Jonathan Alder
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Alder was an American
pioneer, and the first white
settler
in Madison County, Ohio
. As a young child living in Virginia
, Alder was kidnapped by Shawnee
Indians, and later adopted by a Mingo
chief in the Ohio Country
. He lived with the Native Americans for many years before returning to the white community.
Alder settled near present-day Plain City, Ohio
, where he became a farmer. He was reunited with his birth family, which moved to Ohio with him, and also had a short career as a military officer during the War of 1812
. A middle school, high school, and school district in Plain City all bear his name.
Alder was born September 17, 1773, in Gloucester, New Jersey
, to Bartholomew Alder and Hannah Worthington. The family moved in 1775 to Wythe County, Virginia
, where Alder's father died about a year later. In May 1782, Jonathan, at eight years old, was sent out with his brother David to search for a couple horses that ran away. They were attacked by a small group of Shawnee Indians from Ohio. David saw the Indians first and tried to escape, but he was chased down, killed, and later scalped
. The Indian group also captured Alder's neighbor, Mrs. Martin, and her young child.
The group traveled north, passing present-day Chillicothe, Ohio
, on the way to a Mingo
village on the north side of the Mad River
, somewhere near present-day Logan County, Ohio
. During the trip the Indians killed and scalped Martin's child, which they found burdensome. Martin responded by screaming in grief; when the Indians' threats to scalp her did not quiet her screams, they whipped her until she was silent. Alder's life was spared due to his appearance. His captors thought his black hair would allow him to pass as an Indian.
When the group reached the village, Alder learned why his life had been spared. One of the Mingo chiefs, Succohanos, and his wife, Whinecheoh, were an aging couple who had lost their son, and planned to adopt Alder as a replacement. Alder was forced to run the gauntlet
, as a rite of passage, and after he exhibited bravery during the trial, he was adopted and cared for by Whinecheoh. The Indian's other prisoner, Mrs. Martin, had been promised to a man in another village, and was taken away during Alder's adoption ceremony.
, which he used to hunt mud turtle
s, wild turkeys
, and raccoon
s. He was praised in the village for his hunting skills. He grew attached to his new life and when, in 1783, a trader from Kentucky
offered to exchange him for a Shawnee prisoner, Alder refused. Alder was living in the Indian village of Mack-a-chack when it was destroyed by Benjamin Logan
during his raid into Ohio Country
in 1786, and he accompanied the Indians on raids into Kentucky to steal horses from white settlers.
In 1790, Whinecheoh died at the age of eighty, and Succohanes died in 1792 at the age of ninety. After their deaths, Alder wandered from village to village, and began courting an Indian woman from Upper Sandusky
named Barshaw. In the fall of 1793, during the peak of the Northwest Indian War
, he joined Shawnee chief Blue Jacket
to defend against Anthony Wayne
's attacks in the Ohio Country, and also took part in the attack on Fort Recovery
on June 30, 1794. Alder was asked for advice on the 1795 Treaty of Greenville
on land reservations, and urged by the Indians to attend its signing. Alder, not realizing the treaty's importance, chose not to attend.
In the summer after the signing of the Treaty of Greenville, which restored peace between Indians and settlers, Alder decided to return to the white community. He married Barshaw, and settled in Pleasant Valley, in the area of Jerome Township
, about 5 miles (8 km) north of present-day Plain City, Ohio
. He built a cabin, took up the lifestyle of a farmer, and raised hogs, cows and horses. He sold milk and butter he made to the Indians, and pork and horses to the whites. Alder began adopting the white community's habits, and learned English from the other white settlers. While living in Pleasant Valley, Barshaw struggled to integrate with settler life. She gave birth to two of Alder's children, but both died in infancy. The couple decided the Great Spirit
was opposed to their marriage, and separated. Alder gave Barshaw most of the couple's property, including the cabin, all of the cows, seven horses, and about $200 in silver. Alder kept only two horses and the hogs.
