There is usually a reason when an individual or family moves from one geographical area to another. Thus before the Remormation and Thirty Years War the region of the Rhine was considered the garden spot of Germany. These wars dealt a deathly blow to this region and famine and pestilence followed. Tyranny was not abolished and persecution among the religious was practiced. Early in the 18th century many inhabitants of the lower Palatinate, lying on both sides of the Rhine, Alsace, Lorraine, and the cities of Mannheim, Heidelberg, Spies, Worms, and Bingen were driven from their homes by the persecution of Louis XIV, whose armies desolated their country. At the same time it seemed that Nature forsook them, the winter weather being so cold that everything including the fruit trees and animals were frozen. Many who were destitute started down the Rhine in small boats to Rotterdam, whence some sailed to England while others crossed the ocean and landed at Philadelphia, hoping to receive the benefits and opportunities of this new land so gloriously described by William Penn on his visits to the Rhine country.
Many of these people scattered to various parts of Pennsylvania, others to Maryland and the Shenandoah vally. Moreover, those who had accepted the hospitality of Queen Anne, she desiring to colonize Virginia, were sent from England to Virginia, landing at Norfolk and Tappahannock and proceeding to the northern and northwestern portion of Virginia to live.
In 1710 Alexander Spotswood was appointed Governor of Virginia. He, having found traces of iron in Orange county, decided to enhance his private fortune and commissioned Christoper Von Graffenreid to go to Germany to procure skilled help for his enterprise. In April, 1714, the first group of twelve families coming from Siegen, a province of Westphalia, Germany, numbering forty-two persons landed at Tappahannock, Virginia on the river Rappahannock. They proceeded up this stream to Germanna where homes had been provided for them. Germanna was in the northeastern part of what is now Orange county, Virginia, near Flat Run peninsula shere the Rapidan river makes a curve in its sweep to join the Rappahannock. Here the first pig iron was made and here was located the first county seat of Spottsyvania County. In 1712 this group who belonged to the German Reformed Church moved to a place subsequently called Germantown which is now in Fauquier county, eight miles from Warrenton, Virginia. The second colony consisting of eighty people mostly Lutherans came in 1717 from Alsace, the Palatinate, and adjacent districts in Germany. In 1719 the third group consisting of forty families also mostly Lutherans came and settled at Germanna. However the last two groups moved to Madison county in 1725 or 1726 where they were given land and the Hebron church in Madison county is still a monument to these early settlers. Thus it can be seen at once why there was such a strong movement from the Rhine valley toward America, the land of beauty and promise. Many more Germans came from Europe and either went to Madison county or Germantown according to their religious principles.
Jacob Nay probably arrived in Germantown about 1726 or 1727. According to tradition he was brought to America from the Rhine valley in Germany when only three years of age. The name of his parents is not known but Zachariah Crim made a statement in 1849 when Vincent Nay was applying for pension of his father's Revolutionary War service that, "his grandmother, Caty Nay, was a sister of John Jacob Nay's father." so Caty or Catherine Nay certainly accompanied Jacob to this country. He was apprenticed to a cooper, named Huffman, until he was twenty-one years old to learn that trade. A record of this indenture was seen by one of his descendants in the State House at Richmond, Virginia.
At the time of the arrival of Jacob in Virginia, the habits and modes of life the pioneers were simple modest. The houses were made of logs with roofs of split clapboards which were weighted with poles to keep them in place.
The first newspaper in Virginia had not then been published but was edited nine years later in 1736 at Williamsburg. One theater had been opened in Williamsburg. Slave trade was at its height in Virginia at this time. The Indians in Fauqueir county were peaceable with their white neighbors until 1742. Education was very much neglected unless you were one of the Gentlemen. The children of the Gentlemen were either sent to England for an education or had a private tutor. The poor class banded together and hired a tutor for their children or taught them whatever they could themselves. William and Mary was the only College in Virginia at this tiem, it being chartered in 1693. Religion was not hampered in Virginia except that the minister of the Quaker and non-conformist faiths were required to take out a license. Upon not complying as was the case with many Separatist Baptists, there were many of the faith who were placed in jail. The German Reform and German Lutherans were not molested and the towns of Madison and Germantown grew rapidly.
