Commentary Page
The spelling of the 'All' name seems almost as hopeless to straighten out as are many of the early Dutch and German names associated with the Palatine emigrants of Germany. The present spellings seem to be 'Van Aller' and 'All', but in the early records many variations appear such as 'Van Aale', 'Van Ahlen', 'Van Ale', 'Van Alen', 'Van Aller', 'Van Aulen', 'Aht', 'Uhl', 'Uhle', 'Ehl', 'Ehle', 'Awle', etc. It is possible that 'Eal' also belongs.
Attracted to America by the promises of land agents who sought colonists for the new country, the Palatine emigrants of Germany left for England in 1709. In the fall of 1710 Governor Hunter settled colonists on a tract of 6,000 acres on the East bank of the Hudson river, acquiring the land from Robert Livingston. Later he acquired 800 acres of land from Thomas Fullerton, a Scotch neighbor of Livingston. He also bought land on the Western shore. On these lands in small communities called 'Dorfs' the Palatine emigrants were first settled.
The Palatine emigrants soon spread across Tryon County and up the Mohawk river.
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