Ohio History Journal

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known. Entrust the future to them. Teach them ideals of service and of

Christian citizenship. They'll not fail us. Throw them the lighted torches

and these will grow brighter as they climb the heights to endless day.

Said our beloved poet:

 

"The thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts."

and Emerson,

"So nigh is grandeur to our dust,

So near is God to man,

When duty whispers low, 'Thou must,'

The youth replies, 'I can.'"

The second speaker of the morning was Mrs. Helen C. Hill

Sloan of Marietta, Ohio.

 

THE LURE OF THE PIONEER

By MRS. HELEN C. HILL SLOAN

 

PRESIDENT LIVINGSTON, MEMBERS OF THE COLUMBUS GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

AND FRIENDS:

I bring you greetings from the little settlement at the confluence of

the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers. There for over one hundred and fifty

years we have carried on our New England traditions, under the giant elms

and maples, which our pioneer forefathers, and successive generations, have

planted and cared for.

We hope you will all drive down to Marietta this spring, the red-bud,

and dog-wood along the way will be beautiful. Summer or fall, we will

have many things that will interest you, historically and genealogically.

I have been asked to tell of some phases of my work in Washington

County. As historian and genealogist for the Marietta chapter, Daughters

of the American Revolution, and member of the State Historical Activities

Committee of the Colonial Dames of America, it has been my duty to

acquaint myself with the various sources of information available in this

section.

Our court and church records date from the beginning of the settle-

ment in 1788. Local histories, private collections of manuscripts, letters, and

genealogies, including the journals of Rufus Putnam and the proceedings of

the Ohio Company, furnish accurate data and enable us to go back beyond

the Revolution to early colonial times.

It has been my especial interest to collate the lines of descent of these

early pioneers, in order that their names and deeds may be preserved and

their pedigrees established, and made available back to the immigrant ances-

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tor who first established the family in America. Sometimes I have to fur-

nish a wife or husband and often I give them a dozen children.

"Throughout the fabrick that has been weaving in the loom of time

there is a pattern. The shuttle in ceaseless routine moves; with bright

colors: with the drab of uneventfulness, sometimes with the black of war,

with its deepening shadows of disaster and despair. Ever present though,

through all the ages, has been and will be, outstanding in the weaving pat-

tern, an undertone of values, eternal and supreme--the blending harmonies

of continuing family life."

I like the thought, recently attributed to Kaiser Wilhelm, that: "A

nation is created by families, a religion, traditions. It is made up of the

hearts of mothers, the wisdom of fathers, and the joyous laughter of

children."

If it be true, that the environment and experiences of our parents, and

of their parents, and earlier parents--uncounted--has come unerringly, in

some degree, to be a part of us, then, unless the role of indifference be

assumed, there must be wholesome concern in everyone, over the question:

Who were these people whose names we bear, whose stature we acquire,

whose complexion we share, and whose countenance our mirrors reflect?

By identifying those whose blood we share, we each may find a place

in the ever-weaving pattern. The shuttle thread of history thus becomes

to each of us a personal thing.

 

"History is a Painter

Her pictures fill the land

Unfailing is her genius

Unceasing is her hand."

 

Let us then look backward and see the picture portrayed and the part

our forebears had in the developing of this new world.

In 1620 our Pilgrim forefathers left their homes in old England and

established a New England here in America. In 1788 our pioneer fore-

fathers left this same New England to begin life anew in the Ohio country.

What was the lure of this new country--why did men and women

leave home and dear ones, friends and the comforts of an established com-

munity ?

If one is to think of the pioneers of Ohio of 1788 and the following

years, when there was a steady flow of emigration from the New England

states--one must inevitably think of 1620. I venture the assertion that

there were few--if any--of the early settlements in Ohio, that did not

number their Mayflower descendants--in accordance to the ratio of their

New England population.

We are familiar with the Mayflower Compact, we know why the

Pilgrims came to America and we have acquainted ourselves with the con-

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tributing factors which resulted in the forming of the Ohio Company and

the establishing of civil government in the Northwest Territory--but what

of the children of old England, and what of the mothers and families here

in Ohio?