After some time Alder developed interest in his original family in Virginia. A companion, John Moore, learned that Alder had been taken prisoner near Greenbrier
, and traveled to Wythe County to search for Alder's family. Initial inquiries were unsuccessful, but one of a series of advertisements Moore placed in the district was seen by Alder's surviving brother Paul. Paul then wrote Jonathan to inform him that the family was still alive.
Alder left for Paul's house, with Moore, in November 1805. He and Moore arrived in Virginia the Sunday after New Year, and Alder was reunited with his biological mother and siblings. Alder stayed with his family in Virginia for over a year, and while visiting his family he met and fell in love with Mary Ann Blont, a woman from Virginia. The couple were married on January 6, 1806, and in August 1806, Alder, Blont, and the rest of Alder's family returned to Pleasant Valley. Alder built another log cabin along the Big Darby Creek
in 1806, and he and Mary had 12 children between 1808 and 1830.
, during the summer of 1812 or 1813, Alder was elected captain of a company
of 70 men formed in Plain City. With Frederick Loyd as his lieutenant
, Alder's company was ordered by the Governor to march about twenty miles north and build a blockhouse at Mill Creek, about three miles north of Marysville, Ohio
, to protect the Darby settlements. The company built and garrisoned the blockhouse for a few weeks, but when a false alarm was sounded regarding Indians attacking the settlements, the men returned to their homes. This was the only fort ever constructed in Union County
, and some of the foundation is still visible today.
After the war ended, Alder returned to the life of a farmer. He continued to visit the other former captives with whom he had become friends. In the fall of 1818, Alder received a visit from Simon Kenton
, to share and compare stories. The two discovered that they had much in common, and had been at many of the same battles, even if they had been on opposite sides. They met several times up until 1828.
Living out the rest of his days as a farmer, Jonathan Alder died on January 30, 1849, in Canaan Township, Madison County, Ohio
, at the age of 75. He had become a well-known figure in the region, and is still remembered today with a school district, high school
, and middle school named after him. A historical marker
was erected by Ohio in front of Foster Chapel Cemetery at 39°59′42.31"N 83°15′48.11"W, near West Jefferson
, where he is buried. The cabin Alder built in 1806 is now located at the Madison County Historical Society Museum in London.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pioneer, and the first white
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
settler
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
in Madison County, Ohio
Madison County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 40,213 people, 13,672 households, and 10,035 families residing in the county. The population density was 86 people per square mile . There were 14,399 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile...
. As a young child living in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Alder was kidnapped by Shawnee
Shawnee
The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
Indians, and later adopted by a Mingo
Mingo
The Mingo are an Iroquoian group of Native Americans made up of peoples who migrated west to the Ohio Country in the mid-eighteenth century. Anglo-Americans called these migrants mingos, a corruption of mingwe, an Eastern Algonquian name for Iroquoian-language groups in general. Mingos have also...
chief in the Ohio Country
Ohio Country
The Ohio Country was the name used in the 18th century for the regions of North America west of the Appalachian Mountains and in the region of the upper Ohio River south of Lake Erie...
. He lived with the Native Americans for many years before returning to the white community.
Alder settled near present-day Plain City, Ohio
Plain City, Ohio
Plain City is a village on the west banks of Big Darby Creek, in the northern part of Darby Township, Madison County and the southern part of Jerome Township, Union County in the U.S. state of Ohio...
, where he became a farmer. He was reunited with his birth family, which moved to Ohio with him, and also had a short career as a military officer during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. A middle school, high school, and school district in Plain City all bear his name.
Early life
Gloucester, New Jersey
Gloucester, New Jersey may refer to:* Gloucester City, New Jersey, Camden County* Gloucester Township, New Jersey, Camden County* Gloucester County, New Jersey...
