| Molly Pitcher (Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley being commendered by General George Washington... She was named Sergeant Molly Piitcher by General Washington |
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John Landis, a historian of the Patriotic Order of the Sons of America, was the first to
claim, in 1905, he knew the maiden name of Molly Pitcher. He states that Mary Ludwig
was born in Mercer County, NJ to John Ludwig, a dairyman, on October 13, 1754. She
married a barber, John Casper Hays. License issued July 24, 1769. After the death of
her first husband she married George McKolly (various spellings). Mary died January
22, 1832. Landis said he haddone some additional research and found that Hays was
John Casper Hays and that Molly Pitcher was Mary Ludwig, a young German of origin
living among the Scot Irish.
Dr. William Egle (1830 - 1909) a noted Pennsylvania genealogist and historian of the
Patrick order of the Sons of America stated that Mary Ludwig was born October 13, 1744
in Lancaster County. (note the ten year's in birth day difference from J. Landis
information). Egle further stated that Mary Ludwig married John Hays in 1769 and that
John Caspar Hays was the same person. Hays served in Proctors first PA. Artitillery and
was at the Battle of Monmouth in Col. W. Irvine's 7thRegiment.
Historian Rev. C. Wing stated in a letter to the Pennsylvania Magazine of History and
Biography, written in 1878: "The original name before the marriage was Mary Ludwig, so
recorded in the family bible. Her husband was John Hays, a barber, and a sergeant in a
company of artillery. " Wing statesa that Mary Hays McCauley of Carlisle, born in
Trenton, NJ was the Molly Pitcher of Monmouth fame. Wing also states that Mary was
probably born in Germany. She had a son who was born in Trenton. One of his
daughters unveiled the Molly Pitcher monument in Carlisle.
William Styker (1838 - 1900) A HISTORY Writer and soldier during the Civil War, later
Brigadier General, wrote in his book: The Battle of Monmouth "Mary Ludwig was the
daughter of John George Ludwig. On July 24, 1769 she married John Caspar Hays, a
barber of Carlisle, PA. Hays served in Captain John Alexander's Company of Colonel
William Irvine's Seventh Pennsylvania Regiment at Monmouth. Molly Hays followed her
husband i n the war, When John Hays was wounded at the gun she took his place and
performed some act of unusual heroism. After the death of Hays and after the war Molly
Hayes married John McCauley. Stryker confirms that Mary Hays McCauley was the Molly
Pitcher who fought at Monmouth.
History writer Rev. J.A. Murray stated in an article in the 1883 Carlisle Volunteer: John
Hays was the husband of Mary Ludwig: Mary Hays McCauley's son John L. Hays middle
initial "L" stood for Ludwig after his maternal grandfather. Granddaughter: Polly
McCleester (various spellings) has said whe was particularly angry at those who stated
her Grandmother was Irish. She insisted that "she was a Dutch as Sauer Kraut, and her
name was Mary Ludwig." Rev. Murray made an exhaustive investigation with personal
interviews with many who were acquainted with the heroine.
Dr. Don Heinrich Tolzmann, Professor of Germa American Studies at the University of
Cincinnati wrote an article in the 2005 July/August issue of the Steuben News; Molly
Pitcher (Maria Ludwig Hayes): A Pennsylvania German Revolutionary War Heroine,
stating that he edited a book in 1992 by Henry Melchior Richards dealing with the role
played by German - Americans in the American Revolution. Richard's book first
appeared in 1908. It deals with the pre 1800 period. Excerpts cite a description of Maria
Ludwig, married to John Casper Hayes and her actions at the Battle of Monmouth.
According to Richards: "Molly Pitcher, the female gunner at the Battle of Monmouth,
about whom so much has been said and written, was a pure-blooded Penn sylvania
German."
Also, the Monument that was erected to honor Molly Pitcher caused a great deal of
interest that led to an article about her by H.A. Rattermann, a well known
German-American historian. He corresponded in 1876 with Molly Pitcher's
granddaughter and published an article that published her heritage. Rattermann noted
that her husband was also German and that Hays was the anglicized version of either
"Heis" or "Hess."
