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-:::I, William Henry
-:::My Family
-:::youngest son of Ernst Ablrecht
-:::Baron von Eberstein
-:I, William Henry, Baron von Eberstein,
-was born the 15th day December, 1821,
-at about 8 o'clock one Saturday night. I
-was born in a large room in a stately
-mansion, known as Bon Pastore, located
-in St. Servan, France, where my father was British Vis?count?
-The mansion was situated near where
-the English colony worshiped according to the
-Church of England
-:For the reason that I was dangerously
-ill, and given up by three sisters, and
-my parents did not want me to die without
-being baptized, I was baptized by a
-Roman Catholic priest named Papa. My
-name was entered in the Mayor's office of?
-St. Servan
-:In the month of August, 1822, when I
-was eight months old, my mother, who
-belonged to the Church of England, and
-not satisfied with the Romanish baptism,
-took me to her home on the Island of
-Guernsey. There on the tenth day of
-August, 1822, I was again baptized
-according to the rights of the Church of?
-England, in that good ancient church of
-St. Peters. My sponsors were Richard
-Flick Champion, my mother's ???? Francis
-Pichard Champion von Eberstein, my ????
-=''''' Page 2 '''''=
-brother, and Josephine Hyde Champion,
-my mother's sister.  After which I was taken
-back to St. Servan, and brought up until
-I attained the age of twelve years.
-:The family from which I am descended, on
-both my father's and my mother's side, are
-high aristocrats in Germany and in England.
-That more may be known of my family,
-I shall pause here to recon some of the
-facts about them, before proceeding with
-the account of my own experiences.
-:According to the factory and recons I
-have read, my father's family date back to
-the circa 900 A.D., and commenced with the
-Counte von Eberstein, who resided? at the
-Castle of Eberstein, in the ? duchy of Swabia,
-about six miles southeast of the town
-of Baden, in Baden.
-:When the Emperor Otto the Great acceeded
-the thron in 936 A.D. he promptly attempted to
-subordinate the dukes and counts of Germany
-to his will. Under Otto's father, they had been
-accorded the position and rank of ???
-independent princes. Naturally the dukes and
-counts resisted these efforts.
-:In 938 A.D. the Emperor Otto bleaguered
-the castle of the Counts von Eberstein for the
-space of two and three-quarter years,
-and never was able to accomplish the
-capture of the castle; the von Eberstein
-being watchful as old Solomon, not to
-='''''Page 3'''''=
-be caught sleeping instead of defending
-their castle.
-: Having not acheived his goal militarily,
-Otto resorted to chicanery. He g???
-it out that a Grand Tournament would
-be held at his court, and sent out
-invitations to all the Nobles of Germany
-far and near, friend and foe, to
-attend. All should have safe conduct
-to Otto's court and back to their own
-fortress.
-:Though this invitation was to the
-court of their deadly enemy, the Counts
-von Eberstein accepted on the terms
-proposed. At the tournament, the younger
-of the brothers, ??? , count
-Eberthard von Eberstein was the successfull
-contestant, winning the title Baron of the Empire
-:After the tournament, the Emperor
-Otto gave a grand ball in honor
-of the comely, light haired winner,
-Count Baron Eberhard von Eberstein.
-During the ball, count von Eberstein
-procured the hand of Princess Hedwig,
-sister of the Emperor, for a dance.
-Whilst dancing with the handsome
-young Count, with whom she had become
-enamoured, Princess Hedwig whispered
-that soldiers of her brother, the Emperor, were
-going to attack the Castle von Eberstein
-in the absence of Count Eberhard and his brothers
-=  ''''' Page 4 ''''' =
-:When the same was over, Count
-Eberhard communicated to his brothers the
-intelligence he had received? from Princess
-Hedwig.  They then secretly left the ball
-room of the Emperor's palace and made
-post haste toward the district o? castle.
-They arrived there by daybreak, called
-the men-at-arms and their retainers,
-and put their castle in defense to
-meet the assault.
-:The Emperor, finding the Counts had
-left the ball room, and anticipated his
-design, relinquished his traitorous plot for
-the moment.  Instead, he sent ambassadors,
-who were to act as spies, to see if the
-Castle Eberstein could withstand another siege.
-:The young Counts von Eberstein, suspecting
-the Emperor's design, made preparation for
-the receptio nof his ambassadors. Before
-the ambassadors arrived and were admitted,
-the young Coutns had their bins filled with
-straw, and their cellars filled with
-empty casks, so that the ambassadors
-would go back to the Emperor with the
-impression their bins were full of wheat and
-their cellars full of wine.
-:The young counts were successful in their deception.
-Upon the ambassadors' return, they reported
-to the Emperor that the Counts von Eberstein
-were prepared for any assault, and
-= Page 5 =
-that they could withstand a siege for
-three years or more.
-:When Emperor Otto found he could not
-conquer the Counts von Eberstein, he decided
-upon a plan that before and since, has
-been instrumental in bringing the warring
-houses of Nobility and Royalty together!
