In the mid-eighteenth century, members of the Moravian Church, which had its origins in Central Europe, began conducting mission work among the Cherokee people. Their archives, now housed in North Carolina, include valuable records of their contact with the Cherokees. Drawing from these archives, these volumes offer a firsthand account of daily life among the Cherokees from initial contact between the Moravians and Cherokees in 1752 to the close of the nineteenth century.
Volume Two ends with the year 1805. As the Moravians occupy Springplace, they begin to spread the Gospel. The Cherokees, in turn, are interested in schooling for their children, who need new tools to deal with the encroachment of white settlers upon their land and life.
In 1801 the Moravians, a Pietist German-speaking group from Central Europe, founded the Springplace Mission at a site in present-day northwestern Georgia. The Moravians remained among the Cherokees for more than thirty years, longer than any other Christian group. John and Anna Rosina Gambold served at the mission from 1805 until Anna's death in 1821. Anna, the principal author of the diaries, chronicles the intimate details of Cherokee daily life for seventeen years. Anna describes mission life and what she heard and saw at Springplace: food preparation and consumption, transactions pertaining to land, Cherokee body ornaments, conjuring, Cherokee law and punishment, Green Corn ceremonies, ball play, and matriarchal and marriage traditions. She similarly recounts stories she heard about rainmaking, the origins of the Cherokee people, and how she herself conversed with curious Cherokees about Christian images and fixtures. She also recalls earthquakes, conversions, notable visitors, annuity distributions, and illnesses. This abridged edition offers selected excerpts from the definitive edition of the Springplace diary, enabling significant themes and events of Cherokee culture and history to emerge. Anna's carefully recorded observations reveal the Cherokees' worldview and allow readers a glimpse into a time of change and upheaval for the tribe.
In the mid-eighteenth century, members of the Moravian Church, which had its origins in Central Europe, began conducting mission work among the Cherokee people. Their archives, now housed in North Carolina, include valuable records of their contact with the Cherokees. Drawing from these archives, these volumes offer a firsthand account of daily life among the Cherokees from initial contact between the Moravians and Cherokees in 1752 to the close of the nineteenth century.
In the mid-eighteenth century, members of the Moravian Church, which had its origins in Central Europe, began conducting mission work among the Cherokee people. Their archives, now housed in North Carolina, include valuable records of their contact with the Cherokees. Drawing from these archives, these volumes offer a firsthand account of daily life among the Cherokees from initial contact between the Moravians and Cherokees in 1752 to the close of the nineteenth century.
In 1801 the Moravians, a Pietist German-speaking group from Central Europe, founded the Springplace Mission at a site in present-day northwestern Georgia. The Moravians remained among the Cherokees for more than thirty years, longer than any other Christian group. John and Anna Rosina Gambold served at the mission from 1805 until Annaâ€TMs death in 1821. The principal author of the diaries, Anna, chronicles the intimate details of Cherokee daily life. This edition of the diary includes the entire text in translation as well as a critical apparatus, contextual introductory material, and extensive notes. Rowena McClintonâ€TMs translation from German script, an archaic writing convention, makes these primary eyewitness accounts available in English for the first time. These diaries will be of immense value for understanding Cherokee culture and history during the early nineteenth century and missionary efforts in the South during this time. McClinton gained unlimited access to the diaries and other supporting documents for the completion of this project, published with the consent of the Moravian Church of the Southern Province. Volume 1 includes diary entries from 1805â€"13, a preface, and an introduction. Volume 2 includes diary entries from 1814â€"21, the editorâ€TMs epilogue, and a names index and a subject index for both volumes.
In 1801 the Moravians, a Pietist German-speaking group from Central Europe, founded the Springplace Mission at a site in present-day northwestern Georgia. The Moravians remained among the Cherokees for more than thirty years, longer than any other Christian group. John and Anna Rosina Gambold served at the mission from 1805 until Anna's death in 1821. Anna, the principal author of the diaries, chronicles the intimate details of Cherokee daily life for seventeen years. Anna describes mission life and what she heard and saw at Springplace: food preparation and consumption, transactions pertaining to land, Cherokee body ornaments, conjuring, Cherokee law and punishment, Green Corn ceremonies, ball play, and matriarchal and marriage traditions. She similarly recounts stories she heard about rainmaking, the origins of the Cherokee people, and how she herself conversed with curious Cherokees about Christian images and fixtures. She also recalls earthquakes, conversions, notable visitors, annuity distributions, and illnesses. This abridged edition offers selected excerpts from the definitive edition of the Springplace diary, enabling significant themes and events of Cherokee culture and history to emerge. Anna's carefully recorded observations reveal the Cherokees' worldview and allow readers a glimpse into a time of change and upheaval for the tribe.
This work is a study of the relationships that were built between two people groups that resulted in a harmonious culture being established between the Cherokees and the Moravians during the 19th century. Often, too little credit is given to the Moravians for their work amongst the Cherokees during a most tumultuous period for the Natives, however, this work highlights the cultural barriers that were broken as a result of the labor undertaken by the Brethren at Springplace, Georgia on James Vann's Diamond Hill Plantation at the turn of the 19th century. Furthermore, this study concludes by showcasing the lasting effects of the assimilative, relational measures as produced between the Moravians and the Cherokees, and how these relationships continue to affect the Cherokee Indians today.
In the mid-eighteenth century, members of the Moravian Church, which had its origins in Central Europe, began conducting mission work among the Cherokee people. Their archives, now housed in North Carolina, include valuable records of their contact with the Cherokees. Drawing from these archives, these volumes offer a firsthand account of daily life among the Cherokees from initial contact between the Moravians and Cherokees in 1752 to the close of the nineteenth century.
