The Real Pennsylvania Dutch American, “Molly Pitcher”
A Short History
by Robert C. Goodyear,
GGG Grandson of
Mary Ludwig “Molly Pitcher” Hays
Mary Ludwig (or Ludwick) was born on October 13, 1754,
and she was born to immigrant German parents.
Mary (or Molly) first married Casper Hays. A document in the Pennsylvania Archives shows that a marriage license was issued on July 24, 1769, and they were married the next day at St. Michael's and Zion Church in Philadelphia, PA.
(Copies of these documents, obtained from The Godfrey Library, Middletown, CT, are in my possession)
After the early death of Casper, she married William Hays, who lived in Bristol, PA, just a few short miles north of Philadelphia. As was common in those times, William was most likely Casper's brother. The Hays family would have been responsible for Molly's welfare.
During the battle of Monmouth, June 28th, 1778, lasting through "one of the hottest days ever known," the wife of William 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 During the battle her husband was struck down, but not killed as many claim, and the piece was ordered to be withdrawn. She at once seized the rammer and continued to assist in serving the piece till the close of the battle.
(Copies of William Hays’ military records, obtained from the National Archives, are in my possession)
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 outrageous as to be laughable.
At the close of the war she went with William to Carlisle, PA, where they acquired Lot #257. A Plan of Carlisle shows this property.
The Tax Rate books from 1783 show that William owned, “1 House & Lot,” and that he was a Barber.
Their only child, John Ludwig Hays, was born in 1783.
In the 1785 Tax Rate Books, William is shown as owning;
“1 House and Lot Rented
1 Ditto his own
1 Cow”
(Copies of these documents, obtained from the Cumberland County Historical Society, are in my possession)
William Hays died in 1787.
In 1778 Molly appeared before the Orphans Court, to sell a portion of William Hays’ Donation Lands to support her son, John L. Hays, and to pay taxes on said property. The Court approved this sale.
(A copy of this document, obtained from the Cumberland County Historical Society, is in my possession)
She then married John McCalley (McCauley).
The 1800 US Census shows that in his household lived; 1 male age 45 or older (John), 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.
(A copy of this document, available at Ancestry.com, is in my possession)
On April 15, 1807, John McCauley, Molly, and her son John were forced to sell the remainder of the property left to her by William Hays for the sum of Thirty Dollars to James Brady of Greensburgh, Baltimore County, Maryland.
(A copy of this document, obtained from the Cumberland County Historical Society, is in my possession)
The 1810 Federal Census shows that John McCauley had died, and Mary “McColley” was shown as Head of Household.
(A copy of this document, available at Ancestry.com, is in my possession)
She 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, her granddaughter, Polly McCleester, who knew her well, replied indignantly, "No, she was Dutch as sauerkraut; her maiden name was Mary Ludwig!"
Arguments that Molly spoke with an Irish Brogue cannot 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.
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."
The Reverend Joseph A. Murray, of Carlisle, later added a 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 of Carlisle.
Her son, John L. Hays, died in Carlisle in about 1853, and was buried with the honors of war. His sons, William R. Hays, George R. Hays, John A. Hays, who was street commissioner in 1883, and Frederick R. Hays, lived in Carlisle. His daughter, Polly Hays McCleester, lived at Papertown, Mt. Holly Springs. Polly remembered her grandmother very well, and at age 81 unveiled the first memorial to her, cut by Peter Spahr, and erected in the “Old Cemetery” at Carlisle. It bears the following inscription: "MOLLIE McCAULY, Renowned in history as MOLLIE PITCHER, The Heroine of Monmouth. Died Jan 1833, aged 79 years. Erected by the Citizens of Cumberland County, July 4, 1876."
The date of her birth on this headstone was incorrect for a time, but was corrected several years later. Mr. Spahr had known Molly’s birth date was indeed 1754, and mis-cut the headstone to reflect that date. The date of her birth on the 1916 Monument remains incorrect.
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."
(A copy of this Act of the Assembly, obtained from the Pennsylvania Archives, is in my possession)
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.
(A copy of the Payment Ledger, obtained from the Pennsylvania Archives, is in my possession)
John Ludwig Hays, his wife Elizabeth Reinhart Hays, their 6 children, and his mother, lived near the southeast corner of Bedford and North Streets in Carlisle.
The 1830 Census shows that John's mother was living with him then, 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.
(A copy of this document, available at Ancestry.com, is in my possession)
In 2000 the United States Field Artillery Association, in conjunction with their "Historian for the Molly Pitcher Project," a Mrs. Constance M. McDonald, were instrumental in erecting a stone and bronze marker near the base of the 1916 Memorial Monument to Molly in the Old Graveyard, Carlisle, PA.
This marker, which desecrates Molly’s gravesite, boldly claims, with no proof whatsoever, that; “THE NAME "LUDWIG" IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH MOLLY PITCHER.”
The following Notarized affidavit, though not actually proof, 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. Millen”
In 1984, Ella Marie Kramer Bender, my 2nd Cousin, became the first woman ever accepted in the Daughters of the American Revolution using Mary LUDWIG Hays “Molly Pitcher” as her Patriot Ancestor.
(A “Record Copy” of Mrs. Bender’s DAR Application, obtained from the DAR, is in my possession)
I am the first man ever accepted in the Sons of the American Revolution using Mary LUDWIG Hays “Molly Pitcher” as my Patriot Ancestor. My National Number is 169735.
Unless documentation is furnished proving that Molly’s maiden name was something other than Ludwig, this writer shall not allow history to be changed.
