USA > Illinois > Menard County > Past and present of Menard County, Illinois > Part 33
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60
PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
the cane, whose eagle eyes saw that his gun was some little distance from him, sprang upon him before he could reach his gun. and cleft his head open with their savage tomahawk, while Mary stood, thoughtless of her own safety, hallooing to him to run for his gun: but when the murderous tomahawk had done its work. she fainted. and when consciousness returned, two Indians had her one by each arm. dragging her more dead than alive, to their canoe, which was concealed in the cane. She could have secreted herself casily where she might have remained safe until the men returned from the fort had she had presence of mind to have done so, but heroine as she was to see that dear father struck down in the vigor of his man- hood. was too much for her poor young heart to lear. Through her long life afterward, she would refer to that as the saddest day of her whole life. Poor child who would doubt this. a girl nineteen years of age, full of hope in anticipation of a bright future, scoing her father's life blood flowing from his dear head : then, as if that was not enough to satisfy their savage brutality, to tear from that head the scalp, more savage than a hyena. Think of this, you that were born in the lap of luxury. surrounded by friends and all the blessing that civilization brings, what our grandfathers and grandmothers had to endure, those that first tried to make a permanent settlement in Kon- lucky and Tennessee. yea, we may add, from the Atlantic to beyond the great Father of Waters, even to the Pacific ocean. After the murdering of Mary's father, they made haste to get away. They crossed over the river to the north and traveled for three days due north before they came to the balance of their band : and when they reached their savage comrades Mary fully expected they would murder and scalp her. but to her astonishment. they did not. Then she concluded she was spared for future torture, woll knowing their savage na- ture. The Indians held a council. and finally gave her the choice of becoming the wife of a young buck, or a servant to the chief. and she chose the servant's place. Little did she think when she made the choice, that it would be re- spected, but the idea of becoming the wife of the brute who murdered her father was so re-
pulsive to her noble nature that death would have been far preferable. For three weeks after her father was killed she could not shed a trar. She often said afterward that she felt that she would give the world if she could ery. but her poor heart was too full. All that long and weary march, when unperceived by the Indians, she would make marks on the trees to guide those who might pursue, or as a guide to her if she should make her escape, but. poor child. their vigilant eve was ever on her. Day after day, and night after night, did she watch, wait and hope for deliverance, but. alas! Hope would spring up to be dashed to the ground. Even the stars through the long watches of the night, seemed to moek her in her misery. One day. while brooding over her desolation. the tears began to fill her eyes, and when she could weep, what a relief to her poor heart, which she continued to do for many days. Finally, one of the savages said. "What makes you cry so?" She replied. "You killed my father." As if to pacify her grief he said. "If I had known it was your father, I would not have killed him." which seemed to her savage mockery. Day after day did she perform the work assigned her, but not willingly. They kept her hands hound as a precaution against her attempting to escape, binding her in the evening and taking off the thongs in the morning, when her services were wanted. A favorite pastime with them in the evening was to get out the scalps they had taken. to dry them in front of the tire. What must have been her feelings. to see those demons take her father's scalp and hold it up before her eyes, pretending to be drying it, and as though that was not enough, would trim off. the corners and cast them at her feet. when she would collect together. make a hole in the ground with her hands, and bury them, which she did with her hands crossed and bound in front of her. Her captors did not coase their vigilant watch over her for a long time, but after they had reached the vicinity of the Mammoth cave. in Kentucky, they became less watchful, and allowed her to sleep unbound. One night, while encamped under a beech tree into which a grape vine had climbed. she watched her opportunity, when her enemies were asleep. climbed up and secreted herself
PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
remaining there until Un. 7. when warch was made for her. but astate could be found. She becoming wie that they would not have the camp with- wat making a more thorough search and would remain there longer than she could remain in the tree. answered their call and came down. to their great delight. for they had found by In- time that she was ton valuable a servant to give up. When she was captured she had a You needles which she well know how to use. and did what sewing they required.
