The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1888-04-26
MORAVIAN HISTORY.

SETTLEMENT OF' SALEM.
MORAvIAN HISTORY.
While it is not our purpose to go
into a detail of past history, it is on
ly proper that we should make a
brief reference to the people who set
tied this town and county more than
a century ago. Bohemia and Mora
via were first to protest against
what they believed to be the unright-
eous claims of the Romish Church
and the Reformation became promi-
nent under John Huss, who suffered
martyrdom in 1415. From his mem
ory arose that religious body offici-
ally named the Unitas Fratum or
Brethren's Unity, and more general
ly known as the Moravians. To be
freed from the spirit of oppression
many of the brethren fed to Saxony
In 1857 a parish was established in
Poland, but an anti-reformation was
fostered by Ferdinand II in 162O-27
which crushed out this church leaving
only a handful of the Brotherhood
from whom the line of descent was
continued. determination for the
town of Herrnhut was laid in June,
1922, on lands donated to the Broth
erhood by Count Zinzendorf, of Sax
ony, and this soon became their gen
eral rallying place. A large number
ofMoravians subsequently emigrated
to Pennsylvania and from there, in
1852, Bishop Spangenberg, accom-
panied by five brethren, set out to Sc
lect a location in North Carolina.
Together with Mr.. Churtor, the sur
Veyor and agent for Lord Granville
they traversed the wild forests of this
section and after numerous hardships
and privations selected the "Wach-
ovia tract which, with subsequent
surveys, was made to contain 9S,-
9S5 acres and covers what is now
about two-fifths of Forsyth county.
This was decided to the society Au-
gust 7th, 1853, and the first settle
ment was made at Bethabara, (now
Old TOWN. J., a few months later. Sa-
lem was selected as the central town
for the Moravian Brethren in 1765
and the first house was occupied the
next year.
In 1857 a separation of civil and
religious government took place,
since which time Salem has held reg
ular municipal elections.
The present generation might de-
rive an instructive moral lesson by
contrasting the privileges and dis
comforts which beset the first settlers,
with the happy circumstances by
which they are surrounded; such a
contrast should inspire the latter
with feelings of gratitude for the
blessings which they now enjoy.
In reviewing the hardships and
privations that these early pioneers
must have endured to withstand the
savage beasts and savage men, and
lay the foundations of civilization
with all it's incumbent blessings, a
feeling of reverence comes over us and
we can only recall the memory of
those hardy veterans and gaze upon
the work they have accomplished
with the most profound respect. We
find much embraced in their personal
history that would interest the gen
eral reader if space would permit, but
the bounds of this article and the
important pressing present, forbids
our enlarging on those early scenes.
The Industrious habits of the early
settlers laid a good foundation for
manufacturing and it is not surpris-
ing that with the advent of the rail
road, industrial establishments
sprung up on all sides and the growth
of Salem's young offspring-Winston
has been marvellous.
The Wachovia Society believed in
making the children learn useful
trades and it is worthy of note that
the first substantial house built in
Salem,-1766-is still in use as a pot
tery and has some of the quaint old
moulds dating back to TIA. The
Salem water works built in 177S
were in use up to ten years ago when
the demand for larger supply
brought the present system. 1t is
said that the water works were much
admired by President Washington
on his visit to this place in 1871.
There are very many interesting REM
iniscences of the past, some of the
most prominent of which will be in
corporated in subsequent articles,
but as indicated on our Introductory
page, the present is our special theme
and we pass to a consideration of
wINsToN-sALEM.
In 1S4S Forsyth county was form
ed and year later ,fifty-one acres of
the Wachovia tract adjoining Salem
was sold, for the new courthouse and
village site, at $500 per acre. This
was plated and named Winston, in
honor of COL Joseph Winston, who
this section of North
Carolina in the Patriots meeting of
colonial days.
Winston is superbly located for a
manufacturing center as the entire
county is well watered, contains
broad fields of meadow and bottom
lands, and many streams of good
water power.
Fifteen years ago the surburb of
Winston (adjoining Salem, but with
business center a third of a mile from
its boundary, had less than 500 in
habitants About that time she be-
gan a rapid growth and to-day her
population is over 5000 Every