THE EARLY SETTLEMENTS OF THE MORAVIANS IN NORTH CAROLINA. BY D. M. SWINK. BEFORE dealing- directly with the early settlements of the Moravians in North Carolina, let us consider for a moment the early settlement and condition of the "Province of North Carolina." The settlements began with straggling- emigrants from Virginia, who soug-ht to better their fortunes in regions farther South. Naturally they would settle on some river, and so these early emigrants did settle on rivers leading into Albermarle Sound, and the first record we have of them dates back to 1650. As religion was not the predominating motive that lead these emigrants into the two Carolinas, so religion for a long time seemed to have received but little attention, as the first spiritual movement was inauguratad about 1672 and the first church built in 1705. During this period and for some time afterwards, there was much dissatisfaction in sections of Bohemia and Moravia, caused by persecutions from the Roman Catholics, driving a band of religious men to flee for refuge in 1722 to the estate of Nicholas Lewis, Count of Zinzendorf, who was then made their bishop. On account of his religious energy and ability to do good, he made a visit to America in 1741 and founded missions among the Indians, the beginnings of the several settle- ments for those of the Moravians who might choose to emigrate thither. Such were the objects of the pleasant villages of Pennsylvania and of Salem in North Carolina. In 1747 negotiations between the United Brethren and the British Parliament were entered into and finally result- ed in the purchase of an hundred thousand acres of land, the territory of the President of the Privy Council, the Earl of Granville. 2 188 University Magazine The purpose of the colony was to give such Brethren and friends as would desire it, an opportunity of settling- at a cheap rate in a country as yet but little cultivated ; also to serve both in a temporal and spiritual sense the inhabi- tants already here, the Cherokees, Creeks, and other Indians. The purchase of the land was not completed until the autumn of 1751. The surveying- and the plotting- out of the land was the next thing- to be done ; accordingly in 1752 several men set out from Pennsylvania to survey the land. This was completed in December 1752 after several month's of "ill luck." About seventy thousand acres were included in this survey, but nearly thirty thousand acres more were added afterwards. I have been unable to find the exact amount paid to the Earl of Granville, noting only "a certain sum of money and a yearly rent to be paid annually." The g-eneral deed for the whole tract was sealed and signed on the 7th day of August 1753. In the autumn of 1753 the the first colonists, twelve unmarried men came from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to settle upon the land. They seemed to be very conservative in the selection of their first colonists, and it may be of interest to note the variety of trades existing in the colony. There was one minister, one warden, one surgeon, one shoemaker, two carpenters, one tailor, one baker, one miller, three farmers, nine trades being represented. They spent six weeks in making this tedious, fatigu- ing and perilous journey of nine hundred miles, across rivers, and over mountains covered with woods. On November 7th, 1753 they took possession of this land bordering on the Yadkin and Dan rivers and named it The Wachau or Wachovia, as Count Zinzendorf had the title of Lord of the Valley Wachau in Austria. The new settlers began with good courage to clear some acres of land, to sow it with wheat and to build a mill. A Moravians in North Carolina 189 small deserted cabin, which they found, served them for a shelter or dwelling house during" the first winter. The second company of Brethren or Moravians arrived from Bethlehem on Oct. 26, 1774 and settled with the others. It was resolved that on the same spot, where the first settlers had made already a small improvement, a town should be built to be named Bethabara, "House of Pass- age, " as it was intended only for a place of sojourn until the principal town could be built in the middle of the whole tract. On November 26, 1754, the corner stone was laid for the first house in this town, appointed as the church and dwelling house of the Brethren. There was a larger curch built of stone in 1778, which remains standing and is still shown to visitors. The land of the Brethren was in the year 1755 by an act of the Assembly declared a particular parish, and after the name of the governor of N. C. called Dobbs Parish. In Wachovia, North Carolna the Brethren enjoyed peace in the beginning of the Indian War, because the neighboring Chrokees, were at that time friends of the English. But in Virginia there was war with the Indians, and many murders were committed and consequently many people fled to North Carolina in 1756. The Brethren enclosed their town, Bethabara, and the adjacentmill with palisades. On account of the failure of the -corn crop in Virginia in 1757, scarcity followed, and a 'large number of people came down to the Moravian settlements to supply their wants. As there was a renewed outbreak of the Indians, they remain- ed and were given land to cultivate. These stragglers were unwilling to go away, and asked permission to remain with the Brethren. This was granted and the fugitives constantly attended preaching and, as