A Beloved Family Man - Adam Pigman

I think I'm like most people who visit historic sites, I focus almost entirely on the event that took place there and rarely about the people who created the history. Why? Because in most cases I have no idea of who those individuals were. And unless they did something spectacular, heroic or dasterdly, we never will. 

 We have a tendency to remember the "bad guy" and forget the good ones. Hency my upcoming blogs. My goal is to try to "humanize" the history of the Ft. Amanda by telling readers about the men and women who created the history of Ft. Amanda. I want readers to know that the soldiers who garrisoned the fort or passed through her gates weren't battle hardened, professional soldiers, they were farmers, lawyers, doctors and shop keepers. 

 They had wives, children, parents and grandparents who kept the farms running, made sure patients taken care of and townspeople supplied with goods while they were gone. Some father and sons served together and some companies were made up with a large numbrer of relatives. Many were neighbors; all were men and women. Some could read and write and others who could do neither, but all were patriots and all deserve to be remembered. Upcoming blogs will include what I'm able to find about these individuals with the hopes that you'll think about them during your next visit.

The Man - Adam Pigman

Adam Pigman was born on Tuesday, August 18, 1789 in Greene County, Pennsylvania; the son of Jesse and Sarah Pigman. When Adam was one year old, his father moved the family first to Augusta in Bracken County, Kentucky then three years later to Jessamine County, Kentucky where Adam grew to manhood. Adam, nephew of James Harrod, builder of Fort Harrod studied to become a carpenter. Adams story is about a young man who met and married a young woman and whose lives were so inseperable, one it seems, literally died of a broken heart.

In 1812, He enlisted in Captain John Dowden’s company of mounted Kentucky militia assigned to Lieutenant Colonel Robert Pogue’s regiment. He served as fourth Sergeant in his company and when the alarm went out that General Winchesters command at Fort Wayne was in danger of being attacked by a large British and Indian force, he was part of the relief force sent to his aid. His unit was then assigned to General Winchester’s command and pursued the British and Indians down the Maumee River for several days and nights.

Meanwhile Thompson Ward and his company had begun work of Pogue’s fort on the Auglaize and he was in desperate need of experienced carpenters to help in the construction. Because of his carpenter skills, Pigman was detached from his original company and temporarily assigned to Wards. Once work was finished, he remained Fort Amanda through the winter

Note: A nephew of James Harrod, Adam, like Col. Pogue would have been very familiar with the layout of Fort Harrod which lends support to the theory that Fort Amanda was modeled after fort Harrod.

The winter of 1813 had been especially brutal so Harrison decided it best to cease operations until spring when it would be easier to keep his troops supplied. Meanwhile, Winchester believing he still could capture Detroit pushed on despite Harrisons orders not to. The result of course was an absolute massacre near Frenchtown in January. Pigman’s company had been sent as part of the relief force to support Winchester but by the time they arrived, the battle was over. The force returned to the south bank of the Maumee where Pigman once again used his carpenter skills, this time to build Harrisons new fort; Fort Meigs. Pigman remained at Fort Meigs until he was discharged along with the other Kentucky militia the latter part of February 1813.

The Woman - Mary Eli

Mary Eli was born on Sunday, May 21st, 1797 in Powel’s Valley, Lee County, Virginia. When she was nine years old, her father, Adam Eli, moved the family to near Clifton,, Indiana arriving there on night of January 6, 1806. The area an almost impenetrable wilderness, with trees upturned or broken off and the ground covered with a deep snow. They remained there over the winter in total isolation until the next spring. Their neighbors were few and far between. Her grandmother had been traveling with them and she had spent the winter at a neighbors home some distance away. When it came time to go get her grandmother, ten year old Mary mounted a horse and started through the forest alone to find the place and bring her grandmother home. The Eli family eventually moved to near Dunlapville, Indiana where her father built a blacksmith shop and forge where he made metal implements for sale. Mary not only did chores around the house, she also worked in her father’s blacksmith shop operating the bellows and working as a striker on the anvil. She even made trips as far away as Hamilton, Ohio thirty miles away, through the wilderness, alone to pick up or deliver supplies. When asked if she felt embarrassed saying she worked in a blacksmith shop, Mary said she worked there because her father needed her help and she felt it was her responsibility to help the family. I think it’s safe to say that young Mary Eli was a very loving, independent and interesting young lady.

After the War

In 1814, Adam moved from Kentucky to Fayette County, Indiana where he worked at building cabins including his own, earning enough money to pay off the land. While there he met and fell in love with young, 17 year old Mary Eli. They married the following year on November 4, 1815 and moved to Everton , in Fayette County, Indiana where they raised their 9 children



Susanna (1816 - ?)

Elizabeth (1819 – 1855) Died age 36

Amanda (1821 – 1848) Died age 27

Charles (1823 – 1847) Died age 24

Eli (1825 – 1881) Died age 56

Sarah (1830 - ?)\

Frances (1832 – 1857) Died age 25

Catherine (1834 - ?

Jesse (1836 – 1855) Died age 19

Life for the Pigmans on the frontier was not an easy life. Adam and Mary outlived at least 6 of their children, 5 dying before they were 40 years old. Adam and Mary however life a long and happy life and according to sources did everything together; they were inseparable.


A Celebration
Adam and Mary went on to become very well respected in their community of Everton and were considered patriarchs of their community. As an expression of their gratitude and admiration to the Pigman’s, the community held a major celebration on November, 4, 1875, to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary. Hundreds turned out for what had become a major event.


Together in Death

The following year on Sunday, September 17, 1876, Adam Pickman, pioneer, soldier, father and loving husband, died peacefully at his home in Harmony Township, Union County, Indiana. He was 87 years old. With her beloved Adam gone, grief stricken wife Mary followed him in death just six days later dying on Saturday September 23, 1876. Mary was approaching her 80th birthday. The full obituary, from which much of this writing has been copied can be found on the internet at:

Pigman obituary (Clink on link for Full obituary)




A Final Tribute
The funerals for Adam and Mary were and remain to this day, the largest funerals ever witnessed in Union County, Indiana. Over 800 vehicles (wagons, and buggy’s) were witnessed at each of the funerals, a testament to how much they were loved by citizens of their community.



Together in Death

“How peculiarly fitting it was that hearts so long and intimately blended should almost simultaneously cease to throb and forever rest from their labors”. (a passage from the Pigman obituary)

Adam and Mary are buried side by side in the Mount Garrison Cemetery, Everton, Indiana. From Everton, Ind. take Rt. 1 north 2 miles to Eco Road 400S. Continue east 1.6 miles. Cemetery is on the south side of the road. GPS: N39°35'02.81”,W85°04'23.26"