USA > Kentucky > Madison County > Boonesborough > Boonesborough; its founding, pioneer struggles, Indian experiences, Transylvania days, and revolutionary annals; > Part 16
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(American Archives, Volume IV.)
Gentlemen :
BOONESBOROUGH, January 3, 1776.
In my last of the 27th inst., I promised in my next a more circumstancial account than I was capable then of giving, under the confused situation of mind I was then in, occasioned by the unhappy catastrophe of my brother's death, which happened before that. To comply in some measure with that promise,
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and to discharge a duty encumbered upon me, as well as the promptitude of mind that I feel to discharge that duty, I cheer- fully enter on the task and endeavor to render some account of what I have been after since my arrival at this place, now upwards of a month since ; and as a primative intention of send- ing me to Transylvania was to establish a land office, appoint the necessary officers to the said office, surveyors, etc., Upon the best footing in my power, and to make the sale of the lands within the said Colony, upon such terms as might be most advantageous to the Proprietors and satisfactory to the inhabi- tants thereof; my first step was to fall on some method of appointing a person to the office of surveyor, who shall give general satisfaction to the people; I thought none more likely to do so, than calling a Convention and taking their recom- mendation for the person who I would appoint. From the dis- persed situation of the people, and the extreme badness of the weather, we failed in convening a majority ; however, I took the sense of those who appeared, and who unanimously recommended Col. John Floyd, a gentleman generally esteemed, and I am per- suaded, truly worthy, and him I have commissioned surveyor of the Colony at present, though, perhaps, it may be advisable at a future day, to divide the Colony into two districts, and to appoint another surveyor to one of the Districts. The Entering Office I have disposed of to Mr. Nathaniel Henderson, and the Secre- taries to Mr. Richard Harrison ; though, upon consideration, I have thought that the' numerous incidental expenses were so great that some way ought to be fallen upon to defray them without breaking in upon the moneys arrising from the sale of the lands, and that the two dollars for entering, etc., and the other two for filling up the deeds, counterparts, annexing seals and plots, etc., was more money than services of those offices
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absolutely required ; I, therefore, have reserved out of each office, one dollar, to answer the purpose of defraying those extraordinary expenses ; and the offices are left well worth the acceptance of persons capable of filling them with credit. The number of entries on our book is now upwards of nine hundred, a great part of which was made before I came to this place, when people could make entries without money and without price ; the country abounded with land-mongers ; since there is two dol- lars exacted on the entry made, people are not quite so keen, though I make no doubt but all who can comply with the terms will endeavor to save their lands ; and as many people who have got entry on the book are now out of the country, and can not possibly pay up the entry money immediately, I have thought proper to advertise that every person who has made entry on the book, and paid no money, that they come in and pay up the entrance money by the first of April, and take out their war- rants of survey, or their several entries will, after that time, be considered as vacated, and liable to be entered by any other person whatever.
The surveyors have now begun to survey and some few people have been desirous of getting out their deeds immediately ; but they generally complain of a great scarcity of money, and doubt their being able to take their deeds before next June, or even before next fall; though, in a general way, people seem to be well reconciled to the terms, and desirous to take up on them, except some few whom I have been obliged to tamper with, and a small party about Harodsburg, who, it seems, have been enter- ing into a confederacy not to hold lands on any other terms than those of the first year. As this party is composed of people in general, of small consequence, and I have taken some steps to remove some of their principal objections, I make no doubt but
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to do all that way; and for that purpose, have formed a design of removing myself, with the office to Harodsburg, some time in February next, unless I should find, from a trip I purpose immediately taking there, that I can not do it with safety. The principal man, I am told, at the head of this confederacy, is one Hite ; and him I make no doubt but to convince he is in error. Among other things, one of the great complaints was that the Proprietors, and a few gentlemen, had engrossed all the lands at and near the Falls of Ohio, which circumstance I found roused the attention of a number of people of note; I, therefore, found myself under the necessity of putting a stop to all clamors of that kind, by declaring that I would grant no large bodies of land to any person whatever, which lay contiguous to the Falls ; which I have done in a solemn manner. This I am far from thinking will be injurious to the Proprietors, but quite the reverse ; and a circumstance which will render more general satisfaction, and be of as much utility to the Colony, as any step heretofore taken. You will observe that I am going on to justify the measure before I inform you what it is. But to be brief, it is this; the Falls, it is certain, is a place which, from its situation, must be the most considerable mart in this part of the world; the lands around are generally rich and fertile, and most agreeably sit- uated; which had occasioned many people to fix their affections on that place. Many applications have been made for large grants at and about that place, and refused. Since which, twenty thousand acres, and upwards, have been entered there for the Company ; forty thousand or fifty thousand more, in large tracts, by a few other gentlemen ; a partially was complained of ; a general murmuring ensued. Upon considering the matter, I thought it unjust; I thought it a disadvantage to the partners in general, and that some step ought to be taken to pacify the
