Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 108

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn
Publication date: 1874
Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co.
Number of Pages: 1654

USA > Kentucky > Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II > Part 108

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" There was but one convenient way of escape, and that was in the direction to the lick where the army had crossed the river. To that point, the larger number of the fugitives hurried with tumultuous rapidity, down the naked slope of the hill. No sooner had they reached it, than the Indians were upon them. The scene of terror and of blood that ensued was dreadful. Many brave men perished on that fatal day. Of the one hundred and eighty-two who went into the battle, one-third were killed and seven were made prisoners. The extent of the Indian loss is not certainly known. It is represented to have been equally severe."

Col. Daniel Boone, in his autobiography, is authority for the report-pre- served in other ways, also-that the Indians upon numbering their dead found 4 more than they counted of the whites killed on the field and in the retreat; "and, therefore, 4 of the prisoners [whose names are unknown] were, by general consent, ordered to be killed, in a most barbarous manner, by the young warriors in order to train them up to cruelty ; and then they proceeded to their towns."

After the fortune of the day was determined, and the only safety was in flight, the noble old pioneer who first counseled delay, and then a caution which proved unavailing because not faithfully followed, devoted himself with true fatherly solicitude to his wounded son Israel. He avoided the road taken by the mass of the fugitives, and crossed the Licking at the mouth of Indian creek, a mile or two below the Lick. But the wound of the young soldier was mortal; death soon claimed him; and the father, noting where his body lay that he might return and bury it, eluded the pursuit of the savages, and reached Bryan's station.

Of the 7 prisoners, 4 were killed by the Indians, as above, and the other 3- Jesse Yocum, Lewis Rose, and Capt. John MeMurtry-were packed to the extent of their strength with the spoils of the day. With their captors, they were hurried next day across the Ohio river, at the mouth of Eagle creek, 7 miles below Limestone creek (Maysville) ; thence passed Upper and Lower Sandusky, and the foot of the Miami rapids (afterwards Fort Meigs), to Detroit-where they arrived on Sept. 4th, and were delivered into the hands of the British. On the route, they were several times compelled to run the gauntlet, in Indian towns through which they passed. At one of them, Capt. McMurtry was knocked down and fell senseless ; the Indians jumped upon and stamped him, breaking several of his ribs. Jesse Yocum, by his skill in running close to the line of Indians, so avoided their clubs as to come out almost unhurt; and running up to a young Indian, by adroitness and great strength, picked him up and hurled him to the ground; then going up to another, all in a moment of time, he thrust his head between the Indian's Jegs and threw him over his head-and jumping up, knocked his feet rapidly together in a manner novel to the Indians, crowed like a cock, and rallied them for being a pack of cowards. This singular exhibition of dex- terity and spirit delighted the Indians, and an old chief promptly claimed Yocum as his man. But the gauntlet failed to satisfy the savage craving for fiendish cruelty, and the prisoners were condemned to be burned. Just as they were tied to the stake, and the torch was already applied to the fagots piled around, a storm of remarkable violence burst over their heads. The flashes of lightning increased in vividness, and louder and deeper rolled the thunder. When the storm cloud broke, and the torrent from above ex- tinguished the fires, the savages were struck with awe and reverence, and dared not re-light them. The Great Spirit had interfered to save them, and

ADDENDUM, Collins' Hist. of Kentucky, p.663, par. 3. Of the 109 survivors "Judge -- Twyman" was "James Twyman, son of Geo. (III) and Mary (Walker) Twyman.

Information furnished by Mrs. M.C. Fisher 6901 Oglesby Ave. (James Tryman was one of her great-great uncles) -Feb.1938. -

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NICHOLAS COUNTY.

would not permit them thus to die. Thereafter they were treated with far more kindness and consideration.

