I should add that the stories on the deputies to London appeared in a two-part article by Andreas Mielke in the September and November issues of Beyond Germanna .
Johannes Motz and Maria Apollonia Maubars were married at Bonfeld, on 28 February 1716 (NS), not far from many of the other Second Colony people. They had a son, Johann Simon, born 28 October 1716, who died the following day. This is about all that we know from Germany. Johannes Motz is mentioned in the book, Eighteenth Century Emigrants from German Speaking Lands to North America, Vol. 1 , by Annette Kunselman Burgert.
There is a proof of importation in 1717 for John Motz and his wife, Maria Pelonia, recorded in February of 1725, on the old style calendar. By our calendar, this would be 1726. With John Motz in London in the fall of 1724, we can say that he returned to Virginia.
He had a 400-acre land grant with John Harnsberger, which was issued 1726. The application for this land was probably made before he went to London. He may have felt uncertain about his return, and Harnsberger may have been acting as a trustee in case Motz did not return. Also, he may have felt uncomfortable about being away at the time the patent might issue. Harnsberger could have been his agent. Then again, the connection might run deeper than these suggestions.
Motz was not sued by Spotswood, nor was he on Spotswood's importation list. Spotswood had minority partners in the Spotsylvania Tract. One of these partners, the only one clearly known, was Robert Beverley. One German in the service of Beverly was George Moyer. Spotswood bought out the interests of the Beverleys in the project. When Spotswood sued Moyer, he obtained the testimony of Robert Beverley's son, who had inherited his father's interest and then sold it to Spotswood. Motz was probably in the service of another partner of Spotswood, but Spotswood did not have the necessary testimony or the rights to sue Motz.
These partners had sizeable interests in the project. Spotswood said there were seventy-odd Germans (they rounded the number to eighty). Spotswood's importation list had only forty-eight names on it. Say there were eighty Germans. Then Spotswood's initial interest was about 48/80 or 60%. His partners accounted for the other 40%. Spotswood bought out all of his partners.
What happened to Motz after his return is unknown. His appearance at the court in February of 1726 (NS) was the last known appearance for him. His patent did issue later than this, but he did not have to be there for that to happen.
(07 Nov 02)
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