OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: Tidbits of Ohio -- Part 78A ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgenwebarchives.org ************************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 March 21, 2006 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Historical Collections of Ohio And Then They Went West Know Your Ohio Tid-Bits - Part 78 A notes by S. Kelly ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tid-Bits - Part 78 A In Search of the First White Child born in Ohio. The earliest known occupation of the territory now embraced within the limits of the State of Ohio, by any collective body of white men, was by the French in 1680. From that time until the conquest of Canada by the English, French traders were scattered throughout the territory, having a post, station or " store " at almost every Indian town. English traders first made their appearance in the Ohio country in 1699 and 1700. From that time until 1745, we frequently hear of them at various towns and stations. In 1745 they built a small fort or block house among the Hurons on the north side of Sandusky bay. In 1748 they were driven off by a party of French soldiers from Detroit. Prior to 1763 the English in Ohio were very few in comparison to the French. Up to the period of the American Revolution thousands of French and English traders had passed into the Ohio Country. It is impossible to determine how many lived there at any one time. At some villages there was but one or two traders, at others ten, twenty, and sometimes as many as fifty. For the most part the traders were married to squaws and had children by them. In rare cases, white women accompanied their husbands on trading excursions, which generally lasted for months. This was because the savages preferred to trade and barter with those connected with their people by marriage. We have heard of but two instances where traders had white wives living with them in Indian villages. [ These were a man named Henry, a brother of Judge Henry, of Lancaster, PA., who was domiciled on the Scioto, at a Shawnee village called Chelokraty, and Richard Conner, a Maryland trader, who lived on the Scioto at Pickaway. Both these men exercised great influence among the Shawnee. Mr. Henry was living among them as early as 1768, and married a white woman, who when a child, had been taken captive. We do not know whether they had had children born to them in Ohio, but it is likely they did, for Henry continued on the Scioto for many years and amassed a fotune there. In 1770, Mr. Conner, who had lived among the Western Indians as a trader for years, married a young white woman, captive among the Shawnee at Pickaway. In 1771, a male child was born unto them. It is impossible to state at what place, though in all probability the birth occurred at Pickaway on the Scioto. In 1774, agreeably to the treaty of Fort Pitt, all whites residing among the Shawneese were delivered up at the post. Among these were Mr. Conner and wife, but the Shawneese held back their son. ] There is no possibility to trace the date of birth of the first white child born in Ohio from any French or English occupants of Ohio prior to the peace of 1763. White children were doubtless born unto some of the many traders in Ohio before that date, and yet there is no evidence that such was the fact. The information we possess is so meager and perhaps unsatifactory, that the object of the query " who was--- the first white child born in Ohio ? " may still remain as heretofore " a simple matter of conjecture," but we hope that this writing will be an opening wedge on the subject. For many years it was gradually stated and believed that Miss Johanna Maria Heckewelder was the first white child born in Ohio. She was the object of unusual attentions; visitors from all parts of the country resorted to her residence, to see and converse with the first white child born in the wilderness of Ohio. Historians sought her acquaintance, antiquarians her photograph and autograph; learned societies her correspondence through complimentary memberships, in fact everybody who knew her history, honored and respected " Aunt Polly Heckewelder, " as she was familiarly called at Bethlehem, where she lived and died.Until the year 1848, Miss Heckewelder's claim remained undisturbed; that is to say, no one publicly denied her right to appear in the role as the first white child. It took Mr. Howe in his writings of Ohio history to first put a doubt on her claim. In a brief statement of the birth of a Frenchman, named Millehomme. At a later period the investigations of Judge Blickensderfer, of Tuscarawas county, Ohio, and