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Archiver > GERMANNA_COLONIES > 1998-02 > 0886321094


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Subject: More of FISHBACK FAMILY IN AMERICA
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 1998 03:18:14 EST


Historical Sketch, continued:

It will be noticed that in the above record the name of the village in
Germany from whence it is stated the Fishback family came is spelled Truback
and not Truppbach, as the record from the Siegen church and the map shows it
should be spelled. The German language was spoken in the household of John
Peter Kemper until Rev. James Kemper, the elder brother of Charles, was about
12 years old, that is until about 1766, but James Kemper states he had almost
entirely forgotten it by 1815.

The early English writings of Charles Kemper show the German idioms
cropping out, but no doubt by 1786 his German had largely disappeared and
Truback is a very fair attempt at anglicizing Truppbach. There is no reason
to case any reflections on the statements in the foregoing entry in the Bible,
because of the difference in the spelling of the name of this village.

Now let us turn to Germany, and see if we can identify our family on that
side of the ocean. The writer has in his possession a letter from the
Treasurer of the German Reformed Church at Siegen over his signature, and
attested by the seal of the church, which contains extracts from the records
of the church certified to be as follows:

"John Fischback, b. 12 July, 1691.
Father - Philip Fischbach
Mother - Elizabeth, born Heimbach
Philip Fischbach born in March, 1661
Father of Philip Fischbach was Johannes Fischbach.
Johannes Fischbach born 23rd November, 1631."

The records show that this family was "of the Village of Truppbach."

The letter states that there is no record of the marriage or death of John
Fischbach in the church records. The letter of the treasurer is entirely in
German, but it has been thought best to translate the extracts given above.
It will be noticed in the genealogy that one of the sons of the emigrant by
his second marriage was named Philip.

In the absence of a positive statement, the writer thinks that the
identification of the John Fishback of Germanna and Germantown, VA, with the
John Fischbach of Truppbach is as complete as it can possibly be made. It
will later be seen that we have positive contemporaneous statements that this
Germantown colony came from Siegen, or its vicinity.

The foregoing information from the records of the Siegen church was sent
the writer in the fall of the year 1900, and was obtained by the treasurer of
the church after a long and very laborious search of its early records. These
records are not indexed, and although the text is German, the wording is half
German and half church Latin, and after two hundred years and more is
impossible to be read by one not familiar with it, as the writer can attest,
and only decipherable by one long accustomed to its form.

Now where are Siegen and Truppbach, and what do we know about them?

The county of Nassau-Siegen, which dates back to the 13th century, was SE
of Cologne. It belonged to the family of Nassau-Dillenberg -- one of whose
members about the middle of the 16th century by intermarriage with the heiress
of orange in France became entitled to be called Prince of Orange. The name
of "William (of Nassau) the Silent, Prince of Orange" was born April 16, 1533,
will be remembered and honored as long as we have civil and religious liberty.
The rulers of Nassau-Siegen were among the first fruits of the Reformation;
but the country was on the border line between Protestantism and Catholicism,
always remained partly Catholic, and occasionally a ruler was a Catholic --
and then cruel persecutions were inflicted upon their Protestant subjects,
which did not cease even with the treaty of Westphalia in 1649.

This kept the people divided and unsettled, and the condition continued long
after John Fishback and the other mbmers of the colony started for America,
and as late as 1742, when the county passed into the hands of William IV of
Orange.

Siegen was the chief town of the county. It was formerly a walled town,
and grew up around an old castle, one of the principal residences of the
counts of Nassau. The old building still exists, and stands on a hill, high
above the modern town, and with its solid walls must have been almost
impregnable before heavy artillery was invented. (Note: A view of Siegen,
showing the castle, is illustrated here.)

The modern city has spread in all directions from the base of the hill. It
contains at the present time about 25,000 people and is a busy thriving place.
It is situated on the river Sieg about 60 miles SE od Cologne, a little east
of the direct line between Cologne and Frankfort, and not quite half way to
Frankfort. It is a little off the main railroad route from C to F, but
through trains run from Cologne to Siegen, making the distance in about an
hour and a half.

(To be continued. D. Ross)

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