Due to the prominence of Lt. Governor Alexander Spotswood in American history, much was known of his involvement with the establishment of the Germanna Settlement, but little of the German Settlers who were brought to this area with the First Colony of 1714, the Second Colony of 1717, and later groups. During the past five years, the Germanna Foundation has conducted continuing research regarding these families and their descendants. Through these efforts, significant historic data has been obtained regarding these families who bravely traveled to a new country leaving many of their friends and family behind.
Research into these families is ongoing, therefore this list represents the best information we have at the present. Further documentary research could lead to additions or deletions from this list.
People will not look forward to posterity who never look backward to their ancestors. --Edmund Burke
If we do not respect our ancestors, we will not respect each other.
The Germanna Foundation wishes to especially thank, John V. Blankenbaker, Dr. Katharine L. Brown, Cathi Clore Frost, and Barbara Price for their diligent efforts in amplifying and correcting this list.
The First Colony
The 1714 Colony from the Siegerland, settled first at Fort Germanna then at Germantown in present day Fauquier County.
Names are listed with families and town of emmigration
from the Siegerland.
| Albrecht, Johann Juste | Switzerland |
| Brombach/Brombach, Melchior/Melcherd and wife Maria Elizabetha Fischbach | Müsen |
| Cuntze/Koontz, Jost and wife Anna Gertrud Reinschmidt, children: Johannes, Anna Elizabeth, Catherina | Niederndorf |
| Fischbach/Fishback, Philip and wife Elizabeth Heimbach; children: Johannes, Harman, Maria Elisabeth | Trupbach |
| Haeger/Häger, Rev. Johann Henrich wife Anna Catharina Friesenhagen; children: Agnes, Anna Catherine | Oberfischbach |
| Heide/Heite/Hitt, Peter/Deiter and wife Maria Elizabeth
Hoffmann/Hoffman/Huffman, Johannes |
Rehbach and Kaan-Marienborn
|
| Holtzklau/Holtzclaw, Hans Jacob and wife Anna Margaretha Otterbach; children: Johannes, Johann Henrich | Oberfischbach |
| Kemper/Camper, Johannes | Müsen |
| Merten/Martin, Johann Jost/John Joseph | Müsen |
| Otterbach/Utterback, Hermann and wife Elizabeth Heimbach; children: Johann Philip, Johannes, Elizabeth, Alice Catherine, Mary Catherine, Anna Catherine | Trupbach |
| Richter/Rector, Hans Jacob and wife Anna Elisabeth Fischbach; son Johannes | Trupbach |
| Spielmann/Spilman, Johannes and wife Mary | Oberschelden |
| Weber/Weaver, Johann Henrich and wife Anna Margarethe Huttman; children: Johannes, Cathrin, Tillman | Eisern |
The 1717 Colony from the Kraichgau of Baden and Württemberg, as well as some from the Rhineland Pfalz (Palatinate) settled first across the Rapidan River from Fort Germanna, then from 1725 to 1727 began to move to the Robinson River Valley in present day Madison County and patent land in their own names.
(* Names with the Asterisks are the sons and daughters
of Anna Barbara Schöne from her previous marriages in
Germany to Blankenbaker and Schlucter. These children
may have lived in the household of Cyriachus Fleischmann
upon arrival and escaped notice in the official records.)
