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From: John Blankenbaker <>
Subject: [GERMANNA] (925)Germanna Colonies, History of
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 06:35:04 -0400

The nine hundred and twenty-fifth note in a series on the Germanna Colonies

The earliest record of Spotswood's iron furnace written contemporaneously
with the furnace comes from Hugh Jones. The Rev. Jones lived in Virginia
from 1717 to 1722 when he returned to England. In 1724 he published a book
in London which is believed to describe conditions in Virginia in 1722. He
wrote, speaking of the furnace,

"This iron has been proved to be good, and it is thought, will come at as
cheap a rate as any imported from other places; so that 'tis to be hoped
Colonel Spotswood's works will in a small time prove very advantageous to
Great Britain . . "

Thus the furnace was reported to be in production in 1722 though the
observer seems to imply the work is in an early state with some
uncertainties in the process. One uses the word "hope" when the wrinkles
are not all ironed out.

Another contemporary, Lt. Gov. Drysdale, Spotswood's successor as governor,
wrote to the Board of Trade in 1723,

"I judge it part of my duty to inform your Ldspps. of an affair, that is at
present the common Theme of peoples Discourses, and employs their thought.
Coll Spotswood's Iron workes: he had brought itt to that perfection that he
now sells by public auction at Wm:burgh, backs and frames for Chymnies,
Potts, doggs, frying, stewing and baking panns."

It appears the "iron workes" was a novelty but a production system.
Spotswood shipped 20 tons of pig iron to England that year. This would have
been only a sample; his later objective was to ship 1,200 tons of iron to
England each year.

To recapitulate the dates and events,
1717 iron ore is discovered near Germanna (probably by the Germans)
1718 the ore is developed and proven by December of this year
1720 the iron mine tract is patented and the construction of the furnace begins
1721 trial runs occur at the furnace
1722 production commences
1723 the furnace is in regular and consistent operation

This time table required examining the contemporary records (and rejecting
the later secondary records which were false and for which there was no
evidence to support them). With this schedule (giving or taking a few
months here and there) all of the events connected with the entry of
Spotswood into the business of producing iron fall into place. The records
are now meaningful and people mean what they say and write.

The first major economic enterprise of Spotswood was land. The iron came
later. The First Germanna Colony probably found the iron but they did not
build the furnace and they did not run the furnace. I would welcome anyone
to a debate on this question if they will use rational thought, not the
output of fiction writers.

John Blankenbaker ()
P.O. Box 120, Chadds Ford, PA 19317-0120 USA
http://www.germanna.com
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~george/johnsgermnotes/germhis1.html
http://www.inficad.com/~genelea/gerhist/gerindex.html

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