Jonathan Alder

Jonathan Alder, was born in Maryland in 1773 and a few years later he and his family moved to western Virginia in Wythe County. Several years after that, his father Bartholomew died leaving his wife and 5 sons to fend for themselves on the western frontier, living in a log cabin. They owned a few horses and other livestock. Two years later, the Revolutionary War was still being waged back east. One morning Jonathan and his older brother David went looking for two of their horses that had gone missing during the night.

The two brothers found the horses, but before they could head back to their cabin 5 indians overtook them. The younger Jonathan was quickly subdubed, but his older brother David had fled through the forest trying to escape. A white man was with the indians and he tried to convince Jonathan in telling them where his family's cabin was located. But Jonathan refused to give the man any details. He then saw the indian dragging his brother who had been struck with a spear which was still in his body. One of the indians removed the spear and they immediately took off at a quick pace, but David couldn't keep up. Realizing that the wounded boy was unable to keep up, one of the indians remained with the boy as the rest of the group proceeded. In a short time the indian caught up with the group, but without David. It was at this time that Jonathan noticed the bloody scalp hanging from the indians belt and he knew his brother had been killed. Thus began a journey for Jonathan Alder that would last 29 years living with the Mingo tribe in Ohio.

In time, Alder was adopted by a Mingo chief that raised him as his own son. He learned their language and their ways became his ways. He remained with the Mingos even after his adoptive father had given him his freedom as a young man.

While these events were not unique, a number of children were kidnapped by indians and raised as indians, few of the kidnappings were documented as well as Alder's life. What makes Jonathan Alder's story different is that he not only survived many life-threatening ordeals, but he was witness to many of the events in our state's early history that he would later describe in a biography of his life that he dictated to his son Henry.

After leaving his adopted indian family of Mingos in 1804, Jonathan Alder moved down to a small tract of land along the Big Darby River in Madison County. Later he went back to find his mother and his surviving brothers still living in Virginia. After spending several years there, he fell in love with Mary Blont, who he would later marry. Together, many of his family moved back to Central Ohio. Jonathan and Mary had 12 children.

Jonathan died in 1849 at the age of 76 and is buried in the Foster Chapel Cemetery. His log cabin was located a mile north of there, but was moved to London, Ohio and is in the Madison County Historical Society Museum at 260 E. High St., London, Ohio 43140.