, to Bartholomew Alder and Hannah Worthington. The family moved in 1775 to Wythe County, Virginia
Wythe County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 27,599 people, 11,511 households, and 8,103 families residing in the county. The population density was 60 people per square mile . There were 12,744 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
, where Alder's father died about a year later. In May 1782, Jonathan, at eight years old, was sent out with his brother David to search for a couple horses that ran away. They were attacked by a small group of Shawnee Indians from Ohio. David saw the Indians first and tried to escape, but he was chased down, killed, and later scalped
Scalping
Scalping is the act of removing another person's scalp or a portion of their scalp, either from a dead body or from a living person. The initial purpose of scalping was to provide a trophy of battle or portable proof of a combatant's prowess in war...
. The Indian group also captured Alder's neighbor, Mrs. Martin, and her young child.
The group traveled north, passing present-day Chillicothe, Ohio
Chillicothe, Ohio
Chillicothe is a city in and the county seat of Ross County, Ohio, United States.Chillicothe was the first and third capital of Ohio and is located in southern Ohio along the Scioto River. The name comes from the Shawnee name Chalahgawtha, meaning "principal town", as it was a major settlement of...
, on the way to a Mingo
Mingo
The Mingo are an Iroquoian group of Native Americans made up of peoples who migrated west to the Ohio Country in the mid-eighteenth century. Anglo-Americans called these migrants mingos, a corruption of mingwe, an Eastern Algonquian name for Iroquoian-language groups in general. Mingos have also...
village on the north side of the Mad River
Mad River (Ohio)
The Mad River is a stream located in the west central part of the U.S. state of Ohio. It flows from Logan County to downtown Dayton, where it meets the Great Miami River. The stream flows southwest from its source near Campbell Hill through West Liberty, along U.S...
, somewhere near present-day Logan County, Ohio
Logan County, Ohio
Logan County is a county in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 45,858. The county seat is Bellefontaine. The county is named for Benjamin Logan, who fought Native Americans in the area....
. During the trip the Indians killed and scalped Martin's child, which they found burdensome. Martin responded by screaming in grief; when the Indians' threats to scalp her did not quiet her screams, they whipped her until she was silent. Alder's life was spared due to his appearance. His captors thought his black hair would allow him to pass as an Indian.
When the group reached the village, Alder learned why his life had been spared. One of the Mingo chiefs, Succohanos, and his wife, Whinecheoh, were an aging couple who had lost their son, and planned to adopt Alder as a replacement. Alder was forced to run the gauntlet
Running the gauntlet
Running the gauntlet is a form of physical punishment wherein a captive is compelled to run between two rows—a gauntlet—of soldiers who strike him as he passes.-Etymology:...
, as a rite of passage, and after he exhibited bravery during the trial, he was adopted and cared for by Whinecheoh. The Indian's other prisoner, Mrs. Martin, had been promised to a man in another village, and was taken away during Alder's adoption ceremony.
Indian life
The first few years that Alder lived with the Indians he was very ill, a condition Alder attributed to the Indians' diet. The other children in the village were friendly towards Alder, and worked together to teach him their language, customs, and traditions. In time, Alder fully adopted the Mingo way of life; he lived, hunted, and fought as an Indian. When he was old enough he was given an English musketMusket
A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smooth bore long gun, fired from the shoulder. Muskets were designed for use by infantry. A soldier armed with a musket had the designation musketman or musketeer....
, which he used to hunt mud turtle
Mud turtle
The Eastern Mud Turtle, or Kinosternon subrubrum is a small semi-aquatic, generally freshwater turtle. Turtles are members of the phylum Chordata and the class Reptilia. The eastern mud turtle lives in the southeastern parts of the United States...
s, wild turkeys
Wild Turkey
The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
, and raccoon
Raccoon
Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
s. He was praised in the village for his hunting skills. He grew attached to his new life and when, in 1783, a trader from Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
offered to exchange him for a Shawnee prisoner, Alder refused. Alder was living in the Indian village of Mack-a-chack when it was destroyed by Benjamin Logan
Benjamin Logan
Benjamin Logan was an American pioneer, soldier, and politician from Shelby County, Kentucky. As colonel of the Kentucky County militia of Virginia during the American Revolutionary War, he was second-in-command of militia in Kentucky. Logan was a leader in Kentucky's efforts to become a state...
