General Anthony Wayne

Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana

Jump to Anthony Wayne Statue, Anthony Wayne Bible, Fort Wayne Information, General "Mad" Anthony Wayne Organization, Inc., General Anthony Wayne Day, Pennsylvania Information, Publications

General Anthony Wayne statue at Freimann Square shown in Street View photo from Google map which has over 200 photos of the statue and various events at Freimann Square over the years

Anthony Wayne Statue

  1. January 17, 2023 post by The History Center on Facebook:

    Sculpture is a visual art form that is presented in three dimensions. These works are created through the manipulation of materials such as metal, plaster, stone, wood, glass, plastic, and ceramic. A few methods used to shape these raw materials include carving, casting, welding, molding, shaping, or bonding. Sculpture is one of the longest-lived forms of art and craft, dating back to the prehistoric era of the Upper Paleolithic, over 35,000 years ago. Some of the earliest examples of sculpture work include crafted tools and figurines. Sculpture has been used as a method to document important people, to celebrate ideas, to create tools, or to replicate the natural world. Sculpture is often thought of as a grand work of stone or bronze, such as a monument or statue, because these objects are typically referenced as “sculptures.” However, sculpture as an art form and crafting method also encompasses works such as pottery, jewelry, musical instruments, and weaponry. Various methods of craft and artistic expression that can fall under the large umbrella of sculpture also fall into their own specialized sub-category such as wood-carving, blacksmithing, or glass blowing. Visit the History Center to see our new temporary exhibit “Sculpture: Craftsmanship and Art in Three Dimensions.” #sociallyhistory

    The Working Model, Plaster model of Anthony Wayne statue executed by G.E. Gariere. Full-size statue is in Freimann Square. Compare to Anthony Wayne photo at Google maps.

  2. Page 561, The pictorial history of Fort Wayne, Indiana : a review of two centuries of occupation of the region about the head of the Maumee River by Griswold, B. J. (Bert Joseph), 1873-1927; Taylor, Samuel R., Mrs, Publication date 1917 on Archive.org.

    THE ANTHONY WAYNE MONUMENT

    After several years of preparation, the final plans for the erection of a bronze equestrian statue to the memory of General Anthony Wayne were decided upon in 1916. The commission, after viewing the models submitted by several of America's well-known sculptors, awarded the work to Charles E. Mulligan, of Chicago, but the sudden death of the sculptor revised the plans, and George E. Ganiere, of Chicago, was selected. The sum of $15,000 for the statue, in bronze, in addition to $900 for two separate tablets, was set aside. The monument commission was composed of J. Ross McCulloeh, William F. Ranke, Mrs. Frances Haberly-Robertson and Colonel D. N. Foster. The site chosen for the monument is the northwest corner of Hayden Park, facing the Lincoln Highway (Maumee avenue).

    The agitation for the erection of a monument to General Wayne was begun previous to 1889, in which year the annual report of the chief engineer of the United States recommended that congress appropriate the sum of $5,000 for a statue to be placed on the site of old Fort Wayne. Congress failed to act. Then, in 1894, the board of county commissioners authorized a levy of one-fourth of one cent per year on each $100 of assessed property valuation for the creation of a fund to erect a monument to Wayne's memory. The money thus secured was used in payment for the present monument.

  3. The statue of Gen. Anthony Wayne astride his horse was first located in Hayden Park on Maumee at Harmer Street, upon its completion by Chicago sculptor George E. Ganiere in 1916. From page 20 Fort Wayne by Randolph L. Harter · 2013 Google eBook

  4. Dedication of Anthony Wayne staue in Hayden Park, Fort Wayne, IN, 1917
    Dedication of Anthony Wayne staue in Hayden Park, Fort Wayne, IN, 1917 - ACPL Digital Collections image

    The General Anthony Wayne statue was dedicated in 1917, or 1918, in Hayden Park shown in several photos such as Crowd gathers for dedication of Anthony Wayne statue, Hayden Park, Fort Wayne, IN, 1917 and Dedication of Anthony Wayne staue in Hayden Park, Fort Wayne, IN, 1917 from an Anthony Wayne Statue and Anthony Wayne search in the Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library.

  5. Statue of Anthony Wayne in Hayden Park, Fort Wayne IN
    Statue of Anthony Wayne in Hayden Park, Fort Wayne IN - ACPL Digital Collections image

    Originally dedicated July 4, 1918 in Hayden Park it was moved to Freimann Square in 1973.

