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104 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS
taut sect called Moravians, a colony of which was sent over by Ogle-
thorpe in 1735 to form a settlement at Irene, on land situated between
Savannah and Ebenezer.
Scarcely a vestige today survives in the way of a memorial to tell
of the brief sojourn in this state of the pious Moravians. But the early
annals of Georgia are too fragrant with the memories of this sweet-
spirited sect to justify any omission of them in this historical retro
spect. • Both in simple habits of life and in deep religious fervor, they
were not unlike the Salzburgers, to whom they were remotely allied by
ties of kinship. The missionary activities of the Moravians among the
Georgia Indians were successful in a, marked degree; and, with little
opposition from the red men of the forest, who learned to trust them
with implicit confidence, they penetrated far into the Blue Ridge Moun
tains and established at Spring Place, in what is now Murray County,
a mission which exerted a powerful influence among the native tribes,
converting not a few chiefs and warriors, and continuing to flourish
down to the final deportation of the Cherokees, in 1838. Both Elias
Boudinot and David Vann were Moravian converts.
But who were these Moravians? To answer this question, we must
cross the sea to Bohemia. Coincident with Oglethorpe's humane pro
ject, there was an effort made by Count Zinzehdorf, a Protestant, to
organize on his estate a community of believers, modelled upon the old
original church of the Apostles. "When a charter was granted for the
Colony of Georgia, the count sought and obtained a concession of 500
acres of land from the trustees, with permission to absent himself in
person from the colony, on condition that he send over ten male servants,
in his own stead, to cultivate' the soil. Accompanied by the Rev. Mr.
Gottlieb Spangenberg, the first emigrants of this religious persuasion
arrived in Georgia in the spring of 1735, and settled near the Savannah
River, on a body of land between the Salzburgers and the Town of
Savannah.
To quote Colonel Jones: * The history of the Moravians in Georgia
may be quickly told. Under the auspices of Count Zinzendorf, seconded
by the good offices of the trustees, additions were made from time to
time to this settlement. A schoolhouse called Irene was built near Tomo-
chi-chi's village, for the accommodation and instruction of Indian
children; and in its conduct and prosperity the aged mico manifested
a lively interest. With the Salzburgers the Moravians associated on
terms of closest friendship. In subduing the forest and in the erection
of homes they, manifested great zeal. Above all others were they suc
cessful in tilling the ground, and in the accumulation of provisions,
which sufficed not only for their own wants, but also met the needs of
their less provident neighbors. * * * They were in all respects use-
ful colonists.
When summoned, however, to bear arms in defense of the province
against the Spaniards, they refused to do so, alleging that since they
'• Jones: "History of Georgia,," Vol. I.