By LARRY BALLWAHN | Wilton
David McCullough is well known for illuminating America’s past. You need only to put his name in any search engine to see a number of notable biographies and other significant nonfiction authored by him. In “The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West,” McCullough describes the challenges brought about after Britain ceded the area that became the Northwest Territory.
We are introduced to Massachusetts minister Manasseh Cutler and informed of his important role in the development of the Northwest Ordinance. It was his drive that was most responsible for three somewhat surprising conditions: freedom of religion, free universal education, and the prohibition of slavery. Much of the novel dwells on the development of the first actual settlement, Marietta, Ohio, on the banks of the Ohio River. The first settlers were welcomed by the natives. The settlers built crude log houses and struggled for subsistence.
“The Pioneers” is drawn from source material that is carefully cataloged in the back of the book. Diaries and letters from the five central characters provide a wealth of information on the hardships faced when opening a new frontier. There were the very real physical dangers of displacing the natives and the dangers of clearing first-growth forests; besides the dangers inherent in cutting the trees, usually chopping them, there were an assortment of wild animals to deal with. And one can’t forget cholera and the fevers that raged on occasion. During the early days, the whole family shared one small log house, the whole family often being quite large. Women, especially, faced a monumental challenge, often dying in childbirth and/or living miles from the nearest neighbor.
Location on the Ohio River became more and more significant. Settlers moved in or floated by to other settlements. The first-growth forest and eventual outlet to the sea allowed for shipbuilding at least until they were replaced by steamboats. There was no question the Ohio River was a major transportation artery. Marietta was fortunate in that it was settled by men of several talents. General Rufus Cutler led the first group of settlers to Ohio and provided the leadership necessary to establish a Marietta. Marietta was the first actual settlement in the Northwest Territory that had been championed by Manassas Cutler, who also proved to be an adroit politician. There was a carpenter who ultimately became a noted architect for the area and a much-revered physician who became a pioneer in American science. Because of their writings, telling of their stories was made possible.
There is considerable reference to the politics of the time as well. Early communication was directly with President Washington, frequently to plead for army protection in light of less than favorable developments in the area. Difficulties in raising the money to provide an army in the young United States is made clear. Though the Northwest Ordinance clearly stated there were to be no slaves, that didn’t keep the slave states from attempting to influence a different outcome. Since the people described are Federalists (in favor of a strong central government), Jefferson’s anti-federalist policies are not well taken. And the embargo that Jefferson placed on Europe nearly destroyed the shipbuilding industry, not to mention area agriculture. A myriad of problems caused primarily by Britain’s war with France led President Madison to declare war on Britain, the War of 1812. Since Britain had several Indian allies, politics again threatened settlements along the Ohio.
The influence of the dedicated people is described as they champion free education, anti-slavery, and science. “The Pioneers” goes a long way in providing insight as to why the United States is like it is now. And there is even early insight as to how our present divisiveness might have developed.
