John Blankenbaker's Germanna History Notes

Note 2008

One very specific count of the number of Germans who arrived in Virginia says that there were forty-two of them.  One of the best estimates of these forty-two were was made by B. C. Holtzclaw, even though we now know that he had at least one error.  His known error is that he did not include Johann Justus Albrecht, who was in London with the others, and is documented in Virginia.

The families that B. C. Holtzclaw postulated were:

Brumbach, Melchior, a bachelor.

Cuntze/Kuntze/Kunze, a family of five.

Fischbach, a family six, including two sons, who are soon recognized individually.

Haeger, a family of four.

Hofmann, Johann, a bachelor.

Heide, Peter, and perhaps a wife.

Holtzklau, a family of four.

Kemper, John, a bachelor.

Martin, Jost, a bachelor.

Richter, a family of three.

Spielmann, John, a bachelor.

Otterbach, Harman, a family of eight.

Weber, a family of five.

This is one more than can be allowed, if we keep to the forty-two, and J. J. Albrecht as one of them.

The male heads of these families are recognized in the Virginia records, with the exception of the Harman Otterbach.  This particular family has no record in Virginia, but the circumstantial evidence is excellent.  The family had several girls whose names fit the spouses of several of the bachelors.  The family disappears from the Church Records in Nassau-Siegen.  The family was related to individuals in the other families.  As a general rule, it was the case that several relationships can be developed among the families.

The evidence for the male heads is the best.  The evidence for any one of the other individuals is not as strong.  It may also be the case that not all of these people left Nassau-Siegen in 1713, and it may also be the case that some of them grew discouraged in London and returned.  The evidence for us is based on a combination of the German and Virginia records.
(05 Nov 04)