We are prone to think of our pioneer Ohio families and our Revo-

lutionary heroes as being from New England--but were they? The more

we study the facts, the more are we convinced that

 

"No one can live unto himself alone, . . .

A separate path no one can quite pursue--

We work together, though we know it not."

 

Shall we look for a moment across the ocean? If I seem to ramble

about inanely, please bear with me, concentrate on the names I give and I

hope you can follow my line of thought.

First we will visit an English garden. The shy, lonely lad is Bill

Bradford--his parents are dead. Sometimes his grandparents allow him to

play with the six little Carpenter girls. "Let's play stage coach," suggested

Bridget. "Let's go far, far away, maybe clear to London," said Alice. "I

could never leave Mother," said prim little Mary. And little did they dream

that soon the Carpenters would flee to Holland, and never had they even

heard of America.

Many things happened and at last the Carpenters returned to England.

Alice was quite a big girl and grew very fond of young Bill Bradford, but

the proud parents soon put an end to the budding romance. Poor Bill left,

for no one knew where--so it was probably just as well.

The years flew by, and how amused they were, those six Carpenter

girls, when someone suggested they might go to America. "Why, how

silly, who ever heard of such a thing? Sister Alice is going to be mar-

ried next month to a very fine gentleman. We think Agnes likes Sam

Fuller, and everyone knows that Julia will marry George Morton, and live

in York."

As for Bill Bradford, no one had seen him for ever so long. It was

rumored that he had gone to Leyden and married Dorothy--well, Dorothy

somebody.

Probably Alice Carpenter had forgotten all about him. She was busy

with her two babies--and then her husband died.

Once in a while word would come from America. Massachusetts was

quite a colony and they were very proud of the new house for the

Governor.

Letters were an exciting event in those days and Mrs. Southworth

wondered who could be writing to her. Such a strange post-mark, and it

looked as though the letter had come a long way. I peeked over her

shoulder, and this is what I saw: "I am not that Bill Bradford I once was.

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I am now Governor of the Colony, a widower, and if you will come to

America, I am at your service."

Yes, I think we were mistaken--perhaps Alice Carpenter Southworth

had not quite forgotten her boyish lover. (Children sometimes don't--even

when their parents tell them to.)

It took a lot of courage, but sister Bridget said she would go along

and help with the children. They sailed on the good ship Ann, and on the

fourteenth of August, 1623, Alice Carpenter married Bill Bradford, and

went to live in the Governor's mansion.

No, I have not forgotten about the other Carpenter girls. Of course

no one called them girls over here. They were very "well thought of," and

their husbands were important men in the colony.     Priscilla married

William Wright. Julia was Mrs. Morton, and Bridget had just become

Mrs. Fuller. "But, I thought you said Agnes--"   Yes, I did, but you see

poor Agnes died and was buried under St. Peter's in old Leyden town, and

then Dr. Fuller came to America on the Mayflower. You know Bridget

came over with her sister Alice in 1623, and after a time Dr. Fuller asked

her to be his wife. Do you remember little Mary saying she could never

leave her mother?   Well, she never did. She took such loving care of

her, but, after her mother's death, then Mary came over and made her

home with Governor and Alice Bradford. The records say she was "A

Godly old maid, never married," died at Plymouth, March 19, 1667, aged

about eighty years.

Here are "bits" from the letter which "prim little Mary Carpenter"

received, inviting and urging her to "come over to us" in America.

"We are grown old and the country here more unsettled than ever,

by reason of the great changes . . . and what will further be the Lord only

knows: which makes many think of removing their habitation, and sunderies

of our ministers (hearing of the peace and liberty now in England and

Ireland) begin to leave us, and it is feared many more will follow. . . .

With our love remembered unto you we take leave and rest,

Your loving brother and sister,

PLYMOUTH                                      WILLIAM BRADFORD."

August 19, 1664.

