Jonas Nilsson and Gertrude Svensdotter - Settlers of New Sweden in America

¹ Jonas Nilsson, ² Judith Jonasdotter Nilsson, ³ Johann “Jonas” Yocum,  ⁴ John Yocum, ⁵ Mary Yocum, ⁶ Margaret Bell, ⁷ Isaiah Custer, ⁸ John William Custer, ⁹ Corda Bell Custer, ¹⁰ William Frederick Franklin, ¹¹ Edna Bethel Franklin, ¹² Judith Ann Hayward 

Children taking American history classes today learn, of course, about the Revolutionary War and, to some extent, what led up to it.  But their lessons might lack details about  the brave people who left their friends and family behind in order to build a new future in a new land many years before the defining Revolutionary War began.  

These brave souls didn't have the benefit of fancy printed brochures, Facebook or TV to give them a "heads up" on what to expect once they reached America.  And they couldn't have begun to picture the primitive living conditions they would experience on these  fragile ships which were either paralyzed because of lack of wind or were thrown around while being buffeted by heavy seas.

Some of these early travelers did know that their future would hold years of slavery after  having been convicted of crimes and transported across the vast sea as punishment. Or, lacking financial resources at home, passengers often sold themselves into indentured servitude in the hope that their masters would treat them kindly and they would eventually be able to earn their freedom.  
 

Complicating matters even further was that this lush land was already populated by tribes of Indians who not only had a completely different culture and language than their own, but weren't always thrilled – with good reason – to share the land on which they had lived for countless generations with these odd looking, sometimes aggressive strangers. 

After coming face to face with these and other perceived realities, it's amazing that the travelers didn't “come to their senses” and jump on the next ship heading home!

Flag of England

Our family history has been enriched by some of those early settlers who (luckily for us)  survived the journey and the hard years that followed.  One was Henry Adams (great great grandfather of John and Samuel Adams and featured in an earlier post), who sailed from England and settled in Massachusetts in 1638 (only140 years after Christopher Columbus had made his discovery).
 .

Flag of Sweden

Around the same time, shiploads of Swedes were sailing into the Delaware Bay where they became the first white men to claim southeast Pennsylvania. One of these men was Jonas (Joen) Nilsson, a former tailor, who had been born in Skaraborg, Sweden in 1620 and was said to have been over six and a half feet tall. 

As a restless teen, Jonas soon tired of the career that had been chosen for him and enlisted at age 17 in the Royal Swedish Army - a decision that was to change his life forever.  It isn't known whether he continued as a tailor for the Army, but what is known is that  a few years later, he was assigned to support and protect Johan Bjornsson Printz, who had been granted a charter by King Gustavus Adolfus (aka the "Lion of the North"), and given the title of "Governor of New Sweden".  As such, he was tasked with recruiting future settlers, transporting them and establishing a viable Protestant settlement in “New Sweden".  

It was while Printz was organizing his fourth expedition that Jonas Nilsson came on the scene.  No one knew at the time that this would be Prinz' final expedition because, after the death of his sponsor, King Adolfus, who had been killed in battle, his successor, Queen Christina, was much too young and immature to oppose the wishes of Sweden's powerful ruling party.  It wasn't long before interest in this ambitious project had waned, financial support was withdrawn and there was a strong push to withdraw completely from the project.  

Fortunately for us, there are still readable records which describe this last expedition which left Sweden on August 16, 1642. There is no way of knowing which of the two ships, Fama (Fawn) or Svanaten (Swan), became Jona's home during the trip, but we do know that the journey was neither swift nor easy!! 

Soon after setting sail, the ships' navigators had become concerned that the ships might get stuck on the sand banks around Newfoundland, so they altered course and sailed south along the coast of Portugal before finally crossing the Atlantic (which was called the "Spanish Sea" at that time). After passing south of the Canary Islands they arrived in Antigua - just in time to celebrate Christmas.  

