
Now to go back to our ^ÑHermine^Ò. Under the instructions which I received from Rev. Loehe I found also the orders that I would have to travel steerage with my colonists. Should ^Ö and may God prevent that ^Ö the ship have any great trouble, I shall not be concerned about my safety until the last of those dependent on me are saved and have left the ship. Gladly I should remain with the foundering ship and suffer a timely death, comforting myself with my last breath. However our faithful God in His mercy allowed me and my colonists to be safely led across the ocean after six weeks of sailing. On the first of June, 1847, we landed well preserved in New York. Not only during the sea journey did the blessed Captain Volkmann allow me to share some of his niceties, as every noon he allowed me to share a sumptuous meal from the stateroom sent to the steerage area, he also presented me with several bottles of port wine, etc. Since the ^ÑHermine^Ò would remain in port for a few days he suggested we all leave our personal goods on board ship. We would be leaving the ship after three days. I had nothing to do in New York besides delivering a letter from Rev. Loehe to Rev. Brohm and I had to have a tooth extracted, which in the past four days caused me some extreme pain. We remained in New York only two days and one night. On the second day, after the passage for my colonists and me was taken care of we returned to the ^ÑHermine^Ò. In the afternoon a steamer, which plied the Hudson between New York and Albany, arrived. We loaded our baggage and left on that same evening. After a pleasant ride on the lovely Hudson River we arrived the next day around noon in Albany. That afternoon we took a train to Buffalo. In Buffalo we stayed about five hours until all our goods were stowed on a steamer which would take us across Lake Erie to Detroit ^Ö to which destination we were billeted in New York, this for all persons and all of our freight. On Sunday around noon we arrived in Toledo. Already as we entered the river several of my colonists came to me and said the captain had refused their billets and as I inquired for more explanation all had already given up their billets ^Ö only I still had mine. That was really fortunate that I still had mine. It finally paid off that I had studied English in Nürnberg with a Jewish missionary Grodheil. (6 Weeks of English lessons which I took from him.) I went to the Captain and told him that all my people had tickets the same as mine, not to Toledo but to Detroit and we would not leave the boat until we get to Detroit. He told me his boat was not going to Detroit but was leaving the next day to return to Buffalo. I then told him that he would have to see to it that we would reach Detroit. I then told my young men they should stay with the baggage and take nothing from the boat. I would go into town to get some advice. I knew that in Toledo a certain man named Hofmann lived and I was lucky when asking about him. When I presented my problem to him he went to the boat and spoke to the Captain. Then he told me we should just stay quietly on the boat; the Captain must see to it that we get to Detroit. And, sure enough, the next morning a different steamer arrived to take us to Detroit without having to pay additional fares. Missionary Baierlein remained in Buffalo to see the Niagara Falls, so I even had all his baggage to care for.
From Detroit there was no established way to reach Frankenmuth except that we order sufficient wagons; and that caused much trouble to secure so many wagons and teams to carry us and all our freight farther. Some of our men would have to remain and watch over all our baggage while I with the help of our innkeeper worked to secure more wagons. After all was accomplished, on the third day after our arrival in Detroit, we were all on our way to Frankenmuth. Baierlein also appeared shortly before leaving Detroit. Fortunately the Frankenmuth Colony was familiar to some of the drivers of the wagons. After a three day journey across the land we came to Birch Run around noon, where we heard that we still had sixteen English miles to Frankenmuth. The drivers and horses had to spend the night in Bridgeport. Then we decided (Baierlein, two young men, and I) to continue on foot and after a strenuous, five hour march we were lucky to reach the parsonage in Frankenmuth toward evening. The wagons with our travel companions and others did not arrive until the following day around noon on June 11, 1847. We did not find Rev. Craemer at home; he was attending the first synodical convention of the Missouri Synod in Chicago and had not yet returned. However he arrived at home two days later. In Frankenmuth we found that daily morning and evening services were held and the next service which Craemer conducted after his return from the Synod was a Thanksgiving service ^Ö remembering that God had spared the Frankentrost colonists much trouble and difficulty on their long journey and had brought them safely and well cared for to this place.
From Rev. Loehe the directions we had were to announce at once that the Frankentrost congregation desired membership in the newly organized Missouri Synod and that I should seek advice as to ordination. Rev. Craemer gave his support and took the necessary steps for us to send our desire and plans to President Walther. As a recommendation for me to Rev. Craemer, Rev. Loehe had given me a letter in Bremen which I should give Rev. Craemer upon my arrival. As Craemer opened the letter he read only the words ^ÓCourier H. Pf. Graebner and no counterfeit^Ô ^ÓW. Loehe^Ô.
However, until news from St. Louis came, which at that time mail service took about four weeks, it was decided that a parcel of land be selected upon which the Colony Frankentrost could settle as their legal property. Through Rev. Craemer^Òs arrangements we allowed the aged surveyor Beach to come. With him and Rev. Craemer one morning, I and about a dozen of my male colonists from Frankenmuth moved northward into the Michigan forest primeval.
Our settlement was to be not nearer than 6 miles from Frankenmuth. Our old surveyor next searched for the section line that ran in a northern direction. After about a two hour march through the gorgeous primeval forest our leader stood still and said, ^ÓHere we are 6 miles north of Frankenmuth.^Ô From here on the quality of the land would have to be studied. Old Mr. Beach had been a leader in the state survey of this area and so he knew exactly what to look for. He taught us exactly the quality of the soil and the quality of the forestry. We should always watch where there are many sugar maples for there would be good soil. At noon we stopped at a creek with nice clear water and we made some tea. During our noon pause we decided that we would also prepare our sleeping area here tonight. We had supplies for two days and one night. In the afternoon this area was measured and for four hours we walked in all directions. Then we asked our leader to return us to the rest area we had at noon which we reached between 6 and 7 o^Òclock. A large fire was made, tea was brewed, and later, after we had sung several evening hymns, each one wrapped himself in his wool blanked and we slept under the protection of God and his holy angels ^Ö our first night of quiet, soft sleep in the American forest primeval under the open sky.
As we on the next day again covered the area we were all united and agreed that the nicest and best land which we had seen was in the surroundings of our yesterday^Òs rest area. So in the afternoon we again made our way back to Frankenmuth. In the evening a meeting was held. The old Mr. Beach showed us on a survey map where the land which we had selected for our settlement lay, and upon which selection all of my colonists were agreed that together we purchase 2 1/2 sections of land. The sections being considered were described by Mr. Beach in more detail and several days later two of our men together with Candidate Flessa as their interpreter traveled to Jackson where the land office was located at that time. Here they were to complete the purchase. An acre of government land cost one and one fourth dollars ($1.25). Since just at that time we could purchase Michigan promissory notes at a fairly reasonable price and since they were valid for land purchase, that land cost us only 82 cents per acre. The bill of sale was issued to Schlenk and Bluemlein by the land office because they had bought the land. From these two each man who bought a parcel of land received a Warrantee Deed for not less than 20 acres and not more than 160 acres. Earlier it had also been decided that the Colony Frankentrost be on the section line laid out between the two sections and that every owner must begin clearing land along this line. For the general congregation 50 acres for church property and 40 acres for parsonage property were immediately purchased ^Ö these to be in the center of the settlement but opposite each other (across the street from) so that the settlers from east and west would be equally distant from the church.
