USA > Kentucky > Historical sketches of Kentucky : embracing its history, antiquities, and natural curiosities, geographical, statistical, and geological descriptions with anecdotes of pioneer life, and more than one hundred biographical sketches of distinguished pioneers, soldiers, statesmen, jurists, lawyers, divines, etc. > Part 63
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85
There are several mineral springs and mounds in Madison, but none of sufficient interest to require particular notice in this work. There is a black sulphur spring, highly impregnated with salt, at Boonsborough. This was a great resort of buffalo, deer and other animals, when Kentucky was first explored, and no doubt Boone was induced, from this fact, to select that place for the lo- cation of his fort. One of the mounds has been partially ex- plored, but no relics discovered. A large fire must have been burned near the base before the mound was reared, as the coals are so well preserved as to show clearly the wood from which they were burned.
In the summer of 1775, after the completion of the fort at Boonsborough, Daniel Boone returned to Clinch river for his family. He brought them to the new fort as soon as the journey could be performed, and Mrs. Boone and her daugh- ters were the first white women who ever stood upon the banks of the Kentucky river .¿ They were soon reinforced by the arrival of three more families, at the head of which were Mrs. McGary, Mrs. Hogan and Mrs. Denton.
Boonsborough soon became the central object of Indian hostilities. On the 24th of December, 1775, the garrison was suddenly attacked by a party of Indians, and one of the number killed.
On the 7th of July, 1776, a much more alarming incident occurred. A daugh- ter of Daniel Boone, in company with Miss Betsey and Miss Frances Calloway, the first and last named about thirteen years of age, the other grown. while amusing themselves in a canoe, were captured by a party of Indians, in sight of the fort. The screams of the terrified girls quickly alarmed the families in the garrison ; but as it was near night fall, and the canoe on the opposite side of the river, pursuit was not commenced in time to follow more than five miles during the night. By day-light next morning, a party consisting of Daniel Boone, Col. Floyd and six others. got upon their track, and continued the pursuit. The ex- ceeding caution of the Indians, rendered it difficult for the pursuing party to keep on their trail ; but, notwithstanding, they pressed forward in the direction they supposed the Indians would take, with almost incredible rapidity. Having trav-
* See biographical sketch of Colonel Henderson.
+ A fort in these rude military times, consisted of pieces of timber sharpened at the end and firmly lodged in the ground: rows of these pickets enclosed the desired space, which embraced the cabins of the inhabitants. A block-house or more, of superior care and strength, commanding the sides of the fort, with or without a ditch. completed the fortitica- tions, or stations, as they were called. Generally the sides of the interior cabins fucorri the sides of the fort. Slight as this advance was in the art of war, it was more than sufficient against attacks of small arms, in the hands of such desultory warriors, as their irregular supply of provisions necessarily rendered the Indians. Such was the nature of the nulitary structures of the pioneers against their enemies. They were ever more formidable in the cane-brakes and in the woods, than before even these imperfect fortifications .- Batler's History, page 28.
I See sketch of Daniel Boone.
----
-------
420
MADISON COUNTY.
eled about thirty-five miles, they struck a buffalo trace, where they found the tracks quite plain. The pursuit was urged on with great keenness, and at the further distance of ten miles, they came in sight of the savages, just as they were kindling a fire to cook. Both parties saw each other at the same instant. Four of the whites fired, and then charged so suddenly and furiously upon the Indians, that they were compelled to retreat with a single shot gun without ammunition, and withont time to tomahawk their captives. The girls sustained no other injury than excessive fright and fatigue. Two of the Indians were killed. The party were so much elated with the recovery of the frightened and jaded little girls, that they did not pursue the Indians, but immediately retraced their steps, and safely arrived at Boonsborough on the succeeding day.
The infant settlement at Boonsborough continued to be incessantly harassed by flying parties of Indians ; and on the 15th of April, 1777, a simultaneous attack was made on Boonsborough, Harrodsburg and Logan's fort, by a large body of the enemy. But being destitute of artillery and scaling ladders. they could produce no decided impression on the fort. Some loss was sustained by Boonsborongh in men, and the corn and cattle of the settlers were partially destroyed, but the Indians suffered so severely as to retire with precipitation.