 
But this, of course, was not expected to be their final destination so, after the Holidays, they continued their journey north (not a good time to travel on the Atlantic!). During that last leg of their journey, they experienced such heavy rain and snow that one of the ships became severely damaged. Finally, despite their condition, both ships managed to make it to Fort Christina  on February 15, 1643 – six long months after the journey had begun. This fort in the Delaware Bay had been built just a few years before and was located near what is now Wilmington, Delaware.  http://pennsylvaniapeople.weebly.com/johan-printz-level-2.html

Governor Johann Printz

Documents of that time reported that Governor Prinz was a very large man (at least 6 feet tall and thought to have weighed over 400 pounds). In fact, the Native Americans called him "Big Tub." He was hotheaded and sometimes pompous. But on the positive side, he had a lot of energy and a talent for getting things done. After dropping anchor in the Christina River during  his first expedition, he had explored the territory, built forts, assigned land to settlers for farming, established trade relations with the Native Americans, the English, and the Dutch, and strongly upheld Swedish claims to the land; and he built on those successes during his next 3 expeditions,.
http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/people/printz-johan-bjornsson.html  

Ft. Elfsborg

While serving in the Royal Swedish Army and stationed with the Swedish garrison in Fort Elfsborg, Jonas threw his energies into building a fort in a very swampy area near the mouth of Salem Creek in New Jersey, which soon was  nicknamed "Fort Mosquito".  The atmosphere was definitely not "people friendly"!  In fact, one commander even wrote the following to a friend:  "From the continued stinging and sucking of the mosquitoes, the people were so swollen, that it appeared as if they had been affected with some horrible disease."  Fort Mosquito was finally abandoned.

Three years later, Governor Printz was ordered to return to Sweden and, without his strong hand or the support of the Swedish ruling body, New Sweden remained  independent for only one year before it was incorporated into the Dutch "New Netherlands" and then taken over by the English in 1664. And Jonas?  He might have begun his life as a tailor, but it is obvious that he had developed additional skills over the years, and although remaining  loyal to the overbearing Governor, his loyalty did not extend to accompanying Printz back to his homeland after the recall.  

Armegott Printz

Despite that decision, however, Jonas continued to have close ties to  the Governor's family, even serving as a protector and business adviser to the Governor's daughter, Armegott Printz.  Armegott was described as a "blonde giantess, haughty, domineering, willful and quarrelsome" (obviously her father's daughter!), who later married her father's successor.  Over the years she became the best known woman in New Sweden and was responsible for managing her father's extensive holdings in New Sweden.  http://articles.philly.com/1992-11-22/news/26006898_1_untimely-death-tinicum-swedish-colony

It had to have been a heart breaking time for this Swedish tailor/soldier when everything he had worked for seemed to fall apart with the downfall of Governor Printz.  But after all those years of assuming leadership roles in America, he was able to set a new direction for himself by first applying for a discharge from the army and then becoming  a "freeman" (which meant he could own land and even become a member of the governing body which made and enforced laws, as well as passing judgment in civil and criminal matters).

About that same time, he married 17 year old Gertrude Svensdotter, who had been only 2 years old when she was brought to New Sweden aboard the ship Kalmar Nyckel by her father, Sven Gunnarsson. Sven had been convicted of committing a minor crime, and had been "relocated" to the colonies to serve out his sentence. Finally, after earning his freedom, he was one of 22 signers of a petition of grievances against Governor Printz, which served to strengthen the case for recalling the governor.

Prototype of a Swedish cabin in the 1600s

Jonas did eventually return to Sweden to collect back wages due him from the Swedish Royal Army. After two years of getting caught up with his family and friends in Sweden, he returned to Gertrude and the baby who had been born shortly after he'd left. They now had enough funds to build their home in what is now West Philadelphia, (interestingly, there is a story saying that they lived in a cave for some time before their home was built).

He built his wealth by trading for furs with the Minquas Indians, while running a storehouse and trading post from his home. They were an interesting couple who were not known for keeping their opinions to themselves. For instance, after Gertrude honestly and openly criticized defamatory remarks made by the English against the Swedes, she became the subject of a court notice at least once. Jonas also had his day in court when he testified how he'd had to bury two servants of Peter Alrichs, a neighbor who had been murdered by Indians.

Gloria Dei Old Swedes Church

 As adults, Jonas and Gertrude's seven sons originally carried the surname “Jonasson” in the Swedish tradition for several years until eventually Americanizing it to Jones. Their four daughters, however, kept Jonasdotter in their names. Jonas died in Kingsessing (the Southwest section of Philadelphia) in October 1693, and Gertrude died a couple of years later. They were buried at Old Swedes (Gloria Dei) Church in Philadelphia, which is still standing and now a national historic treasure. 
 