The first settlers in Frankentrost were the following twenty two families: Maeder, Rohrhuber, Schnell, Huber, Reinbold, Rank, Buchinger, Kittsteiner, Munker, Frisch, G. Wiessmueller, Moll, Ruff, Kipfmueller, Herbst, Hetzner, Wittmann, Schlenk, A. Wiessmueller, Bluemlein, Billmeier, and Abraham which had called me to be their pastor and had signed the constitution which we had brought along from Rev. Loehe. After each member had decided how much land he wanted the surveyor was called in again to measure each parcel of land as the men wished to have.
This work of surveying was continued throughout an entire week, with which all the men had to help, and which we again spent in the beautiful green forest. On the second day, just after our noonday meal, we saw a few clouds rising in the west beyond the tall timber, and our Mr. Beach said to me, ^ÓMr. Graebner, I guess this afternoon we may get some heavy rain.^Ô When I asked, ^ÓWell, Mr. Beach, what ought we to do?^Ô he replied, ^ÓI think we ought to fix some shelter.^Ô I apprised the men of Mr. Beach^Òs fears and of his suggestion, and we at once set to work building a shelter of branches according to Mr. Beach^Òs directions. Two hours sufficed for the completion of a hut 24 feet long and 14 feet wide, and scarcely was it completed when the downpour commenced. Under our tight leafy roof we smoked our pipes in comfort. This shelter stood exactly upon the spot where the parsonage was built later and served as a domicile until each had built his log cabin upon his own property. Just in front of our leafy shelter there stood a mighty oak tree. During one noon hour some of the young men remarked that this tree on the parsonage lot ought to be felled by united efforts. ^ÓLet's do it at once.^Ô No sooner said than done. Four men seized their axes and commenced work, after a little while four others took a hand. After two hours of uninterrupted work the mighty giant of the forest fell. It measured more than six feet in diameter. As soon as the task of surveying was accomplished, the labor of building log houses commenced, and as each one roughly completed his cabin, he would go to Frankenmuth and bring his family to dwell with him in his new home.
Among other matters there was also a message from St. Louis saying that Pastor Craemer has been asked to represent Rev. Walther and ordain me. Rev. Craemer set my ordination for Sunday, September 5, on the festival of Nathanael. So all my dear Frankentrosters who at the time still lived in Frankenmuth were present. Several who hoped to build a good log cabin let their families live a little longer in Frankenmuth.
I personally retained my residence in Frankenmuth under the hospitality of the dear Craemer family until my blessed Mr. Munker had finished his log cabin to the degree that I could move in on Nov. 11, 1847. Until then dear Pastor Craemer allowed me to conduct a morning or evening devotion several times and also preach for him on Sunday morning. Then sometimes on Sunday morning I walked the 8 miles to Frankentrost and preached in a half finished log cabin.
As I then established my permanent residence in Frankentrost I lived the first winter in the house of Mr. Munker. Munker^Òs log cabin at that time was the largest in the settlement measuring 20 by 30 feet and consisted of three rooms. With the even earth floor the largest served as living room and kitchen throughout the week, also as a bedroom for Mr. and Mrs. Munker. With a board divider a bedroom was made for Mr. Munker^Òs brother-in-law, Mr. Frisch, and wife. Under the roof, reached by a ladder was my meager establishment consisting of a number of large boxes and my bed. The general living room during the winter was my study and four weekdays it also served as a school room. On Sundays after breakfast all moveable furnishings except the cook stove were moved and the entire space was used for seating arrangements for those attending the worship service. Then on Sundays and Festival days a service was held in the forenoon and also in the afternoon.
From 1847-48 we had a very mild winter so at times the unmanageable mud was hardly passible. One Sunday before the service in the forenoon good old Mr. Moll said to me: ^ÓPastor the way here is rather far for me (he had 1 1/2 English miles to walk.) and very difficult but on Sunday none of us should remain at home. With the many things one must do without here in the bush it is just good that we have God^Òs Word. Otherwise it would be almost impossible to endure it all. But also among the others there was seldom anyone absent from the Sunday forenoon and afternoon services.
In the course of the winter there was much clearing on the church property and the placing of the parsonage had been decided. From the beautiful tree trunks which had to be removed from church property, logs were prepared for the parsonage. And before Easter arrived my parsonage was staked out. With much energy then the most necessary construction was done so that a happy Easter could be celebrated in the parsonage. The parsonage was 32 ft. by 22 ft. By putting up a wooden divider, 10 ft. were taken from the length and separated as my living quarters. The remaining space was arranged for holding worship services.
When I could finally live in the parsonage and the space for worship services was available for use all the time, the congregation wished that also here for us, like in Frankenmuth, there would be a daily brief Matin and Vesper service. Beginning with Easter during the summer half-year there shall be morning and evening services at 6 o^Òclock and from St Michael^Òs on during the winter half-year should be mornings at 7 and evenings at 5. In general our public worship services and also our daily Matins and Vespers followed the liturgical method as given in the Loehe agenda. According to the constitution which Rev. Loehe sent along with us, all Sunday as well as all special festival services, on the first day thereof, holy communion shall be observed and the exclusive use of private confession shall be practised. During the six years that I was in Frankentrost it was very rare that there were no Communicants on Sunday or high festivals.
In the summer of 1848 the synod of Missouri, Ohio, and other states convened in St. Louis, Mo. and I attended it for the first time. The travel from Frankenmuth in Michigan to St. Louis, Missouri was certainly more tedious and far more expensive at that time than it is now. Rev. Craemer, Mr. Bierlein (the delegate from Frankenmuth), and I took almost an entire week for this trip. The first day^Òs trip from Frankenmuth Mr. Bierlein and I made on foot and this day (Monday after Trinity Sunday) we made nearly 42 miles and stopped in Green Plain (sic) where we spent the night. However the following morning we had to travel by stage coach to Detroit. There were no trains except from Detroit to Jackson, Mich.
From Jackson to Chicago we went again by stage coach and from Chicago to Peoria via Canal and from Peoria to St. Louis by steamer. The travel cost was about $42.00 and much of this was advanced to me by Rev. Sievers who had recently arrived and it took me several years to repay him. However, I regretted nothing because attending this synod in St. Louis remains unforgettable for me.
