Historic Germanna

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You are here: Home / Things To Do / Research Your Germanna Roots
Research Your Germanna Roots

Research Your Germanna Roots


Germanna is 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 130,000 Americans, Canadians, and Australians who trace their family back to Germanna. Are the Germanna colonists below in your family tree? Find out with this list of original Germanna settlers.

The 1714 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 emigration from the Siegerland.

Switzerland

  • Albrecht, Johann Juste

Müsen

  • Brombach/Brombach, Melchior/Melcherd
  • Kemper/Camper, Johannes
  • Merten/Martin, Johann Jost/John Joseph

Niederndorf

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

Trupbach

  • Fischbach/Fishback, Philip and wife Elisabeth Heimbach; children: Maria Els (Elisabeth), Johannes, Hermann, Maria Els (Elisabeth)
  • Otterbach/Utterback, Hermann and wife Elisabeth Heimbach; children: Johann Philip, Johannes, Ellsbeth, Elisabeth Cathrina, Maria Cathrina, Anna Catharina
  • Richter/Rector, Hans Jacob and wife Anna Elisabeth Fischbach; son Johannes

Oberfischbach

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

Rehbach and Kaan-Marienborn

  • Heide/Heite/Hitt, Peter and wife Maria Elisabeth Freudenberg

Oberschelden

  • Spielmann/Spilman, Johannes

Eisern

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

 

The 1717 Colony

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.

Bonfeld, Württemberg

  • Motz, Johannes & Maria Apollonia (Maubars)

Bönnigheim, Württemberg

  • Amberger/Amburgy, Hans Conrad

Botenheim and Cleebronn, Württemberg

  • Schneider/Snyder, Hans Heinrich & Anna Dorothea (Schilling)

Bussnang, Thurgau, Switzerland

  • Heerensperger/Harnsberger, Hans & Anna Barbara (_____), ch: Stephen

Gemmingen, Baden

  • Klaar/Clore, Hans Michael & Anna Maria Barbara (______, ch: Agnes Margaretha, Andreas, Johann Georg
  • Mühleckher/Milker, Hans Michael & Sophia Catherina (Wimmer), ch; Anna Margaretha, Anna Catharina, Maria Barbara; wife’s sister (not named)
  • Schmidt/Smith, Hans Michael & Anna Margaretha (Sauter), ch: Hans Michael, Christoph; wife’s parents (not named)
  • Schmidt/Smith, Matthäus & Regina Catharina (Schlözer), ch: Matthäus
  • Weber/Weaver, Philipp Joseph & Susanna (Klaar), ch: Hans Dieterich “Peter”, Maria Sophia, Waldburga “Burga”/“Peggy”

Gross Sachsenheim, Württemberg

  • Majer/Moyers, Hans Georg & Anna Barbara (Klaar?), ch: Christoph, Johann Melchior/Michael, Maria Susanna, Catharina Barbara

Hüffenhardt, Baden

  • Utz, Johann Georg & Anna Barbara (Majer), ch: Ferdinand; stepch: Maria Sabina Charlotta Volck, Anna Louisa Elisabetha Volck

Marienthal and Falckenstein, Pfalz

  • Jäger/Yager, Nicholaus & Anna Maria (Seiber), ch: Adam, Anna Maria

Neuenbürg, Baden

  • Blanckenbühler/Blankenbaker, Hans Balthasar & Anna Margaretha (_____)
  • Blanckenbühler/Blankenbaker, Hans Mattheus & Anna Maria (Mercklin), ch: Hans Jerg
  • Blanckenbühler/Blankenbaker, Hans Nikolaus & Maria Apollonia (Käfer), ch: Zacharias
  • Fleischmann/Fleshman, Cyricaus & Anna Barbara (Schön), ch: Maria Catherina, Hans Peter, stepch: Anna Maria Blanckenbühler, Heinrich Schlücter
  • Thoma(s), Johannes & Anna Maria (Blanckenbühler), ch: Hans Wendel, Anna Magdalena

Oberöwisheim, Baden

  • Scheible, Johann Georg & Maria Eleanora (Ockert), ch: Anna Martha, Anna Elisabetha, Anna Maria

Ötisheim, Württemberg

  • Breuel/Broyle(s), Johannes & Ursula (Ruop), ch: Hans Jacob, Conrad, Maria Elisabetha

Ottmarsheim and Kirchheim am Neckar, Württemberg

  • Paulitz, Johann Philipp & Rosina Margareta (Schneider), ch: Maria Margaretha, Maria Catharina

Schwaigern, Württemberg

  • Koch/Cook, Johanna Michael & Maria Barbara (Reiner)

Stetten am Heuchelberg, Württemberg

  • Hold/Holt, Hans Michael

Sulzfeld, Baden and Bietigheim, Württemberg

  • Zimmerman, Johann Chrisoph & Anna Elisabetha (Albrecht), ch: Johann Martin, Andrew

Zaberfield, Württemberg

  • Käfer/Kaifer, Wolf Michael
  • Wegmann, Hans Georg & Anna Maria (Sellgle), ch: Maria Margaretha, Maria Gottlieb

Zazenhausen, Württemberg

  • Kercher/Kerker, Andreas & Margaretha (_____), chi: Anna Barbara

Unknown

  • Ballenger, Andrew
  • Barler/Barlow, Christoph & Barbara (_____), ch: Matthias
  • Crigler, Jacob

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 Colony

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

Research More:

Germanna Records – Germanna genealogy books

Germanna’s Genealogy Database:

Get exclusive access to the Germanna Foundation’s genealogy database, GermannaFamily.org, with over 130,000 records by becoming a member of the Foundation for $50 a year. The database is considered one of the larger German ancestry databases in the world.

As a member, you will also receive an 8 to 12-page full-color newsletter with genealogy information mailed to your home four times a year. Also meet your Germanna cousins who love genealogy too at our annual multi-day Germanna Reunion/Conference held every July.

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The rich tapestry of Germanna’s history encompasses Indigenous peoples, English colonists, German immigrants and their descendants, and African and African American communities. Historic Germanna invites individuals to explore the diverse stories of the past through its places, research, and shared narratives, fostering engagement and inspiring a deeper understanding of our collective heritage.

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Historic Germanna
MAILING: P.O. Box 279
LOCATION: 2062 Germanna Highway
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