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 two volumes offer a firsthand account of daily life among the Cherokees during the years 1752–1805. Although written by missionaries and from their perspective, the documents contained in these volumes — ranging from reports and minutes to diaries and correspondence — provide great insight into Cherokee culture, society, customs, and personalities during this period.
Volume one describes initial contact between the Moravians and Cherokees during the French and Indian War and the Revolution, exploratory visits by Moravian missionaries into the Cherokee Nation, and the founding of a mission — called Springplace — in northern Georgia.
Subsequent volumes in this series will continue the story through Removal, the Civil War, and to the close of the nineteenth century.
