Sister in Savannah – Celebrating our Salzburger roots


Alternative Title:  Sisters Decide To Take A Trip Together Each Year Instead Of Giving Christmas And Birthday Gifts.

(This year the Lovett girls decided to visit their roots in honor of our mother, Uhlma Wynn Zittrouer Lovett)

Many of you know I was born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee…I am a Tennessee Vol…but my roots on both my mother’s and father’s side are in the lower coastal plain of Georgia.

My mother is from a small town northwest of Savannah.  Her maiden name was Uhlma Wynn Zittrouer and she was a Salzburger.  Many Georgians are familiar with Salzburgers.

The Georgia Salzburgers were expelled from their homes in Salzburg, Austria because of their Protestant beliefs.  Most were Lutheran following the teachings of Martin Luther.

“The first group of Salzburgers sailed from England to Georgia in 1734, arriving in Charleston, South Carolina on March 7, then proceeding to Savannah on March 12. They were met by James Oglethorpe, the founder of the Georgia colony, who assigned them a home about twenty-five miles upriver in a low-lying area on Ebenezer Creek. Subsequent ships brought the rest of the original exiled Salzburgers” as presented in New Georgia Encyclopedia.  You can read the entire article here.

“The original settlement of Ebenezer failed largely because of its poor location. It was too far inland and no clear waterway existed to the Savannah River.

In early 1736 Oglethorpe gave the Salzburgers a new site on the high bluffs above the Savannah River.”

The bluff in New Ebenezer today.

The high bluff above the Savannah River, New Ebenezer, Ga photo by Kathy Miller

The Town of Ebenezer, Ga photo by Kathy Miller a Salzburg descendant

Jerusalem Lutheran Church, Ebenezer, Ga photo by Kathy Miller

The Lutheran Church at Ebenezer, Ga home of Salzburgers photo by Kathy Miller

Sisters enjoying visiting their roots!

Sisters enjoying visiting their roots, Ebenezer, Ga photo by Kathy Miller

Loving being together in a very special place.

Sisters loving being together in a special place photo by Kathy Miller

Ebenezer 1734-1934 photo by Kathy Miller

One of the original cabins…

One of the original cabins Ebenezer, Ga photo by Kathy Miller

Jerusalem Church Cemetery, Ebenezer, GA…

Jerusalem Church Cemetery, New Ebenezer, Ga photo by Kathy Miller

Jerusalem Church Cemetery, Ebenzer, Ga large oak tree photo by Kathy Miller

Our great grandparents…

earlier descendants are buried at the old Ebenezer site…my sisters and I are 10th generation Salzburgers.

Maria and Willaim Zittrouer great grandparents photo by Kathy Miller

 My point in talking about roots…we all have them…and we should take pride in the people, faiths, and traditions that came before us. And enjoy getting together to celebrate those roots.

Kathy and Kay in Savannah photo by Kathy Miller

The triple threat Kay, Kathy and Lucy photo by Kathy Miller

 Our parents met in Savannah and celebrated their engagement at The Olde Pink House…

(my mother saw the debut of Gone With The Wind across the square at The Lucas Theatre)

The Olde Pink House, Savannah, Ga photo by Kathy Miller

Back to our roots…a small town in Georgia…think I will paint this iconic picture of the water tower and the train tracks.

Water tower in Newington, Ga photo by Kathy Miller

Celebration…what life should be about….

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and yours!  No matter one’s faith…family and friends are the fabric of our lives.

Come celebrate with me.  I’ll save you a seat at the table.

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