Heinrich Crede’s Letters
Letters have always been a part of communication and has provided future generations insight on the lives from the past. This is no different when learning more about the history of German immigrants and their influence on Missouri. The Crede Family, a family from Cassel, Germany, had all three sons immigrate to Osage County. To communicate with his sons, Heinrich would write letters filled with life updates, concerns, and questions about Missouri.
This specific letter was from Heinrich to his two oldest sons, Hermann and Wilhelm in 1855 and was found in the German Heritage in Letters. This letter is written in German and discusses family updates and Heinrich concerns for his sons. Hermann and Wilhelm have made their way to Osage County and Heinrich wrote this letter to them in hopes to hear from them. In this letter, he writes to his sons who he has not heard from in almost a year. Heinrich expresses that he is very worried about his sons and how his youngest son, Carl Crede, has decided to join them in Osage County. Heinrich wishes that he was able to join Carl and leave Germany. He finishes the letter off with sharing more updates about the family, friends, and town and asked if the sons have received any of his previous letters. He shares that he hopes to hear from them shortly so he can have a sense of peace about their wellbeing.
In the 1860s, the Civil War began the Crede Family brothers were quick to join the Union to fight for emancipation. According to German Americans on the Middle Border: From Anti-Slavery to Reconciliation 1830–1877, many German immigrants in Missouri supported the Union and hoped for a gradual emancipation and free soil. They believed that the increase of slaves would destroy the Union and the Union was one of the most important fundamentals of America to protect. Many German Americans also questioned that America cannot claim to be a free country when slavery exists. All of these components led many German immigrants to leave the Democratic party and support Abraham Lincoln during the 1861 election. German immigrants were Lincoln’s main source of support from Missouri. However, regardless of political party, many German immigrants worked together to protect Unionism and without the support from Germans, the Union may not have had the support needed to win the Civil War.
According to other Crede Family Papers found at the State Historical Society of Missouri, all three of the Crede brothers joined to fight in the Civil War. Hermann had originally started a career in farming and many different office jobs. During the Civil War, Hermann held a clerk position in the 28th Regiment, Enrolled Missouri Militia.
Wilhelm Crede joined the steam-boating of the Osage and Missouri River. After this, he enlisted in the Civil War and fought at Carthage and Wilson’s Creek. He reenlisted and joined the 3rd Missouri Calvary.
Carl Crede was the last of Heinrich’s sons to move to Missouri. Carl moved when he was 15 and when the Civil War began, he enrolled to join the 7th Regiment of the Missouri Enrolled Militia. Unfortunately, Carl was killed at Center Creek, Missouri during his time in the cavalry.
Through the letters exchanged within the Crede family, we are able to learn more about the influences that German immigrants had to American history, like the Civil War, and the hardships that immigrants dealt with. We learn more about the involvement of German immigrants in politics and their tenacity to fight for their beliefs.