    Here is an account of the dedication excerpted from a 2012 Old Fort News article by Walter Font: It was a day blessed by Providence, "a cloudless sky" with no rain in sight to mar the day's festivities.The people of Fort Wayne had planned a grand partyto celebrate Independence Day and the memory of Anthony Wayne, and they came by the thousands: "Interurban cars were crowded and all roads leading into the city, from every direction, were alive with automobilesand buggies." Although there were numerous attendant activities throughout the community that day,the two primary events were the "monstrous" parade and the dedication of the Anthony Wayne monument in Hayden Park. Vice President Thomas Marshall arrived at the Pennsylvania Depot in the morning. Hundreds welcomed him at the station and at his reception in the Anthony Hotel where he stayed until the parade beganat 1 :40 in the afternoon. Huge crowds were on hand when Marshall and other dignitaries stepped into theircarriages and followed the military units on parade including current soldiers in the National Guard and veterans from the Civil War and Spanish-American War. Marching behind them were thousands of deferred classmen waving American flags with "colored boys scattered in their ranks." Four of the deferred-classmen were greeted with applause and laughter whenthey passed the crowd carrying "a coffin on which wasa German helmet and the inscription 'To Hel-met Der Kaiser.' Walking sadly along in the rear and kept in chains was his Satanic Majesty costumed in the lurid hue of Hades. The devil bore a sign which read 'I can see my finish.'" Third in line were those of foreign birth, or parentage, including groups representing the Romanians (with a banner "Citizens of the United States by Adoption"); the Italians with a band, lead by Joseph Tuso mounted on a horse and wearing an Italian uniform with a sword at his side; Americans of Scottish birth representing the Caledonian Society, some wearing"plaids and bonnets of Scottish fame and glory";the Irish; and Jewish citizens, "lovers of liberty in the new world and old." Bringing up the rear were various organizations including the labor unions as well as civic, social, religious and fraternal groups. The parade began on Harrison Street and ended at Hayden Park. A grandstand for 1,000 was built on Maumee Avenue, north of the speaker's stand, and from there schoolchildren opened the dedication ceremony with a chorus of patriotic songs. After an invocation and an address by Judge Walter Olds, the statue of Anthony Wayne was unveiled accompanied by "cheers and applause andsongs by the school children." D. N. Foster, as head of the monument commission, presented the statue to the city which was accepted in a brief address by Mayor W. Sherman Cutshall. Tom Marshall then rose to a"great welcome and demonstration" for his dedicatory address. George E. Ganiere [the artist who made the statue] sat with the dignitaries on the speaker's stand and after Marshall spoke, he was introduced to the spectators. The children's chorus provided the closing act of the ceremony by singing the Star Spangled Banner."

    Copied from a Janaury 9, 2023 comment by Charlie Savage to a post on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.

  6. December 5, 2017 post by the Fort Wayne Food Tours on Facebook:

    The statue of Anthony Wayne astride his horse was completed in 1918 and placed in Hayden Park. It was moved to Freimann Square in 1973. #fortwaynehistory #fortwaynefoodtours #dtfw #fortwayne

  7. March 30, 2023 post by Genealogy Center on Facebook:

    It's #waybackwednesday! Check out these then and now photos, Courtesy of the Daniel A. Baker Collection in our Community Album. The first photo, from 1973, shows George Ganiere's bronze General "Mad" Anthony Wayne which was relocated to Freimann Square that year. It was originally dedicated at Hayden Park on July 4, 1918.

    The second photo provides a view Anthony Wayne statue in Freimann Square, dated 2017. Across Clinton Street is the Rousseau Centre, formerly the City-County Building.

    Visit our Community Album to view these photos and thousands more: http://contentdm.acpl.lib.in.us/

     

    First photo: Anthony Wayne Statue at Freimann Square, circa 1973

    Second photo Anthony Wayne Statue at Freimann Square, 2017. in the Daniel A. Baker Photograph Collectionboth are in the

    Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library.

