Curt E. Schroeder's short review : A memoir of his earliest days in Stuart

Curd Emil August Schroeder (1872-1946) was born in Berlin, Germany, Curd Schroeder apprenticed as a merchant before fulfilling his dream of emigrating to America in 1893. Sailing from Hamburg aboard the Suevia, he arrived at Ellis Island and briefly stayed with relatives in New York before traveling south to Florida. Settling near Sewall’s Point and Jensen, he joined his uncles in the pineapple and crating business along the St. Lucie River. His memoir vividly describes his Atlantic voyage, early impressions of America, and daily life in pioneer Florida—hunting, fishing, sailing, and surviving storms in a developing tropical frontier.

Scan gift of the Stuart Heritage Museum.

Stuart News (Stuart, Fla.)

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SHM-2025-031-schroeder_memoir

I, Curd Emil August Schroeder, son of the Merchant Emil Schroeder, Berlin, was born on July 4th.1872. My parents left Berlin in April 1879 and moved to Neubrandenburg (Mecklenburg Strelitz) There I went to High School from the grade "Nona to Secunda,", left School and went to the city of Stettin to learn the trade as a merchant. I started my apprenticeship April 1st 1891) until February 15th.1893 with the Firm Decaters Citrus, Wine and Coffee Specials. But, as I noticed. That I did not enjoy my profession which I choose, I planned to fulfill my dreams which I had since boyhood - to go to America. My parents gradually consoled themselves with my plans, and my departure was set to take place April 16th 1893. I left Berlin April 14th accompanied by my second sister HELEN (I have five brothers and sisters) with the night express train to Hamburg. We arrived there 6 a.m. And refreshed ourselves with coffee etc and then looked for the Office of the Hamburg. America Line (H.A.P.A. G, where we settled the matters for my voyage. From there we returned to our quarters, straightened out the luggage, and visited our cousin Hedwig Parpart, who had a position as a teacher in Wilhelmsburg. After a long search and a very strenuous hike we arrived there. Cousin Hedwig did not recognize us right away, but was very glad to see us. I also met cousin Otto in the evening. Sunday, April 16th we went into the city Hamburg, where I changed my money into American currency. At noon we went to the “American Quai", where we said our last "Farewell”, and then I boarded the Steamer "Suevia". At 4 p.m. the anchors were lifted and we sailed amidst the cheering of the 1000 "hurrahs" and the blowing of the ships siren out of the Hamburg harbor. I had a ticket for steerage, but in the evening I talked to the first carpenter of the ship Mr. Brand, who offered me a place in his cabin for the sum of 35 Marks. Through this I really had a very lucky break. It gave me my own featherbed and excellent food, so that I did not regret spending the 35 Marks. During the night we passed "Cuxhafen" where the pilot left our boat. The brilliant glowing lights there were a wonderful sight. After a good nights sleep I awoke; next morning and after a good breakfast l went on the deck. What a horrible sight. Ever so many people were laying or sitting around, not caring whether lived or died. The sea was very rough, the fair winds were blowing, so that the sails were opened up. These poor people on deck suffered from the worst stage of sea. sickness. This kind of sickness really is a pitiful sight. I had no sign of this sickness during the whole trip.
We reached the coast of France on April 18th at noon.and all alomg from morning till noon the coast appeared to be very steep, falling into the sea. With two young passengers, whose acquaintance I had made on the boat, Sigismund Wolf from Hamburg & Rudolf Gudkowsky from Jueterbock, undertook a little excursion through Havre. We rented a cab and drove through the harbortown and the nearest surroundings. Havre is beautifully located, the mountains climbing from the water like terraces. In a Summer Restaurant near Havre we treated ourselves to a few bottles of Claret and drove then back to the city, played a few games of billiard in a Cafe and then returned to the “Suevia". After supper, the three of us as the only passengers from "Steerage “received as a special favor the permit to leave the boat again until 10 o'clock p.m. On our way back we got lost, but we were lucky to meet the same policeman, whom we had met already at noon, and he showed us the shortest way to the steamer. We had promised the good man a tip, but with the famous citation of Schiller “That man did his duty, now he may leave"" we boarded the ship. At 12 o'clock midnight the anchors were lifted, and the vessel took its course into the ever churning waves of the sea towards the land of our youthful dreams.