British Buckeyes

Van Vugt William

Description

How early British immigrants shaped OhioBecause of their similar linguistic, religious, and cultural backgrounds, English, Scottish, and Welsh immigrants are often regarded as the "invisible immigrants," assimilating into early American society easily and quickly and often losing their ethnic identities. Yet, of all of Ohio's immigrants, the British were the most influential in terms of shaping the state's politics and institutions. Also significant were their contributions to farming, mining, iron production, textiles, pottery, and engineering.Until British Buckeyes, historians have all but ignored and neglected these industrious settlers. Author William E. Van Vugt uses hundreds of biographies from county archives and histories, letters, Ohio and British census figures, and ship passenger lists to identify these immigrants and draw a portrait of their occupations, settlement patterns, and experiences and to underscore their role in Ohio history.

Sujets

• USA
• United States of America
• États-Unis

Informations

• Publié par: The Kent State University Press
• Date de parution: 21 février 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781612774510
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

British Buckeyes

B r i t i s h Buckeyes t h e e n g l i s h , s c o t s , a n d w e l s h i n o h i o , 1 7 0 0 – 1 9 0 0

✧ William E. Van Vugt

t h e k e n t s t a t e u n i v e r s i t y p r e s s Kent, Ohio

©2006by The Kent State University Press, Kent, Ohio44242 All rights reserved

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number2005008615 isbn-10: 0-87338-843-7 isbn-13: 978-0-87338-843-6 Manufactured in the United States of America 09 08 07 06 05 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Van Vugt, William E.,1957– British Buckeyes: the English, Scots, and Welsh in Ohio,1700–1900/ William E. Van Vugt. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn-13:978–0–87338–843–6(alk. paper) 1. British Americans—Ohio—History.2. Scottish Americans—Ohio—History.3. Welsh Americans—Ohio—History.4. Immigrants—Ohio—History.5. Ohio—Social conditions. 6. Ohio—Emigration and immigration—History.7. Great Britain—Emigration and immigra- tion—History.8. England—Emigration and immigration—History.9. Scotland—Emigration and immigration—History.10. Wales—Emigration and immigration—History. I. Title. F500.B7V36 2005 977.1'00413—dc22 2005008615

British Library Cataloging-in-Publication data are available.

For Phyllis and Harvey

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Contents

Acknowledgments Introduction 1. The First British Buckeyes 2. The Nineteenth Century: Migration Patterns and Assimilation 3. Communities and Settlements 4. Agriculture 5. Crafts and Industry 6. Religion and Reform 7. The Professions, Arts, and Civil Service Conclusion

Appendix: The County Histories Notes Bibliography Index

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36 64 95 132 180 207 220

225 249 275 289

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Acknowledgments

This book began when I was asked to write a short piece on the history of the British in Ohio. As I dug into the sources it immediately became clear that this was a significant, largely unexplored story, waiting to be told in depth. Old and new histories of Ohio pay little if any attention to the British explorers, travel- ers, and especially the immigrants, who we re essential to the state’s develop- ment. And when the literature does mention that early important Ohioans— including the first territorial governor, the first governor, and many pioneers and economic and cultural leaders—were British, it does not address what their Britishness had to do with anything. My early research into the primary sources uncovered a host of lesser-known Britons who were also at the center of Ohio’s development but are not mentioned in any books or articles. It was then that I decided to write this history of Ohio, as it was shaped and lived by British people. I am much indebted to Professor Robert P. Swierenga, Albertus C. Van Raalte Research Professor at the A. C. Van Raalte Institute, Hope College, and professor emeritus of history at Kent State University. His pioneering work on economic history and migration, and his knighthood from Queen Beatrix of the Nether- lands for his contributions to Dutch-American studies, testify to his distin- guished career. Professor Swierenga encouraged me to write this book, read an early manuscript version, and made suggestions for deeper analysis and better presentation. Any remaining errors or shortcomings are mine alone. I also owe so much to my mentor, Charlotte Erickson, professor emeritus of history at Cam- bridge University. She also saw the need for a book on the British in Ohio and kindly allowed me to use her voluminous files and birth- and marriage-certificate collection. Professor Erickson also arranged for Corpus Christi College to pro- vide me wonderful accommodations during my research forays in Cambridge. Also in England I was assisted by the staffs of the British Newspaper Library at Colindale, the British Library of Political and Economic Science, the London Metropolitan Archives, and the Institute of Historical Research. At the Institute for United States Studies (now the Institute for the Study of the Americas), Deborah Hart-Stock was helpful with her assistance. Jane Ferenzi-Sheppard, of the Somerset and Dorset Family History Society, was especially helpful through her own expertise on migration and for arranging conferences in Dorset and Exeter University, where I first presented some of this work. At Oxford Univer-

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