Was there ever a settlement of German farmers in Washington County, Alabama?
I discovered the following news articles in an 1891 newspaper about a German colony being organized in Washington County, Alabama, but the trail went dead. I wonder if this dream ever materialized.
COLONIZING ALABAMA
Times Daily September 12, 1891, Florence, Alabama
One Thousand Rhinish Farmers to Settle in Washington County, Alabama.
St. Louis, August 30—
It was definitely learned yesterday that a German syndicate, which is made up of several bankers, one or two members of the Reichstag and at least two German noblemen, have purchased a large body of land in Washington county, Ala., and will establish an extensive colony.
The secretary of the syndicate writes that the first colony of Rhinish farmers with their families, is already being gotten together, and that the people will be shipped her by the 1st of January. It is expected that altogether fully 1,000 will be settled in Alabama.
If it be true, as political economists say, that every good, honest, industrious man added to a community is worth one thousand dollars to the state, this influx of immigrants will be a valuable addition to Alabama. The Times is warmly in favor of using every proper means to bring a good class of industrious people among us.
Cities in Washington County, Alabama
German Colonies in Alabama
Times Daily September 12, 1891, Florence, Alabama
The syndicate that was formed in Germany last summer for the purpose of establishing colonies of German farmers in Alabama has procured a tract of land in that state. The work of enrolling the colonists is in progress in Germany, and it is reported that a body of them will be ready to take their departure for Alabama next month. If the first colony, which is to be in Washington county, is successful, other colonies will be rapidly organized, so that within a few years the state may have a very large German population- Cincinnati Post November 14, 1891
THE DOTHAN EAGLE, HOUSTON COUNTY, ALABAMA 1908 NEWSPAPER ABSTRACTS
Some surnames mentioned – ADAMSON, AIREY, ANDERSON, ARMSTEAD, ARMSTRONG, ARNOLD, ASKEW, AUGUSTINE, AVERY, BAKER, BALDIN, BANKHEAD, BARNES, BASS, BATCHELOR, BATSON, BAUGHMAN, BAXLEY, BAXTER, BELL, BENETT, BENNETT, BERRY, BINION, BLACK, BLACKSHEAR, BLOUNT, BONHAM, BOND, BONNER, BOWDOIN, BOWEN, BOX, BOYETT, BRACKIN, BRISBANE, BRITT, BROWN, BRUINER, BRYAN, BULLOCK, BUNKER, BURDESHAM, BURDESHAW, BURKETT, BURNS, BUSH, BUTLER, BYRD, CALHOUN, CALVERT, CAMERON, CANNON, CARLISLE, CARMICHAEL, CARROLL, CARTER, CAWLEY, CHAFIN, CHANCEY, CHERRY, CHILDS, CHRISTIAN, CLARK, CLAYTON, CLEMMONS, CLYATT, COBB, CODY, COE, COHRON, COLLINS, COMER, COOK, COOPER, COREY, CORLEY, COTTON, CRAIG, CRANBERRY, CRARY, CRAWFORD, CRYMES, CULBRETH, CULVER, CUMBIA, CUMBIE, CURETON, DANIELS, DANNELLY, DAUGHERTY, DAVIS, DAWSEY, DAY, DEATON, DEESE, DINKINS, DOMINGUS, DOZIER, DRUNER, DUPREE, DURHAM, DYKES, EARTIN, ECLANEY, EDENFIELD, EDMONDSON, EDWARDS, ELLIS, ELLISON, ENNIS, ESPY, EZELLE, FAILS, FAIRCLOTH, FALLON, FARMER, FAULK, FELDER, FENN, FERRELL, FLEMING, FLOWERS, FOLKES, FORAKER, FORDHAM, FORRESTER, FORTNER, FORTSON, FOWLER, FULLER, FULTON, GAINES, GALLOWAY, GANEY, GARDNER, GARNER, GAY, GAYLORD, GELLERSTEDT, GHENT, GIBSON, GILLEY, GILMAN, GISSENDANNER, GIVEN, GLOVER, GODWIN, GOOLSBY, GRANBERRY, GRANGER, GRANT, GRANTHAM, GREEN, GUY, HALL, HALLIBURTON, HALLON, HAMBURGER, HARMON, HAMMOND, HAMRICK, HARRIS, HARRISON, HART, HARTLERY, HARUM, HATCHER, HAYS, HEAD, HEARD, HEARST, HEFLIN, HELMS, HERRING, HERRINGTON, HICKS, HILL, HILLIARD, HILLMAN, HILSON, HOBBS, HODGES, HOLLAN, HOLLAND, HOLLIS, HOLMAN, HOPKINS, HORNSBY, HOWARD, HOWELL, HUDSON, HUGHES, HUNTER, HUTCHINSON, JACKSON, JARVIS, JOHNSON, JONES, JORDAN, JOYNAR, JUDAY, JUSTICE, KAY, KEMP, KENNEDY, KERN, KEYON, KEYTON, KILLINGSWORTH, KINCEY, KING, KIRKLAND, KNIGHT, KNOX, KOONCE, KORNEGAY, KRUGER, LANE, LARSEN, LAYFIELD, LEE, LESLIE, LEWIS, LINER, LISENBY, LOCKWORTH, LOFTIN, LONSFORD, LOVE, LURIE, MACK, MANN, MARLOW, MARTIN, MATTHEWS, MAY, MAYFOLKS, MAXWELL, MCARTHUR, MCCALLUM, MCCANTS, MCANULTY, MCCARDELL, MCCARTY, MCCOY, MCGILVERY, MCLEOD, MCCRARY, MCDANIEL, MCDONALD, MCEACHERN, MCEACHRN, MCELROY, MCGRIFF, MCINTYRE, MCKENZIE, MCKISSACK, MCKNIGHT, MCMICHAEL, MCNEIL, MCREE, MEADE, MENZIES, MERCER, MERRRIT, MERRITT, MESSER, METCALF, MEYROVITZ, MILES, MILFORD, MILLER, MOODY, MOORE, MORGAN, MOSELEY, MOTES, MOULTHROPE, MOYE, MULLENS, MUNN, MURPHY, NEWSOM, NEWTON, NORRIS, NORTH, NOWELL, OAKLEY, O’NEAL, OUTLAW, PALMER, PARKER, PARISH, PATTERSON, PAYNE, PEACOCK, PEARCE, PETERMAN, PICKHORN, PIERSON, PICKETT, PILCHER, POLLARD, PORTER, POTTS, POWELL, POYNOR, PRATT, PRICE, URVIS, RALSTER, RAPPORT, REED, REEVES, REGISTER, RENFROE, RICHARDS, RICHMOND, RISTER, ROBERTSON,ROBISN, ROLAND, ROSEHEIM, ROSSHEIM, SALIBA, SANDERS, SAXON, SCSAMELL, SEALE, SEALS, SEARCY, SEAY, SELLERS, SENN, SHEA, SHINHOLSTER, SILCOX, SINGLETARY, SKIPPER, SLATER, SLATTER, SMART, SMITH, SNELL, SOLLURIE, SOUTHERLAND, SPONER, STAPLETON, STEELE, STEPHENS, STEPHENSON, STEWART, STOUGH, STREET, STRICKLAND, STRONG, STURIEVANT, TAYLOR, TEDDER, TEMPLE, THOMAS, THOMLEY, TOMKINS, THOMPSON, TINDELL, TRAMMELL, TRAWICK, URQUART, USSERY, VANN, VICKERY, WADDELL, WADKINS, WALDEN, WALKER, WALLS, WARD, WATFORD, WATSON, WALTNEY, WEBB, WELCH, WEST, WHALEY, WHEELER, WHIDDEN, WHIDDON, WHISNANT, WHITAKER, WHITE, WILLIAM, WILLIAMS, WINDHAM, WILSON, WINBURN, WINTERS, WOOD, WORD, WRIGHT, YONCE, YOUNG
I have in my family tree a Simon Stutz born about 1857 in Salnau, Rohrbach, Upper Austria, Austria that lived in Fruitdale. He died there in 1923.
Peter,
Simon Stutz 1856-1923, and his wife Leopoldina 1857-1939 are my 2nd great-grandparents.
My great-grandmother was, Catherine (Kate) Stutz 1888-1968 m. William E Cessna 1871-1956.
Simon & Leopoldina Stutz, are both buried at the Mobile Catholic cemetery along with 2 or 3 of their daughters and spouses.
William & Catherine (Stutz) Cessna are buried at the Whistler cemetery.
I’m having a hard time identifying who Simon’s parents are, and even what Leopoldina’s maiden name. She listed 3 or 4 different maiden surnames through out the years of different documents
Simon & Leopoldina moved to Fruitdale, AL from Oshkosh, Winnebago, WI. They lost 2 children in WI to the influenza epidemic. It is my understanding through family lore, that impart, the Stutz migration to Washington Co area was for the “healing springs” . The springs were advertized/ reported to fight/block illness and disease.
Angela Cessna-Green
Did you completely miss Cullman County??? What about Baldwin Co. ???
It must have been successful, because in early 1900s, a German colony was established in Baldwin Co. at Elberta.
My Grandmother Nellie Meinhardt, B 1898, her father Charles was born on high seas 1886, coming to America from Germany. They lived in Missouri, and moved to Citronelle, Washington County at the turn of the century (1900). Would be very interested in any leads or research materials.
Civil War era heritage events in July: http://www.civilwarheritagetrails.org/civil-war-events/july.html
Well, I know of one German family that settled as farmers in Mobile county – Kroner. Still there to this day (my Mother’s side of the family). They even have a road named after them – Three Notch Kroner Rd.
I can’t pay $200 to read that!!
There were already Palatine German farmers in Dallas,Monroe and Conecuh counties by the 1840s.
T.I. Dennis, Please tell me more about the Palatine German farmers! My ancestors were the Remley’s who arrived in Dallas County in 1833. The census records stated that they were from Pennsylvania. Do you have any references I might use in my research?
Ceci Harlan ,yes ,there is a Palatine Society that has links to all sorts of info on the Palatine Germans. My Palatine ancestors are the Metz/Metts family who settled near New Berne,NC in 1710.Logan Metts came to Dallas County in 1848,later moving to Monroe County.
I believe this settlement (or part of it) was on land now owned by my wife’s family. It is in Fruitdale. The legend passed down is that the immigrants tried to start a fruit orchard and were unsuccessful. There was a graveyard with several of their peoplein it but it got bulldozed awhile back by a not-so-nice person. I was out running on a dirt road through that land a few years back and found a set of rosary beads.
Funny thing is – the legend says that the immigrants were Polish. It’s called the “Beedeye Property” (don’t know the spelling) so maybe one of the names sounds like Beedeye…..