The area of Virginia that was to become Kentucky received many Germanna people at an early date. Outside Danville, Kentucky, stood the old "Dutch Meeting House", which had its origins in the westward trek of several Germanna families before 1780. Among those who came were Fishers, Garrs, Yeagers, Wilhoits and Smiths. The Meeting House was in existence by 1783 as the District Supreme Court met there in that year. The land on which the Meeting House sat was not deeded to the church until 1791 when Henry Innes and Stephen Fisher, Sr. each deeded land to Adam Smith, Adam Fisher, and Nicholas Wilhite, "elders of . . .the High Dutch Congregation". As a pioneer settlement, the elders probably had difficulty in securing ministers. Before long, many members of the High Dutch Congregation had joined the Baptist or Presbyterian Churches. (From the book by Calvin Morgan, " Early Days in Danville ", by Fackler, 1941.)
Stephen Fisher established one of the first stations in Lincoln County near Danville. These stations were light duty forts with a palisaded outer wall and generally an inner ring of simple shelters on the inside against the wall. In times of Indian troubles, the people would flock to the station, bringing their cattle also. Fisher's Station stood near the present day site of the First Christian Church on Lexington Road. Stephen Fisher is said to have visited Kentucky in the mid-1770's and returned permanently about 1778. (Based on a newspaper clipping)
A payroll of Lincoln Militia under Capt. Samuel Kirkham shows many Culpeper Co., Virginia names. There is Abraham Thomas who was mentioned in the last note. After members of the Thomas family went to "Pennsylvania", several of them went on to Kentucky via the Ohio River. Another name in the militia is Jacob Holtzclaw who married Susanna Thomas, the cousin of Abraham. Abraham's brother Jesse appears also on the list. Next to Jacob is William Barbee, born in Culpeper Co., who married Mary Smith, daughter of Adam Smith of the Germanna community. Peter Watts is a fellow private and probably a fellow Virginian. The Lieutenant of the company was Henry Grider who married Elizabeth Smith, daughter of Zachariah Smith and Ann Elizabeth Fishback. There were two Yager brothers, Abraham and Cornelius, sons of Nicholas Yager who married Elisabeth Fisher, daughter of Stephen Fisher. Another possible Culpeper name is Crow. The entire company consisted of 52 men and a significant portion of it had Culpeper Co., VA origins.
A son of Jacob Holtzclaw, Elijah, married Sarah Collier in 1801. It is possible that Elijah had Collier cousins through his mother. Michael Kaifer (whose wife was Anna Maria Blankenbaker and the mother of the Germanna Thomases) left a will in Culpeper Co. in which he mentioned his step-son-in-law Henry Collier.
Sarah Browder and Robert McDonald contributed information to the above. Some relationships which are mentioned do not have the best documentation though I believe all are conventionally accepted. As one will see if the family relationships are traced out, most of the people mentioned this time are related by blood or marriage.
Our Germanna people never shied away from the unknown or from possible danger. They were a venturesome group.
We gratefully acknowledge the work of John Blankenbaker who published over 2,500 Germanna History Notes via the Germanna-L@rootsweb.com email list from 1997 to 2008. We are equally thankful to George Durman (Sgt. George) for hosting the list and republishing the notes via rootsweb.com.