The Blum Fire

Brother John Christian Blum became the agent in the village of Salem for the Cape Fear Bank and thus had the responsibility of being watchful over the cash on hand.

On the evening of December 21 1827 he apparently blew out a candle to go to church. He had not noticed the spark that fell into papers. In quick order $10,000 of the bank's money went up in flames. That is approximately $200,000 today. 

There was no way he could afford to pay it. The Moravian church paid the debt to the bank. In turn, Brother Blum had to give the church all his property, large and small, and his profits for the rest of his life. After he died his sons purchased the home from the church.