After my return from the Synod I had to decide to make another trip ^Ö this time to get for myself a pastor^Òs wife into my very cozy but poorly furnished log cabin. As I moved into my new home shortly before Easter a young married couple ached to share my new parsonage until their cabin would be ready for occupancy and for that time she did all the housekeeping. On the day I returned from the synod trip Mr. Buchinger approached me and said: ^ÓPastor you should have brought a pastor^Òs wife along from your synod trip since in a few weeks we hope to move into our own home. That really surprised me since I had planned to go to get my bride from Monroe later in the fall of the year. Through my long-since blessed brother-in-law Flessa now resting with the Lord I became acquainted with the younger sister of his wife. Her name was Jacobine Denninger. She with God^Òs gracious merciful good will gave me her hand in troth after I had received the blessing of her step father and mother. After I had heard the plans of the Buchingers I wrote to my bride and her parents that conditions have made it necessary that we shorten our days of pre-marriage. Then the date August 27, 1848 was set for our wedding. Naturally I was pleased to travel to Monroe for that reason where we were then joined in marriage by Rev. Hattstaedt on the given date.
On our trip home to Frankentrost we nearly had a tragedy in that my poor little wife almost lost her entire trousseau. We traveled from Monroe to Detroit by steamship. As we arrived in Detroit, we were directed to a hotel by a hotel employee who promised to take care of our luggage. After a short time I asked our host about our luggage and received the answer that it had not yet arrived. Later the host came to me and told me that he himself had been under the storage area and was not able to find our things. One man standing nearby and hearing our discussion said I should not worry. The host is responsible for my things and if they are lost he must pay for them. The following morning the hotel owner was very friendly and said I should go with him to search for our things and go with him into the storage rooms by the dock to have a thorough search. We then, after a long search, found our three large boxes in one of the oldest, poorest, most miserable storage areas, stored under other luggage. After a trip of almost three days from Detroit on a rented wagon we arrived, fortunately, in Frankentrost; although we nearly had an accident as we rode through the forest from Bridgeport to Frankentrost. Our driver came too close to an old dead tree with his wagon. The tree fell just between the two horses so that the axle broke, which they tied together with ropes. So we made it with much difficulty to the parsonage in Frankentrost on the afternoon of Thursday, August 31, 1848. Since there are no mountains in Frankentrost I could not have promised my wife ^Ñmountains of gold^Ò. She would have been most disappointed in her entrance into Frankentrost as the wife of the Pastor. I had in contrast made the primeval forest and the residence in the forest to appear somewhat gloomy so that she could find herself in rather poor circumstances without great difficulty. On Thursday we were alone together in our parsonage and on Saturday we received a very distinguished guest. Vice President Dr. Sihler came for a visitation. Without fail he, and also others, gave a lot of good advice for a young couple. On Sunday, the XI afterTrinity, I had to preach in the forenoon on the Gospel. Immediately after the sermon I had to hold a brief Catechism examination. In the afternoon there was a congregational meeting at the close of which Dr. Sihler left again for Frankenmuth.
On the following Sunday afternoon after the catechism hour my young wife and I made our way on foot to Frankenmuth in order to introduce her to that loving Pastor^Òs family. As also in later years an unusually loving and hearty friendship continued to exist between both families. The friendly reception I experienced in the Frankenmuth parsonage earlier has already been reported. What Rev. Loehe predicted certainly became a truth. Craemer has become a pastoral neighbor, a true friend and advisor. Until I was married I hurried every Sunday afternoon to spend some time with him, which meant that we usually visited until after midnight and discussed synodical and congregational matters. The following morning at 6 o^Òclock I found myself on the way back to Frankentrost and at 8 I was back in my school.
On one occasion of such a journey for a visit to Frankenmuth it happened that when wading through a ^Ñslough^Ò it was so deep that water flowed into the top of my boots. When I arrived there in the parsonage I had to tell of my misadventure. Then I had to remove my boots and socks and the Mission maid had to dry my footwear for me. Baebi (Barbara), the good maid put my wet boots under the stove which she had fired up well. As I wanted to put on my boots the following morning the two parts near the ankle were burned to a width of four inches. Fortunately there was a shoemaker in Frankenmuth at that time. He cut out the burned pieces and with new leather patched in pieces to substitute for the burned sections. But my nice tall boots which I had made for myself in Germany were totally ruined.
Even after my marriage I spent many Sunday evenings with my dear Craemer at which time not only the burning doctrinal issues were thoroughly discussed but also congregational practical parish matters were discussed and cleared up. Already the necessary discussion took place frequently since the relationship with Loehe and us was becoming more and more trying and uncertain. In fact, in late fall, 1847, we had received from Loehe his ^ÑAphorisms^Ò wherein it was evident that there was a difference between Loehe and the Missouri stand not only on the ^ÑConstitution Question^Ò but also the false doctrine concerning ordination and the ministerial office was frequently brought to light. I could share an occasion with Craemer which had become the most likely evidence of his Aphorism. It must have been a few weeks before my departure from Neuendettelsau that one evening Mr. Hommel who at that time was one of the chief magistrates of the Civil Court at the Monastery Heilsbronn related how something very unpleasant happened to him several weeks before. On the occasion of a session of the court which he was to conduct in Mitteleschenbach it happened that one evening he went to the local Catholic Priest to ask for a collection of liturgies. The priest declared sarcastically, ^ÓWhat do you Lutherans want with a liturgy? You have no Call since your pastors lack the proper ordination.^Ô ^ÓI^Òm sorry,^Ô said Hommel, ^Ómuch to my shame. I must admit that regarding the doctrine of ordination I am not thoroughly informed.^Ô Which, of course, the Catholic priest was aware of. Loehe sat there with his head bowed in his hands for a short time but then replied: ^ÓIt is the doctrine of Ordination which is still worth some study and as soon as my Reformation History from Franconia is finished I^Òm considering to pursue this study.^Ô And Loehe^Òs next essay was his ^ÑAphorism.^Ò Instead of searching Lutheran Doctrines and orthodox teachers of Doctrine of the Lutheran Church Loehe very likely perused the scholarship of the Roman Church and they steered him into papistic channels. Also that dear Loehe allowed himself to be entangled in Chiliastery later on. To show that Loehe was not a Chiliast when I was still with him, here is another example: On the occasion of a conference in Rosstall to which he took me there was discussed, among other things, the conversion of the Jews. And at this Rev. Loehe put the then missionary to the Jews, Godheil from Fuerth, really in his place so that the latter had not a word to say. So Loehe could not have been a Chiliast.^Ô
But now to the real purpose of my report on the conditions of my years in Frankentrost.
External Developments
The external development went ahead with many impediments and especially with difficulty. In our church and congregation constitution which we brought along from Rev. Loehe it said in conclusion: We build a political congregation which consists of Lutherans only. Already during our original purchase of land we provided that no one was to find any land for anyone to squeeze between the first congregation members and settle there; but we could not forbid anyone to buy land surrounding our land and to settle there.
Already in 1849, of the ^Ò48 German fugitives, a God-forgotten kind of people, quite a number bought land close to the eastern border of Frankentrost. All seemed to bring along a good amount of money, and accordingly bought rather large parcels of land so that there was no room anymore for Frankentrost expansion in that direction.
