With the first group of Germans now settled on their own land and the second group busy along the north shore of Rapidan River, let's review the situation from Spotswood's viewpoint and put his thoughts into our own words:
"Those western lands are coming along. There is plenty of room left for many more people. If each family were to have two hundred acres, about two hundred families more could be there. That would make a nice lease income. The lands are rather exposed, even yet. I need to shift people's attention in that direction. Maybe I could develop a community around Germanna. It's vacant now. Most of the land is to the west of that."That was a lucky thing about the Germans finding the iron ore. Developing that is going to take a lot of money, a lot more than I have. I'll have to take in some partners. That would help also to spread the risk. I don't know if it can be made to pay. And I wonder if people in England are going to give raise objections to an iron furnace. I can't send the ore back to England; it's too heavy. I don't want to set up a furnace and then be told that I can't do that. Maybe I should get some powerful partners to help on this question. That also have some money.
"I don't know why the Germans are having trouble making pitch. I had my people explain how to do it according to the methods published by parliament. I have heard that Finland has a lot of experts at doing this. Maybe I should have a couple of them come over and show the Germans how to do it. I'd surely like to get the naval stores program going and earn some money from that. I'm not getting any income from those Palatines right now.
"I wonder if those Germans will stay on the land. I can't make any money from them unless they stay there. I have got to think how I am going to pay for all of the land. The purse is a little thin right now. The crown owes me expense money for the things that I did for them. Why don't they pay up? I have done a lot for the Royals; I increased the quit-rent income and the Indians are peaceful and we have made new treaties with them.
"I wonder how much longer I can keep the job of Lt. Governor? The salary is nice to have and I can use the influence of the position to help me. But Commissary Blair is raising objections back in England. I really need the salary right now. There is all of that land to pay for. And if I do go ahead with the iron furnace, that will take a lot of money. When I think of all that I have done for the Crown, like opening up more western lands for settlement and increasing the quit-rents, one would think they owe me something.
"If I lose the Governor's job, where will I live? My fortunes are tied up with the western lands. I ought to be close to them. There is no good place to live out that way. I will have to build a home. I will show these Virginians how one ought to live. Ouch, that is going to take money. I need money."
We gratefully acknowledge the work of John Blankenbaker who published over 2,500 Germanna History Notes via the Germanna-L@rootsweb.com email list from 1997 to 2008. We are equally thankful to George Durman (Sgt. George) for hosting the list and republishing the notes via rootsweb.com.