The Moravians in Georgia, 1735-1740

tempts i

7

nt in finding that the Moravians had abandoned Georgia is another example of the enormous difficulty under which mission work was con

ught himself of Whitefield's offers of friendship, and went to his house. He was kindly received by those who were li

n three hundred miles, and distances looked much greater in the Georgia forests than in his own populous Germany. So he concluded to accept the kind offers of Whitefield's household, and stay with them, making hi

ed couples be sent to help reap the harvest, a request warmly seconded by Whitefield, who had returned to Savannah on June 16th. Whitefield reported the Moravians busily engag

ble arose over a discussion on Predestination,-not the first or last time this has happened,-and the two men found themselves utterly at variance, for Whitefield held the extreme Calvinistic view, while Hagen argued tha

urning the little company adrift in the depth of winter, and he finally agreed to let them stay for a while in the log cabin which was sheltering them while they were building the large stone house. The opportune arrival of Bishop Nitschma

in sentiments. This I have learnt, my dear Brother, by happy experience, and find great freedom and peace in my soul thereby. This makes me love the Moravian Brethren tho' I cannot agree with them in many of their principles. I cannot look upon them as willful deceivers, but as persons who hazard their lives for the sake of the Gospel. Mr. Wesley is as

mpanied by Abraham Bueninger, of Purisburg, who entered the Moravian ministry in

ry Ferdinand Beck, his wife Barbara, their daughter Maria Christina, and their sons Jonathan and David, all of Savannah, and Anna Cathari

Nazareth congregation, when it was or

7

ore, he proposed to Count Zinzendorf that a new attempt should be made further up the Savannah River. He offered to give them five hundred and twenty-six

to him Nov. 1st, 1746, the land lying on the Carolina side of the Savannah River, a

le to the land lapsed for lack of occupancy, as th

7

preach the Gospel to the slaves on his plantation in Georgia. He offered a small piece

g in the neighborhood. "Knoxborough" lay on a creek about sixteen miles from Savannah, midway between that town and Ebenezer. The land had been settled by Germans, Salzburgers and Wittenbergers, and Mr. Knox had bought up their fifty acre tracts, combining them into a large rice plantation. The homes of the Germans had been a

roperty there, accompanied by Andrew Broesing, who joined Mueller and Wagner in their missionary work. It had been suggested that the Moravians preach in a church at a little place calle

ficulties, and heard with much displeasure of the plan to have the Moravians preach at Goshen. He declared,-"I doubt not, according to their known method of insinuation, they will gain the most, if not all the remaining families in Goshen, and will also make an attempt on Ebenezer, for their ways are well ad

n opportunity to preach the Gospel to German or English residents use it gladly, but receive none into your congregation, for you are sent expressly to the negroes." "You will probably find some of the so-called Salzburgers there, with their ministers. With them you will in all fairness do only that to which you are invited by their pastor. You will

heard him gladly at Knoxborough. After a careful examination of the land, the Moravians decided not to build a house for themselves,

hitefield's Orphan House, and had been active in governmental affairs, having served as Secretary of the Province, President of the Council, and Acting Governor of Georgia. For many years he had been the Agent in charge of the Moravian lots in and near Savannah, and now, in failing health, and a sufferer from gout, he asked t

on the rice plantations in the summer, and on Oct. 11th, 1775, Mueller died. The outbreak of the Revolutionary War made Wagner's and Broesing's position precarious, for the English Act exempting the Moravians from military service was not likely to be respect

vannah

as "Brother Joseph" in his diaries, and in the records he sometimes appears as Joseph Spangenberg, sometimes as Joseph Augustus Gottlieb Spangenberg, and sometimes by his true name only. According to custom, the fifty acre grant embraced three lots

had conducted the first company from Herrnhut to London. This grant consisted of Town Lot No. 3, Second Tything, Anson Ward, in the town of Savannah, Farm Lot No.

