USA > South Carolina > History of the German settlements and of the Lutheran church in North and South Carolina : from the earliest period of the colonization of the Dutch, German, and Swiss settlers to the close of the first half of the present century > Part 3
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It is, however, sad to reflect that these German refugees did not improve the advantages offered and granted them for churches and schools by the benevolent Queen of England ; their glebes,
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pastorates, and school-tracts were suffered to re- main unoccupied by themselves and their de- scendants, until these grants and privileges were forgotten, and the lands otherwise disposed of. A large body of land, now forming a county in South Carolina, and yet remembered by the name of "the Saxe-Gotha tract," situated along the banks of the Congaree River, which was once allotted by Queen Anne for this purpose, was finally lost to the Church, although the Germans made settlements in that vicinity at a later date. What an immense amount of wealth might have been preserved to the Lutheran Church, to ad- vance religion and education among the descend- ants of these Palatines and other German settlers to their latest generation, in the different colonies of America, where these grants were located.
Section 4. The Mission Societies established in Europe for the benefit of the early settlers in America.
It is not to be supposed that the various colonists of America were soon forgotten by their friends and relatives in the old country, or were neglected by their former spiritual shepherds. We send missionaries, at the present time, to nations still benighted with heathenism, and not at all con- nected with us by the strong ties of consanguinity ; how much more would the European Christians feel interested in the progress of evangelization in this Western world, where their own kindred resided, who were of the same household of faith,
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and from whom they occasionally received infor- mation by letters, beseeching them to send them ministers of the gospel to break the bread of eternal life to them.
Some of the colonists, like the Salzburgers, took their pastors with them to America; others were not so fortunate; and all had need of more min- isters, in order that they might regularly enjoy the administration of all the means of grace. Con- sequently, various mission societies were formed in Europe among the Episcopalians, the Lutherans, the Moravians, and, perhaps, some other denom- inations, to meet this want. A society of this kind seems to have been first organized in England, called " The Society for Promoting the Knowledge of Christ in Foreign Parts," with which the Lutheran Church on the Continent must have been in some way connected, having her directors in that institu- tion, such as, the Rev. Dr. Ziegenhagen, Lutheran chaplain at the Court of St. James, London ; Rev. Dr. Urlsperger, pastor of St. Anna Lutheran Church of Augsburg; Rev. Dr. Francke, son of the founder of the Orphan House at Halle; this missionary in- stitution is also noticed in many historical works under its Latin title, " Societas promovenda cog- nitione Christi," and was exceedingly effective in doing great good in this country; under its care the mission in Ebenezer, Georgia, was placed; it not only supported their pastors, but built their churches and endowed them by various investments.
These- Ebenezer pastors were in duty bound to report minutely, extensively, and frequently to the
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missionary board in Europe, or Fathers (as they were then called); which reports were published by Dr. Urlsperger, of Augsburg, for the purpose of keeping up the interest in Germany in behalf of this mission in Georgia; they are still extant, and known by the name of "The Urlsperger Nachrichten."
The University of Halle organized a separate mission society, which was altogether under Lu- theran management. It was this society that sent Rev. H. M. Muhlenberg, D.D., and other Lutheran ministers to the Province of Pennsylvania, who labored there among the German settlers. Their missionary reports were sent to the society in Halle, where they were likewise published, and are now known by the double name of " Die Hal- lische Nachrichten," or "Die Pennsylvanische Nachrichten," many copies of which are still pre- served in the libraries of several Lutheran colleges in the United States, to which they were donated by a great-grandson of the Halle Society's first mis- sionary, H. H. Muhlenberg, M.D., of Reading, Pa.
At a later period another mission society was organized in Germany by the professors of the Julius Charles University, located in Helmstaedt, Duchy of Brunswick. This society sent a number of laborers to North Carolina. Rev. Dr. Velthu- sen was the leading spirit of that organization, which provided for the support of Rev. Nussmann, and sent out Revs. Storch and Roschen to labor among the scattered and neglected Germans in North Carolina.