Dr. Tolzmann noted to me: "Since he (Rattermann) worked with her (Molly Pitcher's
granddaughter) for the completion of his article, I would say that it is a direct
primary\reference that can not be ignored."
Alan Smith of Pittsburgh, PA has personally told me he is a fifth generation of Molly
Pitcher and her name was Mary Ludwig.
Ella Kramer Bender 1924-2002 of Carlisle, PA, a member of the DAR, was a direct
descendent of Mary Hays Ludwig McCalla (McColly, McKolly) "Molly Pitcher". In her
membership application to the DAR she lists in her genealogy that she was a lineal
descendent of William Hays, (not John) born in Ireland and died at Carlisle in 1787 - and
his wife Mary Ludwig, born ca 1754 and died at Carlisle 22 January 1832. Document
copies submitted to me by Mary Duggan, historian of Cumberland Chapter, DAR.
Originators of the Irish Molly and where most of the "Current Research" is based on:
Wesley Miles, a prominent schoolteacher from Williamsport, PA, wrote his boyfriend
recollections with Molly Pitcher in 1876, 98 years after the Battle of Monmouth. He
stated he knew Mary Hays McCauley well because she was in her later years his
nursemaid and served, starting in 1822 when Wesley Miles was seven years old, as
housekeeper in the home of his father in Carlisle, PA. Miles stated several times in his
recollection that Molly Pitcher was Irish.
Jeremiah Zeaner, a longtime editor of the Carlisle American Newspaper wrote in 1905
that Molly McCauley is not the historical or moral character to hold up to young
Americans for emulations in response to the Pennsylvania State Treasury's
announcement to appropriate the sum of $5000 for a monument to the money of Molly
McCauley renowned as Molly Pitcher. He questioned: "Why expand such a sum upon
her memory and nothing upon Cumberland County's real Revolutionary war heroes?" He
stated that Molly McCauley did not deserve a great mark of honor. Zeamer described a
number of negative aspects on Molly and stated the other distinguished soldiers of
Carlisle should be more deserving. Zeamer points out further in 1907, "Molly Pitcher,
Story Analyzed," a number of inaccuracies in dates and unavailable records
After making a study he wrote that it is doubtful that Molly Pitcher's maiden name was
Ludwig, When examining records he discovered that the 1783 tax lists of Carlisle list a
William Hays, a barber by occupation. In 1786 a William Hais is listed again. And in 1787
there appears a Mary HaYS, A WIDOW. Different entries show from 1783 to October
1787, there was in Carlisle a William Hays, occupation barber and his wife's name was
Mary. However, there was no John Casper nor John or any other Hayses in Carlisle.
Zeamer concludes that Mary Hays McCauley was married to William Hays at the time of
the battle of Monmouth. For this reason Mary Hays McCauley could not be the same
person as the Mary Ludwig who was married to John Casper Hays. He finally states "The
story of Molly Pitcher's exploit at the battle of Monmouth is pure fictio n, for there is not
anywhere tje slightest corroboration of it."
Samuel Stelle Smith, a genealogy reearcher from Monmouth Beach, NJ, authored a 1972
booklet named: "Molly Pitcher Chronology." The booklet's intention was to present
evidence that the person beneath the Molly Pitcher monument at Carlisle, PA, is
incorrectly identified as Mary Ludwig and incorrectly identified as the wife of John
Casper Hays. Smith refers to Wesley Mills childhood memories stating that Molly Pitcher
was an Irish Woman and follows revisionist Jeremiah Zeamer's writings that Mary Ludwig
had been married to Casper Hays in 1769 but no Casper Hays could be found to have
participated at the battle of Monmouth. However, the search found a John Hays. After
examining Carlisle tax records from 1783, Smith found a William Hays, occupation barber,
having served in the battle of Monmouth. He established by examing Carlisle tax and
court records that William Hays was married to Mary Hays McCalla and that they had one
child, John L. Hays.
