There were absolutely direct connections between the Swiss village Zweisimmen and the doomed North Carolina settlement of 1710. The communications from the settlers were written for the benefit of anybody who cared to learn from their experiences. But in particular the settlers were writing to their relatives and former neighbors, the Swiss people. Their messages were not missed -- America was a place of promise and dreams, opportunity and freedom.
One gets the feeling that many in Europe were already making their arrangements for overseas travel, and packing their bags with the intention of joining the North Carolina Swiss farmers. Then they got the news that the settlement had been annihilated.
Did they continue to pack and to remain determined in their intentions to move to America? Many did, for this North Carolina location eventually became distinctly Swiss and was named New Bern.
But for others, the time was not ripe for immigration to America.
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