Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison (1941)

Mary is a young girl, age 12, who is adored by her daddy even though she tends to daydream. We only see her with her family for the first few pages though as the cabin is invaded by Seneca who take everyone captive, but only keep Mary, aka Molly, and a neighbor boy. Much later Mary learns the rest were killed after she was taken on as they were not moving fast enough to outrun the neighbors who were coming to try and rescue them. The Seneca have rules that for every member of their tribe lost in wa they will “adopt” a white to replace the lost member. Girls get adopted, but boys need to first run the gauntlet to prove they are brave enough to be Seneca... After Corn Tassel (the name given to Mary by the Seneca) because of her yellow hair) has been with the Seneca for a few years a teen boy is captured and makes it through the gauntlet. He later manages to escape, but when Mary finally gets the chance to go back to the white’s she has learned her family is dead and decided the Seneca have really become her family and she wants to remain with them.

I found it interesting that they would “adopt” a replacement from the whites who killed their family member... and gender didn’t matter. Mary or Corn Tassel was a replacement for a brother lost the year before. Her “sisters” cared about her and she learned to love her “nephew” even though he was an Indian baby and not her white baby that was killed by her captives.

I don’t know who would enjoy reading this Newberry honor winner of 1946. It’s too high for most of my students and I didn’t enjoy it enough to take the time to read it to them, though I could change my mind at a later date. ( )

This book for 5th or 6th grade readers tells the story of Mary Jemison. When she was 12 years old her family was taken captive. She was separated from the rest of them and taken to a Seneca village. At first she hated it because she missed her family, but when she was given the chance to return to her old lifestyle she didn't want to leave the Native Americans she had befriended. This book takes a look at assimilation from an unusual viewpoint. Here she is assimilating to the world of Native Americans rather than them being forced to assimilate to the white world.

The book "Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison" is a book by Lois Lenski.As you can guess gy the title,the book is about Mary Jemison,who was an Indian captive.Mary's father said that the Indians wouldn't kill her because her hair was the color of corn husk.He was right.The Indians didn't kill her because of her hair.Mary Jemison went through many difficulties.Life with the Indians was different than life with her family.

I've have read this book twice.I found it very enjoyable.This book would be sutible for fourth and fith grade classes.It is good for young adluts to know that life wan't rainbows and sunshine in the olden days.It still isn't tday either.Things happen to people that can't be changed or avoided.You just have to gain from the knowledge you got from your experience. ( )

A good look at both sides of the issue I think. Glad I read it. ( )

I found this to be an engaging and interesting book based upon the life of an Indian captive from the early American west, mid 1700s.

Mary and her family are taken by the Indians, but she winds up alone, adopted by a Seneca tribe. Some of her captors are not kind, but others show love and compassion, treating her as their own child.

The book covers the first two years of Mary's captivity, as "Corn Tassel", named for her platinum blond hair.

I'd classify this as young adult to adult, but some more mature pre-teens would probably enjoy it. It's a gentler version of a similar book, "A Light in the Forest", which I would also recommend. ( )