stated in one of their histories, "some of them were laid hold on by grace." In 1760 a tract of land was assigned to them for building 190 University Magazine and cultivation, three miles from Bethabara. This new place was the beginning- of the second Moravian settlement in North Carolina and was called Bethany, later Bethania. These two villages were in constant danger from out- breaks of the Indians, mainly the Cherokees. As an assistance to their government, the Moravians were allowed out of their number a Justice of the Peace, for the county in which Wachovia lies. Since the last colony noted in 1754, there had been several new colonies that came from Pennsylvania, includ- ing some women, until at the end of the year 1765, the number of inhabitants in Bathabara was 88 and in Bethany 78. In 1766 the first colony direct from their "old home" in Germany arrived by way of London and Charleston, S. C, and a beginning was made to build Salem, five miles south- east of Bethabara. This has since become the principle settlement of Moravians in North Carolina. It was resolved that Salem should be built in the same manner and have the same regulations as their home town in Austria and as Bethlehem, where the unmarried men and boys and the unmarried women and girls, live in sepa- rate houses. The house for the unmarried men was built in 1768 and remains standing on the west side of "The Square" but is used for another purpose now. The house for the unmarried women and girls was built in 1786 and remains standing, adjoining the south side of the school building. They also laid the corner stone for a church in April 1770, which is standing now. But in 1801 a much larger brick building was finished in which services are now reg- ularly held. During the next few years the population in- creased rapidly, augmented by settlers from Europe and also from the New England colonies. In 1769 a school house was built about nine miles south of Salem and this new settlement was called Friedberg. Another settle- Moravians in North Carolina 191 ment to the south east of Salem was begun in 1770 and called Friedland. On account of the increase in the number of settlers, it was thought advisable to begin another settlement in the south. western portion of this tract. This was done and the settlement named Hope. During the Revolutionary war, the Moravians in North Carolina suffered great hardships and losses. They were not required to tight during the Revolution, as by their agreement to settle in North Carolina they were to be exempted from personal military service for a reason- able compensation. They were required to pay $125 for each substitute sent in the beginning of the war and af- terwards to pay a triple tax. Salem received in the year 1785 two fire-engines from Europe, and a fire regulation was made in the town. The fire-engines may still be seen in the Historical Society's museum in Salem. They were made out of wood and were simply force pumps, mounted on a bench, and are very crude and odd looking compared with any machinery now in use. In the year 1791, General George Washington honored Salem with a visit, remaining there several days. The room which he occupied while in Salem is still preserved in the "Old Tavern" as it even was something over a hundred years ago. But the first half century of their existence in North Carolina was quietly coming to a close, and they wished to commemorate the event by showing some signs of grat- itude to their Preserver; so the 17th day of November 1803 was celebrated as a jubilee by all of the Moravian congre- gations in North Carolina The}' met in Salem and united in solemn praises and thanksgivings to their gracious Lord and Saviour for all the favors and blessings which He had bestowed on them during this period of fifty years. At the beginning of these fifty years there were but twelve people to be thankful for any blessings, but at the 192 University Magazine close of these fifty years the number had increased to 1305 people. The Moravian settlements in North Carolina still retain the same ideas as were found in their home settlement — to have proper regard for the morals of the young- and for the comfort of the aged, for cheerful industry and pleasant social life, and to establish boarding schools for their boys and girls. Their school house for boys stands on the Northwestern corner of 4 'The Square," arid was built in 1794. The buil- ding remains standing and is covered with mud slabs, with dimensions about 6x12x1^2 inches. Their school for girls, south of the church, was built in 1803-4 and has been used continuously for the school and is termed "The Salem Female Academy," and has become one of the foremost colleges in the South for the educa- tion of girls. They also have a home for the aged, "The Widow's Home" and another called "The Sister's House." In visiting their settlements, one steps out of the busy whirl of the nineteenth century into the calm, and peace and dreamland of an hundred years ago, to the charm of which only a Goldsmith could do justice. HOMER. Contributed. Silence and darkness! Dim and mystic Past, That speaketh not with many voices as A later age! Thou hast a single voice, The song of many lives that speak as one; Not History nor Literature alone, Romantic message from that simple life Before the art of record was devised, Melodious anthem pouring through the mist That lies along the horizon of time.