April 7, 2026: Germans in Colonial Virginia

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Germans have explored and settled in colonial Virginia since the early 1600s. Johannes Fleischer, a botanist from Breslau, landed in Jamestown with the British in 1607. His goal was to explore the area for medicinal plants that might be sold to the benefit of the Virginia Company of London. In addition, he served as a physician to the early Jamestown settlers. He is reported to have died there in the summer of 1608.

In October of 1608, the Mary and Margaret arrived with approximately 70 new settlers, among them a number of Germans. Wilhelm Waldi (anglicized William Volday) was a Swiss German mineral prospector, who accompanied Captain Newport up the James River in search of silver and other precious metals. He was one of the many settlers who died during the Starving Time in 1609-1610.

Other passengers on the Mary and Margaret included three carpenters, known only by the names Adam, Franz and Samuel, as well as several unnamed German glassmakers. The carpenters were tasked with building a house for Chief Powhatan. Eventually they were killed by members of his tribe. The glassmakers set up a kiln about a mile from the Jamestown settlement, in an area close to a forest where they would have ample fuel to fire their kiln. They were successful in producing a few trial pieces that were sent back to England in December of 1608, but the glassworks never prospered. These men also fell victim to the Starving Time.

Johann Lederer deserves mention here as an early explorer of Virginia. At the invitation of William Berkeley, governor of Virginia at the time, he made three separate journeys of exploration into the western part of the state between 1669 and 1670. He left Virginia under questionable circumstances and applied for naturalization in Maryland in 1671. In 1672, he published his expedition notes, as well as detailed maps that were more accurate than any previous ones, and identified many Native American tribes and villages.

In 1620, a group of Germans were brought from Hamburg, specifically to build and operate some of the first sawmills in North America. The objective was to produce timber for export. Sadly, the names of these sawmill operators are not known. Likewise, in 1653, a small number of Germans came from Heidelberg to start a viticulture business in the colony. The names of these wine growers have also not been preserved. Both of these groups were characterized as a small number of laborers, rather than families, brought to the colony for a specific economic venture.

In contrast, the first Germanna settlement of 1714 consisted of a group of 12 families, about 42 people in all, who brought with them their own minister, a Reformed pastor named Henry Häger. The men in this group were ironworkers, specifically recruited by Governor Spotswood to start iron and silver mining operations. These settlers were indentured for a period of four years, and initially lived in a palisaded fort at the falls of the Rappahannock River. During this period, Spotswood exempted them from paying public levies, and granted them hunting rights on unpatented land around the fort for their subsistence. The iron furnaces were established and running by 1718, but abandoned again by 1732. In 1718, when this group had served their indentures, they moved to Stafford County (now Fauquier) to create a permanent settlement at Licking Run. Three of the men had been naturalized and thus were able to purchase 1805 acres for the new settlement. The land was divided into 20 equal plots, one for each family, plus one for a future church and schoolhouse; the land was leased to the settlers for 99 years, with options to renew. For a complete list of the names of the families from the Siegen area of Germany, see the Germanna website.

The 1714 Germanna settlers came voluntarily, but in 1717, another group of would-be colonists came under very different circumstances. This group of 20 families, about 80 people in all, came from the Kraichgau area of Württemberg. They made arrangements with a ship’s captain to transport them to Philadelphia. After a series of delays and misfortunes, the ship’s captain diverted instead to Virginia, and sold their indentures to Governor Spotswood. Instead of four-year indentures like the 1714 immigrants were granted, this group was forced to serve for seven years to satisfy their passage debts. These Germans were employed on Spotswood’s estate, some as servants, others in agriculture, but all under harsh conditions. Between 1723 and 1725, Spotswood sued numerous of the Germans to enforce his indentures and keep them from leaving. In 1725, this group also left and established their settlement in the Robinson River Valley (Madison County). Unlike the 1714 German settlers, this group of Lutherans did not bring their own minister with them. Once settled in their new location, they sent a representative to Europe to collect funds to build a church and school, and hopefully attract a minister as well. The names and towns of origin for the settlers from the Kraichgau area can also be found at the Germanna website.

The permanent settlement of these two immigrant groups created the opportunity for chain migration of others from their home regions. These new immigrants in the 1720s and 1730s had direct familial and religious ties to the Virginia settlers. These groups intermarried and established further settlements, such as Little Fork near the northern branch of the Rappahannock River. The Germanna website lists the names and towns of origin for many of these settlers as well.

