Legend of Mary Kinnan, Local Heroine (1763-1848) Recalled

[This article appeared originally in the October 2003 issue of Inside the Brick Academy.]

Autumn brings thoughts of Mary Lewis Kinnan, local heroine, who returned to Basking Ridge October 11, 1794 after three years and five months as a captive of the Shawnee Indians.

In 1779 in Basking Ridge, Mary Elizabeth Lewis, at age 15, married Joseph Kinnan, a 29-year-old veteran of the American Revolution.  The Kinnans after nine years wished for greater farmland and moved with their two sons to western Virginia, where two daughters were later born.

One early evening in 1791, as Mary was preparing dinner and as her husband and visiting brother Jacob Lewis of Basking Ridge were returning after a day’s work on the farm, their cabin was invaded by Shawnee Indians.  Jacob Lewis grabbed his two Kinnan nephews and fled; Joseph was killed as were his two young daughters.  His wife Mary was taken captive.

The Indians forced Mary to march with them to Ohio. Along the way, one brave was bitten by a snake and the party waited for his recovery.  In Ohio, Mary was able to send a letter to her brother telling of her location.  However, the courier became ill and, to avoid contamination, his mail pouch and clothes were buried.

Six months later, the clothing was retrieved and the letter arrived in Basking Ridge where Jacob Lewis read it to the congregation of the Presbyterian Church at Sunday services.  A generous collection was given for his rescue mission.  When Lewis reached Ohio, Mary was no longer there.  Fur traders reported she was now in the Detroit area, where he did find her.

Lewis stealthily crept into the Indians’ camp wearing animal skins and made sounds to attract her attention.  They made  plans for her escape.  Her brother obtained men’s clothing for Mary and they walked away from the camp and onto a river which took them on their journey back to Basking Ridge.

Mary Lewis Kinnan returned after three years and five months in captivity.  She was fondly called “Aunt Polly” by the villagers. On each anniversary of the tragedy, she would go into the woods to mourn the loss of her husband and daughters.  She died in her 85^th year and her tombstone can be seen from the North Finley Avenue side  of  the Presbyterian Church, next to her son Joseph.

Jacob Lewis  relocated to Illinois.  The Lewis family is related to Samuel Lewis Southard, NJ Governor and US Senator and William Lewis Dayton, US Senator and Ambassador to France  during the Civil War.  Lewis Street and  Kinnan Way in Bernards Township are named for Mary’s family.