By this time winter had come, and in a short time the smallpox made it- appearance, when the whole band was stricken with that dread- ful di-case, except an old squaw. Mary was when out all over her body, and swelled to - il an extent that she had to stand on her wand- and know, which were the only spots that were not covered with cores. She was dind for four days, and to add to her misery. she was withom clothing of any kind except a cotton garment. and a blanket : and all the fire -he had was a small stick. the end of which was set on fire, and in steadily pushing it against a large log kept her-elf from freezing. a- there were none to wait on ber, and if the Imchan- had not been similarly afflicted she would have gotten but little care. While she was this afflicted, their seanty supply of meat gave out, and they were reduced to the painful nereus of drinking bears oil, of which the Indian- seemed to always carry a supply. but of which she could not partake, as her stomach rolled When the por began sloughing of to ques made her an ointment of the as of tie prickly pear. and bears' oil. and Case Her to apoint her face and hands, which totally presented them from leaving sears. Won the Indians recovered they soon procured Kcal enough to satisfy their immediate wants. that - at the Indian seems to care for. I was now - die of the year, and they set Coff . chuting add -kulking in the brush In, at times, had to depend on Eu food. Sometimes the In . it rely ont of anything to công- đt to the hear- oil, which Hot erin. On one occasion Sub-00 Que En ten days, and all
the poor girl had to cat during that time was a piece of white oak bark that she pealed with her knife, which she had carried with her since her capture. On the tenth day, about ten o'clock. they killed a bear. but were afraid to remain long in that locality, so they cut out such part- as they desired. and Mary cut out about a pound of the fat along the loin, and devoured raw, which. of course, came near co-ting her her life : but the old squaw made herself useful in her case, gave her some ten made of herbs. and she soon was relieved. There is one good trait in the character of the Indians-they will divide whatever they have to eat even with their prisoners. At a subsequent time they killed a quail and divided it into fouricen parts. not omitting to divide the entrails. On another occasion they killed a large blacksnake on which they frasted. That summer seemed to be hard on them. They were passing through the In- diana territory, and their> was a small band. only fourteen, including their captive. Three or four of that number were squaws, and they were in constant dread of the whites. They camped at the French Lick- for some days. while there, and in sore distress for something to ent. An eruption occurred just after dark about a quarter of a mile northeast of their camp. A great flash of light seemed to burst from the ground, accompanied by a loud re- port. which shook the earth for quite a dis- tance, which greatly excited the Indians. The buck> all wem to ascertain the cause. When they started they gave strict orders that 10 noise was to be made at the camp. but they had not been gone a great while when a deer that had probably been frightened by the ex- plosion. or the Indians, came running in the direction of the camp. and halted within a few feet of the camp. Notwithstanding the positive orders of the old chief. his old squaw pointed to Mary and to the gun. when she raised the gun and killed the deer in its tracks. The Indian- supposing the white- had attacked them. came running back to ascertain the cause of the disturbance. They were told that it was Mary who had fired the gun and killed the deer. On the instant the old chief raised his tomahawk to brain her for daring to disobey him. when the old squas caught his arm and
-
MR. AND MRS. GEORGE SPEARS.
275
PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
pointed to the door. when his wrath immediately subsided. and he appeared greatly delighted. The following day the Indians revisited the locality where the great light burst up from the ground. the night previous, and brought back many specimens which they supposed was lead ore, but when they failed to melt it with all the appliances they possessed, they pronounced it money. Specimens of silver have been found there occasionally ever since, and no doubt there is a deposit of silver ore in that vicinity. to what extent is not known.
The Indians now commenced their march to the north, keeping as close to the Wabash river as possible. The next winter found them in northern Indiana. Here they suffered mich from the cold of the long winter that followed. Think of it, you that have warm houses, and comfortable clothing. of spending a winter in northern Indiana out of doors with no shelter but the starry heavens. no clothing but a thin cotton garment and a blanket. It was during that winter that an incident occurred that caused quite an unusual stir among the In- dians. They had gotten so far away with their captive, that they were comparatively careless with her, supposed she never could get away from them. and they had ceased to keep such a close watch on her. So. one night she lay down after a hard day's work. rolled herself up in her blanket. and was soon oblivious to her surroundings. During the night it began to snow, and by daylight there had more than a foot in depth fallen. When the Indians got up no Mary was to be seen. They made search for her in all directions, without success. Finally. abandoning the hope of ever finding her, one of the Indians threw a pole back in the snow. which fell with considerable weight on her, as she lay there all uneonseious of her surroundings. The sudden shock awoke her. and with a spring she was on her feet in an in- stant, to the amazement and delight of the Indians. When she awoke she was in a profuse perspiration. After the first exclamation of joy at her discovery. their brutal instincts returned, and they compelled her to cut and carry twenty poles to burn before they would allow her to come to the fire to warm.
