List of Original Germanna Settlers

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.

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.

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 (1714)

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 emigration from the Siegerland.

Switzerland

• Albrecht, Johann Juste

Müsen

• Brombach/Brombach, Melchior/Melcherd and wife Maria Elizabetha Fischbach
• Kemper/Camper, Johannes
• Merten/Martin, Johann Jost/John Joseph

Niederndorf

• Cuntze/Koontz, Jost and wife Anna Gertrud Reinschmidt, children: Johannes, Anna Elizabeth, Catherina

Trupbach

• Fischbach/Fishback, Philip and wife Elizabeth Heimbach; children: Johannes, Harman, Maria Elisabeth
• Otterbach/Utterback, Hermann and wife Elizabeth Heimbach; children: Johann Philip, Johannes, Elizabeth, Alice Catherine, Mary Catherine, Anna Catherine
• Richter/Rector, Hans Jacob and wife Anna Elisabeth Fischbach; son Johannes

Oberfischbach

• Haeger/Häger, Rev. Johann Henrich wife Anna Catharina Friesenhagen; children: Agnes, Anna Catherine
• Holtzklau/Holtzclaw, Hans Jacob and wife Anna Margaretha Otterbach; children: Johannes, Johann Henrich

Rehbach and Kaan-Marienborn

• Heide/Heite/Hitt, Peter/Deiter and wife Maria Elizabeth

Oberschelden

• Spielmann/Spilman, Johannes and wife Mary

Eisern

• Hoffmann/Hoffman/Huffman, Johannes
• Weber/Weaver, Johann Henrich and wife Anna Margarethe Huttman; children: Johannes, Cathrin, Tillman

The Second Colony (1717)

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.)

Bönnigheim

• Amberger/Amburger/Ambergey, Hans Conrad, and wife Barbara
• Öhler/Aylor, Georg Henrich/Henry

Neuenbürg

• Ballenger, Andreas/Andrew
• Parlur/Barler/Barlow, Christoph(er) and wife Barbara
• Blankenbühler/Blankenbaker, Hans Balthasar and wife Anna Margaretha *
• Blanckenbühler/Blankenbaker, Matthias, and wife Anna Maria Merckle; son Hans Jerg/Georg
• Schlücter/Schlucter, Heinrich/Henry *
• Thoma/Thomas/Tomas, Johannes/John and wife Anna Maria Blanckenbühler/Blankenbaker;* children: Hans Wendel, Anna Magdalena

Neuenbürg, Ansbach region

• Blankenbühler/Blankenbaker, Hans Nicolaus/Nicholas, and wife Appollonia Käfer; son Zacharias *

Dusslingen, Ötisheim

• Breyhel/breuel/Broyles/Briles/Bruhles, Johann/John and wife Ursula Roup; children: Hans Jacob, Conrad, Maria Elizabetha/Elizabeth

Gemmingen

• Klaar/Clore,  Hans Michael, and wife Anna Maria  Barbara; children: Agnes Margaretha, Andreas Claus, Johann Georg(e)
• Schmidt/Smith, Hans Michael, and wife Anna Margaretha Sauter; sons: Hans Michael Jr., Christoph, Father and Mother-in-law: Sauter
• Weber/Weaver, Phillip Joseph, and wife Susannah Klaar; children: Hans Dietrich/Peter, Maria Sophia, Waldburga

Hollenbach, Schwaigern

• Koch/Cook, Johann Michael and wife Maria Barbara Reiner

Presumed from Baden-Wuerttemberg

• Kriegler/Crigler, Jacob

Klings, Neuenbürg

• Fleischmann/Fleshman, Cyriachus/Zacharias and wife Anna Barbara Schöne; children: Maria Catharina, Hans Peter and numerous stepchildren, see note above.