Early in the 18th century, Governor Spotswood and his party of the Golden Horseshoe left Germanna and followed the Rapidain to the Blue Ridge mountains and over into the Shenandoah valley. A few years later, in 1740, the German colonists migrated west along similar trails some stopping at the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains and others crossing to the beautiful vally beyond. These Germans brought here the industry and thrift that had made a paradise of their fatherland. Accustomed to congregated town life they gathered into villages like Germantown, Warrenton, Madison, and Culpeper. Their farms were small but well cultivated and with the vine they transplanted the customs of their old home. In the villages the highest hill was crowned by a church spire, like those along the Rine in Germany. In a few years they had retrieved their fortunes by their industry and minding their own business, were happy, contented, and God-gearing.
In 1742, however, the Indians being agitated by the Franch, came into Orange and Fauquier counties and massacred many men, women, and children. From this time on many instances are given of fiendish torture inflicted upon the unfortunate captives. A few women and children were adopted but most were abused, put to torture or slain. Children were usually scalped and left to die, though a few marvelously escaped to tell the tale.
Washington wrote to Dinwiddie, April 22, 1756. "The suplicating tears of the women and moving petition of the men melt me into such deadly sorrow, that I solemly declare, if I know my own mind, I could offer myself a willing sacrafice to the butchering enemy, provided that would contribute to the people's ease."
Other raids and outrages followed when in 1773 Daniel Boone led a party westward through the Cumberland Gap, the men in charge of the horses and cattle were suddenly attacked and all save one were killed, Boone's eldest son among them. The rest of Boone's party were forced to turn back. In 1774 the Indians were driven across the Ohio river but still many raids and outbreaks occurred in Kentucky and West Virginia.
About two decades after the foundation of the German settlements on the Rappahannock and Rapidan rivers, a large emigration of Germans to the northwestern mountainous region of Virginia began, and it soon spread from the Maryland line to the Ohio river into the present state of Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Carolina. However, the main limit was the beautiful and fertile Shenandoah valley in Virginia.
In 1749 Thomas Lee, who was president of the Council and acting governor of the Old Dominion, stated that the borders of Virginia were the Atlantic ocean on the east, South Carolina on the south, Potomac river on the north and the Great South Sea including California, which was thought to be an island, on the west. During this period several individuals stand out as en-grossers of western lands. Formost in the number of acres was Thomas Lord Fairfax, with a regal or proprietary grant of the Northern Neck lying between the Rappahannock and the Potomac river and extending westward indefinitely. Other engrossers were Robert Carter, Richard H. and Thomas Lee, and many others.
The first time the name Jacob Nay appeared in print was 1752, when he was given 146 acres of land in Culpeper county, Virginia, very near to Germantown, by Thomas Lord Fairfax.
