The Rev. Jacob Conzett was born in Schiers, Switzerland and came with his brothers, sister and parents to America in the fall of 1846. In 1853, he became one of the first students of Adrien Van Vliet's seminary school, soon to become the German Theological School of the Northwest, later to be renamed the University of Dubuque. Under his ministries, Jacob founded several German churches in the Dubuque, Wisconsin, Illinois and Cincinnati areas. Research of his accomplishments has influenced or been the focus of several papers dealing with the foundation and growth of German Presbyterianism in the Midwest. One such paper of note is the 1941 University of Iowa doctoral thesis of H. Clifford Fox. Dr. Harry Clifford Fox, a 1920 University of Findlay (Ohio) graduate, was its president from 1947 until 1959. Previously, he was a history professor, chairman of the social sciences department and dean of the school of liberal arts at the University of Dubuque. He also was an ordained minister for the Churches of God.
In 1947, the Journal of the Presbyterian Historical Society recognized Dr. Fox's research and the paper's inclusion of Jacob Conzett as a valuable lesson of history, as well as an insight into a period 100 years previous, and published the portion of the thesis directly relating to Jacob. Having roots in post-Reformation Switzerland, Jacob was not a man of pride nor did he feel comfortable writing about himself. Nonetheless, he was asked to do so prior to his death in 1915 and the resulting story is found here in its entirety.
JOURNAL
Of
The Presbyterian Historical Society
VOL. XXV SEPTEMBER, 1947 No. 3THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT 1
[EDITOR’S NOTE: Jacob Conzett was born in Germany in 1834 and migrated to America
with his family at the age of twelve. After drifting from job to job in Iowa, he was con-
verted and decided to study for the ministry. Following successful pastorates, in Iowa, he
was chosen to head the German Presbyterian Theological School of the Northwest at Dubuque,
Iowa, which later developed into the Theological Seminary of the University of Dubuque.
Conzett led the school through many vicissitudes during eleven years and established it on
solid foundations. In 1881 he resigned and returned to preaching in German churches in
Beloit, Chicago, and Cincinnati.
Dr. H. Clifford Fox, who has published a book on German Presbyterianism in the Upper
Mississippi Valley, has provided us with this interesting “Autobiography of Jacob Conzett”
up to the time of the latter‘s resignation from the seminary at Dubuque.]
I
INTRODUCTION
Jacob Conzett was a very positive man. He possessed drive and energy.
Once he had set a goal, he seldom gave up. His successes were the will of God
and his frustrations or obstacles were the plots of his enemies or the working of
Satan. And, Jacob Conzett would use all his powers to reach his goal no matter
what were the consequences; he did not “remain in the middle.” Although he
considered himself a very humble man in the sight of man and of God, that
judgment was not arrived at objectively nor without an “egotistical manner.”
There can be no doubt that he was completely sincere. Neither is there any
doubt that he gave his services with devotion, enthusiasm, and abandon. His
judgment of policies was, for the most part, good. In judgment of men, he some-
times erred.
In his latter years, Jacob Conzett mellowed and out of his years of experience
he drew good judgment and wisdom which was respected by his colleagues and
the whole Presbyterian Church.1 Translated from the original German Script by Franz Cohrt and H. Clifford Fox.
131
{Page End}
132 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Romans 4:2-5--
“For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not
before God. (3) For what saith the scripture? Abraham believeth God, and it
was counted unto him for righteousness. (4) Now to him that worketh, is the
reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. (5) But to him that worketh not, but
believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteous-
ness.”I have been asked by many people to write my autobiography. (I have not
done so up to this time.) When I look back upon my life I see only sin and suf-
fering, and it is only due to the grace of God that I live today (and that I have
not been called from life). This grace alone shall I now glorify in this writing.
It is an embarrassing matter to write about one’s self. There is a tendency to be
silent about some things which should belong in the framework of the story;
on the other hand one runs the risk of going too far in an egotistical manner.
I will try to remain in the middle.
I was, of four brothers and two sisters, the oldest. I was born January 17,
1834, in Schiers, Canton Graubünden, Switzerland. My parents were honorable,
respectable dwellers in a Swiss village. My father was the only child of his
parents, who, according to the standards of that time, were moderately wealthy.
My mother, on the other hand, nee Mathis, came from a family whose greatest
wealth consisted in a great number of children, but she brought into the mar-
riage what was worth more than gold and material wealth; she was a religious
soul and subject to religious melancholy. She taught us from earliest years to
respect God. She was our first teacher of religion, and saw that we went to
church and were instructed in religious matters. My father during those years
was away from home very much - in the winter working in the forest - in the
summer he was engaged with others in floating the lumber cut in the winter
down to the Rhine. For that reason the education of the children and the taking
care of the home was in the hands of the mother, and we children did not lose
very much. We had also the privilege in having Pastor Peter Flury - a devout
man - who was very interested in the welfare of his congregation2. Espe-
cially was he interested in the younger generation which grew up wild. At that
time he had no children, but he was a great friend of children and the young folk
clung to him in kind love like cockle-burs. I recall one day when he gathered
all the school children in the big school house. There he gave them as much
coffee and cake as they could hold - and children of our age could eat quite a lot
- but the more we were able to eat the more the minister and his wife enjoyed
it as they walked about among us. On another occasion he gathered us in the2 Fox, H. Clifford, German Presbyterianism in the Upper Mississippi Valley, Ypsilanti;
University Lithoprinters, 1941, pp. 35-42; also, Ferdinand Sprecher, 50 Jahre Prattigauer
Krankenhaus und Kranken Verein 1881-1931. Schiers: Buchdruckerei Thoeny, Brunner and
Co. 1941.{Page End}
133 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
basement of the parsonage (manse). There he served us with raspberry wine
and cake. Later on when trouble in the congregation came about, the children
of the parents who were against the minister remained loyal to him. Out of this,
it is to be seen, that I had the privilege from early days of my childhood to be
under Christian guidance, which has been a beneficial influence in my life ever
since. I recall that on one occasion I went out into the field to a secluded place
under a tree, kneeled down and prayed. I liked the mission study hours, which
the minister held occasionally in which he spoke of the unchristianized world
(heidenwelt). Then again all these thoughts went with the winds, and I could
become a frivolous wanton good-for-nothing. I have caused my parents more
trouble and agony than all the other children put together. In doing all this I
had a troubled conscience which left me no peace for all my rash actions, and I
feared death.
I had a very excitable disposition and I could break out in extreme anger very
easily, for which I was sorry after it was done. I cannot say that my parents
spared the rod, but they did not use it to the extreme. I recall one occasion
that my father thrashed me thoroughly and then locked me in the meat-chamber
(basement), but our parents taught us obedience and work from the earliest days
of our childhood. I do not recall exactly where I had to work in my spare time
after school; either in the fields or bringing in wood. The love for labor is an
attitude which for all of us became a second nature.
