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 [log in to unmask] To be put on the mailing list for the weekly TimeMaster radio scripts, as well as news of updates to my homepage, e-mail me at the address above. http://home.eznet.net/~dminor includes NYNY, a series of timelines covering New York City and State, from approximately 1,100,000,000 BC to 1990 AD. "I would undertake to supply your demands if your generosity is equal to them." -John Bartram, U. S. naturalist