The Travels of Historic Germans

The Palatine is an area in the Rhine River Valley of Germany, near the French border--the inhabitants are called Palatines. These are the Germans that eventually found their way west of the Catawba River. (See another map of Germany here.)

While the British Colonies were turning their wartime patriotism against the French in their midst, another large group of Continental immigrants made their appearance. The history of the Palatines had not been unlike that of the Huguenots. When the land of these German Protestants (the Palatines) was ravaged by the French (Catholic) armies of Louis XIV, many of the refugees fled (first to Holland) to England, which at that time stood forth as a protector of Protestants. Although Queen Anne (of England) welcomed them politely (in the beginning giving each family a small annual living allowance), their presence in London proved a problem for which the ministers could find no local solution. But the ministers recalled the complaints from the Governor of (the Colony of) New York that the lands of this province (of the English Crown) were being deserted by settlers, and that its resources were lying undeveloped.

In the American Colonies, the German Palatine refugees would at least be out of the way,so in 1708 through 1710, the British naval vessels carried several thousand Palatines toNew York, (where they) were placed in camps along the Hudson River, and were orderedto cut down trees, and to prepare stores (lumber and pitch) for the Queens Navy. The misfortunes and wanderings of these pioneers constitute a heroic chapter which characterizes the beginnings of the (American) National migration. Their trail leads from the Hudson River to the Mohawk River, and from the Mohawk River over the hills and down the Susquehanna River to the Pennsylvania frontier. At each pause in this journey(which lasted many years), a substantial number of these wanders remained to become settlers, and to serve as a nucleus to which future newcomers would be attached."[Excerpted from The Atlantic Migration (1607-1860), by Marcus Lee Hanson, pages 46-47, Chapter II, Peopling The Colonies (Harper Torchbooks).

The story of Germans settling in NC, then migrating to Missouri and other parts of the New Land, as it was called, is written about expertly by Derick Hartshorn of Conover, in Catawba County, at https://sites.rootsweb.com/~ote/palatine.htm, ([email protected]).The following is used by permission.

While the British Colonies were turning their wartime patriotism against the French in their midst, another large group of Continental immigrants made their appearance. The history of the Palatines had not been unlike that of the Huguenots. When the land of these German Protestants (the Palatines) was ravaged by the French (Catholic) armies of Louis XIV, many of the refugees fled (first to Holland) to England, which at that time stood forth as a protector of Protestants. Although Queen Anne (of England) welcomed them politely (in the beginning giving each family a small annual living allowance), their presence in London proved a problem for which the ministers could find no local solution. But the ministers recalled the complaints from the Governor of (the Colony of) New York that the lands of this province (of the English Crown) were being deserted by settlers, and that its resources were lying undeveloped.

In the American Colonies, the German Palatine refugees would at least be out of the way,so in 1708 through 1710, the British naval vessels carried several thousand Palatines to New York, (where they) were placed in camps along the Hudson River, and were ordered to cut down trees, and to prepare stores (lumber and pitch) for the Queens Navy. The misfortunes and wanderings of these pioneers constitute a heroic chapter which characterizes the beginnings of the (American) National migration. Their trail leads from the Hudson River to the Mohawk River, and from the Mohawk River over the hills and down the Susquehanna River to the Pennsylvania frontier. At each pause in this journey(which lasted many years), a substantial number of these wanders remained to become settlers, and to serve as a nucleus to which future newcomers would be attached."[Excerpted from The Atlantic Migration (1607-1860), by Marcus Lee Hanson, pages 46-47, Chapter II, Peopling The Colonies (Harper Torchbooks).

In Louisiana, land was free. Settlers had to pay only the fees of office and surveyers charges, about $41.In 1803, the Louisiana Purchase caused a great deal of land to be available. George Frederick Bollinger and his followers of about 20 people in Catawba County left North Carolina, crossed the Mississippi River (which was covered in Ice) in 1800 and in 1806 more families made the journey. Tracing the intervening years is nearly impossible due to fires and other calamities; a few records survive, such as tax lists, census records and a few legislative papers. Mrs. Eaker, author of "German Speaking People...", was able to find a land record list from 1803: Frederick Slinker, Peter Crytz, John Hass, George Welker, William Bollinger,Henry Bollinger, George Grount, Daniel Asherbranner, Daniel Grount, Henry Bollinger, Davalt Bollinger, Phillip Bollinger, Frederick Bollinger, David Bollinger, Joseph Niswonger, Daniel Bollinger, ohn Bollinger, John Lorence, Jacob Probst, Daniel Hilderbrand,Jacob Welker,Valentine Lorr, Benjamin Hildebrand, George Frederick Bollinger, Matthias Bollinger, Daniel Bollinger Sr., Joseph Nyswonger Sr., Joseph Nyswonger Sr., Adam Statler and Conrad Statler. Another copy can be found in "Goodspeak's Southeast Missouri History," pages 264-266. Additional names are included.