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Gnadenhutten Historical Park and Museum |
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Ohio’s Oldest Existing Settlement |
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History of Settlement |
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Gnadenhutten Historical Park & Museum Mailing Address: 156 Spring St., Gnadenhutten OH 44629 Museum Location: 352 S. Cherry St., Gnadenhutten, OH 44629 Phone: 740-254-4143 Fax: 740-254-4992 E-mail: gnadmuse@tusco.net |
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. What today is known as the Gnadenhutten Historical Society was first organized October 7, 1843. The society was formed after a small group of individuals obtained six (6) acres of land upon which the 1782 massacre of 90 individuals occurred. The group gathered funds to place a monument in honor of those killed March 8, 1782. In addition, the group laid out walkways, grass plots, ornamental shrubbery and evergreens to mark the grounds and honor the dead (Pg. 20-21, Massacre at Gnadenhutten, Gnadenhutten Historical Society, 1988).
The first settlement of Gnadenhutten located on the grounds of the Gnadenhutten Historical Park and Museum was the result of work done by the Moravian Missionary, David Zeisberger beginning in 1772. Over the next few years, Delaware and Mohican Indians and others were converted to the Christian faith. The religious growth resulted in the founding of several settlements in the area including: Gnadenhutten, Salem and Schoenbrunn, all along the Tuscarawas River.
Unfortunately, the breakout of the Revolutionary War in 1775, exposed the peaceful Native American’s and white settlers to British (English) subjects and their Native American allies, who believed that Christian Indians were partial to American’s and missionaries were nothing more than American spies.
In 1781, after enduring cruelties and harsh treatment, the congregation of Native American settlers of Gnadenhutten along with other missionary congregations were compelled to leave. They were escorted by English troops and Wyandot Indians to the Upper Sandusky, Ohio area. Upon reaching their destination, they were abandoned, left with nothing and were without a way to survive.
The situation of the Gnadenhutten group along with others improved slightly during their time on the Upper Sandusky, only to deteriorate again. By 1782, the food had become so scarce the cattle as well as infants were dying of hunger. Consequently, approximately 150 Native American men, women and children left the Upper Sandusky during the January– March time frame. Many returned to Gnadenhutten in search of food.
On the morning of March 6, 1782, Williamson’s party began their advance on the settlement. On March 7, as the settlers returned home from gathering food, they were seized by Williamson’s men and their knives and guns confiscated. Men were confined to one building with women and children confined to another.
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