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Gc 975.5 Sch73h v.1 1136035
M.
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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HISTORY
OF
THE GERMAN ELEMENT IN VIRGINIA.
BY ·
HERRMANN SCHURICHT.
VOL. 1.
THEO. KROH & SONS, PRINTERS. BALTIMORE, MD
1898.
1136035
DEDICATION.
THIS work is dedicated to all German-Americans, who, with a loyal attachment to the land of their choice, combine a pious remembrance to the native land of their forefathers: those brave pioneers, who helped to develop the great resources of the New World and to make these United States of North America an abode of liberty and happiness. The history of Virginia - the mother of States - records many names of Germans who have acted their parts well in the work of civi- lization and deserve honorable recognition.
In particular this book is devoted to
The Society for the History of the Germans in Maryland, aiming to ascertain the merits of the German settlers, and to guard the same from oblivion.
Respectfully,
THE AUTHOR.
INTRODUCTION.
THE PARTICIPATION OF GERMANS IN THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA.
HE PROGRESS of civilization has been advanced by no other historical event more powerfully than by the re- discovery of the New World, and no other race has alike promoted European culture in America, than the Germanic. Among the Europeans of Germanic origin, who have participated in the gigantic work of civilization in America, the Germans have quietly and little noticed done their share.
Virginia-with the sole exception of the settlements of the Norse or Northmen in "Vinland,"-was the first scene of Germanic life in North America. The name " Vinland " the New England States derived from the discovery of the native grapevine by the German Dietrich Tyrker, from the Rhine, who as teacher and guardian, sailed in the year 1001 with the sons of Eric the Red from Greenland to the coast of the North American continent. The world is indebted for the knowledge of the Norse discovery to the German Rev. Adam von Bremen, born at Meissen in Saxony, and died in the year 1076. In his "History of the Church," he reports statements received from Swein, King of Denmark and others; and Ice- landic records and traditions confirm his narration and speak of Markland, Helluland and Vinland, which comprised the territory from Labrador to Massachusetts and part of Rhode Island. In the year 983 Red Eric (Erik Rauda) and Herjulf, compelled to fly from Iceland, sailed with a number of colonists to the distant coast of Greenland. Sailing around Cape Fare- well, through their efforts the southern extremity of the western coast of Greenland was speedily settled, as is proved by many runic inscriptions. In 986 Herjulf's son Bjarn or Bjarni discovered by accident the great American continent
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in the neighborhood of Boston and the news of his discovery reached Norway, where Eric's son Leif stayed at the court of King Olaf Tryggvason to acquire a scientific education. Hear- ing of the beautiful land situated in the southwest of the ocean, Leif resolved to sail in quest of it and returned to Greenland in company with his German teacher, Dietrich Tyrker, from the Rhine. He purchased Bjarn's ship, manned it with 35 sailors and reached first a snowy and rocky coast, which he named Helluland (rocky land.) Coasting the main- land for many miles he and his companions sighted a rich woodland which they termed Markland, and finally reached an island and the mouth of a large river which originated from a lake. There they wintered, and Dietrich Tyrker, the guardian of Leif, explored the country and discovered the native Grape-Vine. Accordingly, they called this part of the land Vinland .- Two years later Leif and his brother Thorstein or Thorvald undertook another expedition to Vinland. Leif founded a village, " Leifsbudir," and in the spring of 1003 a part of his followers sailed farther south and discovered a very rich country. Attacked by the native savages or Skrael- lingers, the expedition returned to Greenland in 1005; but in the year 1006 Torfin built in Vinland a town which he called ." Torfinsbudir," and Freydis a daughter of Red Eric, Halg, Finnbog and others importing colonists from Norway, the settlement prospered. In 1121 Bishop Erich inspected the colony-and for three centuries a commercial connection was kept up between Vinland, Greenland and Norway, until decay began. The hostility of the natives and "the black death," car- ried off most of the settlers, and finally with the unfortunate colonists all knowledge of Vinland died out. (Compare: "Der anregende Einfluss der Deutschen auf die Entdeckung der neuen Welt," von H. A. Rattermann, Seite 9 und 10,-Cincinnati, 1892 ; and Worthington's : "History of the United States.")-However, after the rediscovery of the Western Continent by Christopher Columbus in 1492, a permanent English settlement was effected as stated, in 1607 on Virginian soil; and although in some instances the old mother colony has been surpassed by later seats of European culture in America, its history presents a most interesting picture of the progress of civilization in the new world and the part the Germans have taken in it.
