limburg emigrant page

" Chaska, 26 October 1862,

Dear Brother-in-law,

You will have become disgruntled because you had to wait too long form y letter. While one is traveling, it is difficult to write, for the ship is never without movement, and when the ship stops, one is occupied in one way or another. Going on land, one is so very busy handling one's luggage that one does not even think of writing a letter for there are so many helping hands that could cause one harm. Because of this, even during the night on some ships, one always has to be on the alert. It has happened to me that, while on a boat, I had taken of my shoes, and a sailor thought that I was sleeping, when he snatched my shoes. I grabbed him by his neck, took my shoes back and used them to batter his head. Did he know how to run!
We have all completed the crossing in good health, although some were a bit longer sick than others. Leonard Jeurissen and his wife have both been covered with ulcers for a long time. Almost every one of us was sick, but nobody was stronger than father Jeurissen, he was very well, just a little sick later on, but now he is even stronger as he was at home with you, he doesn't complain no more about his stomachache, every morning he drinks a good glass of whisky, that is brandy, and each day eggs, meat and white bread, everything just like those of Nieuwstadt had written. We have fared better on our journey than those who sailed from Holland on theirs. They were all addressed in English. As for money, they had to pay for the transport of their luggage from New York to Saint Paul; they also suffered from hunger and thirst. All those who plan to come this way during the spring would do well to contact Adolf Strauss and, while in Antwerp, to ask for the ship Laura with captain Blank van Staten from Pommern. The latter has told me that he will take on passengers again, this captain showed his love and his concern for us all like a father. All crewmembers, captain, steersman and sailors, they all took very good care of us. And as for the treatment by Adolf Strauss, the contact was carried out until the city of Saint Paul just like it said. You can take this letter to the editor or to the printer Alberts and ask that this good treatment by Strauss be mentioned in the newspaper. And don't forget to ask for that ship.
All those who are going to come will have to come as early as possible, for we arrived much to late for the planting season. And the more money one can bring the better. With $500 one can manage well. Here you can buy at all price levels and the higher the better. But, once one has left the ship, food is much more expensive than those from Nieuwstadt have written. All of us, who left are in good health and, as far as I can tell, also like it here. In the beginning one feels very strange in such a remote country. I was so sick at heart when I first came here, this one lives over here, that one over there. I thought of all my friends, whom I loved so dearly. I cannot describe to you how I felt my heart breaking when I said my last good-bye to you. Again I bid all my friends and family: farewell! farewell!
Your friend and brother-in-law

P.J. Van Mulken "