Captain Nathan Heald

NATHAN HEALD was born September 24, 1775 at New Ipswich, New Hampshire. After military school, he joined the Army in 1799 and was sent to the Northwest Territories. There he commanded Fort Massanch (1805-06) and Fort Dearborn (at present Chicago, 1807-12). While on furlough in Kentucky he married Rebecca Wells, the 21 year-old daughter of Col. Samuel Wells. With Rebecca's slave, Cicely they returned to Chicago in May, 1811. After war was declared with Britain on June 18, 1812, Gen. William Hull ordered Capt. Heald to evacuate Fort Dearborn and proceed to Detroit. Capt. Wells and 30 Miami Indians arrived to serve as escort. Heald destroyed surplus supplies and material before abandoning Fort Dearborn on August 15, 1812, and setting out with 54 regular troops, 12 militia, 30 Miamis, and 2 wagons filled with 25 women and children. About 1.5 miles from Fort Dearborn they were attacked by 500 Potawatomies. The wagons were captured, and the militia, 2 women, 12 children, and half of the regular soldiers were killed including Capt. Wells and Cicely. Heald was wounded in the hip, before surrendering to Potawatomi Chief Black Bird. The captives were taken to Fort Michilimackinac where Capt. Heald was paroled and spent the rest of the war at Louisville. He was discharged from the Army with a $20/month disability pension. In 1817 the Healds with two infant daughters left Louisville for St. Charles, Missouri, arriving in April. In November they moved to the Zumwalt plantation (purchased for $1000 on October 10, 1817). Until his death on April 27, 1832 Nathaniel Heald resided and farmed at Zumwalt's Fort. His account book is in the Draper papers (State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 24U1-102). Nathaniel raised bees for honey, cattle for meat, and sold about 10% of the bacon and hams that were produced. Cloth was produced in a loom house. In 1831 the Potawatomis visited his farm on their way west to Kansas, their resettlement being by executive order of President Andrew Jackson. On his death Nathaniel Heald, in addition to his plantation, owned two lots in St. Charles and 9 stores. These were inherited by his son, and the rest of the property was sold at auction. Rebecca Wells (Heald) continued to live at the old fort until her death 25 years later (1857). A son, Darsus Heald, maintained the plantation through the Civil War, although the home was ransacked by Union troops (Quale 1913:138). The house was finally abandoned in 1890 (Waselkov 1979).

Source From A History of the Fawcetts and Related Families in America by William Bloys Fawcett. Used by permission of Dr. Fawcett. This book was first published in 1996 and some of the information is quite dated. If you find errors or want to add updates, contact me, and I will add notes to the page. Copyright © 1996, 2007 by William Bloys Fawcett, Jr. All rights reserved. No copies may be made of this document through any electronic, photocopying or other means without permission of the author.

• Reference: Gaus Children