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Germany had reached the climax of its commercial power at the end of the middle ages. The Hanseatic Union reigned in the Northern seas, and the Kings of Scandinavia and Britain submitted to her superiority. But during the last decades of the fifteenth century symptoms of a rapid decline became apparent. England and the Netherlands made stren- uous efforts to compete in the commerce of the world : Par- ticularism began to loosen the ties upon which the strength and power of the Hanse rested, and finally grand events as the rediscovery of America by Christopher Columbus, and the maritime route opened to East India by Vasco de Gama, not only furnished Spain and Portugal with immense amounts of gold and silver, but changed the ancient routes of commerce and opened new markets. The Mediterranean Sea lost much of its importance, and Italy, called in Germany: "Das Haus im innern Hofe der Welt,"-ceased to be such. All the western European nations acquired transatlantic possessions, established colonies and enjoyed the benefit of the new Era, but the German Hanse and the Italian republics, - the masters of the seas, - did not participate, endeavoring in vain to force the world's traffic back in its old channels. The Hanseates were driven from the emporium; the wealth of the German nation suffered severely, and religious wars, massacres and persecutions inflicted upon their commerce and industry deep wounds. Mining in Germany proved less profitable after the capture of gold and silver by the Spaniards, followed by the discovery of many rich mines of precious metals in South America and Mexico, and finally the cruel "Thirty years' war, 1618-1648 " wholly destroyed the national welfare. Entire villages disappeared, cities were reduced to ruin, pestilence and famine swept away those who had escaped the sword, and culture and morality fled this terror without precedent. It is not surprising, that in the midst of their national calamity the German princes did not possess the means or even the inclination to organize the great mass of fugitives, that tried to regain happiness and peace on the other side of the ocean.
However, the great period of discoveries and the con- sequent migration of nations, did not commence unprepared or without German assistance. These important events were pre- luded in a fair way by pioneers and guides, and many of
10
them were of German origin. Even Columbus had his German advisers who assisted him in the rediscovery of the lost or forgotten part of the Globe. Of the numerous German thinkers and explorers, who are known to have helped in the great event, only one principal figure shall be mentioned.
Martin Behaim, born 1459 at Nuremberg, is frequently asserted to be the first rediscoverer of America, and he is undoubtedly entitled to great merit with regard to the dis- covery of the Western Hemisphere HIe undertook extended voyages, visited Venice and Antwerp, and was introduced in the year 1480 to King Alphons V, of Portugal. Fifty years before the most distant station in the West, the Azores or Western Islands, Fayal and Pico, had been settled by "Ger- man-Flandrian traders," a colony had been organized and rapidly enlarged. About 1490 it amounted to several thousand inhabitants. Martin Behaim visited these islands,. became acquainted with the Governor, the noble knight Jobst von Hurter, Seigneur of Mörkirchen, and married his daughter Johanna. He was a great cosmographer, mathematician and inventor of nautical instruments. He improved the old astro- labium to an instrument for measuring altitude, "the quad- rant." Behaim also took part in the exploring expeditions of the Portuguese Admiral Diego Cano along the western coast of Africa and was knighted in recognition of his meri- torious services. In the year 1492, after various voyages and having penetrated far into the unknown western seas, he returned to his native city in Germany, designed various maps and construed there the first globe of the earth : " Globus oder Erdapfel," which is preserved to this day in the German Museum at Nuremberg, as one of the most interesting relics and as a monument of German ingenuity. On his globe a cluster of islands: "Antilia" is marked, which represent America as it was known to him, and it is asserted that Portugal afterwards founded her claim on Brazil before the Papal tribunal of arbitration upon the statement, that Martin Behaim in the year 1483, when in the service of the Portuguese Crown, discovered the western continent. The chronicle of Nuremberg: "Nuremberger Weltchronik, of the year 1494," also says : "These two men, Behaim and Diego Cano, with the assistance of our Lord, reached the other part of the globe,
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having crossed the western ocean and the equinox, where facing the east the shadow fell southward and to their right. Therefore, they opened by their merit a new part of the earth which had been unknown." Giovanni Baptista Riccioli, an Italian historian, reports in his Geographiae et Hydrographiae Reformata, "Columbus received valuable information regarding his plans in the house of Martin Behaim." Furthermore, the Spanish historians, Herrera and Muñoz, and the Portuguese Barros state : " That Martin Behaim viewed Pernambuco and dis- covered Brazil previous to Columbus and Vespucci," and "Columbus would not have ventured on his voyage if Behaim had not given him the directions." To some degree these assertions are confirmed by Alexander von Humboldt, who never made a statement without good proof. He says : "Columbus probably knew Behaim at Lisabon, where both resided from 1480 to 1484." It is known also, that De Perestrello, the father-in-law of the great Genuese, called on the German explorer at Nuremberg in order, to get his opinion and advice regarding the probability of discovering a western route to India. The knowledge that Behaim possessed of a western continent, is also affirmed by the historical report, "That Magelbaens used a map drawn by the German geographer, when he sailed around Cape Horn."
