John Blankenbaker's Germanna History Notes

Note 1947

The History Page at the Germanna Foundation web site, Section "Germanna, First Colony of 1714", has a sentence which reads,

"The 1714 Colonists did not leave their homes in Germany not knowing their destination, nor were they compelled to do so."

This is pure Willis Kemper.  The 1714 colonists were recruited by Albrecht, and his writings mention Carolina, and, specifically, South Carolina, but also Virginia, Pennsylvania and other provinces.  The Germans thought they were going to mine silver for George Ritter and Company as represented by Graffenried.  Graffenried said the mines had not been disclosed by Michel nor had he been able to find them.  As a result Graffenried told the Germans not to come.  At the time the Germans left their home, they had never heard of Alexander Spotswood.  Apparently the only ores that had been discussed were silver and gold.

The comments above also show the falsity of another sentence from the same web page, namely,

"They were engaged to perform a specific job in Virginia for Lt. Governor Alexander Spotswood, knew where they were going, and what they were to do."

The same web page also adds, using Kemper's words,

"They came from one of the thriftiest and most intelligent provinces of Germany."

The only problem that I have with this statement is that I would not know how to measure the intelligence or thrift of a province.  A fourth sentence (same web page) is less troublesome to me.  It reads,

"They were master mechanics, and were an intelligent, progressive set of people."

I must note that not all of the people were master mechanics.  Several of the younger men were too young to have mastered any craft or trade, especially as the economic conditions were terrible, and it was difficult to find any work.  The people may well have been intelligent and progressive, though Kemper does not say how he was able to judge this to be the case.

I have observed earlier that in the description of Germanna by John Fontaine that the Foundation omits one statement made by Fontaine, namely, "The Germans live very miserably."

In another paragraph (same web page, Section "The Knights of the Golden Horseshoe"), the history reads,

"In August 1716, Lt. Governor Alexander Spotswood led a group of men on a trip that has become known as the exploration to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.  On their return the explorers were named by Spotswood as 'The Knights of the Golden Horseshoe' and given a gold horseshoe in commemoration of their famous journey."

The word 'Knight' was not used until a series of fictional works by Caruthers in the 1800's.  Spotswood would have avoided the use of the word as only the Crown can create a Knight.  For him to have used the word would have been a usurpation of the Crown's prerogatives.  As to the golden horseshoes, only Rev. Jones says this was the case.  Many writers, noting that he said several things which were not true, refrain from making this claim, especially as none has ever been seen.
(11 Aug 04)