Spotswood was very adept at recasting a situation to make himself look as if he were an angel. Thus, he generally described the arrival of the first group of Germans as abandoned people (by Graffenried) whom he saved from servitude. After he was replaced as governor, he informed the Board of Trade that, to avoid all appearances of interfering with the new administration, he removed himself as far as possible from the seat of government and devoted himself to the production of naval stores. This would be in the fall of 1722, when the construction of his new home at Germanna was going on. Dodson, in his biography of Spotswood, is surprised at this statement for it does not mention iron.
At this time, iron was not yet a sure thing. His mines and efforts were beginning to yield some iron but the commitment was tentative and the success of the iron enterprise was not assured. Spotswood was, at this time, more heavily involved with land and naval stores. And the site of his new home reflected this. Once before, Spotswood's enterprising efforts had been overturned in England. This was still a possibility with the iron so it was better to concentrate on land, a proven technique to wealth in Virginia, and on naval stores, an endeavor which was encouraged in England.
Dodson got tangled up in his dates and failed to appreciate the difference between new style and old style dates. Thus he says that Spotswood was involved in exploiting Virginia's iron deposits as early as 1717. Spotswood himself says that he put his Germans to work searching for iron ore in February of 1718 on the new style calendar. The iron mine patent did not result until 1720 on the new style calendar. By then, his German workers had left and he had to employ other workers to construct the iron furnace. This, and the need for partners with money, delayed the program.
The Rev. Hugh Jones left Virginia in 1722 and wrote a book in England in 1724 which described Virginia. Most people assume he was describing Virginia in 1722, the last time he saw it. In it, he described Spotswood's undertakings with the zeal of a promoter. "This Iron has been proved to be good, and 'tis thought, will come at as cheap a Rate as any imported from other Places; so that 'tis to be hoped Col. Spotswood's Works will in a small Time prove very advantageous to Great Britain, which undoubtedly will be carried to greater Perfection and universal Benefit, by his skillful Management and indefatigable Application . . ." His use of the future tense gives the impression that the iron works was not running on a sustained and successful basis.
Spotswood's successor, Lt. Gov. Drysdale, wrote to the Board of Trade in 1723, "I judge it part of my duty to inform your Ldspps. of an affair, that is at present the common Theme of peoples Discourses, and employs their thoughts. Coll Spotswoods Iron workes; he had brought itt to that perfection that he now sells by publick auction at Wms:burgh, backs and frames for Chymnies, Potts, doggs, frying, stewing, and baking panns . . ." This statement shows that the iron works was in production but still a novelty.
Dodson shows the best understanding of any writer up to 1932 of the economic enterprises of Spotswood. He found and cited an extensive collection of documents in England which support his story. His weakness was a failure to find and use documents from Virginia. He avoided the conclusions of earlier authors. Certainly he did not endorse Willis Kemper whose first book is listed in the bibliography.
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.