Fredericksburg, Virginia 1608-1908. Author:Sylvanius Jackson Quinn
the Rappahannock river, because it lies immediately between the James and Potomac rivers and is the largest stream between those two rivers. And if there was a plantation on the Rappahannock it was, no doubt, in the neighborhood of Fredericksburg. John Smith had visited the place twelve years before and had found it "beautiful and inviting" and an excellent place for a settlement, and possibly he recommended and procured the location of a plantation in this vicinity.
[4] Howe's History of Virginia.
But, whether or not this supposition be true, we know that the Rappahannock falls some years afterwards became a point of considerable interest and steps were taken to fortify and defend it; and for that purpose a fort was ordered to be built here in 1676 to protect settlers from the incursions of the Indians, who continued troublesome, which was garrisoned by quite a number of men. "At a grand assemblie held at James cittie, between the 20th of September, 1674, and the 17th of March, 1675," it was ordered that "One hundred and eleven men out of Gloucester be garrisoned at one ffort or place of defence, at or near the ffalls of Rappahannock River, of which ffort Major Lawrence Smith to be Captain or Chiefe Commander," and that the fort be furnished with "ffour hundred and eighty pounds of powder and ffourteen hundred and forty three pounds of Shott."[5]
This fort, it seems, was not constructed that year, but in 1679, Major Lawrence Smith, upon his own suggestion, was authorized to settle or "seate down at or near said fort by the last day of March, 1681," which we are informed he did, and to have in readiness, on all occasions at the beating of a drum, fifty able men, well armed, with sufficient ammunition, and two hundred more within the space of a mile along the river, prepared always to march twenty miles in any direction from the fort; and it was stipulated that should they be obliged to go more than twenty miles distance, they were to be paid for their time thus employed at the rate paid to other "soulders." He was also empowered "to execute Martiall discipline" among the fifty "souldiers so put in arms," both in times of war and peace, and with "two others of said privileged place," he was to hear and determine all cases, civil and criminal, that should arise in said limits, as a county court might do, and to make by-laws for the same. These military settlers were privileged from arrest for any debts except those due the King and those contracted among themselves, and were free from taxes and levies except from those laid within their own limits.
[5] Acts of House of Burgesses.
This fort was not named by the act authorizing its construction. and if any was given it after its completion, it does not appear in the histories or records at our disposal. It is quite likely it had some designation, if nothing more than the Rappahannock fort—Smith's fort on the Rapphannock—and it may have been known by one or the other until the place was laid out for a town and received its present name. Or it may have been known as "The Lease Land," the designation it had when it was incorporated forty-six years afterwards.
It has been sugggsted, and believed by some few to be true, that this fort was built at Germanna, about eighteen miles above the Rappahannock falls, but this claim cannot be maintained. It is known that all of these plantations and military stations were located on navigable rivers and were reached and communicated with mostly, if not exclusively, by sail vessels, and it is not reasonable to suppose that this fort was located eighteen miles above tidewater, where it could not be reached by such vessels. In addition to this objection, it may be added that the "gallant cavalier, Governor Spotswood, at the head of the chivalry of Virginia," never made his dash above the falls to the "blue ridge of mountains" until the year 1720 [1716 is the correct date], nearly fifty years after the construction of the fort at or near the falls.
Besides this, Governor Spotswood did not come to Virginia as Governor until the year 1710. After coming to this country he became possessed of lands on the Rappahannock, at the mouth of Massaponax run, and from there up the ridge, west of Fredericksburg, to the Rapidan river at Germanna. We do not know when he became possessed of these lands, but it is known that he built a wharf near the mouth of Massaponax run and opened the ridge road from there to Germanna, now called Mine Road, over which he hauled his iron ore for shipment. And so it was said, and it was true, that he could go from his wharf on the Rappahannock to Germanna on the Rapidan on his own lands without crossing a stream. Germanna was settled in April, 1714, thirty-eight years after this fort was built and thirty-four years before Governor Spotswood came to Virginia. It was settled by twelve German families, who had been induced by Governor Spotswood to come over from Germany to develop the iron and silver mines he desired opened on his land, recently acquired by him, several miles above the falls. These were the first iron mines opened and operated in this new country, and being the first worker in iron gave him the honorable appellation of the "Tubal Cain of America."
It has been a tradition held by some that the Germans, who settled Germanna, came to this country as paupers, and when they landed at Tappahannock, where their vessel anchored, they were unable to pay their passage and were virtually sold to Governor Spotswood for a term of years, he to pay the passage money and furnish the land upon which they were to settle. It is further said that he induced them to settle on the river, above Fredericksburg, where they built small huts, called the place Germanna and opened the mines which proved, so remunerative to the Governor.
Much of this statement, however, is denied by the descendants of these pioneers, who resent the charge of pauperism and show that these first settlers were men of education, were skilled miners, and that they came to this country under contract with Governor Spots wood, bringing with them letters of commendation from gentlemen of influence and official position.
From a paper prepared, and left to posterity, by Rev. James Kemper, a grandson of the emigrant, John Kemper, we are able to cull some interesting facts connected with these people, who became neighbors and friends of the early settlers of Fredericksburg, and many of whose descendants are now among us.
These Germans "did not happen' to come to Virginia, but came upon the invitation of the Baron de Graffureid, who was a friend to Governor Spotswood, and for the express purpose of developing the iron ore deposits discovered by the latter upon his lands in the present county of Spotsylvania. These people came from the town of Musen, which was then in the old province of Nassau Siegen, Westphalia, Germany. At Miisen there is an iron mine which has been worked since the early part of the fourteenth century, and is operated to this day. They were skilled workers in iron and steel from the Musen mines and built the old furnace in Spotsylvania county."
These pioneers remained at Germanna until about 1720, when, owing to some difference with Governor Spotswood, they removed to what is now Fauquier county, then Stafford, later Prince William, and in 1759 the portion they settled became Fauquier. They settled about nine miles south of Warrenton on a small stream called Licking Run and named the place Germantown—thus keeping up the German identity,— which is one mile north of Madison station on the Southern railroad.
Rev. James Kemper, in the paper referred to, says the first year they were in Germantown they "packed all of their provisions from Fredericksburg on their heads and raised their first crop with their hoes, in both of which the women bore a part." This shows that the village, afterwards called Fredericksburg, was the trading place of the country above the falls at that period.
The names of the twelve men who, with their families, settled Germanna, are John Kemper, John Huffman, Jacob Holtzclaw, Tillman Weaver, John Fishback, Harman Fishback, Harman Utterback, John Joseph Martin, Peter Hitt, Jacob Coons, —— Wayman and ——Hanback. The Rev. Henry Hagen was their minister.
These people were picked men for a special purpose, to do that which no one then in Virginia could do well—manufacture iron. Their descendants are scattered all over this country and have filled high positions in the Army and Navy, as well as in State and Church. They did two things worthy of note: They laid the foundation of the German Reformed Church in the United States, and also the iron and steel industry, which now requires billions of dollars to carry on successfully, and both of these were done at Germanna, in Spotsylvania county, Virginia.
It has also been contended that the fort, built near the falls of the Rappahannock river, was constructed on the north side of the river and that the place where Falmouth now stands was the center of the military district.* This assertion is not substantiated by any record we have seen, and we are not prepared, in the absence of proof, to accept it.