Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 15

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 15

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The boat had a log-chain for a cable, and when she was first brought ashore, the chain was thrown round a small tree that stood in the water's edge, and the hook run through one of the links. This had been done before the first fire was made upon Fossett on shore. The kettles in the boat had been ranked up along the sides, leaving an open gangway through the middle of the boat from bow to stern. Unfortunately, the bow lay to shore, so that the guns of the Indi- ans raked the whole length of the gangway, and their fire was constant and de- structive. Spears and several others of the bravest men had already fallen, some killed and others mortally wounded. From the commencement of the battle. many efforts had been made to disengage the boat from the shore, all of which had failed. The hope was that, if they could once loose the cable, the boat would drift out of the reach of the enemy's guns ; but any attempt to do this by hand would expose the person to certain destruction. Fossett's right arm was broken, and he could no longer handle his rifle. He got a pole, and placing him- self low down in the bow of the boat, commenced punching at the hook in the chain, but the point of the hook was turned from him, and all his efforts seemed only to drive it further into the link. He at length discovered where a small limb had been cut from the pole, and left a knot about an inch long ; this knot, after a number of efforts, he placed against the point of the hook, and, jerking the pole suddenly towards him, threw the hook out of the link. The chain fell, and the boat drifted slowly out from the bank ; and by means of an oar worked over head, the boat was brought into the middle of the river, with her side to the shore, which protected them from the fire of the Indians. The battle had now lasted up- wards of an hour. The odds against the crew was at least ten to one. The fire had been very destructive on both sides, and a great many of the Indians had been killed ; but if the boat had remained much longer at the shore, it was manifest that there would have been none of the crew left to tell the tale of their disaster.

The survivors had now time to look round upon the havoc that had been made of their little band. Five of their companions lay dead in the gangway-Spears

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BULLITT COUNTY.

Floyd, Fossett and Boyce were wounded-Crepps, Crist and Moore remained unhurt. It was evident that Spears' wound was mortal, and that he could sur- vive but a few moments. He urged the survivors to run the boat to the opposite side of the river. and save themselves by immediate flight, and leave him to his fate. Crépps and Crist positively refused.

But the boat was gradually nearing the southern shore of the river. At this time the Indians, to the number of forty or fifty, were seen crossing the river above, at a few hundred yards distance, some on logs, and some swimming and carrying their rifles over their heads. The escape of the boat was now hopeless, as there was a large body of Indians on each side of the river. If the boat had been carried immediately to the opposite side of the river as soon as her cable was loosed, the survivors might have escaped ; but to such minds and hearts, the idea of leaving their dying friends to the mercy of the Indian tomahawk was in- supportable. The boat at length touched the southern shore-a hasty preparation was made to bear the wounded into the woods-Floyd, Fossett and Boyce got to land, and sought concealinent in the thickets. Crepps and Crist turned to their suffering friend, Spears. but death had kindly stepped in and cut short the savage triumph. The woman now remained. They offered to assist her to shore, that she might take her chance of escape in the woods; but the danger of her posi- tion, and the scenes of blood and death around her, had overpowered her senses, and no entreaty or remonstrance could prevail with her to move. She sat with her face buried in her hands, and no effort could make her sensible that there was any hope of escape.

The Indians had gained the south side of the river, and were yelling like bloodhounds as they ran down towards the boat, which they now looked upon as their certain prey. Crépps and Crist seized a rifle apiece, and ascended the river bank ; at the top of the hill they met the savages and charged them with a shout. Crepps fired upon them, but Crist, in his haste, had taken up Fossett's gun. which had got wet as he swam with it to the boat on the oppo- site side-it missed fire. At this time Moore passed them and escaped. 'The Indians, when charged by Crépps and Crist, fell back into a ravine that put into the river immediately above them. Crist and Crepps again commenced their flight. The Indians rallied and rose from the ravine, and fired a volley at them as they fled. Crepps received a ball in his left side ; a bullet struck Crist's heel, and completely crushed the bones of his foot. They parted, and met no more. The Indians, intent on .plunder, did not pursue them, but rushed into the boat. Crist heard one long, agonizing shriek from the unfortunate woman, and the wild shouts of the savages, as they possessed themselves of the spoils of a costly but barren victory.

