Heinrich Diederichsen Correspondence, (1895-1920)

COLL MSS 33

Biographical Sketches:

Detlef Diederichsen was born March 8, 1832 in Preits, Schleswig-Holstein (now Germany). In 1861 he married Johanna and they later had three children, Anton (1869), Heinrich, and Emilie. In 1892 Detlef, his wife, and some of his children emigrated to the United States and later settled in Payette, Idaho. He died July 19, 1907. The Diederichsen family were active members of the Lutheran Church.

Heinrich Diederichsen was born in Preits, Germany, the son of Detlef and Johanna Diederichsen. Prior to 1900 Heinrich married a woman named Sophie, and they later had three children; Heinrich Jr., Ellen, and Thornwald. From 1890 to 1920 Heinrich lived in Friedrichsorter, Germany, a small town in the northern German state of Holstein (near the border of modern-day Denmark). During this period Heinrich worked for the Freidrichsorter Technical Association (Friedrichsorter Techniker-Verein). During the 1920s Heinrich traveled to the United States and studied civil engineering in Portland, Oregon. After he completed his studies, he returned to Germany and worked as a draughtsman in the marine service.

Anton Diederichsen was born October 7, 1869 in Preits, Germany, the son of Detlef and Johanna Diederichsen. During his early years Anton worked as a journeyman nearby at a nursery, and learned the art of growing special trees and plants. In 1892 Anton immigrated to the United States and settled in Payette, Idaho. In January 1905 he married Millie Ferber in Sauk City, Wisconsin and they later had three children, Leona (1906) and twins Henry and Henriette (1912). Anton died December 31, 1948 in Payette, Idaho.

Sources: Payette Independent, August 8, 1905 and January 6, 1949

Scope & Content:

This collection consists of twenty-eight letters written by Heinrich Diederichsen while in Germany, to his brother Anton and his father Detlef who emigrated from Germany to Payette, Idaho in 1892. Heinrich’s letters span the period of 1895 to 1920 and are written in Sutterlin, a gothic handwriting style of old High German.

Heinrich’s letters reflect the writings of a well educated and introspective man. His letters discuss a broad array of topics, such as family matters, the economy, immigration, World War I, and his opinion of the United States.

Folders 1-29 contain Heinrich’s letters to his brother and father. Folder 30 contains obituaries from the Payette Independent which yield information about the Diederichsen family. Folder 30 contains a handwriting chart aimed to aid researchers when reading Sutterlin Deutsch. (Pages photocopied from; Dippman, Gerda, A Practical Review of German Grammar, 1987.)

Source: Generous time and research by Renate Posthofen, USU Professor of German.

Inventory:

Box 1: Heinrich Diederichsen Correspondence, 1895—1920.

Fd 1: Outgoing correspondence to Anton Diederichsen, January 1, 1896.

Fd 2: Outgoing correspondence to Anton Diederichsen, April 27, 1896.

Fd 3: Outgoing correspondence to Anton Diederichsen, August 28, 1896.

Fd 4: Outgoing correspondence to Anton Diederichsen, December 13, 1900.

Fd 5: Outgoing correspondence to Anton Diederichsen, November 24, 1901.

Fd 6: Outgoing correspondence to Anton Diederichsen, February 15, 1902.

Fd 7: Outgoing correspondence to Anton Diederichsen, July 10, 1902.

Fd 8: Outgoing correspondence to Anton Diederichsen, June 2, 1903.

Fd 9: Outgoing correspondence to Anton Diederichsen, January 5, 1904.

Fd 10: Outgoing correspondence to Anton Diederichsen, April 3, 1904.

Fd 11: Outgoing correspondence to Anton Diederichsen, October 27, 1904.

Fd 12: Outgoing correspondence to Anton Diederichsen, February 18, 1906.

Fd 13: Outgoing correspondence to Anton Diederichsen, November 4, 1907.

Fd 14: Outgoing correspondence to Anton Diederichsen, March 27, 1912.

Fd 15: Outgoing correspondence to Anton Diederichsen, January 22, 1920.

Fd 16: Outgoing correspondence to Anton Diederichsen, July 13, 1920.

Fd 17: Outgoing correspondence to Detlef Diederichsen, August 20, 1895.

Fd 18: Outgoing correspondence to Detlef Diederichsen, October 1, 1895.

Fd 19: Outgoing correspondence to Detlef Diederichsen, December 3, 1895.

Fd 20: Outgoing correspondence to Detlef Diederichsen, March 8, 1896.

Fd 21: Outgoing correspondence to Detlef Diederichsen, December 8, 1896.

Fd 22: Outgoing correspondence to Detlef Diederichsen, February 23, 1897.

Fd 23: Outgoing correspondence to Detlef Diederichsen, February 1902 (letter missing).

Fd 24: Outgoing correspondence to Detlef Diederichsen, February 21, 1902.

Fd 25: Outgoing correspondence to Detlef Diederichsen, February 26, 1903.

Fd 26: Outgoing correspondence to Detlef Diederichsen, December 3, 1903.

Fd 27: Outgoing correspondence to Detlef Diederichsen, December 5, 1904.

Fd 28: Outgoing correspondence to Detlef Diederichsen, February 27, 1906.

Fd 29: Outgoing correspondence to the Diederichsen family, March 20, 1912 (letter is incomplete).

Fd 30: Obituaries of the Diederichsens, from Payette Independent.

Fd 31: Handwriting aid for Sutterlin style penmanship (from A Practical Review of German Grammar).

For more information: 435/797-2663; Manuscript Librarian.
Special Collections & Archives, Merrill Library, Utah State University Libraries, Utah State University 84322-3000