USA > Virginia > A history of the valley of Virginia, 1st ed > Part 11
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
There is a tradition of a battle fought on Patterson's creek, between the whites and Indians, the spring be- fore Braddock's defeat; but the author was not able to obtain the particulars; except that the Indians were de- feated.
* The Indians killed Oliver Kremer in Short Gap, and took his wife prisoner.
In the year 1764, a party of IS Delawares crossed the mountains. Furman's. fort was about one milc above the Hanging Rock, on the South Branch. Wil: liam Furman and Nimrod Ashby Had gone out from the fort to watch a deer lick in the Jersey mountain.t The Indians discovered and killed them both, and passed on into the county of Frederick, where they divided into two parties. One party of eight moved ou to the Cedar creek settlement; the other of ten attacked the people in the neighborhood of the present residence of Maj.
* Related by Mr. James Higgins, of the North Branch.
+ So called from its being first settled hy immigrants from New-Jersey.
-
129
AND MASSACRES.
John White. On this place Dr. White, the ancestor of the White family, had settled, and on his land a stock- ade was erected. The people in the neighborhood had taken the alarm, and were on their way to the fort, when they were assaulted by these ten Indians. They killed David Jones and his wife, two old people. Some of Mrs. Thomas's family were killed, and she and one daughter taken off. An old man by the name of Lloyd, and his wife, and several of his children, were killed. Esther Lloyd, their daughter, about 13 years old, re- ceived three tomahawk wounds in the head, was scalp- ed, and left lying, supposed to be dead. Henry Clou- ser and two of his sons were killed, and his wife and four of his daughters taken. The youngest daughter - was about two years old; and as she impeded the mo- ther's traveling, when they reached the North moun- tain the poor little innocent babe was taken by its heels, its head dashed against a tree, and the brains beaten out, and left lying on the ground. Mrs. Thomas was ta- ken to the Wappatomaka; but the river being pretty full, and deep fording, they encamped near Furman's fort for the night. The next morning a party of white men fired off their guns at the fort, which alarmed the Indians, and they hurried across the river, assisting all their female prisoners except Mrs. Thomas, who being quite stout and strong, was left to shift for herself. The current, however, proved too strong for her, and she floated down the river-but lodged against a rock, upon which she crawled, and saved herself from drowning. Before her capture she had concealed half a loaf of bread in her bosom, which, during her struggles in the water, washed out, and, on her reaching the rock, float- ed to her again. In this instance, the text of scripture, "Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days,"* might have some application. It was not "many days," but there appears to have been something providential in it, for it saved her from ex- treme suffering. The next morning Mrs. Thomas
" Ecclesiastes, Ilth chap. Ist vores.
130
1
INDIAN INCURSIONS
made her way to Williams's fort, about two miles below the Hanging Rock, on the South Branch .*
The author has received from Maj. John White, of Frederick, another account of the foregoing outrages, which he will give in Maj. W.'s own words :
"In July, 1763, information was received by the late Maj. Robert White, (who had a small fort around his house as an asylum for the people in the neighborhood.) that Indians had been seen on that or the preceding day on Capon. He immediately went to the several families living near the base of the North mountain, as far as to Owen Thomas's, five or six miles from the fort, told them of the report, and advised them to go into the fort until the danger should be over. It being harvest time, Owen Thomas was unwilling to leave home, and mount- ed a horse to go to his neiglibor Jacob Kackley's, who had several sons grown, to propose to arm themselves and work together in their respective grain fields ; but on his way to Mr. Kackley's he was shot dead and scalp- ed, the Indians having concealed themselves behind two logs thet lay one across the other near the road.
"In June, 1764, similar information of Indians being seen was received at the fort. Maj. White, as on the former occasion, went in the afternoon to warn the peo- ple of their danger; when the widow Thomas, Mr. Jones and Mr. Clouser, set off with their families for the fort ; but night coming on when they had reached Mr. Lloyd's, (about two miles from the fort), they concluded to stay there all night. In the morning, as soon as day appeared, they resumed their journey ; but before they were out of sight of the house, the Indians attacked them, and killed, wounded, or took prisoners twenty- two or twenty-three persons. Evan 'Thomas, a son of the man killed the preceding summer, a boy of seven years old, ran back into the house, and Ind hiraself be- hind some punchcons that he placed across a corner of the room, and remained concealed, notwithstanding the
" Mr. Gerrit Blue stated to the author that he was then a small boy, but well recollects nering Mes. Thomas when she got into the fort.
131
AND MASSACRES.