Agent, probably James Habersham, who was acting as Whitefield's assistant in his

laim land under grant from the Trustees should have their rights confirmed by royal grant upon application to the Governor and Council of Georgia, within a specified time, the land otherwise to be considered forfeited. In June, 1761,

l patents were issued to Nitschmann and Spangenberg, for the Town Lots and

date of March 15th, 1762, were made to him by Spangenberg and Nitschmann. The deeds to the Town an

sed to pay 4 Pounds a year ground rent, but the family living there was very poor, and Habersham had been unable to collect anything. By permission a poor woman had fenced in the Nitschmann lot, and was using it as a kitchen-garden, rent free. The title to the far

f much use otherwise, and the town lots had increased in value with the growth of the town. Marshall thought the latter could again be used for residenc

in the name of Brother Joseph, the other of Bishop D'd Nitschmann, who passed away in Bethlehem) and it would be well if something were done about them. I do not know what can be arranged with the son of the latter; but Brother David Nitschmann, who is now in Zeist, said when he was in America that he himself was the David Nitschmann in whose name the grant was made, because he was the one who had shared in the negotiations with the Trustees of Georgia." Bishop David Nitschmann had died in Bethlehem, Oct. 9th, 1772,

ed transferred their title to the Savannah property to Hans Christian Alexander v

ot belonging to a Mr. George Kellar, for the purpose of erecting a fort on, it being situated in the outskirts of the town, and in order to satisfy this man they VERY GENEROUSLY gave him your two lots in lieu of the one they had taken from him, but very fortunately for you, our Legislature passed a Law rendering null and void all their acts during the time they held this country, and notwithstanding Mr. Kell

quested Matthew McAllister to take charge of the matter; but McAllister, having made some inquiries, reported that the man named John Robinson, who lived on the premises, was likely to make trouble, and that as he himself was the only Judge in the district it

the Savannah Lots passing by will to Christian Lewis Benzien, of Salem, N

and she "a perfect 'virago', and the Sheriff is really afraid of her," but on July 5th, 1805, Lawson wrote to Cunow,-"I a

nd Tything, Anson Ward, to Charles Odingsell, the consideration being $1,500, one hundred dollars in cash, th

3 was sold to Worthington Gale

yment of these bonds was slightly delaye

es, and it is doubtful whether the general treasury profited greatly by the investment, and certainl

re transferred by will to John Gebhard Cunow of Bethlehem, Pa., who in

by degrees the timber was stolen from them, so that it became wiser to let them go than to keep up the taxes wi

Departur

ls in

gust Gottlieb Spang

hn Toelt

" Peter

tthard D

tfried Ha

nton Se

hael Habe

orge Hab

orge Was

iedrich

ohn Regnier Fr

id Nitschmann, (the

stian Adolph v

enry Ro

n Andrew

a Catharin

of And

orge Nei

gustin N

vid Zeis

isberger, (wife

id Tanneb

eberger, (son o

David

n Michael

acob Fr

hn Marti

tthias S

ttlieb D

ohn Boe

thias Boe

muth, (wife of

eltschig, (wife

harine Ri

f Fried

hke, (mother of

liana Ja

ina Haber

f Gottf

1737. Anna C

Rose, (daughte

David Zeisberger,

Michael S

Peter Boehler

nary to

orge Sch

ant mis

Peter Harper

0. John Hagen

74. Ludwig

George

Andrew Broesing F

es from

gust Gottlieb Spange

shop David N

ohn Andrew Do

a Catherin

George Neisser

ian Adolph von Her

vid Tanneberger

hn Tanne

n Michael

tfried Ha

1738. Gottha

ina Dem

rge Was

iana Wa

na Was

stin Nei

tlieb D

avid

John Toeltsc

hias Seybold T

John Francis Re

Rose To Pe

erine

Magdalen

eter Harp

. John Boehner

th Toeltschi

ael Habe

Peter Boehler

nton Se

hn Marti

vid Zeis

ina Zeisb

d Zeisberg

njamin S

James

hanna Hu

42. John

ham Buen

mes Burn

ca Burn

hn Brown

Ferdinan

ara Be

Christin

than B

id Be

therina K

Broesing To N

hn George Wag

at

. Friedrich Rie

1736. Jaco

, " Henry

" Rosina Ha

Matthias B

1737. George

nna Catheri

George Schuliu

hn Michael Scho

. Ludwig Muelle

mm

iva

Eur

ennsyl

in Ge

rth Car

at

avan

uris

oxbor

art

hlehem

ian Congregati

Congregation

tte

-

avians from Georg

de

o allow readers to brows

ted numbers indicate how

ages worth can both cou

s are sometim

Parliam

este

Brier

ha Riv

na

hon

ona

s in Ge

of the late

burg

ust

Paul Pe

ds

Barb

Davi

nry Ferd

Jonath

ria Chri

Christian

elsdo

em (Pen

emi

Peter (10

John (8)

