Zybach, Carl 1980-11-01
Carl Zybach, a member of the family that founded the community of Zybach, speaks about his immigration to and life in the Texas Panhandle.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Carl Zybach
Additional Parties Recorded: None
Date: November 01, 1980
Location: Slaton, Texas
Interviewer: Meredith McClain
Length: 47 minutes
Abstract
Tape 1, Side 1: Parents,
Immigrated to U. S. (1883),
Four children with them,
From Switzerland (Bern),
Tavern and Hotel,
Correspondence with cousins,
Reasons for immigration,
Population pressure,
Friends and relatives already in the U. S.,
Reported good prospects,
Purchased farm next to cousins (Merriville, Kansas),
Swiss people in area,
Swiss picnics,
Lived there for 12 years,
Childhood,
Languages spoken in home,
School,
English spoken in school,
Views relative to English language,
German lessons,
Retention,
Visiting on Sunday,
Church,
German Evangelical,
Other churches,
German sermons,
Uncle immigrated in 1911,
Spoke German,
Parents to Panhandle (1909),
Reasons for move,
Cheaper land,
County developing,
Farming in Kansas,
Adjusting to Texas farming,
Trip to Texas,
Chartered immigrant car,
Items moved,
Description of car and packing,
Length of trip,
Passenger train to Canadian,
House,
Stable,
Memories of house,
Activities began immediately,
School house,
Funding,
Off to school in Wheeler (1914),
Lived in motel,
Home for weekends,
Mother died May 1914,
Hardships of sending boy to school in Wheeler,
Refused to go next year,
World War I,
Brother Ernest drafted,
Remaining family unable to work farm alone,
Sold off assets,
Rented farm,
Father moved to California,
Zybach took odd jobs,
Worked for brother John in Zybach, Texas (1918),
Joined Cavalry at age 20,
Camp Stanley (September),
Wilhelm surrendered,
Freighting from Canadian,
Three-day trip,
Sale of hogs in summertime,
Trip at night,
Description of wagon,
Post-war,
John sold store,
Carl Zybach roamed,
One year in Oregon (1920),
Returned to Canadian,
Employment,
Worked for implement dealer,
Worked on harvest,
Worked for Post Office after married 44 years,
Became Assistant Postmaster,
Railway mail service,
Operations,
Efficiency,
Compared to present,
Visits to Texas hill country,
New Braunfels,
Anecdote about service station attendant.
Tape 1, Side 2: Mrs. Zybach,
Treatment of Germans in Shattuck, Oklahoma,
German farmers needed,
Saturday,
Visiting on Sunday,
Married at age 17,
Moved to Canadian,
Raised in Shattuck,
Born: 1901 in Raymond, Oklahoma,
Father was a blacksmith,
Germans in Shattuck,
Mr. Zybach,
Propaganda during World War I,
Monitoring of potential subversives,
Education theory,
Zybach had no problems during the war,
Brothers fought,
Ernest (January 1918),
Bordeaux, France: Remount service,
Anecdote about Ernest in war,
[Tape ends here].
Range Dates: 1883-1920
Bulk Dates: 1883-1920
Access Information
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Recording Format Notes:
Transcript:
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