On the 4th of July, following. Boonsborough was again attacked by about two hundred warriors. The onset was furious, but unsuccessful. The garnison, less than half the number of the assailants, made a vigorous defence, repulsing the enemy with the loss of seven warriors known to have been killed, and a num- ber wounded. The whites had one man killed and two wounded. The siege lasted two days and nights, when the Indians made a rapid and tumultuous retreat.
Some time in June, 1777, Major Smith with a party of seventeen men, followed a small body of Indians from Boonsborongh to the Ohio river, where they arrived in time to kill one of the number, the remainder having crossed over. As they returned, about twenty miles from the Ohio, they discovered another party of about thirty Indians, lying in the grass, but were themselves unobserved. They immediately dismounted. tied their horses and left nine men to take care of them. Smith, with the remaining eight men of his party, crept forward until they came near the Indians. At this moment, one of the Indians passed partly by Smith, in the direction of the horses. He was shot by one of the whites. He gave a lond yell, and his friends supposing he had killed some wild animal, burst out in a noisy fit of laughter. At that instant Smith and his party fired on the savages - and rushed upon them. The fire was returned, but the Indians speedily gave way and fled. Ninith had one man (John Martin) wounded .*
On the 9th of September, 1778, a third attack was made upon Boonsborough. The enciny appeared in great force-the Indians, numbering at least five hundred warriors, armed and painted in their usual manner, were conducted by Canadian officers, well skilled in the usages of modern warfare. As soon as they were arrayed in front of the fort, the British colors were displayed, and an officer, with a flag, was sent to demand the surrender of the fort, with a promise of quarter and good treatment in case of compliance, and threatening "the hatchet." in case of a storm. Boone requested two days for consideration, which in defiance of all experience and common sense, was granted. This interval, as usual, was employed in preparation for an obstinate resistance. The cattle were brought into the fort, the horses secured, and all things made ready against the commence- ment of hostilities.
Boone then assembled the garrison, and represented to them the condition in which they stood. They had not now to deal with Indians alone, but with Brit- ish officers, skilled in the art of attacking fortified places. sufficiently numerous to direct, but too few to restrain their savage allies. If they surrendered, their lives might and probably would be saved ; but they would suffer much inconve- nience, and must lose all their property. If they resisted and were overcome, the life of every man, woman and child would be sacrificed. The hour was now come in which they were to determine what was to be done. If they were inclined to surrender, he would announce it to the officer; if they were resolved to main- tain the fort. he would share their fate, whether in life or death. He had scarcely finished, when every man arose and in a firm tone announced his determination to defend the fort to the last.
· Notes on Kentucky.
421
ATTACK ON BOONSBOROUGH,
Boone then appeared at the gate of the fortress and communicated to Captain Duquesne the resolution of his men. Disappointment and chagrin were strongly painted upon the face of the Canadian at this answer : but endeavoring to die- guise his feelings, he declared that Governor Hamilton had ordered him not to injure the men if it could be avoided. and that if nine of the principal inhabitants of the fort would come out into the plain and treat with them. they would instantly depart without farther hostility. The insidious nature of this proposal was evi- dent. for they could converse very well from where they then stood. and going out would only place the officers of the fort at the mercy of the savages, not to mention the absurdity of supposing that this army of warriors would " treat," but upon such terms as pleased them, and no terms were likely do so short of a total abandonment of the country.
Notwithstanding these obvious objections, the word " treat," sounded so pleas- antly in the ears of the besieged, that they agreed at once to the proposal, and Boone himself, attended by eight of his men. went out and mingled with the savages, who crowded around them in great numbers, and with countenances of deep anxiety. The treaty then commenced and was soon concluded. What the terms were, we are not informed, nor is it a matter of the least importance. as the whole was a stupid and shallow artifice. This was soon made manifest. Du- quesne, after many, very many pretty periods about the " bienfaisance et humanite" which should accompany the warfare of civilized beings, at length informed Boone, that it was a custom with the Indians. upon the conclusion of a treaty with the whites. for two warriors to take hold of the hand of each white man.
Boone thought this rather a singular custom, but there was no time to dispute about etiquette, particularly. as he could not be more in their power than he already was; so he signified his willingness to conform to the Indian mode of cementing friendship. Instantly, two warriors approached each white man, with the word " brother" upon their lips. but a very different expression in their eves, and grappling him with violence, attempted to bear him off. They probably (unless totally infatuated) expected such a consummation, and all at the same moment sprung from their enemies and ran to the fort, under a heavy fire, which fortunately only wounded one man.
