Lafayette’s Perilous Journey to Marietta

The steamboat MECHANIC chugged along at full throttle up the Ohio River below Louisville on the evening of May 8, 1825. The weather was pleasant; it had been a beautiful day. On board was Revolutionary War hero, French nobleman (General) Marquis de Lafayette, who was on a tour of America. The governors of Tennessee and Illinois, distinguished guests, and a company of voluntary infantry were also on board. Guests socialized in the fading daylight. 

Portrait of the Marquis de Lafayette, ca. 1822, attributed to Ary Scheffer, courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of the John Hay Whitney Collection.

Commemorative engraving of Lafayette’s arrival in New York, August 16, 1824, by Frances Scott King, Library of Congress loc.gov. CLICK TO ENLARGE

Total darkness enveloped the boat that night. Lafayette’s son George remarked to his father, "I am surprised that in a night so dark our captain does not make a stop or at least abate his speed." Yet the MECHANIC pressed on. 

The steamboat MECHANIC had a Marietta connection: It was built by John Mitchell on the Little Muskingum River, near Rose’s Mill. It was 96 feet long and 18 feet wide - small compared to later steamboats - but well equipped with “ample power.” There were several Marietta owners, including Wyllys Hall, who was captain on the voyage with Lafayette. The boat operated near Marietta, but was hired for a trip to Nashville, Tennessee. 

While there, the MECHANIC was selected to transport General Lafayette to a tour stop in Nashville and then in Louisville. It was quite an honor - and responsibility. Lafayette was greeted at Nashville with celebratory cannon fire, a military escort, and cheers from large crowds. Capt. Hall met with General Andrew Jackson who himself piloted the MECHANIC up the Cumberland River to his estate, The Hermitage, where he hosted a dinner for Lafayette. From Nashville, Lafayette and his retinue continued on the MECHANIC to Louisville. 

Around midnight on May 8, all was quiet. Passengers slept. Only the puffing of steam engine could be heard. Suddenly, the MECHANIC shook violently and lurched to a stop. Passengers were jolted awake in shock. The boat rocked violently in the current and began to list. A log had punctured the hull; remarkably it was forced upward into the main deck, rousting out a crew member who was sleeping below. Captain Hall peered below deck with a torch. Water flooded in. The boat was doomed. Captain Hall sprang into action, untying a rowboat from the MECHANIC’s stern. It would be the rescue vessel. He shouted repeatedly, “Bring Lafayette to (the rowboat)!” 

George Lafayette rushed to his father’s cabin. Lafayette, half dressed, calmly asked, “what’s up”? We have to evacuate - right now! General Lafayette, in no hurry, said he wanted to finish dressing. George shot back - paraphrasing here - Are you kidding?!! He and Lafayette’s secretary hurried the General down to the rowboat. Capt. Hall rowed Lafayette to shore. Hall and Governor Carroll of Tennessee rowed people to safety on the riverbank. Others swam or waded to shore. 

Lafayette became frantic when he realized his son George was not present. “George! George!,” he called out, pacing nervously along the shore. Minutes ticked by; more people were rescued. But George remained unaccounted for. At the partially sunken MECHANIC rescuers were shouting out his name. “Here I am,” George calmly replied from a perch on the boat’s stern. Soon he was safely on shore. He had stayed behind to help passengers, remaining until all were rescued. Passengers commended him for his courageous assistance. 

The displaced “refugees” built a fire, dried out clothing, and shared scant bits of food retrieved from the wreck. Daylight revealed a forlorn scene. Yet they were thankful to be alive. They picked up scattered belongings and visited the sunken boat to retrieve belongings. They even found humor at their disheveled appearance; many were only partially clothed or still in sleep wear.