  8. Anthony Wayne statue Stop #1 on the Central Downtown Trail 19 stops on the Heritage Trail by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage)has audio: “Anthony Wayne’s Statue” featuring Tom Castaldi. Courtesy of WBNI-Fort Wayne from ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage). Major General Anthony Wayne marker photos with Google maps Street View image, and more at The Historical Marker Datatbase HMdb.org.
  9. Anthony Wayne Statue Search finds many discussions on The News-Sentinel newspaper.
  10. Keep Anthony Wayne where he’s star of show by Madelane Elston who is chairwoman of the Allen County Courthouse Preservation Trust published in the Journal Gazette newspaper December 30, 2012.
  11. The Anthony Wayne Statue by Nancy McCammon-Hansen posted April 29, 2013 on the History Center Notes & Queries blog discusses the statue in Freimann Square and the facial plaques of Little Turtle and Tecumseh that used to be on the base of the statue. The graphic at the library states: These three bronze plaques, executed by George Ganiere, were originally part of the municipal equestrian statue of Major General Anthony Wayne, erected at Hayden Park (now renamed John Nuckols Park) in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1917. The plaques now reside in the Genealogy Center at the downtown Allen County Public Library. The full story was in the next issue of Old Fort News publication of the The History Center.
  12. A general predicament: Wayne statue might move January 13, 2013 by Dan Stockman of The Journal Gazette newspaper. Dan also wrote 'Mad' Anthony staying put August 14, 2013.
  13. Only half of the story Second statue would complete picture of general’s conquest August 20, 2013 by Patrick J. Ashton of the The Journal Gazette newspaper.
  14. You can't see him, but Anthony Wayne is getting a facelift Laser used to clean statue, remove coating applied in the 1990s by Kevin Leininger published August 14, 2014 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.
  15. General Anthony Wayne Statue Rededicated posted at City of Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation.
  16. Anthony Wayne Statue Rededicated by Stephen Parker published November 13, 2014 in Around Fort Wayne blog.
  17. List of memorials to Anthony Wayne at Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
  18. January 9, 2023 post with photos and lots of comments on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.
  19. 2013, October 30 - Fort Wayne is the answer on the Jeopardy television show A log stockade made by a certain mad revolutionary war general in 1794 gave this city his name. See October 30, 2013 photo on Visit Fort Wayne Tweet on Twitter and Mitch Harper Tweet.

Anthony Wayne Bible

March 25, 2023 post by General "Mad" Anthony Wayne Organization, Inc on Facebook:

Today, we congratulate General “Mad” Anthony Wayne (1745-1796), and his bride, Mary “Polly” Penrose (1746-1793), on the occasion of the couple’s 257th Anniversary of their wedding. The couple met at a military ball in Philadelphia, and they were married on March 25, 1776 at Christ’s Church, Pennsylvania. The couple settled on Wayne’s family estate in Eastown, located in Chester County, PA. They remained married for 17 years until Mary’s death at the age of 47, three years before the General’s death at the age of 51. The couple had two children, Margaretta Wayne Atlee (1770-1810); and, Isaac Wayne (1772-1852). The remains of both Anthony Wayne and Mary Penrose Wayne rest in peace at St. David’s Episcopal Church, Radnor Township, Delaware County, PA.

Interestingly, the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center has an artifact of that marriage, being the Anthony and Mary (Penrose) Wayne Family Bible. It was published in 1788, and presented by Wayne’s wife, Mary, to their son, Isaac Wayne. It is believed that this occurred relatively soon after the book was published, and it contains Mary Wayne’s inscription to Isaac. The family’s events were recorded in the Bible, with more than sixty years of family information contained in it. The Bible was acquired approximately twenty years ago, at auction, to the chagrin of other Wayne fans around the country.

Our friend, Curt B. Witcher, Director of Special Collections at the Genealogy Center, Allen County Public Library, Fort Wayne, IN, showed General “Mad” Anthony Wayne (living historian David Rousculp) the Wayne Family Bible on Friday, March 24, 2023 at the library, and they're both seen in the photo on this post.

“We think that it is both notable and significant that the actual Wayne Family Bible, being such an important item in history, is located at the public library in the city named for General Wayne”, Rousculp stated. “It creates a physical bond with the namesake of our city that cannot be denied.”

Curt B. Witcher with General Wayne at the Allen County Public Library, Genealogy Center.

March 25, 2023 post by The Bones of Kekionga on Facebook:

Spent some time with mad Anthony Wayne today at the library where his wife's family Bible is located. It was printed in 1788. Given to son Isaac Wayne in the 1800s by Mary Penrose it is stored safely in a vault for preservation...at the Allen County Fort Wayne Public Library. You can view it by giving advance notification.

Message written by Mary to her son may be read also.

Curt Witcher the director of Special Collections kindly greeted Mad Anthony and myself.

DAR - Daughter's of the American Revolution

The Mary Penrose Wayne Chapter NSDAR (National Society Daughter's of the American Revolution) is named in honor of Mary Penrose the wife of General Anthony Wayne. It was organized December 18, 1901 as the eleventh chapter formed in the State of Indiana. You can read more on their History page.

Fort Wayne Information

  1. There were several Forts of Fort Wayne. The most recent is Whistler's 1816 fort. Many have heard of Whistler's mother, Anna McNeill Whistler, from the famous 1871 painting Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1 shown on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
  2. Map of Fort Wayne said to have been made on July 18, 1795, for General Anthony Wayne is at the Library of Congress. "Fort Wayne ... the first American post, built in 1794 and named for Anthony Wayne after his victory at Fallen Timbers, was located across the St. Marys from the old Miami village of Kekionga and the remains of old Fort Miami, at the present intersection of Clay and Berry streets"--Ency. of Historic Forts, p. 281-282.
  3. Anthony Wayne’s fort by Tom Castaldi, local historian published on the Heritage Trail on ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage).