 

Thomas Blakely - another Blakely freedom fighter

(Family Lineage: Thomas Blakely, son of John William Blakely  1, Margaret Blakely  2, George Copeland  3, 
Robert Hatten Copeland  4, Charles Mabry Copeland  5, Charles Thomas Copeland  6, Charles Thomas Copeland, Jr. 7)

1755 - 1834

Thomas Blakely, born in Cumberland, PA, was a first generation American whose parents were Rachel Orr, an Irish lass, and an Englishman, John William Blakely.  Together, they created 10 new Americans, all of whom were taught to be proud of the land their parents had adopted.

As time went on - and after most of their children had been born - the Blakelys were persuaded to join a band of Scots-Irish Protestants who were planning to travel further into this vast country in the hope of finding a place containing fertile ground for farming with people who shared their beliefs and traditions. Some, like the Blakelys, had lived in America several years, while others had recently migrated from Ulster Province in Ireland. But all shared the same dream for a future grounded in peace and prosperity. 

This group of migrants included, among others, the Adair, Blakely, and Copeland families,  and set out on the same path taken by earlier pioneers from Pennsylvania, into Maryland, through Virginia and into the Carolinas.  Even though the goal was South Carolina,  some of the travelers decided to settle down in Charlotte, North Carolina, (a town  named for the wife of King George III of England).
  

Rebuilt in 1843 -  Duncan Creek Church

After saying goodbye to their friends, they were on their way again and finally arrived in  Craven County, (later named Laurens County) South Carolina where they settled near the Enoree and Tiger Rivers on Duncan's Creek.  It was here that they built their homes and, in 1752, built Duncan's Creek Presbyterian Church. (In 1778, after an argument over which version of the Psalms should be used during the services, several founding families, including the Blakelys, left and started up other churches in town.). 

Even today, townspeople occasionally call the area “ABC”, their shorthand for the preponderance of  Adair, Blakely and Copeland families who still occupy the area  -  and whose menfolk left their homes 20 years after arriving in order to fight for freedom against their former rulers.

Fortunately for today's researchers, many of the men or their widows were still alive in 1832 to claim pension payments for their services during the Revolution.  77 year old Tom Blakely was one of those who graphically described his battle experiences during his two enlistments. In the application, he spelled his name Thomas “Blackly”, although it was spelled "Blakely” or “Blakelee” by others in the family.  http://revwarapps.org/s21650.pdf
 

21 year old Thomas began his militia service in the Spring of 1776, when he volunteered to serve under Capt. John Rodgers,  Col. James Williams, and General Andrew Williamson, (a brilliant Scot who was eventually  commissioned as a Brigadier-General in the Continental Army and particularly successful in fighting Indians).  During his first enlistment, Thomas fought against the Cherokee Indians who had aligned themselves with the British forces in the area.  http://www.carolana.com/SC/Revolution patriot_leaders_sc_andrew_williamson.html

His first major battle took place in the village of Tugaloo, a large Cherokee settlement which was a congregating point for the Cherokees in the area that contained about 200 lodge houses.  

The battle, led by General Williamson, resulted in the village being totally destroyed. It was never rebuilt and the only evidence of its existence today is a large Indian mound rising above the waters of Lake Hartwell and an historic marker on Highway 123 at the Georgia-South Carolina border.  http://www.stephenscountyga.com/history.cfm?lid=180

Thomas' second major battle, called the "Ring Fight" (perhaps because of "rings of fire" set around Indian villages) took place on August 12, 1776.  At that time, the loyalties of the Cherokee tribes which had spread across the entire southeast territory were split.  Some declared themselves loyal to the British while others declared neutrality.  Those who aligned themselves with the British had launched an intense campaign on the Western colonial settlements.  Andrew Williamson, who was a Major at that time,  gathered a force of 1,100 South Carolina loyal backcountry men and, assisted by Captain Andrew Pickens, conducted a "scorched earth" campaign against the Cherokee villages in western South Carolina.  http://www.revolutionary-war-and-beyond.com/andrew-pickens-wins-ring-fight.html

After participating in those bloody battles, Thomas took some time off  until early in 1779, when he rejoined the militia, this time, reporting to Captain William Milwee and Colonel McCreary, and was joined by his younger brother, William (Honest Bill featured in an earlier post). Although they had probably fought against each other as young boys do, all such antics had to be put aside to fight a common enemy for their very lives. After marching to the Savannah River and making camp across the river from Augusta, the miltia  waited for General Benjamin Lincoln to take command and lead them back across the river into a major battle on June 20^th, 1779.

