Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports 2018 SCHMICK’S FRONTIER: NATIVE AMERICAN AND MORAVIAN COMMUNITY BUILDING IN COLONIAL PENNSYLVANIA, 1753-1765 Megan Trent McGee [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd Part of the History Commons Recommended Citation McGee, Megan Trent, "SCHMICK’S FRONTIER: NATIVE AMERICAN AND MORAVIAN COMMUNITY BUILDING IN COLONIAL PENNSYLVANIA, 1753-1765" (2018). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 3725. https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/3725 This Dissertation is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by the The Research Repository @ WVU with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Dissertation in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you must obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This Dissertation has been accepted for inclusion in WVU Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports collection by an authorized administrator of The Research Repository @ WVU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. SCHMICK’S FRONTIER: NATIVE AMERICAN AND MORAVIAN COMMUNITY BUILDING IN COLONIAL PENNSYLVANIA, 1753-1765 Megan Trent McGee Dissertation submitted to Eberly College at West Virginia University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History Matthew Vester, Ph. D, Committee Chairperson Tyler Boulware, Ph.D. Tamba M’bayo, Ph. D. Briane Turley, Ph.D. Kristofer Ray, Ph.D. Department of History Morgantown, West Virginia 2018 Keywords: Moravians, Native Americans, Colonial Pennsylvania, Seven Years’ War, Community Building Copyright 2018 Megan Trent McGee Abstract SCHMICK’S FRONTIER: NATIVE AMERICAN AND MORAVIAN COMMUNITY BUILDING IN COLONIAL PENNSYLVANIA, 1753-1765 Megan Trent McGee This dissertation explores community building during times of violence. I argue that the intense violence in Colonial Pennsylvania during the 1750s and 1760s did not prevent the Moravians from building multi-ethnic communities, even as other groups (French, British, and Iroquois) pursuing their own political gains sought to tear such communities apart. The project focuses on community building and cohesion during a time of violence. Both the Moravians and the Native Americans were marginalized outsiders in mid-eighteenth-century Pennsylvania. The Moravians were outsiders because they were Europeans who failed to integrate culturally with their European neighbors. The Delaware, Mohicans, and smaller Native American groups in Pennsylvania were outsiders because they were losing ground in the frontier and settlers were surrounding them. The violence of the North American conflict of the Seven Years’ War (1754-1763) placed these marginalized groups in a position where they were stronger together than they were apart. An analysis of the Moravian community diaries showed that the community interacted and connected over three shared principles: culture, experiences, and goals. Acknowledgements This project was helped by some people I sincerely need to thank. First, I would like to thank WVU’s History department and my committee, Matt Vester, Tyler Boulware, Tamba M’bayo, Briane Turley, and Kris Ray. I am pleased that we chose each other to work with. I would like to particularly thank Matt Vester. Dr. Vester has been a boon to my research and my thinking over the years. His curiosity is contagious, and even if we did not agree completely, when I left his office, I felt reJuvenated and ready to work. Thank you. I would also like to thank the Center for Women’s and Gender Studies. While gender does not play a substantial role in this research, WGST gave me an assistantship and the opportunity to teach for them—an experience that changed the way I teach and opened my eyes to others’ experiences, privilege, and oppression. These are lessons that I used to shape my thinking in this project. I would like to thank the friends I’ve made along the way. To my Ph.D. history girls— Cassie Auble, Chris Grant, Lindsey McNellis, and Jenn Miller: you ladies rock. You’ve helped me calm down and cry when I needed to, supported me when I’ve asked for it, and kicked me into gear when I slacked. I love you all. The fact that we can be regular friends who talk about everything under the sun—and not just history—makes me happy that we found each other. To my WGST gang—Lacey Bonar, Matthew Carter, Kalo Mouki Sokoto, Briea St. Clair, and Dr. Kasi Jackson—I am so proud to have worked with you. Most of us come from different disciplines, but we all found friendship and laughter while fighting the patriarchy. You all inspire me to be a better person. Rock on! I would also like to thank Brandon Roos and Joe Snyder—my coffee buddies who would meet me where I was. If it was a hard day we would commiserate—if it was a happy day we would laugh about hilarious events. You guys helped keep me sane and I appreciate every cup. To Christina Davis, my best friend who has graciously let me spend my iii ‘free’ time working on this project, I look forward to the days where we can go for walks, hang out, and laugh ourselves silly without deadlines limiting our time. Lastly, I would like to thank my family. To my parents for always supporting me even when I made ridiculous decisions. You always had more faith in me than I had in myself. To my brother, Matt, for continuing to introduce me to awesome things that now I can finally experience. (Yay for anime and video games!!) To my sister-in-law (and fellow Ph.D. history girl) Lindsey: you are awesome, and I can only hope that one day I have your organization and focus—but I won’t because I’m me. To my in-laws, Gene and Nancy, who support me even when they can’t seem to believe that I’m still in school: I’m getting this done so that I don’t have to give back the earrings and necklace. Bribery works. To my sons, Deegan and Connor, I love you two more than you can imagine and I’m sorry that so much of our time has been spent with my face down in a book, iPad, or computer. But, I hope that you both look at my example and work hard for what you want. You will be amazing. And, finally, to my husband, Scott. You are the most amazing person I could ever hope to know and love. I am grateful that every day you continue to choose me. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS LISTS OF ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................................................................... VIII SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS ON TERMINOLOGY ......................................................................................... VIII INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 1 PART I: GNADENHÜTTEN ..................................................................................................................... 24 PENNSYLVANIA POLITICS .................................................................................................................... 25 IMPERIAL POWER AND MOTIVES ............................................................................................................... 27 THE BREAK OF THE LONG PEACE .............................................................................................................. 34 PRESSURE ON THE VILLAGES ..................................................................................................................... 45 Meniolagomekah and Gnadenhütten ................................................................................................... 45 Movement Between the Villages ........................................................................................................... 52 ENGLISH LAND CLAIMS ON NATIVE AMERICAN LAND .............................................................................. 53 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................................. 58 CREATING COHESION ........................................................................................................................... 60 CREATING COMMUNITY ............................................................................................................................. 60 Everyday Life ........................................................................................................................................ 61 Food ..................................................................................................................................................... 63 Life ........................................................................................................................................................ 71 Economy ............................................................................................................................................... 77 Internal Visits ....................................................................................................................................... 80 Vices ..................................................................................................................................................... 89 EXTERNAL VISITS .....................................................................................................................................