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minds of the people. I, therefore entered into a resolution that I would grant to no one man, living within a certain distance of the Falls, more than one thousand acres of land, and that to be settled and improved in a certain space of time, under the pen- alty of forfeiture ; that every person who had more entered than one thousand acres, might retain his one thousand out of which spot he pleased ; that the several officers, who have claims there, may each, on application and complying with our terms, be entitled to a one thousand within his survey. That a town be immediately laid out, and a lot reserved to each proprietor, and then the first settlers to take the lots which they may choose, enter and improve ; which improvement must be done in a cer- tain limited time, or the lot forfeited, and again to be sold, etc. These proposals seem to have given general satisfaction, and every one who had entered large quantities within these limits, gives it up with the greatest alacrity ; and I am in hopes will meet the general approbation of the company ; if so, I shall be happy ; if not, I shall be very sorry, though the necessity must justify the measure.
The Falls of the Ohio is a place of all others within the Colony, will admit of a town, which, from its particular situa- tion, will immediately become popular and flourishing ; the land contiguous thereto rich and fertile, and where a great number of gentlemen will most certainly settle, and be the support and protection of a town at that place ; a place which should meet with every encouragement, to settle and strengthen in as much as it will, most certainly be the terror of our savage enemies, the Kickeboos Indians, who border more nearly on that place than any other part of the Colony ; and as I think it absolutely necessary that the afforesaid proposed town at the Falls, be laid off the ensuing spring, if I find it practicable, to raise a
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party about the first of March, and go down and lay out upon the future tranquility of our situation between this and then, for I assure you the little attack made upon us by the Indians the 23rd of last month, has made many people, who are ashamed to confess themselves afraid, find out that their affairs on your side the mountains will not dispense with their staying here any longer at present ; and I am well convinced, once they get there, that every alarm, instead of precipitating, will procrastinate their return. When I mention the little attack made on the 23rd of last month, in this cursory manner, it is because I have heretofore sent you a particular account of that massacre, in a letter of the 27th ult. Though as that letter may fail, and not get to hand, I will now briefly endeavor to relate the circumstances.
On Saturday about noon, being the 23rd, Col. Campbell, with a couple of lads, (Saunders and McQuinney) went across the river. On the opposite bank they parted. Campbell went up the river about two hundred yards and took up a bottom. The two lads, without a gun, went straight up the hill. About ten minutes after they parted a gun and a cry of distress was heard, and the alarm given that the Indians had shot Col. Campbell. We made to his assistance. He came running to the landing with one shoe off, and said he was fired on by a couple of Indians. A party of men was immediately dispatched under the command of Col. Boone, who went out, but could make no other discovery than two Moccasin tracks, whether Indians or not could not be determined. We had at that time over the river, hunting, etc., ten or a dozen, in different parties, part or all of whom we expected to be killed, if what Col. Campbell said was true ; but that by many was doubted. Night came on ; several of the hunters returned, but had neither seen nor heard of the
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Indians nor yet of the two lads. We continued in this state of suspense until Wednesday, when a party of men sent out to make search for them found McQuinney killed and scalped in a corn field, at about three miles distance from town on the north side of the river. Saunders could not be found and has not yet been heard of.
On Thursday a ranging party of fifteen men, under the com- mand of Jesse Benton, was dispatched to scour the woods, twenty or thirty miles round and see if any further discovery could be made. To those men we gave two shillings per day, and five pounds for every scalp they should produce.
After they went out our hunters returned, one at a time, till they all came in safe, Saunders excepted, who no doubt had shared McQuinney's fate.
On Sunday, the 31st day of the month, our rangers returned without doing any thing more than convincing themselves that the Indians had, immediately on doing the murder, ran off far northward, as they discovered their tracts thirty or forty miles towards the Ohio making that way.
