William Call's name was originall spelled Wilhelm Kahl - he is also my
ancestor and he has an interesting history. He did not first settle in
Pennsylvania. He came to America to the community called Germanna in
Culpeper Co., VA along the Rappahannock River near present day
Fredericksburg, VA (if you look up Germanna online you will find the very
interesting history of this community) Wilhelm was most likely from
Siegen, Germany where most of the others of this community were from.
There is a present day Germanna Foundation and a Descendants of Germanna
settlers group that is active. A small museum and genealogy library has
been built on the former site of the community which no longer exists.
Wilhelm was part of the second immigration and as only one small mention
in their history books - I think it was not long before he and wive
Catherine whose name we don't know - moved south to Rowan Co., NC Here
are my notes on William: "The earliest record of Wilhelm Kahl (Cawl,
Kall, Call, etc.) is in Culpeper Co. VA when he witnessed the will of
John Snider. Other witnesses were John Knesbay and Henry Huffman. On
March 6, 1765, William Calle, James Graves, John Thomas, William Catton,
Michael Smith, Christopher Moir (Moyer) and Adam Barlow were witnesses to
a deed in Culpeper Co., VA in which John Wayland and Katherine (Broyles)
were the sellers and Henry Railsback was the buyer.
Wilhelm Kahl was in Orange Co., VA in 1743 buying land on the great
forks of the Rappahannock River. In 1765 he is selling this land, which
is now located in Culpeper Co. which was formed out of Orange Co.,
The land that he bought from the original patent of John Paul Vaught
lies in today's Madison Co. almost at the Culpeper Co. line. John Thomas
and John Snider owned land in this same area. This area was known as the
Germanna Community or Robinson River Valley community.
On Oct. 17, 1765, William Call and his wife Catherine sold their land
in Culpeper Co. VA in Bromfield Parish to Charles Taylor. This was 170
acres of land lying and being in the Great Fork of the Rappahannock River
being part of the patent granted to John Pall Focht (John Paul Vaught).
William and Catherine stated that they were selling because they were
moving.
He is found in Rowan Co., NC in 1768 and in 1778. He received a state
grant on Oct. 10, 1783 for 548 acres on both sides of Cedar Creek and Cub
Creek. The Huffmans and Railsbacks are found in the Rowan Co. also.
The Huffmans, Railsbacks and Stoneciphers are from the area of Siegen
in Germany - it is very likely that William Call was as well.
Wilhelm Kahl signed his Will with this spelling of his name in NC.
The will was witnessed by Henry Rulsbach, Jr. (Railsback) Fritzhorf Cub,
and William Mitchell."
I am a descendant of his daughter Eve Call who married William Garner.
Susan Avery
Winston-Salem, NC
On Sun, 19 May 2013 17:57:13 -0000 "gc-gateway(a)rootsweb.com"
<gc-gateway(a)rootsweb.com> writes:
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Author: biatchonccj
Surnames:
Classification: queries
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ve a William Call birth 1731. I checked and found no daughter s name
Katherine. The W. Call I have had a daughter Christina. Below is
some info I gathered in the Calls I have. If it helps, let me know .
This W. Call's father was Richard, married Catherine.
William and Catherine Call were of German decent. They
were many of the Germans that came in mass migration of German
settlers to Rowan County, NC. The Heidelberg settlement on Dutchman
Creek was located between the forks of the Yadkin Rivers and was
settled around 1760.This part of Rowan County later became part of
Davie County. The settlers were German Protestants who fled war torn
Germany for religious, economic and political freedom. They first
settled in Pennsylvania before coming to North Carolina. They were
God-fearing, hard working farmers, thrifty and industrious. They
prospered, becoming large land owners, and later, businessmen. They
long held to their native language and customs.
Their Church was the Heidelberg Evangelical Lutheran Church,
known as, the Dutch Meeting House. It stood on the current Cornatzer
Road and Homer Potts Road corner. One would turn left off NC Highway
64, south of Mocksville, N.C., going about one mile on the left.
Directions from Mapquest are below. It has been said that the name,
Heidelberg signified that they came from Heidelberg, Germany.
However, the settlement may have been named for the Heidelberg
Schoolhouse in Pennsylvania, yet, this stills tells us they were
from Heidelberg.
There are only two known evidences of the settlement today. One
being the Cemetery which is surrounded by a rock wall and overgrown
with huge trees and dense over growth. One giant gate post is yet
standing. A few ancient stones are still readable, although
partially sunken into the ground. Many others have fallen and been
covered by some two centuries accumulation of leaves and decaying
undergrowth. This was witnessed by two observers on November 13,
1985.
The other remaining Heidelberg artifact is the ancient
weathervane which is said to have been sent from Germany to be
placed on top of the Church steeple. It is in the traditional form
of a cock. The old saying is that it is to be a reminder of Peter's
denial of Christ, and thus a warning to others not to follow his
example.
The old weathervane, after being lost for decades, was later
found by Mr. A. M. Booe, a descendent of the Heidelberg settlers and
placed on his tobacco factory near Mocksville, N.C. The weathervane
is now in the Rowan County Museum in Salisbury, N.C.
William Call, as we know him today, spelled his name in the
German fashion, William Kaul. The spelling gradually began to change
in the late 1700's. William made his will January 15, 1778. It was
probated in 1784. The person that wrote William's will wrote it in
English, William signed it in German as did his witnesses. There is
a copy of his will in the Call Family records.
His wife, Catherine and one of his sons, Henry were the executors.
William's name has been found spelled several different ways. The
deed he received for the land grant was dated October 10, 1783 and
his last name was spelled, Cawl. In researching the Call's, it was
found, that the settlers were on the land for many years before the
grants were given. William was granted 548 acres on both sides of
Cedar Creek and Cub Creek. He was the first Call to receive a land
grant. Henry, one of his sons was granted 400 acres next to
William's line. This land, that once was Wilkes County, later fell
into Davie County.
It is not known if William is buried in the Heidelberg
Cemetery, however, Adam, his oldest son is. His head stone reads
"Born December 19, 1758, Departed this life June 23, 1788." Adam
died a young man.
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