Crépps, in the course of the next day, arrived in the neighborhood of Long lick, and being unable to travel farther. laid down in the woods to die. Moore alone escaped unhurt, and brought in the tidings of the defeat of the boat. The country was at once roused. Crepps was found, and brought in, but died about the time he reached home. Crist described Crepps as a tall, fair haired, hand- some man : kind, brave, and enterprising, and possessed of all those high and striking qualities that gave the heroic stamp to that hardy race of pioneers amongst whom he had lived and died. He had been the lion of the fight. By exposing himself to the most imminent peril, he inspirited his companions with his own contempt of danger. He and Crist had stood over Fossett, and kept the Indians treed while he disengaged the cable; and his coolness during the long, bloody struggle of the day, had won the admiration of Crist himself-than whom a more dauntless man had never contended with mortal foe. Crépps left a young wife and one son, then an infant. His wife was enceinte at the time of his death -the posthumous child was a daughter, became the wife of the Hon. Charles A. Wickliffe. The son died shortly after he arrived at man's estate.

Crist was so disabled by the wound that he could not walk. The bones of his heel were crushed. He crept into a thicket and laid down-his wound bled profusely. He could not remain here long. His feet were now of no use to him. He bound his moccasins on his knees, and commenced his journey. Piece by piece his hat, hunting shirt, and vest were consumed to shield his hands against the rugged rocks which lay in his way. He crawled on all day up the river, and at night crossed over to the north side upon a log that he rolled down the bank. He concealed himself in a thicket and tried to sleep-but pain and ex- haustion and loss of blood had driven sleep from his eyes. His foot and leg were inuch swollen and inflamed. Guided by the stars he crept on again-be- tween midnight and day he came in sight of a camp fire, and heard the barking

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HENRY CRIST.

of a dog. A number of Indians rose up from around the fire, and he crept softly away from the light. He laid down and remained quiet for some time. When all was still again, he resumed his slow and painful journey. He crawled into a small branch, and kept on down it for some distance uron the rocks, that he might leave no trace behind him. At daylight, he ascended an eminence of con- siderable height to ascertain, if possible, where he was, and how to shape his future course ; but all around was wilderness. He was aiming to reach Bullitt's lick, now about eight miles distant, and his progress was not half a mile an hour. He toiled on all day-night came on-the second night of his painful journey. Since leaving the small branch the night before, he had found no water-since the day before the battle he had not tasted food. Worn down with hunger, want of sleep, acute pain, and raging thirst, he laid himself down to die. But his suf- ferings were not to end here-guided again by the stars, he struggled on. Every rag that he could interpose between the rugged stones and his bleeding hands and knee (for he could now use but one), was worn away. The morning came -the morning of the third day ; it brought him but little hope ; but the indomi- table spirit within him disdained to yield, and during the day he made what pro- gress he could. As the evening drew on, he became aware that he was in the vicinity of Bullitt's lick; but he could go no further; nature had made her last effort, and he laid himself down and prayed that death would speedily end his sufferings.

When darkness came on, from where he lay he could see the hundred fires of the furnaces at the licks all glowing; and he even fancied he could see the dusky forms of the firemen as they passed to and fro around the pits, but they were more than a half mile off, and how was he to reach them ? He had not eaten a morsel in four days, he had been drained of almost his last drop of blood, the wounded leg had become so stiff and swollen that for the last two days and nights he had dragged it after him ; the flesh was worn from his knee and from the palms of his hands. Relief was in his sight, but to reach it was impossible. Suddenly he heard the tramp of a horse's feet approaching him, and hope sprang up once more in his breast. "The sound came nearer and still more near. A path ran near the place where he lay, a man on horse-back approached within a few rods of him, he mustered his remaining strength, and hailed him ; but to his utter surprise and dismay. the horseman turned suddenly and galloped off towards the Licks. De- spair now seized him. To die alone of hunger and thirst, in sight of hundreds and of plenty, seemed to him the last dregs of the bitterest cup that fate could offer to mortal lips. O ! that he could have fallen by the side of his friends in the proud battle! That he could have met the Indian tomahawk, and died in the strength of his manhood ; and not have been doomed to linger out his life in days and nights of pain and agony, and to die by pieceineal in childish despair. While these thoughts were passing in his mind, the horseman (a negro), regained the Licks and alarmed the people there with the intelligence that the Indians were approaching. On being interrogated, all the account he could give was, that some person had called to him in the woods a half mile off, and called him by the wrong name. It was manifest it was not Indians; and forthwith a number of men set out, guided by the negro, to the place. Crist's hopes again revived, when he heard voices, and saw lights approaching. They came near and hailed. Crist knew the voice, and called to the man by name. This removed all doubt, and they approached the spot where he lay. A sad and mournful sight was before them. A man that had left them but a few days before, in the bloom of youth, health and buoyant spirits, now lay stretched upon the earth, a worn and mangled skeleton, unable to lift a hand to bid them welcome. They bore him home. The ball was extracted ; but his recovery was slow and doubtful. It was a year before he was a man again.

