Stoever, Smith, and Holt went from London, via Holland, to the German states along the Baltic Sea. Why they chose this area for their fund raising is not clear but most likely they hoped to take advantage of the heavy concentration of Lutheran churches there. As they proceeded, entries were made in a book of the amount donated, the wishes of the donor, and the signature of the donor. (This book has been preserved except for the first four pages which were cut out.)
The trip was going well and Rev. Stoever decided that the church could afford a second preacher. In any case there would certainly be a position for a Lutheran minister in the Colonies. Some have said that his intended purposes for a second preacher was to conduct school and to be a missionary to the Indians and the slaves but these points are not certified. Stoever did find a young man who had completed his studies and was willing to be ordained and serve as a minister in the Colonies.
Some people have written that Michael Holt had been responsible for the hiring of this young man whose name was George Samuel Klug. It is clear that was friction between Stoever and Holt, but it was not because of the hiring of Klug, which was done at instigation of Stoever. Stoever gave Klug some money and sent him on his way to London and the Colonies. Klug, though, stayed in London for a long time, perhaps to learn the English language. He applied for a vacant post of a pastor at one of the churches in London but did not get the job. Eventually, he went on to Virginia where he probably arrived in late 1738 or early 1739 but the exact date is unknown. When Holt arrived home is unknown but it must have been before Klug arrived.
Stoever took some time to further his theological education. Smith remained also in Germany and presumably he went to Gemmingen, his former home. During this time he would have been telling the Germans what Virginia was like. It seems that a few Germans returned with Smith when he and Stoever left late in 1738.
On the way home, at sea, Stoever died. He wrote his will which was filed for probate at Philadelphia. John Caspar Stoever, Sr., thought that John Caspar Stoever, Jr., would take his place in Virginia. Stoever, Sr., perhaps had heard about Klug’s attempt to find a position in London and had become disillusioned about Klug’s commitment to the job of preaching in the Robinson River Valley to a bunch of poor Germans.
When Smith returned to the Robinson River Valley, his news resulted in Klug’s being appointed as the pastor of the church there. The church elders carefully checked the money that Smith brought back and laid their plans for the future. They did write a letter of thanks to their benefactors in Germany.
(10 Mar 06)
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.