Rev. Edmund De Schwemitz, Bishop of the Moravian Church, among the archives of the early mission station at Guadenhutton, revealed interesting fact that a white child named Roth, son of a missionary, had been born there nearly eight years before Miss Heckewelder's birth at Salem. The birth of Roth occurred one year before that of the Frenchman, Millehomme, mentioned by Howe. Here, therefore, are two instances of birh of white children prior to Miss Heckewelder. Another one which occurred in 1764 which I believe is deserving of attention and investigation. I have already stated that no known white child was born in Ohio before the close of the French and English War ( 1763 ). The information we have of the birth of one during the year 1764, is not definate enough for acceptance by the historical reader and critic, but I gathered in the facts, such as they are, and place them upon the record in connection with the other statements on the subject. But I think there is reasonable ground for asserting that the first known birth of a white child, occuring within the limits of Ohio, was that belonging to a white woman from Virginia, who had been taken prisoner by the Delawares in April, 1764. This woman was, at the time of her capture, far advanced in pregnancy, and during the month of July, 1764, gave birth to a child at or near the Indian town of Wakatomaka, near the present site of Dresden, Muskingum county, Ohio. Let us examine into the matter: When Col. Bouquet advanced with his army into the Ohio country, in October, 1764, he was met by the principal chieftains of the Senecas, Delawares, and Shawnees, who sued for peace. In answer to their overtures, Bouquet, who was a stern and resolute man, made a dignified reply. He told them that he would give them twelve days to deliver at Wakatomaka all their prisoners in their possession without any exception -- Englishmen, Frenchmen, women, and children- whether they were adopted into their tribes, married or just living amongst them under any denomination and pretence whatsover; together with all nergros. He also told them that they were to furnish the prisoners with clothing, provisions and horses to carry them to Fort Pitt, and then when this was done he would let them know the terms of the peace they would obtain that they sued for. This bold answer to the Indian tribes made a profound impression upon them. An only alternative was left -- peace under these conditions, or war. They judiciously resolved to give up the white and black captives under their control, and on the 9th of November there was brought to Bouquet's camp all the prisoners within the Ohio country, except a few held by a Shawnee tribe, who were absent hunting, Those who were delivered numbered 206: Virginians -- males, 32; females and children, 58. Pennsylvanians -- males, 49; females and children, 67. Among the Virginians was the white woman and her child herefore alluded to. Her situation is noted in the history of " Bouquet's Expedition," page 79. He states; " Among the captives, a woman was brought into the camp,at Muskingum, with a babe about three months old at her breast. One of the Virginia volunteers soon knew her to be his wife who had been taken by the Indians six months before. She was soon delivered to her overjoyed husband, who flew with her to his tent, and clothed her and her child in proper apparel. But there joy, after the first transports, was soon dampened by the reflection that another dear child of about two years old, captured with the mother, and separated from her, was still missing, although many children had been brought in. A few days later, a number of other prisoners were brought to camp, among them were several more children. The woman was sent for and one supposed to be hers was produced for her. At first sight she was uncertain, but upon viewing the child with the greatest earnestness, she soon recollected its features; n was so overcome with joy, she literally forgetting her sucking child, she dropped it from her arms, and catching up the new found child in an ecstacy, pressed it to her breast, bursting into tears, and carried it off unable to speak for joy. The father seizing up the babe she had let fall, followed her in no less transport and affection." It may be said the Moravians had settled at Bolivar in 1761, and the children may have been born unto them. This is easily answered by the fact that prior to 1764 there were but two white Moravians in Ohio, Heckewelder and Post. Heckewelder did not marry until 1780, and Post was married to an Indian squaw. Add to this, the fact there were no white women in the Moravian settlements, prior to the year 1764, and I think