A Special Item in Rare Books and Special Collections

by Ann O'Bryan

    A very special item in our Debs Collections is the prayer book of Eugene Debs' mother, Marguerite Bettrich Debs.  The library received the book, along with other items, from the Debs House.  As I was cataloging the book, I became very interested in Marguerite and did some background reading.

Marguerite Bettrich Debs

 Debs' father, Jean Daniel Debs, was born in Colmar, Alsace, in 1820.  His father owned textile mills and meat markets, and was successful in business.  Marguerite Bettrich's father worked in one of Daniel's father's textile mills.  His interest in Marguerite caused bitter conflict between Daniel and his father, but he continued to court her, nevertheless. 

    When his father died in 1848, Daniel was free to go his own way, and he decided to emigrate to America, hoping to persuade Marguerite (whom he called "Daisy") to join him after he was settled.  He landed in New York City on January 20, 1849.  Daisy, worried that their difference in education and upbringing would mean a failed marriage, was not easily persuaded.  Only after Daniel swore he would commit suicide if she did not join him did she give in.  She arrived in New York on September 11, and they were married two days later.  The couple moved to Cincinnati, briefly, and then to Terre Haute in 1851.

    Daisy's Catholicism was yet another source of irritation on the part of the Protestant Debs family in Colmar.  She had their first four children baptized as Catholics, but stopped that practice when their fifth child, Eugene, was born.  She did not attend Mass after the coupled moved to Terre Haute.  Instead, the family spent Sundays together, the four girls cooking a large family dinner with their mother, and the two boys hunting with their father. 

    Daisy's prayer book has a leather name plate on the inside cover: Marguerite Betterich (this is the only instance of this spelling of her last name, with 2 e's), so I assume it dates before her marriage.  It is very small (11 cm.) - about the size of one's palm.  It has gilt edges, blue velvet binding, and a gold clasp.  There is no date anywhere in the book, but the title on the title page is  Petit Paroissien (which means "little prayer book"), and was published in Paris by Langlume et Peltier.  It contains all of the prayers, etc., that were part of the daily worship of Catholics.  

    Daisy's prayer book is one of the most interesting things I've had to catalog, but there are many other very interesting items in the Debs collection, including family photographs and the scrapbook that Katherine Debs, Eugene's wife, made after his death.  Also, the Debs House has a wealth of photographs, furniture, and personal items belonging to the Debs family.  You can visit the house, just south of the School of Education, Wednesday-Sunday afternoons. Go to their web site, www.eugenevdebs.com, for more information.