Of all of the nationalities that settled the English colonies, I am inclined to believe that the Germans were more favorably inclined toward the Indians than any other European group. In the history of our Germanna Colonies, Gov. Spotswood came up with the thought in 1712 that Germans could be useful as a barrier between "our citizens" and the Indians. At the time, he had no particular reason for believing that Germans could do a good job in this role. He proposed this in a general way to the Lords Commissioners, as a way of preserving the safety of the Virginians, but there is no record that they ever responded to him. Two years later, when he had control of 42 Germans, he put this plan into action and installed the Germans on the frontier, twelve miles beyond the usual course of "our rangers".
Two years later he was bragging about how effective (and economical) this policy had been. He even expressed a desire that more of the German's countrymen might join the ones already here in a similar capacity. He also saw that if he could get more Germans, than it would be very profitable to acquire land in the west, where he could settle the Germans. This is when he started to advertize among the ship's captains that he wanted more German servants. (At the same time he set out to explore the lands in the west, especially during the expedition across the Blue Ridge Mountains.) He was sold on the Germans as keepers of the peace on the frontier.
Apparently the German were good at maintaining peace with the Indians. Later the Germans were caught up in the side effects of the European national wars which had repercussions on the western frontier here.
The Germans along the Hudson River developed relationships with the Indians about this same time. After their disappointment with the government naval stores project on the Hudson River, they sought land to the west to settle on as private individuals. They negotiated with the Indians directly for the purchase of land at Schoharie. This was further west than the English government had exerted any claim or had any settlers. The Germans were comfortable with this arrangement.
One of the remarkable events of this colony was that Conrad Weiser, a German youth, went to live with the Indians where he learned their ways and languages. Throughout his life he maintained his contact with the Indians and was their trusted friend. Later, when he lived in Pennsylvania, he continued this role as a man who had a foot in both European civilization and in Indian civilization. There was hardly a conference without his presence as he interpreted each side to the other. That his outlook was very broad is shown by the marriage of his daughter to Henry Mühlenberg, the patriarch of the Lutheran Church in America, while at the same time being welcomed in every Indian village he visited.
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.