Local Revolutionary War hero Ned Hector visits Colonial Middle School
Ned Hector, portrayed by Noah Lewis, organizes eighth grade volunteers into a cannon crew.
History came alive for eighth graders at Colonial Middle School with a visit from American Revolutionary War patriot Ned Hector. The soldier, portrayed by Noah Lewis, burst into the auditorium to tell his story and give the students a glimpse into his life as an African American teamster and bombardier during the war.
“It’s our history,” said eighth grader Bodhi Rucker. “It’s important to know how we formed as a country and all the contributions.”
Ned Hector served the American cause in the Battle of Brandywine and Battle of Germantown. He’s noted for bravery at Brandywine, having saved his team of horses and wagon of military supplies when ordered to retreat. He was also credited as being a bombardier with Proctor’s Artillery and recruited some of the students to form a cannon crew and go through the motions of the firing sequence.
Eighth grader Sean Wheeler had the job of loading and cleaning the imaginary cannon. “My favorite thing was being a part of the reenactment of it,” he said. “I got to see it through the actions and how the people were treated.”
In class, the students are exploring individual soldiers and “unsung heroes” and their roles in gaining America’s freedom. Ned Hector was one of those soldiers.
Social studies teacher Carolann Crum found Mr. Lewis’s portrayal of Ned Hector to be captivating. “I felt as though every kid was able to just connect and be fully present,” she said. “His way of taking the past and connecting with this generation of teenagers today was, to me, the most amazing part of it.”
After the war, Ned Hector settled in Plymouth Township and was an active part of the community until he passed away at the age of 90. When Conshohocken Borough formed in the area in 1850, 16 years after Ned Hector’s death, community members petitioned to build a road passable by wagons and name it Hector Street in his honor.
Funding for the program came from the award social studies teacher George Hankins received as a Citadel Heart of Learning Award grand prize winner.
Click here to watch a video about Ned Hector's visit!
Noah Lewis as Ned Hector with the eighth grade social studies team and Principal Sean Kaplan.