The attack instantly commenced by a heavy fire against the picketing, and was returned with fatal accuracy by the garrison. The Indians quickly sheltered them- selves, and the action became more cantious and deliberate. Finding but little effect from the fire of his men, Duquesne next resorted to a more formidable mode of attack. The fort stood on the south bank of the river, within sixty yards of the water. Commencing under the bank, where their operations were con- cealed from the garrison. they attempted to push a mine into the fort. Their object, however, was fortunately discovered by the quantity of fresh earth which they were compelled to throw into the river. and by which the water hecame maddy for some distance below. Boone, who had regained his usual sagacity, instantly cut a trench within the fort in such a manner as to intersect the line of their approach, and thus frustrated their design.
The enemy exhausted all the ordinary artifices of Indian warfare, but were steadily repulsed in every effort. Finding their numbers daily thinned by the deliberate but fatal fire of the garrison. and seeing no prospect of final success, they broke up on the ninth day of the siege and returned home. The loss of the garrison was two men killed and four wounded. On the part of the savages. thirty-seven were killed and many wounded, who, as usual, were all carried . if. This was the last siege sustained by Boonsborough. The country had morcased to rapidly in numbers, and so many other stations lay between Boonsborough and the Ohio, that the savages could not reach it without leaving enemies in the fear. *
Besides Boonsborough. there were several other forts or stations in Madison -among them, Hoy's, Irvine's. Estill's and Hart's, or White Oak stations. The latter station was situated about a mile above Boonsborongh, in the same bot- som of the river, and was settled in 1779. The settlers were composed princi- pally of families from Pennsylvania-orderly, respectable people, and the men Con soldiers. But they were unaccustomed to Indian warfare, and the conse-
· McClung's sketches of Western Adventure.
1
1 ! 1
1
422
MADISON COUNTY.
quence was, that, of some ten or twelve men, all were killed but two or three .* During the fall or winter of 1781-2, Peter Duree, the elder. the principal man of the connexion, determined to settle a new fort between Estill's station and the mouth of Muddy creek. Having erected a cabin, his son-in-law, John Bullock and his family, and his son Peter Duree, his wife and two children removed to it. taking a pair of hand-mill stones with them. They remained for two or threa days shut up in their cabin, but their corn meal being exhausted, they were com- pelled to venture out, to cut a hollow tree in order to adjust their hand-mill. They were attacked by Indians-Bullock, after running a short distance, fell. Duree reached the cabin, and threw himself upon the bed. Mrs. Bullock ran to the door to ascertain the fate of her husband-received a shot in the breast, and fell across the door sill. Mrs. Duree, not knowing whether her husband had been shot or had fainted, caught her by the feet, pulled her into the house and barred the door. She grasped a rifle, and told her husband she would help him to fight. He replied that he had been wounded and was dying. She then pre- sented the gun through several port holes in quick succession -- then calmly sat by her husband and closed his eyes in death. After waiting several hours, and seeing nothing more of the Indians, Mrs. Duree sallied out in desperation to make her way to the White Oak Spring, with her infant in her arms, and a son three or four years of age, following her. Afraid to pursue the trace, she entered the woods, and after running till she was nearly exhausted, she came at length to the trace. She determined to follow it at all hazards, and having advanced a few miles further, she met the elder Mr. Duree, with his wife and youngest son, with their baggage, on their way to the new station. The melancholy tidings induced them, of course, to return. They led their horses into an adjoining canebrake, unloaded them, and regained the White Oak Spring fort before daylight.
About the same time, an attack was made on Estill's station, three miles south of Richmond, by a party of about twenty-five Wyandots. They killed one man, took a negro prisoner, and disappeared. Captain Estill was the commander of the station, and he immediately raised about an equal number of men and pur- sued them. Hle overhauled them at the Little Mountain, where the bloody bat- tle was fought recorded under the head of Montgomery county.
In August, 1792, seven Indians attacked the dwelling house of Mr. Stephen- son, in Madison county. They approached the house early in the morning, be- fore the family had risen, forced open the door, and fired into the beds where the members of it lay. Mrs. Stephenson was severely wounded, having her thigh and arm broken; but the rest of the family escaped unhurt. Mr. Stephenson sprang from his bed, seized his rifle, and returned the fire of the savages. Two young men, living with him, came to his assistance, and a severe conflict ensued. The assailants, although double the number of the defenders of the house, were ultimately expelled, having one of their number killed and several wounded. Mr. Stephenson was badly wounded, and one of the young men killed in the contest.