Indians brought the prisoners into the house, among whom were his mother and sister, both tied, and kept them there till they fried bacon and ate their breakfast: they then set fire to the house in two places, and went away .. Evan said he continued in the house as long as he could on account of the fire; that he saw through a chink in the wall the direction the Indians went ; and not knowing which way to go, he concluded to take the contrary course from the one taken by them. He rambled about all that day and the most of the next be- fore he found any person, the houses which he passed having been abandoned by their owners going to the fort. The Indians encamped the first night at a spring on the Romney road, between the North river and Lit- tle Capon; and on the next day they stopped on the bank of the South Branch, near where Romney now stands, to eat their dinner. While thus engaged, a par- ty who were stationed in a fort a mile or two lower down the river, and who had just returned from a scout, dis- charged their guns in order to clean them, which alarm- ed the Indians, and they hurried across theriver, assisting all their female prisoners excepting Mrs. Thomas, who being a large fat woman, it was supposed would peri-h, as the water was rapid and deep. She floated down the stream, however, until almost exhausted, when she had the good fortune to get on a rock, and save herself from drowning. She had put a piece of bread in her bosom the morning she was taken, and lost it in the water ; but it happened to float so near her while on the rock that she caught it and ate it; which, as she said, so revived and strengthened her that she plunged into the water again, and providentially got out on the east side of the river. She reached Williams's fort, two miles below the Hanging Rock, on the same day. It was often remark- ed by Mrs. Thomas's acquaintances, that after her re- turn she would minutely relate the circumstances at- tending the murder of her husband and children, and her own sufferings, without shedding a tear. Either five or seven of the persons wounded by the Indians,
-
132
, INDIAN INCURSIONS
were taken to the fort at Maj. Robert White's, and at- tended by Dr. M.Donald, though but one recovered, Hester Lloyd, who had two scalps taken from her.">
Mrs. Thomas's daughter, and Mrs. Clouser and her three small daughters, were taken to the Indian towns, and after an absence of about six months, were released from captivity, and all returned home safely.
There is something remarkable in the history of the three Miss Clousers, who were all prisoners at the same time. The eldest was about 10 years old, the next eldest about 7, and the youngest between 5 and 6. They all returned home from their captivity, grew up, were mar- ried, raised families of children, and are now widows, living in the same neighborhood, not more than five or six miles apart. Two of them, Mrs. Shultz and Mrs. Snapp, reside about one and a half miles from the resi- dence of the author, and the third, Mrs. Fry, not ex- ceeding six miles.
Miss Lloyd, who was " tomahawked and scalped," was soon discovered not to be dead. The late Dr. M- Donald was sent for, who trepanned her in the several. fractures in her head. She recovered and lived many years after. There are several respectable individuals now living who knew this woman.
The other party of eight Indians committed several murders on Cedar creek. It is probable this party killed a Mr. Lyle, a Mr. Butler, mal some others. Mr. Ellis Thomas, the husband of the woman whose story has just been given, was killed the harvest preceding. This party of eight Indians took off two female prisoners, were pursued by a party of white men, overtaken in the South Branch mountain, and fired upon, when one of the Indians was killed. The others fled, leaving their guns, prisoners, and plunder.t The prisoners and pro- perty were brought home. Two of the fugitives over- took the party in the Allegany mountain who had Mrs.
* General Smith, Maj. R. D. Glass, Wios Susan Glies, Mrs. Shultz, and Mrs. Snapp, severally stated to the author that they freqneutly saw this wo- rah after she recovered from her wounds. Mis. Shultz states that it was on the first day of June the outrage was committed,
f Moses Russell, Ben.
133
AND MASSACRES.
Clouser, her daughters, and other prisoners, in custody. The fugitives appeared in desperate ill humor, and pro- posed to murder the prisoners ; but the others peremp- torily objected, and would not suffer their prisoners to be injured .*
The same year, 1764; a party of eight Indians, with a white man by the name of Abraham Mitchell, killed George Miller, his wife and two children, within about two miles of Strasburg. They also the same day kill- ed John Dellinger on the land now the residence of Capt. Anthony Spengler, adjoining the town, and took off Rachel Dellinger, with her infant child, prisoners. It was a male child, very stout, and heavy of its age. In crossing Sandy ridge, west of Capon river, this child had its brains beaten out against a tree. A party of white men pursued them, overtook them in the South Branch mountain, fired upon them, and killed one, when the others fled, leaving every thing behind. Ra- chel Dellinger was brought home, and stated that the unprincipled scoundrel Mitchell was with the Indians. About twelve months before, Mitchell had been punish- ed for a petty act of theft, while the people were at Bow- man's fort. Miller and Dellinger inflicted the punish- ment.t
At the massacre of the people near White's fort, one of Mrs. Thomas's daughters, when the people were pre- paring to go to the fort, was requested by Mrs. Clouser to take a bottle of milk in her hand, and carry it to the fort .. When the Indians assailed them, this young wo- man concealed herself behind a tree, and finally es- caped. As soon as she could run off without being dis- covered, she started and ran eight or nine miles with the bottle of milk in her hand. She was met by two of the Fawcetts, near their residence, informed them of what had happened, and they forthwith removed their Lunilies to Stephens's fort.#
· Mrs. Selvliz and Mrs. Snapp.