The "Battle of Stono Ferry" was fought near Charleston and began well for the Patriots who engaged the British with small arms and cannon fire for an hour, at which point they advanced to the man-made fortification. Two of the Highlander companies resisted until only 11 men were left standing, but eventually, after British reserves were brought across the bridge, they rallied and won the fight.

Losses on both sides were heavy. The Americans reported 34 killed (one of whom was Andrew Jackson's brother, Hugh), 113 wounded and 155 missing. The British had 26 killed, 93 wounded and 1 missing.  Finally, after analyzing how the tide was turning against the Patriots, Lincoln ordered a retreat and his reputation suffered greatly both then and when he later became known as the "General who lost Charleston" (a devastating loss for the Patriots which could have easily resulted in the British returning to power). This battle ended Thomas' war and he returned home to his family. 

At the pension hearing, he testified that he had been a volunteer for nine months (although he had actually served longer than that, according to official records) and had never received a commission.   His statements were confirmed by William Henderson and Robert McNeese. On August 21, 1833, he was awarded $30 a year (a mighty sum at the time) but only lived long enough to collect $60.

Richard Wilson and Mary McClelland - settlers in a young country

1753 – 1833

Family lineage: ¹ Richard Wilson, ² Abraham Wilson, ³ Sarah Caroline Wilson, ⁴ Corda Belle Custer,

⁵ William Frederick Franklin, ⁶ Edna Bethel Franklin, ⁷ Judith Ann Hayward

Port of Philadelphia in the 1700s

Richard Wilson, born in Northern Ireland but of Scottish descent, was a baby when he was brought to America in the mid-1700's.  The ship's port of entry was Philadelphia, where  William Penn's vessel, "The Welcome", had landed on the shores of the Delaware River almost a hundred years before.

After moving themselves and their luggage  off the ship and purchasing whatever was needed to continue their migration westward, the Wilsons traveled inland 125 miles before reaching a Scots-Irish community in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania where they finally put down their roots.

In 1775, Richard was 22 years old and married to

Licking Creek

Mary McClelland, whose father was one of the earliest settlers on the high bank of the Juniata River (a tributary of the Susquehanna River).  Probably without realizing life was already changing in America and their little piece of the world, the young couple built their home on the mouth of Licking Creek in Milford Township where Richard befriended his brothers-in-law and drilled with them in a home grown ranger unit.

1776 was a pivotal year for those  who had come to America in the belief that they wouldn't be exposed to the dangers they had experienced in the "Old Country".  But even in this "New Country", its citizens were being exposed to the same treatment by the English which they had hoped to leave behind - and their anger finally boiled over. The people of Cumberland County, whose homes were being destroyed and loved ones enslaved by Indian tribes sponsored by the English, were also at a breaking point.

Finally, after the pacifist Quakers governing Pennsylvania could no longer deny the seriousness of the English threat, the men of Pennsylvania were organized into fighting units and required to publicly sign a loyalty pledge, using either their signature or a mark (if they couldn't write).

Within months, county officials were tasked with bringing the “Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity, as directed by an Act of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania" (Fold3.com/image/#3071090) to every town, where it was read aloud in the town square.  John Creigh, a Cumberland County Justice of the Peace, was tasked with getting the signatures in his district, and arrived in Milford Township on June 18, 1777 with the document which stated:

“I do swear that I renounce and refuse all allegiance to George III, King of Great Brittain (sic), his heirs and successors; and that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a free and independent State; and that I will not at any time do, or cause to be done, any matter of thing that will be prejudicial or injurious to the freedom and independence thereof as declared by Congress; and also that I will discover and make known to some one Justice of the Peace of the said State, all treasons or traitorous conspiracies which I may know, or hereafter shall know to be formed against this or any of the United States of America.”

And so, as each man pledged his loyalty to Amerca, life changed forever for the citizens of Cumberland County, including the Wilsons and McClellands. As soon as they could arm themselves, gather supplies and kiss their loved ones goodbye, Richard and his brothers, James,  William, and Abraham, joined Mary's brother, Capt. Daniel McClelland, in the 6^th Company, 7^th Battalion of Cumberland County Militia under the command of Col. James Purdy - and went to war.  