George (2)

Matthias (2

s, Mar

Thom

Andrew (3)

h (3) (see al

ield,

Abraham (1)

de, Ja

e, Rebe

ndar

n, Jo

lina

n, Tho

les

les

) (modern Char

okee

er (see A

t Chu

of Engl

giant

s, John

for

or relief o

of Faith, M

, Tho

h, Cap

onfeder

John Ge

ths

te, Cha

, Gott

, Gott

, Regi

s from Ge

ner

John An

Leona

aria Cat

r, Ca

rf (1) (D

zer,

zer,

sdor

Hom

ae in ecc

in, Jo

, Han

ers

oravian Activi

hool at He

rat

of Unitas F

hner

in, J

e Hy

Lot

ne Congre

Lane So

cre Tra

al affa

Comp

Lots (see

Acre Tract

d Acre Trac

nd Twenty-six

rid

n Miss

Argyl

cre Lots (se

y Soci

, Jac

eric

nec

orthing

ld, J

n Lot

ne, Ca

nscha

ge I

gia

anto

Capt. T

hen

nhopp

nlan

srael Chr

t, Gottf

ht, Ros

nd, Geo

nd, Mic

m, James

m, James

, Joh

le

Simon

, Th

(see

per

t, Hen

Christian A

nhut

oravian Activi

Interce

ld Affa

John Mi

, Joha

Joh

n, Ja

ool House

in Geo

n Pennsyl

Benjam

uctio

oravian Activi

ne

onsk

Dav

es

Juliana (4

na

ws

nso

John We

, Geor

, Mr

oroug

, Pie

, Jon

ter (1) (Kr

Anna Cath

rers

s Hil

ashi

title

n, Jo

chbishop of

don

erchant,

ropriet

enz

The

feas

Cree

an Chu

, Mart

ohn Mar

enbo

Frederick

nial af

ter, Ma

ncth

odis

John Mi

y affai

ey, Ca

Philip

avi

tivity in E

ctivity in

ctivity in

n in Fetter Lane (se

nry Melchior (2

Ludwig (2

ve, Jo

ve, Ma

ic

reth

Miss

, Augus

r, Geo

r, Wen

t, Ros

er (see Eb

nvern

, Christia

, David (B

vid (Hausmeist

nn, Imma

Caroli

Scoti

rthelsd

ll, Cha

nomi

ee Riv

rpe, Ja

Fort

the Musta

n Hou

ord

land (Coc

ylvan

agua

l, v

ists

Congrega

and

Roy

Archbishop of

Georgia (s

sey

sbur

Corneliu

, Samu

iscipli

Philipp Fre

he youn

nsbe

r, Joh

us affa

Henry X

ionary

braham Ehr

e (3) (see also

Friedr

on, Jo

Cathol

r, Hen

na Cathe

herine (R

ria Magd

Pete

John An

erda

n-pos

em

urger

nnah

gregation (M

h Cemet

ah Riv

nah,

ony

John Mi

enec

us, Ge

z, Ros

ns Christian A

, Lewis Da

feld, C

kfelde

Compa

t, Ant

tua

" of Zinz

, Matth

okin

ness

hope

nds,

oviu

ay Isl

Hous

(see Gem

opagation of Chris

, Benj

Caroli

, August Go

berg's

iard

sh Wa

Philip J

ng's B

on's Is

Thom

Emigra

rger, D

rger, J

s, Ca

n, Cap

erbol

John (39)

Judith (8)

hichi

Lot

des

bner

hing the Colony of Ge

n (1) (T

thers,

red Acre

ee

alley,

Fratr

Cree

ger, Sa

Mr.

st, S

n, Ja

lma

tehe

age

ia Tra

John G

ke, A

e, Geo

ke (3) (Ja"schke)) (see

aube,

, Char

y, Jo

, Samu

Indie

eld, Ge

ristopher (

enbe

ff, Ge

Sir Ja

ant

shir

lste

er, Davi

er, Davi

ger, Ro

nhage

Christian Lu

Erdmuth Doro

cholas Lewis v