Articles by Josh Lange

Published July 4, 2024

Two hundred and forty-eight years ago today, the most important document in the history of democracies was published. That document being the Declaration of Independence for the United States of America. The 4^th of July marks the independence of our country instead of other dates, as this was the day the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. The fight for independence, however, had been raging on since a year prior, kicking off on April 19, 1775, when the battles of Lexington and Concord had occurred. Thousands of American patriots put their lives on the line, with tens of thousands paying the ultimate sacrifice to create a new type of nation, one that changed the world forever. The word patriot during the 1770’s in colonial America was actually used in a derogatory way by the loyalists and the British government to describe rebels or disloyal subjects. Despite this, the patriots kept the name like a badge of honor. The Revolutionary War officially ended on September 3, 1783, when the Treaty of Paris was signed by the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United States of America. Now what if I told you there was a direct link between the Revolutionary War and the City of Mishawaka.

At first this may seem hard to believe, because the first permanent settlement in modern day Mishawaka being St. Joseph Ironworks was officially founded in 1833, over 58 years after the start of the Revolutionary War. Despite the large gap of multiple generations, there was a revolutionary war veteran who had lived and died in our city. The name of this patriot was Mead Hurd, who was the grandfather of Alanson Hurd, the founder of Mishawaka. Mead Hurd was born on March 7, 1754, to Nehemiah Hurd and Sarah (Mead) Hurd in Stratford, Connecticut. Not much is known about the Hurd family during the colonial era, due to lack of proper records in the thirteen colonies, but what is known is that the Hurd family were of some of the earliest American colonists, traveling from Somersetshire, England across the Atlantic in the mid-1600s to Connecticut. 

Mead was an early adopter of believing America could become an independent nation, as he voluntarily joined the Connecticut militia in Captain Black’s Company near the initial stages of the war in 1775. In research conducted by Historian Laureate of Mishawaka Peter De Kever, quoted from his book Walking Mishawaka, he explains Mead Hurd’s service as “(He) served as a private for six enlistments—ranging from one to seven month’s duration—mostly in Connecticut and New York until his final discharge in 1780. — (Pvt. Mead Hurd) witnessed the British burning of Danbury and fought in the Battle of Ridgefield”. Mead however was not the only member of the Hurd family actively involved in the American cause, as his father briefly served in the Connecticut Militia as well. Nehemiah Hurd aged 50 at the time served in Captain Samuel Beardslee’s Company of Colonel Samuel Whiting’s Regiment in the fall of 1777. Nehemiah participated in a short campaign at Fishkill that October. After serving, Nehemiah went back to civilian life and lived the rest of days in his home state of Connecticut. Nehemiah passed away on May 26, 1797, aged 70.

While the Revolutionary war was still raging on, Mead Hurd’s wife gave birth in Connecticut to their son, Philo Hurd, in 1778. Sometime after the conclusion of the war, the Hurd family moved to Saratoga County, New York. In New York is where Philo met his future wife Martha (Smith) Hurd. Philo became a blacksmith by trade and started a family with Martha. They had their son, Alanson, who was born January 9, 1804, in Saratoga County, New York. According to a military pension document by August 10, 1832, Mead was officially put on the Revolutionary War Veteran Pension, being sent $66.66 a year (roughly $2,100 in 2024 USD) by the federal government. Eventually, the Hurd family started migrating westward, but Mead stayed behind in New York. By 1834, a tiny village of under 100 people which had only existed for barely a year was starting to grow in northern Indiana. The founder of this village is Mead’s 30-year-old grandson Alanson Hurd, who is trying to get his company and village to thrive. Mead Hurd now aged 80 and living in Pittsford, New York, decided to pack up everything and move across the country to St. Joseph Ironworks (Modern day Mishawaka) Indiana. Mead wanted to be with his family in the final years of his life, but also wanted to go to Mishawaka as he believed his grandson’s dream would work. You can only imagine how brutal of a trip that must have been, especially at such an advanced age for that era. This is a time in America where northern Indiana was still a frontier, and when train tracks did not span across the country. It took easily over a week in the 1800s to do the trip Mead Hurd journeyed. That same trip in the modern era only takes roughly 8 hours by car. Nonetheless, Mead made it to Mishawaka in the spring of that year. 

Sadly though, Mead did not get to see much of Mishawaka’s growth as he passed away on July 19, 1834, only a couple of months after arriving in what is now the city. While he did die not too long after coming here, he at least was surrounded by his loved ones when it happened instead of alone on the other side of the country. Mead Hurd is buried in City Cemetery, which I recommend visiting his grave to pay respects. The Hurd family may no longer live in the city of Mishawaka, but their legacies still live on in more ways than you could imagine. Alanson Hurd may be the founder of Mishawaka, but Mead Hurd is one of the hundreds of thousands of soldiers that made the founding of the United States of America possible. While the 4^th of July has fireworks, family cookouts, and fun summertime events, remember that none of these amenities or our nation for that matter would exist if it were not for Patriots like Mead Hurd who stood up to British tyranny. It is my intention to secure a brick for Mead Hurd at the Veterans Walkway down in Battell Park, not only for him to be honored like countless other veterans from our city, but also to make sure people never forget the only Revolutionary War Veteran of Mishawaka.  

UPDATE: January 5, 2025

Last May, Mishawaka unveiled the eternal flame monument and brick Veteran’s Walkway in Battell Park. I decided to purchase a brick to honor Mead Hurd as he has no remaining relatives in the area. The proceeds from the veteran bricks are used to fund Troop Town, a nonprofit in Mishawaka that will house homeless veterans in tiny homes until they can get approved for something more permanent.

Mead Hurd’s brick is located north of the eternal flame. The inscription of the brick reads, “Mead Hurd, Pvt, Rev War, 1754-1834.” His brick is there with the names of dozens of other Mishawakans who served our nation in the armed forces over the past 249 years. Mead Hurd is buried at Mishawaka City Cemetery. This brick can serve as a way that his legacy and memory will never be forgotten.

Mead Hurd’s Grave at City Cemetery

Mead Hurd’s brick in Battell Park.