Anthony Wayne posted March 22, 2021 by Friends of the Rivers on YouTube.

General Wayne's Camp Bed on page 141 in The pictorial history of Fort Wayne, Indiana : a review of two centuries of occupation of the region about the head of the Maumee River by Griswold, B. J. (Bert Joseph), 1873-1927; Taylor, Samuel R., Mrs, Publication date 1917, on Archive.org.
General Anthony Wayne's Field Bed is still on permanent exhibit at the The History Center. Wayne used this camp bed during the Revolutionary War and in the Northwest Territory from 1792-1796. Folding camp beds were used by military officers such as Anthony Wayne and George Washington in the eighteenth century. Copied from page 141 above: Probably the most Interesting and valuable Item in the exhibit of historic mementos in the relic room of the Allen county court house, is the camp bed used by General Wayne during his western campaign. The bed, which is made of walnut and hinged in such manner as to permit It to be folded and placed in a small box, has an interesting history. After his Revolutionary war service, Wayne, who had used the bed during his campaigns, took it to his farm home near Waynesboro. In 1792, he brought it on his western expedition and used it until the time of his departure from Greenville where the famous treaty was effected. He then gave the bed to Major Ambrose Whitlock, who had served through Wayne's western campaign and had assisted in the building of the fort. After the death of Major Whitlock at Crawfordsville, Indiana, in 1863, the bed remained in the home until some time after the death of the widow, Elizabeth Whitlock, when it came into the possession of the nephew of the widow, James W. Binford. then living at Paris, Illinois. In 1890, Mr. Binford removed with his daughters to Washington. D. C. Two years later, Mrs. Amy R. Seavey, of Fort Wayne, while in Washington, learned of the relic and visited the Binfords. This resulted in the loan of the bed to the local Sons of the American Revolution for exhibition purposes during the centennial celebration in Fort Wayne, in 1895. Again, in 1902, through the efforts of the members of the Mary Penrose Wayne chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the daughters of the late James W. Binford loaned the relic, with the understanding that It should remain on exhibition in Fort Wayne until such time as a proper place could be made for it in the National Museum In Washington. It is considered a permanent feature of the Fort Wayne historical exhibit.

September 17, 2019 post by The History Center on Facebook:

“Anthony Wayne Slept Here” could first be proclaimed at the Confluence of the Three Rivers 225 years ago today when General Wayne and his Legion of the United States occupied Kekionga on September 17, 1794. The Legion arrived that day on orders from President George Washington to construct a permanent military fortification that would one day bear the name Fort Wayne. Wayne used this folding camp bed, also known as a field bed, during the Revolutionary War and later during his campaigns in the Northwest Territory from 1792–1796. Camp beds of this type were commonly used by military officers such as Anthony Wayne and George Washington in the eighteenth century. The bed supported a canvas mattress and a canopy hung on the upper frame to keep out mosquitoes and drafts. The removable canopy structure and hinges on the legs and bed frame made it quite portable. The bed collapses to 42” x 23” x 11,” which is about the size of a large suitcase, for easy transportation. When Wayne completed his work in the Northwest and was preparing to return home, he gave the bed to his friend and aid Ambrose Whitlock. It was borrowed from a descendant of Whitlock for the Fort Wayne Centennial celebration in October 1895, and again by the Mary Penrose Wayne Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution for the “Relic Room” display during the dedication of the Allen County Courthouse on September 23, 1902. It remained in possession of the DAR and was subsequently donated to the Historical Society in 1933. From the Relic Room to the Society’s Swinney House and Old City Building Hall, General Anthony Wayne’s field bed has remained an important feature of our organization’s permanent exhibitions. More recently, the bed was used in 2013 as a model by Colonial Williamsburg to recreate a replica of George Washington’s own field bed for a display entitled “The First Oval Office” and was also one of three exceptionally significant artifacts loaned to the Indiana State Museum during its “Indiana in 200 Objects” temporary exhibit during the state bicentennial celebrations of 2016. #sociallyhistory 

Mad Anthony Wayne posted Jan 3, 2015 by Decater Collins on YouTube
Part of the Quitting The Grave series of documentaries on American frontier history. Special Thanks to Walter Font and the Fort Wayne History Center. Please visit their website here: fwhistorycenter.com Shot and Edited by Decater Orlando Collins.

General "Mad" Anthony Wayne Organization, Inc

Is a Charity Organization a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing area education about local history, and honoring the namesake of our wonderful city, Fort Wayne. Website: www.madanthonywayne.org and Facebook page: General "Mad" Anthony Wayne Organization, Inc. General "Mad" Anthony Wayne is connected with the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) at the Arlington National Cemetery from a July 23, 2022 Facebook post to the YouTube video General 'Mad' Anthony Wayne Organization highlights local history ahead of Veterans Day.

