USA > Indiana > Vanderburgh County > Evansville > A history of Evansville and Vanderburgh County, Indiana : a complete and concise account from the earliest times to the present, embracing reminiscences of the pioneers and biographical sketches of the men who have been leaders in commercial and other enterprises > Part 3
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FIGHTING INDIANS.
Some of the most bloody conflicts occurred with the Indians in this section of the country, before they became allies of the English, and the battles fought were the outgrowth of disputes over land posses- sions which the Indians were loth to surrender.
It is very strange, indeed, to say the least, that authors who have made pretense of writing the life of Col. Hugh McGary should have passed very lightly and superficially over the most interesting and thrilling part of his career, both in Kentucky and after he became a resident in Southern Indiana. His Indian war records furnish evidence of his intrepid disposition. Actual occurrences are left for me to record for the first time in any history of Evansville and Vanderburgh county. It is still more astonishing that no alleged historian has ever sought the descendants of this brave pioneer for reminiscences of his life, and yet they live within easy reach of Evansville. His grandson, Hugh D. McGary, is at this time a resident of McGary's, a small village in Gibson county, not more than nine miles from Princeton. But when we reflect that the histories of this county and city, that have heretofore been written, were compiled in the old stereotyped bio- graphical form, simply for the amount of money that could be made out of the schemes, and not because the authors were prompted by pride of ancestry, I confess I am not much astonished at their loose- ness.
On the 22d day of March, 1782, a band of twenty-five Wyandotte Indians made a raid on Estill station in Kentucky, killing one white man and carrying away with them a negro slave. The owner of the station, Capt. James Estill (whose name erroneously appears in " Browne's Narratives " as Ashton) was at the time away from home with Col. Hugh McGary, Daniel Boone, Levi Todd and others, bush- whacking over the hills and through the valleys, shooting the red devils down wherever they came within range of their guns. When Cap- tain Estill returned to his home the following day and learned of the 3
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY, IND.
attack, he summoned a posse, and hastened in pursuit of the Indians. Their trail lay toward and across the Kentucky river, leading thence to the Ohio, where the pursuing party came within two miles of Lit- the Mountain, now called Mount Sterling, a small village, they discov- ered redskins on the right bank of Hinkston's branch of Licking river, and Col. Hugh McGary and Captain Estill, whose men num- bered about the same as the Indians, drew their forces into line on the opposite side of the creek. It is true every man of the good com- pany of the brave pioneers was a good shot, but it is equally as true that the Wyandottes were good shots. The latter were shrewd enough to remain on the defensive and await an attack from the whites.
Under the united leadership of Col. McGary and Captain Estill the assault was not long delayed. With the first volley from the guns of the Kentucky settlers, the chief of the Wyandottes fell to the ground. This seemed to prostrate the Indians and it became very evident that they were ready to retreat. This only encouraged the Kentuckians to press the fight, and for some minutes war was waged in true pio- neer manner. Both sides, however, were fighting under cover, and each waiting for the other to make some open move. The Indians, always patient and slow to act, remained so close in hiding that the impatient settlers determined upon a new movement, which ultimately proved to be the cause of their defeat. Captain Estill detached Lieu- tenant Miller, with six men with orders to go down some distance and cross the river and come up in the rear of the Indians, while he would entertain them from his present position. Miller and his six men fell an easy prey to the Indians. Nearly all of them were killed. The Indians were shrewd enough not to materially weaken their front that was presented to the forces of Estill. The fight was fierce and lasted three or four hours, when finally McGary's and Estill's men were forced to retreat, pursued in every direction by howling redskins. Only four or five of the Ken- tuckians escaped with their lives. The Indians are supposed to have lost half of their number.
SIEGE OF BRYANT'S STATION.
In the following August, a white renegade by the name of Simon Girty, swooped down upon Kentucky with 500 Indians, made up from the Wyandottes, Miamis, Pottawatomies, Shawnees and Cherokees. They besieged Bryant's station on the Blue Lick river, a branch of the Elk Horn ; but the residents of Bryant's station had heard of their
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY, IND.
approach and were prepared to receive them. The attack was begun after considerable skirmishing Thirteen young men were selected to make a bold attack on the Indians, while the remainder of the garrison, about thirty in number, were prepared to receive the Indians in the rear.
