第 46 节
作者:一半儿      更新:2021-02-20 18:39      字数:9274
  A   few   days   later   a   similar   grant   was   made   to   David   Nitschmann;
  〃Count   Zinzendorf's   Hausmeister〃;   generally   known   as   the   Syndic   from
  his   office   in  later  years;   who   had   conducted     the   first  company     from
  Herrnhut   to   London。This       grant   consisted    of   Town   Lot   No。   3;  Second
  Tything; Anson Ward; in the town of Savannah; Farm Lot No。 3; Second
  Tything; Anson Ward; in the township of Savannah; and Garden Lot No。
  121 East。(Office of the Secretary of State of Georgia; Book D of Grants;
  Folio 207。)
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  The Moravians in Georgia
  When   the  Moravians   left   Georgia  in 1740;  these   lots   were  placed   in
  the   hands   of   an   Agent;   probably   James   Habersham;   who   was   acting   as
  Whitefield's   assistant   in   his   hospital   and      charity   school;   the   Moravian
  house being rented for the former purpose。
  When the Trustees of Georgia surrendered their Charter to the English
  Crown in 1754; it was found that no formal deeds had ever been made for
  many   of   the   tracts   granted   by   the   Trustees;   and   it   was   decreed   that   any
  who could legally claim land under grant from the Trustees should have
  their rights confirmed by royal grant upon application to the Governor and
  Council   of   Georgia;   within   a   specified   time;   the   land   otherwise   to   be
  considered   forfeited。In   June;   1761;   Habersham   wrote   to   Bethlehem   that
  the   time   for   entering   claim   had   expired;   but   that   he   had   asked   for   and
  obtained six months grace for the Moravians; who had previously sent him
  a full power of attorney; which had failed to reach him。
  A new power of attorney was at once sent; and on September 7th; 1762;
  royal patents were issued to Nitschmann and Spangenberg; for the Town
  Lots and Farm  Lots above mentioned。(Register's   Office; Book D;  Folios
  207 and 208。)
  Meanwhile the two Garden Lots had been sold to Sir James Wright for
  10   Pounds;  and   deeds;  bearing   date of   March 15th;  1762;  were   made   to
  him   by   Spangenberg   and   Nitschmann。The   deeds   to   the   Town   and   Farm
  lots were deposited in Bethlehem; and the Agent took his instructions from
  the Manager there。
  In   1765   Bishop   Ettwein   went   from   Bethlehem   to   Savannah   to   look
  after the property。He found that the large house on Spangenberg's lot had
  been condemned as ruinous and pulled down。Some one had built a small
  house   on   the   other   end   of   the   same   lot;   and   it   was   supposed   to   pay   4
  Pounds a year ground rent; but the family living there was very poor; and
  Habersham   had   been   unable   to   collect   anything。   By   permission   a   poor
  woman had fenced in the Nitschmann lot; and was using it as a kitchen…
  garden; rent   free。The title to the   farm lots   was in   jeopardy; for   a   certain
  Alderman   Becker   in   London   claimed   that   the   Trustees   had   given   him   a
  tract; including these and many other farms; but the settlers thereon were
  making   a   strong   fight   to   hold   their  property;   in   which   they   were   finally
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  The Moravians in Georgia
  successful。
  At the time of Frederick William Marshall's visit to Savannah in 1775;
  the two farm  lots were reported to have   some good timber;  even if   they
  were not of much use otherwise; and the town lots had increased in value
  with   the   growth   of   the   town。   Marshall   thought   the   latter   could   again   be
  used   for   residence;   and   as   a   centre   for   such   missionary   work   as   was
  already   begun   by   Mueller;   Wagner   and   Broesing;   but   the   Revolutionary
  War put an end to their efforts。
  At   this   point   in   the   records   appears   a   peculiar   uncertainty   as   to   the
  identity   of   the   owner   of   the   David   Nitschmann   lots。   The   fact   that   there
  were     three   David    Nitschmanns        in  the   active   service    of  the  Moravian
  Church   during   a   number   of   years   after   its   renewal   in   Herrnhut   affords
  ample opportunity for confusion; but one would not expect to find it in the
