[The petition in the previous Note, when it was entered into the SPG books, reads as given here. It is taken from a copy of the original SPG entry, transcription made by Sandra Yelton.]
The Case
Of Thirty Two Protestant German Families Settled in Virginia, Humbly Sheweth.That Twelve Protestant German Families, consisting of about Fifty Persons, arrived April 1714 in Virginia, and were therein Settled near Rappahanek River; That in 1717 Twenty [ Willis Kemper has seventeen, not twenty ] Protestant German Families more consisting of about Four Score Persons came and sat down near their Countrymen; And many more both German and Swiss families are likely to come there to Settle likewise, That for the Enjoyment of the Ministries of Religion there will be a Necessity of Building a small church in the Place of their Settlement, and of Maintaining a Minister; who shall catechise, preach, [ Kemper has "read", not "preach" ] and perform Divine offices among them, in the German tongue, which is the only Language they do yet understand; That there went indeed over with the First Twelve German Families one Minister named Henry Hager, a very Sober Honest Man of about 75 Years of Age; But he being likely to be past service in a short time; They have empowered Mr. Jacob Christople Zollicoffer of St. Gall in Switzerland, to go to Europe, and there to obtain, if possible, some Contributions from Pious and charitable Christians, toward the Building of their Church; and bringing over with a young German minister, to assist the above said Mr. Hager in the Ministry of Religion, and to succeed him, when he shall Dye, to get him ordained in England by the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of London; And to Bring over with him the Liturgy of the Church of England translated into High Dutch which they are desirous to use in the Publick Worship. But this New Settlement, consisting but of Mean Persons, being utterly unable of themselves both to build their Church and to make up a Salary Sufficient to Maintain such assisting Minister, They Humbly Implore the Countenance and Encouragement of the Lord Bishop of London, and others the Lords the Bishops, as also the Venerable Society of the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Places, That they would take their case under their Pious Consideration, and Grant their usual Allowance for the Support of a Minister; And if it may be, to contribute something toward the Building of their Church.
And they shall ever Pray, that God may Reward their
Beneficence both Here and Hereafter.
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