Less than eight miles from where the Carpenters used to live, is the

village of Bristol, where a little girl played with her dolls and carefully

mended their broken heads and arms.

The homes of northern England, were filled with sturdy youths, who

often went with their fathers to the fishing banks--sometimes as far as the

Great Banks. The Lakes were famous fishermen, and at last Archibald

was allowed to go. "He's much too young," growled his father.

Were you ever in Scotland? The Earl of Selkirk used to have a

beautiful garden up in Kircudbrightshire. The gardener's little son often

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watched his father, and thought that he too would work in the garden,

just as soon as he grew up. But like many little boys he changed his

mind, and went to sea in the American and West India Trade. Frequently

he saw Abe Whipple, who came over from the colony in Rhode Island.

Trade was good and soon John Paul, the gardener's son, grew wealthy

and settled in Virginia. I have heard that he joined with the colonists

against the British in the War and helped quite a lot in the Revolution.

Mary Bird grew up and put her dolls away, for she was going to be

married and go to the Great Banks with Archibald Lake, the boy from

northern England.

Over in Rhode Island, Abe Whipple had been pretty busy, fighting in

the French and Indian War, and after that he had some fun commanding a

"privateer."  He married Sarah Hopkins, sister of Governor Hopkins.

They were very wealthy and had a fine house in Providence, and a farm

"out Cranston way."

Things were not going so well with the Lakes. The French were

causing trouble about the fishing and so Archibald and Mary came to New

York, where Mr. Lake found work in the ship-yards.

It is too bad about young Whipple, we heard that he was to have been

hung, for some mischief he got into.

Let us return to Marietta. I want to tell you a little about our ceme-

teries. There is something that tugs at the heart strings, and a fascination

about these scattered God's Acres. Their soft grey sandstones are the

markers, left between the pages when our forefathers laid down the great

"book of time." It is surprising how much can be read between the lines

and the discoveries that may be made.

In the little cemetery at Cedarville, below Belpre, Ohio, may be found

the grave of Major Robert Bradford, and in the church-yard at Newport,

a shaft bears this inscription:

 

"Captain Nathaniel Little, died November 20, 1808,

The first interment in this cemetery"

and on the same stone:

"Pamela, wife of Nathaniel Little, died October 30, 1822,

aged 59 years."

 

I turn to the old family Bible, the one they had in "Farmer's Castle"

during the Indian War, and read: "Nathaniel Little and Pamela Bradford

was married February ye 16th, 1792."

On the west bank of the Muskingum, seven miles above Marietta, we

find another pioneer cemetery, with many interesting names. May I call

your attention to the one with the bronze tablet, which informs us that

Mary Bird Lake taught the first Sunday-school in the Northwest Territory

(some say in the United States) and was Matron of the General Army

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Hospitals during the Revolutionary War? Her husband, Archibald Lake,

also has a bronze tablet telling of his services in the War. If we look in

the early histories we will find many pages devoted to this remarkable

woman. Mrs. Lake was many times personally thanked by General Wash-

ington, for her "tender, vigilant, and unremitting care of the sick and

wounded soldiers."

It has often been stated that there are more Revolutionary officers

of high rank, buried in Mound Cemetery, than in any other one burial

ground in the United States. One has only to read the names, Putnam,

Tupper, Hildreth, Parsons, and on down the line to recognize the im-

portant part these men played in the war against Britain, and later in the

establishment of the Northwest Territory.

Over by the moat, near the Big Mound, is a simple white shaft. Per-

haps, some of you have leaned over the iron railing, trying to decipher the

unusual epitaph, have wondered about the man: who he was, and what

he had done.

"¹⁷³³ - 1819

Sacred

to the memory of

COMMODORE ABRAHAM WHIPPLE

whose name, skill, and courage

will ever remain the pride and

boast of his country.

In the late Revolution he was the

first on the seas to hurl defiance at proud Britain,

gallantly leading the way to wrest from

the mistress of the ocean her scepter,

and there to wave the star-spangled banner.