On Sept. 18th, the prisoners were forwarded to Montreal, and rigorously confined for a month; thence to Mont du Luc island, and imprisoned until July, 1783-when they were exchanged and sent to Ticonderoga, reaching their homes near Harrodsburg, Ky., Aug. 28th. They were received almost as inen from the dead. Capt. Rose shot two Indians in the battle, the last when in the very act of scalping Capt. Win. McBride ; he was in the expedi- tion with Gen. Ben. Logan against the Shawnees on the Miami in 1786, and in 1791 with Gen. Chas. Scott against the towns of the Wea Indians on the Wabash-in which 32 warriors were slain and 58 prisoners taken ; he died Feb. 20, 1829, in his 80th year. Capt. McMurtry was in several engagements afterwards, and fell in Harmar's defeat, in 1790. His name heads the list of the honored dead of Kentucky, engraved upon the Battle monument .*

Of the 60 noble men who fell in the battle of the Blue Licks, the following 15 are all the names ascertained by the author: Col. John Todd, Lieut. Col. Stephen Trigg, Maj. Silas Harlan, Maj. Edward Bulger, Capt. Wm. McBride, Capt. John Gordon, John Bulger, Joseph Lindsay (the commissary of Gen. Geo. Rogers Clark, in several expeditions, conductor of the expedition which first took Vincennes, and one of the ablest and most remarkable men of early Kentucky), Clough Overton, John Kennedy, (little) James Graham, Wm. Stewart, John Wilson, Israel Boone, Andrew McConnell.

Of the 109 who survived the battle, in addition to the 3 returned prisoners above, the author lias ascertained only the following 16 names: Col. Daniel Boone, Maj. Hugh MeGary, Col. Robert Patterson, Col. John Smith, Maj. Geo. Michael Bedinger, Maj. Levi Todd, Maj. Benj. Netherland, Capt. Samuel Johnson, Aaron Reynolds, Judge -. Twyman, Jas. Mccullough, Benj. Hayden, Henry Wilson, Peter Harget, Jas. Morgan, Win. Field. Thus 34 names out of 176 engaged, are preserved-of which 176, over one-fourth were com- missioned officers. [Any other reliable names of soldiers in the battle, if sent to the author, will be inserted in future editions of this work. ]

Nicholas Hart and several others of the prisoners taken at the capture of Ruddle's and Martin's stations in now Harrison and Bourbon counties, on June 22, 1780-more than two years before-had been brought along with the Indians on this expedition ; for what purpose is not known. They were the unwilling witnesses of the siege of Bryan's station, and of the terrible dis- aster at the Blue Licks-where many of their personal friends fought their last battle and slept their last sleep.

Maj. GEORGE MICHAEL BEDINGER was born near Shepherdstown, Va., in the year 1755; and early in 1779, when 24 years old, emigrated to Kentucky" at Boonesborough. He was one of a company of 10, nearly all from Shep- herdstown (among them the late Jos. Doniphan, of Mason co., Capt. John Holder, and Thos. Swearingen), engaged in "improving" lands for them- selves, on Muddy creek, in now Madison county, and " over on the waters of Licking." In May, 1779, he acted as adjutant in the unfortunate expedi- tion of Col. John Bowman against the Indian town of old Chillicothe, and was a major at the fatal battle of the Blue Licks, Aug. 19, 1782-each occa- sion proving him a brave, prompt, and efficient officer. In 1792 he was chosen from Bourbon county-which then included his new home near the Lower Blue Licks, now in Nicholas county-a member of the house of re- presentatives of the first legislature of Kentucky, at Lexington. Ile was a representative in congress for four years, 1803-07. He died Dec. 7, 1843.

Col. GEORGE NICHOLAS-in honor of whom Nicholas county was named on Dec. 18, 1799, five months after his death-was born about 1743, in Williams- burg, Va. ; where his father, Robert Carter Nicholas, was a distinguished lawyer, a member of the house of burgesses, a member of the colonial

# The author has gathered these particulars from a letter to him from Rev. Aaron A. Hogue, Sept., 1871, and from a biographical sketch of Capt. Rose in the Harrods. burg Central Watchtower, of Feb. 23, 1329, written by Gen. Robert B. Mcafee, author of the History of the War of 1812, published in 1816.