-The Americans express this as a succinct
-phrase: "If you can't lick 'em, join 'em."
-:First, the Emperor negotiated a
-lasting peace with the Counts von Eberstein,
-whom he was unable to conquer. After
-the terms of the treaty were settled,
-Emperor Otto gave his sister, Princess
-Hedwig in marriage to the younger
-brother, Count Baron Ebhard von Eberstein.
-:After this marriage there were great
-feasts and holidays, attended by
-all the leading Nobility of Germany, or their
-representatives. In a great wedding
-procession, the young Count von
-Eberstein rode his charger beside
-his bride's ornamental sedan.
-:The present Emperor of Germany
-and the Grand Duke of Baden are
-descendants of this Count von Eberstein
-through the ?destoff line. Now the Grand
-Duke of Baden owns Castle von Eberstein,
-near Baden, and when he travels, he travels
-as the Count von Eberstein.
-= Page 6 =
-:Other distinguished forbears of mine
-includ General Fieldmarshall Ernst Albrecht,
-Baron von Eberstein, born in 1605,
-who distinguished himself in the Protestant
-cause during the Thirty Years War. He
-was awarded the Order of the Elephant,
-by the King of Denmark. This is the highest
-military award made by the Danes, and is
-given only to royalty, and not more
-than thirty knights.
-:My fathers great, great grandfather,
-Christian Ludwig, Baron von Eberstein,
-born 1650, died 1717 was also a
-General Field Marshal in the Prussian
-Army.
-:My father, also Ernst Albrecht, Baron
-von Eberstein, was born, on August 18,
-, at Dresden. He was the third son
-of William, Baron von Eberstein, Counsellor
-of the Courts Justice at Dresden.
-He entered the Prussian army in 1795
-and on May 2, 1798 was promoted to ensign
-in the Prussian Thaddenchess Regiment,
-and later promoted to lieutenant in the
-same regiment.
-:In November 1800, while a lieutenant
-in the Prussian army, he married Johanne
-Elizabeth Funk. Their first child,
-a boy named Wilhelm
-Alexander Ernst, was born August 29, 1806
-= Page 7 =
-in Halle on the Saale, in the Kingdom of
-Prussia. This older half-brother now lives
-at Buhla, his estate in Eichsfelde,
-Kingdom of Prussia.
-:Shortly after his first son was born, my
-father, being of an adventurous nature and
-not liking the routine of Prussian garrison
-life, resigned his commission in the
-Prussian army and accepted a commission
-in the British army, in the 2nd Battalion
-of the 60th Regiment, also known as the
-Royal American Regiment, his regiment having served
-with distinction in America during the
-American War for Independence.
-:On Feburary 27, 1808 he was promoted
-to lieutenant, and shortly thereafter his
-regiment was ordered to the Island
-of Antigua, of the British Seeward
-group, in the West Indie.
-:His wife, Johanne Elizabeth joined
-him there a short while later.
-Their second child, my half-sister
-Antoinette Charlotte Albertina, was
-born on the Island of Antigua on
-December 3rd, 1808.
-:My father's regiment was active
-in the conquest of the French islands
-of Martinique and Guadeloupe in
-and 1810. While my father
-was away from Antigua on this
-expedition, his wife, Johanne Elizabeth
-= Page 7a =
-fell victim to the dread disease,
-yellow fever, and died March 3, 1810.
-:In 1813, when the Islands of
-Martinique and Guadeloupe were returned
-to the French, my father's regiment was
-returned to England. By then, he
-had been promoted to Captain of the
-th Battalion of the 60th Regiment
-:Upon its return to England, the
-th Regiment was stationed on the
-Isle of Guernsey; one of the Channel
-Islands which lies about 30 miles
-west of the coast of Normandy and
-about 50 miles south of Porstmouth.
-:It was on the Island of Guernsey,
-in the winter of 1813 about, about three and a half years
-after his first wife had died,
-that he met my mother. She was
-then about eighteen, and he thirty-three.
-= Page 8=
-:Having herad my mother tell the story
-of how my father first made her acquaintance, I believe it is worthy
-of recording.
-:Shortly after the 60th Regiment
-arrived at the Isle of Guernsey, the
-Governor of the Island gave a great
-ball in honor of the officers of the
-regiment and their ladies. All of the first?
-ladies and gentlemen of the island were
-invited to attend. The ball-room is
-a very spacious one, with two ladies
-dressing rooms and a refreshment
-room.
-:My father, being the Officer-of-the Day,
-and on duty, could not attend the ball.
-While making his rounds to inspect
-the guard, he heard the music and
-thouguht he would go up stairs and
-peep in on the dancers, to see how
-they were amusing themselves.