July 10, 2023 post by the General "Mad" Anthony Wayne Organization, Inc on Facebook:

After the Revolutionary War, our nation organized a new military force known as the Legion of the United States, the precursor to the modern-day U.S. Army. Its first commander was Brig. General Anthony Wayne. In honor of General Wayne, and those who fought under his command, our Organization each year bestows the "Legion of the United States Award", primarily for community service. Previous Winners include Robert "Bob" Jones; and Dr. Jerome Adams. The 2023 winner will receive the award on Sunday, July 16, during a ceremony beginning at 3:00 p.m. at Freimann Square. Stay tuned for the announcement of the winner later today. (Pictured: GMAWO past-president Michael Skeens; 2022 recipient Dr. Jerome Adams; reenactor David "Mad Anthony Wayne" Rousculp.)

General Anthony Wayne Day

First-ever 'Mad' Anthony Wayne Day set to honor Fort Wayne's namesake posted July 13, 2019 by WANE 15 News on YouTube
First-ever 'Mad' Anthony Wayne Day set to honor Fort Wayne's namesake From a July 23, 2022 Facebook post by General "Mad" Anthony Wayne Organization, Inc.

February 26, 2019 in a 6-3 vote, the Fort Wayne city council declared July 16 as General Anthony Wayne Day beginning July 16, 2020 to recognize the day General Wayne helped defeat the British in the Battle of Stony Point that took place on July 16, 1779, during the American Revolutionary War. See the Fort Wayne City resolution Bill No. R-19-02-12. See Battle of Stony Point discussed at George Washington's Mount Vernon website. Fort Wayne was named in 1794, Indiana became a state in 1816, and Allen County was formed in 1824. In November 2019 the City to recognize Native Americans Resolution in response to 'Mad' Anthony Day by Dave Gong was published November 20, 2019 in The Journal Gazette newspaper. See our Indians - Native Americans of Allen County, Indiana page.

  1. July 16, 2022 photo posted of the statue by General "Mad" Anthony Wayne Organization, Inc on Facebook.
  2. Council declares July 16 General "Mad" Anthony Wayne Day by Dave Gong published February 26, 2019 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
  3. ‘If it wasn’t for Anthony Wayne, there may not be a United States of America’; City Council officials share the importance of Anthony Wayne Day published March 1, 2019 on 21AliveNews.com.
  4. Council resolution misinterprets our past by John Gardner, retired senior pastor at Plymouth Congregational Church, published March 10, 2019 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
  5. The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma responded with a letter, posted and discussed in Tribe makes public statement against “Anthony Wayne Day” by Darrin Wright published March 25, 2019 on WOWO.com.
  6. March 25, 2019 The History Centerposted a statement on Facebook: STATEMENT ON MAD ANTHONY WAYNE DAY For 98 years, the community has entrusted the Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society (The History Center) with serving present and future generations by collecting, preserving and sharing artifacts, documents and images that describe the people, places and events that define Fort Wayne and Allen County history. The organization adheres to a rigorous code of professional standards and ethics that requires historical interpretations to reflect thorough research, sound scholarship, temporal context and cultural inclusiveness. The History Center was not consulted in the creation of the “Mad Anthony Wayne Day” resolution; however, if City Council wishes to address the concerns regarding the accuracy of the history included in R-19-02-12, the organization would eagerly consider such a request.
  7. Councilman stands by 'Anthony Wayne Day' resolution despite opposition from tribe by Ruben Solis posted March 25, 2019 on CBS WANE-TV NewsChannel 15.
  8. Tribe asks to void day for Wayne Refute general's role, actions by Dave Gong published March 26, 2019 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
  9. Councilman Arp responds to the Miami Tribe by Jay Price published March 27, 2019 on WOWO.com.
  10. Native American tribe takes issue with “Anthony Wayne Day” published March 28, 2019 on 21AliveNews.com.
  11. NEWS-SENTINEL EDITORIAL: City Council should rethink Wayne Day published April 1, 2019 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.
  12. UPDATED: Supporters of ‘Anthony Wayne Day’ respond to critics, announce plans for July 16 commemoration by Kevin Leininger published April 10, 2019 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.
  13. KEVIN LEININGER: Critics of ‘Anthony Wayne Day’ should help tell the story, not ignore it by Kevin Leininger published April 13, 2019 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.
  14. Historical fiction Resolution perpetuates long-debunked Native American stereotypes by Stephen Warren published April 26, 2019 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
  15. July 18, 2019 the Mary Penrose Wayne Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution on Facebook shared photos of the first Anthony Wayne Day posted by Mark Krebs.
  16. Long article When the Culture Wars Hit Fort Wayne A quiet Indiana city declared a holiday to celebrate its founder. In the age of Trump, nothing is ever that simple. by Charles Savage posted July 31, 2020 on Politico.