The next morning the steamboat PARAGON passed by and rescued them. Passengers encouraged Capt. Hall to join them. He refused, greatly distressed by the accident, “My countrymen will never forgive me for exposing Lafayette to so much danger last night.” The passengers consoled him and even wrote out a testimonial citing his exemplary conduct in helping passengers and stating that the accident was unavoidable. It acknowledged Hall’s financial loss from the boat sinking and of $1300 in personal funds (more than $40,000 in today’s dollars). Lafayette added a personal addendum praising Capt. Hall’s conduct and “acknowledging my personal obligations to him." But Capt. Wyllys Hall and some crew stayed behind with the MECHANIC.

Lafayette proceeded up river to other tour stops. The original plan was for him to travel north through the interior of Ohio. But because of time limits he continued upriver. That was fortuitous for Marietta which had not expected to see him. His boat approached Marietta on the morning of May 23, 1825. A cannon fired to announce his arrival. Soon throngs of residents crowded the waterfront to greet him. Bells rang and children were let out of school.

Nahum Ward, a wealthy Marietta landowner, had visited Lafayette in Paris a few years earlier. He hosted Lafayette in his magnificent home located on Putnam Street. Long lines of people gathered there; Lafayette greeted each personally. A list of Revolutionary War officers who settled at Marietta was read to Lafayette.  He responded, “I know them all. I saw them at Brandywine, Yorktown and Rhode Island. They were the bravest of the brave." 

Photo of Nahum Ward mansion by Harry Fischer, courtesy Marietta College Special Collections, 

edited by author

Lafayette reluctantly returned to his boat after a short visit. Crowds followed. There was cannon fire and cheering as Lafayette’s boat left.

The steamboat MECHANIC? Like an aquatic phoenix of legend, it rose from the depths, was repaired and returned to service, a witness to Marietta’s growing reputation for boatbuilding. It continued running for a few more years.*

*Stories about MECHANIC’s final disposition vary. Two of the other owners of the boat reportedly operated it on the Mississippi River. One source says it was lost in a flood while in dry dock; another says it sank near St. Louis in 1827. Another curious version is suggested by a Mississippi River landmark called “Mechanic’s Rock,” near Montrose, Iowa. It was so named because a boat named MECHANIC is said to have struck it and sank. Was that boat “our” MECHANIC or a different one with the same name? Sometimes history does not give us clear answers.

 

Nahum Ward to Scottish Farmers: Have I Got a Deal for You

Many readers may know that Nahum Ward was a prominent early Mariettan, owner at various times of 100,000 acres of land and of a showcase home in Marietta. In 1816, he achieved national notice for his exploration of Mammoth Cave and exhibition of the "Fawn Hoof" mummy retrieved from the cave.

Nahum Ward was serious-minded, but he dreamed big. He promoted the sale of the lands he owned with newspaper ads and notices in the eastern U.S. His marketing effort included a trip to Scotland and Ireland in the fall of 1822 to recruit immigrants who would buy his land and move to the Marietta area. The journey itself was quite an accomplishment at a time when travel was complicated, slow, expensive, and sometimes risky. It was also a personal sacrifice, since he left behind his wife and 3 small children for about 1 1/2 years.

Below are excerpts from a broadside (a large poster or handout that was commonly used in that period for publicity or advertising) used to promote the Marietta area to Scottish farmers. Ward, or whoever he used to write this, was quite a wordsmith. This is from a transcription of the original document now at Marietta College Library Special Collections. Spelling and punctuation are quoted from the document.

WHO WILL GO TO THAT BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY, OHIO, IN NORTH AMERICA

The undersigned (Nahum Ward), a citizen of Marietta, in the state of Ohio, in latitude 39 north, and about 500 miles west of the city of Washington, the capital of North America, has crossed the Atlantic for the purpose of aiding farmers who are desirous of emigrating to that hospitable clime. The climate is mild, the soil exuberant, waters pure and abundant......The state of Ohio is rapidly increased, and increasing, in population.

Colleges, academies, and schools are encouraged. Lands are given by Congress for the support of religion and schools...1200 acres in each town; also large sums of money for making roads....The political institutions of this state impart to its inhabitants, who are remarkably moral and religious, all the benefits and privileges which freedom could desire....

