One of the Palatine
men who was a Listmaster on the ships and in the Camps was Johann Conrad
Weiser. The Listmasters were responsible
for keeping records of each family’s debt.
In that capacity he was in service for the Queen, however, Johann had
developed a distrust of Governor Hunter and became one of the leaders
representing the Palatines in their disputes against him. When the opportunity came to leave the Camps,
Johann was instrumental in the migration to Schoharie.
In route to
Schoharie, Johann chose to keep his family in Schenectady for the winter; all
but his 16 year old son, Conrad. With uncanny
foresight, Johann met with a Mohawk leader, Quainant, and arranged for Conrad
to live with the Indian’s family. While
residing in the Mohawk village, Conrad was to learn their language and customs.
The 50
families who continued on to Schoharie arrived in early winter with no firearms
for which to defend themselves or hunt for food. As was later described by one of those first
settlers, “…had it not been for the Charity of the Indians who shew’d them
where to gather some eatable roots and herbs, must inevitably have persih’d
every soul of them.” A dependency on the
Mohawks was already being established.
Young Conrad Weiser’s winter with them would cultivate an invaluable
relationship.
Reference: “Becoming German” by Phillip Otterness
