As far back as I can remember my life was associated with music.
Father and mother were both highly gifted. In our family were three
boys and seven girls, and each possessed a voice of unusual
excellence. The looked-for pleasure every day was the morning and
evening worship at which the family gathered in the sitting room to
hear the word of God explained by my father, Rev. Henry Kroh, D.D. The
dear old German hymns, Lobe den Herren, O Meine Seele, Christie, du
Lamm Gottes and others, were as familiar to me as the English hymns of
today, such as Nearer my God to Thee and All Hail the Power of Jesus'
Name. We were not blessed with children's songs, as are the children
of today, but sang the same hymns as the older members of the
congregation.
Father was descended from a royal Holland family. One of his ancestors
was the favorite sister of Admiral Theobold Metzger, Baron of Brada,
Major-General of all the Netherlands, who died of paralysis in the
sixty-sixth year of his life, February 23, 1691, in the house of the
Duke of Chamburg. He had gone with other lords and nobles of the land
to Graven Hage to swear allegiance to William III., King of Great
Britain, who had just come over from London as the regent of the
Netherlands. Even the physician in ordinary, who was sent by the King,
was unable to save him. By order of the King his body was placed in a
vault in the church on High Street in Brada, March 19, 1691, with
extraordinary honor and ceremonies. He had acquired large possessions
and wealth, therefore the King ordered that the large estate of the
deceased should be taken care of, and placed it under the care of
William von Schuylenburg, council of the King. At the same time notice
was sent to all princes and potentates in whose countries there was
property of the deceased to support His Majesty in this undertaking.
Three weeks before his death he had made his will and had given the
name of his parents and his five brothers and two sisters.
His sister Barbara was my great-grandmother. After the death of my
granduncle some of the family came to America. They were not aware of
the death of their distinguished brother and the heirs did not claim
the vast fortune, which amounted to 20,000,000 guilders at that time
and now with compound interest should be to 200,000,000 to 300,000,000
guilders, and is still in the possession of the King and in the
treasuries of the Netherlands. The heirs have been deprived of it all
these years, although they have from one generation to another fought
the case. At the same time the authorities of Holland are not a little
in doubt and are embarrassed for reasons to justify keeping the
Metzger von Weibnom estate for Holland.
But the reason of all their decisions, answers and refusals is the
unmistakable intention to keep the estate for themselves, even at the
cost of truth, justice and honor. The will has been suppressed. We
have proof that General Rapp in 1794 at the occupation of Brada had
taken the will, dated February 2, 1691, from the city magistrate to
carry it to Strassburg for safety. The will has never been executed.
I purposely made this break in my narrative of my childhood in justice
to my distinguished father who should have occupied the place that
belonged to him by right and title, as he was one of the original
heirs mentioned in my uncle's will--the grandson of his favorite
sister, Barbara Metzger von Weibnom. My father was a minister. He was
Christ-like with his people, and it was beautiful to behold with what
reverence the people approached him. He had the mild blue eye the
poets write about, his voice was soft in its tenderness when
addressing any member of his flock. His bearing was dignified and
reverent, and he was a delightful person to know. He was always
hopeful, no matter what difficulties arose in regard to the finances
of the church. In the true sense of the word he was a father to his
people and his family. His elders were all devotion and with them his
word was law. In all the years of his ministry I cannot recall any
unhappy situation with his congregation. Sadness came only when
parting, to be sent to work in another church. He was a great pioneer
founder of churches, and the Synod sent him first in one direction,
then another.
In consequence of these changes I traveled a great deal in childhood.
No sooner had father succeeded in getting a church started and in
good running order than he would be sent to some other section of the
country. In Virginia, where he was born and bred, he was ordained at
the age of twenty-five and soon had a promising charge in Berks
county, Pa. From there he was sent to Evansville, Ind. It was while he
was filling the pulpit at Womensdorf, Pa., that he met Miss Mary
Stouch, to whom he was married in the year 1819. Six children were
born to them while at this pastorate. The church in Evansville had
been without a pastor for over two years and father was called to fill
the position. The parting between the pastor and his people was
particularly sad. My mother had to leave her girlhood home for the
first time in her life.
Oh, what a sad journey it was for them. It was made by stage and boat
and my parents had six young children. Many a time in my childhood I
heard the sad tale repeated. And the reception at Evansville was still
sadder as the church had been closed and the building almost destroyed
by the vicious element and unconverted people who desired no religion
to interfere with their ungodliness. Many attempts had been made to
restore the building, but those who attempted it were stoned and
driven away. When father arrived the people of the congregation who
remained advised him not to do anything with the church, for he would
meet the same fate as his predecessors. But father was not daunted. He
visited the church and the sight of God's house in such a condition
made him more determined to do the work for which he had come. After
calling several members together he gave out the announcement that he
would open the church on the following Sabbath at all hazards. He
asked all of the faith to come to his home Saturday evening. About
fifty responded, and during the business meeting of the evening seven
elders were chosen. When all was satisfactorily adjusted, pastor and
people spent the hours in prayer until midnight.
Next morning the faithful people gathered and father, with the Bible
in hand, led them in procession until they arrived at the church. In
the distance could be seen a line of men, women and boys on both sides
of the steps. The elders tried to persuade father to give up the
attempt and go no further. He turned to them and said, "I came to
conquer for the Lord, and if you do not come with me I shall go
alone." When the rabble saw them coming, they began to shout, "Here
they come. Here come the saints." A boy approached--more bold than
the rest--and as he came father took him by the hand and said, "Good
morning, my little man. I am glad to see the young as well as the old
to welcome me." Then he spoke to the people and said, "You make me
very happy, my dear friends. I did not expect such a large
congregation to meet me, a stranger," and took each by the hand. In
one hand they held sticks, stones and staves. As he spoke kindly to
them, they dropped their missiles and extended their hands. His
bravery had awed them and his kindness and magnetism had won them. At
last he gained the upper step in front of the church and, like Paul,
he cried, "Hear ye the word of the Lord. For today shall peace and
righteousness dwell among you. Hear what the Lord God speaketh to you.
I came not to make war upon you, but bring you the message of peace.
As this building is not in condition to enter, I will give you the
divine message from the door of the temple." After a short sermon he
told them his mission was to rebuild the church, and he was going to
ask them all to help. A short prayer followed his remarks, and the
benediction closed this remarkable epoch in the history of the church.
Before the year was past the church had been restored. The membership
increased, the Sabbath school grew and the church nourished beyond the
expectations of the oldest members.
Two and a half years later we went to Mt. Carmel, a small town on the
Wabash river. Conditions were more favorable, yet it was not to be
stationary, for only two or three years. During that time I was born,
June 12, 1836. I made the eighth child--six girls and two boys. When I
was a little over three years old, father left Mt. Carmel to fill the
vacancy of the church in Jonesborough, Union county, Ill., in an
unsettled portion of the state, among good Christian people who had
begun to settle on farms and stock farms. Acres of grain and corn
fields stretched far and wide. Jonesborough was a very small town
where these people got their supplies in exchange for their produce.
The women wove their cloth and linen and spun their yarn and did the
dairy work, while the men cleared and planted and built log houses,
barns and cribs. We were heartily welcomed by these good, primitive
people. They had waited so long for a shepherd to lead them that many
of the congregation were in waiting and the elders and trustees were
on hand to see to the conveyance of the household goods, which were
quickly put in waiting wagons.
[Illustration: JEWEL WORN BY LADY BARBARA METZGER