Smith concludes his Chronology by suggesting to set out to the task of finding the
parents of William and Mary Hays to be achieved before 1976.
The Carlisle Historical Society published in 1989 an article "Good Bye Molly Pitcher."
Written by D. W. Thompson a past president of the Cumberland Historical Society.
Genealogical research for this article was performed by Merry Lou Schaumann, a
genealogist and tourism consultant of Carlisle, PA. The article is an attempt to evaluate
previous information and prove that Mary Hayes McCauley was not the historical Molly
Pitcher. The article claims that Molly Pitcher was just a legend based on Margaret
Corbin, the heroine of the ttle of Fort Washington who was also called Molly and Captain
Molly. In correspondence, Ms. Schaumann stated to me that she worked with Samujel
Stelle Smith on Molly Pitcher research in the 1970's. She believes that the Mary Hays
who is buried in Carlisle was the Molly Pitcher of Monmouth, but her maiden name was
not Ludwig. Also the US Army wives of the artillerists at the U.S. Army War College have
concurred with her research that Mary Hays was the wife of William Hays who served at
Monmouth and not John Hays who was married to Mary Ludwig.
Constance McDonald, the wife of a U.S. Army Field Artilleryman, wrote an article in 1990
for a college history degree in response to Thompson's and Schaumann's "Good Bye
Molly Pitcher" article, McDonald wrote: the people of Carlisle reacted unfavoraably to
their tampering with a local legend. The public of Carlisle resented the implications that
what was literally engraved in stone was wrong.
In her paper she too quotes Wesley Miles recollections that Molly Pitcher was Irish and
follows Samuel Smith's believe that Molly Pitcher was Mary HaYS. She reasoned: If the
man whom Molly Pitcher followed to war was not John Hays, then she was nbot Mary
Ludwig Hays. Therefore, the name Ludwig shouldn't be part of Molly Pitcher's fam e.
She concludedm that Mary Hays McCauley was not just a figure of folklore; she lived.
In correspondence, Ms. McDonald stated to me: "Keep in mind, historians must make
educated leaps based on probabilities and creditable resources."
During the year 2000, a boulder displaying a history corrected plaque, was dedicated
next to the Molly Pitcher monument at the Carlisle cemetery. It reads:
To my question if the information on the plaque was taken from her study, Ms. McDonald
replied: "The wording and the initiative were not mine but yes, the research is."
Other writers have copied the Irish Molly Pitcher assumptiion and added:
Because of her last name McCauley, history has called her an IRISH LASS.
Complicating matters and why history writers keep writing about the true identity of
Molly Pitcher is the confusion with the story of the Irish Margaret Corbin, also called
Molly Pitcher by some. She performed similar acts like the Molly Pitcher of Monmouth at
Ft. Washington. Also Mary Ludwig and her husbands were illiteerates who signed their
names with an X. There is not much of a paper trail to show her birth, marriage, and
other pertinent information and most of Molly Pitchers belongings were destroyed by
fire at the occupation of Carlislew by the Confederates during the Civil War when they
burned the house where her grandson lived.
Among the missing proof:
There is no birthcertificate for Mary Ludwig. There is no definite placde oof birth.
There is no date and place of birth for William Hays.
There are no marriage records for Mary Hays and John McCauley.There is no birth
certificate or maiden name of the Irish Molly
Conclusion:
After examining all available information I was able to study, I fouund that the vast majority of sources state
Mary Ludwig Hays McCaulet was Molly Pitcher, the heroine of Monmouth. Website answers.com states "Mary
Ludwig was married toWilliam Hays or John Hays (modern researchers now say William). Could this mean
John and William was the same person?
Rev. C. Wing was the first to identify that Mary Ludwig was married to John Hays. Other history writers
thereafter published their own research citing their sources of information and interpreted that Mary Ludwig
Hays was the heroine of Monmouth.
