Continued from last week:

Rev. C. A. Linn, Phd., a Lutheran minister in Savannah, authored a pageant that told the story of the Salzburgers and it was directed by him. About 150 persons were chosen to participate and wore period costumes in the play.  

According to the newspaper, “The pageant will express vividly the history of the Salzburger settlement in Georgia, and events that transpired after the settlement, a history that is filled with courage, patriotism, devotion to duty, strict adherence to dictates of the conscience and devotion to their church.”  

The persons who participated are listed below.

Speaking Characters

Episode  1: Joseph Schaitberger’s home, Nuernburg, Germany 1727

Joseph Schaitberger – J. B. Kessler, Rincon

Hannah Schaitberger – Ola Mae Kessler, Rincon

First Salzburger – Vaden Kessler, Rincon

Second Salzburger – Lacy Hinely, Rincon

Third Salzburger – Ernest Gnann, Stillwell

Episode 2: Street Scene in Salzburg, 1729

First Salzburger – Ladessie Zeigler, Marlow

Second Salzburger – O. G. Dasher, Jr., Marlow

Third Salzburger – Harry Hart, Marlow

Fourth Salzburger – Jack Kessler, Marlow

Episode 3, Tavern in Schwarzack, the Covenant of Salt, 1729

Michael Gassner - Walter A. Gnann, Stillwell

Episode 4 - Before St. Ann’s Church in Augsburg, Germany, Oct. 31, 1733

Samuel Urlsburger (St. Ann’s Sr. Pastor) – Rev. T. W. Shealy, D. D., Springfield

Episode 5 – On Shipboard at Rotterdam, Nov. 29, 1733

Lorentz Huber – H. L. Seckinger, Rincon

Mrs. Maria Mosheimer – Grace Arnsdorff, Rincon

Thomas Geschwandel – Sidney L. Waldhour, Rincon

Rev. John Martin Bolzius – Rev. L. O. Dasher, Rincon

Episode 6 – Salzburgers’ Tent in Savannah, Mar. 12 & Meeting with Gen. Oglethorpe Mar. 15, 1734

Rev. John Martin Bolzius – Rev. L.O. Dasher, Rincon

Peter Gruber – B.J. Waldhour, Rincon

Mrs. Marie Schweighoffer – Madge Seckinger

Baron Von Reck – Walton Usher, Guyton

General Oglethorpe - Judge A.R. MacDonell, Savannah

Episode 7: Christmas Eve at Old Ebenezer, 1734

Rev. John Martin Bolzius – Rev. L. O. Dasher, Rincon

Rev. Israel Christian Gronau – Rev. F.B. Counts, Marlow

Matthias Rauner – Bim Mingledorff, Springfield

Saint Nicholas – Emory Shearouse, Springfield

Maria Schweighoffer – Betty Brinson, Springfield

Episode 8: Ebenezer Orphanage, Visit of Rev. George Whitefield, 1738

Rev. George Whitefield – Rev. Arthur Martin, Savannah

Rev. John Martin Bolzius – Rev. L. O. Dasher, Rincon

Episode 9: Henry Melchior Muhlenberg at Jerusalem Church, 1742

Rev. Henry Melchior Muhlenberg – Rev. W.A. Reiser, Augusta

Rev. John Martin Bolzius – Rev. L. O. Dasher, Rincon

George Kogler – J.A. Helmly, Rincon

Episode 10: Dedication of Jerusalem Lutheran Church, 1769

Rev. Christian Rabenhorst – Rev. H. J. Black, D.D., Savannah

Leading Characters in Pantomimes

Pantomime 1: Salzburgers’ Tent in Savannah.  Arrival of Salzburgers, 1734

Thomas Causton – John E. Foy, Police Commissioner, Savannah

An English Gentleman – S.B. LaFarr, Savannah

Dr. Zwifler (Pharmacist and M. D. at Ebenezer – Dr. A.D. Gnann, Springfield

Christopher Ortman, School Teacher – Leon G. Exley, Clyo

Pantomime 2: Ebenezer, Celebration of Election of John Adam Treutlen (First Provincial Governor of Georgia) and Samuel Stirk as Secretary, 1777

Gov. Treutlen – Judge Gordon Saussy, Savannah (GSS President, 1734)

Samuel Stirk – Sen. George W. Fetzer, Savannah    

Historical Narrator  – Miss Mary Eyler, Savannah

Indians: Charles Gnann, B. W. Seckinger, Jr., Ralph Zeigler, H.D. Seckinger, Jr., Charles Seckinger and David Seckinger.