For four years these men fought together against the marauding Indians on the western frontier.   It has been well documented that these backcountry soldiers fought with far more ardor than those fighting in other parts of the country, and the battles were even bloodier.

That intensity might have had its roots in the Pennsylvanians' ingrained racial animosity toward the Indians, but it was more likely that these men were fighting to protect their families, homes and farms which were nearby and often under heavy attack. Adding to their fears was the fact that on most of the local farms, the younger sons had joined the fight, leaving only their fathers and/or older brothers to take care of the family and farm. The stakes were high and the battles were extraordinarily violent and bloody!  

Finally the war ended and life started settling down after years of hardship and war.  Perhaps because the memories of war couldn't be forgotten, the Wilsons started yearning to make fresh memories for themselves in a new place.  So, in 1790, Richard, Mary and their four children left Cumberland County for good and headed west.

There is evidence that they first checked out opportunities to buy some land and settle their family in Pittsburgh, which was 200 miles from Milford Township.  But, for whatever reasons, they didn't stay there long and soon continued their quest westward. 

This phase of their journey was long and arduous, especially for wagons climbing over mountains on unmarked rocky    roads. This time they traveled more than 550 miles before finally finding what they were looking for in the town of Blue Spring, Kentucky.  Property records show that while there, the Wilsons added 3 more children to the 4 they already had and bought some property from an Alexander McClelland, a relative who had decided to return to Pennsylvania. 

It's not known whether Richard had suffered injuries during the war which might have shortened his life. What is known is that he died at age 51 in 1804, leaving 49 year old Mary and seven children behind, and that his widow and oldest son, John, were appointed co-administrators of his fairly large estate and continued to live in the area almost 10 years before Mary and most of the children made another move westward in 1813. 
 

Early years in Madison, Indiana

Madison, Indiana was 70 miles from Blue Spring, but would have been considered quite a distance in those days.  Perhaps Mary wanted to settle in a place with little or no history (there hadn't even been a log cabin built until 8 years before they arrived) and where there was probably an abundance of land to be purchased. 

The Ohio River

When analyzing decisions made by the Wilsons, it seems they weren't fans of settling on prairies. Although much of Indiana is flat, this town was built on a long, narrow plain on the Ohio River with long, limestone bluffs rising to heights of 400 to 500 feet above the river. The ravines between the bluffs provided settlers with a pathway between the river and portions of Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. 

Mary might have originally intended to go through Madison on her way west, but this new, bustling town held appeal.  However, before she could  settle into her new life in Indiana, Mary needed to return to Blue Spring to sign off on her dower rights and sell the land that had been purchased by Richard before his death.  So in August of 1819, Mary and her children officially ended their claim to that land, selling it to a man named Younger Pitts. Although the deed transfer book recording that transaction had been heavily damaged by either fire or water, there were still a few readable lines describing the property transfer which read:   

“I, Mary Wilson, widow of Richard Wilson, for the love I have and bear toward the within deed mentioned heretofore and money paid, I do hereby release and quit claims I have to the land within mentioned or otherwise given under my hand. MARY WILSON (seal) Dated and recorded December 22, 1819,  and witnessed by John and Richard Wilson and G. Prewitt.   

Mary used the proceeds of that sale and perhaps money left to her by her father to buy land just outside Madison, in Jefferson County, Indiana, and died there in 1833 at age 80. 

For more information on the western frontier battles see: https://journals.psu.edu/phj/article/viewFile/25116/24885 “An Arduous Service: The Pennsylvania Backcountry Soldiers' Revolution" by Gregory T. Knouff, Rutgers University, New Brunswick.  I am grateful to those who included a couple of pages from  published stories about Mary McClelland and Richard Wilson in their family trees on Ancestry.com. Unfortunately, there was no book title or author shown in the citations - simply printed pages 419 and 421 from the document.

The MacFarlanes - from Scotland to Wisconsin

1825 – 1956

Family lineage:  ¹ George MacFarlane; ² Mary MacFarlane;  ³ Bessie Walton; ⁴ Mae Finn; ⁵ Charles Thomas Copeland, Jr.

For many generations, the MacFarlanes had made their living off the waters of Scotland, and undoubtedly expected their descendants to do the same.  But, in 1854, 25 year old George and his pregnant wife, Jean Gillis MacFarlane, had dreams of their own, which meant leaving the only homes they had ever known with their toddler and sailing across the sea, in order to build a new life in America.  The exact reason for this decision has been lost in time, but the long-term impact on the family was great. 
  