Pastor Flury founded in Schiers a higher educational institution, a teach-
er’s seminary, in which young christian men could be educated to become teach-
ers to counteract the state schools which were in the hands of unbelieving teach-
ers, and which also prepared teachers for the canton schools. The congregation
had set aside scholarships for such boys who were recommended by the church
officers. I was one of those boys selected for entrance into this institution to be
educated for a teaching position, or if the means permitted it, to enter later into
the cantonschule. I was too young and not well enough prepared for the semi-
nary. Professor H. P. Lareida3 opened a pre-school in the second floor of the
village school, where he gave instruction from five in the morning until seven-
thirty in the evening. My brother, Otto, and I were sent there. The proverb
says, “To rise early will make the money” (Morgenstunde hat Gold munde),
and that is a truth. We learned easily and made progress. Lareida was also
an excellent teacher.
In the year 1846 my parents got the “American Fever,” and my mother espe-
cially was the driving force to overcome all impediments until we were ready for
the voyage. She insisted that her sister and husband who lived in Chur buy
our house and lands until they did so. Otherwise we would have had to sell it
cheaply or not to have sold it at all. On a Sunday morning, with regret, on
March 15, 1846, we left with about six other families. I recall very well that
our dear Pastor Flury came to us to say farewell and regretted very much that3 No reference to Lareida has been found in American Sources.
{Page End}
134 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
we had to begin our voyage on a Sunday. The emigrants excused themselves
that they had received orders to leave on that day, and that they were contracted
for from Zurich to New Orleans (Neuorleans) in America. This emigration
changed my whole life.
After a stay of six months in Galena, Illinois, where we did not fare so well
- where the money which we had brought along was in one part lost and in an-
other part used up, and with no employment to bring in more - Father travelled
with two other men down to Navou (Navoo) where the Mormons had their temple
and seat. The United States government4 drove the Mormons away; on that
account they had to sell their houses for what they could get. Father and his
two comrades bought each a beautiful brick house, but two of the women could
not be moved to go to Navoo. It was fortunate that the third man had money
enough and was willing to take over the houses. Naturally they lost money in
the deal. The plan of the parents was to go to Sack Prairie (Prairie du Sac) to
buy land there and to begin agriculture. On the other hand a countryman
(from Switzerland) who had been in America longer advised them not to do so,
as well as other families, and we decided to remain in Galena. Then father
bought a piece of land in Jackson County, Iowa. He bought a so-called claim.
Iowa was at that time a territory, but later [December 15, 1846] became a state
of the Union and then the land was put on the open market, but many people had
previously picked out homesteads - this was called a claim - and later when the
land was put on the open market this land could be bought under the preemp-
tion law (Besitztittle). So father had bought a claim. He did note know
whether or not he was in full possession of the land. He had several acres
broken when we moved upon it. We remained there six days, then we had
enough. The land was beautiful, but the house! A miserable block-house (log
cabin) without windows or doors, and the dear sun could shine through the
cracks between the blocks. And the wolves gave us a concert through the whole
night so that we could not sleep. It became like a haunted place so that we left
everything go and came back to Galena. Autumn came, father had malaria, the
money disappeared quickly to the last cent. To keep the wolf away from the
door, mother sold some beautiful pieces of linen - she had brought very many
pieces with her - and I found work in a corn field husking corn and later in the
potato field for which I received twenty-five cents a day. Now mother took sick
too. Everything looked very dismal. In all this I can see now the wonderful
guidance of God. We could not go to Wisconsin, to Navoo, nor to the country
in Jackson County; the Lord prevented us. We were to go to Dubuque, and
when the time came, the way was opened for us, as one would say. Pastor
Flury in the same summer came to America. He lived in Dubuque. He visited
us in the following winter, then we moved to Dubuque, and from that time on
the skies of our prosperity opened. My parents became well again, and they4 This is an error. Public opinion and persecution forced the Mormons to migrate. No
political pressure was brought to bear upon them.{Page End}
135 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
found work. And my parents, especially my mother, had a much desired wish
fulfilled; she heard a German sermon. I went to school to Pastor Flury. Later
I entered into preparation for confirmation, and then to work to help my par-
ents. The wages were at that time very low. Father worked, for example, at
a brick kiln from sunup to sundown for fifty cents a day. We children were
admonished to go to church every Sunday. We had to go. Also the same thing
applied to school as long as there was the means to go. There are people who
say that they will not force their children to attend church because it does not
help. My parents were not of this opinion, and did not act accordingly. How
glad and how thankful to them I am that they did so. Thus I remained under
the influence of truth for a good period where God sanctified the truth in my
heart and I was saved. If they had let me drift I would have stayed away from
church and would have in all possibility been lost in the turmoil of life. I had
laid out for myself a little plan. I would, of course, after becoming of age, pull
away from the church altogether and enjoy the pleasures of the world. Of
course, I did not want to be lost! Later I wanted to be converted again and I
hoped for a long drawn-out sickness which would give me an opportunity to
gain conversion before death. This was the set plan in my heart, but the Lord
interrupted for which I thank Him for all eternity. So blind and uncertain I
was. By thinking and planning, I thus lived in the fear of death all the time.
While carrying such thoughts in my heart, our preacher preached on Sunday
on the keys to heaven. The pastor explained that the Elders had the power,
according to the Scriptures, to expel anyone from church, to which the Lord
in heaven would say “yes and amen” and exclude the person from heaven also.
This frightened me horribly! To be excluded from heaven I did not want under
any circumstances so I decided immediately to remain within the church. From
that time on my parents did not have to drive me to church; I went of my own
free will. Yes, and I went to the Wednesday evening prayer meetings as often
as I had the opportunity. I was considered by the people as an exemplary,
pious young man, but I knew better. I was a corrupt pharisee! I wanted to
storm heaven by the power of my own actions, but the longer I pursued this
course, the deeper I sank and could not find rest. Sometimes I could not sleep
the whole night; I groaned, I prayed, but all remained the same. I visited with
my mother the Friday evening hours which the pastor had arranged during
which time the discussion was about the spiritual life and the inner experience.
There came only elderly women and a few men to these gatherings, and I was
the only young man. Later a few more came; that made little difference to me,
but when I was alone again I was in great need and sank deeper and deeper.
Therefore, I am convinced, where there is honest conviction there falls away the
outer things which are an impediment to superficial human beings like small
simple churches and lower labor communities. The drowning person does not
test very long whether the lifeline is made out of of hemp or other material; he
grasps it. So it was with me; I was in great need. These meetings were for{Page End}
136 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
me a great blessing. I remained in such a condition for about two years.
Finally the Lord had pity on me. On a certain Wednesday evening an out-of-
town minister was leading the service. I again went home empty and very de-
pressed. I threw myself before my bed and cried, “I will not leave You until
You bless me.” Then I understood the Scripture; I found peace and I slept
immediately. From that time on, it was up and down - one day I could believe
and the next I could not. I had times when I felt so happy and then I had hours
and days when I dropped back into doubt. Now I will make an end of this and
will say something concerning my everyday life.