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The reports of these missionaries were published from time to time, as soon as they reached the Society in Helmstaedt. Some of them have re- cently been brought to light, but others are still missing. They are interesting to the antiquarian, and though not voluminous, they supply an im- portant link in the chain of narrative concerning the German settlers in North Carolina.
No documents can be more valuable to the his- torian than the reports of these missionaries, which were written by learned, conscientious and reliable men, who were themselves residents in the colo- nies, and were well acquainted with facts that transpired under their immediate observation. An insight into the difficulties, the customs, and the spirit of those times is thus furnished, which en- ables the writer of history to understand the more readily the events of a succeeding age, which are but imperfectly reported in isolated state docu- ments.
Section 5. John Lederer's Explorations, A.D. 1670.
Having now furnished the reader with such his- torical facts of a general character, which must necessarily be known in order to understand cor- rectly the history of the German colonies in the Carolinas, inasmuch as those facts likewise apply to these two provinces, and frequent allusion must be made to those events, it is time to confine our attention to the principal subject of this history, which is introduced by an account of John Leder- er's explorations. This will afford us an insight
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into the condition of these two provinces before they were colonized to any extent. This narrative of Lederer's explorations will be none the less welcome to the reader, when it is remembered that this early explorer was of the same nation, whose history in the Carolinas is made the subject of this volume.
Thus the first German that set foot upon the soil of Carolina was John Lederer, who was sent on three different expeditions by Sir William Berkeley, Governor of the Colony of Virginia, to explore the lands lying south and west of the James River, during the years 1669 and 1670.
From his map of the country which he explored, as well as from his journal, we gather the fact that he passed through North Carolina, and proceeded as far into South Carolina as the Santee River. North and South Carolina were at that time one province, and had passed, but a few years previous, A. D. 1663, by a grant of Charles II, into the hands of several noblemen in England, who were styled " The Lords-Proprietors."
At the time when Lederer made his first explor- ing tour, South Carolina was destitute of any white settlers, whilst the eastern portion of North Caro- lina had been improved by only two small colo- nies, the one on Albemarle Sound, the other on Clarendon (now Cape Fear) River. The entire interior and western part of North Carolina, with the whole of the territory of South Carolina, con- stituted as yet the undisturbed home of the red man of the forest. However, the same year that
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John Lederer reached the interior of South Caro- lina, the first English colony, under Colonel Wil- liam Sayle as their Governor, arrived at Port Royal, near Beaufort, and a few months later located themselves, "for the convenience of pas- turage and tillage," on the banks of the Ashley River, and near its mouth laid the foundation of Old Charlestown, A. D. 1670.
Lederer was a man of learning. His journal was written in the Latin language, his map indi- cates a knowledge of geographical calculation, considering the circumstances and advantages of those times, and the difficulties under which he labored. The translator of his journal, Sir Wil- liam Talbot, Governor of Maryland, also speaks highly of his literary attainments.
Concerning his courageous and enterprising disposition and the success of his explorations, we must permit Rev. Dr. Hawks to speak, who in- forms us that " John Lederer was a learned Ger- man, who lived in Virginia during the administra- tion of Sir William Berkeley. Little was then known of the mountainous part of that State, or of what was beyond. Berkeley commissioned Lederer to make explorations, and accordingly he went upon three several expeditions. The first was from the head of York River due west to the Appalachian Mountains. The second was from the falls of the James River west and southwest, which brought him into Carolina. The third was from the falls of the Rappahannock westward to- wards the mountains.
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" Certain Englishmen were appointed by Berke- ley to accompany him. These, however, forsook him, and turned back. Lederer proceeded not- withstanding alone, and on his return to Virginia, which, by the way, was never expected, met with insult and reproaches, instead of the cordial wel- come to which he was entitled. For this he was indebted to his English companions who had for- saken him; and so active were they in creating a prejudice against him, that he was not safe among the people of Virginia, who had been told that the public taxes of that year had all been expended in his wanderings."