The woman in the boat was carried a prisoner to Canada. 'Ten years after- wards, Crist met her again in Kentucky. She had been redeemed by an Indian trader, and brought into Wayne's camp on the Maumee, and restored to her friends. She informed Crist that the body of Indians which made the attack on the boat, numbered over one hundred and twenty, of whom about thirty were killed in the engagement. This account was confirmed by Indians whom Crist met with afterwards, and who had been in the battle. They told Crist that the boat's crew fought more like devils than men. and if they had taken one of them prisoner,

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BUTIER COUNTY.

they would have roasted him alive. Crist was afterwards a member of the Ken- tucky legislature, and in 1838 was a member of Congress. He died at his resi- dence in Bullitt county, in August, 1844, aged eighty years.

ALEXANDER SCOTT BULLITT was born in Prince William county, Virginia, in the year 1761. His father, Cuthbert Bullitt, was a lawyer of some distinction and practiced his profession with success until he was appointed a judge of the supreme court of Virginia, which office he held at the time of his death. In 1784, six years before the father's death, the subject of this sketch emigrated to Ken- tucky, then a portion of Virginia, and settled on or near the stream called Bullskin, in what is now Shelby county. Here he resided but a few months, being com- pelled by the annoyances to which he was subjected by the Indians, to seek a less exposed situation. This he found in Jefferson county, in the neighborhood of Sturgus' station, where he entered and settled upon the tract of land on which he continued to reside until his death. In the fall of 1785, he married the daughter of Col. W. Christian, who had removed from Virginia the preceding spring. In April, 1786, Colonel Christian, with a party of eight or ten men, pursued a small body of Indians, who had been committing depredations on the property of the settlers in the neighborhood of Sturgus' station. Two of the Indians were over- taken about a mile north of Jeffersonville, Indiana, and finding escape impossible, they turned upon their pursuers, and one of them fired at Colonel Christian, who was foremost in the pursuit, and mortally wounded him. Next to Colonel Chris- tian, was the subject of this sketch and Colonel John O'Bannon, who fired simul- taneously, bringing both Indians to the ground. Under the impression that the Indians were both dead, a man by the name of Kelly incautiously approached them, when one of them who, though . mortally wounded, still retained some strength and all his thirst for blood, raised himself to his knees, and fired with the rifle which had not been discharged, killed Kelly, fell back and expired .*

In the year 1792, Colonel Bullitt was elected by the people of Jefferson county a delegate to the convention which met in Danville, and framed the constitution of Kentucky. After the adoption of the constitution, he represented the county in the legislature, and was president of the senate until 1799, when he was again chosen a delegate to the convention to amend the constitution, which met in Frankfort. Of this convention he was chosen president. The year following this convention, (1800,) he was elected lieutenant governor of the state. in which capacity he served one term. After this, his county continued to send him to the legislature, of which body he served either as a representative or senator, until about 1808, when he retired from public life, and resided on his farm in Jefferson county until his death, which occurred on the 13th of April, 1816.

BUTLER COUNTY.

BUTLER county, the 53d organized, was formed in 1810, out of parts of Logan and Ohio counties ; lies on both sides of Green river, in the s. w. part of the state ; is bounded N. by Ohio and - Grayson counties, E. by Grayson and Edmonson, s. by Lyon and Warren, and w. by Muhlenburg. The surface is hilly ; the soil second-rate, but productive. A large extent of territory is too poor and broken ever to be turned to agricultural uses. The hill lands are admirably adapted to grazing and fruit growing ; the peach crop has not failed, on some of these elevations, for many years. The hills are full of coal.

*This account, which is believed to be substantially correct, differs in some particulars from that given in the biographical sketch of Colonel Christian.

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BUTLER COUNTY.

