EXTRACTS FROM THE DIARY OF
WILLIAM C. LOBENSTINE
Extracts from the Diary of
William C. Lobenstine
December 31, 1851-1858
Biographical Sketch by
Belle W. Lobenstine
Printed Privately
1920
Copyright 1920 by
Belle W. Lobenstine
In Loving Memory of
My Father
William C. Lobenstine
That those of us who follow after
may honor and love his memory and
live worthy of his name
FOREWORD
This book does not in any sense purport to bea biography. Often during Father's lifetime, onour long walks together or during long quietevenings at home, he would tell of his earlylife, repeating over and over certain incidentswhich had impressed him deeply and so—whenafter he had gone we found among hispapers two closely written diaries bound incalf, telling of his trip to California and thereturn from there—it seemed most natural towork over these diaries, to try to make out theirclosely penciled pages and, when that wasdone, with as few changes as possible, to publishthese, together with a brief sketch of hisearly life and a few explanatory notes, for hisfamily, friends, and any others who may beinterested in these early experiences of one whocame seeking the best in this country.
The construction has been left unchangedand is very suggestive of the German, whilethe use of words, if at times inaccurate andsomewhat flowery, is remarkable when oneconsiders that but three years before he hadcome to this country an immigrant boy, knowingno English whatever. He was constantlyreading, both books and the daily papers (hasspoken often of how, later on, he took theNew York Tribune to study the editorials byHorace Greeley), and then trying to use thenew words which he found—doubtless keepinghis diary partly for that purpose. On thewhole it would seem that he has succeeded inmaking his thoughts remarkably clear. Someof these are very characteristic of him as weknew him in later years—but in religious mattershe had reacted from the despotism of astrong established church and of a narrow-mindedbigotry without as yet knowing thedeep personal religious experience which wasafterwards his. As to his political views—itis hard to believe that they were written in1852 when they might equally well have beenexpressed at any time since 1914.
Belle Willson Lobenstine
INTRODUCTION
Christian Lobenstine or William C. Lobenstine,as he called himself later on in thiscountry, was born in Eisfeld, Dukedom ofMeiningen, on November eighth, eighteen hundredand thirty-one. He was the youngest inhis family. The others were Theodore, Caroline,Frederic, Bernard, Dorothea, Georgia, andHenry. They were the children of JohanneAndreas and of Elizabeth Lobenstein.
His father and older brothers were tannersand also farmers. Of the brothers, Theodore,the eldest, seems to have been the most lovable,always kind to his younger brothers and sisters.Father always spoke very affectionately of him.Frederic, on the other hand, the first of theboys to come to this country, was stern andrather arbitrary to the other members of thefamily. These, and Henry who also came tothis co