Immediately after I was confirmed I was through with schooling. I was
about fourteen years old and had to go to work. My first work was as a kitchen
scullion and errand boy in an eating house. The proprietor’s name was Kriech-
baum and the house was on Main Street between Fourth and Fifth. The
boarders, or those who ate there, were mostly workers in the lead mines. Every-
one took his noon meal in a tin pail with him, and in the evenings about five
o’clock they came back. A rather rough, but sociable, group of people; here
I remained four months, then my parents took me away. They thought that it
was not a good place for me. I think Pastor Flury had something to do with
it. I was there long enough to acquire the bad habit of chewing tobacco which
clung to me all my life and I had much difficulty in breaking the habit. I came
from there into a business called Tagarts Fancy Store. The proprietor lived
in Philadelphia; I never saw him. The manager was called Smith, an honest
and pious man, a member and elder of the Episcopal Church. He lived and ate
at the City Hotel. They had no children, and to that place I had to go every
morning to get the keys to the store.
We displayed only the best ladies’ apparel and some toys. I liked it there
very much. I must have been there about two years when the business was trans-
ferred to Galena, Illinois. Galena was at that time the biggest business place in
the Northwest. We heard very little of Chicago; Dubuque was a small simple
village. I was out of work, but not for a long time. About this time a man
opened a grocery store. He came up from St. Louis; his name was Robinson.
Prior to this he had been a bookkeeper on Mississippi steamers and had led
rather a wild life. He had married a very nice lady, and he came to Dubuque
with the determined decision to lead a better life. To this man I was recom-
mended by my prior employer. The business was good; but it was not very
long until the old manner of life came back to him, and he would spend a half-
day at a time playing cards with some of his newly found friends. I sold the
merchandise as long as there was any to sell - new merchandise was not pur-
chased - then the store was closed, and Mr. Robinson disappeared with his wife.
So again I was out of work. Then I was of the opinion that I wanted to learn
a trade because a trade is always dependable. I came into the apprenticeship
of a fancy baker (zuckerbacker). He was called Haeckle5 and he was a Swiss5 The script is not clear; the name may be Faeckle.
{Page End}
137 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
from the Canton, Graubünden. His wife was born in Germany, but reared
here. The work in the bakery apprenticeship pleased me. Haeckle was a good
master, he knew his business and he made money hand over fist as one would
say, but it disappeared as quickly as he got it. He was a hard drinker. Four
or five weeks would pass and he would not drink anything; then the desire
would come upon him, and nothing could be done with him. It often happened
that when the oven was hot and the dough was ready for the oven, he would go
away to get a drink and I had to go and bring him back from the saloon. When
he was full of liquor he acted like a maniac towards his wife. She allowed
him to carry on without opening her mouth. Later she died from tuberculosis
and soon after her death the business failed and he disappeared. I have seen
many immoral characters like my last two employers and they do not carry on
very long - sin is man‘s disaster.
After that I entered as an apprentice in a saddler shop. Here I remained
five years - three years as an apprentice and two years as a journeyman. The
employer’s name was L. D. Randal. The business was carried on under the name
of L. D. Randal and Company. The company was Collins arid Grant. Grant
was the father of the well-known General and President Grant. I have seen the
old man (Grant) only once and at that time he gave me and another apprentice
each a silver dollar because we came out of the basement where we had to salt the
cowhides which was the work every evening of the “Cobes”, as we boys were
called, to do. At that time the saddler business flourished. We always had
twenty-five to thirty journeymen employed (and apprentices). Since then ma-
chines have been made to take care of those operations, and the handicraft has
“gone to the dogs.”
To return to my own spiritual development once again, I realized my own
lost condition and made a great effort to get out of the morass of sin, but I
continuously made clumsy mistakes. I thought that the Lord would take me
under His wing on account of my prayers for Christ’s sake. I thought all the
time to rectify myself before God with my own good works, but I went deeper
and deeper. My agony and misery grew continuously. The enemy (Satan)
was continuously whispering in my ear, “If you continue in this way you will go
mad. See! you are so close to it that you cannot sleep any longer. At night
your body goes to sleep but your mind continues to trouble you.” Our pastor,
Adrian Van Vliet6 took me under his care and showed me the right way. Then
I learned what a true pastoral service means. I would have perished if the
good pastor had not helped me and taught me how to live. Finally the hour of
my salvation came. I found peace and could give myself entirely to the Saviour.
Not long after this experience, I left the saddler business forever where I had6 Peter Flury left Dubuque, January 13; 1849. He was followed by Jean Baptiste
Madoulet who served the Dubuque Church .from February, 1849, to October, 1851. Conzett
for some reason fails to mention Madoulet. Van Vliet took over the church. about the first
April, 1852. Fox, op. cit., pp. 41, 47, 56.{Page End}
138 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
made so much money. I went under the instruction of the Rev. Mr. Van Vliet.
It was in the middle of the fifties. I was the fourth student. Before me
were two Kolbs and Fr. Schmidt. Just about the same time F. W. Bruechert came,
and not long after that came L. Kliebenstein, E. Kudobe, and Johan Berk.
Bruechert left our church afterwards and became attached to the Congrega-
tional Church.
Kudobe became my successor in the Dubuque congregation. Kliebenstein
worked at first in Buffalo, Iowa, then in Franklin Center, Iowa, and finally in
the West Friesland congregation close to Ackly (Ackley) all in all about forty
years. Kliebenstein was not a brilliant speaker, but what was better, an hon-
est and God-loving man, a strong Calvinist, and the Lord blessed his work.
Berk’s first field of labor was in Richfield, Wisconsin, then Rockvill, Wisconsin;
from there he moved with the greater part of his congregation out to Hinckman,
Nebraska, and organized the Hinckman congregation. He preached the Scrip-
ture until the Lord called him home. He too was a strong Calvinist.
All the first students were pronounced friends of the Doctrine of the Free
Grace. We were in general about five together. The instruction room was
Van Vliet’s study room. The instruction consisted of theology - Wilhelm A.
Brackel’s (Redlicher Gottesdienst). It was a Dutch textbook. The instruction room
was catechistical - question and answer - every day for two hours. Also we had
to copy in our hand writing the so-called small Brackel. This was the guide
or key about the way in which he would teach us. I have always felt sorry
that the small Brackel was later printed for one could receive from it a very
wrong idea about Van Vliet’s teaching method. We didn’t have anything of
the other sciences and how they were taught in other schools. In that direc-
tion we had to seek somewhere else what we missed. But where theology was
concerned, there we had a master who could not be beaten. As long as the first
students live they will preach the Calvinist doctrine of the Free Grace. I am
of the opinion that the later students of the Dubuque School did not like this
precious doctrine because they didn’t emphasize it so strongly in their sermons,
which is regrettable. The period of study took from two to five years; then
the student received an invitation to enter as a minister. The Presbytery
licensed him, and he entered into his first field of labor7. I was perhaps the
most frightened young man to set his foot upon the rostrum. He had to
preach in the presence of Van Vliet; a small table represented the pulpit.
The first text which I received to preach about was Isaiah 1:18. I stood
behind the small table; I read the text several times, and then I didn’t know
what to say. I was totally discouraged, and I was ready to run away, but
Van Vliet knew how to give one encouragement so that one would again try
it. I had attended a better school in Switzerland than most of my fellow7 The German Church which is referred to in this autobiography was established as a
Congregational Church. Van Vliet led it into the Presbyterian faith in the spring of 1854.