After the long arduous trip, first by ship and then on land, the young family finally settled in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, which is nestled on the edge of Lake Michigan 169 miles north of Chicago. This town offered them the opportunity to build their new life on land, while allowing George to do what he knew best - support his family while working on ships.
 

Not surprisingly, America was not quite what they had expected.  Within seven years of their arrival, civil war broke out, and George attempted to enlist in the Union Army.  Jean must have breathed a sigh of relief to learn that her husband had been turned down because of a disability - perhaps one that had led them to make the journey to America in the first place.
   
Soon the family grew to four children.  They were:

• George, Jr. (born in Scotland in 1852 and brought to America as a baby; although there is no description of his career or the people in his life, it is known that he died in Milwaukee on March 13, 1916 while his wife was very ill, and his brother, John, brought his body home to be buried near his parents;  
• John (born in America but probably conceived in Scotland, who also died in 1916, 5 months after his brother, George);
• Wallace (only 39 years old when he too died in Indianapolis in 1894 while working as a newspaper city editor, and whose body was also brought back to Wisconsin for burial);
• Mary "Mattie" (who married an Englishman with whom she had a daughter who had been murdered by her husband (featured in an earlier post), and a son they named Wallace in memory of her older brother.  She died in Chicago at age 85).

George MacFarlane 1825-1880

Although he couldn't fight with the Union Army because of an unknown disability, George Sr. was obviously strong enough to work for 26 years as a steward on large ships plying Lake Michigan.  Ironically, his life, which had been lived mostly on the water, also ended on the water when, in 1880, he was killed in an accident on board a ship at age 55, and his body was returned to his family for burial in the Evergreen Cemetery.

 

Evergreen Cemetery

Jean MacFarlane 1820 - 1913

Thanks to Evergreen being the cemetery of choice for the MacFarlanes, one can find many family members who were close to each other in life - and even after death.

(Mattie was the exception.  She was buried in Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Chicago near her husband and children).  Jean continued to live for another 33 years before joining her husband at age 93. 

 
  

After the senior MacFarlanes had passed into history, their second son, and his son became an integral part of the town through their work on the local newspapers. Both men were highly thought of and greatly respected throughout their lives.  They were:
• John, the first MacFarlane baby to be born in America, who was apprenticed as a journeyman printer in Manitowoc as a young teen.  Leaving school in order to learn a trade was obviously the right choice for him.  In 1870, at age 17, he traveled first to Tennessee to gain more experience and then, a year later, to Chicago where he worked as a reporter for several newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune. After five years in Chicago, he got his big break when he was hired to be the city editor of the Racine Times, and remained in that position for 15 years. 
  
  Finally, after many years away from home, 45 year old John was ready to convert the lessons attained while learning the newspaper trade into his own reality. The first step to achieving his goal was accomplished when he was offered and accepted the position as Editor of Citizens Publishing Company in Manitowoc from a man  publishing one local newspaper, The Weekly Citizen, and  preparing to publish a second, The Daily News.  
  
  After only a year, he bought out the owner of Citizens Publishing for $25,000 and was joined by his son, George "Packy", who had just graduated from high school in Racine.  During the early years not only did both men chase down stories, but John acted as president, manager and editor, while Packy served as secretary, treasurer and city editor.  They also ran a general printing business. 
   
A story in one of the local papers described what it took to produce a paper at that time when each letter in a word had to be picked out of a printer's job case, and each line laboriously justified. The columns of type were locked into “chases” and then run off on a hand-fed press. A majority of the space on the first page was taken up by advertising, and it was believed that one of the reasons for all the advertisements on the front page was because businessmen of the day steadfastly refused to believe a newspaper would survive very long, so they might as well get their name out to the public while they could. 
 




John married twice, both times to Norwegian women. His first wife died after giving birth to George III; and a daughter, Jean, was born to John and his second wife, Minnie (all three were buried at Evergreen). After his death from cirrhosis of the liver, and shortly after the end of World War I, the Daily News and the Daily Herald merged and became the Herald-News.


• George III, or “Packy”, as he was affectionately known to legions of friends, continued the career he had started at age 13 under the tutelage of his father. He remained a reporter and editorial writer for more than 55 years. 
  