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council, and treasurer of the colony of Virginia. The son was a captain in the war of the Revolution, in the Virginia state line; and after the war, practiced law at Charlottesville, Albemarle county, was elected to the legis- Jature from that county, and was a prominent and influential member of the Virginia convention called to consider the new Federal Constitution, the adoption of which he advocated very ably and zealously. Shortly after, in 1788, he removed to what was then Mercer county, Ky., near Danville. In 1791, he was chosen from that county a member of the convention which framed the first constitution of Kentucky, adopted April 19, 1792. Of that convention, Gov. Morehead said, " it abounded in talent, integrity, and patriot- ism. George Nicholas was its brightest luminary. If he was not a tran- scendent orator according to the Demosthenian process of resolving eloquence into action alone, his powers of argumentation were of the highest order, and his knowledge of the laws and institutions of his country placed him in the first rank of the distinguished men by whose wisdom and patriotism they were established. A member of the convention that ratified the constitution of the United States, he was the associate of Madison, of Randolph, and of Patrick Henry ; and he came to Kentucky in the fullness of his fame, and in the maturity of his intellectual strength." He enjoyed in an eminent degree the confidence of the people of Kentucky, and contributed largely, by public speaking and by essays of singular power, to influence the course they took in the great political contest of 1798. He was emphatically a great statesman and a great lawyer .* He was largely interested in the manufacture of iron at Slate furnace, in now Bath county, and made that his home for several years ; then removed to Lexington, and devoted himself to his profession. No greater tribute to his fame as a lawyer can be paid than to state that among his law students were Joseph Hamilton Daveiss, John Rowan, Martin D. Hardin, Robert Wickliffe, William T. Barry, Isham Talbot, and John Green-a galaxy of great lawyers and advocates seldom equaled in the his- tory of the bar. In 1799, a law department was added to Transylvania University, and Col. Nicholas elected the first professor; but he died shortly after, in July, 1799, aged about 55 years.

Col. Nicholas married Mary Smith, of Baltimore, Maryland, sister of Samuel Smith, a member of congress and U. S. senator from that state for 29 years, 1793-1823, and of Robert Smith, U. S. secretary of the navy, 1802-05, under President Jefferson, and U. S. secretary of state, 1809-11, under President Madison. His youngest daughter was still living in July, 1873, the wife of Judge Richard Hawes, of Paris, Ky., and his son, SAMUEL S. (see sketch under Jefferson county) died in 1869, full of years and honors.

Paint Creek Expedition .- About the 1st of August, Col. Boone-tired of the suspense, and determined to ascertain their movements-made an in- cursion into the Indian country, to surprise a small town on a branch of the Scioto river called Paint Creek. His party of 19 men was composed of- Simon Kenton (then called Simon Butler), John Holder, John Kennedy, Col. John Logan, John Callaway, l'emberton Rollins, Edmund Fear, Alex. Mont- gomery, John Stapleton, Jesse Hodges, Alex. Barnett, Stephen Hancock, and 7 others.+ Within four miles of the town, they came suddenly upon a party of 30 Indians, who had just started to join the large force already on the march to Boonesborough. The whites made a vigorous attack, killing one and wounding two Indians, and capturing their baggage and three horses- without loss to themselves. On the return of two scouts with intelligence that the town was evacuated, they made a rapid march homeward-on Aug. 6th, passing the main body of Indians undiscovered, and on the 7th reaching Boonesborough. On the 8th the Indian army, 444 strong, with British and French colors flying, appeared before the fort-commanded by Capt. Duquesne and Il other Frenchmen, Moluntha, a king, and Black Fish, a war chief (father of Tecumseh and the prophet). (See description of this attack, under Madison county.)

* The author designed engraving his portrait as the central figure in the group of great Kentucky lawyers ; but, unfortunately, no portrait of him is in existence.

t Depositions of Simon Kenton, Aug. 23, 1821 ; Jesse Hodges, Nov. 20, 1817, and again March 4, 1818 ; Stephen Hancock, May 23, 1808.

665

OHIO COUNTY.

