According to Johni Cerny and Gary J. Zimmerman, authors of Before Germanna, there have been few unanswered questions about the First Germanna Colony in the New World. However, at least in 1990 when this book first came out, surprising little was know about the Second Germanna Colony. This second colony faced hardships and misfortune from the beginning. The two groups were different in many ways and despite all being recognized as Germans there appears to have been few social interactions.
“The exact location of the Second Colony’s residence in Spotsyvania County, Virginia is uncertain…Historians have placed the First Colony’s residence near the present-day [Germmana Community] college and the Second Colony’s residence elsewhere. Few inter-marriages took place between members of the two colonies during Germanna’s early years. The First Colony was composed of members of the Reformed faith, while Second Colony families were strict adherents to the Evangelical Lutheran religion. Thus, religious differences could account for the two groups not marrying. ”
Previous works regarding the Second colony were presumptive and “hopeful” but lacked definitive source materials. Using German parish records has allowed the authors of this book to reconstruct a more definitive view of the Second Germanna Colony of 1717.
“Each of the Second Colony families is treated separately in Before Germanna, a series of monographs discussing individual and groups of Second Colony families.” Volume 7 is entitled Before Germanna No. 7 – The Ancestry Of The Aylor, Castler, Manspiel, And Reiner Families. While the families listed on the cover are the center piece of the book, there are many surnames mentioned in this volume. Here is a compiled list of surnames from the index:
- Abendschon
- Adkins
- Aff
- Aler
- Amberger
- Apf
- Aylor
- Ballenger
- Barler
- Baumgartner
- Bauwmann
- Beck
- Beckh
- Bekh
- Berger
- Berntzel
- Bayerbach
- Beyerbach
- Binder
- Blakenbeeker (see also: Blanckenbühler, Blankenbaker, Blankenbuchner, Blakenbucker)
- Blankenbeeker
- Blanckenbühler
- Blankenbaker
- Blankenbucher
- Blankenbuchner
- Blankenbucker
- Bochberle
- Bomgardener
- Breuel
- Broil
- Broyl
- Broyle
- Broyles
- Bryell
- Buhler
- Burckhart
- Busch
- Carpenter
- Castler
- Chively
- Christle
- Christler
- Cloar
- Clore
- Contz
- Cook
- Crees
- Crigler
- Delph
- Dieter
- Donn
- Dortzbach
- Eckard
- Egelin
- Engelhardt
- Entzberger
- Epplin
- Faber
- Fauser
- Feyerabend
- Fleicshmann
- Fleshman
- Floschman
- Gare
- Garr
- Gerber
- Gesler
- Gessler
- Geyer
- Grays
- Greys
- Gscheid
- Haackh
- Hagenbucher
- Hance
- Hanitz
- Harnsberger
- Harpprecht
- Hartmann
- Haslacher
- Haug
- Hauser
- Heiderer
- Hengsteler
- Hirn
- Hockstetter
- Hold
- Holt
- Holtzclaw
- Hornberger
- Jäger
- Jaisle
- Jaislin
- Jesslein
- Jesslin
- Johannes
- Jösle
- Kabler
- Kachel
- Käfer
- Kaifer
- Kaiffer
- Kaitzmann
- Kappler
- Kefer
- Keller
- Kerckler
- Kerker
- Klaar
- Kleinsorgen
- Klosinger
- Klug
- Kneer
- Knoll
- Koch
- Kreig
- Kriegler
- Laiblin
- Lang
- Leatherer
- Lederer
- Linck
- Linckh
- Long
- Mader
- Maltsch
- Mannsbeil
- Mansboil
- Manshpile
- Manspeil
- Manspile
- Manspoil
- Mayer
- Meglinger
- Merkle
- Mertz
- Mihlecker
- Mihlekher
- Milcker
- Miller
- Mock
- Motz
- Moyer
- Mühleckher
- Muller
- Norta
- Nugent
- Oates
- Oberacker
- Öhler
- Paulitz
- Paultisch
- Peck
- Pfeiffer
- Pffenning
- Pistorius
- Powell
- Rausch
- Reiner
- Resslin
- Rosa
- Rose
- Rouse
- Rüfflin
- Ruop
- Ryner
- Sauter
- Scheible
- Schell
- Schenk
- Scherer
- Scheuber
- Schinliter
- Schlauch
- Schleicher
- Schlözer
- Schluchter
- Schlucter
- Schmidt
- Schneider
- Schnell
- Schöne
- Schott
- Schrotlin
- Schweizer
- Sellgle
- Setzler
- Shearer
- Sieber
- Sigle
- Singloch
- Slucter
- Smiedt
- Smith
- Snyder
- Spade
- Späth
- Spotswood
- Stekhenrieth
- Stengel
- Stoltz
- Sutton
- Tanner
- Teter
- Thomas
- Thomason
- Uhl
- Uhle
- Utz
- Vallick
- Viet
- Vogt
- Volk
- von Hofen
- Wagner
- Walk
- Wayland
- Weaver
- Weber
- Weeland
- Wegman
- Wegmann
- Wieland
- Wilhite
- Wilhoid
- Wilhoit
- Willheit
- Willhite
- Wimmer
- Wollmerschauser
- Yager
- Yowell
- Zepp
- Zimmerman
- Zimmermann
- Zimorman
Some of these surnames represent many individuals covered in this book, some do only cover one or two people. However, the list of descendants after so many generations is likely to be exceedingly large.
The historical information alone is interesting. Not to mention, there are many who are sure to find their German ancestry tied in some way to this previously under appreciated early German colony.
Contents
The Second Germanna Colony of Virginia
Hans Jacob öhler (Aylor), Second Germanna Colonist
The Possible Origins of Jacob Manspeil
Matthais Castler, From Berg bei Stuttgart
The Origins and Ancestry of Johann Dieterich, Eberhard and Christopher Reiner
Revised Constituency of the Second Germanna Colony
Index
Copies of Before Germanna No. 7 – The Ancestry Of The Aylor, Castler, Manspiel, And Reiner Families available at Family Roots Publishing; Price: $5.83.