In 1720 New
York had a new Governor, William Burnet.
Former Governor, and the nemesis of the Palatines, Hunter, was back in
England and had not given up his fight against them. Johann Weiser and Wilhelm Scheff finally had
their voices heard by the British Board of Trade, but Hunter was there to
refute everything they said. They
petitioned that the Schoharie Palatines “…be secured in the Land they now do
inhabit or in some near adjoining lands remaining in the right of the Crown in
the said Province of New York."
Hunter
argued that the Palatines had been given plenty of good land at the Camps when
the Naval Stores project had been suspended.
He blamed all the problems on a few troublemakers, Johann Weiser in
particular whom he described as “a very seditious and turbulent man.” According to Hunter Weiser was the ringleader
who, against his orders, took a large group of the Palatines to Schoharie and
laid claim to land that rightfully belonged to others. Posturing himself as mediator, Hunter told
the Board of Trade that he had negotiated special terms with the Seven Partners
on behalf of the Palatines. Those terms,
he claimed, had been accepted by most of the Schoharie Palatines while Weiser
was away in England. He further countered
that Weiser was acting on behalf of himself alone.
The Board of
Trade’s final decision stated that if the Palatines wished to remain in
Schoharie they must purchase or lease their land from the Seven Partners. For those who chose not to, Governor Burnet
was to find suitable land to which they could move. The Board also agreed with Hunter that
several of the Palatines had behaved in an undutiful manner toward the Crown.
Weiser and
Scheff still did not give up and remained in London hoping to obtain a better
outcome. In 1721 they began to have
differences between each other and Scheff left for New York. Two years later Weiser followed, having
accomplished almost nothing in the five years he had been gone.
References:
“Becoming
German” by Phillip Otterness
“Documents
Relative to the Colonial History of New York”
“Journal of
the Commissioners for Trade and Plantations”