Op. cit., pp. 58-60.{Page End}
139 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
students. Therefore, I felt the gap more than they. For a period, Schmidt
and I were students at the Alexander College8. Later Pastor J. Bantley be-
came teacher of sciences. He did his best with us but we didn’t learn a thing
the two years he was with us. Later everyone had to do his best for self-im-
provement as well as he could.
In the fall of 1858 I was licensed by the Dubuque Presbytery. The first
session of the Presbytery was held in the German Church which was new at the
time. With me were licensed my German fellow-student, L. H. W. Bruechert,
and the English student9, J. P. Conkey. My first sermons were held in the
Congregational Church at Sherrills Mound. Professor Bantley served this
church. One day he asked me to preach for him because he had to go someplace
else. I consented. It was in the middle of July and very hot - for me it was
too hot, because I was standing in the Pulpit I saw several of my friends on the
front benches. They wanted to see how their friend behaved in the pulpit.
They had hired a man, John Vonhollen, who had brought them there very early
in the morning. They added to my peace of mind! I think Jacob Wismer,
the present eldest (elder or presbyter) the right hand man of the minister of
Bethany congregation at Pregon (Oregon?) was the chief instigator. The ser-
mon was not too long, that I recall, yet I received praise. The leader, Felthaus,
made this remark, “He has a nice and clear voice.” I thought very little of it
at that time, that this kind man in the later days of my life would come so close
to me, but so it happened. I have met in my long and exciting life many dear
and good people who have shown me their goodness and kindness, but I haven’t
had anyone who has come as close to me and who has done as much for me as my
dear friend, J. H. Felthaus.
My first working field was Dyersville, a village with about 1200 inhabitants,
about 25 miles west of Dubuque. We had heard that there lived there several
German families. Prof. Van Vliet and I travelled there and made known that
on Sunday afternoon there would be a German sermon in the school house.
There came together a group of people, perhaps out of curiosity to hear a German
preacher. Van Vliet preached frankly as was his habit. Yes, I thought he was
sharper than was his custom. Alas, I thought that he had broken in the bottom
of the barrel, he had totally scared the people, but I found that it was not the
case. After the sermon Prof. Van Vliet asked the people to remain inasmuch
as he wished to discuss with them the question of establishing regular church
services10. Most of them remained, but several of them left. I sneaked after8 Minutes of the Synod of Iowa 1852-1866 (MS.), pp. 45-50, Social Science Library,
University of Dubuque. (Alexander College was established as a Synodical College at Du-
buque, Iowa, in 1852. It lasted only a few years.
9 The term “English Student” in this instance means non-German. The training at Van
Vliet’s School was to prepare German-speaking ministers for the German and German-Swiss
emigrants to Upper Mississippi Valley.
10 Adrian Van Vliet was responsible for the founding of twelve German Presbyterian
Churches in the Upper Mississippi Valley - Fox, op. cit., p. 76.{Page End}
140 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
them to hear what the people would have to say about the sermon. They agreed
that the sermon had been rather sharp, but they also agreed that the sermon had
fitted them. In that meeting it was decided to have church service every month,
and that I should become their minister. I could reach these people very easily
from Dubuque because the railway was finished to Earlville, which was seven
miles west of Dyersville. These people, with the exception of two families, who
were Bavarians, were from Pomerania. (Probably refers to Earlville???)
They had as yet not heard a German sermon, and an English not at all. I
did as was the custom among us (refers to the practice of the sheepherder
going from bunkhouse to bunkhouse as he pastures the sheep in the mountains
of Switzerland) went from house to house and received board, doing so I became
acquainted with all the families. I was treated well. I slept summer and
winter under heavy feather beds, which they were accustomed to in Germany
and brought with them to America, and there I received to eat my first smoked
good breast and ham. The people were rather wild, having become accustomed
to rough frontier living. In such condition I found them. On Sundays they
hunted, fished, or worked in the garden and other things. Yet, as time passed
considerable change took place in this respect. The English neighbors also
said that a great change took place among the Germans. And the Lord made
my very timid sermons a means for the salvation of souls of which I have re-
ceived certain proof. The congregation was organized with fifty members.
Mr. Hieketier and P. Schneider were the first elders of the congregation. After
two years I left the congregation and from then on students from Dubuque
served now and then.
My Ordination. - In April (May 4th), 1859, I was ordained by the Pres-
bytery of Dubuque at Independence, Iowa as an evangelist11. Mr. Dr. Joshua
Phelps preached the ordination sermon. Prof. Bantley had left Dubuque and
stopped preaching in Sherrills (Scherrills) Mound. There were a number of
people in Scherrills Mound who wished that I should preach to them. I began
my service in the House of John H. Felthaus. It was around Christmas time.
I had about twenty listeners. In the springtime we changed our meeting place
to an old illy kept school house near the Catholic church. In the same summer
it was, I believe that the congregation was organized, and Brothers J. H.
Felthaus and Konrad Knackstedt were chosen elders. The brothers had differ-
ent gifts, each one gave what he had (they did the best they could) both were
liked in the congregation and served until the Lord called them home. I
buried both of them. Later Ph. Wetter was chosen as an elder. He was some-
what eccentric, sometimes leaning to fanaticism, yet a good and dear brother
who did very much for the congregation. There are to date, June 5, 1907, only
two members, sister Felthaus and Sister Wetter alive from the old congregation.
My first congregation with the exception of those two have gone. Immediately
after the organization of the congregation they bought an old log church and a11 Records of the Presbytery of Dubuque (Old School), Vol. 1, p 98.
{Page End}
141 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
log manse and five acres of land. It was the oldest church in the settlement.
It was a kind of union church. This church was built by the first settlers and
was interdenominational, and if by chance a minister happened along he could
hold service, baptize children etc. Gradually the Methodists organized a con-
gregation - the Sherrill Mound people were all German with the exception of
one Irishman who froze to death on a New Year’s night - they (the Methodists)
took over the Union church property and built a primitive manse out of logs,
consisting of two rooms. After several years the Methodists built farther out
from the settlement a bigger church. So the old church remained empty.
Then it happened that the Catholic congregation had a division, a part left
and bought this old church. They consecrated the old church, pushed the
pulpit to the wall and made out of it an altar. They fenced a small piece of
land, erected a cross, and consecrated it for a Catholic cemetery. In time the
breach was healed, the rebels returned to the mother church, and the log church
again remained empty and orphaned. An old bachelor lived in the manse.
Then we Presbyterians had the plan to buy the place because we liked it. We
bought it from the Bishop for $250.00 and used an extra fifty dollars for re-
pairs. So although small and primitive we had our own church home. The
church grew so in the course of years, we built a new church and became inde-
pendent.