  Although the newspaper profession was his great love, George consented to serve four years as alderman on the City Council and several years as a member of the City Safety Commission after leaving the City Council. He had a combination of traits that made him many friends, while exhibiting deep devotion to and talent for a profession that made him unique in the journalistic field.
  
  Eventually, some members of the family moved to Oshkosh, Wisconsin while others found homes further afield.  However, as late as 1946, there was still a George MacFarlane acting as the Managing Editor of what was then the Herald-Times in Manitowoc, and is now the Herald-Times Reporter.  
  
  For more information on members of this family, see the biographical sketch from "History of Manitowoc County Wisconsin" by Dr. L. Falge, 1911-1912, v.2, p.89-90 and/or  Evergreen Cemetery Obituaries
  

Dorothea (aka Dora) Suzanna Wierck - a first generation German/American

Family Lineage: ¹ Dorothea Suzanna, Wierck, ² Harold Victor Hayward, ³ Judith Ann Hayward

 1884 – 1971

Henry Nicholas Wierck

There isn't much background information available about "Dora's" parents before they left Hanover, Germany.  Although they were born and raised in the same area of the country, there was quite a difference in age, and they probably didn't know each other. What is known is that her father, Henry, was born in 1847 and had - perhaps in a fit of youthful rebellion at age 18 - stowed away on a ship to America without his father's knowledge or permission.

Dorothea Margaretta Meyn

Her mother, Dorothea Margarette Meyn, was 17 when she left Germany (perhaps taking what was called "a grand tour" provided to children of wealthy families.  In that case, she would have been expected to return to Germany in a year or two).   According to Dora, Dorothea had come from a wealthy family, and always intended to go home for a visit.  But before she could afford the trip or dare to leave her large family, she had received an announcement edged in black which announced the death of her mother. She never went back.

Upon arriving in New York City, Henry found work in a grocery store and, after mastering at least the basics of his new country's language, he started up and ran a heating fuel business for 10 years.  It was while attending a dance in the city that he met Dorothea, 7 years his junior (perhaps what drew them to each other was being able to comfortably talk in their native language without worrying about whether they were putting the nouns and verbs in the proper place).

Within four years of Dorothea's arrival in America, she and Henry were married, and two years after their first child, Mathilde "Tillie", was born, they were on the move again - this time into the heartland of America.  We can't know what led to their decision to once more trade the known for the unknown.  Perhaps they wanted a rural setting in which to raise their children and, even at that time, New York City fell far short of those expectations.  

We do know that they eventually arrived in Fairbank, Iowa, a small rural town with a large German/American population.  It was there that they finally found a place where they could comfortably settle down, and - after working for a few years on neighboring farms - were able to buy their own farm, where they raised their 4 girls and 3 boys. 
 

Dora shown standing second from right

22 year old Dora and 25 year old Edwin Herbert (aka Herb) Hayward had both grown up in small towns in Buchanan County, Iowa, and their romance probably got its start in school, church or introductions from friends.  But it was one thing to decide to marry and quite another to furnish a home or pay for a large formal wedding.   

Luckily for them the owner of Stewart's Hardware Store in Fairbank was an entrepreneur who was looking for a way to advertise his store through more than ads in the local newspaper (remember, radio and TV weren't even close to a glimmer at that time).  So he came up with an idea for a homegrown commercial.

It wasn't long before the idea and the solution came together in the form of a good looking, desperate young couple who agreed that in return for a "fine Jewell Steel Range" they would have their wedding on a raised platform outside the hardware store.  Of course the idea was strange enough that it brought in spectators from all over the county, and earned a column in the Fairbank Register, thus fulfilling the storekeeper's dream of a perfect advertisement.  

On a cool October day in 1906, with their Lutheran pastor officiating, the bride in a white silk dress and carrying a bouquet of white "brides" roses was accompanied by her sister, Tillie, as she exchanged vows with her groom, who was dressed in a traditional black suit and accompanied by his best man, John Paulus.  All this took place on a beautifully decorated platform in front of Stewarts' Hardware store.

This newspaper article reported on all the festivities and after the service, the reporter interviewed the best man and  maid of honor who said that if two steel ranges had been offered, there would have been a double wedding that day.  They also hinted that if the store was willing to sponsor another wedding the following year, they might be willing to apply (NOTE: family history reveals that they they did marry - other partners).