On the above massacre being committed we began to doubt there was a body of Indians about, who intended committing outrage on our inhabitants. However, we are perfectly satisfied since, that their number was only six or seven men, who set off from Shawanee town before the treaty at Fort Pitt, with an intent, as they termed it, to take a look at the white people on Kentucky ; and King Cornstalk at the treaty, informed the commissioners on this and said, for the conduct of these men, before they returned, he could not be responsible for that he did not know, but that they might do some mischief, and that if any of them should get killed by the whites he should take no notice at all of it.
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For this, we have undoubted authority, and do not at present think ourselves in any great danger here than if the above massacre had not been committed.
Another circumstance is that our ammunition grows scant. I do not think there is enough to supply this place till the last of March ; supposing we should have no occasion of any to repulse an enemy. If we should, God only knows how long it will last.
If any powder can possibly be procured it would certainly be advisable to do it; if not, some person who can manufacture the materials we have on the way for the purpose of making powder, Most part of those are at the block house, or at least within two or three miles of there - the rest in Powell's Valley. Those (if we had any person who knew how properly to man- ufacture them into gun-powder) it would be necessary to have at this place. We have no such person, and of course they would be of but little service here. Nothwithstanding, I should have sent for them before now; but people here expect the most exorbitant wages for trivial services. Not less than a dollar a day, which will prevent my sending till I find the necessity greater, or men to be hired cheaper.
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T
FORM OF HENDERSON & CO.'S SURVEY WARRANT, 1776.
(From an Original held by Robert Pogue, deceased, of Mason County, Kentucky.')
TRANSYLVANIA,
Ss.
RICHARD HENDERSON & Co.,
BOONESBOROUGH,
Proprietors of the Colony of Transylvania,
TO JOHN FLOYD, Esquire,
SEAL
Surveyor of the said Colony.
You are hereby authorized and required to survey and lay off for Wm. Pogue Six Hundred and forty acres of land lying on the west branches of Clark Creek known by the name of Gilmer's Lick abt. three miles west of Wm. Whitleys place where he lives and marked on a tree with powder,-W. Pogue. And the same having surveyed persuant to the rules of our office laid down and our instructions by the Surveyor to be observed; two fair and correct plots of the same you make or cause to be made with your proceedings thereon, into our office within three months from the date hereof, wherever then held within our said Colony.
Given under our Seal at Boonesborough the fifteenth day of January 1776.
JNO. WILLIAMS, Ag't, &c.
Endorsed-No 676 Wm. Pogues Warn't for 640 acres of land, Gilmer's lick.
I Collins, page 516, Vol. II.
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U
PETITION OF TRANSYLVANIANS TO THE VIRGINIA CONVENTION. (RECEIVED MAY, 1776.)
(From Journal Va. Convention.)
To the Honorable the Convention of Virginia :
The petition of the inhabitants, and some of the intended settlers of that part of North America, now denominated Transylvania, humbly sheweth :
Whereas some of your petitioners became adventurers in that country from the advantageous reports of their friends who first explored it, and others since allured by the specious shew of the easy terms on which the land was to be purchased from those who stile themselves proprietors, have, at a great expense, and many hardships, settled there, under the faith of holding the lands by an indefeasible title, which those gentlemen assured them they were capable of making. But your petitioners have been greatly alarmed at the late conduct of those gentlemen, in advancing the price of the purchase money from twenty shillings to fifty shillings sterling, per hundred acres, and at the same time have increased the fees of entry and surveying to a most exorbitant rate; and, by the short period prefixed for taking up the lands, even on those extravagant terms, they plainly evince their intentions of rising in their demands as the settlers increase, or their insatiable avarice shall dictate. And your petitioners have been more justly alarmed at such unac- countable and arbitrary proceedings, as they have lately learned from a copy of the deed made by the Six Nations with Sir William Johnson, and the commissioners from this Colony, at Fort Stanwix, in the year 1768, that the said lands were
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included in the cession or grant of all that tract which lies on the south side of the river Ohio, beginning at the mouth of Cherokee or Hogohege river, and extending up the said river to Kettaning. And, as in the preamble of the said deed, the said confederate Indians declare the Cherokee river to be their true boundary with the southard Indians, your petitioners may, with great reason, doubt the validity of the purchase that those proprietors have made of the Cherokees-the only title they set up to the lands for which they demand such extravagant sums from your petitioners, without any other assurance for hold- ing them than their own deed and warrantee ; a poor security, as your petitioners humbly apprehend, for the money that, among other new and unreasonable regulations, these proprietors insist should be paid down on the delivery of the deed. And, as we have the greatest reason to presume that his majesty, to whom the lands were deeded by the Six Nations, for a valuable consider- ation, will vindicate his title, and think himself at liberty to grant them to such persons, and on such terms as he pleases, your petitioners would, in consequence thereof, be turned out of pos- session, or obliged to purchase their lands and improvements on such terms as the new grantee or proprietor might think fit to impose ; so that we can not help regarding the demand of Mr. Henderson and his company as highly unjust and impolitic, in the infant state of the settlement, as well as greatly injurious to your petitioners, who would cheerfully have paid the consideration at first stipulated by the company, whenever their grant had been confirmed by the crown, or otherwise authenticated by the supreme legislature.