As long as I was single I lived with my parents in Dubuque and rode with
farmers or walked on Saturdays the nine miles to my church, - to keep a horse,
I was at that time too poor - on Sunday afternoons I returned the same way and
daily I visited Van Vliet’s study. So I had the privilege of enjoying his teach-
ing longer than any of the other students. I had an easy as well as a hard
beginning. I had it easy inasmuch as the people were kind to me. They had
much patience with me, a poor, timid beginner. I had it hard inasmuch as I
preached to the same people who had listened to Professor Bantley‘s sermons
and the difference between the two was great. The kind people would not let
me feel it; they encouraged me, but I realized the difference between the two
very well and I went home every Sunday evening with a sad heart. At that
time I could not see it, but later found out that the Lord was kind with me.
He led me into a good school. I must study, which I did. In. this great need
there came to my help the well known Bible expositor, Thomas Scott12. I read
his autobiography. There he writes that every young minister should write
out weekly with his own hand one complete sermon. That encouraged me to
greater study which enlarged my mental circle. And reading a book he should
(the reader) have a pen or pencil at hand and write down the most important
points immediately. I followed his advice immediately. I wrote every week
one whole sermon. It was at first a hard (sauer) thing to do, to put a sermon12 Thomas Scott (Scott’s Bible), the Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments |
according to authorized version, with Explanatory Notes, Practical Observations and Copious
Marginal References, 4 Vols., Hartford: Silas Andrews & Son, 1847.{Page End}
142 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
on paper. Yet in time I accomplished so much by this exercise that it has
helped me immensely. I did not read the sermon, I memorized it. I had a
good memory - I took sketches only up to the pulpit. From then on I became
freer and had a great liking for preaching and the people liked me for it.
On February, 1861, I entered with Miss Cornelia Maria Taas, a born Hol-
lander, into matrimony. She came to America as a nine-month-old child, re-
ceived an English education in general and learned German through me. She
became mother of eight children, six girls and two boys. Two girls died young.
In spring we moved out into the country. She had never been in the country,
she had been brought up in the beautiful city of Rochester, New York. When
she saw the log house which we called the manse, surrounded with weeds, bushes
and litter, her eyes became large and wet with tears. I could not feel sorry
for her, on the contrary I expected her reaction and was prepared accordingly.
She accepted the condition (!) She was an honest, kind and dear wife. De-
cember 8, 1901, the Lord took her away from me.
I was twelve years minister of that church and lived all the time in peace
with them which was surely not according to my wisdom, but according to God.
Only once a thunder storm threatened to come down on us, and threatened to be-
come dangerous. That happened to us: In our cemetery it was the custom to
bury the dead in rows; the adults in one and the children in another by them-
selves. Now it happened that one of the rich citizens died; he was not a member
of the congregation but he visited our service often and was kindly toward us.
He was one of them, about whom it is said, “He is not far away from heaven.”
He was brought to our cemetery and buried in the adult row like all the others.
All would have gone well if the tombstone maker had not entered into it. He
wanted to sell the widow a big monument. The widow was ready to buy, but in
these rows it could not be accommodated. The tombstone maker came to me and
made the proposal that the congregation should divide the cemetery into family
lots and the tombstone maker would explain the matter to the congregation. I
did not do so, but promised that I would make such a proposal to the congrega-
tion. The congregation decided to lay the cemetery out into lots, yet there
should remain enough room for strangers and those who would not buy a lot.
Then came dissatisfied and discontented murmurs; becoming louder and stronger,
“Yes,” it was said, “We poor can be laid away in a corner”! I saw the thunder
clouds coming upon the horizon and I knew that we had more members which
belonged to the poor class than to the rich, and I realized that the poor are more
sensitive than the rich. I conferred with the elders and showed to them the
danger and begged them to call a meeting of the congregation and reverse the
cemetery order to the previous arrangement. Although I would very gladly
have done a favor for the widow it would have been a dear experience for us.
The matter was changed and everything remained as it was before and peace was
restored.
In the meantime, I had been doing missionary work, soon here and soon there{Page End}
143 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
I preached; the congregation was wiling to release me for such a service. Also
I received invitations and offers from different congregations, but I could not
separate myself from my first congregation. So I preached three times weekly
for two years in Centertown. That was a congregation which had been estab-
lished by Pastor Flury. This congregation became “Old Lutheran” and
changed again, remaining independent and was served by floating ministers,
many of which were about at that time. This congregation was in a run down
condition. I visited and served them for about two years. My sermons did not
please them, that I could tell by the expression on their faces, but I could not
make them to please them. Also they took offense to my ministerial actions. At
weddings, for example, they were dissatisfied because I would not celebrate
“mitmachen” with them, and I had very many wedding ceremonies. Also I did
not do right at children’s baptisms. So one day one of the leaders took me to
task. He complained and said, “As you speak at the baptism no one can become
a godfather.” They had in general three godfathers. Nobody could live ac-
cording to the doctrines which I preached. But I told him that I could not
enter into any compromise. One day, on a Friday, I was invited to marry a
couple. The bride was the daughter of one of the leaders of the church, where
I generally went to leave my horse in the barn before entering the church. Only
the families were present at the wedding ceremony and in my own mind I was
satisfied that I had accomplished something in the wedding service. I congratu-
lated the bride and groom that they should begin their life in such a Christian
manner. They received my words with a wry smile, but how unpleasantly was
I pushed from my heaven. The following Sunday was my day there to preach.
When I arrived at the house nobody came to open the garden door for me as
usually was the case. The court was filled with wagons, and when I came closer
I could hear a peculiar pounding in the house. At the front door the father
came to me - totally drunk - and asked me to enter the house. Upon the ques-
tion what was going on, it was said, “Wedding! Wedding!” I went to the
church, my wife went with me, and found it locked. Full of sorrow and illy
pleased I rode home. Not long after this incident I received my dismissal (from
that congregation). The people were interested only in living a carefree life
and the old folks were worse than the younger generation. Especially in the
winter time they came together on Sunday afternoons to sing. This was car-
ried on deep into the night. Yet my labor was not fruitless because our Center-
town congregation developed out of it.
The congregation had decided to build a church (Sherrills Mound). It was
to be built two stories high. The lower story should be used partly for living
quarters for the minister, for the Sunday School and such other purposes. This
happened in the year 1860. The whole building was to be made out of stone.
We gave out a contract to break 700 perch of stone for which we paid $100. The
farmers offered to bring them without charge in the winter time they could
do it best. The stone did not have to be brought very far, the sand on the con-{Page End}
144 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
trary had to be brought four miles from Peru. This happened in the winter
of 1861. Great hills of sand and stone were lying about and everything was
ready as soon as the weather in the spring would permit building. Then the
unhappy Revolutionary (Civil) War with the South broke out. Everything
looked very sad. Business came to a standstill. President Lincoln called
75,000 men for war service for the first three months. The rolls of drums (Wer-
betrommel) calling men to the colors could be heard all over the country. Out
of our small congregation eight young men went along and only one returned,
the others fell. Two of my brothers, the two youngest, joined too. The older
of them, David, was killed in a battle and lies buried in a soldier’s cemetery
near Atlanta, Georgia. There was no family which was not more or less touched
by the war. Under such conditions we were in a quandary what to do, whether
we should wait to see what God had in mind, or whether we should go ahead.
