Dear Carlyle and Bluejacket Families,

 

    At the present time I am still a member of the Ohio Historical Society, however, after receiving some of their teaching materials I am convinced that Ohio school children will be misinformed about Blue Jacket & the Shawnee for the immediate future or longer. After visiting in Ohio with my beautiful daughter and including a trip to Bellefontaine, I became interested in historical markers and the impression an observer might have after reading the writing on any markers of historical interest. The marker in Bellefontaine was the first I noticed:

                            BLUE JACKET TOWN

                                    ----------------

            Here lived the famous Shawnee chief who led the

            Seven Nations in their defeat at Fallen Timbers. He

            later was prominent in the making of the famous

            Treaty of Greenville.

 

One of the educational booklets I requested last year is titled "Marking Ohio's History". In that publication Tecumseh's marker at Xenia, OH is noted. Also, Blue Jacket receives a paragraph indicating (you guessed it) that he was a white man known as M van Swearingen. Your favorite author Allan Eckert is referenced twice while John Sugden does receive space with his book on Tecumseh listed under children's literature. To my knowledge there has been no attempt to correct, replace, or destroy that small booklet. I remain an OHS member simply to inquire as to the Society's effort to rectify the situation. As to the marker above I believe it should be changed to indicate the Shawnee perspective where victories over Harmar & St. Clair preceded the defeat at Fallen Timbers.

    I must admit that I expect the OHS will show little interest, however, as you have so adeptly said in past emails: History is fun! Maybe this will give you some degree of pleasure. Hopefully, we will enjoy this day.

 

Best regards, Drake Bell.
August, 2007

 

Mr. Bell is a retired professor of physics at Central Missouri State.