Mary Jemison (Deh-he-wä-nis) (1743 – September 19, 1833) was a Scots-Irish colonial frontierswoman in Pennsylvania and New York, who became known as the "White Woman of the Genesee." As a young girl, she was kidnapped and adopted into a Seneca family, assimilating to their culture, marrying twice to Native American men and having children with both. In 1824, she published a memoir of her life.
During the French and Indian War, in spring 1755, twelve year-old Jemison was captured with most of her family in a Shawnee raid in what is now Adams County, Pennsylvania. The rest of her family was murdered. She and an unrelated young boy were adopted by Seneca families. She became fully assimilated, marrying a Delaware (Lenape), and, after his death, a Seneca man. She chose to remain a Seneca rather than return to American colonial culture.
The Jemisons had cleared land to develop their farm, and the couple had several children. By 1755, conflicts had started in the French and Indian War, the North American front of the Seven Years' War between France and Britain. Both sides made use of Native American allies, especially in the frontier areas where they had few regular forces. One morning in early 1755, a raiding party consisting of six Shawnee Indians and four Frenchmen captured Mary, the rest of her family (except two older brothers), and a young boy from another family. En route to French-controlled Fort Duquesne (present-day Pittsburgh), the Shawnee killed Mary's mother, father, and siblings, and ritually scalped them.
Mary later learned that it was a Seneca custom, when one of their own was killed or taken prisoner in battle, to take an enemy as prisoner or to take their scalp in a mourning ritual. Two Seneca women had lost a brother in the French and Indian War a year before Mary's capture, and in this mourning raid, the Shawnee intended to capture a prisoner or obtain an enemy's scalp to compensate them. The 12-year-old Mary and the young boy were spared, likely because they were of suitable age for forced adoption. Once the party reached Fort Duquesne, Mary was given to the two Seneca women, who took her downriver to their settlement. After a short ceremony, a Seneca family adopted Mary, renaming her as Deh-he-wä-nis (other romanization variants include: Dehgewanus, Dehgewanus and Degiwanus, Dickewamis). She learned this meant "a pretty girl, a handsome girl, or a pleasant, good thing."
Mary's account of her capture
Mary Jemison recounted that she was taken captive by a party of six Native Americans and four Frenchmen, who plundered her family’s home for bread, meat, and meal before fleeing into the woods. During their forced march, the captors used a whip to keep the children moving and denied them food and water, sometimes forcing them to drink urine when they cried from thirst. They were made to sleep without shelter or fire, and closely guarded throughout the night.
At sunrise, the captors halted to share food taken from her family’s home. All the prisoners ate, except for Mary’s father, who was overcome with despair and refused nourishment. As they resumed their march, they passed Fort Canagojigge, where Mary heard her father speak for the last time.
That evening, the group stopped near a swamp to encamp again. Though given bread and meat, the captives found little comfort due to the fear and uncertainty they faced. An Indian placed moccasins on Mary’s feet, which her mother interpreted as a sign that Mary’s life might be spared. Her mother then gave her a tearful farewell, urging her to remember her name, her prayers, and not to attempt escape if she ever had the chance, for fear of being killed.
Shortly afterwards, Mary and a young boy were led away from the others. As they settled in for the night, the boy begged her to escape with him, but Mary refused, recalling her mother’s warnings. That night, her worst fears were confirmed: her parents, siblings, and fellow captives were tomahawked, scalped, and mutilated.
After another day’s march, they camped in a thicket. The captors built a fire and dried their captives’ limbs. That night, Mary witnessed the Indians preparing the scalps of her murdered family. They stretched them on hoops, dried and scraped them by the fire, then combed and painted the hair. Mary recognised her family members by the colour and texture of their hair. Though horrified, she endured the sight in silence. The Indians told her they would not have killed the family if the whites had not pursued them.
- A bronze statue of Mary Jemison, created in 1910 by Henry Kirke Bush-Brown, marks her grave. Following state restoration of the grounds to Letchworth's time, in 2006 the memorial was reinstalled between the council house and cabin.