And, as we are anxious to concur in every respect with our brethren of the united colonies, for our just rights and privileges, as far as our infant settlement and remote situation will admit of,
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we humbly expect and implore to be taken under the protection of the honorable Convention of the Colony of Virginia, of which we can not help thinking ourselves still a part, and request your kind interposition in our behalf, that we may not suffer under the rigorous demands and impositions of the gentlemen stiling them- selves proprietors, who, the better to effect their oppressive designs, have given them the color of a law, enacted by a score of men, artfully picked from the few adventurers who went to see the country last summer, overawed by the presence of Mr. Henderson.
And that you would take such measures as your honors in your wisdom shall judge most expedient for restoring peace and har- mony to our divided settlement; or, if your honors apprehend that our cause comes more properly before the honorable the General Congress, that you would in your goodness recommend the same to your worthy delegates, to espouse it as the cause of the Colony. And your petitioners, &c.
James Harrod,
John Beesor,
Wm. Myars,
Abm. Hite, Jun.
Conrod Woolter,
Peter Paul,
Patrick Dorane,
John Moore,
Henry Simons,
Ralph Nailor, John Corbie,
Wm. Gaffata,
Robt. Atkinson,
Abm. Vanmetre, James Hugh,
Robt. Nailor,
Saml. Moore,
Thos. Bathugh,
John Maxfield,
Isaac Pritcherd,
John Connway,
Saml. Pottinger, Joseph Gwyne,
Wm. Crow,
Barnerd Walter,
Geo. Uland,
Wm. Feals,
Hugh M'Million, Michl. Thomas, Benja. Davis,
John Kilpatrick,
Adam Smith,
Beniah Dun,
Robt. Dook,
Saml. Thomas, Adam Neelson,
Edward Brownfield,
Henry Thomas,
Wm. Shepard,
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Wm. House,
John Mills,
James Calley,
Jno. Dun,
Elijah Mills,
Joseph Parkison,
Jno. Sim, Sen.
Jehu Harland,
Jediah Ashraft,
John House,
Leonard Cooper,
John Hardin,
Sime. House,
Wm. Rice,
Archd. Reves,
Chas. Creeraft,
Arthur Ingram,
Moses Thomas,
James Willie,
Thos. Wilson,
J. Zebulon Collins,
John Camron,
William Wood,
Thos. Parkinson,
Thos. Kenady,
Joseph Lyons,
Wm. Muckleroy,
Jesse Pigman,
Andrew House,
Meridith Helm, Jun.,
Simon Moore,
Wm. Hartly,
Andw. House,
John Moore,
Thomas Dean,
David Brooks,
Thos. Moore,
Richard Owan,
John Helm,
Herman Consoley,
Barnet Neal,
Benja. Parkison,
Silas Harland,
John Severn,
Wm. Parkison,
Wm. Harrod,
James Hugh,
Wm. Crow.
Levi Harrod,
V
PETITION OF "THE COMMITTEE OF WEST FIN- CASTLE" TO THE CONVENTION OF VIRGINIA (HARRODSBURG, JUNE 20, 1776). (From Journal of Va. Convention.)
