The Good Forest - (Early American Places) by Karen Auman

About the Book

"The Good Forest tells a story of the possibilities and plans for colonization in the eighteenth-century Atlantic world and argues that the German Salzburger community at Ebenezer, Georgia, was a 'successful' effort at colonization during the Trustee era. The relative success of the Ebenezer settlement, furthermore, challenges the inherent environmental, cultural and economic determinism that has dominated Georgia history. That well-worn narrative often implies (or even explicitly states) that only a slave-based plantation economy - as implemented after the Trustee era - could 'succeed.' More than just telling a Georgia story, though, Karen Auman's study also illuminates the ways that some continental Germans were financially and socially committed to the success of the British colony"--

Book Synopsis

Georgia, the last of Britain's American mainland colonies, began with high aspirations to create a morally sound society based on small family farms with no enslaved workers. But those goals were not realized, and Georgia became a slave plantation society, following the Carolina model. This trajectory of failure is well known. But looking at the Salzburgers, who emigrated from Europe as part of the original plan, providesa very different story.

The Good Forest reveals the experiences of the Salzburger migrants who came to Georgia with the support of British and German philanthropy, where they achieved self-sufficiency in the Ebenezer settlement while following the Trustees' plans. Because their settlement compriseda significant portion of Georgia's early population, their experiences provide a corrective to our understanding of early Georgia and help reveal the possibilities in Atlantic colonization as they built a cohesive community.

The relative success of the Ebenezer settlement, furthermore, challenges the inherent environmental, cultural, and economic determinism that has dominated Georgia history. That well-worn narrative often implies (or even explicitly states) that only a slave-based plantation economy--as implemented after the Trustee era--could succeed. With this history, Auman illuminates the interwoven themes of Atlantic migrations, colonization, charity, and transatlantic religious networks.

Review Quotes

A piece of scholarship that brings brand new stories to the reader interested in either religious history or early Georgia history. Karen Auman brings a richer treatment of daily life among this group than any previous work through her superb archival research.--Noeleen McIlvenna "author of Early American Rebels: Pursuing Democracy from Maryland to Carolina"

Focused on the relationship between the Trustees and the Georgia Salzburger/Ebenezer community, Karen Auman's research follows a distinctive line of inquiry that expands the scope of existing scholarship, while also making its own distinctive contribution.--Russell Kleckley "editor of The Letters of Johann Martin Boltzius, Lutheran Pastor in Ebenezer, Georgia"

About the Author

KAREN AUMAN is an assistant professor of history at Brigham Young University. She has published her research in Early American Studies. She is also a certified genealogist.