In discussing books which are relevant to the history of the Germanna Colonies, I have followed a rough chronological sequence. One book that I failed to mention is " The Official Letters of Alexander Spotswood ", in the Collections of the Virginia Historical Society, New Series, vols. 1 and 2 (1882. R. A. Brock was the editor of this book. It does not contain the complete set of Spotswood letters; some of the omitted ones have the best stories for us. Still, this is the easiest way to read most of the letters in one place.
In 1932, the book " Alexander Spotswood, Governor of Colonial Virginia 1710-1722 ", by Leonidas Dodson, appeared. This is considered by many the best of the Spotswood biographies. Dodson shows more insight into the motives of Spotswood than anything else we have considered.
Dodson recognizes the role of Graffenried and his motives. He recognizes that Spotswood's early mentions of iron mining in Virginia were as public enterprises. Even as a public enterprise, the Board of Trade in London told Spotswood that a project to stimulate iron mining would not be encouraged The governor was told not to assent to any act for encouraging iron mines without a suspending clause. That is, if the colony undertook any action collectively, it must be prepared at any time to suspend it if word to do so was received from London. Thus, it would have been extremely dangerous to one's financial health to engage in any such activity.
Dodson detects that Spotswood, Graffenried, and probably Lord Orkney were partners in a mining venture, probably silver, but he was unaware of the purported mine near the future Germanna. The documents which tie several people into this, including the three above, was a series of obscure deeds in Essex County. Dodson gives, as one of his many references, the " Kemper Genealogy ", but he does not subscribe to the ideas in it. Still, he shows that it may have influenced him some. For example, Dodson does believe that the early work of the Germans was toward developing the silver mine, but he says it may have been a cover for iron, a point that I do not believe.
Dodson notes the importance of naval stores during the administration of Spotswood. As a class of trade, this expanded greatly during Spotswood's time in office and contributed several thousand of Pounds of Sterling annually to the trade of Virginia. This is an activity in which the second group of Germans was engaged.
Dodson sees the west, i.e., the Piedmont of Virginia, as important in Spotswood's private and public plans. In June of 1716, the Rangers had found a pass over the mountains, and in August Spotswood led a group of 65 men to "have a look". Spotswood would probably have established the counties of Brunswick and especially Spotsylvania earlier but the assembly was not cooperating with him. When Spotsylvania was started, the assembly voted fifteen hundred Pounds to Spotswood to erect a courthouse and a church, and to procure arms for the militia. Spotswood prepared rooms in his house for the use of the court, so that, at least on a temporary basis, the colony was helping him build his house. Most of the men in the second group of Germans were sued by Spotswood and the cases would have been heard in the building later called the "Enchanted Castle."
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.