With the exception of only a few families, most of the 48^Òers were young men from educated families who imagined that with all the money they brought along they would be able to live an unlimited idyllic life in the American primeval forests. A number of these young adventurers in a short time brought it so far by their idyllic fast living that to cover their lower extremities they had to unroll their wading boots and put the upper part of their bodies into the drained brandy barrels whenever it began to rain. To clear the land and bring some culture into the area for this, these young lords had neither strength in their bodies nor were they inclined to do anything. Really this benefited the Frankentrost men who were happy to work because they found enough employment and were paid quite well as long as the 48^Òer men still had money to pay them. In fact at first this gave me no little concern as I saw my men working for this God-deserted horde but I was soon to discover that my warnings and admonishing did not remain fruitless. God gave my poor Frankentrost workmen a joyful courage, to confess the truth and defend their faith with God^Òs word. The sensible ones among the 48^Òers soon realized that they needed us Frankentrosters as we needed them and they, whether willingly or not, had an advantage in some things. For instance at that time it was a great drawback that there was no usable road to Saginaw, a distance of 9 miles, from where we had to get most of our necessary supplies. One time, for three weeks I had a tub of flour waiting for me at Bridgeport. However I could not call for it until several women decided to walk to Bridgeport, pack the flour in sacks and carry it home on their backs. This inconvenience the 48^Òers felt even more objectionable than we did. One day Mr. Post (the brother-in-law of the famous Carl Schurtz) and Mr. Vanflut came to me most friendly and politely in order to discuss several matters with me, as they put it. They were concerned about the way to Saginaw and began to discuss a way to get a road to cover that distance. We would have to begin to ask the county for needed assistance. The only way to do that would be to send the legislature a petition. In order to do that we would have to organize a township. They had already organized a Sheboygan township so we should as soon as at all possible move toward such an organization. I promised to discuss this with my congregation and to bring this about 14 days later a meeting was held to which all residents were invited by letter. Mr. Post, whom I had invited especially to advise us so that all would be done properly, was very willing to carry out my wishes and we organized as Bloomfield Township. Mr. Post had advised in order to avoid some unpleasant changing that we not name the area Town Frankentrost but rather Bloomfield. This name is not only poetic but also meaningful since Frankentrost is really a field of blooms.
Mr. Post already had a petition to the legislature in his pocket. This was signed by all those present and six weeks later $1500.00 for the building of a road to Saginaw was made available to us. By this my poor Frankentrosters could also benefit in getting easily to the city. This was paid out only in County drafts to the men for wages but the county drafts were quite generally accepted at full value in most stores. Real money was seldom seen in Michigan at that time, and one needed it mainly to purchase flour, and everything else was bought with a so-called store certificate. Frequently it was very difficult to have enough money to purchase a tub of flour. It happened quite often that the flour was gone and there was no money on hand to buy this absolutely necessary food. I could relate many an experience of God^Òs miraculous help at such a time. Only one instance in my own household I^Òd like to mention: It was at the time when Pastor Kuehn had arrived from Germany and stayed with us in Frankentrost an entire week. One day as we arose from the table and our dear guest stepped into another room for a few moments my dear wife came to me and with tears in her eyes said, ^ÓThe flour is all gone and I can no longer cook.^Ô I tried to comfort her by repeating the saying of the little ravens, etc. and then I went to be with our guest. As we were outside standing at the fence our neighbor, Mrs. Buchinger, came to us and said, ^ÓPastor for a long time we could give you nothing and I always would have been happy to give you some money. My husband works in the mill in Frankenmuth and Mr. Hubinger said he couldn^Òt give my husband any money but he could give him some flour. Could you perhaps use a bag of flour?^Ô I told her that flour was just what we greatly desired at present and with a heart filled with thankfulness to our Father I took the good news to my good wife about the wonderful help from our faithful God. We Christians know that every small piece of bread we receive from the gracious hand of God, but one becomes more aware of that at times of poverty. Poor I have often been with my loved ones but real want of necessities we never suffered and we never had to go hungry. Therefore thank the Lord for he is good and His mercy endures forever.
In our poverty, I and my dear ones not only had enough for ourselves, but we could ease the troubles of others by helping them. Another example of this: It was on a Sunday morning as I had just given the first signal for the morning service that there came a man into our yard, seemingly in good condition, well dressed but he was barefoot and his feet were covered with boils. The man addressed me in smooth North German in about the following words: ^ÓPastor, I see that you have many good vegetables in your garden, could I perhaps ask for one meal of them?^Ô I said to him: ^ÓGo into the garden and take whatever you need and as much as you want.^Ô As the man came out of the garden after a short time and had filled a cloth with that which he could use he said he was most gratefully indebted to us because now he and his wife and child could appease their hunger because besides that which he will bring home there is nothing to eat in his home. After he shared this with me I asked him to wait a while and I told my wife what I had heard. She heard me and said, ^ÓThose poor people surely can^Òt enjoy beans and peas, etc., without anything else to eat with them.^Ô She cut a loaf of bread in two, tied some flour in a cloth and filled a cup with lard which I gave to him adding, ^ÓWe also are poor but you may with pleasure take what my wife has packed here. Out of the garden you may come and take what you need, as much as you wish.^Ô Then he left without my asking more ^Ö who he was, or where he came from, because it was near the time for the worship service to begin and some of the congregation members were already standing at the door. As the man returned several days later to help himself in our garden, I took the liberty to inquire about who he was and what he did. He told me briefly the following: ^Ó My name is Rize. I am a doctor, and I allowed myself to be led into buying 20 acres of land three miles from here. I built a log cabin where I^Òm now sitting with a wife and a two year old child, devoid of all means of living.^Ô I said to him, ^ÓDr. I certainly feel sorry for you and your family and can only advise you to give up your life in the bush as soon as possible, before you, your wife and child ^Ñgo under^Ò completely. Why don^Òt you buy an ounce of quinine and cure the people of the fever.^Ô ^ÓYes,^Ô answered the good Dr., ^Óif I had done that earlier, but do you think that I would now come to you begging if I had four dollars for an ounce of quinine?^Ô I had reached the end of my advice for Dr. Rize but invited him to come again later on. Among other things I had heard that in Port Huron (then still a very young village) many Germans had settled. One day my old Schnell visited me and I told him of the pitiful conditions of the Rize family and after we discussed this back and forth and considered how we could help these poor people my good Schnell said: ^ÓIf we knew that Dr. Rize is no scoundrel then I would loan him $10.00 and he could go to Port Huron and try to follow his calling. Soon after that, when Dr. Rize came again to get some provisions from our garden I explained my plan for him in Port Huron in detail, adding that my old Schnell had declared himself ready to loan him $10.00. Dr. Rize said, ^ÓThat would be very kind and I^Òd be thankful but if I go with my family to Port Huron the trip alone will cost $10.00 and I can^Òt possibly leave my family alone out in the bush.^Ô Now I had to discuss this all with my dear Schnell once more. The Schnells had what at that time was a very large log cabin. Two sons worked in the saw mill in Saginaw and earned well so I considered it possible that the Doctor^Òs wife and child could live there for a few weeks. After some encouragement from me they consented to take the two under their roof. Soon after that Dr. Rize left for Port Huron to try his luck. After four weeks passed without hearing from Dr. Rize the old kind Mrs. Schnell came to me and said, ^ÓPastor, now what if Dr. Rize does not return and leaves his wife and child sitting with me? I had to agree that this unpleasant possibility did exist but we should be patient. Eight more days passed without news from the doctor and the situation began to be serious. Then after about 7 weeks, one evening Dr. Rize arrived beaming with joy and said to me that he had followed my advice and bought some quinine with which he opened his practice in Port Huron. ^ÓNow I have a very fine practice since I am the only physician there and I have come to get my family.^Ô