Bussnang Switzerland

• Heerensperger/Harnsberger, Hans/John and wife Anna Barbara; son Stephen

Stetten am Heuchelberg

• Holdt/Holt/Hold, Hans Michael

Zaberfeld

• Käfer/Kaifer, Wolff Michael

Zazenhausen

• Kercher,/Kerker, Andreas and wife Anna Margaretha; daughter Anna Barbara

Unknown

• Lang/Long, George and wife Rebecca

Bonfeld

• Motz, Johann and wife Maria Appollonia Maubars

Gross Sachsenheim

• Majer/Moyer, George, and wife Anna Barbara; children: Christoph(er), John Melchior/Michael, Maria Susanna, Barbara Catherina

Ottmarsheim, Kirchheim

• Paulitsch/Paulitz, Johann Philip, and wife Rosina Margaretha Schneider; daughters Margaretha, Maria Catharine

Oberowisheim, Klein-Gartach

• Sheible/Sheibley, Johann Georg, and wife Maria Eleanora Ockert; daughters Anna Martha, Anna Elisabetha

Botenheim, Cleebronn

• Schneider/Snyder, Hans Heinrich/Henry and wife Anna Dorothea Schilling; daughter Anna Magdalena

Stetten am Heuchelberg

• Späth/Spade, Johannes/John, and wife Anna Maria Brückmann (mother and stepfather of Hans Michael Holdt

Seiderzell

• Utz/Woods, Johann Georg(e), and wife Anna Barbara

Wagenbachhof, Hüffenhardt

• Volckh,Volck,Volck,Volk/Folg
• Maria Sabina Charlotta Barbara and [Anna?] Louisa Elisabetha, children of George Utz’ wife Barbara and Michael Volck

Gross Sachsenheim

• Majer, Maier, Maÿer/Moyer, widow of Johann Michael Volck, sons: Ferdinand, Johannes, [daughter Anna?]

Schwaigern

• Willert/Wilhoit/Wilheit, Michael and wife Anna Maria Hengsteller; sons: Tobias, John, Johann Christian

Falkenstein Rhineland/Pfalz

• Jäger/Yager/Yeager, Nicolaus/Nicholos and wife Anna Maria Sieber; children: Adam and Anna Maria/Mary

Sulzfeld, Bietigheim, Sulzfeld

• Zimmermann/Zimmerman, Johann Christoph(er), and wife Anna Elizabeth Albrecht; sons: Johannes/John, Hans Martin,  Andreas/Andrew

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.

Enzweihingen

• Zimmermann/Carpenter/, Johann Wilhelm/William, and wife Elizabeth Castler/Kastler/Gessler,
• Zimmermann/Carpenter, Mathias, and wife Susanna Christina; children: Matthias Friedrich, Anna Magdalena

Sulzfeld

• Kabler/Cobbler, Christopher
• Kabler,/Cobbler, Frederick, and wife Barbara
• Kabler/Cobbler, Nicholas
• 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
• Yowell/Uhl/Owell, Nicholas, and wife Catharine; son Jacob Michael

Westhofen

• Rouse/Rausch, John, and wife Maria/Mary
• Tanner/Danner, Robert, and wife Mary and five children

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.

Freudenberg

• Bach/Back, Harman and wife Anna Margaret Hausmann. Harman Bach is the cousin of Georg Weidman/Wayman, their mothers are sisters
• Hoffmann/Huffman, Hans Heinrich and wife, Anna Margaret Huettenhen. Cousin to Johann Hofmann, the 1738 Immigrant
• Mueller/Miller, Johann Friedrich and wife, Anna Maria Arnd; child Matthias. Probably lived at the Little Fork with his brother, Hermann/Harman Miller
• Mueller/Miller, Hermann/Harman, bachelor. Married Elizabeth Holtzclaw, the daughter of Jacob and Anna (Otterbach)Holtzclaw, the 1714 Immigrants
• Noeh/Nay, Johannes and wife, Maria Clara Otterbach; children: Gerderuth, Anna Catherine, Maria Clara and Johann Jacob.
• Maria Clara Otterbach is the niece of Hermann and Elizabeth (Heimbach) Otterbach,  the 1714 Immigrants
• Weidmann/Wayman, Georg, bachelor. The cousin of Hermann/Harman Back/Bach

