Germantown, Virginia

Germantown is a historic unincorporated rural community in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. It is the resting place of John Jacob Richter (also spelled Rector). He was buried there in 1729. It is located in and around current-day C. M. Crockett Park, which contains the popular local fishing destination of Germantown Lake. Chief Justice John Marshall was born in Germantown.

History
Many inhabitants from Germantown came from Germany, e.g. Siegen (east of Bonn). In 1718 twelve German emigrant families left the employ of Governor Alexander Spotswood and the mining settlement of Germanna for a 1805 acre parcel of land in modern southern Fauquier County. The parcel was divided equally between the settlers: Melchior Brumback, Joseph Coons, Harman Fishback, John Fishback, Peter Hitt, Jacob Holtzclaw, John Henery Hoffman, John Kemper, John Joseph Martin, Jacob Rector, John Spilman, Barry Brumbackily, and Tillman Weaver. All the homes were built on the southern side of Licking Run which flowed through each farm.

Each landowner also donated 10 areas to form a glebe where the first church, parsonage, and school in Fauquier County were constructed. German Rolling Road was constructed by the settlers to enable them to reach the market of Falmouth. A saw mill and a grist mill also operated in this town as well. The mill pond lies under Germantown Lake, named in honor of the settlement.

By the time of the American Revolution the prosperous settlers had all acquired other land and the settlement was defunct. Therefore, Germantown is sometimes called a lost German colony.

[Following paragraph refers to Jermantown, VA, just northwest of Fairfax, VA, and not the above community in Fauquier County]. On July 17, 1861, Germantown was briefly occupied by Union Army forces on their way to The Battle of Bull Run. The forces were commanded by Brigadier General Daniel Tyler, and included Colonel William Tecumseh Sherman. Looting of homes occurred, as well as the slaughter of farm animals. A Connecticut soldier described it at that time as "two houses, one pigsty, three barns, and a pump". Two Confederate soldiers were laid up with measles. Asked why they had joined the rebel cause, one of them replied: "Don't know. Think it right to fight against invasion". [3]