USA > Virginia > A history of the valley of Virginia, 3rd ed > Part 40
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There were a number of people killed and taken prisoners by the same Indians, at the big bend of Jackson's River. But Mr. Byrd, my informant, could not recollect the precise number or name of the sufferers.
There is an Indian grave near Man's Mills, on Jackson River, thirty yards or more in diameter, and perfectly round. * The author will here remark, that in all his excursions through that country, lie never saw an Indian grave, f and heard of but two, the one just spoken of, and another at Peter's Mountain. This is said to be in circular form, and covered entirely with stone.
During the troublesome times with the Indians, a party of them attacked the dwelling of Maj. Graham, on Greenbrier River, killed some of his children and took off a young daugliter. She remained a prisoner for several years, and grew up with the savages ; a short interval of peace took place with the tribes, and her father went out to the Indian country and found his daughter, whom he had believed was entirely lost to him, and brought her home. She soon manifested great uneasiness, and expressed a desire to return to the Indians.
A small party of Indians came into the neighborhood of Muddy Creek, and killed a man near her father's residence, and as soon as she heard of the occurrence, made an attempt to run of to the In-
* Now entirely plowed down.
+ There is a pretty considerable mound about two miles south of Frank- fort, in Pendleton county, noticed in the first edition of this work.
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dians, but was prevented from doing so by the family. She after a while became better reconciled to remain with her connections, and married a worthy man, raised a respectable family of children, and was living in the year 1836, in the county of Monroe. This is an- other among the many instances of white childern, taken while quite young, growing up with the savages, and becoming so much attached to the manners and habits of the people in a state of nature, as to leave them with the greatest possible reluctance.
In the autumn of 1797, the author traveled through the state of Ohio. At Chillicothe he saw a young man named Williamson, who was on his way to his residence at the three Islands of the Ohio River ; he was returning with two of his brothers, one fourteen, the other about twelve years of age, who had been taken about three years before. He had found them near the lakes, with different tribes, about sixty miles apart. The young man stated that it was with considerable difficulty he could prevail on the little fellows to leave the Indians ; and even after he had started with them, they made several attempts to run off and get back to the Indians. He was at length compelled to obtain a canoe and descend the Alleghany River with them, and by this means, and vigilant watching, he pre- vented their making their escape from him.
It is remarkable, that those children should have so soon lost their affection for their parents and brothers and sister, and to prefer remaining with their savage captors. The author has been informed by persons who have been prisoners, that natives never apply the scourge to children, but treat them with the greatest indulgence. It is probably owing to this cause that white childern become so much pleased with them.
The author attempted to converse with the boys, but immedi- ately discovered that they had acquired all that coyness and diffi- dence so commonly manifested by the native Indians. They would scarcely answer a question ; and before they answered yes or 110, they would look at their elder brother, and at each other, and pause before either would reply ; and that reply was only y s or no.
In the year 1774, there were four families, Ash, Buingardner, Croft and Hupp, who settled at a place called Tea Garden at Ten Mile Creek, on Monongalia River. They had entered into a con- tract with the Indians for permission to occupy a certain quanti- ty of land, and the privilege of hunting on the lands, for which they agreed to pay a small annual rent. When Dunmore's war commenced, a messenger was sent to them, warning them of their danger, and advising them to remove immediately into the Fort at Redstone. The messenger stated to them, that if they remained they would be all killed. Several Indians were present, and their chief replied to the bearer of the message: "Tell your king he is a d-d liar, the Indians will not kill them." And the people re- mained at their residence during the continuance of the war, with- out being disturbed by the enemy.
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REGURGITARY SPRING.
This is a most singular and curious work of nature. The writer did not see it, but it was described by several intelligent re- spectable gentlemen who had repeatedly examined it. On the sum- mit of a high mountain, in the County of Hardy, five or six miles from Petersburg, a village on the main Fork of the South Branch of the Wappatomaca, this spring makes its appearance. It ebbs and flows every two hours. When rising, it emits a gurling noise, similar to the gurgling of any liquid running out at the bung-hole of a hogshead, runs freely two hours, and then ebbs and the water entirely disappears. At every flow, sand and small pebbles are forced out with the water.
