As another comment on the Thomas family of the last note, there was a Thomas family of English origins living in the Robinson River community near the German Thomas families. And there were some mixed-nationality marriages by both the German and English Thomases just to confuse the issues. Also, Thomas research has not been helped by the attitude of the researchers of the English Thomas family.
Some comments about the English Thomas family were published in Green's book, " Culpeper County Virginia ". Written by Mary Dunnica Micou, the opening statement she makes is, "Without doubt the Thomas family of Orange County, and also that of Culpeper County, is descended from the earliest emigrant of that name, who came to Essex County, . . . ." The tone of the remark biases the discussion right away by saying, "in spite of my ignorance, I am sure about what I am saying." In fact, the first Thomas family in the area which became Culpeper County was German, as a strong argument can be made that the first group of inhabitants of future Culpeper County was the Second Germanna Colony.
Without a doubt, people who are SURE of what they say, are often wrong.
Seriously, German Thomas research has been a problem. Prof. Holtzclaw agonized over whether he had some individuals in the right family. Perhaps his interest was heightened by the fact that two of his Holtzclaws married Thomas girls.
I have made one of two very minor contributions but quantum leaps in the evidence are needed.
On a different subject, Kim Umstadter at finaltch@cstone.net asks questions about her Garrs which I can't answer. With her permission, here is the gist of her query:
Her husband's grandfather was Bernard Ashby Garr who was born in Richmond, Indiana, on 31 Mar 1889. He died in Madison Co., Virginia about 1952 (in a reversal of the usual pattern). He had moved to the Madison/Culpeper area about 1930. The reasons are not clear, but they are thought to be occupational. He had two brothers, Wayne, who died in a railroad accident, and Caspar who lived in Culpeper before he died in the 1970's. Bernard married Virgie Louvine Taylor of Fletcher, Green Co., VA, sometime in the 1930's. Three children are known: Ruth, b. 7 Feb; Wayne Lewis, b. 29 Jun 1937; and Frances Mae, Kim's husband's mother, b. 28 May 1940. The three children are still living, but know little about their father and mother. If anyone can help Kim, please respond to her at her email address (by clicking on it above).
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.