The area was first settled by Moravians George Whitefield hired to construct a school. These Moravians were the first to have arrived in the North American continent. They had actually landed in Savannah, GA, in 1735, but due to their pacifist convictions, and unwillingness to engage in military defense of the area, they had been evicted from there in 1739. They moved north with George Whitfield to land, 5,000 acres, he owned in Pennsylvania, named the Barony of Nazareth, arriving there 30 May 1740. That partnership was short lived, due to theological differences, and they then acquired 500 acres from William Allen on 2 April 1741, and established Bethlehem. The Moravian leaders in England started negotiations to buy the Barony. Shortly thereafter, when Whitefield fell on hard times, the prosperous Moravians bought entire tract of land from him It became officially Moravian property on 16 July 1741.