NATHANIEL HART, the elder, came to Kentucky in 1775, being among the first pioneers to the State. He was born in the year 1734, in Hanover county. Vir- ginia. His father having died while he was young, his mother removed with the family to North Carolina. In 1760, Mr. Hart married. and engaged for sev- eral years in the mercantile business. In 1770 and 1771, he commanded a com- pany in North Carolina in suppressing an insurrection, the object of which was to shut up the courts of justice and prostrate government itself. For his gallant and spirited behaviour while in the discharge of the arduous and hazardous du- ties which devolved upon him. he was handsomely complimented by the others of the government. Shortly after this, Captain Hart, who had listened to the glowing descriptions which Boone gave of the beauty and fertility of the soil of Kentucky, was fired with the idea of forming a permanent settlement in a region presenting so many attractions to the adventurer. Accordingly. through his in- strumentality, a company was formed composed of his own and four other fami- lies, with Colonel Henderson as its legal head, for the purpose of undertaking
* Letter of Nathaniel Hart, Sen., to Governor Morehead.
423
WILLIAM IRVINE.
the purchase and settlement of the wilderness of Kentucky. As soon as the company was organized, Captain Hart set out alone on a trip to the Cherokee towns, on Holston. to ascertain, by a previous conference with the Indians. whether the purchase could be effected. After a propitious interview, he returned to North Carolina, taking with him a delegation of the Indian chiefs, who re- mained to escort the company back to the treaty ground, when, on the 17th of March, 1775, they negotiated the purchase of Transylvania from the Indians, and immediately departed for the Kentucky river. From this period Captain Hart spent most of his time in Kentucky, although he did not attempt to bring his family out till the fall of 1779. In August, 1782, as he was carelessly riding out in the vicinity of the fort, he was killed and scalped by a small party of In- dians, who made their escape, although warmly pursued by Colonel Boone, His widow survived him about two years. Their descendants all reside in Ken- tucky.
In the final settlement of the affairs of Henderson & Co., the company allowed Captain Hart two hundred pounds for the extraordinary services rendered and risk incurred by him in the settlement of Kentucky.
Capt. CHRISTOPHER IRVINE, with his younger brother, the late Col. William Irvine, removed to Kentucky in 1778 or 1779, and settled in the present county of Madison, near where the town of Richmond now stands. In 1786, Capt. Ir- vine raised a company, and joined an expedition under Gen. Logan against the Indians in the northern part of Ohio. While on this expedition, he met his death in rather a singular manner. In a skirmish which took place, an Indian, who had been severely wounded,-a brave and fearless fellow,-made great efforts to effect his escape. Capt. Irsine and a part of his company gave pursuit, and were enabled to trail him by the blood which flowed from his wound, and stained the high grass through which he passed. The Indian discovered his pursuers, and when the foremost approached within rifle shot, he fired and killed him. He re- treated again, and in his wounded state, loaded his rifle as he ran. Another of Capt. Irvine's company getting considerably in advance of his companions in the chase, the wounded Indian again turned, shot him dead, and resumed his retreat, reloading his rifle as he fled. The delay produced by the fatal effect of his fire, enabled him to get some distance ahead of his pursuers. Capt. Irvine, after losing two of his men by the fire of the Indian, became very much excited, and, contrary to the earnest advice of his party, determined to lead in the pursuit. He gave chase, and in a few minutes was within a short distance of the Indian, when the latter, with but too fatal an aim, fired a third time, and killed him. One of his men, who was close upon his heels, instantly sprang to the place where the In- dian had concealed himself, and found him again loading his rifle! As quick as thought, he struck the Indian to the ground, and beat out his brains with the breech of his gun.
Capt. Irvine was a man of high character and standing-intrepid, energetic, and daring-with a strong and vigorous intellect-popular in the community, and beloved and admired by his pioneer companions. His widow married Gen. Rich- ard Hickman, of Clark county, afterwards lieutenant-governor of Kentucky. Ir- rine, the county seat of Estill county, was named in honor of Capt. C. Irvine, and his brother, Col. William Irvine.