The land patent follows;
"The Right Honorable Thomas Lord Fairfax, Baron Cameron in that part of Great Britain called Scotland, Proprietor of the Northern Neck of Virginia, to all to whom this present writing shall come sends Greeting. Know ye that for good causes for and in consideration of the composition to me paid andd for the annual rent hereafter revered, I have given granted and confirmed and by these presents for me, my heirs and Assigns do give, grant and confirm unto Jacob Nay of the county of Orange, now Culpeper, a certain tract of waste and ungranted land in the said county joining on William Harris and Charles Demet, upon a branch of Negro Run bounded as by a survey thereof made by Mr. John Baylis as followeth: The beginning at a Spanish oak corner to the said line S 56 degrees W one hundred and fourteen poles to two small shite oaks corner to Demet and Utterback, thence along Utterback's line N 89 degrees, E one hundred and eighteen poles to a red oak and two small white oaks corner to Utterback and Button, thence with the line N 6 degrees W 182 poles to a Hickory and two red oaks in the line of William Harris and corner to Utterback and Button, thence with Harris line S 43 degrees, E 259 poles to the beginning, containing 146 A. Together with all Rights members and appurtenances thereunto belonging, Royal Mines excepted and a full third part of all lead, copper,tin,coal,iron mines and iron ore that shall be found thereon, to have and to hold the said 146 A. of land together with all rights, profits and benefits to the same belonging or in any wise appertaining Except before Excepted, To him the said Jacob Nay, his heirs or assigns forever. He, the said Jocob Nay, his heirs or assigns there fore Yielding and Paying to me my heirs or assigns or to my certain attorney or attorneys, agent or agents or to the certain attorney or attorneys of my heirs or assigns, Proprietors of the said Northern Neck, yearly and every year on the Feast Day of St. Michael, the Archangel, the Fee Rent of one shilling sterling money for every fifty acres of land hereby granted and so proportioned for a greater or lesser quantity: Provided that if the said Jacob Nay, his heirs or assigns shall not pay the before reserved annual rent so that the same or any part thereof shall behind or unpaid by the soace if two whole years after the same shall become due if lawfully demanded, That then it shall and may be lawful for me, my heirs or assigns, Proprietor as a forward, my or their attorney, agent, unto the above grantee Premises to Reenter and Hold the same so as if this grant had never been. Given at my office in the county of Fairfax within my Third Proprietary under my hand and seal dated this May 11, in the twenty-sixth year of the reign of our sovereign Lord George the 2nd, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, and Defender of the Faith. 1752 year."
X
Jacob Nay L.S.
X
Mary Nay L.S.
Witnesses
John Wigginton
William McLelamshan
William Buter
Registered 1786 J, Jameson, clerk
The Fauquier county personal tax list of June 7, 1788 lists Jacob Nay and Jacob Nay, Jr. Jacob Nay is listed as having one tithable male, Joseph Nay, and in 1789 the tax list includes Jacob Nay, Jacob Nay, Jr., John Nay and Joseph Nay.
It is not known when or to whom Jacob was married but his wife's given name was Mary as shown by the deed for real estate sold and recorded in Culpeper county, Virginia. He was probably married in 1745. This opion is based on the fact that his first son was born in 1746. There were nine sons but there seems to be no record of any daughters. The seems to have been no confusion or indecision as to the spelling of the name, "Nay."
Soon after Jacob sold his patent grant of 146 acres and lost the Nay Pines he moved in 1804 with the older members of his family to Marion and Harrison counties in West Virginia along with the Martins, Heflins and Crims. The younger sons had already journeyed to Kentucky and settled in Jefferson and Oldham counties. He spent the remaining years of his life in West Virginia and it was said that he was over 100 years old when he died in 1828. He was the first to be buried in the Mason cemetery at Joetown near Mannington, West Virginia. A sandstone which marked his grave has been replaced by granite stone erected by the author in 1946.
Children of Jacob and Mary _____ Nay:
1. John Jacob, b. 1746; d. 9-14-1847
2. John Sr. b. 1749; d. 1841 mar. Sarah Brown?
3. Fielding, Sr., b. 1760
4. Jacob Jr., b. 1762; d. before 1834
5. Samuel Sr., b. 3-9-1763; d. 10-1-1848 mar. 1783 to Nancy_____, d. 2-14-1815
6. William, b. 1764 mar. Sarah______
7. Joseph, b. 1768; m 1-10-1789; d. 5-5-1851 mar. Frances Mahorney, b. 1768; d. 8-27-1837
8. James, b. 1769; m. 1-11-1809; d. 12-8-18 56 mar. Nancy Neill
9. Benjamin, b. 1776; m. 10-24-1798 mar. Margaret Martin, b. 1777
INDIANA DESCENDANTS OF JACOB NAY
Dr. Ernest Omar Nay's book is over 500 pages, I will be happy to do lookups is you want to see if he has your Nay ancestor in the book.
