John Blankenbaker's Germanna History Notes
Note 2451
*[Die Tassen stehen im Schrank.]
It was a long time ago that these Notes started but many readers are discovering them for the first time. Sgt. George and I get a stream of emails from people who take time to express their appreciation. For the newbies and even the old timers, I take time out at the beginning of the half centuries to say a little about the aims of these Notes.
We deal with the Germanna Colonists of 1714 and 1717 who came directly to Virginia. There were additions for several decades to these core groups but they mostly came through Pennsylvania and moved down to Virginia. The earliest of these Germans lived in Fort Germanna, or near by, a few miles outside the fort. The fort itself, originally built for protection from the Indians, proved to be redundant and was intentinally destroyed about 1720. The site continued to be called Germanna and was distinguishable as a community past the time of the Revolution. (The site is halfway between Culpeper and Fredericksburg on state route 3 where it crosses the Rapidan River.)
The name Germanna became a symbol of all of the Germans who settled on the east side of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the modern counties of Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, and Rappahannock, and the counties from which they were derived. It is true that less than half of the Germans who settled in this Piedmont region lived at or near Germanna, but Germanna became their symbol. It was here that the first group, called the First Colony, lived.
Germanna itself is distinguished today by several features. First, it is the Locust Grove site of the Germanna Community College. Second, it is location of the Visitor’s Center of the Germanna Foundation. Thirdly, not so obvious, there are the ruins of Lt. Gov. Spotswood’s home, which was built over the site of Fort Germanna.
The identities of these Germans are better known than for the average German immigrant. Their histories have been carried back to Germany for most of the people. Collectively, the descendants today recognize what they owe to these early pioneers through their association in the Germanna Foundation. Progress in research is best made through cooperation. The list of which these notes are a small part serves as one means of communication. I have undertaken here in the notes to write about general and specific points that will help to maintain interest in the list.
*[The cups are in the cupboard.] (Literally: The cups are standing in the cupboard.)
(30 Jan 07)