The Pioneers, by David McCullough

 

1783 Paris Peace Treaty – all land west of Allegheny Mountains to Mississippi River belong to the United States

1787 – 1794

Rev. Manasseh Cutler – one of the driving forces of the passage of the Northwest Ordinance Jervis Ephraim, and Charles – sons who went west 1800 – elected to Congress   Northwest Ordinance – 1787 – Conditions for statehood: freedom of religion, emphasis on education, no slavery   Bunch of Grapes Gathering: General Rufus Putnam Ohio Company of Associates – Putnam chair   1788 – First pioneers – 48 men in 2 groups – skilled tradesmen Jervis Cutler – Rev. Cutler’s son Leaders – Major Haffield White and General Rufus Putnam   First fort – Fort Harman – housed 864 people, originally built to protect Indians from illegal settlers   First settlers: Dr. Jabez True – medical doctor Paul Fearing – attorney Mary Owens – first female, nurse General Authur St. Clair – first governor of Northwest Territory Rev. Manasseh Cutler   First families: 36 total people General Benjamin Tupper, wife, 5 children, 2 grandchildren Four other families   Dec. 1790 – Rufus Putnam wrote to President Washington about Indian attack concerns   1791 January 2 - first Indian attack on settlers May 3 – Congress addressed problem Arthur St. Clair put in command of army, hoped for 2,000 troops – mostly men pulled off streets and from jails   Indians – Little Turtle, Miami war chief; Blue Jacket, Shawnee war chief; Tecumseh, scout, Sharnee warrior   Nov. 4 – Indians attacked St. Clair ordered retreat, wounded left behind, 1094 killed or wounded out of 1400 1792 New commander – General “Mad Anthony” Wayne   August 1794 Overwhelming victory   August 1795 Treaty of Greenville – Indians confined to certain areas

1795 - 1814

Ephraim Cutler- June 1795 he and family went to Ohio Children Hezekiah and Mary died on trip west 1799 – Established new settlement in Waterford Sally Parker – second wife, 5 children Brothers Jervis and Charles joined him in Ohio   Harman Blennerhassett – very rich, built house on island Margaret – wife (also his niece) Wrote “The Querist” column that promoted western independence from the Union   Jospeh Banker – shipbuilder   1803 – Ohio became the 17th state – first in the Northwest Territory   1803 – Chapman family – son Johnny became Johnny Appleseed   1804 – Ohio University established in Athens, Ohio   1805 - Colonel Aaron Burr visited Blennerhassett who paid for all of Burr’s plans Wanted to build ships, recruit men and take over Mexico   Dr. Samuel Hildreth – stayed in Marietta Worked with Dr. Jabez Tru During fever epidemic in 1807 few of his patients died   During this period, Marietta successful in shipbuilding and rope-works Embargo Act of 1807 stopped shipbuilding

1815 - 1863

1816 – Indiana became a state 1818 – Illinois became a state   1934 - 1935 – Marietta College founded   Ephraim Cutler – in state legislature, promoted public school systems, against slavery   1824 - Rufus Putnam died – supporter of higher education; helped establish Marietta’s first school, church, and bank; against slavery Dr. Benjamin Silliman – “prominent and influential scientific American during the first half of the nineteenth century” (page 234), raised money for art gallery at Yale   Marietta one of main stops on Underground Railroad   1852 – Harriet Beecher Stowe – published Uncle Tom’s Cabin, lived in Cincinnati for 17 years

 

NOTE: Page numbers are from 2019 paperback edition.

1.      Initially the western territory was thought to be a wonderful, safe, and prosperous place.  Would you have gone out west with your family?

2.      When the Indians were attacking the settlers around 1790 and the families were told to come to the fort for safety, one mother would not leave her house until it was straightened up (page 95).  Did you understand her actions?

3.      So many visitors disapproved of how the Indians were treated and forced to move to remote locations.  What might have been the alternatives?

4.      Did you enjoy the details presented in the book?  I had a hard time deciding which people to include in my chart!

5.      Besides Aaron Burr and Johnny Appleseed, were you familiar with any of the people in the book before reading it?

6.      On that same topic, have you ever heard of Manasseh Cutler or Rufus Putnam?  They were very instrumental in several areas.  One newspaper upon Cutler’s death wrote that he was “a pioneer in a new country, not merely a pioneer in science, but a pioneer for truth and civilization in every form” (page 201).   Why do you think we never heard of them?

7.      The author mentioned at least twice that Harman Biennerhassett had married his niece.  Did that matter to the story?

8.      On page 225 McCullough wrote that one thing that amused “first-time visitors was the range and oddities of local expressions and vocabulary to be heard on all sides” (page 225).  Two expressions included were “crick” for “creek” and “red up” (obviously misspelled!) for “tidy up.”   Do you use any of these expressions?

9.      If you are from, or living in, Pittsburgh, did that add to your enjoyment and understanding of the book?

10.  Discuss your reading.  Did you enjoy this book?  Are you happy that you read it?  If so, why?