From: Judy Cole <artjudycole@sympatico.ca>
Date: 26. November 2003 23:33:18 MEZ
To: Matthew Wyneken <wyneken@physik.uni-freiburg.de>
Cc: artjudycole@sympatico.ca
Subject: Re: Biltz

 Biography of
Carl Edward Kuehnert
1833-1911
written by his son Martin

	From page 10 of the translation. “This biography was translated the June 26, 1980, at the home of our daughter, Sara, and her husband, John Kammrath, in San Antonio Texas by grandson, Rev Richard E. Kuehnert, son of the Rev J. Paul Kuehnert, oldest son of Carl Edward Kuehnert.  My wife and I kept house for John and their three girls while Sara was in the Santa  Rosa Hospital for the birth of Luke Christopher, 4th child and first son of the John Kammraths, June 23, 1980.  We kept house for them 4 days, Mon.  through, June 23-26, 1980  Soli Deo Gloria.1 

Part 2 the biography 1833-1911

	Carl Edward Kuehnert was born 1833 Monday am November, 4th, Church Dedication day, at Ruszdorf, Saxony-Altenburg. (Enclave near Limback in Saxony)
	
Dear Matthew,
	Here is the translation I hope it helps you in the back of it is a family genealogy that I will include with the copy I send you.  I will not be on the net for a week.  Do send me your mailing adress so that I can send it to you.  Yours Judy Cole	

His parents were Friedrich Julius Kuehnert born 1809 am July 7 and Johanne Caroline nee Biltz, born 1812 Feb 12.  Both from families in which production and hand. 9ng(sic) (probably handing of stockings and Meszg(Q)eschaeft were inherited. (heimisch- native home )  they were in the stocking trade.
	Already my fathers’ great grandfather, John Samuel Bergmann, born 1758 was a master in knitting stockings and owner of Tin Shops.  He promoted his wares in great style on the Leipxiger market.  Bergmann was a God fearing man.  Whom the loss of his wealth could not wreck his faith and chose for his funeral text: II Cor. 4,17:
	“We who ‘live’ (believers) look not on the things that are seen, but on the things that are not seen, for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen they are eternal.”
and chose his self-prepared biography I John 1:7:
	“If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus. Christ his son Cleanseth from all sin”2 
	One of the  five daughters of this John Samuel Bergmann, Johanna Rachel Bergmann born 1780 married Stocking manufacturer and Mebgefchaftsinhaber,  business partner Samuel Friedrich Kuehnert born 1756 Mr 4 Goppersdorf at Burgftadt.  Where the first letters of his name S. F. K. till only lately were seen over the door of the house Kataftr number 70 cut in stone.
	This Samuel Friedrich Kuehnert latter brought the lower grinding mill excavation for his stocking bleaching and here was born to him his second child on July 7 1809, Friedrich Julius Kuehnert.  Already 5 years later 1814 Samuel Fredrich Kuehnert died in consequence of an injury suffered in the War of 1813.  French horsemen had forced him to lead them to Leipez, for which they tied him to a horse’s tail.  This misuse on the way to Leipzig brought him the cause of his death that followed in Mr 17, 1814.
	So Fredrich Julius Kuehnert was orphaned early at the age of five.  His God-fearing Grandfather, the above mentioned John Samuel Bergman adopted him and reared him in Ruszdorf near Limbach on the mothers inheritance of the boy, at Garden Estate. 
	In the year 1823 at the age of 14 Julius Kuehnert came to Muhlau to the Stocking Manufacturer master, Brauer (grandfather of the Kommerzienrats Brauer in Buchkolz in the Iron Mountains(Erzgebirge) as interim and remained in the business till 1830 (7 years).
	In this same year (1830) he married Caroline Biltz, daughter of the tax collector, Stocking and Mesz Business partner, Gottlieb Friedrich Biltz.  The young married couple set up house-keeping in Ruszdorf where Julius Kuehnert carried on a stocking manufacturing and worked the above mentioned farm estate.  This marriage had 6 children of which 4 died in infancy and only two grew up namely:
	Amalie Bertha Latter married to Sparborth and  Carl Edward Kuehnert
	
	In 1835 at the age of 26 the family moved to Muelau where the godly saved mother died already in 1839 when my father (Carl Edward Kuehnert was only 6.  Of his mother my father wrote in his chronicles:
	“” Her pastor P> M> just had often visited her during her 27 weeks long sickness.  My mother had strengthened her self through  the Lords supper.  She had put  her trust in the Grace of God of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
	3 
	Here in Muehlau Julius Kuehnert established what was for that time a regional and encompassing stocking Manufacturing business, and became in his younger years 1839? at the age of 30 a local judge of the Middlefrohnaer District. (Another section of the village belonged to Judgeship near Penig)  The best however what he found in Muehlau as a close christian fellowship in the home of  his father-in-law the godly and saved Friedrich Biltz, whose sons: Gottlieb and Karl, as also with teacher Sporbert he was bound with Christian Friendship.  but above all he heard the searching sermons of the faithful local Pastor Just, whose edifying book  “ Knee bending”  also my father, Carl Edward Kuehnert liked to use so much and presented as gifts on many occasion.  My father often related what he knew of those times, and held the memory of his father in high esteem.    With so many instructions he imparted to us children he would add: 
	“ My father  handled it so” or My father used to say” for example:  “ One buys not what is needed, but what is indispensable, what one cannot do without”  Repeatedly he held up as an example his fathers’ faithful, regular church attendance, his free Prayers on his Knees and decisive Christian Living: 
	