The Irish theory moriginated with the childhood recollections of mWesley M iles. Writtena aout a century after
the battle of Monmouth, his account is very questionable. Since Mary Ludwig was married to an Irishman and
lived among the Irish. She, most likely, could have adapted some of the Irish brogue which made her appear
Irish at times but that doesn't mean she was Irish.
In 1907, revisionist J. Zearner, highly motivated by opposing a Molly Pitcher monument,, discovered that Mary
Hays McCauley was married to William Hays, not John. He reasoned if Mary Ludwig was married to John
Hays, she could not have been married to William Hays. He concluded that the story of Molly Pitcher was pure
fiction.
Later, in 1972, history writer Samuel S. Smith made an attempt to establish that the person buried beneath the
monument in Carlisle was indeed the heroine of Monmouth but had bee n incorrectly identified as Mary
Ludwig. Smith, like Constance McDonald in 1990, expanded on Zearner's information. Both concluded if Mary
Ludwig was married to John Hays she could not have been married to William Hays. Therefore, they
determined that William Hays was married to another Mary (maiden name unknown) Hays, McCauley, an Irish
woman. Smith's search for the records of William and Mary Hays parents did not result in anything.
In his Molly Pitcher Sourcebook, author Dr. David Martin offers the following commentary under Mary Ludwi
Theory: "There is no reason why Mary Ludwig could not have married a man named John Hays for her
second husband (or third husband, since Philadelphia marriage records says she was a widow when she
married John Hays)."
"The second possibility is that Egle, Gilman and their followers were mistaken about Mary Hays McCauley ever
being married to John Hays. There is a strong possibility that Mary Hays McCauley's neighbors may have
gotten the first named of her first husban (William Hays) mixed up with the first name of her second husband
(John McCauley) and so came up with the name of John Hays."
Was there a John Hays and a William Hays, both from Carlisle and both barbers by occupation and both
married to Mary? Not likely.
Was Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley married to John or John Casper Hays? Tax and court records indicate that
Mary Hays McCauley was married to William Hays. Is it possible tat John an d William was the same person?
And that Mary Ludwig was the woman William was married to - as claimed by Ms. Ella Kramer Bender, a direct
descendant of Mary Ludwig and William Hays, in her genealogy document?
History writers need somethin g to write about but in the case of Molly Pitcher, instead of saving history, some
are trying to revise, change, and put their own spin on it. They are taking "educated leaps." But in what
direction? So the current research goes on. Only recently, in 2005, Carol Bekin, Prorfessor of History at
Baruch College wrote in "Revolutionary Mothers" (Knopf 2005) that Molly Pitcher never existed.
As for the "History Corrected" statement, displayed on the boulder next to the Carlisle Molly Pitcher
monument. It is based on the research of Constance McDonald. It has been called a hoax. Inquiries to a
number of sources, incudin g to the Carlisle borouigh manager to find out who had the authority to approve the
placing of the plaque have been met with evasive answers and silence - so far. Did it turn out to be an
embarrassment?
Nevertheless, it is still standing. Also standing, not far from the site is a historical Molly Pitcher marker which
reads: Mary "Ludwig" Hays McCauley, known as "Molly Pitcher," heroine of the Battle of Monmouth, is buried
in the Old Graveyard just east of here. So, Carlisle now has a Mary Ludwig Molly Pitcher - and a Mary Ludwig
who was not associated with Molly Pitcher.
To the contrary of early or present revisionist's cases claiming Mary Ludwig was not the Molly Pitcher of
Monmouth, there is no clear evidence that she was not. Thet have not made a convincing case that Molly
Pitcher was not born under thename of Mary Ludwig. The early accounts still prevail. The woman born under
the name Mary Ludwig was the Molly Pitcher of Monmouth. Perhaps Jim Raleigh's hopeful prediction will
clarify things once and for all when he stated: "Someday, somewhere, documents of Molly Picture will be
found.:
Siegfried Bette
Chairman, Molly Pitcher Unit
The Steuben Society of America
Reprinted with the permission of Siegfried Bette
German-American World Historical Society, Inc.
