BIOGRAPHY: Reverend Emir Hamvasy (1820-1901) - Smith County, TX Submitted by Archie Colburn 14 June 2003 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ***************************************************************** All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ***************************************************************** Reverend Emir Hamvasy (1820-1901) By his wife Laura A. Hamvasy (1815-1918) Emir Bala Gyoila Garoin Hamvasy was born April 19, 1820 in Szikis Fahervar (Stuhl Walsonberg), Hungary. His father, Joseph Hamvasy, was a man of fine education and of exceptionally fine character. So widely known was his kindness to the poor and to prisoners and captives, that on one occasion when his son Emir, then a student at the University of Budapest, being on a walking tour with some companions, stopped at an inn. While eating their supper, the inn was raided by some highwayman. One of his companions addressed Mr. Hamvasy, calling him by his patronymic. The captain of tho band noticed it and, turning to him, asked, "Is you name Hamvasy?" -- "Yes" -- "Then you and your friends can go." he said, "We never disturb anyone by that name. His mother, Anna Maria Tralkay, was an accomplished woman, but died when her son was eight years old, so he had not, many distinct memories of her. He was the survivor of n1ne children, his mother being his father's second wife. Three of his brothers died in one week of scarlet fever and he was dangerously ill of the same diseasa. A little sister died after his mother's death, I think, but am not positive. Mr. Hamvasy was so early put under the care of tutors that at five years of age he could read and write and cipher and began the study of music. At some period of his childhood, he was sent to Venice to learn the Italian language. He was placed in the care of the patriarch of Italy, the highest dignitary in the Roman Church. At that time a relative of the family was permitted to baptize him, having asked the privilege of doing so. The patriarch occupied the Doge's palace and, doubtless, the boy heard many romantic tales of the Venatian republic, for he was then and continued to be a great favorite of Prince Byrka and was greatly indulged by him. I said Prince Byrka because he was afterward made Prince primate of Hungary. At twelve the boy had made such progress in music that his music teacher took him to the Roman Church to have him play the service. At sixteen, Liszt went to Budpest to give a concert. He wished to play a duet of his own composition and asked for someone to play it with him. He was referred to Mr. Hamvasy and went to see him. The duet was in manuscript, having never been published. They played it together and that night played it in public. Afterward, a dispute having arisen between the friends of Liszt and those of Thalberg as to which was the greater, King Louis Phillip of France arranged a meeting of the two to decide the matter. Mr. Hamvasy was invited to be present and went. He told me that Thalberg played first from the music. Liszt then closed the music and played the same composition. Thalberg arose and went to him with outstretched hands saying, "I acknowledge you as my master." At sixteen, Mr. Hamvasy was graduated with the degree of PH.D. He told me that at his examination, anyone in the audience was allowed to ask questions. At 21, he was elected to Parliament, being then a graduate of the law school with the degree of LL.D. He was ordered by the government to visit the principal cities of Europe and examine the different systems of banking and life insurance, and choose one for Hungary. On his return, he was met by various agents urging and offering him large sums to recommend their systems. But he established a system of government insurance by which every farmer could insure his crops and stock at 1/2 of 1%, and by which every child by the payment of $10 at birth could be assured of a dower at marriage or a certain amount of capital on reaching his majority. I saw a Kentucky paper published years after Mr. Hamvasy came to Kentucky in which he mentioned Mr. Hamvasy as the author of this law in Hungary and urged the establishment of a similar one in Kentucky. In 1848 when the revolution began, he was mayor of Budapest but I do not know how long he had been so. He endeared himself to the Jews by saving them from an attempted riot against them. When he found the movement was contemplated, he ordered the commandant of the troops to be ready for action at an instant's notice, and issued a manifesto declaring that at the first movement against the Jews the troops would be called out and ordered to fire. Nothing was done. While he was at the University, he fell in love with a young girl, daughter of the owner of the house in which he lodged. His father gave his consent to the engagement, saying that he desired only his son's happiness. But after he left the University, a relative, sister I think of Prince Byrka, intercepted their letters. She considered the girl beneath him as she was by a tradesman's daughter, and he was the descendant of a crusading baron. Mr. Hamvasy was so humble he thought the girl was flirting with him, and he thought he had been trifling with her. She married and some friend of his ascertained the facts when it was too late. I think he was 21 when he married Pauline Nagy. They liveed harmoniously together but he told me he did not love her as he did the other. He had but one child by this wife, a boy whom he called Tehamer. From what he told me, I think his time was employed principally in public business and in study. His father was a fine violinist and I think they spent much time together playing duets. He was fond of opera also and often attended it. Mr. Hamvasy told me that