Abstract:
At the end of 1776, Bethabara and Bethania housed a large portion of the Moravian brethren, with Salem set to stand as the new community by 1773. The new town became the center of the Wachovia settlement, attracting professional men such as a doctor, apothecary, and surveyor. Salem soon became a craft and manufacturing center, offering a full slate of services including weaving, tanning, and distilling. Salem was founded on the Moravian principle of oecononie, whereby the means of production were owned by the community, and the goods they produced were shared in kind