John Blankenbaker's Germanna History Notes

Note 774

Returning to Volume I of Joyner's Warrants & Surveys , there is a section of Tithables in Orange County for the years 1736 to 1739.  They are not complete.  Why only sections of the original larger lists were saved is not known.  The more important fact for us is that several of the sections which have been saved pertain to the Robinson River community.

There is an amusing aspect to the lists, in that the spelling sets new lows.  It was not just the Germans who had their names butchered; the poll takers were indiscriminate in their machinations.  David Phillips, Constable, used these spellings of German names in his 1736 list:

John Hufmon, Cotley broyle, William offill, Mark Fink, John hanchbirque, Nicholas Yeagoe, Adam Yeagoe, Larance Christ, George Long, Willim Caphinder, George Myers, Andrew Garr, Christopher parter, Denel Christler, Micale Smith, Michale Copher, Thos Weland, Andrew Kerkar, John Rouse, Mathias Kaseler.

In 1737, he did better on some of the names, but there was no general improvement:

Peter Rucker, William offill, Lerance Chrise, John Hufmon, Cortley broyle, Andrew Careker, Andrew Carr, William Carpinter, Michale Cook, George Myers, Michale Capher, Michale Smith, Nicheles Yeage, Adham Yeago, Mathias Caselear, George Long, Mark fink, Mathias Smith, Christopher Taner, Michale Holt.

A list of more interest (to me, at least) was made by John Mickell in 1739:

Tobias Wilhite, John Stolts, Frederick Bumgarner, Christopher Moyers, Peter Weaver, Michaell Wilhite, George Woods, Pals Blunkabeamer, Ludwick ffisher, Mathias Blunkabeaner, Nicholas Blancabeaner, George Shively, Conrat Slater, Jacob Broil, Zacharias fleshman, Peter fleshman, Richard Birdine, John Wilhide, Michaell Claur, Martin Dalbeck, Michaell Oneall, George Ouylor, ...., David Ouell, John Kynes, Christopher Ouell, Thomas Fargason. John Thomas, Henry Shiter, John Zimmerman, John Dotson, John Sutton, Robert Hutchison, Joseph Bloodworth, Thomas Canely, John Full, Christian Clemon, and Jacob Manspoille.  (Not all of these names are German.)

If one takes a map of the original patents (this area was not recognized as a part of the Northern Neck in 1739, so there were no grants yet), one finds that the list maker was going over the ground in a logical fashion.  Nearly always the next name is a neighbor of the previous name.  So one can put this principle to work in placing the patents.  And the reverse is also true, if one has some notion of the plots than this makes the interpretation of the names easier.  It is valuable information to have.  In addition to the purposes just cited, one can look for extra names and missing names.