This version is for readers of English who just want to get the gist of this letter, as best we were able to extract it. There are two parts to this. First, transcribing the 1810 German script into letters, then translating it (by way of modern German) into English. The translation below is written as if all that was easy and ignores the fact that part of the letter is simply illegible due to folding, etc. If you know German, or even if you don't, we recommend you have a look at our best attempt at transcription, which also includes a snippet of the original letter. Any help from better translators would be welcome, especially for the couple of paragraphs when Johann meets his uncle and family. Here's the rough translation:

Hessen, Kassel 20th March 1810

Very Dear Pastor

I take the liberty of writing to you; please don't take it badly. I should have written long ago, but I couldn't send it. What happened was, while I was still in Mulhouse I got a letter from you dated 19 January 1809 with an enclosure from the hospital. I saw that you and dear Mrs. Pastor, together with your family, were healthy and well. The other news made me sad because of the man you told me about, but I didn't get to it.

When I received your letter I was also sick and couldn't keep myself from silliness and left my master and had to go to the inn to let myself be taken care of. I wasn't sick in Mulhouse, though. I answered your letter, but didn't get an answer back as I wanted. I waited and didn't want to write another letter until I got an answer. Finally I imagined the coin I used to send the letter, the 2 G postage was kept and the letter destroyed but I had doubts about whether it was that or where it went missing.

Now I want to quickly tell you about my trip from Mulhouse to Kassel and more occurrences. Eight days before Pentecost I departed Mulhouse where I had to sell my smock to pay my debts, and most amounted to a few Thaler. From there I traveled to Strasbourg, there I worked 9 weeks and received another answer. From there I traveled via Landau and Mainz to Frankfurt am Main, there I wanted to work but couldn't find any, had to sleep rough for 6 days and couldn't leave because I put my few possessions on the boat in Strasbourg in the hope that I would find work in Frankfurt. I had to wait because of my money until the ship arrived. From there I traveled to Kassel, in sadness because my purse was very light. On the 20th of July I arrived in Giessen and brought your greeting to GC Rays, but I didn't meet him. He is a former alderman and lives in Frankfurt street. In Giessen I also took the first ten-penny piece that was supposed to be extra out of my purse. On the 22nd of that month I arrived in Zwesten in the evening around 7 o'clock. My heart shivered with love when I saw Zwesten. I went to a boarding house right across the street from the master cabinet maker's house. (end of page) I asked nervously after master cabinet maker Eckell, if he still lived. Yes, was the immediate answer, and he lives right there. I didn't tell anyone who I was. I and my travelling companion went and knocked on the door. A cousin came out. I asked after Master Eckell and said to her that I bring him greetings from his brother Benjamin and his two sons from Switzerland. She didn't invite me in, though, but gave the message to her husband, who said we should come in. We went in, I greeted him from his brother and the brothers Johann and Benjamin. He said pleased to meet you, she however said not one word. I thought right then, deep in my being, you are going to be trouble, evil woman. She made a face like a devil. Finally my companion gave me away, through a reference to my father, that I was one of his sons. Then he began to smile and said you could very well be Benjamin. I gave him a hug and said I'm Johann. She showed me absolutely no feeling, but at least had to make coffee, which tasted good. After that I said adieux, good night. He wanted me to stay the night, but I didn't want to and went back to the inn. I had to sleep on straw and couldn't sleep because of anger about this devil woman. I let them know I was an Eckell, and the other people in the house right away showed me lots of friendliness. It was the same when I went around the whole village. My father's sister's son came and took me to coffee. His wife and children were very happy to meet me. He is also a rich farmer, and half the town are our relatives. His father's name is Nöll and is on the council. Also the next Eckell is doing well and has the nicest house in Zwesten except for the two where my grandfathers were. Someone told me they came here a hundred years ago when no one was around. (end of page)

(Part of letter cut off) . . . call on Monsieur de Lafleche Indentant General who administers the entire kingdom, as with my former master Lahman I often did the talking because he couldn't speak German, this previous January the theater's cabinet maker left and Mr. Lafleche asked about me, against my will several people tried to get me to talk to him, this they finally accomplished through my girlfriend so that I said I would call on him even though I didn't at first wish to because of the girlfriend mentioned above, I arranged an introduction and called on him. Mr. Lafleche received me in a friendly manner and said to me Bonjour Mr. Vous etes justement celui que j'ai demande (Good day, sir. You are just what I need), he said right away to me as soon as I left him he would keep me in his thoughts and look out for me and I was immediately hired as the kingdom's theater cabinet maker, however I must presently understand my position and being because of my French language, I have to serve at the theater as second machinist which feels awkward in the beginning, I have to write down in French how to make all the pieces, I don't need much to work, just to tell the workers what they should do, I also received nice blue trousers with a blue shirt with a light blue gold-fringed collar, the salary I admit is not much, but it will be more once I understand things better and start to do the woodworking, now I get 10 Sleunthaler every month and my free clothes, and that pleases me enough for now, as I can read for a patent to become a master, because I don't need to get anything to be able to work as I have good people to help also daily this estate and other large estates order. Also good to understand is that Mr. Hans Pfaff has a lot of furniture work at his estate, his foreman comes daily to the castle and to the furniture workshop because he can't speak to the master. I have to also tell you I was 5 weeks in Cassel, when someone of our acquaintance inquired (end of page)

(Part of letter cut off) . . . found from my father's brother the former Private Eckell, who at that time left behind three sons and three daughters. The eldest son from the first wife was here at the war college, now he is a controller in Carlshafen, but I've never seen him. From the second wife is another surviving son, he is thirty hours from here and people say he is doing well. The youngest died six months before I arrived, and his mother soon after, there is no Eckell here in Cassell except me as my father's brothers are all dead except the one in Zwesten. My father would marvel if he came back to Cassel as it is all changed since his time even on the Weissenstein where the heraldry is, at that spot a very large castle was built and also a comedy theater where I'm doing my apprenticeship because the machinists speak no German, so I have to translate everything necessary about the machines and the theater, since the workers are all German, the Weissenstein is now called Napoleon's Seat.

I have to also let you know that the girlfriend I mentioned above and I have become closer and we've promised to become engaged and we are also declared. I met her here through my family. She is a really capable person of some years, she is 8 years older than I. She knows how to handle herself and help in all situations. Her father was the cashier in the comedy house and during her father's long illness she did his job by herself, taking in and counting a lot of money, now though after her father's death she doesn't have a position at the theater in the evening, only a few coins monthly to keep house, before me she lived alone. She has all her household goods, which are important for us, but we can't move any further before I hear the Yes word, or have a death certificate for my father. I asked GC Stackhalter Räder to get my mother's death certificate and send it through you, now I would like to request of you to seek the Yes word from my father if he as I hope is still alive, or if he has died I ask you to get me his death certificate as soon as possible.