Pennsylvania Information

  1. January 1, 2023 post by Heartfelt History on Facebook:

    "Anthony Wayne, son of Isaac, looming up before us to day, was born January 1, 1745, and grew to young manhood upon his father's plantation of over five hundred acres, and about the tannery, traces of which still remain. He had the benefit of a somewhat desultory education received from an uncle living in the country, and he spent two years in Philadelphia at the academy out of which arose the University of Pennsylvania. The bent of his mind even in boyhood was to mathematics rather than to literature. At the time of the French and Indian war, wherein his father had served as a captain, he was at an age when startling events make their strongest and most lasting impressions, and in his sport he discarded balls and marbles to construct intrenchments and engage in mimic battles. At the academy he studied surveying and determined to make that occupation the pursuit of his life.”

    From: Anthony Wayne by Samuel Pennypacker, published in 1908

    Sources says not in copyright

    Image: Major-General Anthony Wayne by James Peale c. 1795, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

  2. January 1, 2023 post by the Sons of the American Revolution - Richard Montgomery Chapter on Facebook:

    Today in History

    Did you know that Paul Revere, “Mad Anthony” Wayne and Betsy Ross were born on New Year’s Day?

    Paul Revere - January 1, 1735
    “Mad Anthony” Wayne - January 1, 1745
    Betsy Ross - January 1, 1752

  3. July 23, 2022 post by General "Mad" Anthony Wayne Organization, Inc on Facebook:

    So where, exactly, is General "Mad" Anthony Wayne buried?

    Haunted Places in Erie Pa. Mad Anthony Wayne posted Nov 14, 2019 by David DiCola on YouTube
    Erie News Now produced a three part series on Haunted Urban Legends in and around Erie Pa. We learned about Revolutionary War soldier Anthony Wayne and how his spirit still haunts Route 322 every New Years Day.

  4. October 19, 2018 post by The History Center on Facebook:

    Following the dedication of our first American fort on October 22, 1794, the namesake of our city, General Anthony Wayne, never again graced the land of three rivers. Wayne died from complications of gout on December 15, 1796 and was buried at Fort Presque Isle (present-day Erie, Pennsylvania). His son Isaac Wayne disinterred the body in 1809, relocating it to the family plot at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Radnor, Pennsylvania. These decayed remnants are from the original coffin that held General Wayne’s body while buried at Fort Presque Isle. Come and glimpse these objects and much more during Fright Night!

    The History Center

    #sociallyhistory

  5. History Tidbits: The Ghostly Afterlife of “Mad” Anthony Wayne

    by Logan Knight

    Genealogy Gems: News from the Allen County Public Library at Fort Wayne, No. 235, September 30, 2023

    **************************************

    Outside, the weather is turning crisp, the leaves are beginning to change color, and the days are getting shorter. When that happens, it seems inevitable that our thoughts begin to turn in a more eerie direction. In this part of the country, perhaps no figure dominates the landscape quite like “Mad” Anthony Wayne. Wayne’s life is well known, but what do you know about his death? Did you know that he was buried in not one but two graves?

    Certainly, the character of “Mad” Anthony Wayne seems to be an odd choice for a ghostly afterlife. His actual life was dramatic enough. A towering figure of the American Revolution, Wayne was noted for his aggression upon the battlefield. When asked if he could take the fortress of Stony Point, New York, Wayne replied “Issue the order, and I’ll storm Hell!” The General was not called on to do that, but he did serve ably throughout the war. This was not the end of his service though. Wayne would command the Legion of the United States and defeat the Northwest Indian Confederacy, opening the modern American Midwest to settlement.

    Shortly after his great victory at Fallen Timbers (1794), Wayne took ill. A lifetime of hard living had taken its toll on the man. He suffered from gout, a disease that sprouted up from too much alcohol and red meat. Wayne shuffled off this mortal coil on December 15, 1796 aged just fifty-one. He was buried underneath the floor, next to the flagpole, of a fort blockhouse in modern day Erie, Pennsylvania. That seemed to be the end of old “Mad” Anthony, yet that was not the case.

    For thirteen years, his body rested underneath that fort. Such an ignominious grave seemed inappropriate for a prominent war hero. In 1809, his children, Isaac and Margaretta, decided to return his body home. Isaac journeyed to Fort Presque Isle and had his father’s body disinterred. The remains of “Mad Anthony” were uniquely well preserved for being underground for over a decade.

