The address on the envelope says: "Mr. George Dute, Blakriver, 
Lorain County, State of Ohio, Nordamerica. abgegeben". Abgegeben means 
delivered. The year 1846 is written in pencil on it. The letter itself 
has ink stains which obscure some of the text. It's from George Dute's 
sister, and gives quite a bit of info, especially about how difficult 
life was for her in Hesse and how much she wanted to come to America.

     Schwarzenhassel d 18t Merz 1846
     Schwarzenhassel the 18th of March 1846

          Lieber Bruder!
          Dear Brother,

D- ich jetzt die Gute Gelegenheit --be dir
Since (?) I now have (?) a good opportunity

einen Brief zu Senden, so --ll ich dir
to send you a letter, I want (?) to let you

zu wissen thun, dass wir den Brief welchen
know,           that we [?received] the letter

du uns im Jahr 1845. den 17t (?) Mertz zu schick-
you sent us in the year 1845 the 17th (?) of March,

test, und daraus ersehen dass ihr noch alle
      and gather from it that you are all

Gesund seyd und was uns anbelangt
healthy and regarding us

sind wir Gott sey Danck noch Gesund.
we are thank God still healthy.

Aber im Jahr 1844 und (?) 45 bin ich immer
But in the year 1844 and 45 I was always

kraenklich und Schwach gewesen, dadurch
sick and weak, because of which I

habe ich Schulden gemacht. Es wird euch
have run up some debts.    You should

bewust seyn (?) dass mein Mann eure Schwager
know that my husband your brother-in-law

Doellefeld d 27t October 1840 gestorben ist
Doellefeld on the 27th of October 1840 died

und Sechs Kinder hinterlassen, dass die
and left six children behind,  that the

Minderjaerige Kinder noch ganz gering waren
underage children were still very small,

und die von der Ersten Ehe mir auch keine
and the ones from the first marriage could provide no

stueze  meines Alters verschaffen konnten
support in my old age

weil noch Keiner die Schmidtschaften (?) gelernt
because none had yet learned the smith's trade

hatt--__ Lieber Bruder__ Schwest--  Schwieger
         Dear brother    sister     in-laws

und Schwager und alle Kinder und Laate
and brother-in-law and all children and acquaintances

(page 2)
Lieber Bruder, da ich willens bin auch zu euch zu
Dear brother,  there I am willing also to come

Kommen, und dass ich jetzt mit meinem Schwager
to you, and that I now [?am] with my brother-in-law

H----flug d 20t Mertz 1846.       Gern [?mit] Jhnen
Hasenpflug the 20th of March 1846.

ge---sst waer. Aber das Vermoegen [?n]icht so
               But our fortune doesn't stretch

weit nicht, weil das Schiffgeld gestiegen
that far,   because the cost of passage has increased

und die Speisen in Deutschland jetzt
and food in Germany is now so

sehr Theuer sind.- Lieber Freunde wenn ich
expensive.         Dear friends if I

euch bitten darf und Jhr die Guete haben
dare to ask you and you have the goodness

wolt und mir etwas Schiffgeld schicken koennt
     and can send me something of the money for passage

oder an den Schiff Capitain zu bezahlen,
or pay the ship's captain,

Georg Doellefeld empfielt sich. 
Georg Doellefeld extends his respects.

Lieber Patte.   George Dute und Laate,
Dear Godfather. George Dute and acquaintances,

und mein Tauf Commerath, Kasper Dute,
and my baptismal comrade, Casper Dute,

und meine Vettern und Waasen und lieber
and my cousins (male and female) and dear

Patte.     Jch gruesse euch alle vieltausend mal Jch
Godfather. I greet you all many thousand times I

will euch zu wissen thun, dass ich auf das Jahr
want to let you know, that I (will) enter Confirmation

1847 in die Konfirmanten Schule eintrete
School in the year 1847

und wuensche wenn ich Confermirt waere zu
and wish if I get confirmed to

euch zu kommen.
come to you.

