Return to the Land

a monastic society, with buildings designed for a solitary life, for the members that chose to follow him. This became know as the Ephrata Cloister or Society. 18

In 1744, The Treaty of Lancaster had given Virginia claim to the Shenandoah Valley from the Iroquois Indians. In return the Indians were permitted to travel without harassment through the Valley. The Iroquois sold to the English the land between the Allegheny Mountains and the Ohio River for £400. 19 This German religious society took advantage of this treaty and moved from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania to the New River. This group were known as Sabbatarians but were commonly referred to as the Dunkards. Their settlement was named Mahanaim. Among those that were connected with this group that came to Mahanaim were brothers Israel, Samuel, Emanuel and Thomas Echerlin, Alexander and William Mack, John Negley, Garrett Zinn, John Miller, Peter Shaver, and the families of Weisers, Wolforts, Goffs, Webers, Gielids, Freys, Londis, and Huffoire. 20 The inhabitants of Mahanaim initially thrived and practiced their faith in peace but this was soon to end. Indian raids disrupted the settlement and many feared for their lives and left the region. Garrett Zinn who had originally purchased land from Samuel Echerlin moved to Carolina. The remaining Echerlins bought up more land but the settlement dissolved and later the Echerlin’s so ld their lands. Some of the remaining inhabitants moved to Philadelphia, others were killed by Indians, and some moved farther west to the Holston River area. A John Miller was mentioned in connection to this settlement at Mahanaim. Did John Miller of Fincastle, along with Israel Christian, take advantage of this land as the Dunkards disbanded? This certainly is feasible and woul d fit with Grandfather’s story . In 1747, surveys for land were done for James Miller on a Parcel No. 13 for 1350 acres on Lucas Creek of the Reed Creek of the New River. 21 On April 6, 1748, a survey of No. 17 was done for John Miller for 65 acres on Little River. Again in 1751 grants and a survey for John Miller for 124 acres on Reed Creek. In 1750, a deed to John Miller from Garret Zinn – 380 acres, part of 900 acres Dunkard ’ s Bottom. In August 1753 a deed to William Stroup from John Miller 124 acres on Peak Creek. Another deed at the same time to John Miller from Peter Shower for 37 acres on the southwest side of New River at the head of Mill Creek . 22 We find other references to John Miller in other locations at about the same time. For example, if we direct our attention eastward to the North Fork of the Roanoke River a John Miller surfaces in relation to the Ingles family in 1750. Thomas, John, and William Ingles of Ingles Mill Creek of the Roanoke area were early settlers in this region. They were here as early as 1746. Thomas and William acquired land on the New River and the Clinch River. John Ingles was killed at Fort Vause in the Roanoke Valley and his wife Mary was taken into

18 Patricia Givens Johnson, The New River Early Settlements (Blacksburg, Virginia: Wolpa Publishing, 1983), p. 73. 19 The New River Early Settlements , pp. 54-56.

20 Kegley’s Virginia Frontier , p. 120. 21 Kegley’s Virginia Frontier , p. 123. 22 Kegley’s Virginia Frontier , pp. 124-127.

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