Thus it appears that, like Christopher Colum- bus, John Lederer never received that respect and gratitude which was due him by his fellow-citi- zens, though they were greatly benefited by his scientific and hazardous exploits. How frequently does it happen that to future generations it is left to award tribute of just praise to merit, which an ignorant and selfish populace could not appreciate, who persecute their contemporaries for having ex- celled their fellow-men in literature, science, or moral excellence.
The following brief extract from Lederer's jour- nal will afford us a nearer acquaintance with the character and attainments of this worthy and sci- entific German.
" The 20th of May, 1670, one Major Harris and myself, with twenty Christian horse (horsemen) and five Indians, marched from the falls of the James River, in Virginia, towards the Monakins;
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and on the 22d we were welcomed by them with volleys of shot. Near this village we observed a pyramid of stones piled up together, which their priests told us was the number of an Indian colony, drawn out by lot from a neighbor country over- peopled, and led hither by one Monack, from whom they take the name Monakin. Here, in- quiring the way to the mountains, an ancient man described with a staff two paths on the ground, one pointing to the Mahocks, and the other to the Nahyssans. But my English companions, slight- ing the Indian's directions, shaped their course by the compass due west; and, therefore, it fell out with us as it does with those land-crabs, that, crawling backward in a direct line, avoid not the trees that stand in their way, but climbing over their very tops, come down again on the other side, and so after a day's labor gain not above two feet of ground. Thus we, obstinately pursuing a due west course, rode over steep and ragged cliffs, which beat our horses quite off the hoof. In these mountains we wandered from the 25th of May till the 3d of June, finding very little sustenance for man or horse, as these places are destitute both of grain and herbage.
" The 3d of June we came to the south branch of the James River, which Major Harris, observ- ing to run northwardly, vainly imagined to be an arm of the lake of Canada, and was so transported with this fancy that he would have raised a pillar to the discovery if the fear of the Mahock Indians and want of food had permitted him to stay.
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Here I moved to cross the river and march on, but the rest of the company were so weary of the enterprise that, crying out, one and all, they would have offered violence to me had I not been pro- vided with a private commission from the Gov- ernor of Virginia to proceed though the rest of the company should abandon me, the sight of which laid their fury.
"The air in these parts was so moist that all our biscuits became mouldy and unfit to be eaten, so that some nicer stomachs, who at our setting out laughed at my provision of Indian corn meal parched, would gladly now have shared with me ; but I being determined to go upon further discov- eries, refused to part with any of that which was to be my most necessary sustenance. The 5th of June my company and I parted good friends, they back again, and I, with one Susquehannah Indian only, named Jackzetavon, in pursuit of my first enterprise, changing my course from west to southwest and by south, to avoid the mountains. Major Harris, in parting, gave me a gun, believ- ing me a lost man, and given up as a prey to In- dians or savage beasts, which made him the bolder to report strange things in his own praise and my disparagement, presuming I would never appear to disprove him. This, I suppose, and no other, was the cause that he did with so much industry procure me discredit and odium; but I have lost nothing by it but what I never studied to gain, which is popular applause."
Lederer had several narrow escapes among the
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Indians; often was he in danger of losing his life, or of being taken captive; but at other times he was kindly treated by them, and, on one occasion, the daughter of one of their Indian kings was offered to him in marriage, which courtesy, how- ever, he declined, and pursued his exploring jour- ney to the close, ending it at Lake Ushery. This lake is supposed to be nothing more than a por- tion of the waters of Santee River in South Caro- lina, as we learn from the narrative of Col. Byrd, that the Indians who were living along the Santee River were called Usheries. Besides, if we presume that Lederer was in possession of the instruments necessary to make correct calculations of degrees of latitude, we are then warranted to conclude, from the fac-simile of his map, where the degrees of latitude are noted on the margin, that his travels extended as far south as 33} degrees, north lati- tude, which would likewise fix the terminus of his journey on or near the banks of the Santee River, and the lake of which he speaks must have been one of those immense swamps with which this river abounds.
