| The Salzburgers Travel to the New World |
It was on the advise of Samuel Urlsperger that Oglethorpe enlist prominent men to lead and establish
the new colony, both to give the needy a new start in life and to extend British dominions. The
applicants were examined for honesty and "inability for English livelihood". Over the period of the
trusteeship (1732-1755), fifty more trustees were added. Oglethorpe pointing at his new colony, above
the new colony, both to give the needy a new start in life and to extend British dominions. The
applicants were examined for honesty and "inability for English livelihood". Over the period of the
trusteeship (1732-1755), fifty more trustees were added. Oglethorpe pointing at his new colony, above
Toward the end of their ocean voyage, a terrible storm broke, during which the Salzburger pastors
thundered out bible texts. Among these texts was I Samuel 7:12. where Samuel placed a stone where
God had saved his people from their enemy and named it Eben-Ezer, stone of help. Thus,
Oglethorpe named the town, its stream and the Parish, Ebenezer. Salzburgers were Georgia's first
religious refugees. Their fellow exiles who had ventured to German regions had at least some
continuity of food, language, climate and culture, and some were even treated like heroes, soon
becoming the center of legend, poetry and song. The Georgia Salzburgers travelled into a dreary,
frightening wilderness where nothing was familiar. When once they knew only their small Alpine
farms and quaint villages in the homeland and were surrounded by friends and family, they were
suddenly be an ocean away in a harsh and hostile environment.
thundered out bible texts. Among these texts was I Samuel 7:12. where Samuel placed a stone where
God had saved his people from their enemy and named it Eben-Ezer, stone of help. Thus,
Oglethorpe named the town, its stream and the Parish, Ebenezer. Salzburgers were Georgia's first
religious refugees. Their fellow exiles who had ventured to German regions had at least some
continuity of food, language, climate and culture, and some were even treated like heroes, soon
becoming the center of legend, poetry and song. The Georgia Salzburgers travelled into a dreary,
frightening wilderness where nothing was familiar. When once they knew only their small Alpine
farms and quaint villages in the homeland and were surrounded by friends and family, they were
suddenly be an ocean away in a harsh and hostile environment.
The settlers had no control of their own government and it was entirely
ruled by the trustees. Georgia granted freedom in religion to everyone
except Catholics. On January 8, 1734, a year after arriving in England,
the Salzburgers began their stormy 63 day journey to Georgia on a two
hundred ton ship named the Purysburg under Captain Tobias Pry. On
March 12, 1734, their ship arrived at the Savannah River and was met
by Oglethorpe who led them to their new home.
ruled by the trustees. Georgia granted freedom in religion to everyone
except Catholics. On January 8, 1734, a year after arriving in England,
the Salzburgers began their stormy 63 day journey to Georgia on a two
hundred ton ship named the Purysburg under Captain Tobias Pry. On
March 12, 1734, their ship arrived at the Savannah River and was met
by Oglethorpe who led them to their new home.
Tomochichi, 1644-1739, was an apparent exile himself from the Creek Indian Nation. He and
several followers first settled what is now Savannah, Georgia. Tomochichi became a lifelong
friend of the early English colonists, helping the settlers in Georgia negotiate treaties and settle
disputes with Indians. In 1734, at age 91, he was taken to England with a small delegation of
family and tribesmen by colonial Oglethorpe. In England, he was a celebrity, and was wined,
dined and even had his portrait painted with his nephew. He returned from his trip to England
with a shipload of presents. Tomochichi created his own tribe of Yamacraws from an assortment
of about 200 Creek and Yamasee Indians around 1728, and they settled within close proximity
to English traders. Tomochichi provided invaluable assistance to the new colony during their
early years of settlement. The chief also made the acquaintance of ministers John and Charles
Wesley. Tomochichi died on October 5, 1739, and received an English military funeral.
several followers first settled what is now Savannah, Georgia. Tomochichi became a lifelong
friend of the early English colonists, helping the settlers in Georgia negotiate treaties and settle
disputes with Indians. In 1734, at age 91, he was taken to England with a small delegation of
family and tribesmen by colonial Oglethorpe. In England, he was a celebrity, and was wined,
dined and even had his portrait painted with his nephew. He returned from his trip to England
with a shipload of presents. Tomochichi created his own tribe of Yamacraws from an assortment
of about 200 Creek and Yamasee Indians around 1728, and they settled within close proximity
to English traders. Tomochichi provided invaluable assistance to the new colony during their
early years of settlement. The chief also made the acquaintance of ministers John and Charles
Wesley. Tomochichi died on October 5, 1739, and received an English military funeral.
Georgia was the last American colony and founded 50 years
after the initial twelve. It was named for King George II who
granted a 21 year charter to a board of 21 trustees for the land
between the Savannah and Altamaha rivers and westward to
the "South Sea". James Oglethorpe, its founder and governor,
was a member of Parliament as well as a reformer who was
concerned about the atrocious conditions of the grim debtors
prisons. He resolved to ship their inmates to America instead.
after the initial twelve. It was named for King George II who
granted a 21 year charter to a board of 21 trustees for the land
between the Savannah and Altamaha rivers and westward to
the "South Sea". James Oglethorpe, its founder and governor,
was a member of Parliament as well as a reformer who was
concerned about the atrocious conditions of the grim debtors
prisons. He resolved to ship their inmates to America instead.
