Dialectical Studies in West Virginia. 29 



steps to settle the western region, and encouragement was given 

 both before and after the revolutionary war to settlers in this 

 region." In 1738 Augusta was the frontier county, and then 

 extended westward indefinitely. To the north lie Kockingham, 

 Shenandoah and Frederick counties. Nearly all this region was 

 settled by Germans and Swedes. "A Swedish congregation 

 was here collected, and the Rev. Peter Muhlenburg, son of the 

 Eev. Mr. Muhlenburg, father of the Lutheran Church in 

 America, was sent to take charge of it." To the south lie 

 Eockbridge, Botetourt and Montgomery counties. Botetourt 

 became in 1769 the western frontier. From here the emigrants 

 pushed forward to the westward, and soon settled the whole of 

 what is now West Virginia. 



History tells us that the Presbyterians were first in this field, 

 and the fact that the people are of Scotch and Scotch-Irish 

 descent would lead to the same conclusion. But it must not be 

 forgotten that a greater part of the population of West Virginia 

 were emigrants from Maryland and Virginia. A comparison of 

 the names also will indicate in a general way the national charac- 

 teristics of the inhabitants, and show whether there has been 

 an intermixture of outside elements with the original settlers. 

 However, too great stress should not be placed on mere names, 

 as they might not always show the true nationality of the section 

 from which their bearers came. Yet they are not to be dis- 

 carded altogether, but must be taken into account in dialectical 

 studies. They will show approximately whether the population 

 has remained pure from the earliest times. On examining the 

 names of the vestrymen of the earliest Episcopalian churches 

 of this region, my only source of information, I find among the 

 settlers from Eastern Virginia such names as Ballenger, Maury, 

 Burton, Scott, Piucker, Godwin, Taliafero, Cabell, etc. Among 

 the Scotch and Scotch-Irish names can be mentioned Bal- 

 maire, Quarrier, Dunlap, etc., while Bittenger, Swearingen, 

 Muhlenburg, show a sprinkling of German and Swedish names. 

 The names of the present day afford the same testimony and 