When, in 1873, I visited my relatives in Saginaw, my brother Adam asked me, ^ÓDo you know a certain Dr. Rize? He was in my store several weeks ago and asked if I were a relative of the former Rev. Graebner of Frankentrost. Then he asked me to greet you kindly and tell you that all is going well and he will never forget how you helped him and how you were a true support at that time.^Ô
Shortages of every kind at that time were evident among my dear Frankentrosters but only among a few the shortages were so evident that one had to manage for a few days with whatever was most necessary. My dear old Mr. Moll (who usually was in good spirits) told me one time: ^ÓPastor, in my house at times it was this way, we had potatoes and no bread or also no bread and no coffee.^Ô Moll belonged to those few members in my congregation who had brought considerable assets along from Germany. However, after he arrived in America he was ill in Monroe, Michigan. He and his large family had to remain there for three months because of his illness. His old house maid whom he brought along from Germany at his own expense and his 18 year old son plus several laborers went to Frankentrost to build a log cabin for him and his family. In the fall, he and the others left in Monroe, went to Frankentrost, but because of all the friends he brought from Germany (as he told me) he was reduced by nearly one thousand dollars. I, personally, and my family have enjoyed much friendship and help from him. Even long after I had left Frankentrost he showed his heartfelt love to me. To set a memorial to honor him in my story of Frankentrost is in order. Until he emigrated from Germany in 1847 he was a highly respected citizen in the city of Windsbach in Franconia, a man of good education, and a faithful member of his church under the then Dean (Rev.) Brandt. He noticed, at that time already, that factory made hats would cause his business of making hand crafted hats as master hat maker to decline, and he felt that as a good housefather he could more easily care for his large family in America. The conditions in the church in Germany also gave him concern for his family, so he decided to emigrate in God^Òs name as a member of the new-to-be-established colony Frankentrost. He himself personally had tasted much sadness here in America but he was also allowed to live with much joy. His special joy was that even in difficult times he could allow two of his boys to prepare for the ministry and in his own lifetime see them enter the service of the Missouri Synod. At a high old age he ended his earthly pilgrimage in Frankentrost. After the barren years had passed, it became evident to some that he had a fairly prosperous life in Frankentrost. Then I met my dear old Mr. Moll as a delegate at a synodical convention. On that occasion he handed me a $10.00 gold piece which at first I did not want to accept. With tears in his eyes he said, ^ÓPastor please take it, it is only a small part of my debt. I can spare it now; the time of want is now past ^Ö praise the Lord!^Ô
From these days of want there would be much more to report. As one begins to think back many a small experience turns up.
Since everything we had to purchase at a store had to come from Saginaw and with almost impassable roads all trading was nearly impossible so it often happened in most families that there was a sore lack of many little necessities. When a person heard that someone was going to Saginaw requests and orders came from everywhere. Self evidently when the Pastor was going to Saginaw he also had all kinds of orders and requests. Like a pack mule loaded, he often returned from Saginaw and stopped at every home to make a delivery. One was so sure that the Pastor would forget nothing because he always wrote down all the orders.
When women went to Saginaw or Frankenmuth they didn^Òt dare to go alone; there were always two, three, or four together. At that time there still were many bears and wolves prowling around Frankentrost. Now and then it happened that it became a bit late and they became lost in the forest in the dark. The trouble cry of the lost ones usually brought the entire colony into action. Shots were fired, tin horns were blown and heard throughout the settlement until finally the news went from house to house. ^ÓAll is in order ^× The lost ones luckily returned home safely.^Ô At this the apparent protection of a benevolent God was not lacking. I want to mention a few more. Dr. Koch from Frankenmuth was at that time the only doctor in the entire area. One day he was in Frankentrost. The sun was quite low already as he finished with his fever patients and stopped with us for a final cup of coffee. I urged him to remain with us for the night instead of exposing himself to danger and getting lost in the forest. But he said he had two very sick patients in Frankenmuth which he had to visit that evening. He left on foot but he did not visit any patients that evening. He became lost and walked three nights and two days in the forest between Frankenmuth and Frankentrost. On the third day, dead tired, he left the forest and arrived at Bridgeport, stopping at the home of an English farmer who brought him home. During his wandering Dr. Koch constantly chewed fresh young Linden tree twigs to satisfy his hunger. This all happened at the end of winter and in the last night of his wandering he froze the toes on one foot which caused him to be house-bound for three months.
After my brother Konrad settled in Frankentrost and lived about 1 1/4 miles from the main settlement, my sister Margaret (Mrs. Geuder) and her friend Mrs. Hemeder wanted to visit him one New Year^Òs Eve. Both women left Saginaw in the afternoon in plenty of time to reach his home before dark. It might have been a successful trip if it had not been necessary to wade through foot deep snow. From this they became very tired but it was too far to go back the nine miles before darkness came. The road between Saginaw and Frankenmuth ^Ö all but the last 1/2 mile ^Ö had been cleared of trees but at the end of the cleared road they lost their way because it was completely dark. Without any plan whatever they dragged themselves, in the dark, through the deep snow and became too tired to go on and they lay down in the snow next to a large fallen tree. Believing that they weren^Òt too far away from Frankentrost they tried, by means of repeated loud yells, to attract some attention. The sons of my brother heard the yelling as they went to bed but thought these were Indians who had passed in that direction on a recent hunting trip. Closely pressed together the two poor women, by prayer earnestly asking God for protection, fell asleep next to the tree. Toward morning they were awakened by the noise of the cattle in the distance. They followed the noise of the cattle and so on New Years morning, as the first signal of the church service was sounded, they came to my brother's clearing near his house. My brother and his wife had to absent themselves from the church that New Years morning in order to give that unexpected company some nourishment. The two oldest sons brought us the news concerning what happened at their house, and in the afternoon the entire family plus the visitors came to our house where we then together thanked God for His gracious rescue. This all happened on New Years Day 1851, unless I^Òm mistaken.
Without a doubt it surely has been God^Òs gracious protection that only a single accident occurred through all the clearing that was done. One Saturday evening, just as the church service was over we heard coming from behind the church a heart rending pitiful screaming. All ran in the direction from which the wailing came, with me in the lead. There we found my poor neighbor Buchinger struck down by a falling tree and lying dead on the ground with his comfortless wife next to him. Buchinger usually carried his noon meal with him into the forest where he was clearing; then when he didn^Òt return home at the usual time in the evening, Mrs. Buchinger went into the forest to see him, where she found him, a corpse under a tree. For the entire congregation this was a very sensitive blow, although otherwise in the dangerous work no one else suffered serious harm.
