Frederick Kohlhepp - Missionary Letters - September 17 1905

Fred's journey across the United States to get to his mission in Germany conveniently ended up with him in Boston, from which the steamer S. S. Arabic (II) would take him across the Atlantic. This meant that he got to visit with his family before entering the mission field, a family no doubt he rarely saw while in American Falls, Idaho. When Fred arrived with his father in Jamaica Plains, he wrote his family about his journey and family visits:

Jamaica Plain
      Sept. 17th 1905
Dear Ella + children, 

At last I have arrived here after a tedeous Journey of nearly five day’s. I stood the trip fine so far. I did not have the least bit of a headache and felt well all the time.[N1] I found the folks all well, found is looking well and Tinnie [Ernestine Clara Kohlhepp] you would hardly know her she has fleshed and is fine looking. She is engaged to a young widower by the name Pevee.[N2] I saw her two boy’s, Harry [Harry Leopold Neuman] + Oscar [Oscar Edwin Neuman] and Amey [Amy Clara Neuman] came with Anna [Anna Wilhelmine Kramer] and young [Anna Elizabeth Schneidt] + Ernst [Ernest Schneidt] and wife and her brother Ernsts wife is a fine looking lady she is taller than he is. We had a splendid visit togeather. My fare from Salt Lake City to Liverpool cost me $67.00[N3] My other expenses were quite heavy, I have still a hundred and twenty dollars left, but I can see I will have to live very economical, the rates were reasonable, but I called on Bro. Feljstead [Christian D. Felstead] the President of the Seventies, and he told me that the German mission was a hard one, and that I would have to be careful.[N4] There would be much traveling expences. I will no doubt have to go to Switzerland to[o]. I feel well, and I know that the Lord will be with me, according to promise.[N5] We had wreck at Greensprings[,] Ohio, that is we wrecked the other train. The freight train was switching on a cross track ahead of us when we collided, I was just in the midst of prayer, praying for the safty of you and the children, when we struck with a crash into the other train, The Engineer claimed that the air brake failed to work, and he could not stop the train quick enough. We knocked two of the other car’s of the track, our Engine was derailed, and somewhat damaged. We were delayed five hours.[N6] There were ten in our company, I left them at Chicago and came on to Boston ahead of them. They wanted to stay over a day in Chicago, I told them I would rather go on, and visit father, so it was all right. I will meet them to day at the North Union Depot.[N7]  Our Ship the –Arabic [Arabic II]– sails on the 21st Sept.  It is the biggest steamer that sails between Boston + Liverpool. We received good instructions before leaving Salt Lake City, in regards to our behavior + conduct aboard, I will wear my clothes that I left home in untill I get to Europe; They are plenty good enough.[N8] I bought me two grips [N9], one large one for my clothes in Pocatello[, Idaho], + a small leather one for my books in Salt Lake City.  I could only get one german book the Doc. + Cov. in the City.  I have been studying in it some, and I understand it, so If I can not preach at once in German, I can read. You see the advantage I have in this way.[N10] I hope you are all well, and that Vivi [Viva] is better now, I have prayed for him and for you all. I felt somewhat blue at first, I guess I am the poorest man financially in the party, nevertheless I feel that the Lord will be with me, according to promise. I am young yet and I can stand some knocks, So dont you worry either[.] The Lord will be with us, we will all get along, and all be united happyly togeather again. I must close my letter now, as I must go and meet the company. There are two Sister in the crowd, one going to meet her husband, and the other goin on visit. I will write again when I get to Eourope[.] 

Your loveing husband
+ father  F.J. Kohlhepp.

Notes:

N1: That Fred called out that he did not have headaches, and that this is something he anticipated he would have so as to mention to his family suggests that this was a common health ailment for Fred.

N2: **Note for future research** I do not know about this widower and what happened to her marriage on the Neuman side. Tinnie married a Charles Alfred Barrow in 1916; it doesn't appear that she ever married this Pevee gentleman.

N3: Accounting for inflation, travel expenses were $1,952.02 in equivalent 2020 dollars.

N4: Christian Daniel Fjeldsted (1829 – 1905) was a general authority of the LDS Church from 1884 to his death. Fjelsted was one of the first Scandinavian converts to Mormonism and was a prominent Mormon missionary in Scandinavia. As a general authority of the church, Fjeldsted served as the president of the Scandinavian Mission of the church from 1888 to 1890 and from 1904 to 1905.

N5: Fred seems bolstered by his missionary blessing and instructions he received in Salt Lake.

N6: See the September 16, 1905 entry in his missionary journal.

N7: The North Union Depot of Boston opened in 1893 and was located at the intersection between the Causeaway and Nashua streets.

N8: Another testament to how his finances were tight.