Two of the sons of Jacob Nay (that I know of) have descendants who were pioneers in Indiana, I will list a little on them from Dr Nay's book
here. If I have any notes concerning these people I will make them in purple.
Samuel Sr., fifth son of Jacob I, was born in Culpeper county Virginia, March 9, 1763. He married Nancy whose maiden name is not known, in 1783 in Culpeper county, Virginia. She died February 14, 1815. The data which follows was obtained from the papers on file in pension claim R. 7563, based upon the military service of Samuel Nay in the Revolutionary War.
"He was born in 1763 in Culpeper county, Virginia. He applied for pension September 22, 1835, while a resident of Nineveh Township, Johnson County, Indiana, where he lived for two years, and alleged that while living in Culpeper county, Virginia, he enlisted in 1778 and served eighteen months as a substitute for his brother, William Nay, officers not stated; that he also enliste March 1, 1781, or in April, 1781, as a substitute for one John Nay (relationship not stated) and served three months in Captain Waugh's Company, Colonel Thomas Barbour's Virginia Regiment; and that he entered the service in October, 1781 and served three months as a private in Captain Kad Slaughter's Company, Colonel John Slaughter's Virginia Regiment."
His claim for pension was not allowed as he failed to furnish proof of six month's service as required by the pension law.
As a reward for their war services many Revolutionary War Veterans were given land in Kentucky, then still a part of Virginia. Enticing descriptions of the fertility of the soil farther west helped induce many desirable settlers to leave the Old Dominion. In 1788, the year Samuel, Sr. moved to Kentucky there was a heavy German influx to these Virginia military lands. Samuel, Sr. lived in Mercer and Jefferson counties, Kentucky for many years then moved to Johnson county, Indiana.
In March, 1848, he was still living in Johnson county, Indiana and signed as Samuel Nay, Senior. His last days were spent in Nineveh, Indiana, where he died October 1, 1848 and was buried in the Nay cemetery beside his wife Nancy.
Children of Samuel, Sr. and Nancy _____ Nay:
1. Catherine, b. 8-29-1784
2. Bennett, b. 4-3-1787; d. 1-22-1849 mar. Elizabeth Pemberton 6-1-1811 she was b. 5-8-1791 and d. 1-22-1849
3. James, b. 8-23-1789; d. 3-6-1856 mar. Elizabeth Kemper, b. 1792; d. 4-29-1852
4. John, b. 6-13-1791
5. Mary, b. 8-13-1789; d. 5-7-1845 mar. Reuben Nay, 3-10-1817; he was born 1-13-1796 and d. 5-17-1880
6. Nancy, b. 8-6-1795
7. Samuel Jr., b. 6-3-1797; d. 8-21-1870 mar. date unknown Nancy Crawford she was b. 1-22-1799; d. 6-5-1859 mar. 2nd 8-6-1861 Lucy A. Clark
8. Asa B., b. 11-30-1799; d. 12-1-1876 mar. 1-30-1823 to Lucinda Whitesides who was b. 6-2-1806; d. 3-5-1876
9. Rhoda, b. 3-7-1802
10. Elizabeth, b. 6-27-1805; mar. 3-23-1823 to John Coons
11. Presley, b. 6-17-1808; d. 8-2-1876 mar. 1-5-1831 Mary Ann Whitesides mar. 3-18-1863 Mrs. Henningham Clark Forsythe
12. Phoebe, b. 2-19-1810; mar. 1-21-1831 to Thomas Finley
13. Lucy, b. 10-20-1818; d. 11-11-1873 mar. John McQuinn who was born b. 3-25-1812; d. 3-3-1903
Bennett Nay, first son of Samuel Nay Sr. and Nancy _____ Nay, was born in Culpeper county, Virginia, April 3, 1787. He was one year old when his father moved to Jefferson county and Mercer county, Kentucky. Later they moved to Oldham and Henry counties, Kentucky. He married Elizabeth Pemberton June 1, 1811. She was born May 8, 1791. In 1830 they moved to Deputy, Indiana and built their own brick house, even making the brick out of clay found on their farm, and here they lived for the remainder of their lives. Elizabeth died January 22, 1849. They are buried at the Lick Branch Baptist cemetery which is located on the southwest corner of the Bennett Nay farm. It is said that the Bennett Nay house was used during the Civil War as an underground passage for the slaves. Bennett Nay served 28 years as clerk of the church. Elizabeth was also an interested church member and aided in the organization of Lick Branch Church June 9, 1824. This log church of 1824 was replaced by a frame structure in 1850. Bennett Nay was a farmer. He died May 28, 1866.