He also conducted to the sea

the first square-rigged vessel ever built on the Ohio,

opening to commerce

resources beyond calculation."

 

" the pride and boast of his country."

" the first to hurl defiance at proud Britain."

" the first to conduct ships down the Ohio."

" opening up commercial resources beyond calculation."

 

Does it not intrigue the imagination? Let us turn to the encyclopedia

and see what we may find. Strange is it not, that no mention is made of

Commodore Whipple? We are told that John Paul Jones, of Virginia,

rendered valuable service and has been regarded as chief among the naval

heroes of the American Revolution. His remains were brought in 1905

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from Paris to America where he was buried in the Naval Academy grounds

at Annapolis.

If we turn to colonial histories we will find much about Whipple's

daring service in the French and Indian War, and of his exploits as com-

mander of a privateer. Arnold tells of the burning of the Gaspe. Learning

that Captain Whipple had been in command of the men from Providence,

who burned this ship, a message was sent: "You, ABRAHAM WHIPPLE,

on the 10th of June, 1772, burned your Majesties vessel, the Gaspe, and I

will hang you at the Yard-arm," signed "JAMES WALLACE." To which the

terse reply was: "To SIR JAMES WALLACE: Always catch a man before

you hang him. ABRAHAM WHIPPLE."

Historians generally consider the burning of the Gaspe, the first overt

act of the Revolution. This was eighteen months prior to the Boston Tea

Party, and three years before the battle of Lexington.

Rhode Island was the first of the Colonies to renounce allegiance to

the British Crown, and the first to send to sea under legislative authority,

vessels of war. Rhode Island purchased, equipped and manned two sloops--

the Washington and Katy. These were placed under the command of Abra-

ham Whipple with the rank of Commodore. Whipple was ordered to clear

the bay of British ships. June 15, 1775, Whipple sailed down the Narra-

ganset, routed the British, cleared the bay, and thus gained the honor of

having fired the first shot--"the shot that was heard around the world."

Such was the commencement of our first American Navy, and that

was the Navy's first cruise. This was two days before the battle of Bunker

Hill.

Whipple was credited with having captured more British prizes than

any other naval officer of the Revolution. It was Commodore Whipple who

was intrusted with the important papers that must be gotten to our Com-

missioners in France, when it seemed impossible for any one to run the

British blockade. It was Whipple who was sent to raise the siege of

Charleston. It was Whipple who spent his own fortune to keep the Ameri-

can fleet manned--it was his money that paid the sailors. It was Whipple

who was given command of the first merchant vessel sent to Great Britain

after the Peace. At this time he was "the first to unfurl the American flag

(the star-spangled banner) on the Thames."

Whipple, like many others, had expended his entire fortune in the

cause of freedom, and was reduced to actual want. The whole amount due

Whipple was over sixteen thousand dollars, a considerable fortune in those

days. Quoting from his pitiful petition to Congress, in 1786, after setting

forth his military services, he said:

"Thus having exhausted the means of supporting myself and family,

I was reduced to the sad necessity of mortgaging my farm, the remnant I

had left, to obtain money for temporary support. The farm is now gone.

. . I am turned into the world at an advanced age, feeble and valetudinary,

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with my wife and children, destitute of a house or home that I can call my

own, or have the means of hiring ... I have served the United States from

the 15th of June, 1775, to December, 1782 [when taken prisoner], without

receiving a farthing of wages or subsistence from them since December,

1776 [6 yrs.]. . . . The payment of this, or a part of it, might be the happy

means of regaining the farm I have been obliged to give up, and snatch my

family from misery and ruin."

In 1788, Commodore Whipple and wife (Sarah Hopkins) came to

Marietta to be with their daughter and son-in-law, Colonel Ebenezer Sproat.

