So far, in discussing the people who emigrated from the Siegen area in 1713, I have emphasized the families and shown there were some relationships among them. I can only guess about the reasons that the core families, the Otterbachs and the Fischbachs, left. Mostly likely, the reason was economic. In this note, let’s look at some of the individuals who may have had a different motive. These are the bachelors.
Melchior Brumbach was about 28 years old. He came from Müsen, to the north of Siegen, where one of the largest iron mines was located. His mother was a Kemper, so there was a relationship to someone else in the group. Melchoir left without obtaining permission which probably required a fee to be paid. He, or, more exactly, his family who stayed behind, was fined, and one of the documents in the case helps to establish his identity. I have no occupation for the man, but it would not be surprising if he had worked in the mines. One wonders if the motivation for a young man such as this might not have been for the adventure.
John Hoffman, about 21 years old, came from Eisern, just to the south of Siegen. Apparently, he was in training as a carpenter, for in Virginia he was hired by the Robinson River Valley people to do carpentry work on the house for the minister, John Caspar Stöver. John’s father was a Fuhrmann, one who transported goods. The Hoffmans lived in the Catholic region, which led to some tensions. John’s younger brother, Wilhelm, clearly expressed his negative feelings about living in the Catholic region as a Reformed person. Probably, though, John had not sensed this discrimination yet. He, too, might have motivated by the desire for adventure, but perhaps depressed economic conditions influenced him.
John Kemper was also from Müsen. He, too, was about 21 years old, and was a first cousin of Melchior Brumbach, above. John’s father is identified as a church elder, but that was probably a volunteer position, not a livelihood. His grandfather, Johannes Kemper, was a smith. John may have worked about the mines at Müsen, which were very prominent in that region, but there is no evidence on this subject. It sounds as if Melchior Brumbach and John Kemper may have made a joint decision to go to America.
Jost (Joseph) Martin was 22 years old, and a resident of Müsen. The Martins (Merten in German) and the Brumbachs were related, so we have three of the young bachelors who were related. So, it sounds as if a third bachelor joined his two relatives in making the emigration decision. Probably all three were thinking, "Let’s try it. If it doesn’t work out, we can come back."
John Spilman (Spielmann) was an older bachelor, about 34 years of age. He lived in the Oberfischbach parish, to the west of Trupbach. An occupation is unknown for this man, and when he came he seems not to have been related to any of the other members of the group. Later, this all changed as several of his relatives came to Virginia. Not much is known about him in Germany.
(06 Apr 01)
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.