Sandra Yelton sends me the material below which is a change of subject from recent Notes:
The Palatine emigration in 1717 was much larger than we tend to think of based on our knowledge of the Second Germanna Colony. Klaus Wust estimated that the number of emigrants was in the order of one thousand Germans. Many of these arrived at Philadelphia. The numbers there were so large that the Pennsylvania government became concerned about so many “foreigners” coming to their colony. They instituted several laws pertaining to checking of their health and registration; however, they were not enforced until 1727 when the lists of emigrants began.
We have discussed here that several of the late arrivals to London in the summer of 1717 did not make it to America that year. We have seen a few names who appeared in Virginia a little later and perhaps were the basis of the story that there was a third colony. This has created a problem in defining what constitutes a member of the Second Colony. Does the colony consist of those who left their homes in German speaking areas in 1717 and arrived eventually in Virginia, or does the colony consist of those who arrived in Virginia in 1717? These are different groups.
Ms. Yelton sent evidence of the confusion and the problems which the large number of Germans in 1717 created. One English plan (of 6 September 1717) called for transporting 500 Palatines to the Bahama Isles. The cost for provision, clothing, bedding, passage, and medicine was estimated to be 2500 pounds. The undertakers were to pay 5 pounds per person for their support and the sponsors were to be repaid by the produce of the Palatines in 3 or 4 years. It was noted that a person in London would procure 50 pounds per year for a minister and 30 pounds per year for a schoolmaster for them. A postscript says that, "100 of the people in the 500 have sold themselves for servants to Pennsylvania for five years. The 400 who are left cannot do the same for the lack of masters. The Palatines have sold their clothes and utensils to subsist themselves and will soon be in a miserable condition."
Further information can be found in the Public Record Office in CO 23 /12. No. 76. A digest is in the Calendar of State Papers [August 1717 to December 1718, Cecil Headlam, editor. London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1930; Kraus Reprint, Vaduz, 1964, p. 29.]
One wonders if the 100 who sold themselves as servants to Pennsylvania consituted what we would normally call the Second Colony. Most likely what is meant is that the people made an agreement with the ship's captain to transport them to Pennsylvania in exchange for the money the captain could receive by selling their service in Pennsylvania.
There are other items on this general subject for following Notes.
(01 Jun 06)
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