  minds of their contemporaries。But even such a man as Frederick William
  Marshall wrote; 〃The Deeds to these two lots; Nos。 3 and 4; are kept in
  Bethlehem (one stands in the name of Brother Joseph; the other of Bishop
  D'd Nitschmann; who passed away in Bethlehem) and it would be well if
  something   were   done   about   them。   I   do   not   know   what   can   be   arranged
  with the son of the latter; but Brother David Nitschmann; who is now in
  Zeist;    said   when     he  was    in  America      that   he  himself     was   the   David
  Nitschmann in whose name the grant was made; because he was the one
  who had shared in the negotiations with the Trustees of Georgia。〃Bishop
  David Nitschmann had died in Bethlehem; Oct。 9th; 1772; where his son
  Immanuel lived until 1790。 The David Nitschmann residing in Zeist was
  the   Syndic;   formerly   Count   Zinzendorf's   Hausmeister;   the   leader   of   the
  first company to London; where he and Spangenberg had arranged matters
  with   the   Trustees;   and   had   each   received   fifty   acres   of   land   in   his   own
  name。 The   Bishop   had had   nothing   whatever to   do   with   the   matter;   and
  this was the conclusion reached; for the title to the Town Lot No。 3 passed
  at   the   Syndic's    death;    March     28th;   1779;    to  his   son   Christian    David
  Nitschmann。
  June   14th;   1784;   August   Gottlieb   Spangenberg   and   Christian   David
  Nitschmann   by   deed   transferred   their   title   to   the   Savannah   property   to
  Hans Christian Alexander von Schweinitz; Administrator of the estate of
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  The Moravians in Georgia
  the Unitas Fratrum in Pennsylvania。
  The    Revolutionary       War   had    come    and   gone;   and    Von   Schweinitz
  began     again   to   investigate    the  condition    of   affairs  in  Savannah。Their
  Agent; James Habersham; had died in 1775; but his son James had kept up
  the taxes; so the title was intact。〃But there is a matter;〃 he wrote; 〃which it
  is   necessary     you   should    be  made     acquainted     with。   When     the  British
  Troops took possession of Savannah; they had occasion for a lot belonging
  to   a   Mr。   George   Kellar;   for   the   purpose   of   erecting   a   fort   on;   it   being
  situated in the outskirts of the town; and in order to satisfy this man they
  VERY GENEROUSLY gave him your two lots in lieu of the one they had
  taken from him; but very fortunately for you; our Legislature passed a Law
  rendering null and void all their acts during the time they held this country;
  and    notwithstanding       Mr。   Kellar   is  perfectly   well   acquainted     with   this
  matter; he has moved a house on one of the lots; and on the other he has
  lately built another house; which he rents out; and holds possession  in
  defiance of me; as I am possessed of no power of attorney to warrant any
  proceeding against him。〃A power of attorney was at once sent Habersham;
  with instructions to evict the intruder; and rent; lease or sell the property。
  A suit against the trespasser was won in 1794; but in 1801 his tenant
  was   still   in   possession;   poor;   and   refusing   to   pay   rent。   Habersham   had
  meanwhile   died;   and   John   Gebhard   Cunow;   acting   as   attorney   for   Von
  Schweinitz;   who   had   returned   to   Germany   in   1798;   requested   Matthew
  McAllister to take charge of the matter; but McAllister; having made some
  inquiries; reported that the man named John Robinson; who lived on the
  premises; was likely to make trouble; and that as he himself was the only
  Judge in   the district   it   would be   better to put  the  case into   the  hands of
  some     one   else;   and   leave   him   free   to  hear   it。Cunow     therefore    asked
  George Woodruff   to   act   as   attorney;   to   which   he   agreed;   requesting   that
  John Lawson be associated with him; which was done the following year。
  Hans   Christian Alexander   von   Schweinitz   died   Feb。   26th;   1802;   the
  title to the Savannah Lots passing by will to Christian Lewis Benzien; of
  Salem; North Carolina; who however requested Cunow to continue to look
  after them。
  The Agents had no light task in ejecting John Robinson and his wife