    Isaac Wayne realized he could not transport his father’s body back home to stately Waynesborough Manor across the rugged paths that passed for roads at the time. He solved the problem in a distinctly grisly manner. He had “Mad” Anthony boiled in a large iron pot, separating the remaining tissue from the bones. The parts were then separated. Embalming had only just arrived and was not available. While this method seems gruesome to us today, this form of preservation was not uncommon, especially for bodies that were located far away from their eventual burying place. Onlookers made the scene more ghoulish by snipping off locks of the General’s hair. One particular witness grabbed a boot off of Wayne’s foot. He then had a companion boot made for the other foot and proceeded to wear them until they fell apart.

    Isaac loaded up his father’s bones for the long journey across Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, it seems the casket carrying the precious load was not fully secure. Along the rough wagon roads, bumps and knocks were the order of the day. It seems that some bones were knocked out of the wagon on the long trip home.

    They say that every January 1, Wayne’s birthday, you can see his ghost riding on horseback between Erie and Philadelphia, looking for his lost bones. His route supposedly traces U.S. Route 322 that runs southwest through the Keystone State. People have seen him going both east and west along the road which would make sense. After all, if he didn’t find his bones the first time, then another sweep makes sense.

    When he is not riding the highways, Wayne’s bones today rest at Old Saint David’s Church Cemetery, just outside Philadelphia. The fleshy bits remained underneath what is now called the Wayne Blockhouse back in Erie, Pennsylvania. They still keep the iron boiling pot at the Hagen History Center, not too far from the blockhouse. So, if you happen to be out late, keep an eye out. Who knows what you might see? Happy Halloween!

  6. December 30, 2023 post by Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society on Facebook:

    The Strange Story of Anthony Wayne’s Graves, by Joyce DeYoung

    Easttown is fortunate to have preserved Historic Waynesborough, birthplace and home of Major General “Mad” Anthony Wayne. He was a dedicated, courageous Revolutionary War officer, but the macabre story of what happened to his earthly remains has overshadowed his war exploits.

    In late 1796, 51 years old and burdened with gout and war injuries, Wayne lay dying at Fort Presque Isle, now site of the city of Erie. On December 15th he died and was interred according to his wishes, at the base of the garrison’s flagpole. This portrait dates from about the time of his death.

    There the general rested for 13 years until the summer of 1809. That year his son, Isaac Wayne, at the behest of his sister, traveled from Waynesborough to his burial site. Isaac wanted to disinter his father and rebury him in the family plot at St David’s Churchyard in Radnor. Expecting to find only a skeleton when the grave was opened, those present were greatly surprised to find a well-preserved corpse, the only decomposition being the lower leg which had been afflicted with gout.

    How to move a fleshed corpse by horse and cart 380 miles over primitive roads in summer, roughly along the route of US 322, a journey that would take several weeks? Surely decomposition would begin. Isaac called for Dr. John Wallace, the same physician Wayne had requested to attend him. A decision was made to render the corpse to remove the flesh from bone so the clean skeleton could be transported. Wayne’s clothing was cut away as was his ponytail. Then Dr. Wallace dismembered the corpse. The pieces were put into a large cauldron of boiling water. After the flesh sloughed off, the bones were cleaned and put into an ossuary box for travel back to Easttown. The remaining parts of Anthony Wayne along with the dismembering implements were put back in the coffin and reinterred in the original grave. The bones were buried, as the family wanted, in St. David’s Churchyard. The marker is shown nearby.

    By 1853 the long abandoned fort was leveled. The location of the grave was lost until 1878 during construction of the Pennsylvania Soldiers and Sailors Home. Again his coffin was dug up. This time little but the lid and dissection tools remained. A replica of the original blockhouse was constructed on the spot in 1880 and once again what little remained of Anthony Wayne was buried in a tomb inside. The blockhouse (shown here) and grave can be visited on the grounds of the Soldiers and Sailors Home near the waterfront in Erie.

    The general's wife preceded him in death by several years. When he died, his life and death information were engraved onto her tombstone. Therefore he has three grave markers for two graves. However, not ALL of him rests in a grave; this photograph shows his ponytail as displayed in a glass case at Historic Waynesborough.

    Maybe even that’s not all. There is a legend that some bones were lost on the trip from Erie, and that every January 1, Wayne’s birthday, his ghost and that of his horse Nancy ride between Radnor and Erie looking for his lost bones.

    HAPPY NEW YEAR!

    Sources:

    History Matters: The Strange Story of Anthony Wayne’s Graves, by Joyce DeYoung

    Friends of Historic Waynesborough. Special thanks to Eric Williams and Michelle Bradley.

    https://www.AmericanRevolution.org/wayne.php, accessed 08/28/2023.

    Erie Co. Historical Society, Hagen History Center, https://www.eriehistory.org/.../a-halloween-story-the..., accessed 08/28/2023.