Internal Conditions
Concerning the Colony Frankentrost it can be said that for four years we held the regular worship services in the parsonage; so also all congregational meetings had to be conducted there and there were very many of these. As I recall according to our constitution regular services were conducted not only on Sundays and holidays but also on week days, every morning and every evening. Besides these every Saturday there was private confession. Our order of worship in all regular services was exactly like that in the Loehe Agenda. We also had to have a very regular and busy choir practice in order to practice all liturgical matters. Chorales were also practiced regularly so that our congregational singing deserved to be called a pattern for others. As our church hymn book we used the ^ÑLittle Raumer^Ò and we found that it contained no hymns that our congregation could not sing.
Since at that time there were no church bells to summon the people at a certain time for the worship service it became necessary to find some means of announcing the service. To announce the time of the service was made necessary since most of the homes had no clock in running condition. In order to give the signal for the time of worship to begin we used a tin horn, similar to the one used by the housewives to call the men from the field at mealtime. One half hour before the beginning of the church service I blew the horn, so every house heard the signal. Whoever had a watch or clock that still ran would set it because ^Ósurely the Pastor has a watch that runs correctly.^Ô
Although in those early years growth in the Frankentrost area was very slow, every year brought a few settlers who joined the congregation. Among those who settled in our area there were those who remained unattached to the church because they didn^Òt agree with our church and congregation constitution. Yes, this congregational constitution caused a bitter dispute within the congregation. In our congregation constitution among others this sentence was present: ^ÓWe are building a political congregation which consists of Lutherans only;^Ô besides this remark was also there: ^ÓWhere love no longer rules, there justice or law lives.^Ô As a political congregation we naturally had besides a church council, a political congregational council, according to good German understanding a congregational organization with a proprietor or master who in earlier cases had the right to speak out. Also the work of the congregation to be done by the group uniting (on a job) had to be done as ordered by the political church council and at that time there was naturally a lot of that kind of work. If on one day a person who was ordered by the council to appear for work did not appear and had no good reason for his absence he would be required to pay 50 cents as punishment. At one time a member of the congregation chose not to pay this amount. If he continued to refuse he would have to be taken into church discipline and finally be excommunicated. Now I developed serious pangs of conscience and I declared first before the council and also before the assembled congregation that in this particular matter I could not go ahead with excommunication. Naturally this caused not a minor attention and really great consternation. The political congregational magistrate Mr. Wiessmueller went on to say that the pastor must be punished also, because he did not obey the church and congregation constitution. As for me, I could see that the church and congregation constitutions were an unfortunate fusion of spiritual and worldly power. But with my own inexperience in things of church covernment the whole dispute was unclear. The unfortunate fusion of spiritual and political regulations brought, with every step, constant new confusion. After several useless congregation meetings, naturally the confusion in the congregation became greater, so I finally made the suggestion that this matter be taken to the Pastoral Conference and ask for a decision. Of course the congregation supported this unanimously. Unfortunately this conflict arose just at the time when Craemer had left Frankenmuth and Roebbelen had not yet arrived. At that time the Saginaw Conference consisted of the Pastors Sievers, Cloeter, and my own little self plus the Missionaries Auch and Baierlein, who at that time (with all respect to these men) knew as much about church rules and regulations (or less) than I did. And this conference (all excepting myself) ruled ^ÓThe church constitution stands for what is right and must be adhered to.^Ô If my pangs of conscience were great earlier they really were worse now. My poor wife and I were united in calling to God on our knees that He would enter in and grant some clear understanding in this conflicting matter.
On the occasion of one of the next Congregation Meetings I posed the question: ^ÓAgainst which commandment did the man facing excommunication really sin?^Ô Hereupon Mr. Weissmueller the political congregational magistrate said ^ÓAgainst the 4th commandment into which the government belongs and the holy Apostle says: ^ÓBe subject to the government^Ô Then it was as if my eyes were opened and I said to Mr. Weissmueller, ^ÓIf you are the government of which the holy apostle speaks that it has power so now use your power and force that man to pay his punishment (50 cents).^Ô All present, even Mr. Weissmueller were silent. I said after that, that we with our church constitution are creating a state within a state and we are taking over the work of the government, etc. And all this became so very clear to us on this same evening that we resolved unanimously that church and congregation constitutions are in this case against the Word of God and must be changed. With a most sincere prayer of thanks to God the congregation meeting was closed and the sad troublesome matter was buried.
Now with happy hearts we went at the matter of the first church building in Frankentrost. During the winter under the direction of our carpenter, Mr. Rohrhuber, logs were squared. On the south end of the church property there was a so-called sand ridge which was over grown with beautiful fir trees from which the best were felled and made into shingles. Because of a good winter the needed boards could be made by a saw mill in Saginaw which gave us a lower price ^Ö a number of our younger men were employed there and they arranged that they would work off the cost. The only cash outlay for supplies was for nails and windows. All work was done by congregation members under the direction of Mr. Rohrhuber. Later in the spring when the ground was settled the real building was begun. The church interior was to be 40 ft. long, 30 ft. wide, and 18 ft. from floor to ceiling. In the middle of the east wall was the altar and on the south wall at the step to the altar was the pulpit. Altar and pulpit our builder had nailed together with raw boards, but one didn^Òt see any of this because our ladies from their poverty got together at least enough cotton material to cover both altar and pulpit and for the altar they also made a special pretty white cover. Also the two rows of pews were made of raw lumber but Mr. Rohrhuber did not let the effort weary him as he planed at least the top of the seats smoothly. Pewter altar and baptism vessels we had brought from Germany. These were gifts from various friends in Nuernberg. Now that was the first Lutheran Immanuel Church UAC in Frankentrost, county of Saginaw, state of Michigan. After conducting services in the parsonage for nearly four years, on the Sunday after Sim. and Jud., XX after Trinity, 1852, the church was dedicated with much celebration and the festivities continued for two days. Since because of field work in spring and summer the work of the church building had to be at rest, the building could not be completed until late fall. On the first day of dedication the entire congregation met once more in the parsonage where I had a brief address. Then as the choir sang Psalms we walked over to the new church. Because many came from Frankenmuth, Saginaw, and Frankenhilf a large number of listeners could not get into the church but standing at the door and windows they joined us in hymns of praise and listened to the sermon of God's Word. Among the neighboring pastors who were present were Rev. Roebbelen, Rev. Cloeter, Rev. Deindoerfer and Inspector Grossmann. Rev. Roebbelen was to preach in the morning on the first day of festivities but since it was uncertain whether he could be present at our dedication he let me know that I should supply another preacher in his stead. However, it was impossible at that time to secure another speaker so I had to take over the first festival sermon. I preached on the Church Dedication Gospel in the forenoon and Rev. Deindoerfer in the afternoon. On the second day Pastor Cloeter delivered the sermon in the forenoon and in the afternoon Inspector Grossmann delivered the closing sermon ^Ö which would have been better left unsaid. In a senseless and totally irresponsible manner he let go in his sermon concerning the church problems we had had recently, of which as he said: ^Óhe had heard ringing without knowing where the bells were hung.^Ô My congregation and I later asked him to retract everything he had said ^Ö which he did with all kinds of evasions and innuendos.