OHIO county was formed in 1798, out of part of Hardin county, the 35th in order of formation, and named after the beautiful river that forms the northern boundary of the state. From its territory has since been taken the entire county of Daviess in 1815, and parts of Butler and Grayson in 1810, Hancock in 1829, and McLean in 1854. It is situated in the west middle portion of the state, on the waters of Green river ; is bounded N. by Daviess and Hancock counties, E. by Breckinridge and Gray- son, S. E. by Butler, s. w. by Muhlenburg, w. by MeLean, and N. w. by Daviess. Besides Green river, the streams are Rough, East fork of Panther, Muddy, White's Fork, Walton's, Barnett's, and Caney creeks. The soil is considered equal to that of the Green river lands generally-producing excellent crops of corn, tobacco, oats, potatoes, clover and other grasses, but supposed not to contain sufficient lime for the profitable growing of wheat. The timber is heavy and of a superior quality. Iron ore abounds, and coal is inexhaustible. In 1842-48, the morus multicaulis was tried extensively and flourished, showing that the culture of silk might be carried on to any extent. Some specimens of manu- factured silk were produced, equal to the best Italian.

Towns .- Hartford, the county seat, is pleasantly situated on the bank of Rough creek, 28 miles by water from its junction with Green river, 110 miles from Louisville by the Elizabethtown and Paducah railroad, and 160 miles from Frankfort. It was incorporated in 1808, and was quite stationary in population for over twenty years, but bids fair to grow steadily under railroad influences ; population in 1870, 511. Rockport, on Green river and the E. & P. R. R. ; population in 1870, 173. Cromwell, on Green river, 12 miles from Morgantown ; population in 1870, 149, a decrease of 58 since 1850. Ceralvo, on Green river, 5 miles from South Carrollton ; population in 1870, 60. Bearer Dam, Buck Horn, Buford, Cool Spring, Fordsville, Hines' Mills, and Point Pleasant, are railroad stations, small villages, or post offices.

STATISTICS OF OHIO COUNTY.

When formed See page 26 Tobacco, hay, corn, wheat ... pages 266, 268

Population, from 1800 to 1870 p. 258 Horses, mules, cattle, hogs ......... pige 268

" towns P. 262

whites and colored. P. 260 Taxable property, in 1846 and 1570 p. 270 Land-No. of aeres, and value of .... p. 270 white males over 21. p. 266 Latitude and longitude. ... p. 257

children bet. 6 and 20 yrs. p. 266

Distinguished citizens. .see Index.

MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE FROM OHIO COUNTY.

Senate .- Jas. Hillyer, 1816-18 ; Jas. Johnston, 1819 ; Dillis Dyer, 1840-16 ; Win. J. Berry, 1851-53 : E. Dudley Walker, 1857-61 ; Henry D. MeHlenry, 1861-65. From Ohio, Daviess, and Breckenridge counties-Nathan D. Anderson, 1820-25. [sce Har- din and Mubleuburg counties.] From Livingston, Henderson. Mahlenburg, and Ohio counties-Wm. Campbell, 1:00. From Ohio-Win J. Berry, 1873-77.

House of Representatives. - Henry Rodes, 1800; Henry Davidge, 1802, '05, '06; Dr. MeCreery, 1809 ; John Davis, IS11 ; Moses Cummins, 1816; Jas. Johnston, 1814, '17, '18, '37, '42 ; Richard Taylor, 1819; John Calhoun, 1820, '21 ; David J. Kelley, 1822; Robert Mosely, 1824; Dillis Dyer, 1825, '30, '31, 34; Wmn. M. Davis, 1826, '27, '28;

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OHIO COUNTY.

Elijah Crow, 1829, '32, '33; Samuel O. Peyton, 1835 ; Wm. H. Rumsey, 1836, '39, '41 ; Alex. R. Rowan, 1838 ; John H. MeHenry, 1840; John W. Crow, 1844; Elisha M. Ford, 1845, '48 ; Robert T. Bell, 1846, '47 ; Quintus C. Shanks, 1849 ; Henry D. Mc- Henry, 1851-53. '65-67 ; Henry Thompson, 1853-55, '57-59 ; Wm. J. Berry, 1855-57 ; John Haynes, 1859-61 ; Renus Gibson, 1861-63 ; W. II. Miller, 1863-65; W. Estill McHenry, 1867-69 ; Alfred T. Coffman, 1869-71; J. S. Taylor, 1871-73. From Ohio and Daviess counties-Philip Thompson, 1815. [Sec Hancock county.]

