Molly Pitcher ramming the cannon
                         after her husband has fallen!                    
      
              The Real

Pennsylvania Dutch American,



"Molly Pitcher"


             A Short History




                           by Robert C. Goodyear,
                 Great Great Great Grandson of
             Mary Ludwig "Molly Pitcher" Hays


                                 Published by
              The Goodyear, Mascaro and Hays
                                Organization
                       Warminster, PA 18974

                                © 2008







                            Dedication


First I must thank my Mother, Vincenzina Rachaele Mascaro Goodyear,
without whose encouragement I never would have begun researching my
ancestry, and getting to this point.


Rest in Peace, Mom.


In 2002, I made a trip to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, to do research on my GGG
Grandmother, Molly Pitcher. Upon visiting Molly’s gravesite in the “Old
Graveyard”, it became clear to me that I must do something to correct an
incredible injustice.

I gathered every primary document available and began putting this
manuscript together.

But I had no idea what to do with it.


In the spring of 2007, I contacted Siegfried Bette of the Steuben Society of
America, whose article on Molly agreed with my conclusions on the identity
of Molly Pitcher.

Sig introduced me to Clark McCullough, President of the Monmouth
Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, and Robert McKnight, a
Past-President of that Chapter. We have all become close friends.


Also in the spring of 2007, I was contacted by Patty Jennings of Carlisle,
Pennsylvania. Her daughter, Katie, had found the genealogy of Molly on my
website, and needed primary documentation on her for a school project,
which I was more than happy to provide. Since that time, Patty and I have
become friends, and she is helping to spread the word.


To Mom, Sig, Clark, Bob, and Patty, without whose encouragement I never
would have completed this manuscript,

Thank You !

===========================================================

Hans Georg Ludwick arrived in Philadelphia aboard the ship Osgood, on
September 29, 1750 with his wife, Anna Margretha Wildt.
(A copy of this document is in the possession of Robert C. Goodyear)

Records show that he was a butcher, and had two children, Martin and
Maria.  His daughter Maria Ludwick (or Mary Ludwig) was born in or near
Philadelphia, probably in Bucks County, PA, on October 13, 1754.
(Copies of these documents are in the possession of Robert C. Goodyear)

So, she was born to immigrant German parents, and was in no way “Irish.”

Mary (or Molly) first married Casper Hays. A marriage license was issued
on July 24, 1769, and they were married on July 25, 1769.
(see appendices I and II)

There is a record of their marriage at St. Michael's and Zion Church, in
Philadelphia, PA.
(Note: Both Molly and Casper were illiterate, so it was left to officials to spell
their names as they saw fit.)

Early researchers looked for a man named Hays in records of the Battle of
Monmouth, and discovered a man named John Hays, an Infantryman. They
assumed that Casper Hays and John Hays were the same person, and for
many years, Molly’s husband was believed to be John Casper Hays.    Molly
was never married to a man named John Hays.

After the early death of Casper, she married William Hays, who lived in
Bristol, PA, just a few short miles north of Philadelphia, where Casper and
Molly were married.  As was common in those times, William was most
likely Casper's brother. The Hays family would have been responsible for
Molly's welfare.

Molly was less than 15 years old when she first married. At that young age,
it is only natural that she would pick up Irish words and phrases from her
husbands.

In 1883, Wesley Miles published an article regarding his memories of Molly
Pitcher. Over 50 years after Molly’s death, he recalls that Molly spoke with
an Irish brogue. He was 6 or 7 years old when he knew her, and most likely
wouldn’t have known an Irish brogue from a German accent.

Additionally, statements that Molly spoke with an Irish brogue could not
possibly be true, since 99% of the Irish population at that time were Scots-
Irish and spoke with a Scottish accent.  However, Molly spoke with neither
of these accents.

Casper Hays first enlisted in the Army in his home town of Bristol,
Pennsylvania, on May 10, 1777.
(see Casper Hays’ military records, appendices III and IV)

On the Muster Rolls at Valley Forge, both Casper Hays and Mary Hays are
shown from December 1777 to June 1778. Molly is shown as a Private and a
“Campfollower.”  It is safe to assume that Molly and Casper were together
throughout the Revolution.

During the battle of Monmouth, June 28th, 1778, with temperatures approaching
100 degrees, the wife of Casper Hays, by then a Gunner Private of Proctor's 4th
Artillery, was carrying water in a pitcher (or more likely, a bucket) to the soldiers,
and to cool the blazing cannons. For this service, they called her “Molly Pitcher.”
During the battle, her husband was struck down, but not killed as many claim, and
the cannon was soon ordered to be withdrawn. She immediately seized the
rammer and continued to assist in serving the gun until the battle ended.

Joseph Plumb Martin wrote “A Narrative of Some of the Adventures, Danger and
Suffering of a Revolutionary Soldier, Interspersed with Anecdotes of Incidents
that Occurred Within His Own Observation,” which was published in 1830. Martin
seems to have been everywhere during the Revolution, and claims that he
witnessed the following;  "A woman whose husband belonged to the artillery and
who was then attached to a piece in the engagement, attended with her husband
at the piece for the whole time. While in the act of reaching a cartridge and
having one of her feet as far before the other as she could step, a cannon shot
from the enemy passed directly between her legs without doing any other
damage than carrying away all the lower part of her petticoat. Looking at it with
apparent unconcern, she observed that it was lucky it did not pass a little higher,
for in that case it might have carried away something else, and continued her
occupation."

