When a rash of Pietist activity broke out in the mid-thirties, Giezendanner broke his long public silence. He held meetings in Lichtensteig and neighboring towns, and people came from congregations throughout Toggenburg. This growing awakening once more called for sharp action by the local church authorities in 1736. While allowing godly conversation and edifying meetings held in homes, the new law forbade all Sunday and weekday meetings which might draw people from public worship services. Especially condemned were meetings held by "suspicious persons". The edit seemed to hit the often-investigated Giezendanner. He understood the situation and left for America with some relatives and friends in the fall of the same year. They joined a party of emigrants from the same general area of Switzerland and traveled to South Carolina by way of England.
REF: The South Carolina Historical Magazine article by H. George Anderson,
July 1966, Vol. 67, Nr.3 pgs. 129 -137

(In short basically the same info as above in SC Hist Magazine):
(John) Hans Ulrich (Giezendanner), von Lichtensteig, von beruf Goldschmied, trat 1713 als Agitator für den radikalen Pietismus auf, studierte dann kurze Zeit in Marburg und nahm, nachdem er aus Hessen ausgewiesen worden war, seine Propaganda als Bussprophet und "Inspirierter" in der Schweiz wieder auf, predigte unter grossem Zulauf kurz hintereinander in Schaffhausen, im Toggenburg, im Thurgau, in der Stadt St Gallen, in Zürich, wurde aber allenthalben von der orthodoxen Geistlichkeit und den Behörden verfolgt und vertrieben, begab sich in 1716 wieder nach Deutschland, kehrte 1720 nach Lichtensteig zurück, arbeitete dann viele Jahre ruhig als Goldschmied, begann 1736 seine Agitation von neuem, wurde jedoch gleich durch das sog. Pietistenmandat von 1736 kaltgestellt und verzog sich nach Amerika.
REF: Paul Giezendanner (Switzerland)

When the Counselor of Lichtensteig found out that the goldsmith Hans Ulrich, his brother Georg, the hatter, and his brother Jakob, the tin man, were to emigrate to "Carolina, an island in the sea", he gave them the fatherly advice not to undertake such a costly, far and dangerous journey, at least not as long as some of the children were infants. When they persisted in their decision, the Counsel granted 36 and 30 Gulden, to Jakob 2 Doublonen "Viaticum", which had to be paid back in case of a return. They never came back, but in stead had a substantial part in establishing the nowadays flourishing "Presbyterian College, Clinton, South Carolina".
REF: Geschichte des Toggenburger Städtchens Lichtensteig - 1978 - by Armin Meier

In 1966 research was done by Mr Walter R Robbins from Presbyterian College, Clinton, South Carolina into the history of one of his fathers of "denomination", which happened to be Hans Ulrich Giezendanner
REF: Geschichte der Evangelischen Kirchgemeinde Lichtensteig 1528-1967
by Armin Müller, Wattwil, 1967

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