Children of Bennett and Elizabeth (Pemberton) Nay:
1. Adeline, b. 4-4-1812; d. 1854 married 12-24-1831 to John Gore who was b. 1808; d. 1852
2. Harrison, b. 10-8-1813; d. 4-11-1863 mar. Rhoda B. Hudson 6-5-1835 who was b. 6-18-1817 d. 11-23-1856 mar. 2, Rebecca Suber 12-3-1857 she was b. 5-5-1828
3. Ruben Pemberton, b. 5-22-1820; d. 5-31-1885 mar. Catharine Van Horn 10-19-1842 she was b. 12-27-1821; d. 11-11-1877
4. William Harrison, b. 10-27-1822; d. 1-27-1894 mar. Susan Baker 8-25-1856 she was b. 11-14-1836; d. 2-18-1861 he mar. 2nd America Cooprider.
5. Elizabeth Jane, b. 4-17-1825; d. 7-20-1873 mar. Thomas Cosby 5-9-1843 who was b. 1823 and d. 1-31-1869
6. Lavisa/Lovisa, b. 4-8-1827; d. 5-23-1905 mar. Henry M. Wells 7-23-1846 he was b. 10-27-1824; d. 5-9-1886
7. Samuel, b. 4-25-1831; d. 3-29-1906 mar. Nancy Ann Wells 4-16-1856 she was b. 9-22-1835; d. 10-16-1920
James, eighth son of Jacob I, was born in Culpeper county, Virginia, in 1769. His youth was spent at the Nay Pines. Being too young to take part in the Revolutionary war he has no war record. In June 1796, Fauquier county, Virginia, James Nay was mentioned in a petition against William Hughlitt. He came with his brother Joseph, to Kentucky in 1796 or 1797 and there he met Nancy Neill (Neil?), the girl he married, January 11, 1809, in Shelby County Kentucky. He purchased a tract of land in Jefferson county, Indiana, November 24, 1830, from Martin W. and Elizabeth Calvert. He sold a tract of land in 1840 to John and Mildred Nay. Many descendants are still living near the old home place. He died December 8, 1856, and was buried at the Flatbotton cemetery (never heard of this cemetery, has anyone else?), near Canaan, Indiana.
Dr. Nay mentions he did not get very much information on some families and James appears to be one of those. I tried to do research on this line and only found a little on his second son Samuel, if anyone has more on this family please let me know so I can add it here. I think some of the names of James and Nancy Nay's children may be incorrect.
Children of James and Nancy (Neill) Nay:
1. John mar. Mildred
2. Samuel d. 1872; mar. 12-11-1842 Elizabeth Smith she was b. 6-1-1824; d. 1-16-1913
3. Benjamin
4. Doctor Willet, b. 1821; d. 11-23-1842
5. Reuben
6. Chloe, mar. William Blair on 5-15-1856
7. Mary Ann mar. Solomon Caplinger
8. Harriett, b. 1832; d. 8-31-1857
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