1 The lve Mrs. Brinker related the particulars of these occurrences to the author. Major Isaac Hite recollects when Miller and Dellinger were killed. Stephena's fort was at the spot where Zane's iron works were afterwards
134
INDIAN OUTRAGES
A little son of Mrs. Thomas concealed himself un- der a pile of flax, which the Indians set on fire. As the fire progressed, the little fellow kept in a direction to a- void it, while the smoke concealed him from the sight of the enemy, and he got safe to the fort.
Thomas Pugh resided at the time on the farm late the residence of Mr. John M'Cool, 8 or 9 miles north west of Winchester. The same party of Indians who committed the outrage near White's fort, on the night after were lurking about Mr. Pugh's house. His dog gave the alarm ; and from his singular behavior, and manifestations of rage, (as if he were engaged in a furi- ous battle,) Mr. Pugh cautiously looked out at a win- dow, and although it was rather a dark night, he dis- covered several Indians looking over a cluster of briars but a short distance from his house. He and his wife and children immediately retreated through a back door and pushed off. They had not gone far, before Pugh recollected his money; he turned back, got into the house, secured his money. took it with him, and saved himself and family from injury. During the whole time Pugh and his family were making their escape, the dog continued his uproar, and as soon as they were out of danger, followed them .* The Indians broke into the house, robbed it of what they chose, and destroyed the furniture ; but they did not burn the building. is said they burnt comparatively but a few houses, be- cause they expected to reconquer the country, and re- turn to inhabit it; in which event they would have com- fortable houses ready built to their hands; hence they generally spared the buildings.
About the year 1765. the Indians made their appear- ance in the neighborhood of Woodstock, in the county of Shenandoah. On Narrow Passage creek, IS or 20
erected on Cedar creek. Mr. Elisha Fawcett, a near neighbor of the au- thor, a highly respectable and intelligent man, stund to the author that he had frequently heard bis fath. rund unele speak of the occurrence.
* Mr. Joseph Hackney informed the author uit he had frequendis beard " Mr. Push telle this occurrence. This is another instance of the extraat. . dinary evidence of the sagacity and ancetion of the dog, and is little interior to the story of Mr. Wollte's doz.
AND MASSACRES. 135
women and children had collected together, in order to go to the fort at Woodstock. An old man by the name of George Sigler was with them. Five Indians attack- ed them. Sigler, after firing, and wounding one in the leg, clubbed his gun and fought to desperation. While he was thus engaged, the women and children made their escape, and got safe to the fort. Sigler broke his gun over the heads of the enemy. wounded several of them pretty severely, and received himself several wounds, but continued the fight until he fell from the loss of blood, when his merciless enemies mangled his budy in a manner shocking to behold .*
In 1766 the Indians made another visit to the neigh- borhood of Woodstock. Two men, by the name of Sheetz and Taylor, had taken their wives and children into a wagon, and were on their way to the fort. At the Narrow Passage, three miles south of Woodstock, five Indians attacked them. The two men were killed at the first onset, and the Indians rushed to seize the wo- men and children. The women, instead of swooning at the sight of their bleeding, expiring husbands, seized their axes, and with Amazonian firmness, and strength almost superhuman, defended themselves and children. One of the Indians had succeeded in geting hold of one of Mrs. Sheetz's children, and attempted to drag it out of the wagon ; but with the quickness of lightning she caught her child in one hand, and with the other made a blow at the head of the fellow, which caused him to quit his hold to save his life. Several of the In- dians received pretty Hore wounds in this desperate con- flict. and all at last ran off, leaving the two women with their children to pursue their way to the fort.
In the latter part of August, the same year, a porty of eight Indians and a worthless villain of a white man crossed Powell's Fort mountain, to the South fork of the Shenandoah, at the late residence of John Gate- wood, Esq. where the Rev. John Roads, a Menonist
* Mr. Christian Miller, a very aged and intelligent man, gave the author this narrative.
