The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1861-01-29
From the n G. Christian Advocate. s. +
THE MORAvIANS IN N. CAROLINA.

| c., entitled, "The Meravians In North Carolina I"
from which we present an epitome, condensed
account, of that branch of the Church. il exists
in this State. In 1749 the British Parliament
passed an act by which the Unitas Fratrum, or
Moravians, was acknowledged as Protestant
! Episcopal Church. About that time Lord Graz
vile, President Of the Privy Council who was the
owner of large tract of country in North Caro-
lima, offered 100000 acres to Count Zinzendorf,
upon very reasonable terms. At Conference
of the Brethren held in London, November 20,
l751, it was resolved to accept the offer. Th de-
| sign, in accepting the offer, was to enable the
Moravians to live undsturbed by having the liber-
! ty to exclude all who not of their commun-
ion from their settlement, and also to be useful in
extending the blessings of Christianity to the In
dians, and the emi grants, who might reside upon
their borders A commission, with authority to
select the location of the land consisting of Bish-
op Spangenburg, and five Others left Bethlehem,
Pa, for the wilds of North Carolina, on Aug %,
1852; and after wandering about on horseback,
amid hardships, for several weeks, they selected
certain tracts of land in what was then known as
Rowan county. Our author SAYS: December
27, 1852, at the southwest corner of the Wacho-
via tract, the surveyors commenced and continued
to January 81, 1853. The tract, surveyed in four
teen parcels, contained 73, ,037 acres Br Span
genberg and bis companions having returned to
Pennsylvania, Mr. Churton, LorG Granve's sur
veyor.) subsequently surveyed five other parcels,
amounting with the other, to 98,985 acres. The
whole tract was called Wochouia, or Wachau-the
Auc (meacow land) along the principal creek, the
Wach, bearing some resemblance to valley in
Austria which was formerly in possession of the
Zinzendorf family. By dividing and suddividing
the large county of Rowan, this tract has been
snccesssively in Rowan, ITO in Surry, 1889 in
Stokes, and since 1913 in Forsythe county"
The first settlement on these lands was effected
in 1888, by company of twelve emigrants from
Bethlehem, Pa They arrived on the 18th Nov
ember of that year, at the place since known as
Bethabara, or Old Town, in Forsythe county,
and began 10 build up that town, amid perils and
hardships.
In 1854 the infant colony was strengthened, by
the arrival of other emigrants; and one of these
pretended to be Charles Wesley; but the inposter
was exposed by "Bro Fries" who also discovered
that the ''loved whskey more than his Sa-
viour." In September of this year, 1854 was de-
dicated the first house for the residence of unmar-
red brethren, at Bethabara. The first grist mill
was also built during that year; and during the
following year, the number of inhabitants was in
creased bv a score or two of valuable emigrants
In 1856 the number of settlers amounted to sixty
five persons The Indian war, generally known as
the "Old French War, biected the infant settle
ment to severe trials in 1853 and 1858; but the
colonists were prudent, and Bethabara became a
noted place among the Indians the Dutch
Fort, where there are good people and much bread "
In 1859. certain settlers three miles from Betha-
hara were organized as Moraviau congregation,
under the name of Bethania; and in 1850 BRO.
D. Bishop moved to Bethania, to keep the daily
meetings" In 1859 the Greek aud Cherokee In
dans made war upon the whites; and, as The
Moravans declined military service, the provinci-
al government placed upon them the responsible
ty of selfdefense. They maintained their ground
in that by policy rather than by arms.
In 1865, the Moravians founded Salem, under
the auspices of T. w. Marshall, who had charge
of the temporalities of the Church in N Carolina.
La I'LL, Paul Niersch entered upon his duties,
as the first minister of the Salem congregation.
In 1772 the population of Salem was one hundred
and twenty persons.
In 1772, Friedburg was formally constituted as
a Moravian Church. On the 18th day of Febu-
ary, 1775, the church at Friedand was dedicated,
of which T. Nilsson pastor; his congregation
was made up of Moravian cmigrants from Europe
and the Western States. In the year 1880, the
meeting g-house at Hope solemnly dedicated; |
and to the present time the Moravians have kept
up religious worship there.
During the Revolutionary War, the Moravians
were neutral, and were harried and worried by both
parties in that contest. In 1885, the settlement
was visited by Bishop De VAUDEVILLE, who exereis-
ed authority in ecclesiastical affairs, behalf of
the mother church in Europe. 'On May 31st,
1871, Salem was visited by George Washington,
President of the United States, who was then on
a visit to Alexander Martin, governor of North |
Carolina Gen Washington spent day among |
the Moravians, visiting the houses of the single |
Sisters, and in the evening attending service in |
the Church. The President seemed to take an |
especial interest in the water-works, by which the
town was supplied with water"
In 1903, fifty years having passed since the first
settlement of the Moravians in North Carolina,
the anniversary was celebrated with solemn re-
ipious ceremonies at Salem. Within that time
there had been baptized in the six congregations,
i3 adults and about ! 800 Children; 666 persons
we're buried in the different burial grounds. TIE
number of communicants was 420; -communi-
,ants, 385; children, 500; total population, 1905.
Salem Female Academy was founded in 1904.
The Academy was soemnly consecrated, July Is,
1905. In 1906, the first printed circular was is-
ued, from which it appears that the age of admit
ance was from eight to twelve years. and the age
If fifteen terminated the stay of the pupils at
chool The annual expenses were about $3.50
From small beginnings, the Academy, by judic-
,us management, has become one of the first in
ttutions of female education In the whole country
I'D has sent forth hundreds of accomplished ladies
o disseminate The graces of female refinement in
he domestic circle.
At the close of the year 1856, there were nine {
iorayian congregations in North Caroline; of I
%e#