N9: Grips is an old term for suitcases or luggage.  He must have purchased these grips somewhere in between the 10th to 12th of September, before he was set apart.

N10: A second generation American, we can see how some of his German had left him. He could read it, but speak/understand when spoken was a different matter.

Frederick Kohlhepp - Missionary Journal Entries - September 1905 (1 of 2)

My mother Elisa Pulido inherited a photocopy of Frederick Kohlhepp's journal, along with his correspondence (postcards, letters, photos, etc.). I transcribed this years ago in 2006, and will be posting the material on here with our annotations. Each entry may include up to a month's worth of journal entries, so these will be lengthy posts.

[Cover]

[Inside Cover]

P No 1 P 95 – old,

New/Now 124 “129”

“ 192 “107”

[Mathematical problems upside down.]

[p. i]

12 Sep. 1905

F. J. Kohlhepp

American Falls

Idaho.

[p. ii]

Left Am. [American] Falls for my Mission Sept. 10th 1905. [see N1]

[p. iii]

Was set apart for my Mission to Switzerland and Germany, In Temple by Elder McMurrin [Joseph W. McMurrin; N2]. There were ten Brethren set apart for various Missions, on this occasion.  We received instructions, and good council in regard to our behavior + conduct while on our Mission, Especial[l]y in regards to the opposite Sex, that we should let them strictly by [be] alone, lest we be led into temptation. Spent this day in preparing for the Mission, Purchasing clothing, books, etc. and receiving instructions for our journey and labors abroad [N3]. Roomed that night at the Wyoming House. Salt Lake City[,] Utah[.]

[p.1]

13 September 1905 - Wednesday

Left Salt Lake for the East Over the O.S.L. [Oregon Short Line railroad]  Arived at Green River at four P.M.  The town has grown considerably in twenty Years since I last saw it, in 1885 [N4].   I am the only Missionary in this group bound for Germany.  Arived at Cheyan [Cheyenne].  Sept 13th at 11 P.M. 

14 September 1905 - Thursday

Arrived at Omaha Sept 14th.  Left Omaha for Chicago Sept. 14th 8-35 P.M. [?].P.M. [more initials] 

15 September 1905 - Friday

Arived at Chicago at 10-40 a.m. 15th Sept. 

16 September 1905 - Saturday

Arived at Buffalo 7.35 am. Sept 16th over Nickle Plate Road from Chicago. Wreck at Green Springs Ohio! Our train ran into freight train which lay on crossing ahead and was switching! the air brakes would not work in our train, [but] No

[p.2]

one was hurt.[N5]

17 September 1905 - Sunday

Arived in Boston. Found everyone feeling well. [N6]

18 September 1905 - Monday

Went in city to meet the other brethren of the party from Salt Lake.  Went together to State Street to arange births [berths] aboard Ship [Arabic II].[N7]

19 September 1905 - Tuesday

Father gave some history of his people in German[y.]  Father’s cousin, Urban, [lives] in Salsungen [Bad Salzungen], in a village called Laimebach [Leimbach], Fathers mothers folks also live in Laimebach [Leimbach].[N8]  I went to visit Eda [Eda Henrietta Kohlhepp] on the 19th found her looking very bad. In Oct, she will go to Los Angeles Cal, for her health.[N9]

20 September 1905 - Wednesday

On the 20th Anna [Conhepa?] and I went to visit the Ship Arabic [Arabic II], which sails from Charlestown harbor on the 21st Sept. I visited the Art Museum with our company. [N10]

21 September 1905 - Thursday

Fathe[r] made me a present of 10 Dollars, + Anna of two dollars.[N11] Left Charlestown [at] 3:30 P.M. [I am staying in] Birth [berth] No. 130.

NOTES:

N1: The Deseret Evening News article had Fred leave one day later on Monday, September 11. It's hard to image Fred got down to Salt Lake City in 1 day for his blessing, so the 10th from his journal seems more accurate. Regardless, the Neeley community threw a party for him at the schoolhouse prior to his departure. Fred accepted his mission call on June 30th, and so departed roughly 2.5 months after. There were steps in preparing for an international mission, such as securing his passport, which was granted on August 16th (application I also have, but it isn't dated).

N2: Elder Joseph W. McMurrin was one of the first seven presidents of the Seventy. He is most well known for being shot twice in the bowels by a United States deputy marshall who was looking for Mormons violating the Edmunds acts in 1885. He was told by doctors that he would not live. While expecting to die, Apostle John Henry Smith visited him and said, “Brother Joseph, as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus, I promise you in the name of Jesus Christ that if you desire to live you shall live, no matter what doctors may say to the contrary.” Having a family to care for, Elder McMurrin had such a desire and miraculously recovered.