Towns .- Morgantown, the county seat, incorporated on Jan. 6, 1813, is on the s. side of Green river, 21 miles from Bowling- green ; population in 1870, 125. Rochester, the most commercial point in the county, having 4 tobacco houses, and from which over 300 hogsheads of tobacco are shipped annually, is at lock and dam No. 3, on Green river, at the mouth of Muddy river, 12 miles from Morgantown ; incorporated 1839; population 228. Woodbury, at lock and dam No. 4, on s. side of Green river, 6 miles from Morgantown ; incorporated in 1856 ; population 171. Other villages are-on the s. side of Green river, Forgyville, Har- reldsville, and Sugar Grove; and on the . side, Brooklyn, Aber- deen, Flowersville, and Reedyrille.

STATISTICS OF BUTLER COUNTY.

When formed See page 26 Tobacco, hay, corn, wheat .... .pp. 266, 268 Population, from 1810 to 1870 .p. 258 Horses, mules, cattle, hogs .p. 268

66 whites and colored. p. 260 Taxable property, in 1846 and 1870 ... p. 270

towns. .p. 262 Land-No. of acres, 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 BUTLER COUNTY, SINCE 1859.

Senate .- O. P. Johnson, 1865-69.

House of Representatives .- O. P. Johnson, 1863-65 ; J. Q. Owsley, 1865-67, resigned 1866, succeeded by L. M. Haslip, 1866-67 ; Julian N. Phelps, 1867-69 and 1871-73.

Productions .- Besides those of annual growth, large rafts of logs and of sawed lumber are floated down Green river, and coal has been shipped in quantities, for forty years, from some of the mines or veins. Before the locks and dams were built, salt was extensively manufactured at Berry's lick, the water being drawn by horse power from wells, 300 feet deep, over a space of 2 miles along Muddy creek.

Mounds and Cuve .- On the farm of Judge T. C. Carson, 7 miles below Morgantown, are several mounds-one 8 or 10 feet high, covering between a quarter and half an acre of land. No bones have been found in it; but from a smaller one, a number of bones belonging to a giant race have been taken-jaw bones which would go over the whole chin of a man, and teeth correspondingly large ; the teeth remained sound, but the other bones crum- bled on exposure to the air. In Saltpeter cave, in the Little Bend of Green river, a number of such bones were found.

First Settlers .- Richard C. Dellium carried on a trading establishment at Berry's Lick, and James Forgy settled near there, about 1794; they had to go to Nashville to mill, along a footpath through a solid cane brake. Part of a regiment for the war of 1812 was made up in this county, under Maj. John Harreld-who afterwards served in both branches of the legislature.

[For mention of skirmishes in Oct., 1861, in this county, see vol. i, 97; also, see General Index at end of book. ]

This county received its name in honor of General BUTLER, of Pennsylvania, an officer of the revolutionary war, who distinguished himself, on more than one occasion, in a remarkable manner. He commanded the right wing of the Ameri- can army under General St. Clair, in the memorable and disastrous battle with the Indians on one of the tributaries of the Wabash, near the Miami villages, in the now state of Ohio. He was wounded early in the action, and before his wounds could be dressed, an Indian who had penetrated the ranks of the regi- ment, ran up to the spot where he lay, and tomahawked him before his attendants could interpose. The desperate savage was instantly killed.

108

CALDWELL COUNTY.

CALDWELL county, the 51st erected in the state, was formed in 1809, out of part of Livingston county, and named in honor of Gen. John Caldwell .; is situated on the waters of the Cumber- land and Tradewater rivers ; bounded N. by Crittenden and Hopkins, E. by Hopkins and Christian, s. by Trigg and Lyon, and w. by Lyon and Crittenden counties. The land is generally undulating.

Towns .- Princeton, the county seat, on the Elizabethtown and Paducah railroad, 13 miles N. E. of Eddyville, on the Cunrber- land river, has a handsome brick court house, and 14 lawyers, 5 physicians, 8 churches, Princeton College (an elegant building), and Princeton Female Academy (each with about 100 students), 1 banking house, 3 hotels, 10 dry goods stores, 3 drug stores, 3 furniture stores, 6 groceries, 2 wagon and plough shops, 13 other mechanics' shops, 2 steam flouring mills, and 1 woolen factory ; population in 1870, 1,012. Fredonia, 12 miles N. w. of Prince- ton, has 1 church, 2 hotels, 5 stores, 3 doctors, 3 mechanics' shops, and 1 flouring mill.

STATISTICS OF CALDWELL COUNTY.

