As I have on various occasions related incidents of my life which evidently interested some of the younger members of our family, they conceived the idea that a written sketch of my life would interest them and perhaps their children in years to come, so requested me to write what I may remember and to tell what I might know of my Ancestors, so to comply with their request – I will begin with my Grandparents – both sides of the family closely connected as my parents were cousins.
My Grandfather Raphael Rosenthal was born in Coblenz, Germany, he married Rachel Abrahams born in Frankfurt and they came to America after some of their family had settled in this Country. My Grandfather Moses Abrahams – born in Frankfurt – came to America a young man; his wife Elizabeth De Young, born in Amsterdam, Holland, came to America a young girl to join her brothers whom had established a business in Philadelphia, Pa; and became quite prosperous merchants. Soon after Grandmother’s arrival in this country she and Grandfather Abrahams were married. I might mention here that some of the De Young family (my mother’s cousins) rose to considerable prominence in California, going there during the “rush” to the west about in the 1840s. I have heard they published the principal newspaper in San Francisco and later one of them was elected Mayor of that city; and even now the De Young Museum is one of the interesting places of the far west. As I left Philadelphia – the city of my birth and the home of my Grandparents – in my early childhood, there is nothing much that I can remember except – mother’s father, Grandfather Abrahams, he was the one that delighted in meeting his grandchildren in the park, with his pockets full of goodies for us and nuts for us to feed the squirrels; such happy moments of childhood are not soon forgotten.
Well I have written about my Grandparents I will now go further down the line and write of my parents and their family. My father Zadoc Rosenthal was born in Coblenz, Germany, the 3rd day of May 1816; my mother Rachel Abrahams born in Philadelphia, Pa., 8th day of May 1817 – were married the 8th of October 1843, and had a family of seven children. At the time of their marriage my father had a business in the small town Courtland, Alabama; they spent the first couple years of their married life there and it was there the first child, my brother Abraham, was born. Father sold out his interest in the business and returned to Phila. The second child, my brother Raphael, was born; then the third son who died in his early infancy only a couple weeks old. I was the fourth child, was born Sept. 17th, 1848, and being the first daughter was quite an event in the family, and I think perhaps an advantage to me, for I believe I was always just a little indulged perhaps spoiled, maybe some of my family think I have never outgrown the effects of my early indulgency; be that as it may I have certainly enjoyed it, for it has followed me all through life. An indulgent husband and now in my old age, my children ever thinking of my comfort and happiness.
Well I must go back to the home of my early childhood in Philadelphia, I had always heard my father had a beautiful and prosperous store of the finest and expensive imported goods, but through misplaced confidence in one whom he thought his closest and truest friend, his business was wrecked, he felt he could not remain in Philadelphia in such a reduced condition, and had not the courage to try to start again in that ***bottom pg 3*** best to try his fortune in one of the growing towns in the West; he finally decided to move to St. Louis – that was in the year 1854. As I was but six years of age when leaving Phila., I can scarcely remember anything of my life there, but do most vividly recall the scenes of our departure, when my childish mind wondered why all my old Grandparents were crying when they bade us good bye, for I thought it was so wonderful that we were going to travel. Naturally in course of time when we were destined to never meet again, I understood their sorrow.
The trip to St. Louis at that period must have been a trying one for my parents, with six young children. I often heard them relate how they could go but a short distance by rail, then by stage and finally on a boat on the Mississippi River. One little incident on the boat I always remembered. I was thirsty and when they gave me a glass of the muddy Mississippi water I refused to drink that dirty water.
The following ten years, my schoolday years were most happy days. I made many friends whom I still often think of, recalling many happy hours we spent together. During my attendance to the High School the Civil War started. I mention this as there a couple incidents indelibly impressed on my mind.
St. Louis had a city militia [sic] called the Dutch home guards; it was composed of a class of rough dutch loafers. At the very first thought of war there was a company formed by many of the best citizens of our city that were in sympathy with the South. Their camp was very near our home, in the early evenings there were many went to the camp to visit the boys there, but one day we children at school were much excited, when the Principal of every school dismissed very early having warned us not to loiter on the way home, and not visit the camp that evening as there was fear of some trouble there, between the campers and the Dutch home guards. My desk mate, a lovely bright girl Emily Summers, I was very fond of her, upon reaching home found her family preparing to visit the camp. She told them of the teacher’s warning and begged them not to go. They did not heed the warning, there was quite a skirmish later in the evening, and many of the innocent visitors were victims, my sweet friend one of them. As she was quite a favorite the whole class mourned her tragic death. Another incident of the early disturbance between North and South.
As I entered my home from school I was terror stricken with the news, that two of the Dutch soldiers with their guns and bayonets had marched my father down to the Military
Prison (a beautiful college building but owned by parties in sympathy with the South, it had been confiscated and used for a Prison). No reason was given for the unexpected arrest of my father, but he felt assured he would have no trouble to clear himself of any blame, but he could get no hearing for about a week. Can you imagine my feeling when visiting father in the prison, mother and I could not enter the building, but with a sentinel stationed on each side of the door, we could only greet dear father over their crossed bayonetts [sic]. When father finally was granted a hearing he had no trouble to prove his innocence, it proved a case of mistaken identity. Another man by the same name (Rosenthal), a horse trader, had bought and sold horses with U.S. brand.