These statements of the great deeds of a German explorer do not lessen the enormous merits of Christopher Columbus, for it remains his glory, to have opened the fabulous lands of the Far West to civilization. However ungrateful single men may be, the totality of mankind acknowledge and honor its benefactors, their grand services are preserved and bequeathed from generation to generation. Columbus experienced the ingratitude of his contemporaries, but in the heart of poster- ity his name is printed in golden letters, and like him all those are entitled to grateful recognition, who guided him on the path of glory.
Many more names and circumstances might be related to prove the intellectual part the Germans have taken in the rediscovery of the New World. German literary men like Nicholaus Kopernikus, (Kopernik) born at Frauenburg in Prussia, Georg Purbach or Peurbach, an Austrian, Johannes
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Regiomontanus, properly Johannes Mueller or Molitor, born at Koenigsberg in Franconia, and others, were celebrities of the highest rank in astronomy, mathematics and geography. They were predecessors of Behaim and Columbus, and have materially enlightened the knowledge of the world. " They not only are," says Lichtenberg, "the restorers of astronomic knowledge in Germany, but actually the founders of astron- omic science in Europe," and the French scholar Gassendi proclaims, that, "without Purbach or Regiomontanus probably no Columbus and Kopernikus would have arisen."
Germans afterwards took the lead in publishing the dis- coveries of Columbus and Vespucci. In the year 1506 under the nom de plume, " Martinus Hylacomilus," Martin Wald- seemueller or Waltzemueller, born at Freiburg in Baden, was the first to express in his Cosmographiae Introductio etc., the opinion, that Columbus had discovered a new continent; in 1515 Johannes Schoener at Nuremberg, published his map under the title, "De America, quarta orbis parte "; in 1508 Jobst Ruckhammers or Ruchamers, "Neue unbekanthe landte und eine newe weldte in kurtz vergangener zeythe erfunden," appeared at Nuremberg and this was the first book to give extensive reports about the then known discoveries. Jobst Ruchammer in his book published 1507 in Lubeck, also gave to the New World the name of " America," and the first map of the world which mentioned this name appeared in the " Cosmographie " of Petrus Apianus, that is, Peter Bienewitz, born 1495 at Leissnig, in Saxony.
Later on Spain, England, France, Holland and Sweden employed German intelligence, capital and labor to secure colonies in America and make them prosperous. Charles V, King of Spain and Emperor of Germany, borrowed eleven million florins of the German banker Welser, at Augsburg ; King Francis I, of France, received from the same firm two million florins, and the Kings of England, Henry VIII and Edward VII in 1546 and 1547 contracted large loans with the Augsburg Banking House. Welser himself bought Vene- zuela, which his family owned until 1558 and he commissioned Alfinger or Dalfinger, Federmann and Georg von Speyer, to
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explore the country along the Magdalen and Orinoco rivers. The governments of the forenamed kingdoms commissioned numerous agents to engage German colonists and artisans for their American provinces.
The Dutch government appointed the German Prince von Nassau-Siegen, governor of Brazil from 1624 to 1648, and Holland as well as Sweden entrusted the Germans, Peter Minnewit, of Wesel on the Rhine, 1626, and Johann Printz von Buchau of Holstein, 1643, with the occupation and administration of their colonies on the Hudson and Delaware rivers. Even among the first settlers in Virginia were several Germans and they helped materially to explore and cultivate the land and to establish moral and lawful life.
