DEPARTMENT OF
GERMAN LANGUAGES                   P. O. BOX 537

Mr. J. P. Lentz
1804 Trail 5
Burlington, North Carolina

Dear Mr. Lentz:

Your letter of 30 December 1961 was waiting for me upon my arrival from two national meetings which were held between Christmas and the end of the year in Chicago, Illinois.

It is quite possible that the person making the entries which you sent along for translation wrote as he pronounced, This may mean that he had no formal instruction in German. In general, the spelling used in the document seems to indicate that the German learned and spoken by the writer of the document is influenced by German spoken in what used to be until 1918 the kingdom of Saxony. This, however, merely a guess on my part.

There is no charge for the translation. We are a state university and interested in serving the citizens of North Carolina. I should like to ask you to keep in mind that we are at the service of the citizens of North Carolina and that, in return, the citizens of North Carolina should help their university during and between sessions of the legislature.

The translation follows:

Page 9. - The ages (? - impossible to be certain about the first letter) and birthdays of the children of Ben(jamin) Lentz (the construction used in the original is one commonly found in spoken speech).

1) In the year (ano stands for anno) 1788, the eleventh Hornung = February (Hornung is an older and a regional name of February), there was born to me a little daughter (literally: a little daughter was born to me into the world) named (lit.: with the name) Cadarina, and the witnesses at her baptism were Peter Feith (I am not too sure about this name) and his wife Eva Feith (according to a custom still common in parts of Germany, the wife's name appears with the ending en or, see below, n).

2) In the year 1790, seventh March, there was born to me a little daughter named Elisabet, and the witnesses at her baptism were Johannes Lentz and his wife Margared Lentz(en - see above). -- This entry is crossed out.

3) In the year 1792, the second (it could be the 12th) December, a son was born to me, named George, and the witnesses at his baptism were George Heger and his wife Elisabed Heger(en - see above).

4) In the year 1795, the fourth September, there was born to me a little daughter, named Eva Margared, and the witnesses at her baptism were Jacob Lentz and Eva Nigasen (I am not sure about this name. the final en may mean that she was a married woman and that her husband's name was Nigas).

5) In the year 1797, the ninth December, there was born to me a little daughter, named Annamaria( spelled Ananamaria - evidently a spelling mistake), and the witnesses at her baptism were Peter Lentz and his wife Susana Lentz(en - see above).

6) In the year 1800, the second of February (this time he uses the name February, not the older and regional name as in number one), there was born to me a son, named Ben(jamin), and the witnesses at his baptism were Jacob Miller and his wife Caarina Miller(n - see aboce).

the entry below 6) reads in translation:

May God bless our going-out, likewise our going-in
(This is a quotation from the hymnal. It is evidently not copied from a book. It is put down the way it sounded to the person writing it down.

Page 10. - 7 (in red). In the year 1802, twenty-sixth March, a son was born to me, named Henrich (=Heinrich), and the witnsses at his baptism were Jacob Lentz and his wife Maria Lentz(en - see above). - This entry is crossed out.

8 (in red). In the year 1804, the ninth December, a son was born to me, named John, and the witnesses at his bvaptsim were Johannes Lentz and his wife Margareda Lentz(en - see above).

9 (in red). In the year 1807, the eigth December, there as born to me a little aughter, named Rosina (I am sure about the -ina part of the name), and the witnesses at her baptism were - the names are not entered!

10 (in red). In the year 1810 (this time the Anno is spelled out), the eleventh November, a son was born to me, named Valenndinn (=Valentin?), and the witnesses at his baptism were - the names are not entered!

The fact that two entries are crossed out may mean that the two children referred to in the two entries had died.

With best wishes for a Happy New Year, I am

Sincerely yours,
[signature of]
John G. Kunstmann
Chairman, Department of Germanic Languages
and Russian
President, American Association of
Teachers of German

Children of Benjamine (Ben") Lentz from the records written in German and sent to the government about 1835 in order to get a Revolutionary War Pension.
The dialect and picturesque language seems to have come from Saxony or Wurtenberg.
A better translation is being secured.

Rough translation:
1. Feb. 11, 1788 - Catherine Lentz was born. Sponsors: Peter Feith & wife Eva.

2. March 7, 1790 - Elizabeth Lentz was born. Sponsors: Johannes (John) Lentz & wife Margaret Lentzen (female for Lentz).

3. Dec. 2, 1792 -George Lentz was born. Sponsors: George Heger & wife Elizabeth.

4. Sept. 4, 1795- Margaret was born. Sponsors: Jacob Lentz & Eva Nigasen.

5. Dec. 9, 1797 - Annamaria Lentz was born. Sponsors: Peter Lentz & Wife Susanna.

6. Feb. 2, 1800 - Benjamin Lentz was born. Sponsors: Jacob Miller & wife Cadarina or Katarina .

7. March 26, 1802- Henry Lentz was born. Sponsors: Jacob Lentz & wife Maria.

8. Dec. 9, 1804 - John Lentz was born. Sponsors: John Lentz & wife Margaret.

9. Dec. 8, 1807 - Rosanna Lentz was born. Sponsors: None named.)

10. November 11, 1810 - Valentine Lentz was born. Sponsors: none named.

Translated by Daniel L.Barringer, August 22, 1839.

NOTE: Ben Lentz corresponded with Henry Lentz of Limestone County, Alabama near Athens. Ben was from Bedford County, Tennessee. Henry says that he was born in Union County, South Carolina, while Ben just says that he was born in South Carolina.

NOTICE - NOTICE - Notice the Henry Lentz above who was born on March 26, 1802. The Henry Lentz from below Statesville was born on either March 20 or 22 in 1802. Could these be the same person ? ? ? ?
Apparently both were born in Rowan County, N.C.