In 1734, Moravians began to establish settlements in North America. The first settlement was in Georgia, when this settlement proved to be unsuccessful, the Moravians moved on to Pennsylvania. Eventually two headquarters, a northern and southern were established, Bethlehem in Pennsylvania and Winston-Salem in North Carolina. Today the Moravian Church is worldwide and has congregations in sixteen American states, in the District of Columbia and in two Canadian Provinces.
The Moravians are a Christian denomination who believe that Jesus Christ is the Lord. They believe in the sacrament and in baptism. Their motto is "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; and in all things, love."
Research
According to the North Carolina Office of Archives and History (www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us) the Moravians were important historians of early North Carolina history because , "they brought with them the habit of keeping precise records of all current events." The Moravians did not just record events affecting their own community, they recorded information about the area, the weather, and people who visited their community. These records were deposited in the Moravian Archives.
The Moravian Archives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina , established in 1753, (www.moravianarchives.org) allows family historians the opportunity to research their Moravian ancestors in person and by mail. The Archives holdings include over 12,000 memoirs of Moravian church members. These memoirs are complied at the death of the member by their minister. The memoirs are compilation of their spiritual life here on earth. It includes birth and death date information.
Other records available to the researcher include The Records of the Moravians in North Carolina, which are twelve volumes that contain genealogical and historical information. This series is still being written and includes the minutes from church meetings. Although the first eleven volumes are out of print, you can buy the twelfth volume for the North Carolina Office of Archives and History. This volume covers the years 1856-1866. This series is also available at the Moravian Archives.
For those who cannot make the trip to North Carolina to do research, you can write to the Archives for information on your ancestor. The price for research is $15.00 per hour, they will research your inquiry and provide you with a typewritten response. The Archives does not provide photocopies of their documents. For more information on the Archives and their services, please check out their website at www.moravianarchives.org.
To better understand the life of the Moravian people you can read an account written by a member. The memoirs of AnneMarie Worbass are online. You can view her actual written pages, all in German, or a translation at www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/faull/memoirs/worbass/index.html . For more books on the Moravians, check out the Moravian Historical Society at www.moravianhistoricalsociety.org. The Historical Society also includes a vast genealogical collection that includes obituaries, family charts, and cemetery books for Moravians who lived in the Lehigh Valley.
Resources
For more information on the Moravian Church:
Moravian Church of North America (www.moravian.org) includes a history of the church and their beliefs.
Moravian Archives (www.moravianarchives.org) includes archival information on the history of the Moravian Church and its members.
Old Salem (www.oldsalem.org) is the actual town that the Moravians founded in 1766 in North Carolina. Now it is a living history restoration with exhibits, demonstrations and shops.
Moravian Church Genealogy Links (www.enter.net/~smschlack/) is a webpage with links to various Moravian resources that will help you with your research.
The Moravian Museum of Bethlehem (www.historicbethlehem.org/museum/index.jsp) is the home for information on the Moravian settlement at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.