Holland

• Button, Harmon and wife Catherine. Not from Nassau-Siegen, but intermarried with the immigrants
• Button, Johann Holland

Niederndorf

• Cuntz/Coons/Koontz, Johann Jost,  bachelor, the nephew of Joseph Cuntze, the 1714 Immigrant
• Weissgerber/Whitescarver, Tillman and wife Anna Margarethe Cuntze; children: Anna Maria, Anna Maria, Hermann, Anna Catharina and Maria Catherina. Anna Margarethe Cuntze is the sister of Joseph Coons, the 1737 Immigrant. Anna Margarethe Cuntze is the niece of Joseph and Anna Gertrud (Reinschmidt) Cuntze,  the 1714 Immigrants

Trupbach

• Fischbach,  Hans Jacob and wife Anna Catharina Holdinghaus . Jacob is the nephew of Philip  and Elizabeth (Heimbach) Fischbach, the 1714 Immigrants. Jacob’s godfather is Hans Jacob Holtzclaw, 1st Colony
• Fischbach,   Frederick. The eldest son of Johannes and Agnes (Haeger) Fischbach, the 1714 Immigrants
• Spilman/Speilmann, James. The son of Johannes/John and Mary Elizabeth (Fischbach) Speilman/Spilman, the 1714 Immigrants
• Utterback/Otterbach, Johann Henrich, bachelor. Emigrated with his uncle, Johann Henrich Otterbach (Henry Utterbach of Fauquier Co.) and his aunt, Maria Clara (Otterbach) Noeh, and her family
• Jung/Young, Johannes and wife, Anna Maria Baeumer; children: Maria Gerderuth, Harman, Elizabeth; and Elizabeth Catherine Jung and Anna Cathrin Jung, perhaps cousins. John Jung/Young is the son of Johann and Anna Katherina (Holzklau) Jung, the sister of  Jacob Holtzclaw, the 1714 Immigrant

Oberschelden

• Grimm/Crim, Johann and wife Gertrud. Son of Elisabeth Spilman, sister of John Spilman, the 1714 Immigrant
• Grimm/Crim, Johannes Jacob and wife Margaret. Brother of Johannes and son of Elisabeth Spilman, sister of John Spilman, the 1714 Immigrant

Seelbach

• 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

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From the Germanna Foundation brochure:

Germanna: A Family of Families

Whether you are the first or the tenth generation to have a tie to Germanna, you are part of a decades-long project that has identified more than 100,000 Americans, Canadians, and Australians who trace their family back to Germanna. Are the Germanna colonists below in your family tree?”

1714 Colony from the Siegerland:

Johann Jost Albrecht, Melchior Brombach and wife Maria Elisabetha Fischbach, Jost Cuntse/Koontz and wife Anna Gertrud Reinschmidt, Philip Fischbach/Fishback and wife Elizabeth Heimbach, the Rev. Johann Heinrich Hager and wife Anna Catharina Friesenhagen, Peter/Dieter Heide/Hitt and wife Elisabeth Otterbach, Johannes Hoffman, Hans Jacob Holtzklau/Holtzclaw and wife Anna Margaretha Otterbach, Johnannes Kemper/Camper, Johann Jost Merdten/Martin, Hermann Otterbach/Utterback and wife Elisabeth Heimbach, Johann Jacob Richter/Rector and wife Anna Elisabeth Fischbach, Johannes Spielmann, Johann Heinrich Weber/Weaver and wife Anna Margarethe Huttman.

