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Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

Swiss American Historical Society Newsletter

Keywords

Swiss, Henri Casimir de Rham

Abstract

In the early nineteeth century, the Swiss who left for the New World faced the travail of a long journey over land to French ports or over land and by river vessels down the Rhine to ports of embarcation in Germany or the Netherlands. After the strenuous journey to the coast camme the hazards of the Atlantic crossing which still loomed ominously foreboding in the minds of emigrants desinted for North America. Some travellers, like Johannes and Anna Schweizer of Hemberg, St. Gallen, Brought more than the usual amount of baggage and sufferened the additional difficulties their encumbrances occasioned. The Schweizers carried with them crates of German Bibles which they hoped to sell among the German-speaking communities in America. Fortunately, they received extraordinary aid in their preparations for embarcation in Amsterdam from a certain Herr von Mandach whom Schweizer characterized as a "noble Swiss... and true Christian." Their ship, the Xenophon, arrived in New York harbor on September 15, 1820, and immediately a customs official came on board ship to deal the cargo for later inspection. Schweizer hurriedly carried letters of introduction from von Mandach with him and presented himself to Henri Casimir de Rham, a merchant and banker from canton Vaud who, at 35, was already recognized as one of the most distinguished businessmen in the rpidly growing metropolis. Schweizer wrote appreciatively in hsi journal about the helpful fellow-countryman who, two years later, was to become the first Swiss Consul in New York City, " I found Mr. de Rham a completely honest and pleasing man who tended to my affairs with genuine eagerness." In the next entry, he noted the difficulties encountered through the "arbitrariness" of customs officials and although "I did not come out of it too well," he added, "without the forceful intercession of Mr. de Rham it certainly would have gone worse." In contrast the Prussian Consul, William Schmidt, who had advertised his servics to Swiss immigrants still without consular help, provided little aid.

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