Johannes Rammund De Balliel-Lawrora
Executive Director
claim, in 1905, he knew the maiden name of Molly Pitcher. He states that Mary Ludwig
was born in Mercer County, NJ to John Ludwig, a dairyman, on October 13, 1754. She
married a barber, John Casper Hays. License issued July 24, 1769. After the death of
her first husband she married George McKolly (various spellings). Mary died January
22, 1832. Landis said he haddone some additional research and found that Hays was
John Casper Hays and that Molly Pitcher was Mary Ludwig, a young German of origin
living among the Scot Irish.
Dr. William Egle (1830 - 1909) a noted Pennsylvania genealogist and historian of the
Patrick order of the Sons of America stated that Mary Ludwig was born October 13, 1744
in Lancaster County. (note the ten year's in birth day difference from J. Landis
information). Egle further stated that Mary Ludwig married John Hays in 1769 and that
John Caspar Hays was the same person. Hays served in Proctors first PA. Artitillery and
was at the Battle of Monmouth in Col. W. Irvine's 7thRegiment.
Historian Rev. C. Wing stated in a letter to the Pennsylvania Magazine of History and
Biography, written in 1878: "The original name before the marriage was Mary Ludwig, so
recorded in the family bible. Her husband was John Hays, a barber, and a sergeant in a
company of artillery. " Wing statesa that Mary Hays McCauley of Carlisle, born in
Trenton, NJ was the Molly Pitcher of Monmouth fame. Wing also states that Mary was
probably born in Germany. She had a son who was born in Trenton. One of his
daughters unveiled the Molly Pitcher monument in Carlisle.
William Styker (1838 - 1900) A HISTORY Writer and soldier during the Civil War, later
Brigadier General, wrote in his book: The Battle of Monmouth "Mary Ludwig was the
daughter of John George Ludwig. On July 24, 1769 she married John Caspar Hays, a
barber of Carlisle, PA. Hays served in Captain John Alexander's Company of Colonel
William Irvine's Seventh Pennsylvania Regiment at Monmouth. Molly Hays followed her
husband i n the war, When John Hays was wounded at the gun she took his place and
performed some act of unusual heroism. After the death of Hays and after the war Molly
Hayes married John McCauley. Stryker confirms that Mary Hays McCauley was the Molly
Pitcher who fought at Monmouth.
History writer Rev. J.A. Murray stated in an article in the 1883 Carlisle Volunteer: John
Hays was the husband of Mary Ludwig: Mary Hays McCauley's son John L. Hays middle
initial "L" stood for Ludwig after his maternal grandfather. Granddaughter: Polly
McCleester (various spellings) has said whe was particularly angry at those who stated
her Grandmother was Irish. She insisted that "she was a Dutch as Sauer Kraut, and her
name was Mary Ludwig." Rev. Murray made an exhaustive investigation with personal
interviews with many who were acquainted with the heroine.
Dr. Don Heinrich Tolzmann, Professor of Germa American Studies at the University of
Cincinnati wrote an article in the 2005 July/August issue of the Steuben News; Molly
Pitcher (Maria Ludwig Hayes): A Pennsylvania German Revolutionary War Heroine,
stating that he edited a book in 1992 by Henry Melchior Richards dealing with the role
played by German - Americans in the American Revolution. Richard's book first
appeared in 1908. It deals with the pre 1800 period. Excerpts cite a description of Maria
Ludwig, married to John Casper Hayes and her actions at the Battle of Monmouth.
According to Richards: "Molly Pitcher, the female gunner at the Battle of Monmouth,
about whom so much has been said and written, was a pure-blooded Penn sylvania
German."
Also, the Monument that was erected to honor Molly Pitcher caused a great deal of
interest that led to an article about her by H.A. Rattermann, a well known
German-American historian. He corresponded in 1876 with Molly Pitcher's
granddaughter and published an article that published her heritage. Rattermann noted
that her husband was also German and that Hays was the anglicized version of either
"Heis" or "Hess."