Col. WILLIAM IRVINE came to the county with his brother, and built a station, called Irvine's Siation, near where Richmond stands. Col. Irvine was in the hard-fought and bloody battle at Little Mountain, known as " Estill's defert." in the year 1752. About the close of the action. while Joseph Proctor, Irvine, and two others, were endeavoring to cover the retreat of the whites, Irvine was se- verely wounded, by a bullet and two buck shot entering his body a little above the left groin. The Indian who shot him, saw him fall, and, leaving the tree be- hind which he was sheltered. inade a rapid advance with the view of tomahawk. ing ant scalping him. Irvine, as he approached, raised and presented his gun, which had just been fired, and was then empty, when the savage rapidly retreat- ed to his tree for protection. Proctor, who was about fifty yards off, seeing the disabled condition of Irvine, called to him to mount, if he could. Capt. E-till's horse, (the owner having been previously killed), and retreat to a given point on
-
*
424
MADISON COUNTY.
the trace, about three miles distant .- promising him that he would, from that point, conduct him to his station in Madison. This assurance was given by Proc- tor under the conviction that, from the severity of Irvine's wounds, combined with the great loss of blood, he would be unable to proceed further on the retreat than the point designated. Irvine determined to follow the advice of Proctor; but the Indian who had wounded him, appeared resolved to baffie all his efforts to make his escape. As Irvine attempted to mount, the Indian would abandon his shelter, and make towards him with his tomahawk, when the former would raise and present his empty gun, and the latter as quickly retreat to his tree. This was repeated four times in succession. On the fifth trial, Irvine succeeded in mounting the horse, and safely reached the place designated by Proctor. Upon his arrival, he was exceedingly faint from loss of blood, but had sufficient presence of mind to diverge from the main trace, and shield himself in a thicket near by. Here he dismounted, and holding on to his horse's bridle, laid himself against a log to die. In a short time, Proctor and his two companions reached the place of ren- dezvous, and the former, true to his promise, determined to search for Irvine : the latter objected, under the apprehension that the Indians were in close pursuit. Proctor, however, persisted in the search, and. in a few minutes. discovered, through the bushes, the white horse rode by Irvine. He approached cautiously, and with a stealthy step, fearing an Indian ambuscade. Irvine, notwithstanding, caught the sound of his footsteps, and suffered all the horrors of death, under the impression that the footsteps were those of an enemy and not a friend. He was, however, speedily undeceived. Proctor bound up his wounds, and relieving his burning thirst by a supply of water from a contiguous branch, mounted him on horseback, and placing one of the men behind to hold him, safely conveyed him to Bryant's station, where they arrived on the succeeding day. Col. Irvine suf- fered severely from his wounds, and did not fully recover his health for several years. The bullet and shot were never extracted, and he carried them with him to his grave. He died in 1820. thirty-eight years after receiving his wound.
Colonel Irvine was a man of estimable character and high standing. When Madison county was established, he was appointed clerk of the quarter session and county courts, and after the quarter session court was abolished, was made clerk of the circuit court. These offices (clerk of the county and circuit courts) he held until his death. While clerk of the former courts, and before the sepa- ration of Kentucky, he was elected to the legislature of Virginia-was a mem- ber of several conventions held at Danville, preparatory to the introduction of Kentucky into the Union, and was a member from Madison, of the convention which formed the present constitution of Kentucky. He was repeatedly elected an elector of president and vice-president of the United States. No man had a stronger hold upon the affections of the people, and but few have gone to the grave more generally lamented.
Col. JOHN SPEED SMITH, is a citizen of Madison county, and has been long noted as one of the most prominent politicians in the State. He is a man of de- cided talents, and exercises great influence over those with whom in public life he is associated. He has repeatedly served in the legislature of Kentucky. and presided over that body as speaker. During Monroe's administration he was for two years a member of Congress. During J. Q. Adams' administration he was appointed by the president, secretary of legation to the United States' mission sent to the South American Congress, which was to assemble at Taenbava. Gen. Jackson when president. appointed him district attorney for the United States for the district of Kentucky. In the winter of 1939. he was appointed by the legi- lature of Kentucky in conjunction with the Honorable James T. Morehead. a com- missioner to the state of Ohio to obtain the passage of a law for the protection of the slave property of Kentucky. The mission was entirely successful. Colone! Smith is now living in Madison, which he represents in the senate. In the cam- paign of 1813 he served as aid-de-camp to General Harrison, and proved himself a brave, vigilant and efficient officer.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.