On his homeward journey he took another route, and arrived safely in Virginia, where he was re- proached and insulted in such a manner that he went to Maryland, where he finally succeeded in obtaining a hearing from the Governor, Sir Wil- liam Talbot, and in submitting his papers to him. The Governor, though at first much prejudiced against the man by the stories he had heard, yet found him, as he says, "a modest, ingenious per-
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son, and a pretty scholar;" and Lederer vindicated himself "with so convincing reason and circum- stance," as Governor Talbot says, that he quite removed all unfavorable impressions, and the governor himself took the trouble to translate his journal from the Latin, and published Lederer's account of his explorations.
The influence that this German explorer exerted by his account of the country he visited must have had its effect in the speedy settling of the Carolinas, inducing many of our forefathers to emigrate to this country, and seek their fortunes in the wilds of America ; it is certain that, but ten years later, in 1680, the tide of German emigration to America commenced its flow; doubtless such men as John Lederer, and later, Louis Mitchell, whose journals of explorations were published, contributed greatly towards producing this happy result, and in mak- ing America wealthy in the development of her agricultural resources, when the thrifty farmers of Germany tilled her virgin soil.
Section 6. The Dutch colony of Lutherans on James Island, South Carolina, A.D. 1674.
The only settlement in South Carolina at this period was Old Charlestown, located on the Ashley River, several miles distant from where the present Charleston now stands. The settlers, who had been located there but little over three years, struggled for a name and existence against famine and other adverse circumstances, when,
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fortunately, "during the time Sir John Yeamans was governor of Carolina, the colony received a great addition to its strength from the Dutch settlement of Nova Belgia," now New York, which province surrendered, as is well known, without any resistance, to the armament com- manded by Sir Robert Carr, and became subject to the British crown.
" Charles II donated Nova Belgia to his brother, the Duke of York," after whom its name was changed to New York, "who governed it with the same arbitrary principles which afterwards rendered him so obnoxious to the English nation. After the conquest many of the Dutch colonists who were discontented with their situation, had formed resolutions of moving to other provinces. The proprietors of Carolina offered them lands and encouragement in their Palatinate, and sent their ships, Blessing and Phoenix, which brought a number of Dutch families to Charlestown.
"Stephen Bull, surveyor-general of the colony, had instruction to mark out lands on the south- west side of Ashley River, viz., on James Island, for their accommodation. There each of the Dutch emigrants drew lots for their property, and founded a town, which was called Jamestown. This was the first colony of Dutch who settled in Carolina, whose industry surmounted incredible hardships, and whose success induced many from ancient Belgia afterwards to follow them to the Western world." (Hewatt's Hist. of S. C. and Geo., vol. i, p. 73.)
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Whether these Dutch settlers had their pastor or not, history does not inform us; it is known, however, that they constituted a distinct class among those numerous dissenters, who protested against that unjust legislation of A.D. 1704, which established the Church of England in the two Carolinas as the Church of the State, and sup- ported by the public treasury. A full account of this transaction may not be uninteresting, and ap- pears to be necessary for the better understanding of all the facts and circumstances in the case; the following narrative is gathered from various his- torical works.
The two first acts of the Legislature, which have been found in the records of the Secretary's office, were but right and proper. They enjoined the observance of the Lord's day, commonly called Sunday, and prohibited sundry gross immoralities, particularly "idleness, drunkenness, and swear- ing;" thus far the Government aided religion in the colony. (Ramsay's Hist. of S. C., vol. ii, p. 2.)
"Both parts of Carolina were in a deplorable state as to religion. Such of the inhabitants as were born, or had grown up to manhood, in Caro- lina, were almost utter strangers to any public worship of the Deity. Among the first emigrants some sense of religion had been, for a while, pre- served; but the next generation, reared in a wil- derness in which divine service was hardly ever performed, and where private devotions cannot be supposed to have been much attended to, were rather remarkable for loose, licentious principles,
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and the fundamental doctrines of the Christian religion were often treated with the ridicule of professed infidelity. The population of the colony was composed of individuals of different nations, and consequently of various sects : Scotch Presby- terians, Dutch Lutherans, French Calvinists, Irish Catholics, English Churchmen, Quakers, and Dis- senters, emigrants from Bermuda and the West Indies, which, from their late settlements, could not be places remarkable for the education of young people in Christianity and morality." (Mar- tin's Hist. of N. C., vol. i, p. 218.)