—The remaining 12 days passed according to schedule. During the day we often sat on deck, fooling around with the young girls, and evenings we played our¼ penny "Skat". (Oh, what a wonderful game, which is not appreciated by the Americans.) Several hours of the day we spent with "the Kueper" who filled our glasses obediently at our slightest motion, so the time passed very quickly. Several times, when the sea was calm, we danced to the music of an accordion by the shine of the silvery moon. On Saturday the 22nd. and Sunday April 23rd we had a terrific storm with a very high sea. Monday at 12.30 a.m. they lowered the anchors and we were laying in the outer harbor of Hoboken. Monday morning all those on board had to be examined by the "Health Officials" consisting of three doctors. After this was done, anchors were lifted and we proceeded into the harbor of Hoboken/ Here we disembarked and our luggage was examined. Then we boarded another steamer, who brought us to Ellis Island, where we were booked after much questioning. Here Uncle Paul was waiting for me and we crossed the East river to New York. We took the Elevated Railroad to the station nearest to Sixth Street. We got off and walked to his home at 310 East 6th Street. I only met the aunt in the afternoon and stayed in the Metropolis sixteen days. Many things were new to me, but I had pictured this World City much different. On the first day I wandered around, looking at the new things, visited the "Central Park'' and the "Zoo". On May 13th Uncle Paul took me to a large Book Store on Ave. A #52 owned by Edward H. Tamsen. But as I was not fond of being a store clerk, I left that place on Monday May 15th, packed my things and bought a ticket to Titusville, Florida. The Steamer left at 3 p.m. towards the South. The name of the steamer was Algonquin", a much smaller vessel than the German boat. The ticket was for Second Class; two young Englishmen shared the cabin with me. It was not easy for me to converse with them, as l knew very little English. The voyage was calm and pleasant, the food good. On Friday May 18th, seven o’clock in the morning we reached Charleston. The two Englishman and I took a stroll through that city. At twelve o’clock we left the Harbor and arrived at Jacksonville on Saturday at 11 a.m. I took a cab to the station and had to wait one hour for my train, which left at 12 noon for Titusville, arriving there at 7 p.m. As I had heard, that there was no direct connection with the steamer, I took quarters at the Grand View Hotel. There I stayed till Monday afternoon and without realizing, had spent the Pentacost Holidays in my room.
Titusville is a small village having only a population of six hundred, and it was >1ard to kill time. Monday afternoon I sailed on the Steamer "Sebastian" down the Indian River towards “Sewalls Point.” Mr. Sewall from Sewalls Point was also aboard and took care of me in Jensen, where he met a Mr. Steuben. He asked him to take me to Mr. Stypmann. So I left the steamer in Jensen with my suitcase and plaid. Mr. Steuben took me through a field, which seemed to be overgrown with thistles and cactusses. I became fearful of poisoning, because the sharp stickers often penetrated my skin. For two miles we walked in silence through the woods. With much difficulty and hardship, due to my heavy luggage, we reached the St. Lucie River after three and a quarter of an hour. There he took me across by rowboat, and we went to the Post Office ,where I met many new faces, as it was mailday and the mail had just arrived Mr. Steuben introduced me, I made the mistake greeting Uncle Ernst as Uncle Otto, but he put me right and introduced me to Uncle Otto. After distribution of the mail we went for supper, when I met Aunt Mary. Henry and Cousin Francis I had already met in the Post Office.