The next phase of German immigration to Virginia occurred mostly from Pennsylvania, not direct migration from Germany. The reason for this is essentially economic – by the 1730’s, much of the available land in Pennsylvania had already been purchased as far as the Alleghanies. Treaties with the Native Americans forbid selling land further west. Land prices rose accordingly in Pennsylvania. As the Germans finished serving their indentures, and as their families grew, they looked for land elsewhere that could be purchased more cheaply. And that led them down the Great Wagon road into the Shenandoah Valley. Most of these emigrants came from Northampton, Berks, Lancaster and York counties in Pennsylvania. Initially, these Germans settled in Frederick, Shenandoah, Page, and Rockingham counties. Scots Irish immigrants (also many from Pennsylvania) settled mainly in Augusta and Rockbridge counties, although Germans could be found there as well. Eventually, both groups of immigrants ventured further south into Botetourt, Craig, Montgomery, Pulaski, Roanoke, and Wythe counties.

Adam Müller was the first German settler in the Valley of Virginia. He had emigrated to America in 1724, and initially settled in Lancaster County. In 1727, he moved to Hawksbill Creek in Page County with a few family members. This was a relatively isolated settlement. Müller was naturalized in 1742 by Governor Gooch. When he died in 1783, Müller owned more than 1300 acres.

A few years after Müller’s arrival, another German immigrant came to the Shenandoah valley, initially with 16 other families from Pennsylvania. This man was Jost Hite, originally from Bonfeld in Württemberg. He was among the Palatines who were sent to New York in 1710. From there he moved to Pennsylvania in 1714, and by 1731, had managed to amass enough money to purchase 40,000 acres near the present city of Winchester, on the Opequon Creek. He secured the rights to 100,000 acres from Johan and Isaac Van Meter, with the requirement of settling one family per 1000 acres. Similar to what happened to the Germans in New York when land speculators from Albany claimed title to land they thought they owned, here in Virginia Lord Fairfax claimed that this land was part of his Northern Neck Proprietary. In 1749, Hite sued Fairfax, and the legal case dragged on for years before it was finally settled in favor of Hite’s heirs in 1786. Both Lord Fairfax and Jost Hite died before the case was resolved. The surviving court documents mention many of the settlers that Hite brought to this disputed land.

One of the great challenges in tracking German ancestors from the Shenandoah Valley is the many surname changes that occurred over time. These can be viewed in several ways:

  • Phonetic spelling – even Germans in records from their place of origin may have spelled a surname differently over time. In America, with their accents and various dialects, the surnames may have been difficult to understand, and so clerks would write what they heard. Müller became Miller, Huber became Hoover, Bauer became Bower, and so on.
  • Direct translation – some names were translated directly into their English equivalents, so Zimmermann became Carpenter, Fassbinder became Cooper.
  • Spelling to preserve pronunciation – examples here include Zug to Zook, Bruckner to Brookner, and Fuss to Foos.

For more information about the types of surname changes that could occur, refer to “Types of German Surname Changes in America,” by Jürgen Eichoff, in  A Journal of German-American History, Vol. 43, 1996, pp. 23-35.

Religion was important to the Germans in the Shenandoah Valley, Like in Pennsylvania, they settled and worshipped in their various sects – Lutheran, Reformed, Dunkers, Mennonites, and United Brethren. Moravians were mostly shunned in Virginia because of false rumors that were spread by a Lutheran Reverend Krug. Few of the early parishes had regular ministers, even into the 1760s for some, and so church services were conducted by laymen or visiting preachers. The services were conducted in German into the 1800s; classroom education, when available, was also given in German.

Although Pennsylvania was founded on religious freedom, Virginia was firmly an Anglican colony. All Virginia residents were required to pay tithes to the local Anglican parish, regardless of faith. Only Anglican ministers could legally perform and record marriages. This naturally caused some friction among the new German residents. They used the marriage bond system, or posting of banns for three consecutive weeks, to circumvent some of the Anglican strictures.

Many of the German church records have been transcribed and published. Here is a partial list for further research:

  • “Extant German Church Records from Virginia and West Virginia,” by Peggy Joyner, 1982
  • Hebron Church Register, 1750-1825, Madison, Virginia, Vols. 1,2, by George M. Smith
  • History of the Hebron Church, Madison County, Virginia, from 1717-1907, by Rev. W. P. Huddle (includes Germanna 1717 history)
  • Lutheran Zion-Pine Church Record 1786-1827, Stony Creek, Virginia, Vols 1-2, by Klaus Wust
  • Reformed Zion-Pine Church Record 1788-1827, Stony Creek, Virginia, by Klaus Wust
  • Old Pine Church Baptisms 1783-1828, Mill Creek, Virginia, by Klaus Wust
  • Davidsburg Church Baptisms 1785-1845, New Market, Virginia, by Klaus Wust
  • Solomon Church Baptisms 1793-1850, Forestville, Virginia, by Klaus Wust
  • The Record of Hawksbill Church, 1788-1850, Page County, VA, by Klaus Wust

Germans in the Shenandoah Valley were greatly affected by the French and Indian War. Many families were killed and their homes and livestock destroyed. More than 20,000 people were forced to flee. In the face of such devastation, Germans took up arms and helped fight along the frontier. Many of these same men took up arms once again in the war for independence. When the Virginia Convention authorized recruitment for seven additional regiments in 1776, many had German officers and soldiers.