	For example:  After the business custom of the time, it was customary that the Stocking producers would deliver their goods on Sunday Morning.  So they also came early on Sunday Morning to Grandfather Julius Kuehnert.  But when he, to be able to go to Church, closed his place of Receiving the Wares already at *:30 Am as his brother-in law Karl August Biltz, as the first to shut down the Sunday Work-the delivery of Wares on Sunday in Muehlau stopped altogether.
	What Grandfather was accustomed to do, was also practiced by my father.  As often as a child left home to go to school  or other important occasions he first took that respective child into a room and on his knees in a free spoken Prayer, called upon god for his blessing, Protection and help.
	After 12 years as a Widower on January 19, 1851, Julius Kuehnert  married a second time to Christine Friedericke widow Schanz nee Berger.  To this union was born one daughter, Marie Emilie, who later married Julius Wachler.  But sturdy Grandfather was not to labor for long.  On July 25, 1858 a severe nerve fever took him at the age of 49 years, married but seven and one half years to his second wife.  (page 8)

	His life’s story

	After this detailed Chronicle of his ancestry, i finally come to the LIFE’S STORY of my blessed father, Carl Edward Kuehnert.  After his  confirmation his father wanted to further his education in a good Christian School, and sent him to the Friedrich Fletcher Teacher’s Seminary associated with the Extension School  in Dresden.  Until the end of his life my father maintained friendship with class mates he made in this time that became so dear to him.  However, as he was needed in his father’s business, after one year of study in Dresden, upon the wish of his father, he entered the just newly established business  School in Chemnitz and in the teaching of Kaufmann Morell.  Here in Chemnitz he had the opportunity to observe the agitated times of 1848.  Following his schooling he took up the duties of his father’ s business in Muehlau.  
	 On April  27, 1856 the Lord gave him his faithful life’s companion, Ida Marie Tuerschmann born November 8 1835.  (two years younger than he, born November 4 1833)  in Muehlau?  daughter of John Gott fried Tuerschmann, owner of a farm and Machine builder, and his wife Wilhelmine ne Schenk.
	Two years later on July 25, 1858 as already mentioned, his father Julius Kuehnert died, and his son Carl Edward Kuehnert took over the Stocking Business at the age of 25.  Even though at this time his health was questionable and he was advised not to take over the business, he followed the particular words his father was able to say to him before he died” 
	“Carl, give the business your attention.”  
	May 22, 1861, he brought a farm in Muehlau where he gained space for adding to and putting new buildings for his business.  The management and prosecution of the farming was taken over by his wife, for which the faithful hired man friedrich Boettcher was an indispensable support.  In business there alternated Good and bad Times.  but my father held on through all of it, according to the word of grandfather, “One must entrust the money to the business.”
	In the 1860’s unemployment was especially severe.  My father told how he tried to keep a stocking worker employed by having him uproot stumps in the woods.  After a day’s work the man showed his hands, unaccustomed to such work, covered with blisters and begged:  “Let me make stockings,  I will rather make a dozen for 5 phenning less”
	For the fabrication of Men’s socks, there lacked “Randers”  which at the time were not so readily obtainable, since the makers of “Randers on their hand stools could only slowly deliver them.  Large mechanical Rand machines were only found in a few large stocking factories, which needed the randers themselves and did not want to sell them for any price.  so the workers hat to wait until the handstool-randers were ready.  Motivated thru this and his soul filled with the wish to keep his workers employed , my father decided upon the advice of the company Hecker & Sons in Chemnitz to travel to Nottingham england (1868) in order to obtain the mechanical Rander Machines.  On this undertaking entrusted to God the Lord laid his Blessing.  Yet not with out diligent effort did my father move forward materially.
	Often he sat up late in the office at work-yes, the dawning hours of the morning out of my fathers Kontor were proof to the early risers of the village’s citizens, that he had not left the place of work.  Yet, worry about the earthly was not the reason for this restless labor, but his motto was:  “One Works till it is finished.”  god provided him with faithful and efficient co-worker in Friedrich Schoenfeld, Prokuristen and Hetzel, his shop manager, even as later, in brother-in law- Julius Wachler and business Partner.

   with him he had from the year 1881 in company with Edward Meldner the firm: Kuehnert Wachler & Nelder & Co in Chemnitz, where in the same year he moved with his family.  Most of the machines were moved to Chemnitz and also most of the workers followed to Chemnitz.
	Decisive in making the decision, to Leave muehlau, was his desire to be able to remain with a congregation with the Pure Lutheran confession.  the Afore mentioned ?/? to this day and in it my father was active to the end of his life.

