A History of Jonathan Alder: His Captivity and Life with the Indians

by Henry Clay Alder, Doyle H. Davison (Foreword), Larry L. Nelson (Editor)

A History of Jonathan Alder: His Captivity and Life with the Indians is one of the most extensive first person accounts to survive from Ohio's pioneer and early settlement eras. Nine year-old Alder was captured and taken to Ohio by Indians in 1782. Adopted by a Mingo warrior and his Shawnee wife, Alder lived as an Indian until 1805. After he left the Indians, Alder became one of the first European settlers to live in central Ohio. Alder composed his memoirs in the 1840s. His account chronicles his life for fifty years, from the time of his capture to 1832. The narrative, therfore, provides a unique perspective on fronteir Ohio and its transformation from wilderness to statehood and the continuing evolution in the relationship between Ohio's Indians and whites from the Revolutionary War-era to a time when many of the state's Native peoples had been removed. Alder's recollection provides an exceptional look at early Ohio. His portrait of his captors is revealing, complex, and sympathetic. The latter part of his narrative in which he describes his experiences in central Ohio is an extraordinary rich account of early pioneer life. Further, Alder was fortunate in that he encountered many of the persons and took part in many of the events that have become touchstones in Ohio's pioneer history, including Simon Kenton, Simon Girty, and Col. William Crawford. He participated in the Battles of Fort Recovery and Fallen Timbers, and his recollection of these actions are among the few extant accounts that describe these events from a Native American perspective. Larry L. Nelson is site manager of Fort Meigs State Memorial and adjunct assistant professor of history at Firelands College. He received his Ph.D. in American history from Bowling Green State University. His previous books include The Sixty Years War for the Great Lakes, 1754-1814 (editor, with David C. Skaggs), A Man of Distinction Among Them: Alexander McKee and the Ohio Frontier, and Men of Patriotism, Courage &

Genres: History

222 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2002

Reviews

[Joy Kidney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the memoirs of a Jonathan Alder who was stolen as a boy of 9 by Indians, who killed an older brother at the same time. His widowed mother and other children were left alone in Virginia. The Indians took him and an adult woman to Ohio. Jonathan was eventually adopted by a Mingo warrior and his Shawnee wife, and grew up with Indians. He didn't see any of his white family for 20 years. He became a valuable go-between for both races, and besides Mrs. Martin, later talked with five other men who had been taken captive by Indians through the years. Insightful.

I wanted to read this first-person narrative because an ancestor ran away from an abusive situation as a child (where he'd been apprenticed) and ended up living with Indians, also in Ohio but a few years after Alder's history.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel "is one of the most extensive first person accounts to survive from Ohio's pioneer and early settlement eras." Jonathan Alder's story of being captured and raised/adopted by the Ohio Indian nation at the age of nine in 1782 was fascinating--they really treated him as one of their own. This novel was especially interesting to me because I have always lived in the area where the memoir takes place (Darby Creek, Maumee river, London etc.) and was so fun reading about the Indian life here!

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insights into Ohio History

An excellent book. Even the footnotes are fascinating and the bibliography invaluable for a student of the old Northwest or of Indian culture.

[Ebook Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. The e-book version can be found on Kobo, at:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/jona...

[Brian Andersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe I just got around to reading this book that I've seen sourced in other history books many times. I've read a few other captivity narratives but this one is right up my alley in that it mostly happened in Madison County Ohio near Columbus. In fact, when I was in the middle of reading it, I happened to be off work for Christmas break so I took advantage of that and combined my hobby of geocaching and made the 90 minute drive to visit some of the places mentioned, including Alder's cabin and resting place. It's always great when history becomes a hands on experience.

Alder's 1806 cabin in Madison County
Since Indians in that period had no written language we have to rely on what was told to Europeans and Americans regarding day to day life. Many times that is filtered through misinterpretation, misunderstandings, or prejudice. Alder was captured by Shawnee and adopted by Mingo at a young age in 1781. He adapted well and was treated well so I think we get a pretty accurate look into his experiences. Nelson's version denotes in an italic font what are considered revised additions to what he believes is the truest account of Alder's life. It's a bit complicated and the author explains this more in the introduction.

Alder voluntarily left his Mingo family in 1805 as white settlers arrived after the Treaty of Greenville. He reunited with his white family in Virginia and returned to Ohio with them and his new wife 1806. He served as a Captain in the War of 1812. After the war he became a farmer and befriended the famous pioneer Simon Kenton. Alder lived out his days in Madison County Ohio until his death in 1849.

So much of what we know about regular life as an Indian in Ohio in the early 19th century comes from Alder's excellent narrative and Nelson provides additional footnotes throughout that detail further what Alder was referring to at times or what he meant when in the vernacular. Don't skip out on those notes if you get this version of the book.

In summary, this very easy read should be required reading for any student of history of the early United States and the old Northwest Territory.

[The University of Akron Press]

A History Of Jonathan Alder (Series on Ohio History and Culture) by Larry Nelson (2002)