          Mein Bruder Christoph 
          My brother Christoph

h--    die Schmidprofesion er lern-t- und mein
[?has] learned the smith's trade and my

bruder Johannes die Schumacher profesion
brother Johannes the shoemaker's trade

und meine Schwester Anna marth. welche
and my sister Anna marth.       who are

Stiefgeschwister sind wollen (?) alle mit
step-siblings         all want to travel

(page 3)
Mir Nach Amerika Reisen wenn
to America with me      if

Gott und unsre Gesundheit laesst
God and our health permit

M--- Bruder Heinrich ist in 18-- 8t April
My brother Heinrich  on the 8th of April 18--

von hier (?) abgereiss auf Americka ---- wollte
travelled from here to America           would like to come

zu euch, da aber ihm das Reise geld nicht
to you,  but since the trip-money didn't

geschikt hatt, so ist er nicht weiter kommen
get sent to him, he didn't get any farther

als bis Newyork all wo (?) er die Schreiner
than New York       where he is learning the cabinet-maker's

profesion erlernt
trade

Wir haben vom Heinrich im December 1845 ein
We have from Heinrich  in December 1845

Brief erhalten und daraus ersehe- dass er
received a letter and gather from it that he

schon an euch zwey Briefe gesendet hat aber
already has sent you two letters but

von euch keine Anwort erhalte  worin seine (?)
not gotten any answer from you in which his (?)

Bitte um Reise geld war zu euch zu kommen
request for travel-money was to come to you

aber vegebens, da er sich als Schreiner hat lassen
but in vain,   as he himself as a cabinet-maker had

ein Schreiben
left (sent?) a letter

               Lieber Bruder 
               Dear Brother

Wenn du unsre Bitte Sehnsuchtsvoll erhoeren
If you would grant our request so full of

willst,  so waer unser Wunsch   weil der Sohn Heinrig
longing, this would be our wish because son Heinrich

voran ist,          dass du uns erhoerest, du sollst es
is leading the way, that you should grant it to us, you wouldn't

nicht ganz umsonst thun
be doing it in vain

          Lieber Schwester und Schwager Hasenpflug 
          Dear Sister and Brother-in-law Hasenpflug

Wen- -ich bitten darf, thut auch euer [?moe]glichkeit
If I may ask,          take this opportunity

an [?mi]r, dann wir sind hier im D---- und Ver
for me,    then we are here in ----    and difficulty,

legenheit, welches euch bekennt ist,  und von Tag zu
           which is confessed to you, and from day to

Tag Hoeher steigt, und keine hoffnung vor handen ist.
day gets worse,    and no hope is at hand.

(page 4)
Lieber Schwager Hasenpflug       Jhr habt nach frage
Dear brother-in-law Hasenpflug   you have asked after

gethan nach dem Schwager Rohrbach und seiner
your brother-in-law Rohrbach and his

Fam---e, von welchen eure Gottel ---e  Martha
family,  of whom your heavenly [?Anne] Martha

und ----rich in die Ewigkeit gegangen sind
and [?Hein]rich have gone to eternity

Ubrigens Nachrichts weise Ziemlich,           aber in
Other than that the news is they're alright,  but do not live

keinen freyen Land wohnen, Lieber Schwager
in a free land,            Dear brother-in-law

hasenpflug  Euer Bruder Wilhelm Hasenpflug von
Hasenpflug, your brother Wilhelm Hasenpflug of

Ober aula  welcher auch nach Russland gezogen ist;
Oberaula   who has also moved to Russia;

und wohnen 4 Stundwegs von ein ander, und sie besuchen (?)
and live 4 hours away from each other, and they visit

sich als Freunde. Jh: Jm Jahr 1845. War Euer Bruder
each other as friends. Item: In the year 1845. Your brother

Wilhelm Hasenpflug. wieder nach seinen Heimath gereisst
Wilhelm Hasenpflug came back to his homeland

Um das Hinterlassenn Vermoegen zu holen, Wo er
to get the property left behind,         when he

die Nachricht bracht dass es in Russland besser
brought the news that things stood (?) better for

      den Rohrbach
um ihn stund als in Deutschland.          Denn die
him (Rohrbach) in Russia than in Germany. Because the

Kinder waeren Jhnen gut ein geschlagen. Und
children settled in better.             And

Sie gruessen euch und Thaten Nachfrage nach euch
they greet you and asked about you

Lieber Bruder George Dute Schwester Schwieger -- Schwager
Dear brother George Dute sister in-laws brother-in-law

Der Bruder Anton, indessen seinem Brief wolt ich
Brother Anton,    meanwhile about (?) his letter I

euch nichts bemerken,       weil derselbe mir keine
want to say nothing to you, because he gives me no

zu rathung nach euch thut, so Bitte ich euch doch
advice about you,          so I ask you anyway

viele mal dass ihr eure Herzen um meine Familie
many times that you (hold?) my family in your hearts

halb---r- eichen werdet, das wir aus dem boesen
                         so we are helped out of

Lebe--- hier geholfen werden. Es g--sset euch
the bad life here.            Your sister Catherine

euer Schwester Chatharine Elisabeth Dute und dein
Elisabeth Dute greets you all and your

Patte George und saemmtliche Kinder Vieltausend
kinsman George and all your children many thousand

mal.
times.