Dr. Tolzmann noted to me: "Since he (Rattermann) worked with her (Molly Pitcher's
granddaughter) for the completion of his article, I would say that it is a direct
primary\reference that can not be ignored."
Alan Smith of Pittsburgh, PA has personally told me he is a fifth generation of Molly
Pitcher and her name was Mary Ludwig.
Ella Kramer Bender 1924-2002 of Carlisle, PA, a member of the DAR, was a direct
descendent of Mary Hays Ludwig McCalla (McColly, McKolly) "Molly Pitcher". In her
membership application to the DAR she lists in her genealogy that she was a lineal
descendent of William Hays, (not John) born in Ireland and died at Carlisle in 1787 - and
his wife Mary Ludwig, born ca 1754 and died at Carlisle 22 January 1832. Document
copies submitted to me by Mary Duggan, historian of Cumberland Chapter, DAR.
Originators of the Irish Molly and where most of the "Current Research" is based on:
Wesley Miles, a prominent schoolteacher from Williamsport, PA, wrote his boyfriend
recollections with Molly Pitcher in 1876, 98 years after the Battle of Monmouth. He
stated he knew Mary Hays McCauley well because she was in her later years his
nursemaid and served, starting in 1822 when Wesley Miles was seven years old, as
housekeeper in the home of his father in Carlisle, PA. Miles stated several times in his
recollection that Molly Pitcher was Irish.
Jeremiah Zeaner, a longtime editor of the Carlisle American Newspaper wrote in 1905
that Molly McCauley is not the historical or moral character to hold up to young
Americans for emulations in response to the Pennsylvania State Treasury's
announcement to appropriate the sum of $5000 for a monument to the money of Molly
McCauley renowned as Molly Pitcher. He questioned: "Why expand such a sum upon
her memory and nothing upon Cumberland County's real Revolutionary war heroes?" He
stated that Molly McCauley did not deserve a great mark of honor. Zeamer described a
number of negative aspects on Molly and stated the other distinguished soldiers of
Carlisle should be more deserving. Zeamer points out further in 1907, "Molly Pitcher,
Story Analyzed," a number of inaccuracies in dates and unavailable records
After making a study he wrote that it is doubtful that Molly Pitcher's maiden name was
Ludwig, When examining records he discovered that the 1783 tax lists of Carlisle list a
William Hays, a barber by occupation. In 1786 a William Hais is listed again. And in 1787
there appears a Mary HaYS, A WIDOW. Different entries show from 1783 to October
1787, there was in Carlisle a William Hays, occupation barber and his wife's name was
Mary. However, there was no John Casper nor John or any other Hayses in Carlisle.
Zeamer concludes that Mary Hays McCauley was married to William Hays at the time of
the battle of Monmouth. For this reason Mary Hays McCauley could not be the same
person as the Mary Ludwig who was married to John Casper Hays. He finally states "The
story of Molly Pitcher's exploit at the battle of Monmouth is pure fictio n, for there is not
anywhere tje slightest corroboration of it."
Samuel Stelle Smith, a genealogy reearcher from Monmouth Beach, NJ, authored a 1972
booklet named: "Molly Pitcher Chronology." The booklet's intention was to present
evidence that the person beneath the Molly Pitcher monument at Carlisle, PA, is
incorrectly identified as Mary Ludwig and incorrectly identified as the wife of John
Casper Hays. Smith refers to Wesley Mills childhood memories stating that Molly Pitcher
was an Irish Woman and follows revisionist Jeremiah Zeamer's writings that Mary Ludwig
had been married to Casper Hays in 1769 but no Casper Hays could be found to have
participated at the battle of Monmouth. However, the search found a John Hays. After
examining Carlisle tax records from 1783, Smith found a William Hays, occupation barber,
having served in the battle of Monmouth. He established by examing Carlisle tax and
court records that William Hays was married to Mary Hays McCalla and that they had one
child, John L. Hays.
