Show n Ohio Civic Service Medal Recalls R q Hero 9 Z 2 mfr r f 4 I ta ar s a 3 is D i 1 I VAU r r Hi to 1 I rP t. t if L 17 oF 4 Dy ELMO SCOTT WATSON illS HIS Is a story Atory of civic Idealism In a n much deplored u age e of material I. I I lAm ism It l Is I the he story Atory of how a typical typical ical small Middle WI Western estern city has hall hasI I 1 honored Itself by honoring In a unique way the man whose name It bears a and aid how It Is preserving In every tny life ilfe ft a historic tradition of ot which It II Is proud 1 In the state stale of Ohio there therl are three thre adjoining counties which I I bear the names of ot otan Van an Wert ding and Williams They are named for Isaac Isnac Van Wert John Paulding and David Williams the three volunteer vol er militiamen of the state of ot New York who durin during the Revolution Hc captured MaJ John Andre of ot the British army thereby foiling the plot of Benedict Arnold to hand over to the enemy the stronghold at West Point a disaster which might have been fatal to the Patriot cause The county sent seat of Van Wert Wrt county Is the little city of Van Wert and this thus article has hns hasto hasto to do with Van Wert county and city Its tens and a patriotic tradition of which they are proud The story really bl begins more than 20 00 years ago when a Van Wert business man man whose particular particular par par- hobby was the study of American history history his his- tory set net out to learn more about the man for tor whom his hla city was named This business man was C C. C A. A I. I L. L the descendant of ot a family family fam fam- ily lIy of French Huguenots who emigrated to America In colonial times Th The tor story of Arnold Arnold's treason and the capture of ot Andre by the three thre New York militiamen Is a familiar one to most Americans but hut few know much about the in Art n f sn rt t r t th rio I li rn Anil An th nt III 11 at un HUH Van Wert count county which bears the name of one of ot them were no exceptions to that rule rull Mr knew that the Continental conTess congress congress con con- gress Tess on November No 3 1780 had hall ordered that the thanks of congress and silver medals medals commemorating rating their exploit he be given glnn to the three men On one olle side of these medals was Willi the word Fidelity and on the tho other Amor Ia 1 Tovo T ove of country conquers testimony to t q the r fact that Van Vert Wrt Paulding and Williams Williams Wil Wil- liams Ilams refused to tl ac accept pt the he bribe which Major Andre offered them for tor Ms release What had become of ot those His Ills Investigations revealed re rev the fact that Williams Williams' medal Is In the coll collections of ot the New York Historical II society In New York city but that those of ot PauldIng and Van Wert seemed to have disappeared F Enlisting the aid of ot G. G M. M a I ten xen n of ot Van Wert who ho had become commissioner of ot pensions at Washington on Mr set out outto outto outto to learn If by chance the dies from which the medals had been made were Ere still preserved The dies diu were ere not found but It was wall discovered that In the numismatic collections of the United States mint at Philadelphia there was a sped specimen men of the medal composed of ot two electrotypes joined together and this copy was lent to the theVan theVan theVan Van Wert historian From this copy dies were made so 80 that reproductions of the m medal al which was presented to Isaac Van VanVert Wert Vert by congress could be struck off When the World war vur ended and the Van VanWert VanWert VanWert Wert county Bounty men In the service returned to their homes one of ot th these e reproductions was presented to each one of ot them and with It a booklet bearIng bearing bear bear- Ing the title of Isaac Van Wert In to the Revolutionary War and containing the story of the capture of Andre and aud other Information about him which Mr Ir had secured On the title page Is this citation The Medal of ot which this Booklet Is la an Historical f Explanation was Presented to by the Citizens CUt Citi tens zens of ot Van Wert County Ohio In Grateful Recognition of ot SIr Services Rendered our County and Country Later the Idea Idla of ot giving one lne of these medals and a citation was extended to awarding It to others whose hose services war war- warranted ranted such luch an award So 80 Van Wert county Ohio enjoys s 's the unique distinction of ot having Its own distinguished civic