Let's review the activities of the First Colony Germans. When they arrived in Virginia, they were taken to the site where the fort (called later, if not then, Fort Germanna) was to be built. Someone in the employ of the colony, or of Alexander Spotswood, went with them to select the site and to explain what was to be done. Probably all of the labor was supplied by them. They cleared the ground, removed the trees, selected and cut some more trees that would make suitable building materials for the palisade, the blockhouse, the houses, and the animal pens.
Fort Germanna was a simpler version of Fort Christiana, which had already been built, but still the two forts had many features in common. Perhaps the guidance for building it was provided by a "military engineer" in the employment of the colony. The general site was picked by Spotswood, and was determined by the silver mine in which he was an investor. The detailed site was probably chosen by examination of the terrain and the configuration of the Rapidan River.
Perhaps they came simultaneously, or perhaps later, but there were animals to tend, such as cows, pigs, and chickens. Another very important task was to clear ground, since the natural state of the region was forest. This was very important as the Germans had to grow much of their own food. The Colony had arranged that no one else was to hunt in the area, so the hunting rights were reserved to the Germans. Considering how late in the year it was when they settled in (summer already), the Germans could not raise any food that first year.
It seems the Germans were shown the silver mine, but they were instructed not to dig there. Spotswood had to determine first who owned any precious metals that might be found. The activities of just getting settling in at Germanna, and preparing for the year ahead, would have kept the Germans busy for several months. They were probably very few visitors, and it could be that the Native Americans were the most numerous. That would have posed a language barrier because the German's knowledge of English was weak and the Native American's knowledge of German was even weaker. There is no evidence of any troubles between the Germans and the Indians.
About two and one-half years after the fort was built, John Fontaine, a Huguenot, visited with two other men. Fontaine left a diary with a description of the place. This is about the only piece of evidence as to what Fort Germanna looked like. Also, it gives some clues as to the daily activities at the fort.
He notes there were daily worship services which all hands attended. Fontaine made a special comment about their singing, which he thought was good. Apparently the men did not leave the fort for any great distance because they were present for the worship services. Fontaine did not note any unusual activity by the men so they must have been doing things that he would have expected at a frontier fort.
(12 Apr 01)
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.