| Amberger/Amburger/Ambergey, Hans Conrad, and wife Barbara | Bönnigheim |
| Öhler/Aylor, Georg Henrich/Henry, | Botenheim |
|
Ballenger, Andreas/Andrew Parlur/Barler/Barlow, Christoph(er) and wife Barbara Blankenbühler/Blankenbaker, Hans Balthasar and wife Anna Margaretha * |
Neuenbürg
Neuenbürg |
| Blanckenbühler/Blankenbaker, Matthias, and wife Anna Maria Merckle; son Hans Jerg/Georg * | Neuenbürg Oberderdingen Oberderdingen |
| Blankenbühler/Blankenbaker, Hans Nicolaus/Nicholas, and wife Appollonia Käfer; son Zacharias * | Neuenbürg Ansbach region Neuenbürg |
| Breyhel/breuel/Broyles/Briles/Bruhles, Johann/John and wife Ursula Roup; children: Hans Jacob, Conrad, Maria Elizabetha/Elizabeth | Dusslingen Ötisheim Ötisheim |
| Klaar/Clore, Hans Michael, and wife Anna Maria Barbara; children: Agnes Margaretha, Andreas Claus, Johann Georg(e) | Gemmingen |
|
Koch/Cook, Johann Michael and wife Maria Barbara Reiner Kriegler/Crigler, Jacob |
Hollenbach presumed from Baden-Wuerttemberg |
| Fleischmann/Fleshman, Cyriachus/Zacharias and wife Anna Barbara Schöne; children: Maria Catharina, Hans Peter and numerous stepchildren, see note above. | Klings Neuenbürg Neuenbürg |
| Heerensperger/Harnsberger, Hans/John and wife Anna Barbara; son Stephen | Bussnang Switzerland |
| Holdt/Holt/Hold, Hans Michael | Stetten am Heuchelberg |
| Käfer/Kaifer, Wolff Michael | Zaberfeld |
| Kercher,/Kerker, Andreas and wife Anna Margaretha; daughter Anna Barbara | Zazenhausen |
|
Lang/Long, George and wife Rebecca Motz, Johann and wife Maria Appollonia Maubars |
Unknown Bonfeld |
| Majer/Moyer, George, and wife Anna Barbara; children: Christoph(er), John Melchior/Michael, Maria Susanna, Barbara Catherina | Gross Sachsenheim |
| Paulitsch/Paulitz, Johann Philip, and wife Rosina Margaretha Schneider; daughters Margaretha, Maria Catharine | Ottmarsheim Kirchheim |
| Schlücter/Schlucter, Heinrich/Henry * | Neuenbürg |
| Sheible/Sheibley, Johann Georg, and wife Maria Eleanora Ockert; daughters Anna Martha, Anna Elisabetha | Oberowisheim Klein-Gartach |
| Schmidt/Smith, Hans Michael, and wife Anna Margaretha Sauter; sons: Hans Michael Jr., Christoph, Father and Mother-in-law: Sauter | Gemmingen |
| Schneider/Snyder, Hans Heinrich/Henry and wife Anna Dorothea Schilling; daughter Anna Magdalena | Botenheim Cleebronn Botenheim |
| Späth/Spade, Johannes/John, and wife Anna Maria Brückmann (mother and stepfather of Hans Michael Holdt) | Stetten am Heuchelberg |
| Thoma/Thomas/Tomas, Johannes/John and wife Anna Maria Blanckenbühler/Blankenbaker;* children: Hans Wendel, Anna Magdalena | Neuenbürg |
|
Utz/Woods, Johann Georg(e), and wife Anna Barbara
Volckh,Volck,Volck,Volk/Folg;
Maria Sabina Charlotta Barbara and [Anna?] Louisa Elisabetha, children of George Utz' wife Barbara and Michael Volck
Majer, Maier, Maÿer/Moyer, widow of Johann Michael Volck, sons: Ferdinand, Johannes, [daughter Anna?]
|
Seiderzell
Wagenbachhof, Hüffenhardt
Wagenbachhof, Hüffenhardt |
| Weber/Weaver, Phillip Joseph, and wife Susannah Klaar; children: Hans Dietrich/Peter, Maria Sophia, Waldburga | Gemmingen |
| Willert/Wilhoit/Wilheit, Michael and wife Anna Maria Hengsteller; sons: Tobias, John, Johann Christian | Schwaigern |
| Jäger/Yager/Yeager, Nicolaus/Nicholos and wife Anna Maria Sieber; children: Adam and Anna Maria/Mary | Falkenstein Rhineland/Pfalz |
| Zimmermann/Zimmerman, Johann Christoph(er), and wife Anna Elizabeth Albrecht; sons: Johannes/John, Hans Martin, Andreas/Andrew | Sulzfeld Bietigheim Sulzfeld |
MORE GERMAN IMMIGRANTS TO VIRGINIA
Between 1717 and 1725, others arrived from the Kraichgau. Some were related to the 1717 arrivals. Some were neighbors in Germany of the 1717 arrivals. Others could have been here since 1717, but were either too young to be listed in 1717, or escaped official notice in the records. Some who were traveling with the first wave in 1717 were left behind in England to wait for the next ship. Whatever the reason for not being listed, some went to the Robinson River Valley at the same time as the earlier group and patented land in the same time period, while others stayed on their 1717 land near the village of York, which is now known as Stevensburg.
