The Palatine Emigration to England, in 1709. By 

 Henky A. Homes, A. M. 



[Read before the Institute, Oct. 4, 1870.] 



The early settlement in several counties in this state of Ger- 

 mans, whom we distinguish historically as Palatines, and the 

 simultaneousness of their arrival here by thousands, in 1710, 

 as almost the pioneers of German emigration, are circum- 

 stances which lead me to believe that the history of their 

 emigration in England, will be a subject of some interest 

 to the Institute. The history of these Palatines as previ- 

 ously given in American local histories has been confined 

 to their residence in this country. In adding the history 

 of their coming to and of their residence in England, there 

 is much which is but partially explained in the narrative I 

 am able to give, and probably the mystery which hangs over 

 the event will never be entirely lifted. 



In the months of May and June, 1709, an unprecedented 

 event occurred in London ; the people of the city and of 

 England were astonished to learn that there were encamped 

 under tents in the suburbs of the city, five thousand men, 

 women and children from the Palatinate of the Rhine, and 

 other German provinces. In July and August their number 

 was increased to ten thousand, and in October, to thirteen 

 thousand. 



The men composing these bands of emigrants, were about 

 two-thirds of them husbandmen, and the remainder, of city 

 trades, with a proportion of school masters and clergymen. 

 They were chiefly Lutherans and Calvinists, with some 

 Catholics ; and probably some Dunkards and Mennonists. 



