Germanna Colony

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Place:Germanna, Fauquier, Virginia, United States


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The Tapestry
Old Augusta Project
Southwest Virignia Project
Welcome to the Germanna Project
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Background

First Germanna: Beginning in 1714, several German immigrants arrived in (what was then King William County) Virginia to an area in current Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison and Rappahannock Counties in Virginia. The first group of settlers (called “The First Germanna Colony”) left London in January, 1714 and arrived in April.
This first group of 42 immigrants, from the Nassau-Siegen area of Germany, were miners, and were brought in to work in a proposed silver mine, which was partially owned by Lt. Gov. Alexander Spotswood of Virginia. They were German Reformed by religion. Although silver was never found in the mine that Lt. Gov. Spotswood was part-owner, the German miners did find iron ores in the seven years that they worked for him. [1]


Second Germanna: Later, in 1717, a shipful of German immigrants bound for Pennsylvania, landed in Virginia with approximately 70 persons, and this second group of settlers (called "The Second Germanna Colony" or "New German Town") arrived in Germanna (about 2 miles away from the First Colony at the fork of the Rapidan and Rappahannock Rivers, i.e. - "The Great Fork") in the beginning of 1718. Whether their ship landed in Virginia due to weather (the Captain’s claim) or due to collusion (between Spotswood, his associates and the Captain) is not clear. This second group, was put to work by Spotswood in “naval stores” and were not involved in the iron mines. They were placed on 13,000 acres of land which Lt. Gov. Spotswood and Robert Beverley (and other partners), who needed settlers to move onto the land to lay claim to it. Since their transportation was paid for by these partners, they became indentured servants and were bound to locate to that area. This group of German immigrants, who originated from the Baden, Württemberg, Heidelberg and Neckar regions of Germany and Switzerland, was Lutheran by religion.

Third Germanna: From 1718 to 1755, several other German immigrants (some relatives of the first two groups) arrived in the Germanna area, then referred to as “New Germantown”. These immigrants are referred to by some researchers are “The Third Germanna Colony”, although that label has been dismissed by others noting that this was not an “organized group”. It consisted of many settlers either invited there by other settlers or headed there after hearing about the opportunities that they had hoped for after leaving their homeland. The common elements of all of these individuals is that they were German, and they lived east of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the modern counties of Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison and Rappahannock.

First Germanna Colony (April 1714)

Sources:

Palatine Project
John's German Notes

Alphabetical listing of families with age and occupation (alternate spellings):

PersonAlternate surnameNotes
Johann Justus Albrecht (Allbright)Agent for ironworks emigrants of 1714.
Melchior Brumbach was a bachelor when he came, age abt. 28.
Jost (Joseph) Cuntze(Coons, Koontz, Kuntze), 40, b. 1674, and his wife Anna Gertrud Reinschmidt, son, John, b. 1706; daughter, Ann Elizabeth, b. 1708; daughter, Catherine, b. ca 1713/14. There is a possibility that Catherine should not be counted in the 42 people.
Philip Fischbach (Fishback), 53, schoolmaster, b. 1661 and came with his wife Elizabeth Heimbach (Hanback); son, John, b. 1691; son, Harmon, b.1693; daughter, Mary Elizabeth, b.1687; and daughter, Mary Elizabeth, b. 1696.
Henrich Haeger, 70, former pastor, his wife Anna Catherine Friesenhagen, and their daughters, Agnes, b. 1697, and Anna Catherine, b. 1702. The two daughters were 16 and 11 while the parents were 69 and 50 when they arrived. This definitely made Rev. Hager the senior citizen in the group.
Johannes HoffmanHuffman22, b. 1692, was a bachelor.
Peter Hitt Peter was thought to be in his young 30's. .
Jacob Holtzclaw 31, b. 1683, his wife Anna Margaret Utterback, b. 1686, and their two sons, John, b. 1709, and Henry, b. 1711. Besides the German spelling of Holtzclaw, the spelling of Holsclaw and other variants are used. Jacob Holtzclaw had been a teacher in Germany. While he did keep school in Virginia, he was also involved in farming and mining.
Johannes Kemper22, was a 22 year-old bachelor.
Jost MartinMerten23, was also a bachelor, a year older than John Kemper.
Hans Jacob RichterRector 40, b. 1674, his wife, Elizabeth, b. 1685, (the daughter of Philip Fishback above) and their son, John, b. 1711.
Johannes SpilmanSpeilman35, was another bachelor, about 35 years of age. He married Maria Elizabeth Fishback, daughter of Germanna Settler Phillip Fishbach
Harman UtterbachUtterbeackc. 50, b. ca 1664, his wife, Elizabeth Heimbach, b. 1662; son, John Philip, b. 1692; son, John, b. 1702; daughter, Elizabeth, b. 1689; daughter, Alice Catherine, b. 1697; daughter, Mary Catherine, b. 1699; daughter, Anna Catherine, b. 1705.
Johann Henrich WeberWeaver 47, b. 1667, his wife, Anna Margaret Huffman; son, John, b. 1693 (who appears to have died young); daughter, Catherine, b.1697; son, Tillman, b. 1701.

