History of Saginaw county, Michigan; together with ... portraits ... and biographies ... History of Michigan ...

228

HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.

Americans of this time; they were always kind and obliging, and
lent a helping hand where they could. Even such as were commonly called 'not over-honest,' were honest in their dealings
with the Germans. The lawyers who came here all went to farming, one receiving afterward a judicial office, which he held for
many years, and to the present time, showing that he gives satisfaction to the people.
Of the pioneer physicians, your speaker is the only survivor.
Drs. Koch and Sauner died of old age; Drs. Francke and
Fuchsius met with accidents, both of them being drowned in the
Saginaw river, at different times; Doctor Bondaniels shot himself
at East Saginaw. The army officers, of whom we had many,
mostly belonging to the Austrian and Prussian armies, did not do
very well; some got very poor, and all left the county years ago.
To show to what hardships they were exposed, let me mention two
brothers, formerly lieutenants in the Prussian army, and noblemen by birth. Once, during a storm, sone neighbor visited them.
He could find neither until he heard a voice, and found that each
one had overturned a barrel, crept in with the upper part of the
body, let the lower limbs stay out, the latter being covered with
high boots, all the time the rain pouring through the roof in great
sheets. The other men of '48 mostly went to farming, and are
usually termed 'Latin farmers,' because they understood Latin
better than farming. They found farming twice as hard as others on account of their inexperience, and their being unused to
bodily labor.
" In 1854, the German Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons was
organized, which is in existence now. Later, but not in pioneer
times, the German lodges of I.O. O. F. and.. of H. were created. The first Turnverein was established at East Saginaw, and
soon required a hall. Out of it grew the singing and the school
sections. It was subsequently merged into the Society Germlania,
giving to the latter those splendid buildings and gardens of their
own that form the center of all German life. In the same way,
in 1857, was the Turnvorein of Saginaw City established. Soon
followed the Singverein and the Schulverein, whicll afterward were
merged into theVerein Teutonia. The Arbeiter Vereins wrc' es-.
tablished at a later period, and are doing a very successful work
in relieving the sick, the widows and orphans of their nmellbers.
"In 1858, a militia company was forned at Saginaw City. Dr.
Francke was the first Captain. Under Capt. HIenry Miller. they
formned Co. K of the 5th Reg. Mich. Vol. Inf., the so-called
'Fighting Fifth.' Many of the members were left on the bloodyv
battle-fields of the 'Old Dominion.' Anotllher company was foirmed
at East Saginaw, which, under Capt. Emil Moores, formed partt iof
the 2d Reg. Mlich. Vol. Inf. Many other CGermans joined otller
regiments of this and adjoiniig States. All the men did their
duty bravely, and mnaly gave their lives for the preselrvatilon of
their adopted country.