French's 1860 Gazetteer of New York has the following note in its section
on Columbia County:
"A tract of 6000 acres, forming the present town of Germantown, was
purchased, on the 9th of Sept. 1710. of Robt. Livingston by Gov. Hunter,
for the use of these people. It was designed to employ them in raising hemp
and making tar, pitch, and rosin for the royal navy, and they were
furnished with provisions and tools. The management of their affairs was
intrusted to a board of commissioners, consisting of Robt. Livingston,
Richard Sacket, John Cast, Godfrey Walsen, Andrew Bagger, and Herman
Schureman. John Peter Kniesken was appointed "master" in Hunterstown, John
Conrad Weiser in Queensbury, Hartman Windecker in Annsberg, and John
Christian Tucks in Haysburgh. The enterprise was unsuccessful, and many of
the settlers removed to the Mohawk and Schoharie Valleys. In the summer of
1711 a company of 25 men from "Hunterstown" volunteered in the expedition
against Canada. In 1725 the tract was granted by letters patent to the
inhabitants of "East Camp" to be divided equallly in fee after reserving 40
acres for church and school purchases."
Hope this helps,
David Minor
>Might anyone have information or sources concerning a late 17th, early 18th
>century British project that brought German-speakers, mostly from the
>Palatinate, to New York for purposes of manufacturing gunpowder and other
>naval stores. The workers may have been indentured or otherwise obligated to
>work off their passage and the venture seems to have ended by 1730. Any
>leads and advice will be greatly appreciated. Many thanks for the
>opportunity to ask.
>
>David Roland
>Reston, Virginia
David Minor
Eagles Byte Historical Research
Pittsford, New York
716 264-0423
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includes NYNY, a series of timelines covering New York City and State, from
approximately 1,100,000,000 BC to 1990 AD.
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