For that reason we called a meeting of the congregation. After a long discus-
sion it was decided in God’s and in his confidence to go ahead. We believe we
had begun the matter with God, and so He would also help us, and we have
experienced that we were not deceived - the church was built. At first only the
lower story was built, a year later the upper story was finished. Caspar Fluetsch,
a brick mason and the elder of the Dubuque congregation, did the mason work
according to contract. We built really in sad and bad times. All railroads
from the South brought sick and dead soldiers from the war. I too had to travel
to Evansville, Indiana, to visit my youngest brother Joseph (Jos) who lay sick
in the hospital, and perhaps had to bring him home. O what a sadness! Every-
where full of sick people! and the poor boys as soon as they took sick had a
longing to go home and the only medicine was - home! Groceries rose to high
prices quickly. A pound of coffee, for example, cost 40 to 50 cents. We drank
Lincoln-coffee, which was made by roasting rye, barley, and corn together.
Also cloth, especially that made from cotton was rather expensive. About all
we thought of was the war. We all aided the soldiers according to our best
possibilities. We sent them especially vegetables, and our congregation col-
lected a wagon-load and sent it there - the congregation was loyal. We had only
one Democrat in the congregation; they were totally against the war and were
enemies in the back. Among the people they were commonly called “Copper-
heads,” the name of a poisonous snake. Our Democrat, otherwise a kind man,
had the common sense to remain quiet. Now when President Lincoln called for
a day of prayer, he put the harness on the oxen - horses he did not have any
longer (a very good team was stolen from him during the night, and without a
doubt was taken for cavalry service), and drove with vegetables and whatever
he had to the city.
Our school had grown in these years immensely; from two students to
eighteen who were instructed by two teachers, A. Van Vliet and Godfrey Moery13.18 Godfrey Moery completed his training at Van Vliet‘s Seminary in 1862 and served
the school until his death in 1904.{Page End}
145 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
The students were housed in two small houses beside the church. The big room
in the basement served as the instruction room and Van Vliet boarded them.
Van Vliet was a widower, and the housework was done by maids with whom he
had now and then some strange experiences. Only the patience of Job could
put up with it. Later in this matter a change took place and things became
better. Professor Moery had married my only sister and she remained home to
do the housework. I have often felt rather sorry for this young spoiled mother-
child, who had been spoiled by four brothers and the parents when she now had
to take over the management of the household and to do so with small means,
yet she did it as a matter of course devoting herself entirely to that task.
The school was founded as a private institution, but later it was first under
Dubuque and later also under the Dan Wisconsin Presbytery and in the year
of 1870 it was brought under the supervision of the General Assembly and raised
to the same level as all other seminaries of our church. Van Vliet and we all
belonged to the Old School of the Presbyterian Church. In 1869 the two bodies,
the Old and the New School, were united after a division since 1835 (1837). I
had the privilege to belong to the General Assembly which in 1869 met in New
York to vote upon the union and this union took place, in the same year in Pitts-
burgh, Pennsylvania. I was always connected in one way or another with the
school. I belonged all the time to the Presbyterian education committee, whose
duty was to test young men who desired to study and if accepted to recommend
them to the Board of Education for aid, if they should need it. The majority
of them asked for this aid. At my time three belonged to this committee. This
committee had an important duty if it took care of its obligations to its best
ability. This board opened and closed the door for a young man who wanted
to study. It had, so to speak, the career of a young man in its hands. I am
sorry to say that the work was not always taken care of. A clear consequence
is that individuals came upon the pulpit who should not have been there at all.
The students were boarded as mentioned above by Van Vliet and to do it as
cheaply as possible. The congregations in the surrounding country were asked to
support the school with farm produce. For that purpose a horse and a wagon
was kept. One student rode around in the country and collected this produce.
This student who rode about, and sometimes played, lost time to study and
when later he came into the office of the ministry played a lamentable . . . role.
By this means the students were boarded very cheaply, being taken care of
for the most part by the contributions from the country. But against the stu-
dent who lost his opportunity for study through riding around begging and play-
ing we have sinned immensely. Also a fund of $600.00 was collected to fit out
a kitchen. My Sherrills Mound congregation contributed $130.00.
At the end of the sixties Van Vliet became sickly. The full responsibility
became too hard for him. He asked Professor Moery to take over the Sunday{Page End}
146 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
service. Because of his service on the Presbyterianer14 Pastor Bantley15 had
to stay in Dubuque. He and I were asked to alternate in taking over the
Wednesday service, which we did willingly until the death of Van Vliet. One
of the causes of Van Vliet’s death, spoken of among ourselves, I will add here:
up to the middle of the sixties the congregation grew in the blessing of the Lord
in the fullest measure, and the number and quality of the congregation grew.
The church was filled every Sunday with willing and interested listeners, and
not a small part of this group was the younger generation. It was a joy and
a pleasure to be present at the services. Then the listeners took the scripture of
the Lord home into their hearts. Then rather unexpectedly a crash took place
like lightening out of a clear sky and all the feeling of blissful religious accord
was gone. The Pastor preached as before the old constant truths but he preached
to a deaf ear; it blew altogether a strange air. How did this change come over
the congregation? Quite naturally. At the time of the foundation of the
Presbyterianer, there were in Dubuque several strange brothers who naturally
attended the services. Two of them boarded with one of our elders. They
were astonished and spoke freely to the elders that we kept the old German
fashion of allowing the men and women to sit separately in the church. They
did not think anything of speaking about it, they were just surprised. The
elder was astonished by it and asked, “What practice do you follow in your
church?” They replied, “In our church the people sit by families, the father,
mother, and children on one bench. The benches are not rented, but every
family places itself where it wishes or where it can find room.” This seemed
to be a good practice to the elder and he spoke to the minister about it and the
minister thought that the plan was all right. The session called a meeting of
the congregation to which this plan was presented, and it was decided without
any objection that from that time on families could sit together in the church.
So far so good, but the minister made one mistake which set the fuse to the
powder keg. He made known the following Sunday from the pulpit the de-
cision of the congregation and said that every family could come and could
select a bench and gave them to understand that although the benches were not
rented every family would be given the bench which it selected as its own.
Then several of the congregation committed this additional error; they se-
lected such benches as they wanted to have - naturally the most desirable - to
which they were entitled. Then they said “we will put cushions on them then
no one else can come and sit on these benches.” That was fire on the roof -
soon the flames were coming out of the windows and there was no chance to14 The (der) Presbyterianer was an official weekly newspaper of the “der Konvention deutscher
Presbyter des Westens.” The convention was an unofficial organization of German Presbyterian Ministers organized June 13, 1862, by Adrian Van Vliet. It had a previous unofficial
existence beginning in 1859. The first issue of der Presbyterianer is dated October, 1867.
