A true Minnesota pioneer
Hephzibeth Jewett Merritt arrived at the head of the Great Lakes in the fall of 1856, pioneering the forested wilderness with her husband and eight boys.
Together, they helped to shape what eventually became the city of Duluth. Her sons sealed the fate of northern Minnesota with their discovery of the Mesabi Iron Range, but was is in the troubled times following this discovery that "Hephzibeth, Woman of Iron" takes place.
Hephzibeth Jewett Merritt arrived at the head of the Great Lakes in the fall of 1856, pioneering the forested wilderness with her husband and eight boys. Her story will be told in "Hephzibeth, Woman of Iron" on March 28. The stories and facts used in this 90-minute play are historically accurate, researched by the author, Lauren Nickisch, Hephzibeth's great-great-great-granddaughter through her son Leonidas. Nickisch also portrays the character Hephzibeth in the production.
On the day her sons lose the Mesabi to John D. Rockefeller, Hephzibeth, matriarch of the family at age 84, tries to shore up the spirits of her granddaughter, Ruth. She shares stories of her youth and her struggles of the early days in Oneota, now west Duluth, hoping to help Ruth through this time of crisis. Hephzibeth recounts a midnight cutter ride across the ice of St. Louis Bay to assist a sick neighbor many miles away.
She tells of the impact Indians have on her life and how death affected her family. As the discovery of the iron on the Mesabi is woven into her tale, the audience discovers the strength and courage that is Hephzibeth Merritt.
The stories and facts used in this 90-minute play are historically accurate, researched by the author, Lauren Nickisch, Hephzibeth's great-great-great-granddaughter through her son Leonidas. Nickisch also portrays the character Hephzibeth in the production.
Nickisch is active in theater in the Brainerd area, performing the roles of Mama Rose in "Gypsy," Miss Hannigan in "Annie" and Mother Superior in "Nunsense," among many others. She has performed "Hephzibeth, Woman of Iron" across Minnesota, including productions at St. Cloud State University, Central Lakes College and Northland Community College in Thief River Falls.