JACKSON COUNTY, INDIANA
LETTERS
LETTER FROM FH Rowekamp to HC
(Henry Conrad ) Dannettell
DATED OCTOBER 17 1862
HC Dannettell esq. Dear
Sir
After the excitement and
trouble in passing through our election, I again have time to take pen
in hand and inform you of the health and condition of your beloved
mother. (Rosette Quivrain Dannettell ? Wilke-Macke) I found her this
morning eating her breakfast as usual. Her health is about the
same her only trouble now is about the war. She says it will kill
her, I told her to be of good cheer all would be right after a while.
Now sir allow me to ask
how your wife and children are getting along, and whether your new
house is nearly finished, as well as the general news about. I
suppose you have by this time heard the news from Indiana, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, and other states where the elections have been
held. If you have not, allow me to inform you that the Democracy
are gaining, and it will not be long before this union party will have
been forgotten except so far as taxes are concerned. The last
Congress will be as odious as the old Hartford Convention. In ten
years from now no one will own that he was a member of the Congress
of ’61 & ’62. Now it will not answer to say that all of those
now in the field fighting for the Constitution would, if they had been
at home, voted the Union ticket. We all know that there are now
more Democrats in the field than Republicans, so called, the votes
given here last Tuesday will amply demonstrate this fact, but I will
not tire you by stating what you know better than I do. All I hope for
is that you are yet with us and that you will remain a warm friend to
the old Constitution under which we have done so well for the last 70
years, allowing ten years to the opposition. I do not know that I
have anything further to write at this time, as you take the papers you
are of course informed.
We are all well as usual
and I trust you are the same.
If you have heard
anything from the boys (Ulysses and Melancthon) please write your
mother as she is always talking about them.
Respectfully, FH Rowekamp
Contributed
by Carol Dannettel-Biederman
CINCINNATI
JANUARY 31st 1863
H C Dannettell Esq.
Having just completed my
supper and nothing to do, I thought of my old friend far off in the
west and of that big farm of which he is at present Lord and Master,
hoping that nothing unusual has befallen him and that he and his
are all fully able to do justice to all the good things produced on
that farm during the year 1862; hoping also that nothing will mar
their future health and happiness. I see by the Indiana papers
that those who employ a race of dark skins, are prosecuted against and
fined, and hope thereby to exterminate the ‘Americans of African
descent’, from the good old state of ‘Hoosierdom’. I at once
thought of my good friend and said to myself, I hope that he will not
be caught with wooly heads around him, and thereby incur the
displeasure of the powers that be; well what of it? It is perhaps
as well for us Ohioans to mind our own business. Well Dann, what
do you think of matters and things anyhow? I have an idea that
peace is not far off, and that the north may consent to give the south
all that they may ask; there are so many of our Republican friends who
like to have a dark skin about them; you can see them riding
around through this city on horseback, with a young Negro at their side
waiting upon them; they like to be called ‘Master’ though it seems not
to be in accord with the Holy Writ, but so it is never the less.
I judge from their actions that these same Republicans will have no
objections to the southern masters bringing their servants with them to
Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois provided that they can also have one or two
to wait upon them and call them ‘Massa’ also. I think we will go
back to the good old times when you and I first saw the land of America
and the Negro was good in his place and the white man was not required
to bow his knee to the ‘American of African descent’. A
separation between the south and the northwest cannot be thought
of; it will not do for us to be always at war; to keep the
Mississippi open for our trade; and we must have her or your farm will
not be worth much; The day the south separates from the
northwest, your farm will be worth $5 an acre I am no
prophet or the son of one, but sitting here quietly in my office and
thinking over matters and things, this forces itself on my mind, and as
money and not character is the principle of all American born, they
will at last do that from which they can make the most money.
Separation will cause agriculture to spring up in the states of
Kentucky, Tennessee, and other border states where every thing will
grow as well as with us, their trade is with Europe and not with
us. Unless we can keep united and keep them from agricultural
pursuits. I go in for the Union first last and all time, but if a
separation must be had, (revolutions do not go backwards) then I am in
favor of going with the south, as we can make the most money with that
operation, and trust to time to for other matter. Understand me,
I wish no dissolution at all. If my blood will save it, I shall
freely offer it on the altar of my country. Greenbacks seem to be
plenty now, but look sharp for hereafter. You have heard of the
old continental money. I think this will go the same way.
Gold is worth now $1.65 in paper and if that one hundred million is
added, it will go up to 100%. There must and will be a
fall. History so teaches. Well I guess I will stop my
nonsense for no one will believe me now.
Your mother is well as
usual; we are all well and may God grant that these times may find you
in the same happy condition.
Respectfully, F H
Rowekamp.
Contributed
by Carol Dannettel-Biederma
