USA > Indiana > Jackson County > Early History Of Jackson County Hardships And Privations Endured And Encountered With The Indiana > Part 6
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The Kickapoos Killed Hinton.
In about ten days after, the Indian agent, re- siding at the Delaware town, sent two Indians, Salt Peter and Peter Vanvacter, with a letter and white flag, stating that it was not the Delawares who had done the mischief, but the Kickapoos, who had passed through their town with the sto- len horses. The two messengers remained with the Whites many weeks. Peter Vanvacter hired
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to work and never returned was murdered in Ken- tucky by some unprincipled white man, because he was an Indian.
"A man was killed near Widow Solida's, a few miles from Muscackituck,-his name not now re- collected. Another man was killed on White river at McCowen's ferry.
The Settlers Build Forts
"At the commencement of our Indian troubles there were upwards of seventy families living in the Forks, but in a few weeks after Hinton's murder upwards of fifty families left the coun- try, and some for safety croossed the Ohio river. The balance, fifteen or eighteen families, de- termined not to leave, and built block-houses and forts. John Sage and others built a fort at his place, but the principal fort was at Vallonia, Huff's fort higher up, and Ketcham's fort still above and outside. We all lived in forts, went in companies to work our little improvements; some stood sentinel while others worked, and thus we got along for awhile.
Reinforced-Harrison and Clark
"The good people of Harrison and Clark counties, considering the small number left in the Forks, and they shut up in forts, could not hold out long. The most good they (The Jack- son county settlers) seemed to do was to be a kind of Indian bait for the safety of the interior (their) counties, who probably taking that view of the subject, reinforced us by sending com- pany after company to help us maintain our stand. The Indians began to understand by our preparations that we would sooner fight a little than quit our location, although very few that remained during the war were owners of land, many having settled over the boundary line, where the land did not come into market for several years after.
The Pigeon Roost Massacre
"About the time that Fort Harrison (near Terre Haute) and Fort Wayne were besieged by the Indians, namely, the 4th of September,
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1812, a marauding party of Indians, who passed north of our forts, fell on the unguarded and unsuspecting neighborhood of Pigeon Roost. (near Scottsville) killing twenty three men, wo- men and chidren, mostly women and children. After robbing the houses they set fire to them, and stole horses to carry off their booty. About the same time Major Duvall, of Salem, with a small company of men, made a scout up White river, and it so happened that while they were passing over some fallen timber on Sand Creek, that they come in contact with the Indians on their return from the Pigeon Roost. Those of them who had horses threw off their large packs and made good their retreat.
John Zink Mortally Wounded
"Two others who had no horses fled in another direction, pursued by the men. John Zink, one of the party, being young and athletic, outran his comrades, and when the Indians dis- covered that they were separated, they devised a plan to shoot Zink. In crossing a ravine one Indian secreted himself, while the other showed himself in plain view within shooting distance. Zink stopped to shoot, but the secreted Indian fired first, giving him a mortal wound. Zink lay in his gore that rainy night, and was found by his companions next morning still alive, and brought to Ketcham's fort, where he was washed and comfortably clothed and Dr. Lamb, of Salem sent for. The doctor arrived, drew a silk handkerchief through the wound, and started home. Zink died before they reached Vallonia. The three large packs were opened, and found to consist of men, women and children's cloth- ing. We knew then some settlement had been destroyed, but at the time we knew not what one.
Buskirk and Sturgeon Killed
"About the last of September, 1812, Absalom Buskirk and brother-in-law took a two horse team to his field to get some corn and pump- kins. The Indians killed Buskirk and stole his two fine horses. The corpse was brought into
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Ketcham's fort the same evening, ,and the next morning John Johnston, Robert Sturgeon and others came and hauled the' corpse to Huff's fort for interment, after which Sturgeon started home, and was killed at the Half-mile branch, near Vallonia. Although there were at Val- lonia a number of militiamen stationed, they were unwilling to risk their own scalps, and re- fused to go for the dead. After night the citi- zens, namely, Craigs, Roger, Beems, etc., went with their dogs and brought the corpse to the fort.
Thursday, March 23, 1893
Early History of Jackson County By John H. Benton
"After the murder of Buskirk and Sturgeon, no other persons were killed during the fall and winter following but many alarms were given and horses stolen. I will insert a few cases.
One night Daniel Stout, who now lives near Bloomington, and others were at Ketcham's fort. After their sentinels were placed out in different directions round the fort, two heard and a third saw two Indians and fired at them, and then fled to the fort, expecting next morning to find a dead Indian, or a trail of blood, but a hard rain had fell that night, and we found no Indian or blood.