15 Rev. John Bantley served the school as Professor of Theology from 1884 until 1890.
He was connected intimately with its work from 1868 on.{Page End}
147 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
quench the fire. “Now we have it,” so it was said, “the rich and the important
will take the benches and we poor can sit in the corner, stand in the aisles, or
stay away entirely.” Here again I have seen that the so-called poor are more
sensitive than the better situated. Van Vliet immediately saw his mistake and
ran from one party to the other in an attempt to pacify and mediate. He did
exactly like Emperor Nicholas of Russia does today - today to make promises
to this party, and tomorrow he forgets his promise and aids the other party so
that both parties lost confidence in him. After long running to and fro to
hold meetings and argue, a great part (the better situated) left the congregation
and became members of the English church. Another part remained entirely
strange to the church. The mistake was made, all preaching, all begging, did
not help. People who for years had lived like brothers together could pass each
other on the street without greeting. Oh! the horror of a family difficulty!
This is worse than any other; the Devil was laughing in his fist. Where there
are two parties in a congregation which cannot be pacified the church might as
well be closed because the blessing is gone.
This argument of seating was the first nail to Van Vliet’s coffin and his
death, which occurred May 9, in the morning at five o’clock, 1871. He passed
on so quietly that the watch were hardly able to see the change.
I became his successor. I found the congregation torn, the church half
empty, the soul excited. In the school were eighteen students, five of them
in the last year. No means at hand to continue the school. Discontent, lack
of confidence, envy, everywhere and I a young, inexperienced, country minister
must step in to bring order out of torn disorder, to encourage the discouraged
to find confidence - to do all this was a colossal work. In the retrospective view
upon this period of history I wonder how I could have dared it. But I could
not help myself. I had to take over the difficult task and history has proven
that the Lord had chosen me for that purpose. I have told the events so that
posterity can judge aright. After the administration body had finished the
general business, the motion was made and accepted to refill Van Vliet’s
position. The German brothers of the directory were to counsel together about
it and propose a candidate. This happened in the last days of the month of
April in the year 1871. Van Vliet was yet alive, but was lying on his death bed
and had resigned. On the following day the German members convened in the
house back of the residence where the students lived in the upper story. I
cannot recall the names of all the brothers who were present. Pastor J. Berk16
and Elder L. Knackstedt were present. I was asked whether I had anyone in
mind to propose. I said that I had thought of Rev. Stuart Mitchell, D.D. He
was a well educated man, well known to us Germans and spoke a fairly good Ger-
man. Then I mentioned another German brother. After that Brother Berk was
unable to sleep all night for thinking about it, wrestling with the problem in
prayer, and then a name had been given to him, after which he had become16 John Berk graduated from our school in 1802.
{Page End}
148 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
quiet and had slept immediately. This man he would propose; ”There he sits
before me.” The Elder Knackstedt seconded this proposal and the others did
likewise. When the Board of Directors met I was nominated and without any
opposition was elected Professor of Theology17. I said to the President of the
Directors that I would take over this position temporarily because I felt that I
was not competent for this high position. I would try to find the means to
install a better teaching staff because the need in that respect was well known
to me. Van Vliet was an excellent teacher of theology, but that was all. Other-
wise he was not competent for anything. Professor Moery did his best but had
to struggle with many difficulties. My plan was to lead the school into a
higher level. If I was not able to do that I knew that the days of the school
were numbered. In my mind was the school teacher’s seminary in my old
country home, Schiers, with which I was well acquainted and into which I
entered as a student of the pre-school under Professor Laranda or (Laronda).
Naturally, we had to find money. But the president did not want to hear of a
temporary election, and I have realized that he was right, since otherwise I
could not have done as I have been able to do. They all asked me what salary
I wanted. I replied none, then you have nothing to pay. Professor Moery had
a salary of $600 which was gathered together from the congregation. The
congregation elected me their pastor, so that I had $600 and a free apartment.
I had to take over the feeding of the students. I had to teach each day two
hours of theology to the students, part of whom were in their last year. That
made me as a beginner sweat. I seldom was able to go to bed before one or two
o’clock in the morning and when at seven o’clock the bell was rung for the
prayer hour I was there. Then I had the whole founding of the school on my
shoulders, too I was a director of the Presbyterianer and I had to build up a
torn congregation. Naturally it was impossible to do the right thing in all
matters, and I am astonished today after twenty-five years how I was able to
accomplish all and at the same time live through all the vexatious struggles that
I had to experience. I will not tell very much about it, but some things I must
tell since I have been asked by a dear brother to do so. I had not taken up my
duties when I received a letter from Pastor ----. A nasty letter, abusive, of
libelous nature. He asked me how I could dare to take over this position, etc.
I had expected such a thing from him, since he was of the assured opinion that
he was the man for this place, and no one, not even J. Berk, his intimate friend,
had thought of him. Also one of the older students was of the opinion that
Van Vliet’s mantle should have rested on that man’s shoulders, and because
the mantle of Van Vliet was not given to that one, he left school and remained17 The Professor of Theology was also the administrative head o the school. It should
be explained here that “The School” commonly called “Unser Schule” was taken over by
the Presbyteries of Dubuque, Iowa (Old School) and of Dane, Wisconsin (Old School), in
1864 and received its first office name, “The German Theological Schoo1 of the Northwest”
Fox, op. cit., pp.66-69.{Page End}
149 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
a year with a minister in the country and was then licensed to preach. He re-
mained from that time one of my bitterest enemies. There were many more of
these dear brothers! I realized very early that I was not lying on a bed of
roses yet I could not do otherwise. I had to go on and the Lord has helped me
excellently. My idea was to elevate the chair of professorship so that no pigmy
(knirps) would feel himself big enough to fill it. It took years, long fearful
years, in which I was misunderstood or misrepresented, but finally my plan
was accomplished and no body is more glad about it than I.
I knew very well if our school should exist, altogether different methods had
to be used to lead it to a higher educational level. To do that one needs money,
much money. Professor Moery - my brother-in-law - and I had different opinions
in regard to it. His plan was to go out into the country and buy a piece of
land. The students were to work it. A half day they would work and a half
day study. Such a plan could have been carried out in earlier times, in our
times where we find higher schools everywhere this could not he done any more.
One must keep in step with other schools to remain on the level of the period
or the students will run away from it. His plan nowhere found support, but
for my plan, in him I could arouse no enthusiasm. He worked so quietly under-
ground against it.
I ordered the executive committee to employ an agent who would travel
around among the congregations to gather a fund with which to pay the teachers.
This plan was well accepted and it was decided to employ an agent immediately.
This subscription should be collected in notes which should run for ten years.
Each year there should be paid ten per cent of the notes besides ten per cent
interest. The interest was to be used for current expenses while the capital
should be gathered as a fund. Pastor Jacob Liesveld was employed as agent.
He travelled among the congregations. I went with him at first. We proposed it,
and laid before the people our plan, and everywhere it was considered as
very practical and the congregations entered upon it enthusiastically. Our
congregations are worthy of praise because they have always given to our dear
school willingly and they do it today. The gifts for our school flow in abun-
dantly. In the first monthly report to the executive committee he reported
$10,000 in good notes which ran from ten to two hundred dollars each.
