SW_VA-L Archives

From: Al & Roxie McCoy <>
Subject: Germans on New River
Date: Mon, 10 Jul 2000 16:22:50 -0500 (CDT)

From the Book "A German New River Settlement by Ulysses S.A. Heavener"
According to Missionary Schnelll's Diary, as reported in the Williams and
Mary AMagazine, there were three German Settlements in the Valleyof
Virginia. These were Massanutten, Cedar Creek and New River. However,
there was one at Peaked Mountain evidently named for the peaked form at the
end of the Massanutten Mountain, and where one only has to see this mountain
in order to realize why so called, and is on the Shanandoah River near
Elkton of Rockingham County. Here aunion church was built in the seventeen
and fifties by the Lutherans and German Reformed people. This church is
mentioned in the will of one Jacob Harman in 1763, it receiving from him a
legacy of land. The second church on this site erected in 1804 still stands
and is in use. (The book was written in 1929).
It was from this place that the Prices and others went to New River. Here
Martin, the eldest son of Johan Philip Harless visited in 1769, as the
church records show that a daughter of his was baptized."
A partial list of baptism are also given in the book, along with a chapter on
Church relations - First land Patents and , First families , a List of Early
marriages,
The first chapter talks about the First Settlement Beyond the Alleghanies.
"The catholicity and tolerance of these earlier German Christians are
further shown by the love and joy manifested in receiving the MORAVIAN
Missioners and the real Christian spirit was later shown in their attitude
toward other Christianb bodis or denominations that came into that section.
Methodist and others had regular preaching appointments in Old St. Peters
Lutheran Church, and this too when it meant necessarily a division in the
organized forces of the General Church and depleted fund in the St. Peter's
treasury. One certainly cannot call them Narrow.
Such is the background and incidental facts and beginnings of the Christian
Community of the New River SEttlement. The sirst sermon ever known to have
been preached in that Settlement.was by the Rev. Mr. Schnell, on Nov. 20th
1749 and at the home of Jacob Harman in the Horse-shoe" (area of land)
There is just to much good stuff to relate from this book-borrow it through
your local library. It is a wealth of information.
The Rev. Schnell ( like the Moravians)did not believe in early baptism of
infants, but in the visit in 1749 the pleas for baptisms were so urgent as
to change his mind
on the subject and in 1751 he became a Lutheran minister and was settled
over two Lutheran congregations in Pa. (Va. His. and Magazine Vol. 12 and
foot notes)
Roxie - Forever searching the Harless's

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• Germans on New River by Al & Roxie McCoy <>