Michel's report in Switzerland was eagerly awaited by two of his friends, Georg Ritter and Johann Rudolf Ochs. They quickly came to a decision that they should go into the emigration business. At first, it appears they did not formalize the relationship, but let it stand as a verbal agreement among friends. With the encouragement that Ritter and Ochs gave him, Michel returned to America within a few months. His philosophy seems to have been to see as many places and things as he could before making any recommendation. Apparently, he visited the Carolinas, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, besides returning to Virginia. He financed much of his trip by selling the goods he had brought along for that purpose.
The most notable sub-journey of Michel was to follow the Potomac westward, and the Shenandoah southward in the Valley. Michel especially liked the Shenandoah Valley and the letters he wrote home encouraged Ritter to make a proposal to the English government. This plan, formulated on 19 Feb 1705, contained some unusual requests, such as an independence from the government of Virginia. The proposal requested the free exercise of religion, and an equality among the citizens. Beside the free land, they asked that Queen Anne pay for the transportation from Rotterdam. At the Court and at the Board of Trade, they found the proposal interesting (it was a barrier to the French), but too demanding. So no action was taken for a few years, while the proposal was tabled. The Canton of Bern liked the plan and they endorsed it, since they saw it as a place to send Anabaptists and convicts. Michel saw four or five hundred people being settled here.
The problems in London were the uncertain location of the colony, and the desired autonomy. On the whole, they were favorably inclined to Protestants settlers.
After Michel had made his initial report, and his Swiss friends were pursuing the proposal, he seems then to have turned his attention to minerals. The Provincial Council of Pennsylvania became alarmed at the reports by Indians that Michel and others were building cabins on branches of the Potomac. Michel was reported as saying that they were searching for ores.
Lord Fairfax, the Northern Neck proprietor, and Lord Baltimore and William Penn were monitoring all schemes for western settlements closely. The truth was that none of these people nor the Board of Trade in London knew the extent of the claims and, therefore, whether Michel's proposals were infringing on their rights.
Michel returned to Europe in 1708 and his enthusiastic reports and its alleged mineral wealth encouraged the Bernese promoters to make a more massive effort.
(12 May 03)
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.