I emigrated to America! America, what a charm the name had, and a Republick where people were free and equal, where every man may have the chance to be President. And there I had a brother.

Now came the crisis! On the 26th day of April 1857, on a Sunday morning a wagon left my fathers yard with some trunks, among which was my trunk, it weighed 105 pounds, and this trunk contained all what I called my own, and when the wagon moved on a funny sensation went through my whole system. And we were to follow on foot. And now came the worst! We took leave!

Now first I began to crisis [appreciate-ed.] the full extent of the situation when Mother and everyone that was dear to me said Goodbye!

That was a shock I had not imagined before, and had I been aware of it then, that this would be the last I would see of my mother, it would have been worse yet.

My father, my brother, and my sisters accompanied me, but my sisters took leave a little distance from the village of me, and funny enough, that went off comparatively easy. My brother took leave of me about six English miles from the village and that went off easy, but the next morning at the Rail Road Station, about 24 English miles from home, I took leave from my father, the last one that was dear to me, and was it a prophetic feeling or what!

That gave me quite a shock! And I never seen him anymore.

Now with youthful resolution we came to Kassel, the capital of Hessia, a city of then 43000 inhabitants. The first city I ever seen that is gaily built up with magnificent buildings and grand squares, now here was so much to be seen, all new to me, so I got over the sorrowful feeling quite easy, and like any youthful mind, soon plans on the future that looks charming, and would develop in my youthful head. And if it were not for that how would we get over our sorrows and sad feelings?

Here in this city resided the General Emigrant Agent, and emigrants from quite a distance collected here. We called at our Agents Office and settled our matters there, and then we went to see the city.

On the 29th of April according to the agreement we went to the depot and there we found such multitudes of emigrants that I was surprised, some ways near three thousands, and all for America, and all young people mostly below the age of twenty.

The Agent had chartered a train for that special purpose, a train of 71 cars, and about 8 o'clock all were aboard of the train, and on we went towards Bremen. The voyage went on very pleasantly and everybody seems to be in good humor and the scenery from the car window was most lovely.