The political and social conditions of England before and during the middle ages were in a deplorable state, its com- merce and industry were dependent on foreign countries, principally the Hanseate Union and Italy. But during the reign of Edward III, in the first half of the 14th century, a greater activity is observable and in the 15th century domestic commercial associations struggled to take the imports and exports into their own hands. The first steps to organize a royal naval force were taken at the time of Henry VII in 1485 to 1509. Only five years after the first voyage of Colum- bus, the King enabled John Cabot and his son Sebastian to cross the ocean in order to make new discoveries in the interest of England and to find a northern route to India. These two courageous seamen descried the North American continent, the coasts of Labrador or Newfoundland, 14 months earlier than the famous Genuese, and they sailed in 1498 from Labrador to Virginia and to the Albemarle sound in North Carolina. But they failed to find a northern route to Asia and to bring back to England expected treasures of gold and silver. Nearly half a century elapsed before Martin Frobisher succeeded to repeat Cabot's plans. By the influence of Ambrose Dudley, Earl of Warwick, he obtained two small ships of Queen Elizabeth, sailed through unknown waters until he entered Baffin Bay in 1576. Here he heaped up a pile of stones and took possession of the country for the British Crown. Among other things which he collected he brought back a stone con-
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taining traces of gold. This fact soon became generally known and created a wild gold fever in England. The thirst for gold was the cause of two other naval expeditions under the com- mand of Frobisher, but after sustaining innumerable perils incident to arctic regions, the ships returned to England without the coveted result and the spirit of enterprise would have gone asleep, had not Francis Drake of Devonshire, during the war between England and Spain, 1577 to 1579, sailing through the straits of Magellan and coasting along the Pacific shore ran- sacked the Spanish colonies, Chili and Peru, and captured a Spanish vessel loaded with treasures.
Sir Walter Raleigh, a great favorite with Queen Elizabeth, obtained for his brother-in-law, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, the con- cession to form permanent settlements in the sub-tropical region of North America. Sir Humphrey sailed in the year 1583 to Newfoundland, which he reached on August 5th. He there erected the English arms and assigned certain lands to the fishermen of other nations agreeing to pay an annual ground rent. This was the first commercial treaty of the English in America.
In connection with this expedition the first information of German participation is preserved. The historian George Bancroft reports, that an expert miner who accompanied Sir Humphrey, was an honest and pious Saxon and very industrious. It was the general opinion, that the appearance of the moun- tains indicated mineral wealth and the Saxon asserted upon his life, that there was an abundance of silver ore. He gathered specimens and the precious ore was loaded on board of one of the ships, but it was wrecked and the Saxon with his cre and all her crew perished.
Sir Walter Raleigh himself was no more successful than his brother-in-law. He received of Queen Elizabeth a patent for an extended territory, lying between Florida and Canada, which in honor of his maiden Queen he called Virginia. Two ships, com- manded by experienced officers, sailed in April 1584 from London conveying one hundred and eighty colonists to the New World. Raleigh's first attempt to plant a colony, was on Roanoke Island in Palmico Sound, but the settlers proved incompetent, they made no effort to till the soil, but wasted their time hunting
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for gold. They believed that the Roanoke river had its head waters in the "golden rocks" of the fabulous Eldorado. Not realizing their expectations, they were disheartened and returned to England. Fifteen only consented to stay and await the arrival of fresh colonists, but of these daring adventurers nothing was afterwards heard. Those returning home had learned the use of tobacco and imported into the motherland the custom of " drinking tobacco," as it was called.
In the year 1587 Raleigh again sent out a fleet, but it was equally unsuccessful. Fortunately for the American interests English trading vessels sailed occasionally across the Atlantic, also visiting Virginia and returning with valuable cargo. The favorable results of these commercial expeditions kept alive the desire to colonize the coast of North America.