To the Honourable the Convention of Virginia:
The Humble petition of the Committee of West Fincastle of the Colony of Virginia, Being on the North and South Sides of the River Kentucke (or Louisa). Present, John Gabriel Jones, Esqr., chairman, John Bowman, John Cowen, William Bennet,
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Joseph Bowman, John Crittenden, Isack Hite, George Rodgers Clark, Andrew McConnel, Hugh McGary, James Harrod, Silas Harland, William McConnel and John Maxwell, gentlemen. The Inhabitants of this remote part of Virginia who are equally desirous of contributing to the utmost of their power to the Support of the present laudable cause of American Freedom and willing to prove to the World, that tho they live so remote from the Seat of Government, that they Feel in the most Sensible manner for the Suffering Brethern, and that they most Ardently desire to be looked upon as part of the Colony notwith- standing the Base proceedings of a Detestible, Wicked and Corrupt Ministry to prevent any more County's to be laid off without the inhabitants would be so Pusilanimous as to give up the Right of appointing proper Persons to Represent 'em in Assembly or Convention, and as we further conceive that as the Proclamation of His Majesty for not settling on the Western Waters of this Colony is not founded upon Law, it can have no Force. And if we submit to that Proclamation as well as to have other Counties laid off without sending any represen- tatives to ye Convention, it's in our Opinion manifesting an Acquiesence to the Will of an Abandoned Ministry and leaving an Opening to their Wicked and Diabolical designs as then this Immense and Fertile Country would afford an Assylum to those whose Principles are inimical to American Freedom, And if Counties are not laid off as Fincastle County now Reaches and already Settled near Three Hundred and Eighty Miles from East to West it would be impossible that two Delegates can be Sufficient to Represent such a Respectable body of People, or that Such a number of Inhabitants should be Bound to Obey without being heard, and as those very People would most cheerfully Co operate in every measure tending
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to the Publick Peace and American Liberty if their Delegates now chosen by the Free voice of the Inhabitants on the Western Waters of Fincastle (on Kentucke) and which Election was held for Eight days at Harrods Town after the Prepara- tory Notice of Five Weeks given to the Inhabitants, and on the Pole being Closed, Captain John Gabriel Jones and Captain George Rodgers Clark having the Majority were returned, and not doubting the acceptance of 'em as our Representatives by the Honourable ye Convention, to serve in that Capacity, as we conceive the Precedent Established in West Augusta will Justify our Proceedings; And we cannot but observe how impo- litical it would be to Suffer such a Respectable Body of Prime Rifle Men to remain in a state of Neutrality, when at this time a Certain Set of men from North Carolina stiling 'emselves Proprietors and claiming an Absolute Right to these very Lands taking upon 'emselves the Legislative Authority, Appoint- ing Offices both Civil and Military, having also opened a Land Office Surveyors General & Deputys appointed & act, convey- ances made, and Land sold at an Exhorbitant Price, with many other unConstitutional practices tending to disturb the Inhabitants, those who are well disposed to the whole some Government of Virginia, and creating factions and Divisions amongst them. * as we have not hitherto been Represented in Convention as well knowing ye Frailty of Human Nature that Interest will often Predominate, and that the Tyrannick Ministry would not stop at any means to reduce the loyal americans to their detestable ends that if these pretended Proprietors have leave to continue to act in their arbitrary manner out the controul of this Colony the end must be evident to every well wisher to American Liberty. At this time of Danger we cannot take too much Precaution against
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the Inroads of ye Savages and to prevent the Effusion of Inno- cent Blood. We the Committee (after receiving a messuage from the Chiefs of the Delaware's who are now settled near the Mouth of the Waubash) informing us that a League would be held at Opost, by the English and ye Kiccapoos Indians and that they would attend to know the purport of the same, if their Brothers of the Long Knife would send a man they could rely on, they would on their Return inform 'em of the same & they were Apprehensive the Kiccapoos would strike their Brothers ye Long Knife therefore we thought it most prudent and shall send immediately a Certain James Harrod and Garrett Pendergrass, to converse with 'em on ye same. And as it's the Request of the Inhabitants that we should point out a Number of Men Capable and most acquainted with the Laws of this Colony to act as Magistrates, a List of the same we have inclosed, and For other Matters Relative to this Country we Conceive that Captain Jones and Captain Clark our Delegates will be able to inform the Honourable the Convention, not doubting but they will listen to our Petition and take us under their Jurisdiction-And your Petitioners as in Duty Bound &c.
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