Jacob Crigler (1695-1734) and Susanna Koch (1702-?)
Jacob Crigler was born in Dittmannsdorf, Silesia, Germany, and died in Madison County, Virginia. He married Susanna Koch in Virginia in 1720.
Children of Jacob and Susanna:
Jacob came to America in 1717 as part of the Second Germanna Colony. Although headed to Philadelphia, a raging storm drove their ship southwards and the ship landed in Tappahannock, Virginia. Here the captain of the ship held them for the balance of the monies due for their passage. Originally, the Penn Colony was going to pay these charges, but when they reached Virginia instead, there was no one to pay. Governor Spotswood of Virginia heard of their plight and agreed to reimburse the captain of the ship and arrange their release. In exchange for this payment, Governor Spotswood required the immigrants to move inland to Spotsylvania County. These eighty German immigrants were the first white settlers in this western area of Virginia.
Their new home was called Germanna and lies in what is today Orange County, Virginia. Governor Spotswood required they work in his mines and farm his lands in order to repay him. These immigrants led a harsh life and later had to sue Spotswood in court for monies due them and for the final settlement of his claim against them for passage monies advanced. Instead of giving these people money, he gave them land grants even further in the interior.
These people then moved to the banks of the Robinson River in what is today, Madison County, Virginia. It was here that Jacob received 400 acres on his land grant in 1726. The land is near the present town of Criglersville, Madison County, Virginia. Jacob hewed a farm out of the wilderness and remained there until his death in early 1734.