Descendants, Bedford Co. museum tell the story of 'Indian Eve'

Bedford County, PA (WJAC) — An early September morning, in 1777, in the Dutch Corner area of Bedford County birthed one of the most enduring stories of determination and perseverance in Pennsylvania history.

It began with a triple murder and ended with the kidnapping of a woman and her two young sons.

The woman was Mrs. Eve Ernst, known in the annals of history as "Indian Eve."

Determined to return to her home, she worked tirelessly towards attaining the means for them to make the well over 300-mile journey back to Dutch Corner.

Three of Eve’s descendants sat down with us to talk about what years of careful research have revealed to them about this amazing story.

Upon her return to Dutch Corner, Eve learned that her oldest son had married a local girl.

As a widow, she formed a bond with the girl’s father, and she ended up marrying him.

They both were instrumental in the construction of the first church in that area: the Messiah Lutheran Church.

Many descendants of “Indian Eve” still live in the Dutch Corner section of Bedford County today.

If you would like to learn more about this remarkable story or to schedule a presentation for a group, you can visit the website.

The “Indian Eve” exhibit is available for viewing during normal business hours at Fort Bedford Museum in downtown Bedford.

ncG1vNJzZmivmpawtcKNnKamZ56axLR7y6iamqRfmbK0r8Snm5qmpKh6o7HDn6arnF2YvG651KycrqVdqbKtuIytn55lo6m8s8WMqJ1moZ6ZtqK6jJ6tng%3D%3D