Ellis Island Scare

The lesson in Priesthood meeting today was on the Gathering of Israel.  As I listened to the message, my mind was drawn to Henry Rampton, John Worthen, Mary Cowap Worthen, George and Anna Linnebach, as well as other ancestors who left behind their homes, possessions and families to come to Zion.  Many had been disowned by their families who had even inflicted persecutions upon them.  When I visited Ellis Island a few years ago and walked where hundreds of thousands of immigrants walked, I thought about George Adam Linnebach, his wife Anna and their four children, Arthur, Karoline (which was later Anglicized to Caroline), Frieda and Lena being part of this experience that the audio tour described.  How would I have felt ....  afraid, nervous, apprehensive.  I wonder if at that time the song "Come, Come Ye Saints had been translated into German?  If so, perhaps the words, "We'll find the place which God for us prepared, far away in the West, where none shall come to hurt or make afraid, where the Saints will be blessed" gave them comfort.  They certainly had the faith that all would be well.  As they went through the processing at Ellis Island they would need that faith.  In her book, The Linnebachs, Caroline Litke Linnebach (oldest daughter of George and Anna Linnebach) described a difficult experience.

"At Ellis Island, the family had a traumatic experience.  The examining officer detained them.....would not let Frieda pass, the two and a half year old child as she had a rash on her chin.  The rest of the family could enter but she would have to be returned to Germany.  What could they do?  Father and Mother asked God for guidance.  After their prayer, they were inspired to ask for an American doctor's opinion.  He pronounced it childhood eczema and she could enter because it wasn't contagious.  Joy and gratitude filled their hearts.....now all could continue their journey."

Do you think that was a fervent prayer they offered?  I can only imagine what must have been going through their hearts and minds.  "Panic" is the first word that comes to my mind.  But for George, perhaps it was "Faith" or "Trust."  In the end, they trusted in the Lord and all was well.

Here is the rest of George Adam Linnebach's autobiography.  It ends very abruptly and I have not been able to locate any more.

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In the year 1902, I was ordained a Teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood which I appreciated very much, and one year later on the l0th of May I was ordained, a Priest by Priest by Heber Q. Hale. Now I had the authority to administer the Sacrament and to preach the Gospel, and was a great help to the elders. Our branch in Karlsruhe was growing despite the opposition from the Government and the banishment of the elders* at times. (*missionaries)

During this time I got along very well on the job and was sent to a special school from which I graduated with a very good report after which I became a government locomotive fireman. Our third child, Frieda Johanna was born

September 22, 1904, making quite a little family to keep my wife busy. As I now had several "free" days each month from work, I made several articles of furniture for my wife, also a little two-seater wagon which we used for the children in our walks in the nearby forest. We enjoyed these walks in the forests very much and often gathered wild raspberries and sometimes the whole branch went on these excursions.

It was now almost six years since we had joined the church and the desire to go to Zion was in our hearts. We did not want our children to be persecuted and opposed as we were and we wanted to be obedient to the commandment and get out of Babylon. The birth of our 4th child, Lena Anna on November 30, 1906, made our desire even stronger. I had to notify the government four months ahead of my intention of quitting my job and it was also necessary to notify our landlord four months in advance so that he could sell our apartment.  It was a good thing that our baby was born on the 30th so that I could take care of these things on the first of December.

The next four months were very exciting but also very hard. We had to sell our furniture which we had bought with my wife's savings at the time of our marriage, give up a good job, a lovely home, leave our loved ones. We shed many tears but the Lord strengthened us and gave us the courage to face the task of taking four little children across the ocean into strange land, a strange tongue, strange customs.

We left Karlsuhe, Baden, Germany on the 5th of April, 1907 and sailed from Bremen, Germany on the 7th. Yes, it was a hard test for my wife and me but we had an abiding trust in our God that it was His will that we do this. We arrived in New York City on the 23rd of April in good health after a good trip. Three days later we arrived in Salt Lake City. Utah -Zion-- and our new home. Sis. Katherine Keller, mother of our conference president John Schoenhals, took us into her home for two days after which we rented a little house, bought a little furniture and started to make a new home. I found a job with Silver Bros. Machinery Company on the second day. Six weeks after our arrival in this land, I was ordained an Elder which gave me great joy.

About six months later we bought a little home at 913 Washington St. using the money which my dear mother had given to us shortly before we left Germany.  She gave us 2000 marks and would have given us more as she knew that my brother would never send me my share of my inheritance at her death but she feared the wrath of her children who thought I was insane at joining the  Mormons.

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This is all for now.  Next week I will write about Christmas Eve and the Linnebach parties, which, as I mentioned before, is the reason we open presents on Christmas Eve.



George Adam Linnebach Family about 1905 (2 years befor emmigration)
Karoline, Anna, Frieda (who had the rash at Ellis Island), George and Arthur