  7. General Anthony Wayne home at Paoli near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and tombstone at Old Saint David’s Church Cemetery from the The Library of Congress.
  8. Waynesborough Home of Revolutionary War’s General “Mad” Anthony Wayne on Philadelphia and The Countryside states Wayne is buried in two graves. Thirteen years after Wayne’s death and burial in Erie, PA, at the family’s request, his son Isaac brought back the General’s bones for another burial in the family’s plot in Radnor, PA.
  9. Mad Anthony Wayne’s Bones published October 30, 2014 by Jamestown Settlement & American Revolution Museum at Yorktown blog now on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine states: There is a strong oral tradition in Pennsylvania that all of Mad Anthony’s bones did not make it back home. As the story goes, the bones had not been properly packed, and many of them were lost on the long overland trek from Erie to Radnor. This circumstance gave rise to one of the best ghost stories about a Revolutionary War hero. Every year on January 1, the General’s birthday, Mad Anthony Wayne goes out searching for his lost bones. His ghost rides along U.S. Route 322 in Pennsylvania, a road that follows the path along which the bones were scattered, and seeks to recover them. Understandably, the General is mad that he is buried in Erie, in Radnor, and at several locations in-between.
  10. Paoli Battlefield has a short history.
  11. October 11, 2023 post by Uncharted Lancasteron Facebook:

    Revolutionary War General "Mad Anthony" Wayne has the unique distinction of being the only Pennsylvanian known to have two separate graves, with body parts in both. Legend holds that his ghost rises every New Year's morning to make the 400-mile journey from Valley Forge to Erie along 322, searching for his missing body parts. Learn the full story in this #hauntedLancaster tale. The Ghost of General ‘Mad Anthony’ Wayne and his Missing Bones

Publications

There are over 90 publication titles on Anthony Wayne, 1745-1796 on Internet Archive.

Sketch of the Life of General Anthony Wayne starting on page IIX of History of Fort Wayne, from the earliest known accounts of this point, to the present period. Embracing an extended view of the aboriginal tribes of the Northwest, including, more especially, the Miamies ... with a sketch of the life of General Anthony Wayne; including also a lengthy biography of ... pioneer settlers of Fort Wayne. Also an account of the manufacturing, mercantile, and railroad interests of Fort Wayne and vicinity by Brice, Wallace A, 1868, on Archive.org.

The storming of Stony Point by Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society, 1953 on Archive.org
This sketch was published in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette on July 9, 1879.

Major-General Anthony Wayne and the Pennsylvania line in the Continental Army by Stillé, Charles J. (Charles Janeway), 1819-1899 Publication Date 1893, on Archive.org.

General Anthony Wayne's Expedition into the Indian Country on page 264 of Pamphlets Volume 8 by Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County, Publication date 1954, on Archive.org

.

Anthony Wayne by De Peyster, J. Watts (John Watts), 1821-1907, Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County, Publilcation Date 1955, on Archive.org.

Anthony Wayne's expedition into the Northwest. by Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919, on Archive.org.

Back to top

  1. Gen. Wayne descendant to visit city Woman, 80, to donate items by Rosa Salter Rodriquez published April 29, 2016 in The Journal Gazette newspaper .
  2. Major General Anthony Wayne by Tom Castaldi in the History Center Notes & Queries blog originally published in the Fort Wayne Magazine under the heading Along the Heritage Trail in the September/October 2003.
  3. Why was Anthony Wayne “Mad”? by Carmen Doyle published August 5, 2014 in History Center Notes & Queries blog.
  4. Gen. Anthony Wayne helped the nation grow west by Richard Battin published January 24, 1994 on Summit City History Notes in The News-Sentinel newspaper .
  5. Find-A-Grave has photos and the story of his burial and reburial shared March 6, 2017 on Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana Facebook and wife Mary Penrose Wayne. Wayne Buried in Two Places Is it true that "Mad Anthony" Wayne is buried in two places? on Paoli Battlefield on Independence Hall Association USHistory.org.
  6. A little known actor named Marion Robert Morrison was originally given the stage name Anthony Wayne, but Fox Studios change it to John Wayne who became a leading man in 142 of his 153 movies a Hollywood record.
  7. Comic book and movie character Batman, alter ego Bruce Wayne, is depicted as a direct descent to General Anthony Wayne on The Ghost Of Bruce Wayne’s Real-Life Namesake Haunts Pennsylvania by Dan Nosowitz published May 19, 2015 on Atlas Obscura. The Batman connection was discussed March 1, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebookand January 20, 2022 post on You know you've lived in Fort Wayne too long when... Private Facebook group about a Best of Pawn Stars video at the 55-second mark discussing a Batman comic book posted January 17, 2022 on Facebook.
Back to top

Page updated: