Off to America!!

The first Immigrants bearing the Otterbach name that braved to journey to America were Hermann Otterbach (Harmon) and his wife Elizabeth Heimbach.  They brought with them their children Johann Philip, Johannes, Elizabeth, Alice Catherine, Mary Catherine and Anna Catherine.  They were from the area of Trupbach.  They arrived in America in 1714.  The name Otterbach was then translated into Utterback among other versions.  The immigrants from the Seigerland areas settled first at Fort Germanna, then at Germantown which is located in present day Fauquier County, Va. In 1734 some members of the first colony bought land across from the river from Germantown which was at the forks of the Rappahannock and Hazel Rivers.  This was located in what is now known as Culpeper County.  The latter settlers were known as the Little Fork Group.  Some of the latter settlers were Johann Henrich Otterbach (Utterback) who emigrated with his uncle, Johann Henrich Otterbach (Henry Utterbach of Fauquier Co.) and his aunt, Maria Clara (Otterbach) Noeh and her family. Maria Clara Otterbach is the niece of Hermann and Elizabeth (Heimbach) Otterbach who immigrated in 1714. When they arrived in America, many of the immigrants went to work for Gov. Alexander Spotswood mining for silver and later for iron.  Spostwood's lack of funding forced the Germans to abandon him and move to Germantown.  The next wave of immigrants set to arrive were hijacked by the governor and made to be indentured servants.  They later move to the Robinson River Valley.