Finally James I, in 1606 divided his American country into two districts, nearly equal in extent, and granted to a company of wealthy London merchants a patent of the southern part, situated between the 34th and 40th degree northern latitude. This "London Company " had the foundation of a colony for its object and it sent out in 1607 an expedition under the com- mand of Christopher Newport, an experienced navigator. On the 26th day of April, 1607, they reached the Chesapeake Bay and at the mouth of a beautiful river, which they called the James in honor of the King, they laid the foundation of the first permanent English settlement at Jamestown in Virginia. This event is the starting point of the history of the mother colony of the United States of North America and at the same time of the part the Germans took in establishing American civilization.
Thus, after a period of one hundred and ten years after the time that Cabot discovered the North American continent, and after many misfortunes and disappointments, the Germanic element had planted the seedcorn from which was to grow the most glorious republic of the world. Whenever, at the present time, the name America is mentioned, we think little of the Latin race or the countrymen of Columbus, but of the Germanic immigration, that is the English and the Dutch, who, with the assistance of Germans, Scandinavians and others, gave to North America its truly Germanic character. In other words, we admire the growing empire of the world, the homestead of
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liberty, the United States of North America, as the standard bearer of civilization in the New World. Beside Virginia many other States have been organized in the Union as seats of modern culture, commerce and industry, art and science have developed, millions of men have found on the virgin soil of America new homesteads and enjoy the benefit of liberal institu- tions, which for the first time give to the old world an idea of true freedom. These are the blessings for which America and in fact all mankind are indebted to the Germanic pioneers in the New World.
PERIOD I.
The Colonial Time to the End of the 18th Century.
CHAPTER I.
THE SETTLEMENT OF TIDEWATER VIRGINIA.
N the history of German immigration to the English colonies of North America during the last century Vir- ginia takes a prominent share," says the late Vice-Gover: nor of Illinois, Gustav Koerner,1) and he might have dated this statement back to the earliest time of colonization.
The early immigration of Germans to. Virginia differs essentially, it must be admitted, from that under the lea- dership of Wm. Penn and Franz Pastorius to Pennsylvania, for unlike these it was not organized or compact. With the forenamed there came at once a large number of Germans to the New World, numerous additions followed and they kept together and founded German settlements which have preserved their national character to this day. But into Virginia the Germans immigrated singly, without a leader of their own nationality and without connection among themselves. Not until the beginning of the eighteenth century a German mass-immigration com- menced from North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the Fatherland. The first comers scattered during the first decades of the colony over all its various sections, and yet the influence of this immigration proved of the greatest value to the development of Virginia or "Attanough Komouch," the Indian name of the country.
1.) „Das deutsche Element in den Ver, Staaten von Nord-Amerika,“ von G. Koerner Seite 403. Cincinnati, Ohio, 1880.
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The civilization of all countries began with the tilling of the soil or agriculture, and this was the case too in the old mother colony. It is generally admitted, that no part of the United States possesses greater natural advantages for the pro- duction of cereals, vegetables and orchard fruit than the " Old Dominion !" Situated in the most favorable latitude of the temperate zone, with variety of soil and enormous mineral resources, richly watered and with the best harbors on the Atlantic coast, it was well qualified to become the starting point of English colonization. But already in selecting the locality of the first settlement, the English colonists were injudicious by choosing a low and unhealthy section.
Early in 1607 the London Company sent out Captain Christopher Newport, with three small ships, the Susan Con- stance, the Discoverer and the God-speed, coming with one hundred and five men to establish a colony. Before the departure from England a form of government was prepared and all power was vested in a body of seven councillors, whose names were: Edward Maria Wingfield, president, and Capt. John Smith, Christ. Newport, John Ratcliffe, John Martin, Bartholo- mew Gosnold and George Kendall. The original intention was to settle on Roanoke Island, but a storm drove the little fleet into the Chesapeake Bay and it sailed up the " Powhatan River " to which the adventurers gave the name of "James." Upon its banks, about fifty miles from its mouth, they established the settlement "Jamestown." Unfortunately most of the settlers were English noblemen and adventurers, not fond of work and even despising it, and therefore, they were but little qualified to do the hard labors of pioneers. " Vagabond gentlemen " as they are called in some American histories for schools,2 & 3) they had no families and came in search of wealth, expecting when rich to return to England and to commence anew a life of dissipation. They imported into America nothing but their prejudice and faults, and even President Wingfield soon showed himself a heartless scoundrel. Not much good could be expected of such elements for the new colony.
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