At another time, about corn gathering, Capt. Hiram Boone, with twelve or fifteen men, were at Ketcham's fort. They tied their horses to stakes driven into the ground in the yard, not far from the fort. A large poplar stump stood rather be- tween the two of the houses, not more than five steps from either. In that stump holes were bored and hooks driven in and four or five horses fasten- ed to them. The night was clear, but the moon did not rise until after night. While it was yet dark the Indians opened the yard fence into the corn field, and let down one bar on another square of the yard fence. The bars were within twelve or fifteen steps of the big stump. An Indian slipped through the bars, and got to the horses undis-
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covered, but while loosing his choice horse-a fine gelding, one of the guard fired at him, but he clung to the horse. Another guard fired on him, but he led the horse off through the gap, into the corn field. By this time, Captain Boone and five or six of his men pursued the Indian having the horse. While the chase was going on, Ketcham was standing in the yard giving some directions, when an Indian secreted near the bars, not more than twenty steps distant, fired at him. Boone halted and asked who had shot. I replied, an In- dian. One of his men said:"Captain let us tree." He replied, "We don't know on what side of the tree to get. We will return to the fort." The party was composed of about sixteen Indians. We counted their trail next morning through a newly cut buckwheat patch, and at that time discovered what their policy had been. On each side of the gap opening into the corn field there was placed a strong guard, also on each side of the bars. If an Indian had been closely pursued in either direction, the guard would have shot down his pursuers.
Although it was believed that the Indians were continually prowling about some of the forts, the people got so hardened to danger that they seemed not to dread their enemy. One night Mr. Hutcherson and family, together with some of the militia-men, concluded to stay at his house, a short distance from Huff's fort. They felt safe and happy, and having a fiddle, concluded to have a dance, and enjoy themselves first-rate, but in the morning when they awoke they found that their horses were all gone. While they were dancing the Indians were catching their horses. Pursuit was made, and after following their trail a few miles, they met David Sturgeon's old, ugly horse coming back with a leather tug tied so tightly around his throat that he could scarcely draw his breath. They did this probably, to show their con- tempt for the white man's old, ugly horse. They recovered no more horses.
A Fruitless Pursuit.
Along after that time the Indians stole two horses from Flinn's settlement. They were pur- sued by General Tipton, David and James Rogers,
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and others, who followed them for several days, when they found they were close on them, the water being muddy in their tracts. Tipton's plan was to follow them closely and cautiously tll night, then have fine sport tomahawking them. But his spies, Major Sparks and Mr. (Pre- sumably John Ketcham) disobeyed orders. The Indians had halted over the turn of a hill dressing the horses' manes and tails. The Major and .. . got within thirty or forty steps of the Indians be- fore they discovered them. The temptation was too great; they fired, but missed. When Tipton came up and saw what was done, he cried like a child, and was tempted to tomahawk the Major.
- Their provisions were exhausted and they far from home. The rain had swelled the creeks until they were past fording. Those who could swim had to do so. They came to a large creek in the north end of Monroe county. A man by the name of Bean Blossom, in attempting to swim the creek, came very near drowning, and Tipton named the creek Bean Blossom after his name, and so it is called to this day.
At another time Gen. Tipton and Captain Beem, with perhaps twenty men, made a scout to the west fork of White river. Before they got to the river they crossed a beautiful stream that empties into Bean Blossum near its mouth. A man by the name of Jack Storm, and another man named John Ketcham, in crossing a stream, got both of their horses mired and stuck in the mud. They then named the creek Jack's Defeat, and so it is called to this day.
Another Discent On The Pigeon Roost And Capture Of The Huffman Boy
No disturbance was made in the winter of 1812. Perhaps the Indians thought they might be tracked in the snow. In March, 1813, they com- menced again fiercer than ever. They made an- other descent on the Pigeon Roost country, killing old Mr. Huffman, wounding his wife and daughter, and taking his grandson, a small boy, son of Ben- jamin Huffman, prisoners. On their return, they divided their company. One party stole Reed's horses the other party went eight or ten miles
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from Reed's and stole Kimberlin's horses, and the same night made good their retreat. After the war was over, Benjamin Huffman went North, perhaps to Detroit, in search of his lost son: He heard that his son had been sold to a Frenchman living in Canada. Huffman was poor; his means exhausted, he returned home discouraged, despar- ing of never seeing his child again. Our kind and benevolent representative in Congress, Jonathan Jennings, got an appropriation made to enable Huffman to seek further his son. He hired a man to go with him, they went down the St. Lawrence into Canada and found his son. The child was so young when stolen, and had been gone so long, that he had forgotten his father's name. He recollected that he was called Ben, but had for- gotten the balance of the name.
