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Historic Effingham will participate in the Labor Day at Ebenezer: A Festival of Families on Monday.
Genealogy workshops, family exhibits, an old photo display of 19th century Salzburger and other German families of Effingham County (provided by
Historic Effingham Society), wagon rides for the kids, the Marktplatz (an old-style working market place), the traditional lemonade barrel, craft demonstrations, the GSS Museum, the Old Salzburger House, and Euchees from Oklahoma — all this and more promise a different and exciting GSS
Heritage Day celebration at Ebenezer on Labor Day. The traditional 11 a.m. meeting and worship service will be in Jerusalem Lutheran Church, and the exhibits will be ongoing from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Family history and genealogy will be featured in this year’s festival with a number of exhibits and displays about various families whose immigrant ancestors settled in colonial Ebenezer from 1734 to 1760.
Two prominent genealogists will provide workshops — each scheduled twice during the day — at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. 1) Kenneth Thomas Jr., well-known genealogist, popular speaker and writer of the genealogy column in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for over 30 years, will present an introduction to genealogical research using primary sources, especially important when researching ancestors in the colonial period. 2) Terry Barton, co-founder of WorldFamilies.net (www.worldfamilies.net), and a leading authority on genetic genealogy—a subject that generates much interest in genealogy circles today—will do an introductory program on DNA genealogy.
Confirmation has been received that a delegation of five Euchees from Oklahoma will attend this year’s festival. This Native American tribe had a village at Mt. Pleasant when the Salzburgers arrived in Georgia and settled at Ebenezer in 1734. Until 1750 Ebenezer Creek was the boundary between Euchee land and Salzburger land.
Some family exhibits and displays featured will be Dasher (Dascher, Christian), Exley (Oechslin, Oechsle), Griner (Greiner), Gnann, Rahn, Reiser, Rottenberger, Seckinger, and Wisenbaker (Weissenbacher), as well as others.
The Georgia Salzburger Society and Historic Effingham Society invite you to attend and enjoy the festival.
This article was prepared by Susan Exley of Historic Effingham Society along with information from GSS Vice-President Vince Exley. If you have comments, photos or information to share contact her at 754-6681 or email: susanexley@historiceffinghamsociety.org