The population (of Ohio) is about 800,000 free people, who have upwards of 220 post offices already in the state, and between 40 and 50 newspaper presses which (are) diffusing information, almost gratuitously, in every part of the state.

Grain of all kinds is easily cultivated, and is abundantly productive. Fruits, such as apples, pears, peaches, pomgranates, wine-grapes, mellons, cucumbers, tomatoes, and numerous others, grow in great perfection, and are cultivated in open fields by every farmer....

The class that takes the lead of all others is the farmer;....he has no rent to pay - no game laws (deer, turkies, pheasants, squirrels, etc. to shoot when he pleases). He has neither timber nor fishing laws - no taxes to pay, except his equal share for the support of the civil list of the country, which is a trifle. He has neither poor rates nor tythes to pay: such are the blessings enjoyed by the American farmer.

The market (for farmers' products) is always sure , and at his door, as there are men, both from the cities and country, who make a business of travelling to every farmer's house, who has cattle, swine, sheep, or grain to sell, and will take them off his hands, paying down in dollars for what he buys...others are engaged in collecting butter, cheese, apples, cyder, whiskey, peach brandy, Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, and in fact every article that the farmer raises or makes for sale....

The undersigned has the most ample credentials from gentlemen who fill the first offices in the American Cabinet, to show that he is the undisputed proprietor of many large tracts of valuable lands in the district of Marietta...

I found the wording of this document fascinating. The language is flowery and probably exaggerated. Yet he included useful information that sensible, down-to-earth farmers would want to know about. I am not sure how well researched his facts were. For example, did people really come around to area farms to pick up produce that farmers were selling? The narrative is also a reminder of the state of our country in that period: no taxes and no regulations.

Mr. Ward’s broadside also mentions practical details: where to contact him, a description of the land/lot sizes, and a requirement to pre-pay postage – otherwise the letters “will not be attended to.” There is also a post script saying “N.B. (take notice)---- None possesed of means below £25 need apply.” Meaning, unless you have at least 25 British pounds, don’t bother to inquire.

Nahum Ward achieved some success. The History of Washington County Ohio book reports that 175 people emigrated from Scotland to the United States to land which he owned. Many arrived in the summer of 1823. Unfortunately, there was an epidemic of illness going on then. Most of the emigrants were stricken with fever when they arrived; some died. But Nahum Ward helped provide for them with temporary lodging and medical attention. Many eventually settled in western Washington County, forming “one of the best elements of the population of Washington County,” according to The History of Washington County Ohio authors.

This was but one chapter of Nahum Ward’s productive life as a successful business person, Marietta civic leader, family man, and benefactor of the Unitarian Church.

Nahum Ward and the Fawn Hoof Mummy

“At eight in the morning I left the house in the company with my guides, taking with us two large lamps, a compass, and something for refreshment and entered the cave.” So begins Nahum Ward’s 1815 exploration of Mammoth Cave in Kentucky in search of a mummy. His exhausting tour lasted 19 hours straight ending at 3 am the following morning.

Publication of his grandiose cave exploration account titled "The Wonders of Nature” brought national attention to him, Mammoth Cave, and the mummy discovered there. The storyline is a fascinating mix of natural history, controversy, and good intentions gone awry.

Many readers may know that Nahum Ward was a prominent early Mariettan, owner at various times of 100,000 acres of land and of a showcase home in Marietta. The Marquis de Lafayette was a guest at his home. He was also a dedicated family man and civic leader.

A business connection brought Nahum Ward to Charles Wilkins’ Lexington, KY general store in November of 1815. Wilkins told Ward about Mammoth Cave and the mummy. Ward was hooked. He had to see that mummy, and visited Mammoth Cave shortly after that.

