Calvin Ziegler
Encyclopedia
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". He is said to have been the most accomplished poet to write in that language, and may have written the only Pennsylvania Dutch sonnet on record.
Ziegler was born on a farm to a 39 year old mother and an even older father. He had at least one older brother, Samuel, who moved to Iowa
when Calvin was still young. When he was sixteen, Calvin went to join Samuel, eventually graduating the University of Iowa
in 1878. He returned to Rebersburg and pursued teaching, but left again in October 1881 to study Greek and Latin at Harvard. In 1884 he graduated magna cum laude and returned briefly to Rebersberg. He left for good in 1885, settling in St. Louis.
Ziegler published a volume of poems with a Leipzig
publisher in 1891, Drauss un Deheem, helping spur a revival of Pennsylvania Dutch literature. Included in the volume in a set of nineteen poems devoted to his mother, who died weeks before his Harvard graduation. The volume was republished in Pennsylvania 1936, with some additional material.
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...
, 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 though he learned English in school he wrote his poetry in "Dutch". He is said to have been the most accomplished poet to write in that language, and may have written the only Pennsylvania Dutch sonnet on record.
Ziegler was born on a farm to a 39 year old mother and an even older father. He had at least one older brother, Samuel, who moved to Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
when Calvin was still young. When he was sixteen, Calvin went to join Samuel, eventually graduating the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
in 1878. He returned to Rebersburg and pursued teaching, but left again in October 1881 to study Greek and Latin at Harvard. In 1884 he graduated magna cum laude and returned briefly to Rebersberg. He left for good in 1885, settling in St. Louis.
Ziegler published a volume of poems with a Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
publisher in 1891, Drauss un Deheem, helping spur a revival of Pennsylvania Dutch literature. Included in the volume in a set of nineteen poems devoted to his mother, who died weeks before his Harvard graduation. The volume was republished in Pennsylvania 1936, with some additional material.
Sources
- Macneal, Douglas. A Penns Creek Companion. Aaronsburg, Pennsylvania: Penns Valley Conservation Association, 2005. ISBN 09771697-0-7