The regular church services in the new church continued in the same manner as before in the parsonage except that in the winter months the daily morning and evening services were reduced, and instead we held those morning services on Wednesday and Friday. Regarding Christenlehre (catechism lessons) on Sunday afternoons I^Òd like to mention the following: It is known that during the early times we had very few children among us ^Ö perhaps three or four with which I could handle catechism lessons in the regular service. I once complained about this poor condition and upon this men and women simply said, ^ÓPastor just ask us and we will answer as well as we know and what we don^Òt know you can tell us.^Ô So it remained as long as I was in Frankentrost.
The pressing poverty conditions began to ease at this time and individual settlers who at first had purchased a 40 acre parcel of land looked around and considered acquiring another 40 acres. Also the so-called undulant fever seemed to lessen among my people as more light and more air were available in the area. Other sickness actually occurred very seldom. I myself, who had been free of any illness also had to experience what that undulant fever really was. As I mentioned earlier, during the Frankenmuth vacancy I handled all official acts and had to preach there every other Sunday. Frequently it happened that I would have to wander to Frankenmuth two or three times in a week. Often I came there with totally soaked feet and went back home that way which added nothing to my health. That continued all winter until Judica Sunday. Already on Saturday as I left Frankentrost I felt rather unwell. I had a strange straining in all my limbs. In Frankenmuth I held private confession and retired fairly early at the home of my friend Pinkepank who at that time was the cantor in Frankenmuth. I retired exhausted and tired out. In the morning I awoke with a severe headache, but still preached and distributed holy communion. However, after I had left the church I had to go right to bed again and lay until midnight with a high fever. Completely exhausted I arose on Monday and started out for Frankentrost through the forest around 10:00 a.m. About every 100 steps I had to sit down and rest. I reached the southern border of the Frankentrost church area toward evening as the sun was setting ^Ö from here I had about a mile to go to the parsonage, where the path of 40 ft. was cleared. There I sat down, dead tired, on a fallen tree and thought of nothing but that I would have to die this night in the forest. I had fully resigned myself to this. At that time there were still many bears and wolves in the area and what filled me with real worry was especially the circumstance that I would be devoured by wild animals and not even my corpse would be found. After I had sat for a while I tried to go a little farther; how I covered that mile I have no idea. As it had become dark I arrived at home and collapsed in a faint. The next day the old Dr. Koch came and brought some fever medicine and on the following Sunday I could preach again. The fever returned later again and was stopped once more. I really don^Òt know whether or not I missed a sermon. For all my work and care during the vacancy which I did for the Frankenmuthers and even came down with a fever, I was given a whole tub of flour worth about $4.50. These good Frankenmuthers felt at that time that they had to give up their Pastor Craemer so it was no more than my duty to serve them at whatever they wished and as to their duty toward me there was nothing to say. But the old Frankenmuthers and I were always very good friends. Most of them visited me regularly in Frankentrost, always very friendly. Especially delightful was the relationship between the Rev. Roebbelen and myself after he came to Frankenmuth. Since he was already troubled with numerous ailments it became very difficult for him to undertake the arduous walking trips to Frankentrost. So I visited him more frequently. Just as I used to visit my old godfather Craemer so often on Sunday afternoon after my Christenlehre (Bible Class) and sat with him in the evenings, so later I continued these visits with friend Roebbelen. As often as I came his face lit up with joy. If it happened, however, that one or two Sundays in that time this visit didn^Òt occur then I could count on it that some nice day friend Roebbelen would step in at my home and always in outstanding spirits. Occasionally it happened, too, that he would write a letter and ask whether perhaps he could make his long legs available to me so that I could visit him. Although his sermons delivered from the pulpit were extraordinarily beautiful, clear and transparent, in his written works he frequently adopted a very clumsy style in using excessively long sentences. As I once on occasion mentioned to him that his clumsy involved style used by the learned came mainly from the practice that they wanted to imitate, in German, the old Greek and Latin classicists. He answered, ^ÓBut no, no my good Graebner, oh no! That is much more the miserable new philosopher's pig tail which at times also hangs on the neck of the half learned even if they are no philosophers; but cutting it off is not optional. Whether or not our sainted Roebbelen was a philosopher I do not know, but I do know that he was a true jewel, a real Lutheran theologian of pure godliness, such as there are few in our times. Surely a small memorial should be set for him by the historians of the Lutheran Church.
I will soon be at the end of the recording of my story of Frankentrost, since I have come to that point in time when I had to leave Frankentrost, and besides no one will be interested in the little happenings that are just now turning up in my memory.
I do want to report, however, that in the spring of 1853 very unexpectedly a pastoral call arrived from Roseville, Macomb Co., Michigan and since an accompanying letter to the congregation in Frankentrost was included I felt compelled to bring this to the attention of the congregation. In the congregation meeting then the matter of the call was discussed and it was decided that I should return the call to Roseville and ask them, for reasons given, not to consider me. Next I must mention that the congregation in Roseville under the ^Ñnotorious^Ò Pastor Krause had separated from the Grabau synod. Krause then tendered his resignation in order to return to Germany and he advised the congregation to call a pastor of the Missouri Synod. In the accompanying letter of the Roseville congregation to the congregation in Frankentrost this condition was especially referred to and I was pleased that I could return the call. After several weeks I received the call again, however this time with an accompanying letter from Pres. Walther. He wrote to me among other things that he did not know whether I would have to accept the call, but without a doubt now the call had been sent to me under God^Òs guidance and he could only urge me to examine whether the congregation in Roseville separated from the Grabau synod for convincing sound reasons. I should also write to Prof. Winkler in Detroit and ask him to arrange an investigation in Roseville with me present.
