Falckner was a graduate of Halle. It was a kind Providence that made him
pastor of the Lutherans in New York at this time. Events had happened
and were still happening in Europe that were destined to make history in
America.

Germany, paralyzed by the results of the Thirty Years' War, and
hopelessly divided into a multitude of political fragments, had become
the helpless prey of the spoiler. The valley of the Rhine was ravaged
from Heidelberg to the Black Forest. To this day, after more than two
centuries, the ruins may still be traced. Upon the accession of the
Catholic House of Neuburg to the throne of the Palatinate the
Protestants were subjected to intolerable persecution. Their churches
and schools were taken from them. Frequent raids were made upon the
helpless border lands by the armies of Louis the Fourteenth. In a time
of peace the Lutheran house of worship in Strassburg was wrested from
its owners and transformed into a Catholic cathedral.

This devastation of the Rhine Valley caused an extensive emigration by
way of London to New York. In the winter of 1708 Pastor Kocherthal
arrived with the first company of Palatine exiles. In succeeding years
many others followed, most of them settling on the upper Hudson and in
the Mohawk Valley, but some of them remaining in New York.

The inhuman treatment which they received during the voyage, followed by
hunger and disease, decimated their ranks. Of the 3,086 persons who set
sail from London only 2,227 reached New York. Here they were not
permitted to land, but were detained in tents on Governor's Island,
where 250 more died soon after their arrival.

One of the men thus detained was destined to take a prominent place in