The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-09-07


9 site is already under
way and only the other day state
officials and the citizens of Uhrichs-
vile, Dover and New Philadelphia,
Ohio, gathered near-the latter town
to dedicate the replica of the original
Schoenbrunn schoolhouse, which had
been erected there July 30, 1878, the
first school building in that state.
That the dedication of this particu-
lar building and the whole plan for
the restoration of Schoenbrunn has
more than local interest was attest
ed to by the fact that hundreds of
visitors from other states attended
the ceremonies and that the plans for
the renaissance of this historic town
are being followed with appreciation
for its significance by many outside
the borders of the Buckeye state.
For Schoenbrunn, established as an
Indian mission, was the first town
built by the whites in that part of
the Old Northwest territory which
was later to attract so many settlers
to its fertile lands; in it stood the
first church and the first public school
building in that part of the territory
and there, too, was organized the
first peace and temperance societies
west of the Alleghanies. 1t is these
facts which give it Importance in our
national history and when the restor-
alton is completed, the new Schoen-
brunn will stand as monument to
the spirit Of the pioneer missionaries
who, with their Bibles and Christian
teachings, did their share in winning
the West as truly as did those other
pioneers who carried into the wilder
ness the rifle and the ak.
The story of the Moravian Indian
mission at Schoenbrunn and its sis
ter mission towns Of Lichtenau and
Gnadenhutten is story Of Christian
heroism, tale o. romance, pathos
and tragedy. All Of it centers around
the names of two great missionaries.
John Heckewelder and David Zeis-
berger-and most of ali, Zeisberger.
From 1877, when he was but sixteen
years old, until 1908, when he died,
he gave every day of those seventy
one years to the one consuming pas
sion of mis- life-that of bringing
Christianity to the Indians of the
Middle West.
Early in 177f Zeisberger crossed
over into Ohio and on March IA of
that yea arrived at GekelemuEpe-
chunk, the principal town of the Della
ware tribe (now NewcomerstOyn,
Ohio) where he preached the first
Protestant sermon ever delivered in
Ohio. He came back again in March,
I1772, and. the chief of the Delawares
having suggested that he establish
mission among them, Zeisberger be-
gan to look around for suitable site.
While doing this he discovered
sparkling spring which he gave the
name of Schoenbrunn beautiful
SPRING. and resolved to establish his
mission there. So he went back to
Pennsylvania to return two months
later with % Christian Indians and
work. was begun at once on the build
Ing of homes, church and school.
On August %, 1772, Rev. John
Heckewelder and Rev. John Ettwein
with more than 200 Christian Indians
arrived and the next day the mission
aries and their Indian helpers laid
out the town of Schoenbrunn and
formulated the first civil code ever
adopted in the state of Ohio for the
govern ent of their town. By the
middle of September the church was
finished and services were held in it.
For awhile the mission was pros
porous and peace and contentment
reigned In the town. The Indians