This entire business was most unpleasant for me, but what could I do, I had to, for good or evil, hang the bell on the cat. I wrote a very polite letter to Prof. Winkler, asking him to determine a day on which I should appear for an investigation. Very soon after, I received from Prof. Winkler a long letter in which he showed me that he gathers that for me, personally, the request for an investigation was meant honestly, that my synod had however placed a ringleader preacher in Detroit, and he could not enter a common relationship with such a conspiring Missouri Synod pastor in order to hold an investigation with a gang that has separated itself from the congregation in an illicit manner. The people in Roseville, however, were very willing to allow investigating the matter and would bring proof that they, because of false doctrine of the Grabau Synod and tyrannical practice, had a right to separate. After several weeks I again received, for the third time, the call, which I had returned, together with a letter from Rev. Schaller in Detroit with which to convince Frankentrost to let me leave. After two congregational meetings the congregation and I were convinced that it was God's will that I accept the call to the congregation in Roseville, and the people of Frankentrost let me leave in peace. It was heart-moving to see the men with tears running down their cheeks as they voted ^Óyes^Ô in tearful voices. Even before the voting old Mr. Moll arose and said ^ÓPastor, you have borne bitter poverty and much trouble here with us. Stay with us and so, God willing, it should be better for you now!^Ô I told them then that nothing draws me to Roseville because rosy days for me I do not expect; if I must go there it will be with great apprehensions in my heart, etc. Indeed in Roseville I did not experience much rosiness. I could relate many instances how painfully I was frequently pierced with poisonous thorns. But ^Ö I was also allowed to see roses bloom there and I asked myself, what had been the most profitable ^Ö the roses or the thorns.
So I received from my dear Frankentrosters my peaceful release and on XVIII after Trinity I preached my farewell sermon on the Epistle assigned for that Sunday under much hard weeping and sobbing. An auction to cover the cost of my furniture wasn^Òt necessary since we had really nothing of our own besides our bedstead which we had received from our dear brother-in-law Geuter as a gift and a rocking chair which my neighbor Schlenk made of hickory staves and brought to us one time as a Christmas gift. The little cook stove which we had used for six years Mr. Moll had given to the parsonage. The bedstead we took along but the rocking chair we left in the parsonage as a memorial which, however in a surprising manner later on, fell to our son Konrad as an inheritance. And now comes the leaving from Frankentrost, which even now fills my eyes with tears. Men and women, young and old, had gathered in the parsonage as my brother Konrad came with his own wagon in order to take me and my family to Saginaw. If at that time this Frankentroster congregation had been taking their beloved Pastor family to their graves the sorrow could not have been deeper. As our vehicle began to move the entire congregation followed more than one mile into the forest where they then upon my urging allowed themselves to be turned back.
------------------------
So far my recordings of the story of the Franken Colonies, especially Frankentrost as I have experienced them. May a more talented author be found who will tell the story of my beloved Frankentrost up to the present time of its lovely blossoming time.
Epilogue
The next few page need not remain blank since there are still some things to report. Next I should mention that in Frankentrost two sons, August and Conrad, were born to us, of which the older was over four years and the other over two years when we had to leave Frankentrost. Both, together with their descendants, will want their birthplace to be held in high esteem although at the time of their birth it was somewhat unimportant. It should be remembered that the present well built up beautiful Frankentrost was to great extent still a most beautiful American forest primeval at the time of their birth where, in the evening, bears still roared and wolves still howled and where, during the day and at times at night, the red Indians stopped at the parsonage in Frankentrost. It happened not seldom that brown Indian maidens carried the little black eyed boys of the German Mekadikonjeh (to play with them) and sometimes gave them little gifts, small embroideries, small moccasins, small baskets or boxes made of birch bark ^Ö the last sometimes were filled with maple sugar. Especially the family of the old Indian doctor came to us quite often and sometimes brought some venison. Of course they gladly also received gifts. On one very stormy winter evening the old doctor came to our home with his two wives, the younger one with a baby of about a half year. They arranged themselves around the warm stove. The old doctor saw to it that the fire did not go out and after they had had breakfast of corn bread and coffee with us they left with a hearty ^Ñbushunikawnis^Ò (good-bye dear friends). Several times it happened that we with our two boys wished to make a visit to Frankenmuth. Then our godfather Craemer would send the two oldest daughters of the old Indian doctor who carried the boys on their backs Indian fashion and so we went to Frankenmuth and back to Frankentrost. Yes! Those were times!
Do I wish these times to come back? I don^Òt just want to say ^Óyes^Ô but I do not regret having experienced them.
At present Frankentrost has not just tasted the culture but has brought its progress to a highest level.
Frankentrost has two trains nearby, one depot is just one mile north of the parsonage. Several years ago the Frankentrosters built a school house (two stories of ^Ñbrick^Ò) of which many city congregations would not need to be ashamed. Still I must break off from Frankentrost and spin my thread a little farther in another direction. Next we^Òll go to Roseville briefly: where I was installed by Pastor Schaller on XXII past Trinity in 1853. As already stated above, the conditions there were not especially rosy. In the first congregation meeting which I conducted there I thought it would come to bloody heads between several of my dear Turingiers. At first for a long time I could not get a word said and allowed my screamers to fight it out. When everything became quiet I stood up and said: ^ÓSuch behavior as was evident here, one would not dare to rhyme that with a Christian congregation meeting.^Ô One should first of all in all calmness say what is really under discussion. After the congregational meeting the old Mr. Rein went with me into the living room and said: ^ÓPastor, you did very well at this. When trouble began under Pastor Krause he went into his room and locked the door. After one had finished raging we went home.^Ô Many a battle still had to be fought to a finish and I came rather close to leaving but God prevented that. After about 8 to 10 of the worst troublemakers left the congregation things went better. The congregation grew from within and from without. As in Frankentrost so also in Roseville I had to teach school four days each week and every Wednesday morning there was a mid-week service with a sermon. Almost at the same time a certain Mr. Reh came from Germany and arrived at his brother-in-law^Òs, Mr. Gerlach^Òs home in Roseville. He bought some property in Mt. Clemens and I was told that there in that little town and in the countryside a number of Lutheran families were also living. I began to hold services at first every 14 days on Sundays afternoons in the court room in Mt. Clemens. Soon we had a small congregation of 10 to 12 members from which I received a regular call and at the end of winter I was installed there. Since by and by more families settled on the land there and the few in town attended the services only now and then, the farmers wished that I would preach to them out there. So for two years during the summer I preached in Mr. Reh^Òs barn and in the winter in a district school house, until due to illness I got behind on my regular visits and I recommended that they call their own pastor. Then they called Pastor Rauschert, whose installation I could not attend due to illness. As I received a call to St. Charles, Missouri two years later, the congregation in Mt. Clemens was in blossoming condition. Because of continued illness I was physically very run down and I really thought I should resign from the ministry, to which my congregation did not consent but they secured the candidate H. Horst as an assistant who for about 10 months was a very faithful helper, until I had recovered sufficiently to be able to serve in my ministry well.
Soon after New Year, 1854, I received the call to St. Charles, Missouri but the congregation in Roseville did not want me to leave so I returned the call to St. Charles again, since besides I myself feared that I could hardly live in a southern climate. However, the call came again and thereupon I received my peaceful release from Roseville since my doctor in Detroit said he was convinced that only in a southern climate would I be healthy again.
When Prof. Walther in St. Louis saw me again for the first time he was to have said to Pastor Schaller, ^ÓI fear our dear Graebner won^Òt make it very long in St. Charles.^Ô The summer of 1859 was very hot in Mo. and thank God I became well again during the hot summer months in St. Charles, and there among a variety of discords with much work I lasted for over 30 years.
Soli Deo Gloria