Thursday, March 30, 1893 Early History of Jackson County By John H. Benton Gurhrie Killed-Flinn Captured In the spring of 1813. the Pottawotamies made a descent on Flinn's Settlement, now Lees- ville, killed Mr. Guthrie and took Martin Flinn prisoner. He remained a prisoner with them till the fall of 1814. At that time a young warrior crossed the Tippecanoe river in a splendid canoe, on a courting expedition, and while enjoying him- self with his beloved one, Flinn gathered his ax, which they had stolen when they captured him, and a few ears of corn, and quietly stepped into the lover's canoe not asking any questions for con- science sake', and with his beautiful paddle rowed himself down stream all night. He secreted him- self in day time, and in this way spent several days and nights before he landed at Fort Harrison (near Terre Haute). When he landed, he was un- able to get out of the canoe. He was helped out and cared for, and in a few days considered him- self able to travel home. The rangers, then at the fort and others, made up a pony purse, and bought him a horse to ride home on. In a few days he was able to ride, and carried his lost ax home.
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Oh! then, the happy meeting of friends and rela- tives.
George Doom Killed And John Ketcham Wounded
"About the middle of March, 1813, John Ket- cham and Geo. Doom, a militiaman from Harrison county, then on duty, went on an errand to John- son Lindsey's,-Lindsey having during the winter of 1812 removed from Ketcham's fort to his farm some miles above. On their return home they were waylaid and fired on by the Indians. Doom was killed, and Ketcham badly wounded with two balls. When he reached the fort a messenger was sent to Vallonia for a reinforcement. About twen- ty men under command of Lieutenant
proceeded to where Doom's corpse lay; after carrying it to Lindsey's, William Ruddick, John Samuel and Frederick Tunk were detailed to bury the dead, and remained at Lindsey's till next morning. The scout proceeded up the country for miles without making any discovery of Indian signs, and returned home. The fatigue party hav- ing completed the burial, the sun yet an hour high, concluded that the Indians were all gone, and that they would return to the fort. They had proceed- ed about three hundred yards when the Indians, lying in ambush near their path, fired on them and wounded Ruddick and Samuel, then retreated.
The Fight At Tipton's Island
"Shortly after this General Tipton, Richard Beem, William Dyer and a number of militia-men from Harrison county, went on a scout up White river, some distance above Ketcham's fort, and struck a free Indian trail. They eagerly and cau- tiously pursued the same until they discovered that the Indians had crossed over on drift timber into an island. Tipton stood ready with his gun presented while Beem and others were crossing on the drifted logs. An Indian who was secreted, raised his gun to shoot Beem but Tipton touched trigger first. The Indian threw down his gun, it cocked, and retreated, badly wounded. He was supposed to be their leader. Tipton and his men all crossed over into the island, except Dyer, who had charge of Tipton's horse. Several shots were
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exchanged between the parties. The whites got one scalp, and tracked several of the enemy by the blood to the water, where they attempted to swim. Dyer being below the island had a fair view of the river, and saw a number bulge into the water, with their blankets on. All sunk before they reached the oppposite shore. It was believed that the whole party perished. This good licking caused the red-skins to treat us with more polite- ness. After General Tipton had handled our red brethren so roughly on Tipton's Island, so called, they were more cautious and sly toward us. No more of our neighbors were killed by them, but occasionally they would ride off a horse that was not their own.
Four Companies Of Rangers Raised.
"In the spring of 1813, the General govern- ment authorized the raising of four companies of mounted rangers to protect the Territorial frontier. Capt. Bigger's company was principally made up of citizens of Clark county, ten or twelve of whom had been shut up in block-houses and forts in the Forks for more than a year, making nothing. These concluded to join his company and make a business of hunting Indians, and guarding their own frontier, as in so doing they would get some pay for their services, otherwise they would not. The pay of a ranger was a dollar a day, each man "finding himself"; that is each man furnishing his own horse, arms, ammunition and provisions,- every man his own commissary.
"The soldiers became much attached to each other during their service, and the kindest feeling towards each other seems to have existed between them all, except David Barnes and Samuel Ridge, who often fought each other. They were too full of spirts,-very spirited men at times. Ensign Owen and Richard Lewis marred the good feelings of the comrades by desertion on the Peoria cam- paign. It was said by Daniel Williams and others, as an apology for them, they had caught the Kickadoo fever.
"But few of Captain Bigger's company are now living. For the gratification of the few sur- vivors, I publish the muster roll, at the call of
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which they so often answered. (As the roll con- tains the names of a number of persons well known to our older inhabitants, it will be publish- ed soon in the Banner).
The War Carried Into "Egypt."
