Frederick Behlendorff an Ernst Haeckel, Grand Rapids, 8. Mai 1886
Grand Rapids, Michigan, May 8. 1886
United States of America
Professor Ernst Haeckel
Jena, Prussia
German Empire.
Dear Sir,
Enclosed I beg leave to hand You a copy of the Progressive Age, a weekly paper published in Grand Rapid Mich., of which I am the Editor. I have always been an enthusiastic reader of Your works and have been led to the ideas promulgated in the Article „on Materialism“ through the principles of Evolution, as illustrated in Your works, and in the works of Darwin, Huxley, Spencer, Max Mueller, Voight and others. I have applied these principles to the human soul and evolve a God through the intermediate organizations as the culminating point of the Universe just like You Yourself make man on Earth the culminating climax of the animal fauna. I am encouraged to send You this contribution to || science although it is on the metaphysical field, because the question of origin of life is one of Evolution and also one of „Metaphysics“. I make the principle of life the rotary motion, first observed by astronomers and on which the so called „Nebularhypothesis“ is based. ‒
As regards my own self, I must necessarily ask Your permission to introduce myself: I am a German (Saxon) by birth and an adopted citizen of the United States since 1857. My home is in Dresden, where my fahther (now dead) held the position of „ Oberconsistorialrath and Pastor Emeritus“ oft he Protestant Church, Doctor theol. Otto Thenius.a – He is the Author of a number of commentaries on the books of the bible; and in his lifetime was one of the best Oriental Scholars in Germany. – I am graduate of the Royal College of St. Afra, at Meissen, Saxony and studied 3 years at Leipzig 1848-51 Law, philosophy and foreign languages. –
My desire from youth up, was to go to America; ‒ the political revolution of 1848‒1849 led me to participate in || in the rebellion May 1849. My famliy and specially my father was all on the royal side, and the consequence was a natural separation! I could not live any longer in the old Country with oppression starring me in the face every where. My participation in the rebellion of 49 was at last discovered and I had to escape to America to avoid imprisonment. Some relatives on my mother’s side settled a sum of money on me on condition that I should take their name Behlendorffb. This I did. ‒ Later my father relented and the change of name stands recorded in the Archives of the Kingdom of Saxony heed is sanctioned by the Government as a family arrangement. – Here in America I took up arms in defence of the Union in 1861c and rose inside of 5 years from a private to the rank of Major of Cavalry and Acting Inspector General of a cavalry Brigade. After the war I occupied a position as Deputy Collector of Customs of Chicago under the U. S. Government for 7 years. I now reside in Grand Rapid Michigan.
Nothing could give me greater pleasure than to receive a few lines in acknowledgement of this letter and I remain with great respect your obedient servant
Frederick Behlendorff.
Address: Grand Rapids. Mich. U.S. of America. ||
P.S. To give some further information in regard to myself and family, I desire to state that one of my brothers „Herman Thenius“ is the present Editor of the Dresdner Anzeiger. My full name is Frederick Otto Thenius Behlendorff, but on entering the Army of the United States in 1861 I found the full name too long and I went on the rolls of the U.S. Army as
Frederick Behlendorff.
This name I have borne ever since with the full consent of my family and the Royal Government of the Kingdom of Saxony – My adoption papers as an adopted citizen of the U.S. bear the same name and the various commissions and patents (Officiers Patente) given to me by the Government of the U.S. bear the same name.
Frederick Behlendorff late Major U.S.A.
a eingef.: Doctor theol. Otto Thenius; b eingef.: Behlendorff; c eingef.: 1861