Refugees from the war, occupation by the French army and the unpopular political and religious policies of Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine sought a new life elsewhere.
Harrsch became the leader of a group of these Palatines and traveled to London to secure permission for them to settle under the British crown.
Queen Anne supported Protestantism as did her Lutheran husband, Prince George of Denmark.
Unjustly deprived of food, a portion of his congregation settled for a time in the Mohawk Valley.
Newly arrived Palatines were settled in the West Camp, (Saugerties) near the mouth of the Esopus Creek.