It is often stated that Alexander Spotswood had Christoph von Graffenried recruit miners for his (Spotswood's) use. This is a statement that totally misses the mark. The recruiting began in 1710 before Spotswood was even in Virginia. The instigators of the recruitment were Graffenried and Franz Michel who were employees and part owners of George Ritter and Company, a Swiss Company. Michel thought, as a result of his explorations in America, that he had found silver mines. To develop these mines, they hired Johann Justus Albrecht to recruit miners from the Siegen area. Albrecht was to buy tools for use. Albrecht had problems in recruiting people. He finally resorted to a unilateral agreement in which he promised to pay "dividends" to designated clerical people in the Siegen area. He hoped that this act of goodwill would induce people to think favorably of his endeavor. We have a mystery as to why forty-odd Germans left in 1713. Graffenried says he told them that one or two could come to have a "look see." When the Germans and Graffenried were both in London in the summer and fall of 1713, he recommended that they go back to Germany. The Germans felt that they could not do this. They had about half of their transportation costs. Col Blakiston, agent for Virginia in London, was aware that Spotswood thought he had (a partial) interest in a silver mine. So Blakiston, who was aware that the Germans were in London, said that Spotswood would pay 150 pounds of their transportation costs and the Germans would work for Spotswood for four years. The Germans were at sea before Spotswood became aware that he had been obligated to pay the 150 pounds. Germans were just about to land in Virginia before Spotswood found that he had forty-odd "employees." -- John.Blankenbaker@comcast.net

Do we know how Col. Blakiston knew about the Germans?  Was he acquainted with Graffenried, Albrecht, Michel, etc.?  Suzanne ________________________________ From: "john.blankenbaker@comcast.net" <john.blankenbaker@comcast.net> To: germanna_colonies@rootsweb.com Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 7:37:26 PM Subject: [GERMANNA] Did Spotswood Bring the 1714ers to Virginia It is often stated that Alexander Spotswood had Christoph von Graffenried recruit miners for his (Spotswood's) use. This is a statement that totally misses the mark. The recruiting began in 1710 before Spotswood was even in Virginia. The instigators of the recruitment were Graffenried and Franz Michel who were employees and part owners of George Ritter and Company, a Swiss Company. Michel thought, as a result of his explorations in America, that he had found silver mines. To develop these mines, they hired Johann Justus Albrecht to recruit miners from the Siegen area. Albrecht was to buy tools for use. Albrecht had problems in recruiting people. He finally resorted to a unilateral agreement in which he promised to pay "dividends" to designated clerical people in the Siegen area. He hoped that this act of goodwill would induce people to think favorably of his endeavor. We have a mystery as to why forty-odd Germans left in 1713. Graffenried says he told them that one or two could come to have a "look see." When the Germans and Graffenried were both in London in the summer and fall of 1713, he recommended that they go back to Germany. The Germans felt that they could not do this. They had about half of their transportation costs. Col Blakiston, agent for Virginia in London, was aware that Spotswood thought he had (a partial) interest in a silver mine. So Blakiston, who was aware that the Germans were in London, said that Spotswood would pay 150 pounds of their transportation costs and the Germans would work for Spotswood for four years. The Germans were at sea before Spotswood became aware that he had been obligated to pay the 150 pounds. Germans were just about to land in Virginia before Spotswood found that he had forty-odd "employees." -- John.Blankenbaker@comcast.net ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to GERMANNA_COLONIES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message