Girty was deceived by this move, and supposing that the main body of the whites had gone in pursuit of his men, he made a charge on the little garrison, which poured such a shower of leaden missiles into his ranks as to completely demoralize the Indians and put them to rout.
The country had, by the appearance of Girty and his red devils, become thoroughly aroused and every able-bodied man was pressed into service. Many women, who had learned to shoot a gun, volun- teered, and everybody was on the "qui vive." Among the commanders of the little pioneer army were men of known valor and bravery, the principal ones being Colonels Hugh McGary and Trigg, of Harrods- burgh, Colonels John Todd and Levi S. Todd and Harlan, of Lex- ington, and Lieutenant Colonel Boone of Boonesborough.
Colonel Logan had been notified and was on the road to join their forces with reinforcements. The Indians were by this time thought to be 600 strong, and all the men that the settlers could muster were 181. But every man of them was equal to half a dozen Indians with the same advantages, and the proper judgment. The settlers were, for the most part, eager for the fight, and were in favor of putting the Indians on the defensive from the start. Daniel Boone, however, counselled caution, and said it would not be wise to pursue the Indians until Colonel Logan should arrive with his troops. Many of the soldiers scouted this idea, and some even intimated that it was cowardice on the part of Boone. The fearless frontiersman bore the insult with patience, and was found in the front of the battle when it did come.
This attack by Colonel McGary and Boone and Colonel Hart, of Lexington, proved to be very disastrous, as about seventy of their number were killed in trying to get across the river, including Colonel Boone's son, who was a captain in one of the companies. They had to make a hasty retreat, and Colonel Boone was wounded while trying to get the body of his son from the Indians. The attack upon these Indians turned out to be very unwise.
There were six regiments of men under command of Colonel Logan ordered to the defense of the fort, and it seemed that three of those regiments were about twenty miles in the rear of the first three, and after the first three arrived they soon discovered that the Indians were
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY, IND.
in greater force than they had anticipated, and seemed eager to bring about the fight.
A speedy council of war was held by the three commanding officers, Colonel Daniel Boone, Colonel Hart, of Lexington, and Major McGary, then acting as colonel. Colonels Hart and Boone differed as to what was the best policy. One was in favor of retreating the best way they could until they met the other three regiments which were then near Lexington, eighteen miles away, and the others favored the attack. Thus it was left for Colonel McGary to decide and the order for the attack was accordingly given.
At least seventy of the men were killed in the river and the others retreated as best they could. The Indians succeeded in capturing their horses and all of their provisions and whiskey. They retreated about twelve miles where they fell in with the three other regi- ments that were ordered to their support. They took a short rest and then in force went back to the scene of their defeat, arriving there about midnight.
The Indians were holding a war dance, and great excitement seemed to prevail on account of their victory, and they were all drunk and disorderly.
These six regiments then crossed Licking river above and below the fort and got into the rear of the Indians, and then the great mas- sacre of the Indians took place. History says but few of them were allowed to escape.
These six regiments then returned to Lexington.
This attack had been ordered by Gen. Wm. H. Harrison, then com- mander of the Indiana territory in the west, and stationed at Vin- cennes.
When they arrived at Lexington they found an order from General Harrison, commanding all the troops that could be spared from Kentucky to report as rapidly as possible at Vincennes, Indiana, as the treaty of peace which they had been trying to make with Tecum- seh had failed, there was no doubt that a great battle would have to be fought somewhere. Those six regiments and all others that could be got together, including the militia in Indiana, reported at Vin- cennes according to the General's orders ; and the battle of Tippe- canoe, one of the most bloody battles in the Indian wars, was fought. This resulted in bringing about a peace with all the Indian tribes that infested that part of the country of which General Harri- son had command.
The army then went back to Vincennes and was temporarily dis-
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charged, and the soldiers and officers started for home. Colonel McGary's regiment, what few were left of them, went to their homes in Kentucky.
SETTLEMENT OF EVANSVILLE.
They started from Vincennes and took the Indian path that termi- nated somewhere on the Ohio river. They did not then know that said Indian path terminated at what is now the foot of Main street in Evansville. They arrived here at dark, built their camp fires, and remained all night.