After the exiles arrived in Augsburg in 1733, they travelled north to Frankfurt, then on by barge to
the Netherlands. At Rotterdam, the Salzburgers were met by their appointed Lutheran Pastors, Rev.
Boltzious and Rev. Gronau. Thirty-seven families then proceeded to Dover, England where they
swore allegiance to King George and were therefore awarded the same rights of Englishmen bound
for an English Colony. Exiles and refugees were pawns in a power game played by monarchs and
governments of Europe to populate new colonies or repopulate devastated areas within their realms,
and also to spread their religious ideas or even to protect their borders by acting as buffers to hostile
forces. The Salzburgers were not the first German speaking immigrants in America.
the Netherlands. At Rotterdam, the Salzburgers were met by their appointed Lutheran Pastors, Rev.
Boltzious and Rev. Gronau. Thirty-seven families then proceeded to Dover, England where they
swore allegiance to King George and were therefore awarded the same rights of Englishmen bound
for an English Colony. Exiles and refugees were pawns in a power game played by monarchs and
governments of Europe to populate new colonies or repopulate devastated areas within their realms,
and also to spread their religious ideas or even to protect their borders by acting as buffers to hostile
forces. The Salzburgers were not the first German speaking immigrants in America.
While other new immigrants to America set out in relatively small numbers, unfortunate refugees from Rhineland Pfalz, or
"the Palatinate" in the early 18th century flooded out in droves to escape the devastation and starvation caused by the
French in the Rhineland. Thousands of very poor Pfalzers fled to America, with dubious English assistance, settling in
areas such as New York state.
"the Palatinate" in the early 18th century flooded out in droves to escape the devastation and starvation caused by the
French in the Rhineland. Thousands of very poor Pfalzers fled to America, with dubious English assistance, settling in
areas such as New York state.
Settlers from Krefeld established the first sizable, distinctly German settlement in America at Germantown, Pennsylvania
in 1683. Thirteen Krefeld Mennonite families landed in Philadelphia on October 6, 1683 and were met by a young
German lawyer named Francis Daniel Pastorius, who had arrived himself on August 20, 1683. He and the Krefeld
families found a home in Germantown.
in 1683. Thirteen Krefeld Mennonite families landed in Philadelphia on October 6, 1683 and were met by a young
German lawyer named Francis Daniel Pastorius, who had arrived himself on August 20, 1683. He and the Krefeld
families found a home in Germantown.
British explorers often took Germans with mining expertise on their voyages to perform labor and to manage and/or
supervise assay work. Martin Frobisher was an English seaman and state-sponsored pirate who made three voyages to
the New World looking for the Northwest Passage and, hopefully, gold. Between 1576 and 1578, Frobisher led three
expeditions to the vicinity of Baffin Island, taking with him German experts in the mining field. Soon after, twenty-two of
the nearly 280 unfortunate colonists who went to "The Lost Colony" of Roanoke between 1585 and 1587 were not
English- born, and Germans are believed to have been included in this minority. The Roanoke Germans may also have
been mining specialists who had worked in tin mines of Cornwall and other parts of England. Another group of German
immigrants apparently arrived in 1608 on the ship "Mary and Margaret" and settled in Jamestown as glass makers and
carpenters. And in 1620, there were even Germans on the Mayflower, among them more German mineral specialists and
saw-millwrights from Hamburg who opened the first sawmill.
supervise assay work. Martin Frobisher was an English seaman and state-sponsored pirate who made three voyages to
the New World looking for the Northwest Passage and, hopefully, gold. Between 1576 and 1578, Frobisher led three
expeditions to the vicinity of Baffin Island, taking with him German experts in the mining field. Soon after, twenty-two of
the nearly 280 unfortunate colonists who went to "The Lost Colony" of Roanoke between 1585 and 1587 were not
English- born, and Germans are believed to have been included in this minority. The Roanoke Germans may also have
been mining specialists who had worked in tin mines of Cornwall and other parts of England. Another group of German
immigrants apparently arrived in 1608 on the ship "Mary and Margaret" and settled in Jamestown as glass makers and
carpenters. And in 1620, there were even Germans on the Mayflower, among them more German mineral specialists and
saw-millwrights from Hamburg who opened the first sawmill.
According to Norse sagas, the first German to set foot in the New World was Tyrker, the German foster-father of Leif
Ericson who lived in the 11th century and accompanied Leif on his voyage of discovery in the year 1000. Although
historians differ as to where they ended up, they sailed from Greenland to an unknown country to the west which some
believe to have been New England.
Ericson who lived in the 11th century and accompanied Leif on his voyage of discovery in the year 1000. Although
historians differ as to where they ended up, they sailed from Greenland to an unknown country to the west which some
believe to have been New England.