Transcription from the Georgia Gazette, February 6, 1800, page 2, courtesy of genealogybank.com:
The following is a statement by the rev. mr. Bergmann of Ebenezer, of the deaths in his congregation, (supposed to contain about 700 inhabitants) from the 11th of November, 1787, to 14th December, 1799, a period of about 12 years, in a place usually accounted the most unhealthy of any in Georgia:
10 deaths from 60 to 70 years of age.
13 ditto from 70 to 80.
3 ditto from 80 to 85.
[my commentary: From Bergmann’s tally, only 26 people died in the Ebenezer congregation in the 12 years from late 1787 to late 1799. He makes no indication of any infant or child mortality, which was rampant. The lack of any young adult or middle aged adults is also curious, and a bit unbelievable. I have not cross checked Bergmann’s data against other historical data. Also, it is not clear from this article whether the Ebenezer congregation includes any of the satellite congregations at Zion, Bethany, or Goshen, where he also preached to the German-speaking Lutherans. Nevertheless, this short Savannah newspaper article is an important piece of the puzzle of Ebenezer]
Mister Soapstone 