Sugar and Tea Dancers: (according to the play by Dr. Linn, the “Sugar and Tea” dance is a distinct folk dance of the Georgia Salzburgers which can be described as some form of Virginia Reel accompanied by “barn dance” music such as “Turkey in the Straw”) Bessie Z. Waldhour, Essie Gnann, Mary Seckinger, Georgia Seckinger, Blanche Kessler, Willie Mae Overstreet, Hattie Grace Exley, Susie Wilson, Essie Grovenstein, Perla Helmly, Rosa Mae Kessler, Myrtle Reiser, Amy LeBey, Louise Gnann, C. Bowers Gnann, B. J. Waldhour, S. L. Waldhour, Julian Helmly, Frederick Helmly, Claude Wilson, Lacy Hinely, Vaden Kessler, Ernest Gnann, George Zeigler, Warren Seckinger, B. F. Helmly, B. H. Grovenstein, and G. A. Metzger.

Fiddlers for the Sugar and Tea Dancers: Frederick D. Weitman, Milton Weitman, Paul Weitman, Ravenel Weitman and Melvin Hinely.
Salzburger children: Alice Rhoda Gnann, Pauline Gnann, Anna Zeigler, Gretchen Mingledorff, Wilma Eleazer, Jaunita Carr, Dorothy Carr, Francis Shearouse, Madeline Shearouse, Malcolm Marchman, Betty Brinson and Marion Hawk.

Salzburger Adults not mentioned above: Mrs. Ria Hodge, Mrs. J. M. Shearouse, Mrs. J. M. Marchman, Mrs. Kittie Bird, Mrs. Alfred Shearouse, Miss Bell Guyton, Mrs. Fred Seckinger, Mrs. G. H. Berry, Mrs. Myrtie Bryan, Miss Ruth Shearouse, Miss Dorothy Arnsdorff, Miss Rudy Rahn, Miss Amelia Berry, Miss Annie Kessler, Miss Odell Zipperer, Miss Clyde Fetzer, Miss Lulu Fetzer, Miss Hazel Dugger, Miss Agnes Dugger, Miss Mary Dugger, Mrs. Arthur Greene, Miss May Dasher, Miss Ida Dasher, Miss Bertha Gnann, Miss Susie Gnann, Miss Annie B. Seckinger, Miss Frances Helmly, Mrs. Clyde Walcher, Mrs. H. D. Seckinger, Mrs. H. L. Seckinger, Miss Florrie Zeigler, Mrs. Bessie Mae Fischer, Mrs. George Waldhour, Mrs. Viola Waldhour, Mrs. Nora Zeigler, Miss Eva Zeigler, Miss Carrie Hinely, H. M. Rahn, J. M. Marchman, James Arnsdorff, Lewis Seckinger, Alfred Shearouse, C. T. Guyton, Milton Arden, J. W. Usher, G. H. Berry, Edmund Exley, Barnard Exley, Robert Seckinger, H. D. Seckinger, A. A. Zeigler, John Zeigler, A. O. Gnann, Lowell Exley, Alton Exley, Emory B. Heidt, Ewell Heidt, Paul Heidt, Edward Fetzer and O. G. Dasher, Sr.

To be continued next week...

This article was compiled with files and photographs from the Georgia Salzburger Society and Norman Turner by Susan Exley. If you have photos, comments or information to share, contact Susan Exley at 754-6681 or e-mail her at susanexley@historiceffinghamsociety.org