It was requested that I give a time line for the First Colony. Here is my estimate: Late spring of 1713: the people left Nassau-Siegen, apparently not in a single group. Summer of 1713: the people arrived in London. January 1714: they left for Virginia on a unknown ship. Late March 1714: Spotswood finds out, for the first time, that Germans are coming. April 1714: they arrived in Virginia. 1716: they started mining operations at the silver mine. 1718, early in the year: they were instructed to search for iron. During 1718: the search for iron continued and a statement in a courthouse says they worked until December of 1718 at mining and quarrying. Also during the year they made their commitment to buy land at "Germantown." By December of 1718, Spotswood says he spent about 60 pounds on the endeavor so there was no iron furnace. January 1719: they moved to Germantown. Pastor Haeger may not have moved at this time. By this time they had completed the four years of service they committed themselves to in London. Someone else built the iron furnace after they had left. -- John.Blankenbaker@comcast.net

One point I would like to make about the departure of the First Colony people from their homes.  Holtzklau was granted permission to leave in July 1713.  And I believe Haeger left some days before him in the night according to Rev. Knabenschuh's letter.  So I think some left later than you list in your time line.  How long do you think the trip from the Siegen area would have taken for them to reach London?  And were they actually in London?  Suzanne ________________________________ From: "john.blankenbaker@comcast.net" <john.blankenbaker@comcast.net> To: germanna_colonies@rootsweb.com Sent: Saturday, November 15, 2008 9:59:15 AM Subject: [GERMANNA] Time Line for First Colony It was requested that I give a time line for the First Colony. Here is my estimate: Late spring of 1713: the  people left Nassau-Siegen, apparently not in a single group. Summer of 1713: the people arrived in London. January 1714: they left for Virginia on a unknown ship. Late March 1714: Spotswood finds out, for the first time, that Germans are coming. April 1714: they arrived in Virginia. 1716: they started mining operations at the silver mine.. 1718, early in the year: they were instructed to search for iron. During 1718: the search for iron continued and a statement in a       courthouse says they worked until December of 1718 at mining       and quarrying. Also during the year they made their commitment       to buy land at "Germantown." By December of 1718, Spotswood       says he spent about 60 pounds on the endeavor so       there was no iron furnace. January 1719: they moved to Germantown. Pastor Haeger may not       have moved at this time. By this time they had completed the       four years of service they committed themselves to in London. Someone else built the iron furnace after they had left. -- 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

I have a question concerning where the First Germanna folks landed in America. I recently found a reference (see below) to the Tuscaruro Indians. Didn't the Tuscaruro Indian Wars occur in NC ? I know Graffenriedt established settlement in New Bern, NC, which was made up of both Swiss & German folks. Unless, the Tuscaruro were active in the Germanna area of Va., this makes it sound like they landed in NC. Virginia, Feb'ry 7, 1715. To the L'ds Comm'rs of Trade and Plantation: . . . As to the other Settlement, named Germanna, there are about forty Germans, Men, Women, and Children, who, having quitted their native Country upon the invitation of the Herr Graffenriedt, and being grievously dissapointed by his failure to perform his Engagements to them, and they arriving also here just at a time when the Tuscaruro Indians departed from the Treaty they had made with this Government to settle upon its Northern Frontiers, I did both in Compassion to those poor Strangers and in regard to the safety of the Country, place them together upon a piece of Land, several Miles without the Inhabitants, where I built them Habitations, and subsisted them until they were able, by their own Labour, to provide for themselves, and I presume I may, without a Crime or Misdemeanor, endeavor to put them in an honest way of paying their Just Debts. . .15<http://docsouth.unc.edu/nc/graffenried/graffenried.html#n36> 15 Spotswood, vol. II, page 196. This refers to his employment of them in building and operating *his* iron furnace. http://docsouth.unc.edu/nc/graffenried/graffenried.html http://newbern.cpclib.org/research/settlers.htm On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 9:59 AM, <john.blankenbaker@comcast.net> wrote: > It was requested that I give a time line for the First Colony. Here is my > estimate: > > Late spring of 1713: the people left Nassau-Siegen, apparently not in a > single group. > Summer of 1713: the people arrived in London. > January 1714: they left for Virginia on a unknown ship. > Late March 1714: Spotswood finds out, for the first time, that Germans are > coming. > April 1714: they arrived in Virginia. > 1716: they started mining operations at the silver mine. > 1718, early in the year: they were instructed to search for iron. > During 1718: the search for iron continued and a statement in a > courthouse says they worked until December of 1718 at mining > and quarrying. Also during the year they made their commitment > to buy land at "Germantown." By December of 1718, Spotswood > says he spent about 60 pounds on the endeavor so > there was no iron furnace. > January 1719: they moved to Germantown. Pastor Haeger may not > have moved at this time. By this time they had completed the > four years of service they committed themselves to in London. > > Someone else built the iron furnace after they had left. > > -- > 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 > -- Fred Duncan 136 Kirk Adams Road Angier, North Carolina 27501