Next morning Colonel McGary said that he was greatly pleased with this location. The beautiful view up and down the river seemed to gain his attention and he said to his companions that he believed he would lay his land claim at this point, as he thought it was des- tined some time or other to be a valuable place. They then proceeded to their homes in Kentucky, at Bardstown.
About four weeks later Colonel McGary returned with his two brothers and some friends, and they brought with them tools for the purpose of building a cabin, which they did.
He came regularly every year after that and made some improve- ments as a protection of his claim. His cabin remained on the premises where it was built until about the year 1835, when it was torn down to make room for other, more valuable improvements. It had been used up to that time for a warehouse in which to store hides and furs of all kinds. The hut was located about forty feet from the present line of Main street, lower side, and twenty-five feet from the present line of Water street.
There are several persons now living in the city that have often been in the cabin, such as : Mr. Ira Fairchild, Mr. James Steele, Mr. Wilson Stinson, Mr. Mason Newman, and others whose names I cannot now recall.
Colonel McGary will appear in other chapters, especially in the judi- cial chapter, as he was the first clerk of the circuit court in about the year 1818.
It might be supposed from this history that Hugh McGary was the first white settler in these parts, but that is not so. We learn from history and also from the old pioneers that a number of families resided on the high grounds and hills in the rear of this place, before that time, as far back as 1775, and also in what is now kown as Perry and Center townships.
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY, IND.
FIRST SETTLERS.
As history shows Mr. Linxweiler was the first white male child born here. His birth occurred in 1803, in a cabin at the foot of what is now Ingle's Coal Mine Hill. The original Linxweiler family floated down the Ohio river in a flatboat and landed at that point. They broke up their flatboat into little pieces, and with other materials from the wrecks of other flat boats they built their cabin in a good and substantial manner. It served for a home for many families there- after, some of which remained there until a few years ago. There may be even now some portions of this cabin still in existence, as the author saw it standing not many years ago.
It seems as if almost all the families that came here, whether down the river on flatboats or overland, were greatly impressed with this location as being an important point for future greatness. These flat- boats generally landed along the shore from the old Barnes' home- stead down below the creek, and this soon became a little river settle- ment.
I will here give the names of many of them as I learned them from themselves and others : John Brownlee, who afterwards removed to Princeton, Gibson county ; also the large and extensive Stinson fam- ily, consisting of Floyd Stinson, John B. Stinson, one known as Little John Stinson, Benona Stinson and others; William McNitt's family ; the McCorkle family; the McCallister family; the Knight family; the Vann family, one of the descendants of which is now 'Squire Vann of Knight township; the Aken family of Knight township ; the Angel family of Knight township; the McDowell family of Union township; the Catlett family of Union township; the Edmond family of Perry township; the Cox family ; Anthony's family of Union township; the Stoner family of Union township; the Greathouse family of Union township; Neal's family of Union township ; and a great many others whose names will appear in other parts of this history.
INDIAN TREATY.
A very important transaction took place between a western syndi- cate and the Indians. This syndicate, or land company, undertook to purchase and become the owners of a large portion of Indiana known as the "pocket," the particulars of which are here related from the history of Vanderburgh county :
At the time of the first white exploration of the northwest territory, all that portion now included within the boundary of Indiana was
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY, IND.
claimed by the Miami confederation of Indians. The boundaries of the territory claimed by the Miamis was described by Little Turtle, a distinguished Miami chief, at that treaty of Greenville in 1795. Addressing General Wayne he said : " You have pointed out to us the boundary line between the Indians and the United States, but I now take the liberty to inform you that that line cuts off from the Indians a large portion of the country which has been enjoyed by my forefathers from time immemorial, without molestation or dispute. The print of my ancestor's houses are everywhere to be seen in this portion. It is well known by all my brothers present, that my fore- father kindled the first fire at Detroit ; from thence he extended his line to the head-waters of the Scioto ; from thence to its mouth ; from thence down the Ohio to the month of the Wabash ; from thence to Chicago, on Lake Michigan."
Many years prior to the date of this announcement by Chief Little Turtle, however, it will be seen by the following transaction, that the land now included within the bounds of Vanderburgh county was recognized by the whites as belonging to the Piankeshaw Indians.
