This pair of letters was written by Johannes Eckell to his unmarried sister Maria, one at Christmas, 1825, and a followup on the first of March, 1826. He is in Kassel, Germany, and she is in Bern, Switzerland. The first letter is very short--the point of it is mainly to send the key to the chest he had sent the day before. The chest is for brother Johann Benjamin, but he also sent some money for Maria. The second letter asks if his siblings received the money and if so why he hasn't heard back from them. We're not sure why these letters, in particular, survive, but we have a copy of them (the originals are lost) and the address on the reverse of the second letter--one can see the stamp from both sides--courtesy of Rebecca (Chance) Carrington.

In addition to images of the letters and address (click on the image for a larger view), we have letter-for-letter transcriptions into German below, followed by translations into English. The transcriptions may seem strange because some spellings have changed, and the translation is not word-for-word, but written as a native writer of English might have written it. A couple of things of note: Johannes, whom we know to have spoken both German and French, addresses the second letter to Mademoiselle Marie Eckell, but the rest of the address and the letter itself are in German. Marie would be a French spelling--later she's Maria when her German-speaking husband writes her name. In 1810 Johannes Eckell is hoping to achieve master (Meister) status in his trade. By 1826, he signs this letter as Schreinermeister Eckell--or master cabinet maker or master woodworker Eckell.

In December 1825 Johannes writes:

Weilen ich gestern wegen dem Cofert zulang__ ver____ habe so konnte ich den Brief erst heute absenden Cassel 25ten December 1825

NB Meine Pflegerin läßt dich als unbekannt auch vielmahls grüßen. Lebe wohl

Ihr auch nichts von dem Bruder Fritz erfahren habt Dieser undankbarn schreibt mir auch nicht einmahl.

The English translation:

Because I was too busy with the chest yesterday, I could not send the letter until today, the 25th of December 1825.

Note: My caregiver as a stranger sends you many greetings.

Have you also from brother Fritz heard nothing? That ingrate hasn't written me one time either.

Below is the letter Johannes sent to his sister in March of the following year, first in German, then in English.

Addresse

Mademoiselle Marie Eckell bëy Haus Hauptmann Stempfli an der Kramgaße in Bern in der Schweiz

Heßen, Caßel 1ten März 1826

Liebe Schwester Marie!

Da ich nun jetzt nicht länger mehr warten kann, dich mit meinen Schreiben zubeläßtigen, in dem die Zeit im Fall einen nöthigen Aufrige auf hinsein Paßt, wie auch baÿ dem Herrn Spediteur machen zu kömmen✝ nämlich 21ten Decb. habe ich den Coffert für meinen bruder von hier an dich abgesandt, und den folgenden Tag danach 25ten habe ich an dich ein Schreiben, mit dem Schlüßel zum Coffert benebst einen Eingelagten Carolin in Gold für dich auf hin___ Post abgegeben, und habe über kein es ___ nachricht bis hirhen erhalten. --- Wenn die liebe Schwester, die Carolin zu wenig wäre, so hättest du mir dennoch danach antworten können, du hättest dich ja gern nicht zubedanken den daß bin ich ohnehin nicht gewohnt, den dein Bruder Fritz an den ich so vieles gewendet habe, läßt kein Wort von sich hören. Mein Bruder Benjamin mag dir von mir sagen was er will, und jedes von uns allen mag sich selbst Prüffen, wie seine Handlungen sind, und wenn du mir nicht sogleich auf dieses Schreiben antwortest, so werden sogleich Laufzedel von hiesigen Post auf deines Kosten in Lern auf der Post erscheinen, solle ich mich, da ich ohnehin Schwächlich bin, und viele sorge und Verdaul? habe, auch noch wegen Sterachtung und Gleichgultigkeit habe Grämen--Thut mir sehr Leid.

✝ Bald verfloßen ist

Ich gruße euch allen und verbleibe dein Bruder,

Js Eckell

Schreinermeister

A translation into English, starting with the address:

Miss Marie Eckell in care of house headman Stempfli on Kramgasse (Seller's Alley) in Bern in Switzerland

Hessen, Cassel 1st of March 1826

Dear Sister Marie!

Since I can now no longer wait to leave you with my letters, because something is going on at the local post office, as well as to catch Mr. forwarding agent†, specifically on 21st Dec. I sent a case for my brother from here to you, and the following day after, on the 25th, I sent you a letter, with the key to the case, together with a deposited carolin of gold for you, by post. I have received no news about it until now. If dear sister, the Carolin was too little, you could still have answered me afterwards, you would not have had to express thanks as I am not used to that anyway, because your brother Fritz, for whom I have done so many things, does not let a word be heard from him. My brother Benjamin may say to you of me what he will, and each of us may examine for our selves what his actions are, and if you do not answer this letter immediately, immediately a delivery receipt from the local post office will appear at your expense in Bern at the post office, should I, since I am still weak, and have many worries and digestive problems, also have to worry about respect and indifference. I am very sorry.

✝ Soon will leave

I greet you all and remain your brother,

Js Eckell

Master Cabinet Maker

It would be interesting to see what Maria or Benjamin wrote back, but those letters presumably were disposed of at some point in Kassel. The family dynamic is a little tense, with the elder brother sending money to his siblings and wanting a little more credit for doing so. Still, the simple fact that Maria kept these letters and took them with her when she resettled in America indicates that she and Johannes, at least, kept up some sort of relationship. As a final note, we don't know what was in the chest for Benjamin, and it's very hard to know how much the Carolin of Gold would be worth today. We attempted it and came up with about 175 dollars, but it was likely more. It's not ten dollars and it's not ten-thousand, but it's enough Johannes is worried about Maria receiving it and not so much that he's worried about it not being enough.