Heini Riggenbacher - Emigration Report

This is the government report cited by Faust as giving Heini Rickenbacher's declared reasons for emigration. It's translation has been a low priority because of the Faust quote which appears to be a reasonable summary and the great difficulty I had in transcribing/translating this very difficult document. Many thanks to Ulrich Stroux for this transcription. My translation is very poor but does give some sense of the subservient and flowery language of the time.

Page 7a - Image File

Hochgeacht, Wohledel, Gestreng, Ehren,,
fest, Fromm, Wohlfürnehm, Fürsichtig
und Weiser, Gnädig,, Gebietend,, Hoch,,
ehrender Herrn und Oberer !

Als zu schuldig gehorsamber Folge Ewr: Gnd: an Mich
erlassenen Gnädigsten Befehls, deroselben Under,,
thanen Heini Riggenbacher von Rüneberg befragt,
Wer Ihme Zu dem so gefährlichen Vorhaben
in Carolinam Zu Ziehen, einige Anleitung gegeben?
So hat mir derselbe, mit mehrerem in Antwort
bedeütet: daß sowohl die in Ewr: Gnd:
Stadt als auch dero Landschaft, dieser Matery
halber gehörten Gespräche, besonders aber Ewr:
Gnd: Underthan Emanuel Giegelmann sein
Schwager von Bubendorf, Ihne hirZu bewogen
habe, welcher ja mit Ewr: Gnd: Gnädigster
Erlaubnus bereits alles vergandet und mit
nächstem dahin verreysen werde. ObZwarn

Page 7a

Highly Respected, Well Bred, Strict, Honor-
able, Devout, Noble, Far Sighted
und Wise Gracious Masters, High
Honorable Gentlemen and Superiors!

All too guiltily most obeidient Your Grace to me
issued most benevolent instruction, of the Sub-
ject Heini Riggenbacher of Rünenberg to ask,
who to him the so dangerous plan
in Carolina to move, some direction had given?
Thus he, with several answers
gave me to know. That both in Your Grace's
City and in the countryside, this subject
was in half of the discussions, Especially however Your
Grace's Subject Emanuel Giegelmann, his
brother-in-law from Bubendorf, him hither pursuaded
has, which with Your Grace's Most benevolent
permission already everything [completed?] and with
the next step there to go away becomes. Whether in fact

Notes for Page 7a:

Ewr: Gnd: stands for "Ewer Gnaden" or "Your Grace".

Page 7b - Image File

nun Er Riggenbacher dato, noch nicht vest [fest]
entschlossen dahin Zu reysen, so trage Er doch
das underthänigste Vertrauen Zu Ewr: Gnd:
daß Deroselben Ihme Bitenten, wann Er hire,,
,,Zu mehrere Lust bekommen solte, den Weg,,
,,Zug, wie seinem Schwager auch beschehen [geschehen].
In Gnaden gestatten würden.

Ewr: Gnd: damit Gnädigster[?] protection
bestens empfehlendt und mit all schuldig,,
,,stem Respect verharrend

Ewr: Gnd: ?ti: (?) ?isc: (?) ?isz: (?) Voght (?)

Farnspurg den 18t.
xbris 1734.

Underthänig, Gehorsambster
Diener
Niclaus Meyer

Page 7b

now Riggenbacher on the day, still not firmly
determined to go there, so has [carries] he still
the subject's trust to Your Grace
that the same himself beseeches, when he there
several desire should become the move,
like his brother-in-law also happens.
In grace would permit.

Your Grace thus most benevolent one protection
recommended in the best way and with all due
Respect remaining

Your Grace ?ti: ?isc: ?isz: Voght(?)

Farnsburg the 18th
December 1734.

Subservient, Obedient
Servant
Niclaus Meyer

Notes for Page 7b:

This is the second page of the report with the signature and date.

Page 7c - Image File

Verlesen den 22 Decembris 1734         Reis einiger underthanen in    
Americam betrf.                  

Denen Hochgeacht, WohlEdel, Gestreng, Ehrenvest,
Fromm, Wohlfürnehm, Fürsichtig und Weisen Hern
Heren Samuel Merian Bürgermeister und
Rat Lobs. (Lobsamer) Stadt Basel p. Meinem Gnädig
Gebietend, Hoch Ehrenden Herrn und Oberen.

Page 7c

Index 22 December 1734        Concerning Travel of a Subject to        
America            

To the Highly Respected, Well Bred, Strict, Honorable,
Devout, Noble, Far Sighted und Wise Gentleman
Mr. Samuel Merian Mayor and
Laudable Council Member of Basel City p. My Gracious
Masters, High Honorable Gentlemen and Superiors.

Notes for Page 7c:

This is the address page of the report. It was folded into an envelope. The small type is an added index code.

This is as close as I can come to a translation of the honorifics.

References:

A. B. Faust and G. M. Brumbaugh, Lists of Swiss immigrants in the Eighteenth Century to the American Colonies, Vol. II, pp 90:

... while a report from Farnsberg, dated Dec. 18 (AA), shows that Heini Riggenbacher was induced to go by conversations on this topic in city and country and besides especially by Emanuel Giegelmann, his brother-in-law.