Molly Pitcher - 1 The Reverend Joseph A. Murray, of Carlisle, later added an important detail to the death notice; "Very distinctly do I remember her son, John L. Hays." he said, "The initial L is for Ludwig. He was named after his maternal grandfather. He was tall and straight and was called Sergeant Hays, as he occupied that position in the old infantry company." Molly’s descendants, all by William Hays, were highly respectable citizens. Her son, Johanes Ludwig Hays, died in Carlisle in 1853, and was buried with military honors for his service during the War of 1812. His sons, William R. Hays, George R. Hays (my Great Grandfather), John A. Hays, (who was street commissioner in 1883), and Frederick R. Hays, lived in Carlisle. His daughters included, Polly Hays McCleester, who lived at Papertown, Mt. Holly Springs, PA, Sarah Jane Hays, and Elisa Hays. Polly remembered her grandmother very well, and at age 81 unveiled the first headstone, cut by Peter Spahr, and erected in the “Old Cemetery” in Carlisle. It bore the following inscription; MOLLIE McCAULY Renowned in history as MOLLIE PITCHER The Heroine of Monmouth _____ Molly Pitcher's Headstone Read: Died Jan 1832 aged 79 years. Erected by the Citizens of Cumberland County July 4, 1876 The year of her death and age on this headstone were incorrect for a time, but were corrected several years later. Mr. Spahr had known Molly’s birth year was indeed 1754, and mis-cut the headstone to reflect that date. The first true memorial to Molly was unveiled on June 28, 1905, the 127th Anniversary of the Battle of Monmouth, by Molly’s great granddaughter, Nell Kramer. It was placed by the Patriotic Order Sons of America. They erected a flagpole, and placed a cannon with the barrel over Molly’s grave. The carriage of this cannon bore a metal plate, with the inscription; “Erected in memory of Mollie McKolly renowned in history as Mollie Pitcher, by the P.O.S. of A. of Cumberland County, 1905.” (An account of this event, largely ignored by researchers, is available in a booklet entitled, ”A Short History of Molly Pitcher,” at the Cumberland County Historical Society, a copy of which is in the possession of Robert C. Goodyear.) The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania appropriated funds, and in 1916, a large Monument was erected near Molly's grave. A slightly larger than life-size statue of Molly stands atop this Monument. The face of Molly on this statue is said to be a composite of the faces of five of her great granddaughters. The year of her birth on this Monument remains incorrect. In 2000 the United States Field Artillery Association, in conjunction with their "Historian for the Molly Pitcher Project," a Mrs. Constance M. McDonald, whose husband was Assistant Commandant of the U.S Army Field Artillery School, and Deputy Commanding General of Fort Sill, Oklahoma, were instrumental in erecting a stone and bronze “History Corrected” marker near the base of the 1916 Memorial Monument to Molly in the Old Graveyard, Carlisle, PA, and is based on faulty research by Carlisle “historian” Merri Lou Schaumann, who refuses to discuss Molly Pitcher with me. [According to Johannes Rammund De Balliel-Lawrora, Webmaster of the German-American World website - "Ms. Schaumann was apparently influenced by unnamed Revisionists who have been removing all Vestiges of anything the Germans did to help make America the Great country that it has become do to the contributions made by Germans for over three centuries. This webmaster, Johannes Rammund De Balliel- Lawrora was at a meeting in 1972 with these revisionists and refused to sign their affadavit. The name of the society that influenced the change in history, removing anything that was German from the History books in the United States and throughout the world, will be given out verbally, if requested, but will not at this time be published." ("One of the reasons given is that if anything German is taken out of the history books, the reading public will finally accept in theory, that the 'Germans never really existed at all'. - Mr. De Balliel-Lawrora has been trying to find out what German organization did sign the affidavit. It is his thought that the organization was a phantom organization, devised by the revisionists.") The marker boldly claimed, presenting no proof whatsoever, that; “THE NAME ‘LUDWIG’ IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH MOLLY PITCHER.” The following Notarized affidavit, though not actually proof in the eyes of some “scholars”, indicates that Molly’s maiden name was, in fact, Ludwig. "State of Pennsylvania, County of Cumberland, ss: Before me, a Notary Public in and for said State and County, personally appeared Mary E. Wilson, who, after having been by me duly sworn according to law, doth depose and say that she is now 48 years old and resides in Carlisle, where she has lived all her life, and that she is the daughter of Frederick McCleaster, who was the son of John and Polly McCleaster, the said Polly McCleaster being the daughter of John Hays, who was the son of Molly McKolly, otherwise known as "Molly Pitcher," whose maiden name was Mary Ludwig ... etc. Witnessed my hand this 13th of Aug., 1903 (Signed) Mrs. Mary E. Wilson. Sworn and subscribed before me this 13th of Aug., 1903. (Signed) John R. Miller". (Text and signature image provided by the Cumberland County Historical Society and documentation and facsimule signature are also in the hands of Robert C. Goodyear, Great, Great, Great, Grandson of Mary [Molly Pitcher] Ludwig). On June 5, 1984, my 2nd cousin, Ella Marie Kramer Bender became the first woman ever accepted into the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) using Mary LUDWIG “Molly Pitcher” as her Patriot Ancestor. (A “Record Copy” of Mrs. Bender’s DAR Application, obtained from the DAR, is in the possesion of Robert C. Goodyear). On August 9, 2007, I became the first man accepted into the Sons of the American Revolution using Mary Ludwig Hays as my Patriot Ancestor. Unless primary documentation is furnished proving that Molly's maiden name was something other than Ludwig, this writer shall not allow history to be changed. I am certain that no such documentation exists. August 2008 APPENDICES Appendix I: Cover page - list of Pennsylvania Marriage licenses. Appendix II: Page 115 showing Casper Hays and Mary Ludwick. Appendices III & IV: William Hays' Military Records. Appendix V: Plan of Carlisle showing William Hays' property. Appendix VI: William Hays' 1785 Tax Record. Appendix VII: William Hays' 1785 Tax Record. Appendices, VIII & IX: Orphans Court documents showing Petition for sale of part of William Hays' Land after his death. Appendix IX-a: Transcript of Orphans Court document. Appendix X: 1800 Census for John McCalley. Appendices XI & XI-a: Document showing William Hays' Donation Lands. Appendices XII, XIII & XIV: 1807 documents showing the sale of Donation Land by John McCalla, Mary McCalla, and John Hays to James Brady. Appendices XIII-a & XIV-a: Transcripts of 1807 Property Sale documents. Appendix XV: 1810 Census for Mary McColley. Appendis XVI: Molly McCalley 1814 Tax Record. Appendix XVII: 1816 Birth and Baptismal Record of Sarah Jane Hays. Appendices XVIII & XVIII-a: 1822 Act for the Relief of Molly McKolly. Appendices XIX, XX & XX-a: 1822 Order and Receipt of first Pension Payment. Appendix XXI: Ledger showing Pension payments to Molly McColly. Appendix XXII: 1830 Census for John L. Hays showing that Molly was living with him at the time. NOTE: The above Appendices are in the possession of Robert C. Goodyear, Great, Great, Great, Grandson of Mary Ludsig "Molly Pitcher" Hays; and a copy of these Appendices are in the possession of Johannes Rammund De Balliel- Lawrora, Webmaster of the German-American World Historical Society. |
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