service medal one which Is rich In historic tradition and of ot using It to foster patriotism and amI to make unselfish civic services a living lUlng reality amon among Its people Iu nu this original Idea Is not Mt the only way In which Van VanVert Wert Wrt Ohio has honored the memory of ot Its namesake Last year Its citizens under the leadership of Mr celebrated the tbt sesquicentennial of the capture of Andre Ardre That historic scene was rl reenacted enacted In a one-act one historical historical his his- drama under the title of It Fidelity Fidelity written by Mr Sir In which citizens of Van Wert took tOlk the parts part of It Andre Van Wert Paulding and anti Williams The celebration also RIM Included a n street pageant In which school children chil 1 dren from every t part of If the county took part the observance ance ance ln ha having been ben arranged primarily with the Idea of ot Instilling in their minds the theldra Idea of loyalty fidelity and patriotism p as exemplified exem exem- 1110 11 by the three thre men whom horn It honored The was held first In and In Van Wert the following day ode e A is 2 I 4 L M fir 4 5 t w sty slap j T IL zIf J 3 JOhW 2 jyz a aIn In addition to giving ln Impetus to tit the movement quested to tn present the Mine sune with a copy cOlY of ot this s which resulted In Van Werts Wert's custom of ot awardIng award award- resolution and the thanks of Congress for tor their thel r In lag Ing a n unique distinguished civic chic service medal fidelity and the eminent service they have ha rendered ren and unit being the prime mover In to the I dered theIr nial celebration last year jear nr this business rss man mun whose hobby bobby Is American history has also enriched enriched en en- rich riched Id I'd the local traditions of ot his county by securing securing se se- curing for It other Interesting material relating to Isaac Van Wert For many may years cars It was believed be be- believed 1 that there was no likeness of Van un Wert WeTtIn In existence hut But through Investigations conducted conducted con con- ducted b by Mr It was found that a life lite mask of Van Vun Wert Wrt had been made by John JohnHenry Johnhenry Henry Isaac Isanc of ot Tarrytown N. N Y L In InI I 1820 O and he lie s secured a picture of ot this reproduction tion In the booklet lIe He also secured pictures of life masks of ot and Williams and from a descendant of Paulding now living In New York he be obtained a photograph of ot the original painting paint paint- ing fag of the Andre capture w which Is s shown above aboe From the Library of Congress he also s secured photostats of ot Washington's letter of October 7 1780 1180 In which the commander In reported the capture of Andre to congress and of the resolution of ot congress authorizing the rewards which were to be given the captors The followIng followIng following follow- follow Ing extracts from Washington's letter are quoted In III the booklet I 1 have now the pleasure to communicate the names of ot the three thrle persons who captured Major Andre and who refused to n release him notwithstanding ith- ith standing the most earnest Importunities and assurances as- as of liberal reward on his part Their conduct conduct con con- duct merits our warmest esteem and anti I 1 beg bg leave Ilave t to add that I think the public will do well to tomake tomake tomake make them a handsome gratuity They have prevented pre pre- vented In all probability our suffering one of ot the severest strokes that could have ha been ben meditated meditated medi medi- against us Their names are John Paulding Paulding Paul Paul- ding David Williams and Isaac Van VanVert Wert Vert WASHINGTON Washington's letter was WIlS referred to a committee committee commit commit- tee of congress which delivered a report upon the reading of ot which congress pass passed the following follow ing log resolution Whereas Congress have received Information that John Paulding David Williams and 11 Isaac Van Wert three thrle young oung volunteer militiamen of the State of New York did on the day of St September last last Intercept Major John Andre adjutant ad ad- general of the British Army on his return return re rev turn from the the- American lines In the character of ot a spy l and notwithstanding the large bribes ts t's offered them for tor his release nobly disdaining to sacrifice their country for tor the sake sakI of ot gold l secured Cure l and an conveyed him to the commanding officer of the