Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-10-09
TIE GERMANTOWN ANsIvERsARY.

Two hundred years ago, on the seventy day
Of October. the frs. German settlement in
America was made at Germantown, Penn.
sylvania, few miles from the present site of
the city of Philadelphia. Throughout the
United States the day was celebrated by
German citizens. At New Orleans, Phils.
delphis, Cleveland and other cities the streets
were gaily decorated. and the street demon
strations were equal to that of any former
public occasion. In this city, where large
percentage of the citizens are Germans, the
occasion was duly honored. The Sacramento
Turn Verein. which, By the way, has become
one of the first institutions of the city, had
been at work for weeks making arrangements
for proper observance Of the day. A grand
entertainment and ball was given at Turner
Hall, which was largely attended by citizens
irrespective of nationality. Ex-State Treas
urer John We'll, the orator of the evening,
delivered lengthy and eloquent address,
which was well received and frequently ap-
plsuded. Among other things, he said:
1.-THE causes which brought shout the
early emigration from Germany to America
were mainly due to the then existing severe
and sometimes cruel persecution OF all such
persons who differed in their religious views
from the Church which held for centuries
supreme sway, controlling Government as
we'll as the people. Soon after William Penn
took possession of the large grant of land in
America, received from King Charles Of Eng
land in the early part of 1852, he made some
offers of land and other liberal concessions to
such persons desiring to settle thereon,
amongst which was free and unFestrained re-
ligious liberation.
"a religious sect, known as Friends Tor
Quakers, had some followers in the town of
Griesheim, near Worms and vicinity, Ger
many, who, being tired of their continued
persecution on account of their religious be-
lief, were the FIST Germans who took sdvant-
9 OF PENIS offer, and in the forepart of
July, 1853, about twenty families left their
homes for tbs New World, and on the 9Th of
the same month took passage at Gravesend,
England, on the sailing vessel Concord, for
America, where they arrived on the 9th Of
October following. The land which they then
selected and received from VIM. Penn was
situated about seven miles from Philadelphia,
and here the first German colony wss started
by the name of German Town. About the year
100 the emigration from Germany increased
considerably, consisting mostly OF some Of
The best most able and Industrious persons.
so that Frederick the Great, feeling the loss
sued proclamation in which he strongly de-
nouhced the existing religious intolerance,
and Offering all returning emigrants restora-
ton of their property which had been con-
fscated at the time they left Germany; also,
payment of the loss sustained by such emf
grants by the conhscation, and free from tax
alton for several years. But those German
settlers had already learned to appreciate and
love their new and adopted country and home
to such an extent that not single one Of
them accepted this liberal offer and returned
to their native land.
The first religious services were held by
those Germans in the same month of their
arrival, in email dwelling until a small
church had been built, in which William
Penn held services-preachsd the latter part
of 1858 and 1854, in the German language, in
which he was as we'll veTsed as in his own,
the English. In 1858 the frat strong protest
against slavery ever issued was issued by
those German Qaakers Of Germantown. E.
BEETLE, in notices,of negro slavery, says of
those Germantown inhabitants To this
body of humble, unpretending and almost
unnoticed philanthropists belongs the honor
of having been the first association who ever
demonstrated against negro slavery
1.-THE first schools for Indians were already
started as early as 100 by those German
Americana. The frat book ever printed on
the American continent was in the German
language. Germantown can also pride itself
on having had the first type foundry, the
first paper mill, the first German news