But now the stone broke loose which had glowed under the ashes. At first
the stone broke loose on account of our agent who had collected in three months
time $25,000 in good notes. He receives too big a salary, it was said. It is
a scandal it was said. We gave him $75.00 travelling expenses. The result
was our agent resigned immediately. We hired Pastor E. Kudobe18 one of
the principal abusing critics (Hauptchimpfbolden). He visited one of the
greatest and best congregations and was able to raise only $1,200. When be
was asked what salary he wanted, the same that his predecessor had received was
his reply. That puzzled us. The boldness to demand the same salary against18 Ernst Kudobe graduated from the School in 1858.
{Page End}
150 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
which he had so objected which Liesveld had received and to have destroyed the
best congregation at the same time. Our able agent we had lost, and this one
had to give it up when he realized that he could not fill the place with satisfaction.
One can easily abuse and criticise. It is altogether another thing to do a better
job. Not every human being is fitted to be a financial agent, for that you must
have a special genius. It is a very important but hard and unthankful duty,
and if you have found the right man for such a position, you should doubly
honor him. When the first payment was due, the hostile pastors stirred the
people up. And they made such a spectacle and caused such an uproar (Hoel-
lenlaerm - hell of a noise) that many people absolutely refused to pay their
own notes, and we did not want to sue them for it. So our enemies had thwarted
our plans, they had crippled us and they triumphed. We lost about $12,000.
Due to this nasty dilemma we could get only enough to pay current expenses
and later buy the seminary.THE PURCHASE of OUR SEMINARY
The eighteen students lived in two small houses beside the church, where
they lived packed like herrings in a box. The school owned the houses. The
only instruction room which we had was the praying room in the basement of
the church19. For many years it was said by a certain Miss Beecher, sister of
the famous H. W. Beecher, to the citizens of Dubuque if they would build a
building such as she described for a girls’ seminary that she would try to get
$100,000 for the upkeep of the seminary. The building was erected, but the
$100,000 promised was never forthcoming and the school was never successful.
Because of this, the building had had many different owners. The last owner
before us was the Episcopal Church, which had bought it from the city, the
city had used it for a time for a high school. The Episcopal Church was the
owner of this building for several years, used it for a girls’ seminary. They
had made some repairs on the property, but later had to give it up. In the
meantime I became head of our school. I had been at Dubuque about a year
when Principal Jud said to me in passing, “Now is your time! buy the seminary.
We have to give it up and the house must be sold. Do not let this opportunity
pass. You can have it at your price.” My eyes were constantly upon that
building, but we had no money and it never entered my head to come into
possession of this beautiful building. Yet, I reported to the executive committee
what Principal Jud had told me. These dear brothers said, “We will readily
buy the seminary if you will procure the money, for we have none. When you
promise to procure the money then we will make an offer.” Now there was as
has been said above, $25,000 in notes signed by the congregations, but they were
not due, yet these were my only hope.19 The location was the present location of the First Presbyterian Church, Dubuque, Iowa
- Iowa -Street- at Seventeenth Street. “The Church” was the “Old Blue Church” built by
Adrian Van Vliet. Ibid. pp. 63-64.{Page End}
151 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
I wrote to the ministers of the Congregations which had given us the notes
and asked them if they were willing to pay a part of them. Several of the
brothers – not all replied, “Conzett, don’t let the house go, we will do our
best.” I collected in the city $500.00, the congregations sent $3,000.00. The
executive committee made an offer of $10,000. For a long time we didn’t hear
a word, then we heard that the Catholics were after it too and they offered
more money than we were able to collect. I was afraid that the whole matter
was lost; then several of the prominent business men and D. N. Colly, a former
member of President Lincoln’s cabinet, spoke for us. They wrote a letter to
Bishop Lee who lived at Davenport, Iowa, stating that if he should sell the
seminary to the Catholics the Episcopal Church would be through at Dubuque.
The seminary had been built with Protestant money and should remain in
Protestant hands. He should sell it to the German Presbyterians. That helped.
Our institution has always had good friends. In deep snow - it was in February,
1872, at three o’clock, the Bishop Rector Symore came to us and said that we
could have the seminary at the price of $10,000, $5,000 in cash and $5,400 within
two years at moderate interest, and at six o’clock the same evening he had to
have a definite answer because he had to leave and in March the deal could be
consummated. I called the executive committee together immediately and it took
the offer, always under the condition that I procure the money. I lacked $2,000
and I couldn’t squeeze from anywhere another cent (Heller). The time - the
15th of March - was coming closer when the bishop would come to finish the deal.
I was constantly in heavenly anguish and I could not find a way out. One day
I walked down Main Street in deep thought - I will never forget it - when
John Steiner tapped me on my shoulder, a dear and well-known comrade, who
said, “I hear that you are in difficulty on account of $2,000. We have $2,000
in the bank. You can have it for six months without interest if you can assure
us that we can then have the money because at that time we go to New York to
make purchases (he and his brother-in-law, Zuest, had a sweet-cookie and toy
business), and we buy only for cash.” I promised him high and low - and I
kept my word - that he should have the money at the right time, if I had to
borrow it myself. So, all at once all my troubles were over. How my heart
leapt with joy! Only someone who had been in similar difficulties can feel like
I felt. I reported this to the executive committee with great speed, “The
money lies in the bank - let the Bishop come!” The executive committee felt
that a big load had been lifted from their shoulders for they, too, felt the
responsibility. In the meantime we called an expert in this profession (lawyer)
to examine the deed. He found that the Episcopal Church did not possess the
seminary according to law. It was forgotten when they purchased it from the
city to transfer the title. I asked “What are we going to do now”? There are
only two ways open to get a good title. We can let the city vote upon it or we
can approach the court immediately to get a title. I asked whether the decree
from the court would assure us a good title for all time, upon which he replied{Page End}
152 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JACOB CONZETT
that was the best title against which no one could raise a question. “0, then
let us go before the court,’ I said, “because if the citizens would vote upon it
the Catholics would certainly beat us since they would like to have the property
themselves.” “Good,” he said, “I have spoken with the secretary of the school
administration, the city will not lay anything in our way and I will speak to the
judge and explain to him the matter and in April the court will be in session, then
I will make a motion and without doubt no one will make any objections and we
will have no impediment in coming into our right. Be quiet and no one will
learn about it.’’ So it happened and we came into possession at that time of
the beautiful building in which we lived for 35 years.
So we worked up to the year 1881, then I resigned and took over a congega-
tion in Chicago, Illinois, where I remained for three and a half years. I could
leave now under full sail. We had twenty-five students; up to that time the
highest number. We had now the beautiful property, the seminary without
debt and the finances were in good condition. And this was accomplished in
hard times. How much more could we have accomplished had we not been like
Nehemiah with a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other. How much
more pleasant it could have been. And how many beautiful occasions have been
lost, occasions which never returned. My heart bled often when I looked over
the sad situation. I went to President Smith, and said to him I would resign.
“Good,” he said, “Now you can leave with honors. We do not like to see you
go, the seminary is in good condition, we would like to keep you very well since
it is an honor to work in connection with the school, but you have worked with-
out rest. Dr. Burrell said that for every brick in this place we are indebted to
Conzett - but we know you have made up your mind for good reasons.” So
they gave me a flattering testimony, and I left.{End}