Quotes that follow are from Ward’s own narrative. He and two guides started into Mammoth Cave at 8 am. The first natural landmark he describes is chief city – a vast area within the cave. He is awed by what he sees: “…when I reached this immense area (chief city), which contains eight acres, without a single pillar to support the arch, which is entire over the whole, I was struck dumb with astonishment. I can give you but a faint idea of this chief city. Nothing under heaven can be so sublimely grand than this place…”

Navigation in the cave was a challenge since there were no existing maps. After one frustrating stretch, Ward explains, “…we were very much bewildered, and once completely lost for fifteen or twenty minutes. At length we found our way, and, weary and faint, entered the chief city at 10 at night. However, as much fatigued as I was, I determined to explore the cave as long as my lights held out.”

Even after 14 hours, he pressed on. They encountered bats – “numerous, continually in our faces … like so many imps they tormented us….” He admits that he himself provoked the bats by trying to clear them from the roof of the cave with his walking stick.

Nahum Ward finally reached the mummy. He described it as a female about 6 feet tall and weighing only 20 pounds. The owner of Mammoth Cave, Charles Wilkins, reported that it was originally found in nearby Short Cave and relocated into Mammoth Cave for preservation. This and other mummies found in area caves were preserved because the cave atmosphere prevented decay.

Image of the mummy as discovered and of Nahum Ward's map of Mammoth Cave from American Engraving

Undated photo of Fawn Hoof mummy at http://www.jsjgeology.net/GeologyoftheNationalParks/Mammoth%20Cave/Main-Cave_files/image011.jpg

Charles Wilkins in a letter describes the mummy: “It was found at a depth of about 10 feet from the surface of the Cave, …in a sitting posture, incased in broad stones, standing on their edges, with a flat stone covering the whole. It was enveloped in coarse clothes, …wrapped in deer skins....enclosed in the stone coffin were the working utensils, beads, feathers, and other ornaments of dress, which belonged to her.”

The mummy became known as the "Mammoth Cave Mummy" and was later named "Fawn Hoof" by Nathaniel Parker Willis in 1852. The mummy and Mammoth Cave would soon “go viral” after publication of Ward’s Mammoth Cave narrative in May of 1816. It was boosted by popular interest at the time in artifacts, fossils, exotic novelties - especially such items from the unexplored west. The "west" at that time referred to anything west of the 13 colonies.

Over time, a mummy melodrama developed - with Nahum Ward both the hero and villain.Ward the villain took the mummy under false pretenses, profited by exhibiting it as a sideshow, allowed it to deteriorate, reneged on his promise to give the mummy to the American Antiquarian Society (“AAS”), tried to sell it, and gave up the mummy only when threatened by legal action.

Nahum Ward the hero/good guy rescued the mummy from likely decay (Wilkins thought the mummy had no value to anyone), spent time and money to transport it, earnestly tried to donate it to AAS, donated money earned from exhibitions to charity, and suffered damage to his reputation. Ironically, AAS thought the mummy was a hoax and refused it, only to realize their mistake and pursue legal action against the same person (Ward) who had tried so hard to give them the mummy.

History supports Nahum Ward's version of events. Yet all of this was an agonizing experience for him. His intentions were good, but ultimately he gave up the mummy to AAS in 1817. He expressed his great frustration at the unfairness of the accusations against him in letters to his father. It was quite a learning experience – and unique addition to his resume’ - for a young Nahum Ward, who was 32 at the time he gave up the mummy.

Fawn Hoof the mummy, meanwhile, continued in the public eye at the AAS. It was later exhibited at World’s Fairs of 1876 and 1893 as the Mammoth Cave Mummy. After 1876, it was turned over to the Smithsonian Institution. Eventually it was dismembered and the bones stored in a box under accession number 4789. Researcher Angelo George claims in his book (Angelo I. George, Mummies, Catacombs, and Mammoth Cave, George Publishing Company, 1994) that “Fawn Hoof is still doing well at her old box number in the Smithsonian,” a silent reminder of her earlier celebrity life and of her connection to Mariettan Nahum Ward.