Communities

The Palatines, looking for some permanency in their lives, began to purchase from the Mohawks the land on which they had settled in Schoharie.  There were several steps required for individuals to purchase land from Indians; petition the government, obtain a license, have the land surveyed, and receive a letter patent for the land.  Whether the Palatines were ignorant of the process, or they chose not to acknowledge it, they did none of that.   They seemed to prefer dealing directly with the Indians than going through the colonial government.

They established seven communities referred to as dorfs.  The translation of dorf is village, however, the Schoharie dorfs were hardly that.  With no infrastructure such as stores, mills or Churches, these communities were merely groupings of family farms.  They relied upon Schenectady and Albany for supplies and mills.  Religious practices were held in farmhouses and barns.

Acknowledging the Listmaters, who had established themselves as leaders early in the journey, the Palatines named their small communities after them; Kneskerndorf, Gerlachsdorf, Fuchsendorf, Schmidtsdorf, Weiserdorf (also known as Brunnendorf), Hartmannsdorf and Oberweiserdorf.  Giving names to their settlements was a big step for a group of people who had been migrants for four years. 

 

Reference:  

“Becoming German” by Phillip Otterness