Finally, warm weather returned. when the
Land went out on foraging expeditions, coming in bringing many scalps with them, and some horses. After a time the horses strayed away, and all hands, including Mary, were sent or went to hunt for them. Mary and the chief's son's wife went in company. Mary had a ris- ing on the bottom of her foot, caused by a bruise which made her quite lame. Conse- quently. she could not walk as fast as her com- panion. The little squaw asked her why she did not walk faster, when she replied she could not on account of the sore on her foot. to which the squaw made reply. "Let me see it." and when she held her foot up for inspection the little savage hit it with a large club she was carrying. which rendered her foot so painful that she was compelled to go to camp, where Mary laid in her complaint to the old squaw. and when her husband came in she told of the treatment Mary had received, whom the chief called into his presence, and she corrohorated the story of the old squaw. and exhibited her foot. This enraged the old chief and he called up the young squaw. and administered to her such a beating as Mary had never witnessed before: in fact. until she was sorry and pleaded for the young brute. AAlthough her treatment by the Indians was brutal in the extreme. yet she was of sneh a tender and sympathetic dis- position that she rebelled at unnecessary pun- ishment.
The next move the Indians made was toward the east. In their journeyings they came to a British trading post, presided over by a British oflicor, where the Indians halted and bought some trinkets of the officers, the officers taking in exchange human scalps. among which was Mary's own father's. She tried to get him to buy her of the Indians, to which he replied. saying he would buy no more live scalps. when all the indignation that her young heart was capable of mastering arose, and she commenced to taunt him with his nefarious business, which so aroused his ire that he threatened to cleave her head from her shoulders, which she dared him to do. In that house. strung on a wire, she saw infants' sealps. the hair on which was not more than an inch long. What think. kind reader, of a government that will resort to such nefarious measures. murdering women
PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
el color : It may be said that the gov- imprisonment she was now about to be free: urgent do not do that. but they did by their -neLe tom. Here was a man, a British sul- Just. an officer of it- army, and in its pay. stationed there for the purpose of inciting the Indian- to murder: not only so, but to buy the -calpe of infant- and their mothers, that they had butchered. No wonder the British gov- ernicht will not allow these things published in their history of the war of the Revolution. It i- a disgrace that will never be effaced from it- history. No other civilized government on earth has ever resorted to such measures. No wonder the brave heart of the Irish people rt at their vorraus. The heart turns sick at tla contemplation of such deeds of infamy. and turning from the dark deeds, we are about to enter a brighter chapter.
They were now wearing Detroit, Michigan. and camped just outside of the stockade, where the French showed Mary every kindness: in fact. it was their business to iny or steal pri- mes from the Indians. In her case. the Frenchman who undertook to get her away took a plan which he was sure would showed. That is, he tried the effects of fire water: so " brought them a quart of whisky, of which they all partook very freely, except the old chief, who remained sober to watch. as is the Indian custom. The Frenchman remained talking with the ludians until near sunset ; toen he informed the old chief that his wife would want the cup to put milk in to feed the baby . during the night. well knowing he would order Mary to return it to it - owner. The chief turned to her and bade her take the cup home. when the pretended to refuse ta- she was sick with the chills at the time.) the well knowing that he would repeat the order, which he did with a threat of splitting her head open with tly tomahawk if she refused : when she arose. going to their treasure box fas she carried the hess.) unlocking it with the intention of got- ning & pair of silver show buckles that belonged to ler. It was unable, in her excitement to get bit ofe . and afraid of delay. left the keys in the lock, not wishing to take anything belong- Ing to them Imagine, if you can. the joy that was welln'estup In for Heart. mingled with fear. that after two ling war- of most cruel
but that some move made, a word spoken. might dash all her hopes to the ground. She thought of home. of friends, although she knew she was separated from them by hundreds of miles: but she hoped to get be spared to see them. The terrible uncertainty of her escape being successful. seconds seemed to her hours. She, when prudence dictated to her to tarry no longer. took the cup and hastened as fast as she could to her destination. The lady to whom she was sent was standing in her yard when she arrived. told her to throw the cup over the fence. and go with her brother. who was waiting to accompany her. which she did. The brother taking off his own coat and hat bade her put them on and he tied a handker- chief around his head, as was the custom of many of the French. When they arrived at the gate of the stockade, it was nearly dark. and the gates closed. Her guide made the usual request to be admitted. when the guard answered. "Who comes there?" "AA friend to the king." was hi- response : but turning to her. in a low whisper. said. "A friend to our country at present." They were admitted and Mary was taken to her friend'- mother's, who at first concealed her in the cellar. The next day the whole town was aroused, and a vigilant search made, which was unsuccessful. Going to the lady where she returned the cup to inquire she said the girl came to the gate and threw the cup in the yard. and went off as if she was mad. After making thorough search outside of the stockade, they inquired of the guards at the gale, who said no woman had passed through the gate on the evening before. but two men had, which completely put them off their -cent. After a few days they ceased their search for the time being. Mary was kept in the cellar for a few days: then the old French lady moved her up stair- and gave her some sewing to do. and she remained there unmolested for about three weeks, until one day, unthoughtedly, she Stood up in front of the window to shake the wrinkles ont of a shirt -he had just finished. Just opposite a tailor had a shop and saw her. and in a few days he got drunk and told the Indians, and they came and demanded to search for her, which could not be denied. as the post
PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
was in the hands of the British. and they had their garrison to enforce their orders, and why should they not let their friends (the Indians) search. if need be help them. capture women and children, well knowing in many cases the Indians would scalp their victims and burn them at the stake. Shame! Shame! on a na- tion that would resort to such methods to gain a victory. But thanks to our great Creator they were not permitted to carry out their hellish designs in enslaving a people that had tasted of liberty although thrice baptized in blood. The great watchword to them was "Liberty or death."
So thorough was their search for Mary, the old Frenchman put her in his money vault. built in the wall of the house, where she stood on thousands of gold and silver, so afraid she dared not breathe. even. She was afraid the beating of her heart would attract their aften- tion. So cautious was her friend in concealing her that he had whitewashed the door so it would appear as the wall of the house: it had to leave the keyhole open to furnish air. Oh. what think you. kind reader. must have been her feelings after braving all the dangers she had passed through, and when she had unex- pretedly found friends, to be thus basely be- traved, each moment expecting to be discovered. when a move of the foot or a Jond breath would betray her hiding place and surely cost her her life: when within touch of those savage brutes she could hear threats that they would burn her alive if they ever got hold of her again. But thanks to an overruling Providence, they were not permitted to find her, and she lived many years afterward, to relate these tales to her children. grandchildren and her great- great-grandchildren. Finally. the Indians gave up the search and she remained with her friends for some weeks. But such was the constant dread of the enemy that her friends were compelled to send her out to an island. about nine miles from the shore, which was the first time in over two years she could breathe vasily. There she found about ninety who had been prisoners like herself, waiting a vessel to take them away. Finally, a vessel landed, and they were bidden to come aboard, which invita- tion did not need to be repeated. When all
was ready, they set sail for the east : but mind you. they were get in the hands of the British government. and prisoners of war. How does that sound-prisoners of war. But such was the fact. When they got out on Lake Erie they encountered a severe gale, which became -o severe they were liable to go to the bottom every minute. The passengers and crew were ordered below, and every wave sweeping the deck. The hatches battened down, and every- body seasick, nearly. Mary tried it for awhile and she concluded she would rather take the chances of being washed overboard than be cooped up in that intolerable stench ; so when the hatches were raised to admit air she ran up the stairway and refused to go down again. The captain seeing her plek, caught her by the hand and with the other caught a ring around the mast, and in that way they were able to stay on deck until the storm had passed. Finally, they landed, when they obtained a row- boat to take them to Niagara Falls, which they were unacquainted with, and came near going over. Being rescued. they disembarked and walked down to Lake Ontario, where they em- barked for Lake Champlain, and where they ar- rived in due course of time. Here a new dif- ficulty to Mary arose .- the first intimation that she was a prisoner of the British government. and where she found an officer ready to take their paroles. She and two other girls and an old man had set out alone to go south: the colonel (for that was his rank ) ordered them to halt. but Mary urged them on, saying they were no soldiers, and would sign no parole: but the officer was persistent. telling them he would not permit them to go unless they signed it. Finally, after he had followed them a lit- tle way. Mary turned to him and said: "If you follow us to that bend in the road, I will out a switch, and these two girls and I will give yon such a switching as you never ex -. perienced in your life." le persisting in his efforts to get them to sign. and they refusing. Mary told him she could not be a soldier, but she could run bullets. "Now." said she. when almost to the turn in the road. "you dare go around that turn so as to in out of sight of your soldiers, and we will whip you so you can not walk back." and she stopped to the side of the
PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
road and began to out the switch. when he bestated and finally stopped, when the general mounted a stump and hallowed for the girls who had backed out the colonel. when Mary remarked : "Cheer up, girls. the general is not against us": and the colonel left them without further molestation, to pursue their journey. By this time winter had set in. but the feeling of being free and on their road home filled Mary with new hope. Who can imagine what her thoughts were. hundreds of miles away from her kindred. not knowing that one of then: was alive, and they having no intelligence from her. not knowing whether she was dead or alive.
