.
It has and is taken for fact from this article, from Port of Philadelphia shipping records for 1738, and from an affidavit written by William Fritz in 1929, that Hans and Wooldrich were father and son.
It is presumed that Rev. Jacob C. Leonard, D.D. received his material, from Wooldrich's grandson William Fritz (1843) who was discussed in the article.
As of this writing we have few leads on Hans Ulrich's life in America. His indenture was most likely served for a set time, if he was a redemptioner. And it is highly unlikely that he was in the same household with his son. Whether he traveled far from Pennsylvania is a question we are still researching. It is possible that Hans Ulrich had a second family and only time will provide us with a chance to investigate this.
Migration in the early years of this country was an enormous and marvelous undertaking. Wooldrich (Frederick) Fritz, like those before and after him, traveled a well-marked route, "The Great Philadelphia Wagon Road", which extended from Philadelphia through Virginia to the Yadkin River, in North Carolina distance of 435 miles.10
"Beginning at the Schuylkill River Ferry opposite the colonial metropolis, the Great Philadelphia Wagon Road ran west through Lancaster to Harris Ferry on the Susquehanna River; thence through York to Williams Ferry across the Potomac, where it entered the Shenandoah Valley, passing through Winchester, Stephensburg, Strasbourg, and Staunton, crossing the James at Looney's Ferry (Buchanan), and swinging almost due south to the site of Roanoke. There it turned eastward through the Staunton River Gap of the Blue Ridge, then veered southward again close to the Blue Ridge, crossing the Blackwater, Pigg, Irvine, and Dan to its original terminus at Wachovia on a branch of the Yadkin. After 1760 it was extended down the North Carolina Piedmont through Salisbury, and then on through the Catawba Valley to Pine Tree (Camden) in South Carolina where the road from Charles Town joined it as it bent westward then south, forking beyond the Congaree for ninety-six and Augusta.11
The Great Road that Wooldrich (Frederick) Fritz at some point in time, traveled lead him first to a fertile land where farming was good and hunting was plentiful - this was the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. Then on to North Carolina some years later. It can be assumed that the Fritz family like other pioneer families were a sturdy, hard working group who were good farmers, and held a strong love for their native language and their religion.
It should be noted here that Wooldrich was also know as Frederick, as shown on several legal documents and that he used the spelling FRITS/FRITZ but each of his sons used the spelling FRITTS.
We will use the name Wooldrich Fritz unless the legal documents in question states otherwise, likewise for his sons, "Fritts" will be used unless otherwise called for. Fritts, Fritz and Frittz spellings are used within the family line today. Over the years several spellings of the name have been and are being usedFritts, Fritz, Frits, Frites, Fritt, Fretts, and Fretz are the most prominent variations.
Our first knowledge of Wooldrich is through a legal document in Augusta County, Virginia on March 21, 1759, when William McGee is summoned to pay freedom dues to his late servant Frederick Frits. Also on that same day, William McGee is to pay freedom dues to his late servant Janet Frits, wife of Frederick Frits.” Wooldrich would have been about twenty-seven years of age when he received his "freedom dues" from William McGee, it is our opinion that he and his wife, Janet indentured themselves to obtain money in order to establish the family in the Shenandoah valley.13 (Records of Augusta Co., VA, 1745-1800, pp. 235236.)
While in Virginia three children were born: George in 1753, Mary in c1754, and John in 1762. This span of eight years between children leads us to believe that others were born and have not been located yet, or they failed to live beyond childhood. The next legal document for Wooldrich is also in Augusta County, Virginia on February 15, 1763, when he is listed as "a gamishee"14 it can only be speculated as to Why. (Records of Augusta Co., VA, 1745-1800, p. 452.)