Second Germanna (April 1717)

Palatine Project

Alphabetical listing of families with age and occupation (alternate spellings):

PersonAlternate surnameNotes
Conrad AmburgerAmberger and Barbara
Andrew BallengerBallingert
Christoph BarlerBarlowand Barbara
Hans Blanckenbuhler (Blankenbaker) 34 and Anna Margaret
Hans Blanckenbuhler (Blankenbaker) 32, Anna Maria (Merkle) and son Georg, 2
Lorenz BeckPeck 40, Anna Maria (Hirn), 40, Lorenz, 14, Maria Margaretha, 12, Johann Georg, 11, Anna Catharina, 5
Heinrich Friedrich Beyerbach Anna Maria, Anna Catharina, 1
Johann Bruel (Broyles) 38, Ursula (Ruop), Hans Jacob, 12, Conrad, 8, [Georg Martin, 6],

Maria Elisabeth, 1

Cyriachus Fleischmann Fleshman c. 64, Barbara (Schöne), 53, Maria Catharina, 14, Peter, 9
Matthias Gessler)Castler Susanna Christina (Schnell), Matthias Friedrich, 4, Anna Magdalena, 1
Johann Hornberger Harnsbarger
Hans Heerensperger
(German spelling)
b. in Bussnang, Switzerland, according to the "Ancestral Homes of the Second Germanna Colony", Rootsweb.
Nicholas Jäger Yager Anna Maria (Sieber), Adam, 9, [Maria Barbara, 10], [Maria Gertrud, 6], Anna Maria, 3, Anna Margaretha, 1.
Nicholas came from Falkenstine in the Palatinate, rather than Baden or Wurttemberg like the others. Nicholas Jager married Anna Maria Sieber in Marienthal in the Palatinate, 11 May 1706. Yeager
Wolfgang (Wolf Michael) Käfer Keiffer c.22
Andreas Kerker Anna Margaretha, Barbara, 8
Hans Michael KlaarClore c. 30, Maria Barbara, Agnes Margaretha, 5, Andreas, 4, Johann Georg, 1
Michael KochCook and Maria (Mary Barbara Reiner)
Jacob Kriegler (Crigler)
Georg Lang Long and Rebecca
Georg MayerMoyer 43, Barbara, Christopher, 9, Johann Melchior (Michael), 8, Maria Susanna, 6, Catharina Barbara, 3
Johannes Moltz and Maria AppoloniaMaubars
Hans Michael MühleckherMilcker 30, Sophia Catharina (Wimmer), 30, Anna Margaretha, 7, Anna Catharina, 3, unknown(Wimmer) of Bonfeld [wife's sister]
Philipp PaultischPaulitz c. 42, Rosina Margaretha (Schneider), 46, Margaret, 12, Maria Catharina, 9
Heinrich Schlucter20, came with Fleischmann family, he married Sarah Fleischman, daughter of
Cyriachus Fleischmann.
Georg Scheible, 47, Maria EleanoreBerger 48, Anna Martha, 20, Anna Elisabetha, 17, Anna Maria, 6
Hans Michael SchmidtSmith28, Anna Margaretha (Sauter), 28, Johann Michael, 5, [Christoph, 2] [his in-laws]
Matthäus SchmidtSmith 25, Regina Catharina (Schlözer), 25/30, Matthew, 4, [Anna Margaretha, 1]
Heinrich SchneiderSnider, Snyder and Dorothea
Johannes Späth (Spade) Anna Maria (Brickhmann), 52, Michael Hold, 20 [step-son]

