October 13 - October 17, 1753 - - Diary of a journey of Moravians

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Oct. 13.

Photograph of the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania.

The Susquehanna River at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, referred to in the diary as “Harrison’s Ferry.” Image credit. About the photograph

After eating some broth we set out on our journey. The Brn. Grube and Lösch went ahead to the Susquehannah at Harrison’s Ferry to see about our crossing. Br. Grube found an opportunity to send a letter by a Trader to the Brethren in Shomoko. The Susquehannah was so low that the Ferry-boat could not run, so we decided to drive across. The Brn. got into the wagons and on the horses and we crossed safely. The Susquehannah is one mile wide here. Br. Beroth and his father soon joined us and brought a letter from Br. Pader, regretting that he could not come to see us and sending affectionate farewell. Two miles beyond the Susquehannah we loaded on our wagon all that had been in Br. Lösch’s wagon, since that must now return home. It had been the intention that our beloved Br. Gottlob should here also bid us farewell, but he decided that he and Br. Haberland would go all the way to North Carolina with us, and all hearts rejoiced that we were to have our “Jünger” so much longer with us. Br. Gottlob and Br. Nathanael wrote letters to Bethlehem, and entrusted them to Br. Merk, and then the wagon started back, taking Br. Merk and the little Joseph Müller and G. Lösch. The latter wept sorely at parting from his two brothers, and we were all touched. Then we took up our further way. Beroth’s father, who was much pleased that he had seen the first Carolina company, bade us farewell and returned to his home. It is counted 30 miles from here to Yorck on the Catores. The work became rather heavy for the horses and the Brethren had to help push, but we had a good road which was a great blessing. Some miles from the Susquehannah we stopped for the noon hour by an inn, where there is good water. The people thought Br. Gottlob was a Clergyman. We went on; it began to rain, but the shower did not last long. Five miles from the inn we came to a creek; and eight miles beyond to another. We put up our tent for the first time, as a heavy storm came on, and were fairly dry under it and the Brethren slept a little. The storm passing we started again at midnight, and drove several miles to the next stream. We passed a little town called Carl Isles, which contains about 60 houses and is chiefly inhabited by Irishmen.

Oct. 14. Sunday.

About four in the morning we set up our tent, going four miles beyond Carl Isles so as not to be too near the Irish Presbyterians. We lay down and slept well for some hours. After breakfast the Brethren shaved, and then we rested under our tent. At noon we dined on pork and dumplings. In the afternoon we were visited by the people from Jersey who were recently in Bethlehem, and they told us about our road. They had broken their wagon crossing the Susquehannah, and were thereby detained several days. They were very friendly, and wished they could stay with us. Toward evening we went three miles further to Widow Tennant’s Tavern, and spent the night by the creek. People who were staying at the Tavern came to see what kind of folks we were. We asked them about our road and they were quite polite to us. One of them was born in Silesia, and as a boy lived in the Herrnhut Orphanage; another was the son of the Commissioner of Sakana, and lives in Friedrichstown, Va. We slept to-night without a tent and were quite comfortable.

Oct. 15.

Photograph of buildings in Shippensburgh, Pennsylvania.

Shippensburg, Pennsylvania as it appears today. Image credit. About the photograph

We started at 2:30 A.M. had moonlight and a good road; and it was 80 miles to Friedrichstown. On the twelve miles to Shippestown, — a little town, — we found no water. We had a little work done on our wagon, as the pole had been injured. The smith charged a big price and his work did little good. We saw the Blue Mts. some 8 to 10 miles to our right, and had unusually fine weather. We stopped for noon eight miles further on by the Kanikatschik, which is no larger here than the Manakis at Bethlehem. A couple of miles beyond we stopped for the night by Corrnell Chimpersen’s mill, where we had good water. Br. Nathanael held the evening service.

Oct. 16.

Br. Grube conducted morning prayers, and we set out at 4 A.M. On the way we bought 10 bushels of oats, and after driving five miles had breakfast by a creek where Irish people live. Two miles further we found good water, also three miles beyond, where a house stands back a little on the left. One mile more brought us to a Tavern. We could again see the Blue Mts. quite plainly. In another mile we reached a German inn, where we bought some hay and spent the noon hour. Two miles from the inn we passed the boundary between Pennsylvania and Maryland, it is said that Maryland is here only six miles wide. From the Susquehannah here the residents are chiefly Irish, and they have good lands, but one can buy little or nothing from them. Two and a half miles further we came to an old Swiss, where we bought some hay. He was very friendly and asked that we come to see him again. One mile beyond we bought some kraut from a German named Fende Kra, which tasted very good to us. We went on and camped for the night two miles from the Patomik, putting up our tent by a creek. The man on whose land we were came to see us, was very friendly, and took supper with us. He said that he knew the Brn. Rose and Nyberg well, and that some years earlier they had preached in his house here. He was a Swede by birth. Br. Gottlob held the evening service, then we lay down around our cheerful fire, and Br. Gottlob in his hammock, which he had swung between two stakes.

Oct. 17.

We started at five o’clock and had two miles to go to the Patomik which we reached at daybreak. Br. Jac. Lösch rode in first to find the ford which makes a decided curve between the banks. We crossed safely but it was very difficult to drive out at the other end and we had a great deal of trouble to get up the bank. The river is here about as wide as the Lecha at Bethlehem, but in flood it runs far over the high banks, and flows swiftly, — toward the south-east. Half a mile from the river is a plantation, and four miles further a Tavern; the road was stony. Four miles further we found good water, and a Tavern; four miles beyond the Tavern we stopped for noon by a creek near a mill which stood on the left of the road. Three miles further was a spring, and after driving four miles more we put up our tent by a creek. For supper we cooked chicken, which very good. Br. Nathanael conducted evening prayer.