-:Leaving his horse with a soldier
-of his regiment, who was in attendance
-at the ball, he slipped up the stairs
-for his peep. He had been there but a few minutes when a young
-officer of his regiment waltzed by
-with a comely young lady. As
-they whirled past, the long train
-of her white satin dress caught on
-= Page 9 =
-his spurt, and made a large rent
-in the train of her dress. Chagrined? by the
-damage he had done, and unable
-to apologize as the dancers did not
-stop, my father left the place
-where he was standing and
-proceeded to finish his rounds
-of the guard.
-:The next morning he made
-inquiries from the brother officer who
-had had the honor to dance with
-the young lady, and obtained her
-name and her place of residence.
-She was Miss Harriet Perchard Champion,
-the daughter of Mr. Joseph Champion,
-a customs officer, and one of the most influential persons
-on the island and a very wealthy
-personage. Their residence was in
-Horn Street, just on the brow of the hill.
-:At 11 o'clock in the forenoon he
-wended his way to the residence of
-the young lady, rand the bell,
-and sent up his card to Miss
-Champion, with the request that she
-see him.
-:When Miss Champion appeared, he
-introduced himself and apologized
-in a very polite and sorrowful
-manner for the accident of the
-= Page 10 =
-last evening. My father being a
-comely? British officer, was in his
-regimentals.  This had the desired
-effect and the apology was accepted
-and consent granted for him to
-call upon her whenever convenient.
-:This was the commencement of their
-acquaintance and romance, which
-culminated in their marriage a
-ten months later, on Feburary 22, 1814.
-:My mother's family is from an
-equally distinguished line. On her father's
-side, she is a descendant of Richard Champion,
-Viscount de Vire, of Normandy, whose estate
-included the town of Vire, in the Province of
-Calvados?. The Vicount de Vire was an intimate
-friend of William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, and accompanied
-the Duke to England and was by his side
-at the Battle of Hastings, in 1066 A.D.
-:She is also a descendant of Les Seigneurs
-de la Sere of Montpelier, in the Province of
-Herault?, which lies in the south of France,
-on the Gulf? of Lions, about 100 miles from
-the Spanish border.
-:Through her paternal grandmother,
-she is also descended from Eleanor Hyde,
-a sister of Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarenden.
-:Lord High Chancellor of England, and
-one of the original Eight Lord Porprietors
-of Carolina, where I eventually established
-= Page 11 =
-my residence. This Eleanor Hyde was
-the great aunt of Edward Hyde's
-grandaughter, Mary and Ann, both
-of whom reigned as Queen of England.
-:In the summer of 1814, following my father's
-second marriage, the 60th Regiment,
-or Royal American Regiment, was again ordered
-to Halifax, Nova Scotia, in British America.
-There, early in November 1815, their first son,
-Albert Ernest, was born.
-:Just before my mother was confined, my
-father, then a Lieutenant-Colonel, was ordered
-to Cape Breton Island, as Governor? of that
-island. He delayed his sailing until after
-her confinement, then left my mother
-with her first bbay, to follow later.
-:Two or three weeks after his departure for
-Cape Breton, my mother and her month
-old child boarded a small commercial
-vessel at Halifax, and sailed for Cape
-Breton. It was necessary she go then,
-or wait in Halifax until spring, as
-the ice soon hardened to where those
-small vessels could not penetrate.
-:The east coast of Nova Scotia and the
-coast of the Island of Cape Breton are
-lined with a myriad of small islands,
-very dangerous to navigation, & here
-there had been many shipwrecks.
-:On the 25th day of November, 181?
-= Page 12 =
-my mother's ship was wrecked on a
-little island named St. Pierre. On this
-island is only one small fishing village,
-populated entirely by native Indians.
-:Fortunately my mother survived the
-wreck, and was rescude by the Indians.
-Care for by an old Indian woman
-and her husband, my mother lived? with
-them in a small ???? for six weeks.
-:When the ice had hardened enough
-for an Indian to cross, and go to
-Cape Breton with a message for my
-father, she was rescued. In the meantime
-their son, Albert Ernst, unable to stand
-the rigors, died. For some time after this trying ordeal,
-my mother suffered poor health.
-:Their second son, Francis Richard,
-was born in Sydney, Cape Breton Island
-on January 29, 1816, where my father
-remained as Governor.
-:Toward the end of the year 1817,
-or early in the year 1818, my father
-retired from the ? military service and
-returned to England.  There he was
-appointed to the diplomatic corps
-and assigned as British Vice-Counsel?
-at St. Servan, in the Province of Ille-ct-ilaine,?
-in France.  There, on May 23, 1820,
-my sister Harriet was born, and on
-December 15, 1821, I, William Henry,
-was born.
-:My father remained as Vice Counsul
-at St. Servan until his death, January
-, 1838, when I was eleven
-years of age. He was buried in the
-cemetary at St. Servan, in the strangers
-postion, set apart by
-the Romish Church for foreigners.
-[[WHVE Memoir Rough - Chapter 2 | Click here for the next Chapter ]]

Changes: WHVE Memoir Rough - Chapter 1

Latest revision as of 15:03, 19 June 2009