he was the first to enlist as a private soldier when the revolution began. I think he meant, perhaps, in the city in which he lived. When the lists were opened for volunteers, none would sign. Seeing this, Mr. Hamvasy signed as a private and the lists were speedily filled. He was elected to some office, I don't know what, but rose to that of Major General. He told me an interesting story of an event which showed his sympathetic nature and also his resourcefulness. The Hungarian army was marching on Vienna hoping to be joined there by the Viennese. He was in command and was anxious to conciliate the Austrians. With this object in view he gave orders that no pillaging should be tolerated. Theft would be punished with death, that is, theft in the Austrian lines. He was sitting in camp on a drum when he saw a soldier come in with grapes. He called him and when he came near asked if he did not know the orders, and the penalty of disobedience. He did. Then the order for the execution must be enforces. The soldier's friends came begging for pardon; even those from whom he had stolen came beseaching mercy, but Mr. Hamvasy felt that discipline must be maintained or all would be lost. And yet he felt that it was hard to take a man's life for a few grapes. He studied the case and found that although the theft had been committed within the boundaries of Austria, it was from an estate owned by a Hungarian. On these grounds, he was pardoned. Mr. Hamvasy was wounded twice, a sword wound in the arm and he was stunned by the concussion of air caused by a cannon ball that passed so near his leg that for many years after our marriage it would become inflamed. With the help of Russia, Austria triumphed. Mr. Hamvasy was also Minister of Finance in the Hungarian government and he told me that he left $1,000,000 in the treasury. He had been sent out to recruit because of the popularity of his family. Finding himself and the recruits in danger, he entered the fortress of Comorn. There they were beseiged, being given the privilege of sending out messengers to ascertain conditions. They found that Kossuth had already fled to Hungary and the cause was lost. Mr. Hamvasy drew up the terms of surrender. Every man was to be allowed to leave the country. After the capitulation was completed, he was walking about the city and saw a reward posted for his capture. The Emperor had revoked the terms given him and condemned him to death. The officer to whom he surrendered gave him a pass under an assumed name and he met his father who promised to sell his property which was not confiscated and join him in America with his wife and child. Such being the plan and delay dangerous, he took very little money with him. While he was in Hamberg, his father died and his wife decided to remain. The exiles were feasted in England and Scotland. On the journey to America, they encountered 19 storms and landed in N.Y. harbor sometime in February 1850. He went into partnership with a companion in misery and established a cigar store. This he did not like at all, and after trying in vain to like it, he told his partner to give him some food and keep the rest. He finally was reduced to sleeping in the parks. Yet he was received in the swell houses of the city. One evening he called on the family of a newphew of the famous Irish patriot, Robert Emmett. One of the daughters played for him. He asked to see the music. He was asked if he played, but pleaded want of practice, having been two years in the army. They insisted and when he played his host slapped him on the back and said "You are alright." His host immediately arranged to have him meet a number of their friends. He said to his hostess, "How can I do so, the clothes I have on are all I have." "Never fear, I can provide some," she said. So she lent him from her husband's and son's wardrobe, the one was much larger and the other much smaller than he. When he had arrayed himself in these borrowed plumes, he called his hostess to view the effect. She said, "Never mind, it will be alright." Mr. Hamvasy, in telling me the story, said that no one smiled. That evening he had fifteen pupils subscribed at $2.50 per lesson and very soon he was making $7,000 per year, but there were so many needy exiles that he never had any money. He accepted a position as Professor of Astronomy in the University of Troy, N.Y. but he began to want a warmer climate, so he and Mr. Kayser established a boarding school for young ladies at Maysville, KY. At sometime he made a tour of N. and C. America with an operatic troup. His salary was $10,000 a year and all expenses paid. He was pianist. I think it must have been then that he formed the hope of saving enough money to buy a home and claim his son. It was in Maysville that he divorced his wife. He did not remain there many years. Said his housekeeper did not suit him. She would neglect to order the necessary things or report the need of them and it annoyed him. He and Mr. Kayser secured positions as tutors in Louisiana and Mr. Hamvasy also had music pupils. He made about $3000 a year and board. He had saved $30,000 in gold when the Civil War began, but lent it to a friend to bring his slaves to Texas and got none of it back. He tried grape planting in Smith County, sheep ranching on the Brazos river and finally settled in Austin where he made between $2,000 and $3,000 a year teaching music and selling pianos. Up to this time he had been what he called a free thinker. He said that he believed in God and had often thought that He must have some work for him or He would not have brought him through so many perils. He believed in a future life, a progressive life. If he had not, he would have blown out his brains, but being brought up in the Calvinistic