" In the year 1775," says Dillon, "after the expedition of Lord Dunmore against the Shawnees, Louis Viviat, a merchant of the Illi- nois country, commenced a negotiation with the Piankeshaw Indians, for the purchase of two large districts of country lying upon the bor- ders of the river Wabash." Viviat acted as agent of an association known as the " Wabash Land Company," and at Post Vincennes, on the 11th day of October, 1775, he obtained from eleven Piankeshaw chiefs a deed from which the provisions relative to the territory of Vanderburgh county are taken : " Know ye, that we, the chiefs and Sachems of the Piankeshaw Indians, in full and public council as- sembled, at the town or village of Post Saint Vincent (Vincennes) for and in consideration of the sum of five shillings, to us in hand, paid by the said Lonis Viviat, and for aud in consideration of the following goods and merchandise to us :
Tobacco, Montour, La Grand Couette Ouaouaijao, Taba, Jr., La Monche Noir or the Black Fly, Le Maringonin or Mosquito, Le Petit Castor or the Little Beaver, Kiesquitiehies, Grelot, Sr., Grelot, Jr. The following merchandise was, for the use of the several tribes of our nation, well and truly delivered in full council aforesaid, that is to say : Four hundred blankets, twenty-two pieces of shroud, two hundred and fifty shirts, twelve gross of Star Gartering, one hundred and twenty pieces of ribbon, twenty-four pounds of vermillion, eighteen pairs velvet laced housings, one piece of maiton, fifty-two
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY, IND.
fusils, thirty-five dozen large buck-horn handled knives, forty dozen Couteau knives, five hundred pounds of brass kettles, ten thousand gun flints, six hundred pounds of gunpowder, two pounds of lead, four hundred pounds of tobacco, forty bushels of salt, three thousand pounds of flour, three horses.
All the following quantities of silverware, viz: Eleven very large arm bands, forty wrist bands, six whole moons, six half moons, nine earwheels, forty-six large crosses, twenty-nine hairpipes, sixty pairs of earbobs, twenty dozen small crosses, twenty dozen nose crosses, and one hundred and ten dozen brooches, the receipt whereof we do hereby acknowledge."
In consideration of the above named merchandise and money two several tracts or parcels of land were granted and transferred to said Wabash Land Company. The tract in which the land now compris- ing Vanderburgh county, was included, was as follows: That tract or parcel of land situated, lying, and being on both sides of the Oua- bache river (Wabash) beginning at the mouth of White river, where it empties into the Ouabache river, (about twelve leagues below Post St. Vincent), thence down Ouabache river down several courses there- of, until it empties into the Ohio river, being from said White river to the Ohio fifty-three leagues in length, with forty leagues in length or breadth on east side, and thirty leagues in width or breadth on the west side of the Ouabache river aforesaid.
The two tracts of which the foregoing is the larger comprised in all 37,497,600 acres, and these lands were so far as the Indians had any right to sell to a company or individuals, in possession of this com- pany for many years, but Congress after numerous petitions from the company, the last of which was made in 1810, refused to confirm the claim.
The Piankeshaws held possession of the southwest part of the state until 1768, when they gave to the Delawares that portion now in- cluded in the counties of Gibson, Posey, Vanderburgh, Pike, Warrick, Spencer, and a part of Perry, and the right of the Delawares to sell this land was acknowledged by the Pottowatomie, Miami, Eel river, and Wea tribes by the 5th article of the treaty concluded at Vincennes, August 18th, 1804. If, however the Piankeshaw tribe had any just claim to the territory it was relinquished in treaty between said tribe and the United States, proclaimed February 5th, 1805; Article 1. The Piankeshaw tribe relinquishes and cedes to the United States forever all the tract of country which lies between the Ohio and Wabash rivers, and below Clark's grant, and the tract called the Vincennes tract,
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY, IND.
which was ceded by the treaty of Ft. Wayne, and a line connecting said tract and grant to be drawn parallel to the general course of the road leading from Vincennes to the Fall of the Ohio, so as not to pass more than half a mile to the northward of the most northerly bend of said road.
Article 3 provides for an additional annuity of $2,000 to be paid by the United States for ten years.