|
Zimmermann/Carpenter/, Johann Zimmermann/Carpenter, Mathias, and wife Susanna Christina; children: Matthias Friedrich, Anna Magdalena |
Enzweihingen |
| Kabler/Cobbler, Christopher | Sulzfeld |
| Kabler,/Cobbler, Frederick, and wife Barbara | Sulzfeld |
| Kabler/Cobbler, Nicholas | Sulzfeld |
|
Rouse/Rausch, John, and wife Maria/Mary Tanner/Danner, Robert, and wife Mary and five children |
Westhofen |
|
Wayland/Wieland, Thomas, and wife Mary; children: Jacob and Catherine Yowell/Uhl/Owell, Christoph, and wife Eva, children: Georg Frederich, Magdalena, Anna Catharina, Frederich David, Anna Barbara, Hans Jacob |
Sulzfeld |
| Yowell/Uhl/Owell, Nicholas, and wife Catharine; son Jacob Michael | Sulzfeld |
THE LITTLE FORK GROUP
Beginning in 1734 several members of the First Colony purchased land across the River from Germantown in the forks of the Rappahannock and Hazel Rivers. This land was located in present day Culpeper County and was purchased for speculation purposes and to encourage other Siegerländers to come to Virginia and purchase this land from their kinsmen. These later settlers became known as the Little Fork Group.
|
Bach/Back, Harman and wife Anna Margaret Hausmann |
Freudenberg |
|
Button, Harmon and wife Catherine |
Holland |
|
Button, Johann Holland |
Holland |
|
Cuntz/Coons/Koontz, Johann Jost, bachelor, the nephew of Joseph Cuntze, the 1714 Immigrant |
Niederndorf |
|
Fischbach, Hans Jacob and wife Anna Catharina Holdinghaus |
Trupbach |
| Fischbach, Frederick The eldest son of Johannes and Agnes (Haeger) Fischbach, the 1714 Immigrants |
Trupbach |
|
Grimm/Crim, Johann and wife Gertrud Grimm/Crim, Johannes Jacob and wife Margaret |
Oberschelden |
| Hanback/Heimbach, Johann Jacob His father, Johannes Heimbach, is a first cousin of John Jung/Young, the 1734 Immigrant Johann Jacob is the nephew of Elizabeth (Heimbach) Otterbach/Utterback, the 1714 Immigrant |
Seelbach |
|
Hoffmann/Huffman, Hans Heinrich and wife, Anna Margaret Huettenhen |
Freudenberg |
|
Mueller/Miller, Johann Friedrich and wife, Anna Maria Arnd; child Matthias Mueller/Miller, Hermann/Harman, bachelor Noeh/Nay, Johannes and wife, Maria Clara Otterbach; children: Gerderuth, Anna Catherine, Maria Clara and Johann Jacob. Spilman/Speilmann, James Utterback/Otterbach, Johann Henrich, bachelor |
Freudenberg
Freudenberg
Trupbach
Seelbach
Trupbach |
|
Weidmann/Wayman, Georg, bachelor |
Freudenberg |
|
Weissgerber/Whitescarver, Tillman and wife Anna Margarethe Cuntze; children: Anna Maria, Anna Maria, Hermann, Anna Catharina and Maria Catherina |
Niederndorf |
|
Jung/Young, Johannes and wife, Anna Maria Baeumer; children: Maria Gerderuth, Harman, Elizabeth; and Elizabeth Catherine Jung and Anna Cathrin Jung, perhaps cousins. |
Trupbach |
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The Second Colony