There are several intriguing names at the Hebron Church. One of them gave the writers of the records fits, though they did their best they could phonetically. They were close enough that Andreas could tell what they were aiming at. The name is Isom or Isem. Andreas believes they were probably trying to write Eastham, a name which is known in old Culpeper County. In the church records there are two of them, Maria and Catharina. Since Catharina attended Lutheran Communion Services several times, it is likely that she is a German who perhaps married Bird, James, Phillip, or William Eastham, who are found in the 1787 Personal Property Tax List.
Maria Eastham was a sponsor once when Adam Broyle and his wife Mary UNK had the infant Mary baptized in 1776. If Adam had married an Eastham, then his wife Mary might have selected a relative as a sponsor. So Mary Eastham could be either English or German.
Let's look at the people next to Catharine at the Communion Services. In 1784, it was John Gaar and his wife Margaret Willheit, Mary Yager, CE, Margaret Smith widow, and Jacob Hendrickson and his wife Margaret. In 1787, it was Mary Elizabeth Smith, William Carpenter, CE, Peter Reser and wife Veronica, and John Zimmerman and wife Ursula (Blankenbaker). In 1789, it was John Willheit and his wife Elizabeth (Blankenbaker), Adam Yager, CE, Adam Gaar, and Mary Willheit. In 1790, it was Margaret Fleshman, John Wayland, CE, Elizabeth Willheit, Mary Willheit. In 1791, it was Rosina Samuel, Elizabeth Zimmerman, CE, Anna Maria Lipp, and Elizabeth Smith. In 1792, it was John Gaar, Christian Rungo, CE (she was last one). After missing a few years, in 1796, it was Susanna Yager, Elizabeth Weaver, CE, Susanna Smith, and Lewis Cook and his wife Mary (Yager). If you come across a Catherine in your family research who perhaps married someone such as an Eastham, please tell us.
One of the names in the last paragraph that I bet you are not familiar with is Christian Rungo. If you had been going to church, say from 1790 to 1822, you would know Christian. He must have been a loyal supporter of Rev. Carpenter, as he seems to miss fewer services than Rev. Carpenter did. Of the forty-six Communion Services in the period, Christian missed only eight. He probably came to the Robinson River Valley shortly before 1790, as he is not in the 1787 Personal Property Tax List. He is never listed at church with any other members of his family, so I assume he is a bachelor. Of course, I would also assume he is a genetic dead-end. Of the 38 times or so his name is recorded, it seems to me that it was always spelled Rungo, but Andreas objects to that spelling as a good German name. He would prefer Rungow.
(08 Aug 03)
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.