GERMANNA_COLONIES-L Archives

From: John Blankenbaker <>
Subject: (174)Germanna Colonies, History of
Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 13:49:41 -0400

The one hundred and seventy-fourth note in a series on the Germanna Colonies

There has been considerable misinformation published about the Germanna
Colonies. Trying to improve the record is a major job, especially when
people and organizations who should know better put forth erroneous and
misleading statements. I am continuing with corrections that should be made
to one recently published article.

In one part, the statement is made that the First Colony moved away from
Germanna during 1716-17. Later the statement is made, in the same article,
that the First Colony moved away from Germanna in 1721 which is about a
five-year difference. Actually neither date is correct but the average is
very close. Very probably they moved in January of 1719 by the new style
calendar. Excellent arguments can be made for this specific month.

The author implied that Jacob Holtzclaw and John Hoffman took up land via
the patent process in the Robinson River Valley. Jacob Holtzclaw did not as
his September 27, 1728 patent was in the Little Fork region. And the year
was 1729, not 1728. John Hoffman did take up land in the Robinson River
Valley. He also found his second wife there and it is not clear whether the
wife or the land came first.

Among the people mentioned as taking up land in the 1726 patents, the name
Tomer is said to be Tanner. This is an error as the name was really Thomas.
No land in the Robinson River Valley has found for George Woodruff. Some of
the other names mentioned as patentees in the Robinson River area are dubious.

The article is generally concerned with the Second Colony but it fails to
note that not all members of the Second Colony went to the Robinson River
Valley. There was a settlement on the southeast side of Mount Pony.

An out migration to Boone Co., Kentucky is mentioned with the dates implying
that the years were the 1730's and the 1740's. This migration did not take
place until about 1810. A migration to Kentucky before 1750 would have beat
the first explorers by 30 years.

to be continued
John Blankenbaker
Beyond Germanna
PO Box 120
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
http://www.wp.com/germanna/
http://www.concentric.net/~sgtgeorg/germhist.shtm

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