Mary Jemison

mary jemison (pacaritambo)

Mary Jemison (but she likes to be called Molly) was born in 1743-1833. Her parents traveled from Ireland to America on a ship. She was born on that same ship. Her father was Thomas Jemison. Her mother was Jane Erwin Jemison. Molly’s two older brothers were John and Thomas. Molly’s old sister was Betsey, and her younger brothers were Matthew and Robert. Molly had Scottish – Irish parents. They arrived in America around the year 1743. Her younger brothers were born in America. The Jemison family lived in Pennsylvania until they were captured in 1758. Before she was captured Molly (unlike her sister) liked to work in the cornfields instead of working inside.

Cool painting (http://www.artbyfranki.com/images/gallery/fullsize/mary_jemison.jpg)

Mary Jemison had an amazing and inspiring life. She went through things people can’t even begin to imagine! She and her family were captured in 1758. Another boy and his family were also captured. Molly and the boy along with some Indians and Frenchmen went on ahead of the rest of the captives, but Molly would never see the other captives again. Molly, along with the boy, had to walk for many, many days getting little rest and little to eat. They traveled up and down mountains, and across lonely plains. They finally arrived at a fort, where they were put for a couple of days. During that time another captive came. He and the boy were taken somewhere and Molly never saw them again. Two Indian women finally adopted her. They took her back to their village and gave her the name Corn Tassel, because her hair looked like corn tassels. There she was treated like a regular Indian girl. While in the village, she met a young Indian boy around her age. His name was Little Turtle, and they became great friends. One day Molly and the two Indian women that adopted her (Shining Star and Squirrel Woman) went back to the fort where they had bought her; they went there to trade goods. While they were trading, Molly met Some Frenchmen and women who liked Molly. They wanted to keep her, but the Indians wouldn’t let them take Molly. The Indian women loved her like a sister. To make sure the French man couldn’t find them they moved to a different village. While there she got sick, but after awhile with Earth Woman (medicine woman) and a long rest she got better. Then one day a young 18-year-old boy named Joshua was taken to her village, to pass a rigorous test. One day he was able to escape. One day an old friend of hers came to the village. He was a trader. He told her, her family was dead but her two older brothers could be alive still. Twice an Englishman tried to buy her from the Indians but they refused. The second time he came, an Indian tried to force her to come and go with the Englishman because he was willing to pay gold for her. So she had to hide for a day or two. Then the Chief said if she wanted to go she could. She said she wanted to stay.

Mary Jemison is an amazing person! She has done things I can only dream of. Even through the hardest of times she didn’t give up. When I read that she traveled over many mountains when she was captured, I couldn’t believe it! I know that if that was me I would have just given up, but she kept going no matter what. After she was adopted by two Indian women, (Shining Star and Squirrel Woman) she was scared and I said,” I can’t even begin to imagine what that must have been like for her”. This surprised me the most. She had two choices, she could go live with the Englishman and live like they did, or she could stay with the Indians. To my surprise she chose to stay with the Indians. Most people would have left, but she couldn’t leave; the Indians were like her family. They had done so much to help her. There are many words to describe Mary Jemison, but I can’t possibly describe all of them. Molly is kind, caring, bold, brave, smart, strong, hopeful, forgiving, and inspirational.

So you can probably see why I think she is an extraordinary person. Mary was born on a ship while her parents were heading to America. She was born in 1743, she died in 1833.