Moot, without money, except a few dollars. and in a country where prisoners were con- tinually passing and the people unable to do much for them. she struggled on until she reached Philadelphia, where she got in com- pany with a family by the name of Riddle. that were going to Virginia, and she engaged to go with them; that is, they agreed to let her go if she would pay her own way, and help them drive the stock, to which she readily consented. and she made herself useful. as the -quel will prove: for when they got to the Susquehanna river, there was an old leaky skiff there, and she asked permission to ferry her- self across, of the ferryman, to which he readily consented. not thinking she could manage a boat, but when he saw how soon she was on the other side of the river, he was undeceived. The family all got across, and all their stock Verpt an unruly row, which they could not get into the boat. Mary told the ferryman if he would take her across she would bring the cow over. Strung her exploit with the skiff, he con- -cated to do so; when she landed the caught the cow In the nose with one hand and by the Born with the other. and held her until they reached the other shore. Young ladies, how many of ou of the present day could or would du that? Not many. I fancy. The family schwerthe journeyed finally reached their det ne troncoso Virginia, in midwinter. Here Mar stopped vil a family by the name of Spare. when he va- employed a- a domestic. Tree the fear of molesta- im| || | | be get time in nearly
three years she had enjoyed the luxury of sleep- ing in a bed. All this time she had a faithful brother who had not ceased his inquiry for her, although the most of the family had given her up as dead. During her absence her mother had been killed by the Indians, also some of her brothers. This faithful brother mounted his horse, rode through Kentucky and into Virginia, looking and inquiring of migrants, when he fell in company with a man who saw her hold the row in the ferryboat while crossing the Susquehanna river, which he related and farther stated that she was lefthanded. which (Ie. >light as it was, gave her brother hope. and he kept on his journey, inquiring of every one that he hoped to gain any information from. Finally, he stopped on Sabbath to feed his horse. Just as the farmer had given the horse his feed. the brother inquired if he knew of any one who had been a prisoner with the Indians. He said yes, there was a girl at the old man Spears, that had come there last winter, and after a further description of her. he mounted his horse without giving him time to cat. and put out to see if it was his long lost sister. When he arrived she had gone to church. and he sat and conversed with the old man, who satisfied him that it was none other than his sister. Finally the old man Spears saw his daughter, wife and Mary coming down the lane, and he said to Neely: "There comes three women down the lane: is either of those your sister?" He looked a moment. and re- plied. "Yes, the one in the middle is." When the women came in. Mary passed by him, and threw her bonnet and shawl on the bed, when he raised his head to observe her. With an exclamation of delight she sprang into his arms. exclaiming: "My brother ! My brother!" Oh! what a delightful reunion, dear reader. Can von imagine, then, the intelligence from home. mother dead. two brothers, also, butchered by the inhuman and relentless savages. Home broken up and the remnant of the family had to flee for their lives. But after three long years. midst danger- such as fall to the lot of very few. indeed. she was permitted to behold the face of a dear brother. Truly, it was hap- pines -. mingled with sorrow. In a few days The and her brother set out on one horse for
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.