Why and How Did Karl G. Maeser Leave Saxony?: New Documents Offer New Insights

Authors

Roger P. Minert

Keywords

Mormon studies, Karl G. Maeser, German

Abstract

History and family history are frequently characterized by legends and traditions, some of which turn out to be inaccurate under scrutiny. For example, Roger Minert’s great-grandfather was said to have been a professor of modern and classical languages at the University of Cologne in Germany; he knew seven languages. Yet he managed to live as an immigrant farmer in Oregon for twenty years and die without having learned English. Careful research led to the discovery that he was actually the son of a farmer and grandson of a farmer in the town of Wylatkowo in the Prussian province of Posen, where he might have picked up a few Polish words to add to his native German. The decades-old story of that great-grandfather has now undergone significant revisions.

Recommended Citation

Minert, Roger P. (2016) "Why and How Did Karl G. Maeser Leave Saxony?: New Documents Offer New Insights," BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 55: Iss. 2, Article 4.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol55/iss2/4