Partly-printed DS as president, one page, 14.75 x 12.25, May 13, 1854. President Pierce appoints Frederick Borcherdt as “Consul of Saxony for The State of Wisconsin.” Signed nicely at the conclusion by Franklin Pierce and countersigned by Secretary of State William L. Marcy. The embossed seal remains affixed to the lower left corner. In fine condition, with minor splitting at the fold intersections.
Born in Chemnitz, Saxony, Frederick Borcherdt (1811-1877) graduated from the University of Dresden and, in 1833, traveled to the U.S. and settled in Detroit. In 1841 he moved to Wisconsin and purchased a sawmill. He became the first German settler in Manitowoc County and was instrumental in encouraging other German families to move to the area, an influence that ultimately landed him this commission. After living in other towns in the county, he settled in Manitowoc about 1856 and operated a general store, and in 1869, he purchased the Manitowoc Tribune, editing this paper until 1874 when he turned the management over to his son, Edward, and accepted an appointment as U.S. consul in Livorno, Italy.
By the mid-19th century, many German immigrants had settled in Wisconsin, and by the latter half of the 1800s, German speakers had chosen Wisconsin over other American states as their destination. This was partly because of the state's resources, available land, and the entrepreneurship of land agents, but also because these immigrants were seeking new economic opportunities and religious or political freedom. By 1853, a third of Wisconsin's population was coming from German-speaking lands; by the end of the 19th century, Wisconsin's largest minority of non-English speakers were German speakers.
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