A Giant .- Early in 1872, in prospecting for coal in Ohio county, about a mile from Rockport, the complete skeleton of a human body of gigantic size was found, 6 feet below the surface. The lower jaw-bone, when fitted over the lower portion of a man's face in the party of explorers, completely covered it; the thigh bone, from the hip-bone to the knee, was 42 inches long, and the fore-arm bone from wrist to elbow measured 22 inches. This would in- dicate a giant over 10 feet high.

The Compass and Chain used in laying out the city of Louisville, at some time before 1800 (it was first laid out, Aug. 1, 1773), was, in 1871, in possession of Col. Quintus C. Shanks, of Hartford, Ohio county. It was formerly owned by Win. Peyton, who in early days made many surveys in company with James Shanks, the father of Col. S. The story of all its wanderings in detail would be thrilling, and rescue much local history that is lost forever.

Early Settlement .- The immediate vicinity of Hartford was settled at a very early period, and was often the scene of bloody strife and acts of noble daring. Hartford and Barnett's stations were about two miles apart, and although never regularly besieged, were frequently harassed by straggling parties of Indians, and a number of persons, who imprudently ventured out of sight of" the stations, killed or captured. The following facts we derived in 1846 frofr Stephen Stateler, a pioneer and venerable and esteemed citizen of Ohio co .:

In April, 1790, the Indians waylaid Barnett's station, and killed two of the children of John Anderson. One of the party assaulted Mrs. Anderson with a sword, inflicted several severe wounds upon her person, and while in the act of taking off her scalp, John Miller ran up within about twenty steps, and snapped his rifle at him. The Indian fled, leaving his sword, but succeeded in carrying off the scalp of Mrs. Anderson. She however recovered and lived some ten or twelve years afterwards. The same party captured and carried off Hannah Bar- nett, a daughter of Colonel Joseph Barnett, then a girl of about ten years of age. They retained her as a captive until October of the same year, when through the instrumentality of her brother-in-law, Robert Baird, she was recovered and res- tored to her friends.

In August, of the same year, three men were attacked by a party of Indians, near the mouth of Greene river. John Mellmurray, one of the whites, was killed, a man named Faith was wounded, and Martin Vannada was made a prisoner. The Indians immediately crossed the Ohio river, and, after traveling for some days in the direction of their towns, struck, as they supposed, the trail of some white men. In order to pursue them with the utmost celerity and without im- pediment, they tied Vannada to a tree. With the view of rendering his escape hopeless, during their absence, they spread a blanket at the root of a tree, and caused him to sit upon it, with his back against the tree. His hands were then pinioned behind him, and fastened to the tree with one rope, while they tied an- other rope around his neck, and fastened it to the tree above. In this painful po- sition they left him, and commenced the pursuit of their supposed enemies. But no sooner had they departed, than he commenced the work of extricating himself. With much difficulty he succeeded in releasing his hands, but his task appeared then only to have begun. He ascertained that he could not reach round the tree so as to get to the knot; and it was so twisted or tied between his neck and the tree, that it wastimpossible for him to slip it one way or the other. Without a knife, he made powerful efforts to get the rope between his teeth, that he might gnaw it in two. Failing in this, he almost regretted having made any effort to effect his escape, as, upon the return of the Indians, the forfeit of his life would, in all probability, be the consequence. At this moment he recollected that there were some metal buttons on his waistcoat. Instantly tearing one off, he placed

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OLDHAM COUNTY.

it between his teeth, and, by great efforts, broke it into two pieces. With the rough edge of one of these, he succeeded in fretting rather than cutting the cord in two which bound his neck to the tree, and was once more free. But in what a condition ! . In a wilderness and an enemy's country, with no clothing save a shirt, waistcoat, breeches and moccasins !- no provisions, no gun, no ammunition, no knife, not even a flint to strike fire with ! He did not, however, hesitate or falter, but instantly struck into the trackless forest, in the direction of home,- and, under the direction of a kind Providence, reached Hartford the ninth day after his escape, having subsisted upon such small animals and insects as he could catch and eat raw. He was nearly famished, and greatly emaciated ; but having fallen into good hands, he was soon recruited, and returned to his family in fine health.