Church Affiliation

	The Christian upbringing my father enjoyed through his loved ones, thru Teacher Sporbert and Pastor Just, by God’s grace did not remain without blessings  already in his younger years he had attended and participated in the Mission Silas  in Hermansburg, in order to come in contact with ernest Christians.  at the funeral of Pastor theodor Harms in Hermansburg he was among the multitude of mourners.  the church paper “Pilger lut of Saxon” he read regularly and had lively communications with faithful christians of the vicinity which at that time did not shy away from hours of travel in order to hear a Pastor who Preached god’s word in all its Truth and Purity.  
	However in the year 1875, after twelve men in Chemnitz under the leadership of Pastor Ruhland (Whose oldest daughter Marie was married to my brother Pastor Paul Kuehnert) founded a Free Lutheran congregation of the Unaltered Augsburg confession and when he learned to know of this - he stepped out of the state Church in 1876 and joined this congregation and remained with it to his end.
Family Experiences
	The marriage of my father gendered nine children (see family tree- of whom Paul the oldest son, decided in the year 1877 to emigrate to America to study theology according to the Pure Lutheran doctrine.  My father traveled with Paul, for the first to Bremen.  there he first decided to accompany his son overseas and there with combined a visit to the Lutherans who had immigrated out of the neighboring villages in 1838, 39 years ago.
	Later in the year 1882 Paul 	
	1885 Marie, returned in the year 1888.
	1890 gerhard
	1898 Lydia, married to Pastor Karl reuter.
	when gerhard in the year 1890,. as mentioned above, emigrated to america, upon his father’s wish to study theology, my father also accompanied him together with my mother and Me (Martin the youngest child) and visited with this opportunity his married children in america, with whom my mother and I spent 10 months, while my father looked up a great number of acquaintances in various states and attended syndical meeting, as much as possible.  beginning of 1891 my mother and I returned to Germany.  repeatedly his children with their families out of America visited him and there with brought him great joy-for example:
	1886 augusta, whose marriage to Pastor Harms was performed and celebrated in Chemnetz.
	Carl giesler and Wife caroline
	1897 Pastor Wm. harms, and Wife Augusta with 5 children.
	1900 pastor gerhard Kuehnert with wife Clara and one child.
	1907 Pastor Karl reuter with wife Lydia and 4 children.
	Gladly he welcomed other visitors out of the Mo synod and was eagerly engaged to take such guests to Braeumsdorf, where Dr. walther was Pastor before his emigration to America.  Braeumsdorf  is about 4 hours from Chemnitz and 2 hours from Muehlau.

Deaths in the family

In Firm Faith in their savior the following family members preceded him:  

1884 March 24 the oldest daughter Anna married Dec 29, 1888? to August Arne Boehne Senior teacher in Hartmannsdorf.  Married 5 years 3 mo.  who left one daughter, elizabeth, later married to Walther Kutschbach.

1894  June 15, Marie married Nov 6, 1893 to Paul goetzxe.  Left no children.  died 61/1 months after her marrieage.

1900 august 20th he had to accompany his life’s companion Ida Marie tuerschmann to her grave.  at the time of her home-going two children out of america were visiting the Parental home in chemnitz: Pastor Gerhard Kuehnert and Mrs Caroline Giesler with two children Carl and Rudolph, as mentioned above.  Wilhelmine had returned from america already in 1899 where she had kept house for her Brother Pastor Gerhard Kuehnert, to nurse her ailing mother to her end which was anticipated.

	Another 11 years the lord spared my father unto his children and  grandchildren during which time his daughter wilhelmine had kept house and cared for him.  the separation from the majority of his children and grandchildren he found rather hard; however much he sought to talk about his longing for them,- he tried to bridge the distance with correspondence and thru small gifts, mostly stockings and other knitted items, on every birthday and Christmas.
	However for the evening of his life he had the pleasure to see four European grandchildren grow up: elizabeth of his oldest daughter anna’s only child married to a Kutschbach;  and his youngest son Martin’s first 3 children; Julius, Ruth and rachel.

	at the Beginning of 1910 a severe heart trouble set in.  He sought help in the Zimmermann’s Sanitarium (Nature Health Institute). However when he noticed that it gave relief, but no cure for his ailment he returned home and committed it to the Lord his God, however He would deal with him. Heart trouble and Asthma made it impossible for him to lie in one position for any length of time and thus it was the sleepless nights were the ususal thing. 
	On July 5th 1911 the Lord called him out of this Vale of Tears.  His Prayer for a quiet end was heard and granted of the Lord.  He went to sleep so squietly and softly that it was first noticed, when his noticed, when his soul had gone home.
	The burial took place July 7th on the Nicholas Cemetery with a large attendance from his congregation, many citizens and Industrialists of the city and vicinity, and deputation from Muehlau.
	After the hymn that he prayed daily during his sickness; “Jerusalem, thou City Fair and High” accompanied with trumpets and sung by hundreds, Pastor paul Kern delivered the duneral serman printed in the first part of this writingl.

Soli Deo Gloria