Mary "Polly" Lewis Kinnan (August 22, 1763 – March 12, 1848)[1] was an American woman held captive by Shawnee Native Americans from 1791 to 1794, who published an account of her experience in 1795 in the book A true narrative of the sufferings of Mary Kinnan: who was taken prisoner by the Shawnee Nation of Indians on the thirteenth day of May, 1791, and remained with them till the sixteenth of August, 1794.[2]
Kinnan was taken from her Virginia home in a Shawnee raid on her home near the Tygart Valley River in what is now Randolph County, West Virginia.[3] At the time, Great Lakes-area tribes were frequently raiding settlements on the Ohio River in retaliation for British expeditions in the area. Kinnan's husband and daughter were killed in the raid,[3] while Kinnan was sold by the Shawnees to a Delaware tribe, spending three years with them before she was rescued in Detroit by her brother. Her book was published a year later.[4]
Kinnan recounted her story to printer Shepard Kollock, who took down the story, "improved" and published it.[4] Instead of straight historical account, Kinnan's account focuses on her own interior difficulties and the sentimental impact of her journey, claiming that the reader's heart will be "melted with sorrow" in response to Kinnan's story. In doing so, it became the template for later fictional captivity stories that focus on a protagonist's plight and emotions.[4]
Referencesedit
^American women writers to 1800. Sharon M. Harris, Cairns Collection of American Women Writers. New York: Oxford University Press. 1996. ISBN0-19-508453-5. OCLC 31753947.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^Phillips, McKinnie L. (1967). The Indian captivity of Mary Kinnan, 1791-1794; a long forgotten frontier tragedy. Pruett Press.
^ ab. West Virginia Archives and History. Archived from the original on January 5, 2014. Retrieved June 8, 2015.
^ abcVanDerBeets, Richard (1973). Held Captive by Indians: Selected Narratives, 1642-1836. University of Tennessee Press. pp. 319–320.
Further readingedit
Stutler, Boyd Blynn. The Kinnan Massacre. Parsons, W.V.: McClain, 1969.
Kinnan, Mary. A true narrative of the sufferings of Mary Kinnan. Elizabethtown, N.J.: Printed by Shepard Kollock. 1795.
April 17, 2024
mary, kinnan, mary, polly, lewis, kinnan, august, 1763, march, 1848, american, woman, held, captive, shawnee, native, americans, from, 1791, 1794, published, account, experience, 1795, book, true, narrative, sufferings, taken, prisoner, shawnee, nation, indian. Mary Polly Lewis Kinnan August 22 1763 March 12 1848 1 was an American woman held captive by Shawnee Native Americans from 1791 to 1794 who published an account of her experience in 1795 in the book A true narrative of the sufferings of Mary Kinnan who was taken prisoner by the Shawnee Nation of Indians on the thirteenth day of May 1791 and remained with them till the sixteenth of August 1794 2 Kinnan was taken from her Virginia home in a Shawnee raid on her home near the Tygart Valley River in what is now Randolph County West Virginia 3 At the time Great Lakes area tribes were frequently raiding settlements on the Ohio River in retaliation for British expeditions in the area Kinnan s husband and daughter were killed in the raid 3 while Kinnan was sold by the Shawnees to a Delaware tribe spending three years with them before she was rescued in Detroit by her brother Her book was published a year later 4 Kinnan recounted her story to printer Shepard Kollock who took down the story improved and published it 4 Instead of straight historical account Kinnan s account focuses on her own interior difficulties and the sentimental impact of her journey claiming that the reader s heart will be melted with sorrow in response to Kinnan s story In doing so it became the template for later fictional captivity stories that focus on a protagonist s plight and emotions 4 References edit American women writers to 1800 Sharon M Harris Cairns Collection of American Women Writers New York Oxford University Press 1996 ISBN 0 19 508453 5 OCLC 31753947 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint others link Phillips McKinnie L 1967 The Indian captivity of Mary Kinnan 1791 1794 a long forgotten frontier tragedy Pruett Press a b Timeline of West Virginia Women s History West Virginia Archives and History Archived from the original on January 5 2014 Retrieved June 8 2015 a b c VanDerBeets Richard 1973 Held Captive by Indians Selected Narratives 1642 1836 University of Tennessee Press pp 319 320 Further reading editStutler Boyd Blynn The Kinnan Massacre Parsons W V McClain 1969 Kinnan Mary A true narrative of the sufferings of Mary Kinnan Elizabethtown N J Printed by Shepard Kollock 1795 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mary Kinnan amp oldid 1181553995, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