In 1800 the first ship built at Marietta was completed, but there was no one

in the new settlement qualified to take the vessel to sea. So once again,

though an old man, Whipple came to the rescue, took command, and with an

untrained crew took the boat to Havana, disposed of the cargo, reloaded with

sugar and sailed for Philadelphia, where he disposed of both cargo and ship

to advantage. Whipple then walked all the way back to Marietta. From

then until the Embargo Act, ship-building was the leading industry, and

vessels from Marietta sailed for every port. Thus had Commodore Whip-

ple "opened to commerce, resources beyond calculation."

Those who have made a study of the accomplishments of this old

hero may well question the point that John Paul Jones was "chief among

American naval heroes."

We read that "Man is but the plaything of Fate." Truly, even with

our last resting place--Fate her tricks doth play. How little did they

dream, those parents of long ago, that Alice and the lonely lad William

would find a resting place at Plymouth, in far away America! That little

Mary Bird from Bristol, and the fisher lad from northern England, would

lie beneath the sod of Wiseman's Bottom, beside the beautiful Mus-

kingum! And even in 1623, the Governor and his bride would have pon-

dered long, had some one foretold that a Major Robert would be in Cedar-

ville at Belpre, and Pamela with her husband and children, in Newport

would live and die.

The gardener's son will not be found in Scotland, for with pomp and

ceremony was he laid among the heroes of our country. Commodore Whip-

ple, we know, sleeps just as peacefully beside the moat, beneath the shadow

of the Great Mound. Who knows, perhaps those silent people of long ago,

looked into the future as they built the mound and planned it so!

The courage and self-sacrifice of those early Ohio mothers is well

portrayed by the letter which Lucy Backus Woodbridge wrote concerning

their plan, "very hastily formed" to remove to Marietta.

"I feel reconcile'd myself to any step that will promote the interest of

my family. In this place [Norwich, Conn.] there is very little for anyone

to expect so of course we do not hazard much in the attempt, and the de-

scriptions of the western world are truly flattering. If the half of them

are just I shall chearfully quit my prospects here. It will be painful part-

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ing with the connections I must leave behind me, but the society of our

friends but poorly compensates for the want of a subsistence. We have a

large circle of little ones dependent on us, and I know of no persuit that

would give me more pleasure than that of providing an easy Liveing for

them."

Emigration has ever played its part in the making of history and in

every land since Moses led his trusting band to the land of "milk and

honey," there has been a lure that beckons men to fields afar, for homes

must be established and little mouths fed, and there must be weaving and

spinning. Yes, a nation is made up of the hearts of mothers, the wisdom

of fathers, and the joyous laughter of children. "Within the mirrors of

their children's radiant eyes I see envisioned all the hopes and fears of men

and women, who 'neath alien skies transmuted wilderness to paradise."

 

The last speaker at this session was Professor Francis Phelps

Weisenburger of the Department of History of the Ohio State

University.

 

THE PERSONAL ELEMENT IN HISTORY

By FRANCIS P. WEISENBURGER

 

My subject today is very similar in its wording to that taken a few

years ago by Professor Edward M. Hulme of Stanford University, Cali-

fornia, in his presidential address before the Pacific Coast Branch of the

American Historical Association. At that time he spoke on the topic,

"The Personal Equation in History."¹ The matter which he discussed,

however, was a very different one from that which I have in view in com-

menting upon "The Personal Element in History." Professor Hulme had

in mind of course the extent to which the writer of history, however objec-

tive his intentions, is necessarily influenced in his selection of data and

in his interpretation of events by his own personal background. Race,

color, ancestry, schooling, economic circumstances, and many other factors

are indeed often very significant in determining the viewpoint expressed by

even the most unbiased of historical writers. Professor Hulme flatly de-

clared that "perfect detachment" among historians is impossible, is in

fact "a myth." He went on to express the view that history of all kinds

is "colored" by the personal equation, sometimes indeed rather slightly

but at other times very deeply. Circumstances of time and place, he said,

are important in determining the trend of historical interpretation, and the

personal background of the author is apt to be of great significance. His-

torians at best, he said, are not machines on the one hand or angels on

 

Pacific Historical Review (Glendale, Calif.), II (1933/34), 129ff.

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