Dora with tame squirrel

While never owning their own farm, the Haywards were tenant farmers on dairy farms in Iowa and Wisconsin, where one of their jobs was caring for flocks of chickens and turkeys. Turning the chore into fun, one of Herb's turkeys won first place in the county fair, and Dora could truthfully claim that she had tamed a squirrel to sit on her shoulder and eat from her hand. 

After nine years of marriage, Herb and Dora, who desperately wanted to have a child of their own, decided that it was time to change their ineffective wishing into decisive action, and approached a Lutheran social services agency about the possibility of adopting a child.  Within months, the Haywards were informed that a couple of babies had become available for adoption, and they were welcome to come to the children's home to see them.  Herb said later that the first baby they saw was a beautiful, blond baby girl, and both thought she'd be perfect for their family.  That was until they were shown a screaming, scrawny baby boy, who - they decided - needed them more. 

After a few months, the baby had filled out, thanks to lots of love and good food.  Even better, Harold Victor - with his blond hair and blue eyes - fit in well with his German family and friends.  As a matter of fact, his looks and demeanor matched that of the Wiercks so well that Dora decided that he never needed to know the truth of his birth and swore their family and friends to silence.  It was only after he turned 19 that Herb emotionally told him "the secret".  Harold said years later that he had always suspected something because his aunts and uncle often were more patient and understanding with him than they were with his cousins.

Herb, Dora, Edna, Harold 5/23/1936

It wasn't long after he graduated from high school that Harold decided farm life was not for him and hopped a freight train for Chicago. Of course, that changed the tempo of life for the senior Haywards, and after attending Harold and Edna's wedding in 1936, they found work closer to Chicago where the young couple and Dora's sister, Tillie Williams, made their homes.
 

Just as it seemed the Haywards' life had settled into a comfortable routine, everything changed drastically in 1940. After picking and filling several bushel baskets of tomatoes, they stored them in the back seat of their car and headed home. They'd had a full, tiring day and it was dark as they approached a railroad crossing that had no gate or warning lights.  Since they had safely crossed the tracks before, they weren't worried, especially since they had just heard a train pass through just a few minutes before. What they didn't know was that the noise from that train had muffled the sound of a second train coming up fast from the opposite direction, and hit the Hayward car before it could get off the tracks.

It was a serious accident but could have been much worse!  Upon impact, Dora was thrown into the back seat of the car (no seatbelts in those days), and the rescuers believed she was dead since she seemed to be covered in blood (actually it was juice from the tomatoes).  She did crush her knee and, although she underwent extensive surgery, she was never again able to bend it. 

Since her recovery time was going to be long and painful and Herb was unable to care for her, the decision was made to move her into Harold and pregnant Edna's tiny apartment, which also housed their 2 year old daughter (sleeping in a crib in the closet) and one of Edna's brothers (who slept with Harold on a mat in the attic).  It was several very trying months for everyone before she was able to walk well enough to return to Herb.

At least there was one good thing that came out of that devastating accident.  The settlement offered by the railroad allowed Herb and Dora to buy a two story building on the North side of Chicago. This building became home for three Hayward generations, with Herb and Dora settling into a comfortable apartment in the basement, Harold's family living on the first floor, and the Buggy family renting the second floor.  For Dora, the added blessing was that she now lived near her oldest sister, Tillie, and they spent many happy hours cooking good German food for their loved ones.

Herb loved gardening but hated all yellow flowers and plucked any that dared to show themselves.  He also thought if he built a playhouse for his granddaughters, they would be content to stay in there and play with their dolls. It was his way of trying to keep rowdy boys who might hurt his flowers out of the yard.  It didn't work! (He never knew that as soon as he left for work, Edna allowed the boys to come into the yard  as long as they promised to leave as soon as she spotted Herb coming home).  He did eventually find the job of his dreams - in a cemetery - where he lovingly cared for the grounds until his sudden death caused by a heart attack in 1948. 

By the time Dora died in 1971 at age 87, her immediate family consisted of  Harold and Edna,  3 granddaughters and their husbands, 4 great granddaughters and 3 great grandsons. All of her granddaughters still vividly remember the German children's prayer she said with them each night, although the wording seemed to vary - depending on who was reciting it:   "Ich bin klein; Mein herz ist rein; Darf niemand drin wohnen; als Jesus allein" which, translated, says:  "I am small; My heart is pure; Nobody may dwell in it but Jesus".  What a good memory to carry from childhood into adulthood!