the answer is complete. If any white children either French, English, or American, were born within the limits of Ohio before the year 1764, we have been unable to find evidences of the fact. I think therefore we are safe in stating that the child of the Virginia captive, born in 1764, was the first known white child born in Ohio. In 1772, John George Jungmann and wife arrived at Shoenbrun, Ohio, from Bethlehem, Pa. Jungmann was a Moravian Missionary, and his wife was the first married white woman who came west among the Christian Indians. In April 1773, John Roth and wife reached Gnadenhutten, Ohio. Roth was also a missionary, sent out by the Moravian Church. Nearly three months after her arrival, Mrs. Roth gave birth to a son at Gnadenhutten, which was named John Lewis Roth. His birth occurred on the 4th of July, 1773, and he was baptized on the 5th, by the Rev. David Zeisberger. In the narrative of Zeisberger, by Bishop De Schweinitz, will be found an interesting biographical notice of John Lewis Roth, as well as sketches of his father and mother. When John Lewis was one month old, August 1773, his parents removed from Gnadenhutten to Shoebrun. At that place Mr. Roth labored for nearly a year, with marked success. His converts were many, which filled his heart with great joy and gratitude to God. It was at this time that Dunmore's war broke out. The Chritian Indians were threatened, the missionaries' lives were despaired of, the entire destruction of all the Moravian towns daily looked for. In this trying time, Zeisberger recommended Roth to return to Pennsylvania with his family. This advice was followed. Mr.and Mrs. Roth reached Bethlehem in June, 1774, when their infant son, John Lewis was less than a year old. Mr. Roth continued in the service of the Moravian Church many years, being successfully employed at Mount Joy, York, Emmaus, and Hebron, Pa. He died at York, July 22d, 1790. Mrs. Roth died at Nazareth, February 25th, 1805. John Lewis Roth, who Bishop De Schweinitz and Judge Blickensderfer claim to have been the first white child born in Ohio, was educated at Nazareth Hall, Bethlehem, Pa. At an early age he married and settled on a farm near Nazareth. Pa., where he lived until his 63rd year. In 1836, he removed to Bath, Pa., and while residing there joined the Lutheran Church, of which the Rev. A. Fuchs was pastor. Mr. Roth was an exemplary Christian, and brought up his children in the love and fear of God. He died September 25th, 1841, and is buried in the cemetery at Bath, where a small marble tomestone bears this inscription; " Zum Andenken an Ludwig Roth, geboren 4th Juli, 1773. Gestorben, 25th September, 1841, Alter 68 Jahre, 2M.21Tage." The village of Gnadenhutten where Mr. Roth was born, was situated on the Tuscarawas river, in Clay township, Tuscarawas county, Ohio, not far from the outskirts of the present town of Gnadenhutten. It was there that the horrible massacre of Christian Indians took place in March, 1782. The next white birth in Ohio, is founded upon the assertion made by Mr, Henry Howe. He states that Mr. Dinsmoore, a planter of Boone county, Ky., orally informed him that is the year 1835, when residing in the parish of Terre-Bonne,La., he became acquainted with a planter named Millehomme, who informed him that he was born in the forest, on the head waters of the Miami, on or near the Loramie Portage, about the year 1774. His parents were Canadian French, then on route to Louisiana. We know nothing of the facts in this case other by given by my dear friend Mr. Howe. I assume he consider the statement of Mr. Dinsmoore reliable, or it would have not found a place in his vauable work. Early in the year 1780, the Moravian Church at Bethlehem sent to Ohio Missions as teacher, Miss Sarah Ohneberg. She was a young woman of fine education, with an amiable dispossion, and unaffected Christian piety. After he arrival at Shoenbrun, she became the recipent of marked attentions from Rev. John Heckewelder, then in his 38th year. Friendship blossemed into a firmer attachment, and in July, 1780, they were married at the chapel in Salem, by the Rev. Adam Grube. This being the first wedding of a white couple in Ohio, it was well attended by all the Mission families and converted Indians. During the following year, Mrs. Heckewelder gave birth to a female child at Salem. She was baptized and named Johanna Maria Heckewelder. As for being the first white child born in Ohio I believe that it has been shown to be unsustainable. Her history, however, is very interesting. I will in the following series give the account. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Continued in Tid-Bits, part 78 B.