All: I posted this to the Germanna Foundation Message Board, but wanted to share it with the entire list. A group of us are working on documenting, scanning, posting and most of all CITING all of the official records to be had. This will be a very long project, to say the least, but the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. We see here that the "many sided Spotswood" had indeed had some contact with Baron DeGraffenried, though exactly what is not explained here. Here is what I posted: Further to our efforts to document original source material, this item is taken from the *Executive Journals, Council of Virginia.* Source: H. R. McIlwaine, Editor, Executive Journals of the Council of Colonial Virginia, Vol. III (Richmond: The Virginia State Library, 1928. Reprint, 1976), 371-372. "April the 29th 1714 The Governor acquainting the Council that sundry Germans to the number of forty two men women & children who were invited hither by Baron de Graffenried are now arrived, but that the Said Baron not being here to care of their Settlement The Governor therefore proposed to settle them above the falls of the Rappahannock River to serve as a Barrier to the Inhabitants of that part of the Country against the Incursions of the Indians & desiring the opinion of the Council whether in consideration of their usefulness for that purpose the Charge of building them a Fort, clearing a road to their Settlement & carrying thither two pieces of Canon & some Ammunition may not properly be defrayed by the publick. It is the unanimous opinion of this Board that the sd Settlement tending so much to the security of that part of the Frontiers. It is reasonable that the expense proposed by the Governor in making thereof should be defrayed at the publick Charge of the Government, & that a quantity of powder & ball be delivered for their use out of her Majesties Magazine. And because the sd Germans arriving so late cannot possibly this year cultivate any ground for their Subsistance much less be able to pay the publick Levy of the Government It is the opinion of this Board that they be put under the denomination of Rangers to exempt them from that Charge. ANd for the better enabling the sd Germans to Supply by hunting the want of other provisions It is ordered that all other persons be restrained from hunting on any unpatented Lands near that settlement"