One of the things that I keep reading is that John Willheit, the son of Johann Michael Willheit, married Margaret (Peggy) Weaver. It was pointed out some time ago that his wife was named Burga at the church, which was surely a nickname for Walburga or Waldburga. This was very consistent with the head right list of Alexander Spotswood, where there was a Wabburie Wever.
Since the Weber family started from Gemmingen without Wabburie, she must have born en route, probably at sea, which is the longest segment of the journey. The year was probably 1717. John Willheit was born in 1715 so the ages are a good match.
We know of no other member of the Robinson River community who was named Walburga. Burga was surely derived from that name. So, the circumstantial evidence, taken all together, says that John Willheit married Walburga Weaver. Though the evidence is circumstantial, it does seem conclusive. At the same time, there is no evidence that Margaret, or Peggy, was any part of her name. So those names should not be included as a part of her name. It is not clear where the names originated, but there is no known justification for them.
There were three Weaver children, Peter, Burga, and Maria Sophia. Peter's wife is unknown, except that her given name seems to be Elizabeth. Burga married John Willheit. Maria Sophia married Peter Fleshman. The evidence for the latter statement is a powerful set of circumstantial evidence in the communion lists.
I have tried to use the communion lists to find Peter Weaver's wife but I have concluded nothing.
As I use the communion lists, I have come to the conclusion that our knowledge today does not give us the full extent of the early families. I believe there were more members than we currently know. There were probably marriages, followed by deaths of one of the spouses. No history remains of these deceased spouses. If the spouse left children, they perhaps could have been absorbed into second families, without any further distinction being made. Returning to the Weaver family with its three known children, there might have been more children, especially a daughter who married and lost her own surname. She might have died and even left children who became part of another family. It is very difficult for us to reconstruct any early family with certainty.
I am convinced that Peter Fleshman married Mary Sophia Weaver, and I think that the information from the communion lists points to this quite clearly.
(08 Oct 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.