In this episode, we journey back to the mid-1700s to uncover the story of the Schwartzenau Brethren, also known as the Dunkards, who established one of the earliest settlements in the New River Valley of Virginia. Join us as we tell the story of this fascinating religious community, their unique beliefs, and the challenges one family of Dunkards faced while trying to create a self-sustaining life in the wilderness.  

From their roots in Germany to their journey to Pennsylvania, then on to the New River in Virginia, then finally to the Cheat River in what’s now West Virginia, this family’s story is one of faith, determination, and the harsh realities of frontier life.  

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