Smith concludes his Chronology by suggesting to set out to the task of finding the
parents of William and Mary Hays to be achieved before 1976.
The Carlisle Historical Society published in 1989 an article "Good Bye Molly Pitcher."
Written by D. W. Thompson a past president of the Cumberland Historical Society.
Genealogical research for this article was performed by Merry Lou Schaumann, a
genealogist and tourism consultant of Carlisle, PA. The article is an attempt to evaluate
previous information and prove that Mary Hayes McCauley was not the historical Molly
Pitcher. The article claims that Molly Pitcher was just a legend based on Margaret
Corbin, the heroine of the ttle of Fort Washington who was also called Molly and Captain
Molly. In correspondence, Ms. Schaumann stated to me that she worked with Samujel
Stelle Smith on Molly Pitcher research in the 1970's. She believes that the Mary Hays
who is buried in Carlisle was the Molly Pitcher of Monmouth, but her maiden name was
not Ludwig. Also the US Army wives of the artillerists at the U.S. Army War College have
concurred with her research that Mary Hays was the wife of William Hays who served at
Monmouth and not John Hays who was married to Mary Ludwig.
Constance McDonald, the wife of a U.S. Army Field Artilleryman, wrote an article in 1990
for a college history degree in response to Thompson's and Schaumann's "Good Bye
Molly Pitcher" article, McDonald wrote: the people of Carlisle reacted unfavoraably to
their tampering with a local legend. The public of Carlisle resented the implications that
what was literally engraved in stone was wrong.
In her paper she too quotes Wesley Miles recollections that Molly Pitcher was Irish and
follows Samuel Smith's believe that Molly Pitcher was Mary HaYS. She reasoned: If the
man whom Molly Pitcher followed to war was not John Hays, then she was nbot Mary
Ludwig Hays. Therefore, the name Ludwig shouldn't be part of Molly Pitcher's fam e.
She concludedm that Mary Hays McCauley was not just a figure of folklore; she lived.
In correspondence, Ms. McDonald stated to me: "Keep in mind, historians must make
educated leaps based on probabilities and creditable resources."
During the year 2000, a boulder displaying a history corrected plaque, was dedicated
next to the Molly Pitcher monument at the Carlisle cemetery. It reads:
To my question if the information on the plaque was taken from her study, Ms. McDonald
replied: "The wording and the initiative were not mine but yes, the research is."
Other writers have copied the Irish Molly Pitcher assumptiion and added:
Because of her last name McCauley, history has called her an IRISH LASS.
Complicating matters and why history writers keep writing about the true identity of
Molly Pitcher is the confusion with the story of the Irish Margaret Corbin, also called
Molly Pitcher by some. She performed similar acts like the Molly Pitcher of Monmouth at
Ft. Washington. Also Mary Ludwig and her husbands were illiteerates who signed their
names with an X. There is not much of a paper trail to show her birth, marriage, and
other pertinent information and most of Molly Pitchers belongings were destroyed by
fire at the occupation of Carlislew by the Confederates during the Civil War when they
burned the house where her grandson lived.
Among the missing proof:
There is no birthcertificate for Mary Ludwig. There is no definite placde oof birth.
There is no date and place of birth for William Hays.
There are no marriage records for Mary Hays and John McCauley.There is no birth
certificate or maiden name of the Irish Molly
Conclusion:
After examining all available information I was able to study, I fouund that the vast majority of sources state
Mary Ludwig Hays McCaulet was Molly Pitcher, the heroine of Monmouth. Website answers.com states "Mary
Ludwig was married toWilliam Hays or John Hays (modern researchers now say William). Could this mean
John and William was the same person?
Rev. C. Wing was the first to identify that Mary Ludwig was married to John Hays. Other history writers
thereafter published their own research citing their sources of information and interpreted that Mary Ludwig
Hays was the heroine of Monmouth.
The Irish theory moriginated with the childhood recollections of mWesley M iles. Writtena aout a century after
the battle of Monmouth, his account is very questionable. Since Mary Ludwig was married to an Irishman and
lived among the Irish. She, most likely, could have adapted some of the Irish brogue which made her appear
Irish at times but that doesn't mean she was Irish.