Michael Stoltz, Maria Barbara, Margaretha Barbara, 2

Johannes ThomaThomas 31, Anna Maria (Blankenbaker), 30, Johann Wendel, 5, Anna Magdalena, 2
Christopher Uhl Yowell, Owell Eva, Georg Friedrich, 12, Magdalena, 11, Anna Catharina, 8, Friedrich David, 5, Anna Barbara, 3, Hans Jacob (James), infant
Nicholas Uhl Yowell, Owell Catharina, Jacob Michael, 8
Johann Georg Utz 24, Anna Barbara (Mayer), Maria Sabina Charlotte Barbara Volk, 7, Louise Elisabeth Volk, 6, Maria Rosina Volk, 5, Ferdinand Utz, 2, Johannes Utz, 1. [Note: the first three children listed were the children of Anna Barbara (Mayer) and her first husband John Michael Volck, who died in 1714 prior to their journey to Germanna in 1717.
Philipp Jost WeberWeaver c.30, Susanna (Klaar), c.26, Hans Dieterich, 7, Maria Sophia, 4, Waldburga (infant)
Georg Wegmann Anna Maria (Sellgle), Sophia Margaretha, 29, Maria Gottliebe, 18
Thomas WaylandWieland 35, blacksmith, Maria Barbara (Seppach), 26, Hans Jacob, 3, Anna Catharina Clara, 1
Johann Michael WillheitWilhoit 46, Anna Maria (Hengsteler), 32, Tobias, 9, Johannes, 4, Christian, 2
(Hans) Christoph Zimmerman Anna Elisabeth, Johannes, 6, Andreas, 4, Johann Martin, 2

Third Germanna abt. 1721

Source:

Palatine Project

Alphabetical listing of Heads of Families with age and occupation (alternate spellings):

PersonAlternate surnameNotes
Johannes (Breuel) Broyles, Jr.no age given, probably son of John Broyles, listed above in 2nd Germanna Colony Families.
Nicholas Christopherand Johannes (John) & Wilhelm (William); may not have been German
Johann Michael FolgVolckand Maria Sabina [Daughter]. Records indicate that Johann Michael Volck died in April 1714 in Germany, but his wife Anna Barbara Majer re-married within four months, on 10 July 1714 in Germany to Johann George Utz, both were listed in the Second group of Germanna Settlers.
Georg Gerber Tanner
Robert Gerber (Tanner)on Nov. 8, 1727 proved his importation, claiming that he came to this country in 1720 and brought with him wife Mary and children Christopher, Christiana, Kathrina, Mary and Parva. [From Virginia Vital Records, pg. 320]. According to Orange County, Virginia records, he was planning on returning to Germany in 1737, leaving his wife Mary to be taken care of by his son
Christopher Tanner.
Urban GerberTanner
Lorentz CreesGreys
Jost Kooper Cooper
Franz Ludwig MichaelMichelmay not have been German. May have been a friend of Christopher de Graffenried and come from New Berne, North Carolina to Virginia.
Johannes Michael
Jacob "Henry" ÖhlerAylor It is not known what happened to Jacob, but his wife, Anna, his son Henry, and daughter Elizabeth turn up in the Spottswood's Germanna Colony in Virginia in or about 1725. Jacob's wife Anna was the daughter of Second Germanna colonist
Henry Snyder. Jacob's daughter Elizabeth married
Christopher Tanner. Jacob's great-granddaughter Mary (Polly) Aylor married Pastor William Carpenter Jr., who was pastor at Hebron and later at Hopeful Lutheran Church in Boone County, Kentucky. Jaylorl
Johannes Rausch Roush, Rouse
Wilhelm ZimmermannCarpenterbrother to Johannes below. 1721
Johannes ZimmermannCarpenterc. 21, brother to Wilhelm above. 1721
Jacob Christopher ZollicofferWent to Europe in 1719 to get pastor and support for 1714 & 1717 groups. May have returned to Virginia with this group.