"After the four companies of Rangers were organized, it was thought best to carry the war into Egypt. Arrangements were made for a com- paign against the Indians, composed of Rogers and a few volunteer militia. Capt. Dunn and Big- ger with part of their companies, and some of Captain Payton's men, (of Kentucky) together with General Bartholomew and volunteer militia, were assigned to that duty. They rendezvoused at Vallonia about the middle of June, then proceeded under the command of General Bartholomew to the upper towns on the West Fork of White river The towns had mostly been destroyed before we got there, probably by a company from the White Water settlement.
John Ketcham Kills An Indian, An Indian Mortally Wounds David Hays.
"We then went down the river to towns not interrupted, and come to Strawtown (in Harrison county) late in the evening, and discovered fresh Indian signs. Early next morning General Bar- tholomew, Captain Dunn and Captain Shields, and about twenty rangers went in pursuit of the Indi- ans. When we had proceeded about three-fourths of a mile we discovered three horses. we surround- ed and secured them, two were hobbled. Follow- ing their back track, we came to their camp. General Bartholomew directed three mounted ran- gers, namely, Severe Lewis, David Hays and .. (John Ketcham) to keep in the rear, but at the fire of the first gun to dash forward. Captain Dunn went on the right under cover of the river bank, Captain Shields on the left, and General Bartholomew brought up the center division. The directions were to surround their camp and take them prisoners. The Indians had a large brass kettle hanging over the fire with three deer treads boiling, and were sitting near to the fire. Captain Shields slipped carefully through the
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bushes, and when opposite the camp, at least one hundred yards distant, the Indians discovered us, jumped to their guns and fled. Shields fired his gun to notify the horsemen. One of Bigger's men (John Ketcham) immediately started in pursuit, ran two or three hundred yards when he got into the path the Indians had run on. He was within thirty steps of his game, and shot down the Indi- an. The other horseman soon made up, but the other Indian was just out of sight. They were directed (by Ketcham) to where he was last seen. Hays got separated from the other two horsemen, and unfortunately met with the secreted Indian, who gave him a mortal wound. The horses and brass kettle were sold to the highest bidder and a credit and the notes were given to Hays. His wounds were dressed by David Maxwell. He was carried on a horse-litter to the mouth of Flat Rock, near Columbus where we made two canoes and sent him and a guard by water to Vallonia, where his wife and family were. He died in two or three days after they reached the fort.
Muster Roll, of a Company of U. S. Mounted Rangers, Commanded by Captain James Bigger.
Commissioned Officers:
Captain, James Bigger,
1st Lieutenant, John Carr,
2nd Lieutenant, James Curry,
3rd Lieutenant, Wm. Meradith,
Ensign, Jack Owens,
Non-Commissioned Officers.
1st Serg't, John Ketcham,
2nd Serg't, Josiah Williams,
3rd Serg't, Wm. E. L. Collins,
4th Serg't, Jonathan Watkins,
5th Serg't, John Herrod,
1st Corp., Basil Bowen,
2nd Corp., William Patrick,
3rd Corp., Samuel Herron,
4th Corp., Robert Wardle,
5th Corp., Andrew B. Holland,
6th Corp., Jonathan Gibbons,
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Privates-Moss Allen, James Allison, Martin Adams, George Armstrong, Luther Beadle, Thomas Bernen, John Baldwin, John Blair, John Bartholo- mew, David Barnes, George Bratton, Michael Beem, John Cosner, John Cover, James Cowen, Isaiah Cooper, James Collins, John Cloak, John Clark, Isaac Clark, John R. Clark, John Craig, Stephen Dunlap, Moses Dunlap, John Dunlap, Robert Evans, John Evans, Wm. N. Griffith, William Gainer, John Gibson, John Gibson, James Hay, John D. Hay, William Hiler, Aaron Holeman, Philip Hart, Isaac D. Huffman, James Herrod, Ben- jamin Noble, Lewis Hankins, Esram Hutchins, Rob- ert Jones, Jonathan Johnson, Lewis Ketcham, Arba- ham Kelly, William Kelly, Thomas F. Kelly, James S. Kelly, David Kelly, William Lindsey, Richard Lewis, John May, John McNaught, John McNight, Harvey Owen, George W. Owen, Jeremiah Pierce- all, Adam Peck, Henry Pearey, Robert Pearey, An- drew Perry, Charles F. Ross, George Ross, James Ross, Hugh Ross, John Reed, Thomas Ryan, James Rodgers, Issac Rodgers, Lewis Rodgers, Samuel Ridge, Thomas Rose, Stephen Shipman, Wm. Stewart, Robert Swany, John Sage, George Ulmer, Reece Williams, Daniel Williams, Thomas Weathers, Martin Wilson, James Wilson. NEW RECRUITS-Lewis Cutting, John Flint, Samuel Haslett, ... Jenkins, Levi Nugent, James Mooney, John Milton, Joseph Rawlins, David Studabaker, John Storm, John Sands, James Sands, Elam Whittey.
THE END.
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