February 22, 1867
Father came to us today with surprising news that we will be leaving for America in 1 month. I probably saw this coming,Northern Stuttgart is filled with many people and mother told us it was best to move the family to America: "The land of Opportunities". Our family consist of three, Phillip (3 years old), Thomas (7 years old), my grandmother Annette and grandfather Karl and I, Ulrich (15 years old). Our family owned a bakery in the heart of the city but due to the taxation on water and light, the bill went up and father was forced to sell the bakery.
April 15, 1867
Our second day on board and it finally hits me that we may never see our homeland once again. After being in England for weeks, I could see how people fled Germany to go to America by the thousands most were families and other consisted of young men. Many different people from other countries were also going to America, mostly from Wales and Ireland.
November 30, 1867
After almost a month upon arriving in America we finally settle in a small German community in a house our Aunt Lara found us, outside of Bloomsburg in Pennsylvania. Aunt Lara had moved to America a few months before we did and kept in touch with father because he had explained to her that he wanted to open a bakery like the one we had back in Stuttgart. One other note, mother in now pregnant with her 4th child and he will be the first American born Schweinsteiger in the family, its a girl and she is due in January.
October 2, 1868
Life in america has gone much better than in Germany , father's bakery is filled with costumers at all hours and Erika is growing up real fast. My two younger brothers are attending American school and me and father are handling the bakery quite well. It has been almost two years since we left for America and our luck has not looked down since then. Although I would want to return to Stuttgart when I get the chance, I would most certainly want to see how it has done since we left and visit old friends, but one thing is clear, I definitely do not regret moving to America.
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