*[Ich liebe dich.]
When I first examined the question of who the members of the Second Colony might be, I thought that the dates of the Land Patents might help. I came to the conclusion that those with the earliest dates were confirmed in other ways and so having an early Land Patent date was not strong evidence. It tends to confirm. Let’s go through some of the earliest ones.
Cyriacus Fleshman 1726. He was on the Headright List and was sued. John Motz & John Harnsberger. Both of these in their Headright Application said they came in 1717. Henry Snyder 1726. He said he came in 1717 in his Headright Application, he was on the Headright List of A.S. (Alexander Spotswood), and he was sued. Nicholas Blankenbaker 1726. He was on A.S. Headright List and was sued. John and Michael Thomas 1726. These boys are a special case and their uncles and step-grandfather probably filed on their behalf. I would not take their 1726 Patent date as evidence of coming in 1717. John Broyles 1726. He was sued by A.S. and said he came in 1717 on his own application.
Michael Holt 1726. Sued by A.S. William Zimmerman (aka Carpenter) had land in 1726. He said he came in 1721 when he applied for his Headright. If he had paid his own way, he could have sought land at any time after he came. This is an example where a Patent in 1726 does not prove Second Colony membership (see the Thomases above). Michael Clore 1726. He was sued and was on the A.S. Headright List. Michael Smith 1726. He was not on A.S. Headright List, nor was he sued, nor did he apply for a Headright on his own. Michael Smith left Germany in 1717 and we are inclined to count him as a Second Colony member, especially because he did get land in 1726. In this case we are inclined to count the Land Patent of 1726 as favorable evidence, especially in conjunction with the departure date.
George Moyer 1726. He was sued by Spotswood and we believe he was a Second Colony member. George Utz 1726. He was on A.S. Headright List and was sued by A.S. Michael Kaefer 1726. He was on A.S. Headright List and was sued. Michael Cook and Jacob Crigler 1726. Cook was on A.S. Headright List, was sued and applied for a Headright, saying he came in 1717. Jacob Crigler was sued by A.S. Matthew Smith and Matthew Barlow 1726. Matthew Smith’s claim to Second Colony membership rests on his own Headright Application where he said he came in 1717. Matthew Barlow is believed to be the son of Christopher Barlow. Christopher Barlow said he came in 1717 on his Headright Application, but he did not mention Matthew Barlow. Matthew Blankenbaker 1726. He was on A.S. Headright List and was sued.
There are a few more names for the next Note. More desirably, I need to make a table.
*[I love you.]
(20 Feb 07)
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.