sixteen years, Henkel was succeeded by
John Caspar Stoever, Sr., born in Frankenberg, Hesse, who came to
America with his younger relative of the same name, the latter being
active for many years as a missionary in Pennsylvania. Stoever's salary
in Virginia was three thousand pounds of tobacco a year. In 1734 he and
two members of his congregation, Michael Schmidt and Michael Holden,
went to Europe to collect a fund for the endowment of their church.
"Because the congregation," as an old report has it, "ardently desires
that the Evangelical truth should not be extinguished with his death,
but be preserved to them and their descendants, the said preacher, Rev.
Stoever, toward the close of the year 1734, . . . undertook a voyage to
Europe to collect a fund for the continuance of their service, the
building of a church and school, and the endowment of the ministry."
(G., 115.) In London they were cordially received by Ziegenhagen, and
recommended to Germany and Holland. Besides a large amount of money,
they procured a library of theological books. George Samuel Klug offered
his services as a pastor, and, after his ordination at Danzig, August 30,
1736, proceeded to Virginia with one of the laymen. After completing his
collections, Stoever returned, in 1838, but died at sea. The
contributions which Stoever had collected amounted to three thousand
pounds, one-third of which paid the expenses, and the rest the building
of a chapel (Hebron Church) and the purchase of farmlands and slaves.
Muhlenberg, Sr., wrote: "It is said to be a profitable plantation, and
owns several slaves to till the land." (G., 606.) Pastor Klug, who, in
order to relieve the monotony of his isolation, made occasional visits
to the Lutheran ministers in Pennsylvania, wrote in 1749 that "the
congregation was not in the least burdened by his support." However, the
endowment of the church seems to have been a hindrance rather than an
advantage. The congregation lost many members to the Dunkards. Klug
continued his ministry till 1761, when he was succeeded by Schwarbach,
and later by Frank, both of whom were licensed at Culpeper, the latter
for three years, beginning with 1775. Probably also Peter Muhlenberg
preached in the old Hebron Church. Later on Paul Henkel, when active as
a missionary in Virginia, had the congregation under his supervision.

80. Peter Muhlenberg and J. N. Schmucker at Woodstock.--Many of the
more enterprising of the Germans in Pennsylv