The Adoption of Mary Jemison by Robert Griffing

The most famous captivity story in the Eastern Frontier is that of Mary Jemison in 1758. Mary was 15 at the time of her abduction. Taken from her homestead near current day Gettysburg, PA, she was marched with other members of the family to Fort Duquesne where she was adopted by two Seneca sisters.Years later when released from her so called captives, she chose to remain with the Seneca people, all the while marrying and raising a family in the Genesee River Valley of New York State. She was a highly respected member of the tribe. Mary died in 1833 at the age of 91.

You can find a monument near the site of her capture in what is known as Buchanan Valley in Adams County, Pennsylvania as well as a monument to her at Letchworth State Park in western New York State.

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