during his raid into Ohio Country
Logan's Raid
Logan's Raid was a military expedition early in the Northwest Indian War. In the fall of 1786, under orders from George Rogers Clark, General Benjamin Logan led a force of Federal soldiers and mounted Kentucky militia against several Shawnee towns in the Ohio Country along the Mad River, protected...
in 1786, and he accompanied the Indians on raids into Kentucky to steal horses from white settlers.
In 1790, Whinecheoh died at the age of eighty, and Succohanes died in 1792 at the age of ninety. After their deaths, Alder wandered from village to village, and began courting an Indian woman from Upper Sandusky
Upper Sandusky
Upper Sandusky was a 19th century Wyandot town, near what is now Upper Sandusky, Ohio, in the United States. It was the primary Wyandot town during the American Revolutionary War , and was sometimes also known as Half-King's Town, after Dunquat, the Wyandot "Half-King"...
named Barshaw. In the fall of 1793, during the peak of the Northwest Indian War
Northwest Indian War
The Northwest Indian War , also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names, was a war fought between the United States and a confederation of numerous American Indian tribes for control of the Northwest Territory...
, he joined Shawnee chief Blue Jacket
Blue Jacket
Blue Jacket or Weyapiersenwah was a war chief of the Shawnee people, known for his militant defense of Shawnee lands in the Ohio Country...
to defend against Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne was a United States Army general and statesman. Wayne adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military exploits and fiery personality quickly earned him a promotion to the rank of brigadier general and the sobriquet of Mad Anthony.-Early...
's attacks in the Ohio Country, and also took part in the attack on Fort Recovery
Fort Recovery
Fort Recovery was a United States Army fort begun in late 1793 and completed in March 1794 under orders by General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. It was located on the site of the present-day village of Fort Recovery, Ohio, United States, on the Wabash River within two miles of the boundary with...
on June 30, 1794. Alder was asked for advice on the 1795 Treaty of Greenville
Treaty of Greenville
The Treaty of Greenville was signed at Fort Greenville , on August 3, 1795, between a coalition of Native Americans & Frontiers men, known as the Western Confederacy, and the United States following the Native American loss at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. It put an end to the Northwest Indian War...
on land reservations, and urged by the Indians to attend its signing. Alder, not realizing the treaty's importance, chose not to attend.
Life as settler
Jerome Township, Union County, Ohio
Jerome Township is one of the fourteen townships of Union County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 3,950 people in the township, 3,033 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
, about 5 miles (8 km) north of present-day Plain City, Ohio
Plain City, Ohio
Plain City is a village on the west banks of Big Darby Creek, in the northern part of Darby Township, Madison County and the southern part of Jerome Township, Union County in the U.S. state of Ohio...
. He built a cabin, took up the lifestyle of a farmer, and raised hogs, cows and horses. He sold milk and butter he made to the Indians, and pork and horses to the whites. Alder began adopting the white community's habits, and learned English from the other white settlers. While living in Pleasant Valley, Barshaw struggled to integrate with settler life. She gave birth to two of Alder's children, but both died in infancy. The couple decided the Great Spirit
Great Spirit
The Great Spirit, also called Wakan Tanka among the Sioux, the Creator or the Great Maker in English, and Gitchi Manitou in Algonquian, is a conception of a supreme being prevalent among some Native American and First Nations cultures...
was opposed to their marriage, and separated. Alder gave Barshaw most of the couple's property, including the cabin, all of the cows, seven horses, and about $200 in silver. Alder kept only two horses and the hogs.
After some time Alder developed interest in his original family in Virginia. A companion, John Moore, learned that Alder had been taken prisoner near Greenbrier
Greenbrier, Virginia
Greenbrier is a community located in the independent city of Chesapeake, Virginia, USA. Greenbrier Parkway, a major road in Greenbrier, is the commercial hub of Chesapeake. Shopping centers line this major road, including Greenbrier Mall. Another major road, Volvo Parkway, cuts across Greenbrier...
, and traveled to Wythe County to search for Alder's family. Initial inquiries were unsuccessful, but one of a series of advertisements Moore placed in the district was seen by Alder's surviving brother Paul. Paul then wrote Jonathan to inform him that the family was still alive.
Alder left for Paul's house, with Moore, in November 1805. He and Moore arrived in Virginia the Sunday after New Year, and Alder was reunited with his biological mother and siblings. Alder stayed with his family in Virginia for over a year, and while visiting his family he met and fell in love with Mary Ann Blont, a woman from Virginia. The couple were married on January 6, 1806, and in August 1806, Alder, Blont, and the rest of Alder's family returned to Pleasant Valley. Alder built another log cabin along the Big Darby Creek
Big Darby Creek
The Big Darby Creek is a river located in northwestern central Ohio, and an important tributary to the Lower Scioto River. The river's major tributary is the Little Darby Creek....
in 1806, and he and Mary had 12 children between 1808 and 1830.
Military career
During the War of 1812War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, during the summer of 1812 or 1813, Alder was elected captain of a company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
of 70 men formed in Plain City. With Frederick Loyd as his lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
, Alder's company was ordered by the Governor to march about twenty miles north and build a blockhouse at Mill Creek, about three miles north of Marysville, Ohio
Marysville, Ohio
Marysville is a city in and the county seat of Union County, Ohio, United States. The population was 15,942 at the 2000 census, and the Census Bureau estimated that it had risen to 17,621 by 2006.Marysville's longtime slogan is "Where the Grass is Greener"...
, to protect the Darby settlements. The company built and garrisoned the blockhouse for a few weeks, but when a false alarm was sounded regarding Indians attacking the settlements, the men returned to their homes. This was the only fort ever constructed in Union County
Union County, Ohio
Union County is a county located in the US state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 52,300. Increasingly becoming more of a suburban county, the population was estimated at 47,234 in 2007 by the U.S. Census Bureau...
, and some of the foundation is still visible today.
After the war ended, Alder returned to the life of a farmer. He continued to visit the other former captives with whom he had become friends. In the fall of 1818, Alder received a visit from Simon Kenton
Simon Kenton
Simon Kenton was a famous United States frontiersman and friend of Daniel Boone, Simon Girty, Spencer Records and Isaac Shelby.-Family and early life:Simon Kenton was alive even before Ohio was a state...
, to share and compare stories. The two discovered that they had much in common, and had been at many of the same battles, even if they had been on opposite sides. They met several times up until 1828.
Legacy
Canaan Township, Madison County, Ohio
Canaan Township is one of the fourteen townships of Madison County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 2,496 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the northeastern part of the county, it borders the following townships:...
, at the age of 75. He had become a well-known figure in the region, and is still remembered today with a school district, high school
Jonathan Alder High School
Jonathan Alder High School is an NCA accredited public high school located in Plain City, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Jonathan Alder Local School District. The school, as well as the district, are named after Jonathan Alder, the first white settler in Madison County.The current building...
, and middle school named after him. A historical marker
Historical marker
A historical marker or historic marker is an indicator such as a plaque or sign to commemorate an event or person of historic interest and to associate that point of interest with a specific locale one can visit.-Description:...
was erected by Ohio in front of Foster Chapel Cemetery at 39°59′42.31"N 83°15′48.11"W, near West Jefferson
West Jefferson, Ohio
West Jefferson is a village in Madison County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,331 at the 2000 census. Located along U.S. Route 40, the village has a fairly close relationship with the surrounding township, which include various out-of-corporation-limit neighborhoods West Jefferson is a...
, where he is buried. The cabin Alder built in 1806 is now located at the Madison County Historical Society Museum in London.