1717 Colony from the Kraichgau and the Palatinate:

Conrad Amburger/Amburgey, Andreas Ballenger, Christopher Barlur/Parlur/Barlow and wife Barbara, Matthias Beller, Balthazar Blankenbaker/Blanckenbühler and wife Anna Margaretha, Matthias Blanckenbühler /Blankenbaker and wife Anna Maria Merklin, Nicholas Blanckenbühler /Blankenbaker and wife Appollonia Käfer, Johannes/John Breuel/Briles/Broyles and wife Ursula Ruop, Cyriacus Fleischmann/Fleshman and wife Anna Barbara Schöne, Hans/John Herrensparger/Harnsberger and wife Anna Barbara, Hans Michael Holdt/Holt, Wolff Michael Käfer/Kaifer, Andreas Kerker and wife Margaretha, Hans Michael Klaar/Clore and wife Anna Barbara, Johann Michael Koch/Cook and his wife Maria Barbara Reiner, Jacob Crigler, Johannes/John Motz and wife Maria Appollonia Maubars, Hans Georg/George Majer/Moyer and wife Anna Barbara, Hans Michael Mihlekher and wife Sophia Catherina, Johann Philip Paulitz and wife Rosina Margaretha Schneider, Heinrich/Henry Schlucter, Johann Georg Sheible/Sheibley and wife Maria Eleanora Ockert, Matthäus/Matthew Schmidt/Smith and wife Regina Catherine Schlözer, Hans Michael Schmidt/Smith and wife Anna Margaretha Sauter, Hans Heinrich/Henry Schneider/Snyder and wife Anna Dorothea Schilling, Johannes/John Thoma/Thomas and wife Anna Maria Blanckenbühler, Johann George Utz and wife Anna Barbara Majer, Phillip Joseph Weber/Weaver and wife Susannah Klaar, Nicholas Jager/Yager/Yeager and wife Anna Maria Sieber, and Christopher Zimmerman and wife Anna Elisabetha Albrecht.

By 1725, more settlers had joined Germanna:

Hans Jacob Öhler/Aylor and wife Anna Magdalena Schneider, Johann Friedrich/Frederick Baumgärtner/Bumgardner, Johannes/John Becker/Baker, Harman Böhme/Beemon and wife Elizabeth, Johann/John Zimmerman/Carpenter, Wilhelm/William Zimmerman/Carpenter and wife Elizabeth, Mathias Gessler/Castler/Kastler and wife Susana Christina Schnell, Phillip Chelf, Theobald/Dewalt/David Christler/Crisler, Nicholas Christopher, Frederick Kabler/Cobbler and wife Barbara, Lawrence Greys/Crees, Johannes/John and Martin Hirsch/Deer, Conrad Delph, Mark Finks, Ludwig/Lewis Fischer/Fisher, Johannes/John Frey/Fray, Andreas Gaar/Garr and wife Eva Seidelmann, Johannes Gerhard, George Samuel Klug, George Lang/Long and wife Rebecca, Johann Paulus Lederer/Leatherer/Leathers, Francis Michael and wife Mary, John Michael and wife Frances, George Adam Raüser/Rasor/Racer and wife Margaretha Butlinger, Johann/John Rausch/Rouse and wife Mary, Henry Souther, Johann Caspar Stoever Sr., Timothy Swindle, Urban/Robert Danner/Tanner, Hans Martin Walck/Walk, Thomas Wieland/Wayland and wife Maria Barbara Seppach, Michael Willheit/Wilhoit/Wilhite and wife Anna Maria Hengsteller, Christoph Uhl/Owell/Yowell and wife Eva Gottsaurin, and Nicholas Yowell and wife Catherine, Leonard Ziegler.

In the 1730s, more Germans settled the Little Fork area (Culpeper County):

Harman Back/Bach, Harman Button, Johann Button, Johnann Just Coons/Cuntz/Koontz, Jacob Fischbach, Johann Crim/Grimm, Jacob Heimbach/Hanback, Heinrich Hoffman/Huffman, Johann and Harman Mueller/Miller, Johannes Noeh/Nay, Johann Henrich Otterbach/Utterback, John Rector, Georg Weidmann/Wayman, Tillman Wiessgerber/Whitescarver, Johannes Jung/Young.

Interested in more?

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