Peter Muhlenberg, son of Henry Muhlenberg, the Lutheran minister from Pennsylvania, was the minister of a Lutheran church in Woodstock at the time. He preached his last sermon there in January of 1776, and at the end of the sermon, took off his clerical robes to reveal a soldier’s uniform underneath. He was able to recruit 300 volunteers from his parish for the 8th Regiment. This regiment fought at the Battles of Sullivan’s Island, Brandywine, Germantown, and Monmouth. Germans in these and other units fought bravely throughout the Revolution.

Like in Pennsylvania, however, the pacifist sects served in other ways, such as bringing provisions for the soldiers, and guarding prisoners that were brought to the Valley. In particular, Hessian prisoners were brought here because the local residents understood their language. It was hoped that they could persuade the Hessians to desert the British cause. Some Hessians were hired out to local farmers during this time.

Some German soldiers served in a very special way, by being part of George Washington’s Life Guard, also called the Independent Troop of Horse. After assassination attempts and kidnapping plots against him in 1778, Washington created this select group as a personal protection detail. Major Bartholomew von Heer commanded 14 officers and 53 men, who were recruited from Berks and Lancaster Counties in Pennsylvania, and from the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. It was felt that these pro-independence Germans would be less likely to succumb to British bribery. Washington valued these men for their trust, uncompromising loyalty, and disciplined character, and even used some of them for intelligence gathering.

If your ancestors are among the Germans from the Shenandoah Valley, there are many opportunities for for further research. Here are some of many possibilities.

Key Archival Resources for Virginia-German GenealogyPrimary Record Types Available for Researchers
Library of Virginia (LVA)County Order Books, Chancery Court files (Hite v. Fairfax), Digitized Hebron Church Ledgers, State Militia claims
National Archives (NARA)Revolutionary War Pension Files (*S, *W, BLW), Post-1820 Passenger Arrival Manifests
Historic Germanna FoundationCompiled genealogies of the 1714/1717 colonies, property deeds, Y-DNA descendant tracking databases
Local County CourthousesRoad Orders (tithable lists), Marriage Bonds, Wills, Estate Appraisals, Naturalization Oaths
Historical Societies (e.g., Harrisonburg-Rockingham)Cemetery transcriptions (e.g., Peaked Mountain Cemetery), local family histories, translated German diaries

Sources for Germanna research:

  • The Germanna Foundation
  • Boone County KY Germanna
  • Germanna Second Colony
  • Germanna Research Group
  • Germanna History Notes, by John Blankenbaker
  • Hebron Lutheran Church
  • “The 1714 Colony of Germanna, Virginia,” by William J. Hinke, The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Oct. 1932, Vol. 40, No. 4, pp. 317-327; Vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 41-49
  • “The First German Reformed Colony in Virginia: 1714-1750,” by William J. Hinke, Journal of the Presbyterian Historical Society (1901-1930), June 1903, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 1-17; Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 98-110; Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 140-150
  • “The German Colony of 1717,” by Arthur Lesie Keith, The William and Mary Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 26, No. 2, pp. 79-95; Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 178-195; Vol. 26, No. 4, pp. 234-249

Books about Germans in Virginia:

Journal articles for further reading. These are all accessible from JSTOR. If you have a library card for the Library of Virginia, these can all be accessed from there.

  • “Naturalizations and Denizations in Colonial Virginia,” by Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck, NGSQ, June 1985, Vol. 73, Issue 2, pp. 109-116
  • “The Settlement of the Valley,” by Charles Kemper, The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography [VMHB}, Apr. 1922, Vol. 30, No. 2, pp. 169-182
  • “Private Dwellings, Public Ways, and the Landscape of Early Rural Capitalism in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley,” by Warren R. Hofstra, Perspectives in Vernacular Architecture, 1995, Vol. 5, pp. 211-224
  • “Pennsylvania as a Distributing Center of Population,” by Wayland Fuller Dunaway, The PA Magazine of History and Biography, 1931, Vol. 55, No. 2, pp. 134-169
  • “Moravian Diaries of Travels through Virginia,” by William J. Hinke and Charles E. Kemper, VMHB, April 1904, Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 370-393
  • “The Religious Development of the Early German Settlers in “Greater Pennsylvania”: The Shenandoah Valley of Virginia”, by John B. Frantz, Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies, Winter 2001, Vol. 68, No. 1, pp. 66-100
  • “German Church Records of the Shenandoah Valley as a Genealogical Source,” by Frances Coleman Rosenberger, VMHB, April 1958, Vol. 66, No. 2, pp. 195-200
  • “Germans in Madison County VA,” by Wm. J. Hinke, VMBH, Vol. 14, No. 2, Oct. 1906, pp. 136-170

Some websites to explore:

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