It was not very long after that excitement was over when the greatest tragedy came to our home. It was in the fall of 1863. Our father left home well and happy, to settle up his business affairs in Kentucky and Tennessee. He was arranging to enter a business firm in our home city (St. Louis) so there would be nothing to take him from home so often. He had been gone but a few days when he was suddenly stricken and in a few hours had passed on to his eternal rest. Our father so young only 47 yrs. of age, had always been so well and ever cheerful and happy and just planning such an advantage in his business affairs, to be taken away so suddenly. It was so terrible, our happy home seemed wrecked. I have often thought how appropriate the subject of Rabbi Kutner’s address at the funeral. “Man proposes but God disposes.”
My school days came to an end as it was impossible to concentrate my mind to study although it had been my ambition to graduate.
After that first sad year mother consented to my going to Louisville, to visit relatives there, that had urged my visiting them. I left home rather reluctant, as I felt rather selfish going to seek pleasure when my dear ones at home were still so grieved. Nevertheless the few weeks I spent there was full of pleasure, our many relatives there did everything to make my visit a pleasant one. When leaving Louisville for home my cousin Lambert Goldsmith worried at the idea of my going alone, as I was young, only 16 yrs of age and would have to change trains at midnight at a rough railroad station, often missing connection having to remain there for some time, so he insisted upon going with me to see me safely on the other train. How thankful I was to have him with me when our train was wrecked. Two of the cars became uncuppled [sic] and rolled down a deep ditch, perhaps it was fortunate for us that a recent heavy snow storm had filled the ditch with drifted snow. Well it was some exciting experience, fortunately no one was killed but all were well shaken up and most of us were scratched or bruised. As it was during the Civil War there was one box car that was full of sick or wounded soldiers lying on matrases [sic] that covered the floor. It was fortunate that car was not derailed, it would indeed have been a tragedy, as the facilities for repair work was not what we have today. We were detained in that dreadful situation till the afternoon of the next day. There were children and some others that complained of hunger, no dining car at that time and no farm house in sight. Some one noticed smoke in the distance, went to investigate, and were fortunate enough to meet up with a kind hearted farmer, that accompanied them back, bringing a generous supply of food.
We were all happy when we could resume our trip home, and I reached my home in rather good condition considering what I had gone through, and a hearty welcome awaited me there. After a lapse of many years I unexpectedly met my cousin Lambert on a boat going from Boston to Newport, RI. After a happy greeting his mind went back to that experience we shared together in that train wreck. He began teasing me about my beautiful somersault performance, as he was so busy tumbling about at the same time I don’t know how he could appreciate my gymnastic feat.
Upon my return home from my pleasant visit in Louisville, mother informed me that after much consideration she had concluded it best to move to Columbus, Ky. My what a blow, leave all the friends of my childhood and go to live in that little village, well I had no voice in that matter. As father had left a large stock of goods there, owning the store building and other interests in that town and its vicinity, and my brothers Abe and Ralph having assisted father there, was well acquainted with not alone all the residents there but with the farmers for miles around, they were anxious to resume the business there, thinking it would be to there advantage, as they were young only 19 and 17 years of age. Mother thought they could hardly assume the responsibility, then too she could not think of separating her family so thought it best to go there at least temporally [sic]. There were many instances during the breaking up of our home and the parting with friends that I have never forgotten, particularly the final understanding with a couple of my boy friends. There were many of our friends met us at the boat to bid us farewell.
After a couple days trip down the river we reached our future home, a dreary rainy evening, we went to an old frame building they called Hotel. My heart sank as I entered such an uninviting place, but can you imagine my despair and disgust, when upon arising from a restless night, to find my clothes saturated with black soot which came from an unprotected hole in the ceiling where the stove and pipe had been removed for the summer. Having always lived securely from the elements in our brick home, I was not prepared for anything like that and then had to remain in that horrid room till our baggage was brought from the wharf.
You may imagine such an introduction to my new home was not very encouraging. We were soon settled in a cottage till mother could have our own home arranged for us. I was glad to leave that cottage as I had never slept on the ground floor with all the windows open, I always retired in fear. Then another trouble was to come to us, as the town had suffered from an overflow of the Mississippi River an epidemic of malaria fever soon followed. We not being acclimated fell easy prey to the horrid fever, our dear mother was the first, then several more of us were taken down with it, so we had a very uncomfortable and unhappy summer. We felt that we were far from home and among strangers, but our dear father left many friends there, that were most attentive to us. In the early fall mother had our own home ready for us. We then felt more comfortable and contented.
Soon after came the turning point in my young life, a former clerk of father’s brought a friend with him to our home, introduced him to us, his friend Mr. Metzler. Any of you that knew us well, will know what that introduction led to, in a very short time we became much interested in each other, and during that whole winter I remember how I waited each day for evening time when I knew he would come, but I dreaded the approaching spring time, for he had planned to spend his summer with his family in Europe. What a long and lonely summer I looked forward to. Well that last evening came, his baggage at the station, he would leave early next morning. Perhaps I could not well conceal my sadness, but what was my surprise and delight when he so unexpectedly declared he could not leave me, I must get ready and go with him. He was going at once to the station to hold his baggage back, and would postpone his trip for a month that I might get ready to marry and go with him. He had never proposed marriage to me before. Oh! What a thrill of joy, but it lasted but a few moments for when he spoke to mother of his plans, she soon convinced us such a thing was not to be thought of, then gave us many reasons. First, I was too young (not yet 18), then she could never consent to my going way across the ocean (Europe seemed much further away at that period), then she thought his family would prefer his remaining in Germany (he was the only one of the family in America) and perhaps had already planned to make a match for him with a fine German girl. With so many reasons against it our hasty wedding was not to be thought of, and so we parted for the summer.