faith, with Romanism as the only alternative, he could not accept either, and rejected the Bible because he knew no other interpretation of it. In Austin, he boarded with an Episcopal minister, Mr. B. A. Rodgers. He was organist and trained the choir. They and a deacon got to discussing Christianity. Mr. Rodgers said they could not argue with him, or rather the deacon could not. He was most inclined to do so, so Mr. Rodgers gave him books and he became a Christian. He immediately began studying for the ministry, intending to return to his native country as a missionary in union with the old Catholic movement conducted by Pire Hyacinth. But when he was ready for ordination, the work had been suppressed by some European governments and he decided to take up the work in Texas. In compliance with Bishop Gregg's wishes, he came to Tyler shortly after his ordination in 1872, although he was invited to a more remunerative field. He was sent to my mother's house and there he met me. I was prejudiced in childhood against the Episcopal church and was prejudiced against him because he was a minister in that church. I delighted in taking the opposite side when church topics arose between us. When I saw that he liked me very much indeed, I was so rude to him that my mother and Cousin Bell Gary lectured me pretty seriously. When he asked me to marry him and I, to soften my refusal, told him I did not think I should ever marry again, he made a reply which struck me as very remarkable and I think was what won my love. He said in very earnest tones, "Oh no, I hope you will, if not me, then some other good man, for I think you would be happier." And these words were the keynote of his life with me. Everything he could do to promote my comfort and happiness was cheerfully done, and he seemed perfectly contented if we were together and I was happy. As a preacher, he was far beyond the average. Bishop Green of Mississippi told me he wished from his heart that he could preach such sermons as my husband. He told a friend of mine that he was the best he ever heard. A young lady, going to hear him for the first time, told a friend of mine that she wondered when she saw him, what induced that pretty (?) little woman to marry him, but she did not wonder at all when he began to preach. She understood then. Judge Sawnie Robertson of Dallas, told me that a sermon he heard from him was the most beautiful thing he ever heard. But he was so modest and unobtrusive, and so full of the Christian spirit, that he would not push himself or demand more than the people could easily give. Although we had very little money, yet I think no family was happier than ours. His invariable thoughtfulness for me, his deference to my wishes, made the children, while young, have a peculiarly high regard for me. And his kindness to them, his indulgence of their tastes and provision for their enjoyment made them very happy at home. In 1885, he gave up his last parish because the family doctor insisted that I should leave there. Men and women wept when he left. They had said that they hoped to keep him as long as he lived. He had no doubt of procuring mission work, but although he applied to four southern bishops, the answer was always, "You are too old; the church wants younger men." He tried to get secular employment with the same result and I firmly believe that the disappointment, the want of occupation, and grief at seeing me have to struggle against ill health to support the family, shortened his life. Yet he never complained. Not till I looked over his papers after his death did I know how he suffered and how earnestly he tried to improve our circumstances. And there was the same patient endurance in his last illness. Taken with la grippe, he had a severe cough, and could not down it all. His sickness began in November. He died on January 17. During all that time he could not lie down an hour at a time. His heart was affected but I did not know it then. I think it was caused from tobacco for he nearly always had his pipe in his mouth. I think he uncounciously sucked the nicotine and swallowed it, for he did not spit. During those long winter nights, he sat alone by the fire. I used to beg him to let me sit with him. I was afraid he would fall into the fire while trying to mend it, but he always insisted that I must not sit up. One night it was very cold and he seemed weak, and I wrapped myself up in quilts as I always did him, with a chair for my feet, and told him I was quite comfortable and meant to stay with him. But he was so distressed at the thought of my being up that I had to go to bed. During the whole time he never showed any greater impatience under suffering than the words, "O Lord". On the night of Jan. 17 he went to supper. It was bitter cold and there was a good fire in the dining room. But there was nothing he wished to eat. I told him to go back to his easy chair and I would prepare something and take it to him. I did so and he ate. At ten o'clock he was dead. He did not seem to realize he was dying, nor did I, for he complained of being too warm. But suddenly as I sat holding his hand, his eyes opened wide and an expression of astonishment and awe, not fear, came over his face, and soon he ceased to breathe. And so passed away one of the purest, most generous and lovable men that I ever knew. One thing i forgot to mention, he would seem so grateful for every attention. Emir would bring him books, papers, or a warmer coat. "Emir is a good boy," he would say to me. Brother Leon and Bro. Will would pile up wood for him and were as kind as they could be. Often he would say, "Bro. Leon or Bro. Will is a good brother." and his love to me was unchanged to the last. The world is not the same to me since he left it.