Henry Meyer
Encyclopedia
Henry Meyer was a poet originally from Brush Valley, (Centre County
), Pennsylvania
. His native language was Pennsylvania Dutch
, and although he learned English in school, he wrote his poetry in "Dutch".
His original career was as a wheelwright
, but he lost an arm near Spottsylvania
during the American Civil War
. (He was a corporal in the Centre County Regiment, the 148th Pennsylvania Regiment.) In the war he began the diary he would keep the rest of his life, and after the war spent time as a teacher, county superintendent, state representative and justice of the peace during the 58 years he spent in Rebersburg
. He was a teacher of the poet Calvin Ziegler
and was active in community organizations. While his collected poems have apparently yet to be published, at least one ("For Was Er So Freundlich Is") was published in The Millheim Journal of 14 August 1907.
Centre County, Pennsylvania
Centre County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 153,990....
), Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. His native language was Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania German language
The Pennsylvania German language is a variety of West Central German possibly spoken by more than 250,000 people in North America...
, and although he learned English in school, he wrote his poetry in "Dutch".
His original career was as a wheelwright
Wheelwright
A wheelwright is a person who builds or repairs wheels. The word is the combination of "wheel" and the archaic word "wright", which comes from the Old English word "wryhta", meaning a worker or maker...
, but he lost an arm near Spottsylvania
Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia
Spotsylvania Courthouse is an unincorporated community and the county seat of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, located ten miles southwest of Fredericksburg. Recognized by the U.S...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. (He was a corporal in the Centre County Regiment, the 148th Pennsylvania Regiment.) In the war he began the diary he would keep the rest of his life, and after the war spent time as a teacher, county superintendent, state representative and justice of the peace during the 58 years he spent in Rebersburg
Rebersburg, Pennsylvania
Rebersburg is a census-designated place in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. He was a teacher of the poet Calvin Ziegler
Calvin Ziegler
Charles Calvin Ziegler was a German-American poet from Rebersburg, Pennsylvania. His native language was Pennsylvania Dutch, and though he learned English in school he wrote his poetry in "Dutch"...
and was active in community organizations. While his collected poems have apparently yet to be published, at least one ("For Was Er So Freundlich Is") was published in The Millheim Journal of 14 August 1907.
Sources
- Macneal, Douglas. A Penns Creek Companion. Aaronsburg, Pennsylvania: Penns Valley Conservation Association, 2005. ISBN 09771697-0-7