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The German greeting on the cover of the letter below, translated into English, reads “Cordial Congratulations to New Year.”
In January of 1892, a member of the Buyer family wrote a letter in the German language. It is difficult to decipher the writing of the first name of the author of this letter, but it was written by either Ida Buyer, born in 1854, or her daughter Ora Buyer, who was born in 1882. According to the 1880 U.S. Census for Erie County, Ohio, Ida Buyer’s parents were both born in Baden, and her husband Jerome’s parents were natives of Bayern. The letter could have been intended for relatives still residing in Germany, or it could have been an exercise is preserving the German heritage of the Buyer family.
To date the body of the 1892 letter has not been translated. If anyone reads German, perhaps you could leave us a comment and inform us of what sentiments were recorded in the New Year’s season by a Sandusky resident so long ago.
4 comments:
To me it looks like it was written by someone older than Ora for her. It sure doesn't look like a 10 year old's handwriting. Also, that is an older style of script, so I vote that it was written by Ida for daughter Ora to send to a grandparent or older relative.
The letter is written in Sutterlin script. I transcribed it line by line, and then translated it to English (line by line).
Transcribed text:
Theuerste Eltern!
Mit wahre Freude
bringe ich Euch meine
besten Wünsche das; denn
dadurch kann ich Euch mei-
ne kindlichste Dankbarkeit
und Liebe ausdrücken, die
ich täglich für Euch empfinde.
Vor allem will ich zum lie-
ben Gott flehen, daß er
Euch hier auf Erden und
-----------------------------------
einstens im Himmel
für alle Eure Mühen beloh-
ne und Euch besonders noch
eine lange Reise von ge-
sunden und glücklichen
Jahren schenken möge. Auch
will ich mich bemühen Euch
durch Fleiß und Gehorsam
reiht zu erfreuen.
Indem ich Euch noch ein-
mal alles Gute wünsche bin
ich in innigster Liebe
Euer dankbares Kind
Ora Buyer
Translated text:
Dearest parents!
With true joy
I bring my
best wishes to you; since
thereby I can send you
the child's gratitude
and love that
I feel for you daily.
Above all I pray the
dear God, that He will
reward you here on earth and
------------------------------
once in Heaven
for all of your effort
and also grant you
a long journey of
healthy and happy
years. And
I will strive to
please you by my
diligence and obedience.
Once again, I send you
all of my best wishes
with the most tender love.
Your thankful child
Ora Buyer
What a lovely letter! Glad to see the translation.
Dearest parents!
With true joy I offer you my best wishes, because in that way I can express my most childlike gratitude and love which I feel for you daily. Especially I want to plead with God that he may reward you here on earth and once in heaven for all your efforts, and especially bless you with yet a long journey of healthy and happy years. Also, I want to strive to please you diligence and obedience.
As I wish you all the best once again, with deepest love I am your grateful child Ora Buyer
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