The Society of True Inspiration was a religious sect that in 1714 separated itself from the Lutheran Church in Germany. Continually being persecuted, four men, Christian Metz, William Noe, Gottlieb Ackerman and George Weber sought a new home in America.
After a journey of 37 days with stormy weather and rough seas, the committee landed in New York on Oct 26 1842. Within a short period of time they made their way to the Buffalo Creek Indian reservation.
With some trepidation, they purchased 5,000 acres of land from the Ogden Company. The first colony was established in what is now Gardenville.
They named their community Ebenezer after the text in the First Book of Samuel, 7th Chapter, 12th verse: Samuel then took a stone and placed it between Mizpah and Jeshanah, he named it Ebeneezer, explaining, “To this point the Lord helped us”.
By 1843 the original colony had grown and the name was changed to Middle Ebenezer and with three more villages were established.
In the few short years the Ebenezer’s were here, they cleared land and cultivated thousands of acres of land, built mills for grain, cotton and lumber. They powered their factories with water and built shops for the community. By 1845 Gardenville had an oil mill, churches, market slaughterhouse, barns and stables and lots of land for farming.
Dolores Mendolia