This claim is so outrageously contrived as to be laughable.

At the close of the war she went with Casper to Carlisle, PA, where they
acquired Lot #257.  A Plan of Carlisle shows this property.
(see Appendix I)

The Tax Rate books from 1783 show that Casper owned;
“1 House & Lot,” and that he was a Barber.

Their only child, Johanes Ludwig Hays (otherwise known as John), was
born in 1783.

In the 1785 Tax Rate Books, Casper is shown as owning;
“1 House and Lot Rented
1 Ditto his own
1 Cow”
(see Casper Hays’ Tax records from 1783 and 1785,
appendices VI and VII)

Casper Hays died in 1787. His burial place is unknown with certainty,
although a stone bearing only the name “Hays” can be found in the Old
Graveyard in Carlisle.

In 1788 Molly appeared before the Orphans Court, to sell a portion of
Casper Hays’ Land in Carlisle, to support her son, John L. Hays, and to pay
taxes on said property and other debts. The Court approved this sale.
(see Orphans Court document, appendices VIII, IX & IX-a)

Molly then married Casper's brother William.  After William passed on. she
married John McCalley (McCauley).
The 1800 US Census shows that in his household lived;
1 male age 45 or older (John McCalley),
1 female age 45 or older (Molly),
and 1 female under the age of 10.

This female child could possibly be the illegitimate child of John Ludwig
Hays, Elizabeth Hays, whose descendants have contacted me. John L.
Hays was not living with them, and there is no record of where he did live
at that time..
(see appendix X)

William Hays received 200 acres of Donation Lands in Westmoreland
County, PA, for wounds incurred during his military service (probably at the
Battle of Monmouth), but evidently this land was never used by the Hays
family during his lifetime..
(see appendix XI & XI-a)

On April 15, 1807, John McCauley, Molly, and her son John were forced to
sell the property in Westmoreland County left to her by William Hays for the
sum of Thirty Dollars to James Brady of Greensburgh, Westmoreland
County, PA.
(see appendices XII, XIII, XIII-a, XIV & XIV-a)

The 1810 Federal Census shows that John McCauley had died, and Mary
“McColley” was shown as Head of Household.
(see appendix XV)

Molly survived her third husband many years, known as Molly McCauly (or
McColley), and the statements so frequently made that Molly Pitcher was a
young Irish woman originated from this name. The fact is she was of good
German stock. When it was suggested that she was Irish, a reply would be,
"No, she was Dutch as sauerkraut; her maiden name was Mary Ludwig!"
(see appendix XVI)

In 1816, Molly’s granddaughter Sarah Jane Hays was born. Records of the
First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Vol. 1, page 14, now housed at the
Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, PA, show that Sarah’s
parents were Johanes Hays and Elisabeth (Reinhardt). This is further proof
that Molly was German and not Irish.

Casper Hays and his “Irish” wife would never have used a German name
for their son.  However, a German mother would.
It is also documented that Molly attended the Lutheran Church in Carlisle,
as did most Germans of the time, and not the Presbyterian Church, as did
most Irish.
(see appendix XVII)


The following extract from the American Volunteer, February 21, 1822, not
only shows what was done by the State, but also shows that at a time when
many were living who could have disputed the facts, the general
statements in regard to Molly’s history were accepted.  
"A bill has passed both Houses of the Assembly granting an annuity to
Molly McCauly (of Carlisle) for services she rendered during the
Revolutionary war. It appeared satisfactorily that this heroine had braved
the hardships of the camp and dangers of the field with her husband, who
was a soldier of the revolution, and the bill in her favor passed without a
dissenting voice. Chronicle."
(see appendices XVIII, XVIX, and XX)

According to the records at Harrisburg, no application was made for
Molly’s pension after January 1, 1832, a fact corroborative of 1832 as the
year of her death.   
(see appendix XXI)

Johanes Ludwig Hays, his wife Elizabeth Reinhardt Hays, their 7 children,
and his mother, Molly, lived near the southeast corner of North and
Bedford Streets in Carlisle.















Molly Pitcher's Home located near the southeast corner
   of North and Bedford Streets in Carlisle, PA.
      (Photo supplied by Robert C. Goodyear)


The 1830 Census shows that Johanes’ mother was living with him in 1830,
and until her death on Sunday, January 22, 1832, and is listed as being
between 70 and 80 years old, therefore having been born between 1750 and
1760. This also proves that her birth year was 1754 and not 1744, as is so
widely claimed.
(see appendix XXII)

From the CARLISLE AMERICAN VOLUNTEER:
"Died on Sunday last in this borough, at an advanced age, Mrs. Molly
McCauley. She lived during the days of the American Revolution, sharing
its hardships, and witnessed many scenes of blood and carnage. To the
sick and wounded she was an efficient aid. Mary had one child, a son by
her first marriage, who served as a soldier in the war of 1812."

(Continued on Molly Pitcher - 1)