In the year 1786 or 1787, an incident occurred at a fort on Greene river, which displays the dangers which beset the emigrants of that period, and illustrates the magnanimity of the female character.

About twenty young persons-male and female-of the fort, had united in a flax pulling, in one of the most distant fields. In the course of the forenoon two of their mothers made them a visit, and the younger took along her child, about eighteen months old. When the whole party were near the woods, one of the young women, who had climbed over the fence, was fired upon by several Indians concealed in the bushes, who at the same time raised the usual war-whoop. She was wounded, but retreated, as did the whole party,-some running with her down the lane, which happened to open naar that point, and others across the field. They were hotly pursued by the enemy. who continued to yell and fire upon them. The older of the two mothers who had gone out, recollecting in her light that the younger, a small and feeble woman, was burthened with her child, turned back in the face of the enemy, they finng and yelling hideously, took the child from its almost exhausted mother, and ran with it to the fort, a distance of three hundred yards. During the chase, she was twice shot at with rifles, when the enemy were so near that the powder burned her, and one arrow passed through her sleeve; but she escaped uninjured. The young woman who was wounded almost reached the place of safety, when she sunk, and her pursuer, who had the hardihood to attempt to scalp her, was killed by a bullet from the fort.

OLDHAM COUNTY.

OLDHAM county, the 74th in order of formation, was estab- lished in 1823, out of parts of Jefferson, Shelby, and Henry counties, and named in honor of Col. Wm. Oldham. Part of its territory was taken in 1836, to aid in forming the county of Trimble. It is situated in the north middle part of the state, and lies for 18 miles along the Ohio river; is bounded x. by the Ohio river and Trimble county, E. by Henry, s. by Shelby and Jeffer- son counties, and w. and N. w. by the Ohio river ; and embraces about 170 square miles. The face of the country along the Ohio river and Eighteen Mile creek, and in the upper part of the county, adjoining Trimble, is hilly and broken ; the remainder of the county is gently undulating, and generally good, arable land, based on limestone. The principal products and exports are wheat, hemp, tobacco, hogs, and cattle. The principal streams of the county are Harrod's creek and Curry's fork of Floyd's fork, both having their source in Henry county. The Louisville, Cincinnati, and Lexington railroad runs through the southern part of the county, in a N. E. direction.

Towns .- Lagrange (originally and correctly written La Grange, like Gen. La Fayette's residence in France, after which it was

668

OLDHAM COUNTY.

named) is the county seat, at or near the junction of the old main line of the Louisville and Lexington railroad with its Cincinnati or " Short Line" branch ; contains a brick court house, 5 churches (Baptist, Methodist, and Reformed or Christian, and 2 for colored people), 3 lawyers, 3 physicians, 1 seminary building (formerly known as Masonic College and for a time a flourishing institution), 3 hotels, 3 dry goods stores, 3 groceries, drug store, several me- chanics' shops, 1 small woollen mill ; incorporated in 1840 ; popu- lation in 1870, 612. Westport, the former county seat, on the Ohio river, 8 miles from Lagrange, has 1 church, 3 stores, hotel, and flouring mill ; population about 150. Ballardsville, 4 miles S. E. of Lagrange, has 2 stores, a physician, hotel, and several mechanics' shops ; population about 160. Pewee Valley, the most beautiful of the " suburban " villages of Louisville, 17 miles from that city, on the L., C. & L. railroad, has 3 churches (Presby- terian, Episcopal, and Roman Catholic), 2 hotels, 4 stores, and 1 physician ; population about 250. Floydsburg has a hotel, Meth- odist church, 2 physicians, 2 stores, and several mechanics' shops; population about 125. Oldhamsburg has a Baptist church, 1 phy- sician, and 2 stores; population about 50. Centerfield has a Methodist church, a store, and blacksmith shop; population 30. Brownsborough has 2 stores, 1 wagon shop, 2 blacksmith shops, 2 physicians, a large distillery, and a saw and flour mill.

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Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 108

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn Publication date: 1874 Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co. Number of Pages: 1654

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn
Publication date: 1874
Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co.
Number of Pages: 1654