Other Germanna Settlers

Palatine Project

PersonAlternate surnameNotes
Johann Friedrich Baumgartner arrived in Philadelphia on the Johnson in 1732.
Christian Clements migrated to the Shenandoah Valley with his father-in-law, Johann Paul Vogt (Vaught) (Clements married his daughter Catherin Margaret Vaught). Clements purchased 600 acres on Deep Run the the Robinson River community adjacent to John Hoffman in 1734 and had several other acquisitions in early Orange and Augusta County, VA.
Johann Theobald Chrisler (Christler) - arrived in Philadelphia in 1718 from Germany (1749 according to some sources).
Johann Georg Dieter arrived in Philadelphia on the Molly 1727.
Andreas Garr, arrived 1732 with wife Eve and children: Johann Adam - 21, Rosina - 19, Lorenz - 16, Elisabeth Barbara - 2
Martin Hirsch arrived in Philadelphia on the Christian in 1749.
Johannes Hirsch Dear
Frederick KoblerCobler came to Virginia in 1718, was brother of Susannah Kobler that married Adam Yeager, according to Germanna records.
Johann Paulus Lederer arrived in Philadelphia on the Johnson in 1733.
Johann Wilhelm LotspeichLotschberg?arrived in Philadelphia on the Catherine in 1772. [? Q 05:02, 11 March 2013 (EDT)]
Johann Christoph LotschbergLotspeich
Jacob Mannsbeil Mansbeilprobably from Imbach in Falkenstein, Bayern-Pfalz. Imported 8: Jacob Breyell, Rose Paulitz, Susanna Hance, Margaret Hance, Jacob Manspeil, Catharina Hance, and
Adam Hance.
George Adam RaüserRauser came to America from Germany on the ship Mary and Sarah, arriving in Philadelphia on 26 Oct 1754, but did not migrate to Germanna until abt. 1774.
Johann Dieterich Reiner arrived in Philadelphia on the Fane in 1749.
Johannes Stinecipher Stonecypher, Stonecipher- came to Virginia in 1738 (some say 1749) with his wife (Elisabeth Schuster, who was a probable sister of Heinrich Schluchter.
Heinrich Schluchterand family of nine children (the eldest son came later). One of the daughters of Johannes was Agnes Catharina, baptized 26 August in 1736. The Steinseifer family settled in the Robinson River Valley near their fellow German neighbors, Hoffman(s) and Rehlsbachs.
Edmund Thomaswas an Englishman, a runaway servant belonging to Gov. Alexander Spotswood, living in Germanna prior to 1722, when Spotswood ran an advertisement offering a reward in "American Weekly Mercury", May 31, 1722
Johann Paul VogtJohann Paulus Vaughtimported 1735 with wife Maria Catharina, and children Johann Andreas, Johann Caspar, Catharina Margaretha, and Maria Catharina.
Martin Walke, probably arrived 1728, granted land 1736 in Virginia.

Sources

Germanna Foundation - http://www.germanna.org/

Blankenbaker, John - http://germanna.com/

ProGenealogists - http://www.progenealogists.com/palproject/va/1714germ.htm

Rootsweb, Germanna History Notes - http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~george/johnsgermnotes/germhis1.html

Footnotes

  1. The information in this article is based on [1]