"In the year 1698, one step farther was taken by an act of the Legislature 'to settle a mainte- nance on a minister of the Church of England in Charleston.' This excited neither suspicion nor alarm among the Dissenters, for the minister in whose favor the law operated was a worthy, good man; and the small sum allowed him was inade- quate to his services. However, the precedent thus set by the Legislature, being acquiesced in by the people, paved the way for an ecclesiastical establishment. In the year 1704, when the white population of South Carolina was between five and six thousand, when the Episcopalians had only one church in the province, and the Dis. senters had three in Charleston, and one in the country, the former were so far favored as to ob- tain a legal establishment. Most of the proprietors and public officers of the province, and particu- larly the Governor, Sir Nathaniel Johnson, were zealously attached to the Church of England.
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Believing in the current creed of the times, that an established religion was essential to the sup- port of civil government, they concerted measures for endowing the church of the mother country, and advancing it in Carolina to a legal pre-emi- nence." (Ramsay, vol. ii, p. 2.)
"Preparatory thereto Governor Johnson, as- sisted by the principal officers of the southern part of the province, exerted his influence with so much success, as to procure the election of a sufficient number of Episcopalians, who were dis- posed to forward his views. Notwithstanding the great opposition which the bill received, it passed into law. The southern part of Carolina was di- vided into ten parishes, and provision was made for the support of ministers, the erection of churches and glebes; and an act was passed re- quiring members of Assembly to conform to the religious worship in the province, according to the Church of England, and to receive the sacra- ment of the Lord's Supper according to the rites and usages of that Church." ( Martin, vol. i, pp. 218, 219.)
" This act passed the lower house by a majority of only one vote. It virtually excluded from a seat in the Legislature all who were Dissenters, erected an aristocracy, and gave a monopoly of power to one sect, though far from being a ma- jority of the inhabitants. In this way did Gran- ville, one of the Lords-Proprietors, who had thus instructed the governors of Carolina, expect to effect his purposes of impious bigotry ; he, how-
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ever, found it very hard work in which he was engaged, to fuse by one act of human legislation all the various dissenting denominations into one lump of piety and orthodoxy. The usual conse- quences followed. Animosities took place and spread in every direction. Moderate men of the favored church considered the law impolitic and hostile to the prosperity of the province. Dis- senters of all denominations, both in North and South Carolina, made a common cause in endeav- oring to obtain its repeal. The inhabitants of Colleton, which was chiefly settled by Dissenters, drew up a statement of their sufferings by this oppressive act, which they transmitted by John Ashe, an influential character among them, to lay their grievances before the Lords-Proprietors.
" The Governor succeeded in preventing this gentleman's obtaining a passage to England in any of the ships in Charleston ; he was therefore com- pelled to travel by land to Virginia, where he em- barked. On his way he stopped in the county of Albemarle, where he was received with great re- spect and cordiality, and the people, feeling the same interest as his constituents in the object of his mission, prevailed on Edmund Porter to ac- company him, in order to aid, by the representa- tions of the people of the northern part of the province, the object which the people of Carolina had much at heart." (Ramsay, vol. ii, p. 3.)
When these commissioners from North and South Carolina arrived in England, the Palatine
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received them as "the emissaries of their lord- ships' vassals," with considerable coldness.
Mr. Ashe, unable to effect the object of his mis- sion by his representations to the Lords-Proprie- tors, and finding the public sentiment in his favor, determined on raising it into action, by a candid representation of the grievances of his constituents ; but death prevented the intended appeal. His papers fell into the hands of those who had an in- terest to suppress the expression of his sentiments. Thus was this first effort of the people to throw off a galling ecclesiastical yoke frustrated ; it proved a failure for that time.
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