On the 14th day of the same month a treaty on the part of the United States with the Delaware tribe was proclaimed by General W. H. Harrison, governor of Indiana territory. By this treaty the tract above described was ceded by the Delawares to the United States, with the provision that an additional annuity of $3,000 was to be paid by the United States to them, and a sum of $500 was appropri- ated for the purpose of teaching them to cultivate the soil, etc., besides a large supply of agricultural implements and domestic animals were delivered to them. By these treaties with the Piankeshaw and Delaware tribes, conducted at Vincennes, August 18th and 27th, 1804, and proclaimed in February of the following year, the last claim to the territory of which Vanderburgh county is a part, was forever relin- quished by the red man. The land was soon placed on the market at the land-office at Post Vincennes and entries and settlement soon followed.
CHAPTER III. CAPTIVITY OF ISAAC KNIGHT.
Remarkable Adventures of Isaac Knight as a Captive among the Indians-Long Perilous Tramp to Detroit-Sick and Cruelly Treated-Adopted in an Indian Family-Smallpox-Life Among the Treacherous Redskins -After Four Years He Escaped and Returned Home-Adventure of Charles Harrington.
CTRAGGLING bands of Indians, mostly of the Shawnee tribe, con- tinued to wander about the country, and until the close of the war of 1812, they would return at intervals and camp along the streams for the purpose of hunting and fishing. These Indians caused the settlers considerable anxiety and were constantly pilfering and stealing. The only incident of more than passing interest, which occurred within what is now the territory of Vanderburgh county, was the killing, by a band of Pottawatomie and Kickapoo Indians, of Peter Sprinkle and Jacob Upp, and the capture of Isaac Knight, George Sprinkle and John Upp. This occurred on the banks of the Ohio, in what is now Union township, about the year 1793. The victims, who at that time were all boys, were residents of Kentucky, but as one of the captives, Isaac Knight, became a resident of Vanderburgh county, and as he is remembered as one of the most prominent early settlers and as a most respected citizen, the incident will be read with additional interest at this place. The following is taken from an account of the capture and cscape, published in 1839, as narrated by Isaac Knight himself, and written by Rev. Hiram Hunter.
" Isaac Knight, the subject of the following narrative, was born in what was then Washington county in Pennsylvania. The record of his age being lost, the exact time of his birth cannot be ascertained.
"His father's name was John Knight, and his mother's maiden name was Ann Rolinson. Isaac was the oldest of their seven sons.
" When the subject of this narrative was a child, his father removed west, by water, in company with his father-in-law, Mr. Lawrence Rolinson, and Norod Franceway, who had also married into the same family.
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY, IND.
"These all settled at or near the place now known by the name of Vienna, on Green river, about eight miles above its mouth, where, with much difficulty, they lived several years, grinding their corn on hand-mills or pounding it in a mortar. At one time sueh was the difficulty with which bread stuff was procured, that Isaac's father bought corn at the mouth of Green river, at $1.25 per bushel and conveyed it to his family in a pirogue or canoe. Indeed, the difficulties under which the first settlers of that part of Kentucky labored, were almost insupportable
" For the security of the whites and their families, they were com- pelled to build and resort to forts in as large numbers as the thinly settled districts would permit. Uniting their energies, they labored by turns in each other's fields, one or more, as necessity required, stand- ing as sentinels.
" During the season in which corn was making, they remained in their forts; but returned to their lonesome and dangerous retreats for the remainder of the year.
"Seldom, would anything short of unmistakable signs of Indian hostilities drive them in the spring of the year from their lonely huts. It is, however, perfectly in the recollection of the author of this nar- rative, that, when a boy, he heard the report of a gun, which killed his father's near neighbor, one of the finest men in the settlement. Mr. Downs, who was thus shot by the Indian, left a wife and seven children to lament his untimely death. He was most cruelly used by the savage butchers, and left sealped on the ground.
"About this time the country about the Red Banks, on the Ohio river, now known as Henderson county, Kentucky, began to be spoken of as a most desirable section, and Isaac's father, with the rest of the connection, moved to that place where they found that a few families had already located. But one house had as yet been erected -the rest of the families were living in camps. In removing to this place, their property was conveyed by water, except the stock, which was driven overland. Isaac, then a small boy about nine or ten years of age, assisted in driving them.
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