In 1907, revisionist J. Zearner, highly motivated by opposing a Molly Pitcher monument,, discovered that Mary
Hays McCauley was married to William Hays, not John. He reasoned if Mary Ludwig was married to John
Hays, she could not have been married to William Hays. He concluded that the story of Molly Pitcher was pure
fiction.
Later, in 1972, history writer Samuel S. Smith made an attempt to establish that the person buried beneath the
monument in Carlisle was indeed the heroine of Monmouth but had bee n incorrectly identified as Mary
Ludwig. Smith, like Constance McDonald in 1990, expanded on Zearner's information. Both concluded if Mary
Ludwig was married to John Hays she could not have been married to William Hays. Therefore, they
determined that William Hays was married to another Mary (maiden name unknown) Hays, McCauley, an Irish
woman. Smith's search for the records of William and Mary Hays parents did not result in anything.
In his Molly Pitcher Sourcebook, author Dr. David Martin offers the following commentary under Mary Ludwi
Theory: "There is no reason why Mary Ludwig could not have married a man named John Hays for her
second husband (or third husband, since Philadelphia marriage records says she was a widow when she
married John Hays)."
"The second possibility is that Egle, Gilman and their followers were mistaken about Mary Hays McCauley ever
being married to John Hays. There is a strong possibility that Mary Hays McCauley's neighbors may have
gotten the first named of her first husban (William Hays) mixed up with the first name of her second husband
(John McCauley) and so came up with the name of John Hays."
Was there a John Hays and a William Hays, both from Carlisle and both barbers by occupation and both
married to Mary? Not likely.
Was Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley married to John or John Casper Hays? Tax and court records indicate that
Mary Hays McCauley was married to William Hays. Is it possible tat John an d William was the same person?
And that Mary Ludwig was the woman William was married to - as claimed by Ms. Ella Kramer Bender, a direct
descendant of Mary Ludwig and William Hays, in her genealogy document?
History writers need somethin g to write about but in the case of Molly Pitcher, instead of saving history, some
are trying to revise, change, and put their own spin on it. They are taking "educated leaps." But in what
direction? So the current research goes on. Only recently, in 2005, Carol Bekin, Prorfessor of History at
Baruch College wrote in "Revolutionary Mothers" (Knopf 2005) that Molly Pitcher never existed.
As for the "History Corrected" statement, displayed on the boulder next to the Carlisle Molly Pitcher
monument. It is based on the research of Constance McDonald. It has been called a hoax. Inquiries to a
number of sources, incudin g to the Carlisle borouigh manager to find out who had the authority to approve the
placing of the plaque have been met with evasive answers and silence - so far. Did it turn out to be an
embarrassment?
Nevertheless, it is still standing. Also standing, not far from the site is a historical Molly Pitcher marker which
reads: Mary "Ludwig" Hays McCauley, known as "Molly Pitcher," heroine of the Battle of Monmouth, is buried
in the Old Graveyard just east of here. So, Carlisle now has a Mary Ludwig Molly Pitcher - and a Mary Ludwig
who was not associated with Molly Pitcher.
To the contrary of early or present revisionist's cases claiming Mary Ludwig was not the Molly Pitcher of
Monmouth, there is no clear evidence that she was not. Thet have not made a convincing case that Molly
Pitcher was not born under thename of Mary Ludwig. The early accounts still prevail. The woman born under
the name Mary Ludwig was the Molly Pitcher of Monmouth. Perhaps Jim Raleigh's hopeful prediction will
clarify things once and for all when he stated: "Someday, somewhere, documents of Molly Picture will be
found.:
Siegfried Bette
Chairman, Molly Pitcher Unit
The Steuben Society of America
Reprinted with the permission of Siegfried Bette
German-American World Historical Society, Inc.
Johannes Rammund De Balliel-Lawrora
Executive Director
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