Soon after I heard from Uncle Otto that the before mentioned Mr. Steuben was none less than Baron Thomas von Steuben, and through marriage to Uncle Albert's daughter was also my Cousin, The following day Cousin Henry and I took a trip on the 11Gypsy11 to Sewall’s Point to get my trunk. On the way I relished with much reverence my first pineapple. Soon we reached Sewall’s Point, put my trunk in the boat, and as-the wind was tempting, we took a short sail to the Ocean, which is connected with the Indian River through the St. Lucie Inlet. It was to bad we could not land at the Inlet, because it was low tide. We postponed our landing for another day, turned the bow of the "Gypsy" north towards home. The next few days passed by without any special events; I learned to make orates and this business took up all my time. Evenings Cousin Heinz and I often went out to shoot the hares, who always chewed up the young plantings. The Hares here in Florida are not longer than a common rabbit. White people do not eat them, but the colored people ea.t them with pleasure. In the middle of May we made a trip to Sewall’s Point with the 11Dora'\a sloop of 14 tons-36 X 12 feet, which belonged to the uncles and they had built themselves. The purpose of our excursion was to pick up the makings and parts for 300 crates, along ca.me Uncle Ernst, Mitchell, Henry and I. It was a very hot day. At the Point I met a Mr. Krueger, who was born in Berlin, and also picked up slats for his crates. At the end of May Mr. McCleod, Mitchell, Lawrence ,George McPharron, Henry Brucker, Heinz and I made a pleasure trip to the Ocean Beach; each one of us armed with shooting gun, to search for turtle eggs. We sailed on Saturday at three o'clock from Potsdam and anchored at five o'clock at the lnlet, about 500 feet from the Ocean. After the boat was anchored and fixed, everybody took his shooting iron and quickly we started on our adventure. We went first on the Western shore for about three miles and found a nest with about 130 eggs. One has to admire the skill of these powerful and heavy colosses; the way they build their nests. They climb about 30 to 60 yards high up on the beach and dig themsel.res a hole about 1½ to 2 feet deep and 1 foot in diameter, where they lay their eggs and cover them again with one foot deep sand. The egg is about the size of the small Russian chicken egg, and is not oval but round; the skin is not hard but soft and very hard to tear, like a plastic covering. The contents a.re the same as in a chicken egg, white and yellow; the white is not eatable, it has a strong ''moschus" flavor, but the yellow tastes delicious boiled.
We returned from our excursion at 8 p.m., prepared our supper at a campfire and in a jolly mood we enjoyed our meal. After a while the mosquitos and sandflies began to appear and we went into the cabin of good old "Dora”, put up the mosquito screen and enjoyed a smoke. We decided to make the same trip again at 11 o’clock, to catch one of the turtles, but we did not get to do it, as everybody was very tired. I awoke the next morning after a marvelously restful sleep. A great calm prevailed, I reached for my gun and crawled out of the mosquito bar. Outside on a sandbank, about hundred yards away sat hundreds of sea birds; I took aim and fired. There was much screeching and fluttering on the sandbank, a lot of hollering on deck and in the cabin of the boat on account of the too early disturbed sleep. None of the others had much sleep due to heat. The mosquitos and the hard floor of the cabin, and they had only dozed off towards morning. All were angry and I laughed myself sick, which made them still angrier.
Soon after we prepared breakfast. Afterwards George, Henry, Heinz and I covered the Eastern shore, while the others searched the western coast. We found nothing but often had the chance to take a shot at the Sea. Eagles and pelicans, but due the long distance we hit nothing. Towards noon we returned after a. hike of about six miles; the other party who had found another nest with 80 eggs, had already arrived.
Anchors were lifted and sails hoisted and we were homeward bound, where we arrived a.t two o’clock, dead tired and half starved. For eight days afterward my feet were swollen and sore, as i had walked barefeet both days. The days passed by one after the other as we had plenty of work. We picked and packed on Mondays, Wednesday and Friday. The other days were used for shipping etc. There were three colored men, Kaller, Uncle, Heinz and myself who worked. In the evening my pleasures were to hunt rabbits or fishing; the latter I enjoyed most. The Fourth of July was celebrated by us as good patriots-
At the end of September we had a very strong hurricane, which caused a lot of damage in the neighborhood.