9
136
, INDIAN INCURSIONS
preacher of the gospel, then lived. Mr. R., his wife, and three of his sons, were murdered. Mr. Roads was standing in his door, when he was shot and fell dead. Mrs. Roads and one of her sons were killed in the yard. One of the young men was at the distance of about 150 yards from the house, in a corn field. Hearing the report of the guns at the house, he ascended a pear tree to see what it meant, where he was discovered by an In- dian and instantly killed. The third poor young lad attempted to save himself by flight, and to cross the river, but was pursued and killed in the river. The place is called the Bloody ford to this day. The enemy de- manded of the youth who was killed in the yard, where his father kept his money; and was told that if he did not immediately point out the place, they would kill him; but if he would show them the money, his life should be spared. On his declaring he could not tell them, he was instantly shot and fell dead. Mr. Roads's eldest daughter Elizabeth caught up her little sister, a child about 16 or 18 months old, ran into the barn; and closed and scoured the door. An Indian dis- covered and pursued her, and attempted to force open the door; but not succeeding. he with many oaths and threats ordered her to open it. On her refusing, the fel- low ran back to the house to get fire ; and while he was gone, Elizabeth crept out at a hole on the opposite side of the barn, with her little sister in her arms, ran through a field of tall hemp, crossed the river, and got safe to a neighboring house, and thus saved herself and sister.
-
After plundering the house of such articles as they chose to take, the Indians set Gre to all the buildings, and left the dead body of Mr. Road- to be consumed in the flames." They then moved off, taking with them twoof the sons and twoof the daughters prisoners. The youngest prisoner was a weak, sickly little boy, 8 or 9
* Mrs. Stover, the mother of Daniel Stover, Esq. now of Page county, sta- ted to the author that she was then about 15 years old, and distinctly saw the bonne in flames from her father's residence, about two miles off, on the op- pozrite side of the river; and the next day the neighboring people collecting to bury the dead, found Mr. Roadss body about half consumed,
.
137
AND MASSACRES.
years of age : he of course was not able to stand the fa- tigue of traveling ; and crossing the head of Powell's fort, they killed him. His two sisters then refusing to go any farther with them, were barbarously murdered, and their bodies left a prey to wolves and other wild beasts. The other boy was taken off and remained about three years in captivity before he returned home. It was generally believed at the time, that the white scoundrel who was with the Indians, induced them to commit this horrid murder, in order to rob Mr. Roads of his money ; but he missed his object. Mr. Roads kept his money and title papers in a niche in the cellar wall, the dampness and coolness of which preserved them from injury. They were all found safe.
It was quite a common thing with the Germans to have garners fixed in their-garrets to preserve their grain. There was a quantity of rye aloft in the dwelling house, which was burnt to coal ; and as the floors gave way to the flames, the rye fell in a considerably body into the cellar. At any time upon digging into the ruins of the cellar, the grains of rye, or rather coal, can be found- the shape of the grain being as perfect as when in its natural state.
With this bloody tragedy ended the irruptions of the savages upon the people of the valley. This was the last great outrage of savage warfare committed east cf the North mountain.
There are several other interesting occurrences which the author overlooked and omitted to record in due order of time. They are of a character too interesting to be lost in the history of our country. He will therefore pro- cecd to relate them.
About the year 1760, two Indians were discovered lurking in the neighborhood of Mill creek. Matthias Painter, Jolin Painter and William Moore, armed them- selves; and went in pursuit. They had not proceeded far, before they approached a large fallen pine, with a very bushy top. As they neared the tree, Matthias Pain- ter observed, "We had better look sharp; it is quite like-
į
--
13S
INDIAN INCURSIONS
1
lv the Indians are concealed under the tops of this tree." - He had scarcely uttered the words before one of the In- dians rose up and fired. The ball grazed the temple of John Painter. Moore and Painter fired at the same instant ; one of their balls passed through the Indian's body, and he fell, they supposed, dead enough. The other fellow fled, leaving his gun and every thing else behind. The white men pursued him some distance; but the fugitive was too fleet for them. Finding they could not overhaul him, they gave up the chase and re- turned to the pine tree: but to their astonishment, the supposed dead Indian had moved off with both guns and a large pack of skins, &c. They pursued his trail, and when he found they were gaining upon him, he got into a sink hole, and as soon as they approached pretty near, commenced firing at them. . He had poured out a quantity of powder on dry leaves, filled his mouth with bullets, and using a musket which was a self-pri- mer, he was enabled to load and fire with astonishing quickness. He thus fired at least thirty times before they could get a chance to dispatch him. At last Mr. Moore got an opportunity, and shot him through the head. Moore and Painter had many disputes which gave the fellow the first wound. Painter, at length, yielded, and Moore got the premium allowed by law for Indian scalps.