N3: This most likely included the German Doctrine and Covenants that he mentions in his September 17, 1905 letter to his family, and A Voice of Warning, by Parley P. Pratt, which is among his missionary books. This German Doctrine and Covenants is most likely the 1903 edition, published by Hugh J. Cannon in Berlin. It is known for extra sections of scripture that contain revelations to President John Taylor on individuals to call to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

N4: This would have had to have been during Fred's frontier travels, prior to meeting Mary Ella. While Eda doesn't mention Green River in her account of her father's journeys, Frederick mentions in his autobiography about wandering from Lander City to a place in Green River called Brown’s Hole.  He traveled with Indians and taught how to bake baking powder bread.  It was at Green River that Frederick thought of going to Utah.  A man advised him to turn towards Idaho Falls, and avoid Utah or it could cost him his life.  When he came to a fork in the road that would lead towards Idaho or Utah, he left the decision up to his horse, and his horse picked Utah. This must have been a nostalgic moment for Frederick to pass through this city, knowing what that decision had entailed for his life since.

The Green River population did fluctuate throughout its history. Census records do not go back as far as 1880, so it's hard to know what it would have look like in 1885. But it was around 222 in 1900, and moved up to 628 by 1910, so it was in the middle of population growth when Fred was passing through.

N5: I haven't found any obvious records of the wreck, so it could not have been that bad. That said, Seneca/Sandusky county newspapers are pretty sparse from this time period. Fred wrote of the incident to Ella in a September 17 1905 letter, noting "We had wreck at Greensprings[,] Ohio, that is we wrecked the other train. The freight train was switching on a cross track ahead of us when we collided, I was just in the midst of prayer, praying for the safty of you and the children, when we struck with a crash into the other train, The Engineer claimed that the air brake failed to work, and he could not stop the train quick enough. We knocked two of the other car’s of the track, our Engine was derailed, and somewhat damaged. We were delayed five hours."

N6: Fred understandably took the time to visit with his family in Jamaica Plains; those are they he found feeling well. He'd left some of the other missionaries in Chicago so he could get to Boston early to see his father and family. He noted in his letter to Ella written the same day, "I found the folks all well, found is looking well and Tinnie [Ernestine Clara Kohlhepp] you would hardly know her she has fleshed and is fine looking. She is engaged to a young widower by the name Pevee. I saw her two boy’s, Harry [Harry Leopold Neuman] + Oscar [Oscar Edwin Neuman] and Amey [Amy Clara Neuman] came with Anna [Anna Wilhelmine Kramer] and young Anna [Anna Elizabeth Schneidt] + Ernst [Ernest Schneidt] and wife and her brother Ernsts wife is a fine looking lady she is taller than he is. We had a splendid visit togeather."

N7: The Arabic was laid down as Minnewaska (II) for the Atlantic Transport Line in 1902, but was sold to White Star Line before launching. She could hold over 1400 passengers.  She was launched on December 18, 1902 as the Arabic. The Arabic made her maiden voyage from Liverpool to New York on June 26, 1903. She ran on the Liverpool to Boston service in 1905 and then alternated with New York at approximately two yearly intervals. On August 19, 1915 the Arabic was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-24 off Old Head of Kinsale, Ireland with the loss of 44 lives.

N8: It isn't clear if this cousin Urban is on the Abe [Mother's] or Kohlhepp [Father's] side of Johann Friedrich's family. Family search didn't show names of any cousins for any of his many aunts and uncles, unfortunately. More research to be done here. It's great to at least have this clue, and for Fred to call out the geography.

N9: Eda would never make this trip, and this is the last time Fred would visit with his elder sister. Eda passed away only a couple weeks after Fred's visit on October 2, 1905. Fred predicted this in a letter to his wife on 22 September 1905: "I visited Eda on the 20th I found her looking very bad I do not think she will live much longer. But she has hopes, consumptives alway’s do have, you know. She is going to move to New O[r]leans for her health, They are going to sell their home in Roslindale[, MA], and leave for good."

N10: This must refer to the Museum of Fine Arts located at Copley Square.  It opened at the nation’s centennial on July 4, 1876, and then was  home to 5,600 works of art. Over the next several years, the collection and number of visitors grew exponentially, and in 1909 the Museum moved to its current home on Huntington Avenue.

N11: In a letter to his family, Fred notes again the family financial kindness, and his attempts to preach: "I tried to preach our Gospel to father but he said he did not want to hear anything about our religion. He said he was a Free-mason and that was all the religion he wanted but they all treated me very well, and made the time pass pleasantly for me, but not I getting anxious to get to my field of labor.  ... Father gave me ten dollars + Anna two dollars when I went aboard, to help me along."