     On the back of the envelope it says:

Ubrigens weis ich nichts
Besides that I know nothing

neues zu Schreiben und
new to write and

ich gruesse noch mals eure
I greet again your

Treu liebente Schwester
true loving sister

Chatharine Elisabeth Dute
Catherine Elisabeth Dute

viel tausend mal und
many thousand times and

bleibe getreu bis in den
remain loyal til

Tod und Seyd so Guetig und
death and be so kind and

Schreibt so bald wie moeglich
write a letter back as soon as possible

wieder, dass wir uns da
        so that we can

nach richten Koennen, ein
be guided by it

brief



Notes: This letter doesn't have any real closing, but this last part on 
the back of the envelope indicates it must have come from Catherine 
Elisabeth Dute Doellefeld. She twice calls herself by her maiden name.  
Her handwriting bears a resemblance to that of her brother Anton, 
though her punctuation and capitalization are less consistent. On the 
other hand, the punctuation in English in those days wasn't too good 
either.
      About her husband Doellefeld we learn that he died 10/27/1840 and 
left 6 children (three from his first marriage, I take it, and three 
from his second). 
      The part from "George Doellefeld extends his respects" on down to 
"We have from Heinrich in December 1945" seems to be the words of 
George Doellefeld (b. 1833) as told to his mother; this makes certain 
things fall into place. He calls George Dute "Patte" which can be 
translated as Godfather, and George Dute was in fact his godfather. It 
explains the confirmation school reference (he was 12 at the time the 
letter was written). It also explains the reference to male cousins and 
female cousins in America: he had at least two male cousins here 
(Casper Dute and Joh. Hasenpflug) and two female (Catharine Elisabeth 
Hasenpflug and Elisabeth Hasenpflug). Best of all it explains the step-
sibling question: he refers to Christoph, Johannes, and Anna Martha as 
step-siblings; they were in fact the children of his father Heinrich 
Doellefeld and his second wife Anna Gelasia Doench, which means they 
were George's half-siblings and Catherine's step-children.
      George also calls Casper Dute his baptismal comrade. Casper was 
six years older than George.
      There is one apparent conttradiction. Catherine says her underage 
children were still very young, and that none of the children from the 
first marriage had learned the smith's trade yet, which implies that 
Christoph hadn't learned it at that point. But George tells us that he 
has. Maybe he was in his apprenticeship. 
      Regarding the other children, there are: Christoph, a smith; 
Johannes, a shoemaker, who were both still in Germany at this time; 
Anna Martha (apparently unmarried); and Heinrich, who had gone to 
America but didn't have the money to get any farther than New York, and 
so stayed there and learned the cabinet-maker's trade. People who fit 
the descriptions of Christoph, Johannes, and Heinrich all show up in 
America later. Regarding their ages, other evidence indicates that Anna 
Martha was 6 days past her 30th birthday at the time this letter was 
written, Christoph was a few days away from turning 23, Johannes was 20 
or 21, Heinrich was 19, George was 12, and Anthony was 10.
      Two Anna Marthas seem to be mentioned. One Anna Martha wants to 
travel to America; and later in the letter Catherine addresses her 
brother-in-law Hasenpflug (Anna Martha Dute married Johannes Heinrich 
Hasenpflug) directly telling him what his brother Wilhelm is doing, 
implying Anna M. and Johannes must be in America by then. She must be 
talking about Anna Martha her step-daughter and Anna Martha her sister.
      Also regarding the Hasenpflugs, as of 3/20/1846 Catherine was 
with her brother-in-law H----flug; maybe this was a third brother.
      As for her brother-in-law Rohrbach, this must be the one 
previously identified as Peter Rosebeck who married Elisabeth Dute and 
moved to Russia or Poland. In this letter we gather that two of his 
family members have died, that he went to Russia and did well there, 
that he lived about 4 hours away from Hasenpflug's brother Wilhelm, and 
that Russia was not considered a free country by the Germans then.
      Regarding the place names in this letter, Schwarzenhasel is a 
place right between Asmushausen and Baumbach, and Oberaula is about 20 
Km. southwest of Rotenburg.