The fugitive who made his escape. unfortunately met with a young woman on horseback, named Seehon, whom he tore from her horse, and forced off with him. This occurred near the present site of Newmarket, in the county of Shenandoah. After traveling about 20 miles, chiefly in the night, and getting nearly opposite Keisletown, in the county of Rockingham, it is sup- posed the poor girl broke down from fatigue, and the . savage monster bent her to death with a heavy pine knot. Her screams were heard by some people who lived upwards of a mile from this scene of horror, and who next day, on going to the place to ascertain the
* Mr. George Painter communicated this adventure to the author.
. AND MASSACRES. 139
cause, found her stripped naked, and weltering in her blood .*
At the attack on George Miller's family, the persons ~ killed were a short distance from the house, spreading flax in a meadow. One of Miller's little daughters was sick in bed. Hearing the firing, she jumped up, and looking through a window and seeing what was done, immediately passed out at a back window, and ran about two or three miles, down to the present residence of Da- vid Stickley, Esq. and from thence to Geo. Bowman's on Cedar creek, giving notice at each place. Col. Abra- ham Bowman, of Kentucky, then a lad of 16 or 17, · had but a few minutes before passed close by Miller's door, and at first doubted the little girl's statement. He however armed himself, mounted his horse, and in ri- ding to the scene of action, was joined by several others who had turned out for the same purpose, and soon found the information of the little girl too fatally truc.
The late Mir. Thomas Newell, of Shenandoah coun- ty, informed the author that he was then a young man. His father's residence was about one inile from Miller's house ; and hearing the firing, he instantly took his ri- fe, and ran to see what it meant. When he arrived at the spot, he found Miller, his wife, and two children, weltering in their blood, and still bleeding. He was the first person who arrived ; and in a very few minutes Bowman and several others joined him. From the scene of murder they went to the house, and on the sill of the door lay a large folio German Bible, on which a fresh killed cat was thrown. . On taking up the Bible it was discovered that fire had been placed in it; but after burning through a few leaves, the weight of that part of the book which lay uppermost, together with the weight of the cat, had so compressed the leaves as to smother and extinguish the fire. f
" Mes. Branaman, au aged and respectable old lady near Pennybaker's iron works, gave the author this information.
! This Bitke is now in the possession of Mr. George Miller, of Shenandoah county, about one and a half miles south of 'Zane's old iron works. The au- thor raw and examined it. The fire had been placed about the centre of the
9
110
INDIAN INCURSIONS
In the year 1768, Capt. William White, a brave and active Indian fighter, made a visit to Col. Wm. Craw- ford, who had removed and settled at the Meadows in the Allegany mountains. White lived on Cedar creek, and Crawford had lived on Bull-skin. They had been out together on Indian expeditions; of course were well acquainted. Crawford had an Irish servant, a pretty stout and active man, who was permitted to ac- company White on a hunting excursion. They had not been out long before they discovered two Indians in the glades. 'The latter, the moment they discover- ed the two white men. flew behind trees, and prepa- red for battle. White and his Irishinan, however, soon outgeneraled them, and killed them both. They were soon after apprehended, and committed to Winches- ter jail on a charge of murder. But White had render- ed his neighbors too many important services, and was too popular, to be permitted to languish loaded with irons in a dungeon for killing Indians. Although the Indian hostilities had entirely ceased, too many indiyid- uals were smarting under a recollection of the outrages they had but recently experienced at the hands of their merciless, savage, and implacable foe. Soon after White and his partner in the charge were committed to jail, Capt. Abraham Fry raised a party of 55 or 60 volunteers, well armed and mounted, to effect their rescue. They dismounted near the present site of Mr. Isaac Hollings- worth's dwelling house, where they left their horses un- der a guard of a few men, and marched into Winches- ter about daybreak next morning. They repaired di- rectly to the jail door, knocked up the jailer, and de- manded the keys. The jailer hesitated, and attempted to remonstrate. - Fry presented his rifle. cocked it, and peremptorily demanded the keys, telling the jailer he would be a dead man in one minute if he did not deli- ver them. The jailer quailed under the fiery count 3- , nance and stern inchaces of Fry, and complied. Fry
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.