The German Lutheran congregation, which was formed around the group who came in 1717, was of the opinion that a Pastor would be sent to them when they informed the Pastors in London that they were ready. They wrote to Rev. Georg Andreas Ruperti, Pastor at St. Mary's, and to Friedrich Michael Ziegenhagen, Court Chaplain at St. James Palace. In the spring of 1724, two members of the congregation decided to travel to London to fetch the Pastor they apparently expected to be waiting there.
They made known their intentions 4 March 1724(NS), where it is recorded in the Spotsylvania Will Book A on page 65 :
"Cyriacus Fleishman and Michael Coock put up their names to signifie their intentions for going to England this March Court." There was a delay before anyone went to London; perhaps the delay was due to the lawsuits going on between Alexander Spotswood and several members of the Colony of 1717.
When the Germans petitioned in April of 1724 to the House of Burgesses for help in the lawsuits, they made the point:
"Wee design to go to England and from thence to Germany, to bring in a Minister for us high Germans who are here, do humbly ask if it proper to desire the governour to give us an attestation & passport to witness that we are the inhabitants here; the Burgesses from Spotsylvania know that we are by the rest of the Countrymen sent in that behalf. We who are to go out our names are Michial Coock and Zerachus Flishman."
Eventually, two deputies did make the trip, arriving in the last week of summer in 1726. They stayed several months. On December 9, Rev. Ziegenhagen wrote a letter to Francke in Halle, confirming that the two deputies were still in town. He wrote:
"The present Virginian deputies are waiting longingly for an answer if there is hope that they shall get a preacher. I doubt not that your Honor received my last two letters I wrote concerning this matter. Should it not be [possible?] now to find a subject for this purpose, it will be best that these deputies return home with the first departing ships and not cause further costs because of their maintenance. I therefore ask Your Honor to let me know Your opinion through someone [...], London, the 9th December, 1726."
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.