Events in London have been the subject of the review here. In this note, attention is focused on events in Virginia. Alexander Spotswood, Lt. Gov. of Virginia, had been planning for a few years (as of 1720) to base his fortune on land. Toward this purpose, he had explored the land west of Germanna in 1716, even to and over the Blue Ridge Mountains. His strongest interest, though, was in the land immediately to the west of Germanna. He must have liked what he saw, for he staked out a claim to 65,000 acres (publicly declared to be 40,000 acres), which extended at its westernmost point beyond the present city of Culpeper. To obtain settlers for this land, he abetted the machinations of Capt. Tarbett, who highjacked a ship load of Germans. These were settled on the land in question, even though no patent had been issued for the land, nor would a patent be issued for several years. At first, this land was in a partnership, in which Robert Beverley (the historian) was the largest partner after Spotswood.
The Germans were put to work on naval store projects, which were of much concern in England. The source of naval supplies for the British navy was principally the Baltic nations, and Britain wanted to reduce this dependence. Therefore, much attention had been devoted to the question by many people, from the King down to the members of Parliament. Spotswood was always careful to say that the bulk of his land acquisitions was for the national purpose of producing naval stores. This was to be one of the methods by which he tried to defuse any question concerning the size of his land holdings. ("It wasn't for me; it was the national purpose as expressed by the King.")
Paying for the land would be a problem, as Spotswood was not a rich man. He had an excellent salary by the standards of the day, but his expenses were heavy. Other people were also very much interested in land, especially as they knew that Spotswood had opened the western gateways some three years earlier by settling seventy-odd Germans as the farthest output of civilization in Virginia. They could see where the next area of expansion was going to take place.
Spotswood conceived a plan, whereby he could reduce the costs. He would have the Assembly enact a law making land free of the head right fee and the quit rents. The actual phrasing was "public levies" without interpreting what did constitute public levies. But, to get the Act passed, he would have to have the House of Burgesses and the Council as friends. So when William Byrd returned from England and told him what the sentiment was there about his "job security", he had no difficulty in making friends again with the Assembly. And, the Council members were in a similar situation. They were under review also in England and might not have a job much longer. Everyone, by being friends again, could profit much more handsomely.
In November of 1720, when the House of Burgesses convened, they first created two new counties, King George and Hanover. A little later the House took up the suggestion made by Spotswood, in his opening address of the session, for measures to strengthen the (western) frontiers. Note again that the emphasis was on a national (British) purpose of offsetting the French.
(14 Sep 00)
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.