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

Population, from 1810 to 1870 .p. 258 Horses, mules, cattle, and hogs ...... p. 268

whites and colored. .p. 260 Taxable property, 1846 and 1870 .... p. 270

. towns. .P. 262 Land-No. of acres, and value ....... p. 270

white males over 21 .p. 266 Latitude and longitude .. p. 257

children bet. 6 and 20. .. p. 266

Distinguished citizens .. see Index.

MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE, SINCE 1859.

Senate .- Franklin W. Darby, 1871-75.

House of Representatives .- Wm. B. Acree, 1859-61 ; Wm. H. Edmunds, 1861-63, shot on board of the steamboat Nashville by a guerrilla in the fall of 1862 ; Francis Gardner, 1863-67, but resigned Jan., 1866, and succeeded by Jas. R. Hewlett, 1866-67 ; Philip M. Thurmond, 1869-71 ; Thos. J. Morrow, 1873-75. [See page 000.]

For sketch of Cumberland College, see Index.

Gen. JOHN CALDWELL, in honor of whom this county received its name, was a native of Prince Edward county, Virginia. He removed to Kentucky in 1781, and settled near where Danville now stands. He took an active part in the conflicts with the Indians, and rose by regular steps from the rank of a common soldier to that of a major general in the militia. He served as a subaltern in the campaign against the Indians in 1786, under Gen. George Rogers Clark. He was a prom- inent man of his day-esteemed in private and political, as he was in military life. He was a member, from Nelson county, of the conventions held in Dan- ville in 1787 and 1788. In 1792, he was elected from the same county a senato- rial elector, under the first constitution; and in the college of electors, he was chosen the senator from Nelson. He took his seat in the senate at the session of 1792-3. He was elected lieutenant governor of the State in 1804, and during his term of service removed to the lower part of the State. He died at Frank- fort in the year 1804 Nov. 19, while the legislature was in session.

CALLOWAY COUNTY.

CALLOWAY county, the 72d in order of formation, and em- bracing 395 square miles, was erected in 1822, out of part of Hickman county, and named in honor of Col. Richard Callaway;

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CALLOWAY COUNTY.

it then included all of the present county of Marshall, also. It is situated in the south-western part of the state, and bounded N. by Marshall county, E. by the Tennessee river, s. by the Ten- nessee state line, and w. by Graves county. The land is level, the western half as level as a prairie-having been "barren lands" in 1830, but is now covered with heavy timber. The soil is. fertile, and peculiarly adapted to the growth of "Gold Leaf Tobacco," the chief staple of the county. There are 15 tobacco factories in the county. The principal streams are Blood river, Clark's river, West fork of Clark's river, Rockhouse, Bee, and Jonathan creeks.

Towns .- Murray, the county seat, named after the Hon. John L. Murray (afterwards member of Congress for eleven years), and incorporated in 1844, is near the center of the county, 14 miles s. E. of Mayfield, and about 250 miles from Frankfort; population, Jan. 1, 1873, between 600 and 800, partially reported in the U. S. census for 1870 (see page 263) at 179 : has 2 whole- sale and 6 retail stores, steam flouring and saw mill, wool-carding mill, wagon and carriage factory, tanyard, 12 mechanical shops, 2 tobacco factories, 2 hotels, 2 churches, 5 lawyers, 4 physicians, newspaper (The Murray Gazette), and the " Murray Institute," a beautiful building, and an excellent school for the education of both sexes ; the business portion of the town, the blocks of build- ings on the north and east side of the court house, was burnt during the civil war, by a detachment of Federal soldiers, but has been rebuilt. New Concord, incorporated by that name in 1868, but as Concord in 1835, is 10 miles from Murray, in S. E. part of the county : population about 150; has 5 stores, tobacco factory, wagon and carriage factory, 3 mechanics' shops, 2 physi- cians, church, and academy. Wadesboro, 10 miles N. of Murray, has 1 store, hotel, blacksmith shop, tan yard, and 2 churches. Boydsville, Callowaytown, and Pine Bluff, are very small villages.

STATISTICS OF CALLOWAY COUNTY.

When formed. See page 26 Corn, wheat, hay, tobacco .. pages 266, 268

Population, from 1830 to 1870 ... p. 258 Horses, mules, cattle, hogs .p. 268

whites and colored. .. p. 260 Taxable property, 1846 and 1870 .... p. 270

towns .. .p. 262 Land-No. of aeres, and value ....... p. 270

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Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 15

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