district whereby the dangerous and traitorous conspiracy of ot Benedict Arnold was as brought to light and the Insidious designs of ot the enemy baffled and the United States rescued rescued res res- cued from Impending danger Resolved That Congress have a n high sense of ot the virtuous and patriotic conduct of the said John David Williams nail and Isaac Isanc Van Wert In testimony whereof Ordered That each of It them receive annually out oot of ot the public treasury dollars In p specie CI or an nn equivalent In the current money of these states stattS durIn during life and nud that the of War Var procure for tor each of ot them a silver medal on one side of ot which shall hall bo ho a shield with this Inscription In Inv Fidelity and on the other the following follow tollow- ing motto Vincit amor amr pa trine and forward th theta them to the Chief iu t who is rev re- nan n. n Van an VanVert's Wert's Werts name nume hence the name of ot the Ohio city and count county should properly be Van Wart for tor he was a brother of ot Abraham Van Wart adjutant In the Continental line whose son Henry married a n sister of ot Washington Irving However lr Washington's spelling of his name Van Wert Vert seems to have established that thai spelling and It has bas survived 1 1 In that form torm He lie was born In Greenburgh N. N Y In 1700 1760 Van VanWert VanWert VanVert Wert We-rt and Williams were cousins Williams Williams' father fa taw father fa- fa ther and Van VanVert's Verts Vert's mother being brother am and sister After Arter the Revolution Van VanVert Wert Vert returned returned re re- turned turnell to and was chorister In the church there until his death on May 2 1828 1823 Each of the captors were to r receive a farm tarm In county valued at 2500 and a life lite pension of 1200 a year but Van Wert made no application for tor pension or bounty lands for tor his 1 war services although he did receive the an an- nulty DUlty voted him by bT congress 1 Van an Wert was burl buried Id I'd In fn Westchester county on the banks of ot the Nepera river and there a monument was erected to his m memory mory Williams was born In Tarrytown October 21 1754 lie He enlisted In the Continental army array a athe at atthe atthe the outbreak of ot the Revolution served In General General Gen Oen- era eral I Mont Montgomery's omery's army In the Canadian er n. and continued In the army until ITro 1770 During his service his feet were frozen and he was WM partially disabled but upon returning home he be enlisted In the state militia for tor home guard service It was while he he Van Wert Wrt and Paulding Paul Paul- din ding were engaged In this service patrolling the east bank of ot the Hudson river In search o ot of cowboys Tory raiders who were WE're committing depredations In that section that the capture of Andre took place After the war ar Williams bou bought ht a farm tarm near the Catskill mountains which had b been n the prop erty of ot Daniel Sha Shays s 's famous as the leader In the Shays Rebellion Williams' Williams generous nature na na- tare ture soon won led II him Into financial difficulties bu but but with the help heIr of ot his government pension h he managed to retain his farm tarm and pass It along to his descendants In addition to the silver sliver medal meda given him by congress he was also presented by New York city with a cane cant made from th the de frise for tor obstructing the Hudson a at West Point and when In 1830 1880 he visited that tha that city upon the Invitation of ot Its mayor he was wai presented with Ith a horse horbe harness and carriage and the children In one of ot the city schools school II g gave ge e him a silver cup Williams dl died near Livingston ville N N. Y August ut Z 2 1831 1831 and was liS burled buried In Schoharie where a monument has been erected to his memory Paulding was born In New York city In 1753 1758 and served throughout hout the Revolution RI RevolutionIse He lie wa was taken prisoner by the British three times and 1 It was a few tew days after his escape from his second sec see ond end Imprisonment that he aided In the capture of Andre It U was who stopped Andre I hIm and discovered he was a spy SlY Paulding died In N N. Y Y IS 13 1313 and was hurll In St. St Peters Peter's churchyard near Ik No N Y Y In I 7 a monument was erected over hIs ran grave hy by the city ot of New York at which time the address was made by his nephew William who the city c. was as mayor ot of t tS II by PP |