Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 5.djvu/13

 THE GRANITE MONTHLY,

A NEW HAMPSHIRE MAGAZINE,

Devoted to Literature, Biography, History, and State Progress.

Yol. V. OCTOBER, 1881. NO. 1.

ABRAHAM PETER OLZENDAM.

FOR over two centuries and a half America has opened her welcoming arms to receive pilgrims from the old country. Escaping from religious persecution, political tyranny, feudal despotism, they have found in this country freedom, liberty, personal safety, and equal rights. The tide of emigration has steadily increased, gaining in volume from year to year, never taxing the resources of the country, being readily absorbed in the native-born population, until to-day nearly a million of sturdy emigrants annually settle within our borders.

These new comers are from every nation and every people, for the fame of our land has spread over the world; but the most welcome, because the most easily assimilated with our native inhabitants, and the most readily forming a homogeneous race, are our cousins from the north of Europe, the subjects of Queen Victoria, the French, the Dutch, the German, the Saxon, the Dane, the Swiss, the Norwegian, the Russian. There is room here for many millions more.

Since the dawn of European history, the Danes have held a conspicuous place. Living on a peninsula nearly surrounded by water, its shores indented by a thousand harbors, the sea has ever been their native element. A thousand years ago the vikings swept the ocean, ravaged the southern coasts, made many cities tributary, and bade defiance to their enemies in their sea-girt home. With the advance of Christianity and civilization these piratical expeditions gave place to the more peaceful pursuit of commerce, and the flag of the Dane was found in every port. The same adventurous spirit which actuated their bold ancestors led the Dane navigators around the world. From this race sprang Abraham P. Olzendam.

1. His grandfather, Abraham P. Olzendam, was a Dane, and a ship-master, who in the latter part of the last century retired from the sea and settled in Prussia. To him one son was born, who was educated as a chemist.

2. Abraham P. Olzendam, the chemist, lived in Barmen, married Johanna Rittershaus; was an officer of the municipal militia of the city; served a term in the army during the invasion of the country by Napoleon; and was a respected citizen. His family consisted of two sons and five daughters, but one of whom survives.

3. Abraham P. Olzendam, the subject of this sketch, was born in the city of Barmen, October 10, 1821. As a boy, he received the rigid discipline for which the common schools of Prussia are celebrated, and acquired a fair