Samuel McDonald was wounded at the battle of the Point, under Col. Lewis. He belonged to the company commanded by Capt. Dickinson. The ball passed through both his thighs, but neither was broken. He recovered from his wounds, but continued a little lame as long as he lived. Mrs. Ellen McDonald, his widow, (eighty-three years of age, and still living), informed the author that she once had two sisters taken by the Indians, one ten years of age and the other seven. They were prisoners seven years, lost their mother tongue, and spoke the Indian language perfectly. Two of Mr. McDonald's sisters were taken by the Cherokees.
In the year 1764, the Indians killed, at the house of James Clanahan, Edward Sampson and Joseph Mayes. They killed and took prisoners all the families, except three individuals. A woman seventy years of age had left the house, but returned and took a small trunk, in which she kept her caps and money, and carried it off, while the Indians were killing a number of persons around her ; and finally made her escape. There were but two other per- sons who escaped.
The Indians then passing up the Cowpasture River, stopped at the house of William Fitzgerald. Thomas Thompson was there at the time. They barricaded the door, so that the Indians could not force it open. The savages immediately set fire to the house, and Fitzgerald and Thompson were burned to death. A little girl of Fitzgerald's was cruelly burnt. They killed its mother the next day, and took the child off. It was rescued by the whites and brought part of the way home ; but died at Marlow's Ford, Greenbrier River. Mrs. Sampson and daughters were taken off by the Indians, and when they found they could be overtaken by the whites, a young warrior shot Mrs. Sampson through the body. She was found in a languishing condition, and brought part of the way home, but died 011 the way. Her daughters were never more heard of.
In 1779 a man by the name of McKeever, was killed and Thos. Grening and George Smith were fired at by the party who killed
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Mckeever, but made their escape. Both their wives and children were taken off as prisoners. Mrs. Smith made her escape from the savages, and on her way homeward was met by Col. John Hill, now of Pocahontas county, and conveyed to her friends in North Carolina.
JOHN DAY'S FORT, NOW PRICE'S OLD FORT. FORMERLY KECKLEY'S FORT.
About 1772 John McNeil settled in the Little Levels ; at that period there were very few settlers in that neighborhood. Mrs. Sarah Brown, the mother of Col. Brown in this neighborhood, at the age of ninety-one years, was able to walk about the neighbor- hood, and rode by herself to visit some of her children, who lived ten or fifteen miles off. Col. Brown stated to the author that a sugar tree of immense size, at least six feet in diameter, stood in one of his fields, and that it yielded him at least fifty pounds of sugar yearly. The Indians did no mischief after the war of 1763, until they year 1774. There was some Buffalo and Elk to be seen in the country a. this period.
William Meeks, his wife, six children, and his mother, were taken off four or five years after the battle of the Point. Capt. Woods of the present County of Monroe, raised a party of seventeen men, pursued the enemy and after several days march, overtook them late in the evening. The Indians had halted and been en- camped three or four days. Capt. Woods and his party approached within a short distance of them without being discovered. Early the next morning, it being very foggy, the whites rushed in among the enemy. Capt. Woods and the Indian Capt. fired at each other, the muzzle of their guns almost touching ; but each of them spring- ing to one side, neither shot took effect. Woods knocked the Indian down with his gun, and pursued the flying enemy. The fellow knocked down soon recovered and ran off.
Not one of the Indians was killed, but the prisoners were all rescued, and returned to their homes with the plunder all retaken, and the Indians losing all their own property.
COOK'S FORT, INDIAN CREEK.
In the year 1774, about the time of the attack on Donnally's Fort, there were three hundred people sheltered in the Fortress. It was oblong, and covered one and-a-half acres of ground. A Mrs. Bradsburn was killed.
Shortly before Wm. Meeks was taken. Steel Lafferty was killed at the mouth of Indian Creek, three miles off from the Fort. Meeks heard the report of his death, immediately mounted his horse, and rode with all speed to his house, to the relief of two women ; as he approached the house, he called to them to open the door, which was
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immediately done, when he rushed into it, sprang to a port-hole, saw two Indians running across a small field, near the house, fired at them, when one of them dropped his blanked and gun, increased his speed and got off ; but it was believed he was shot through the body ; he never could be found, however.
In 1771, Mr. James Ellison removed from the State of New Jersey, with his father, at which time he was about fifteen years of age. On the 19th of October, 1780, a party of seven or eight In- dians attacked him, wounded him in the shoulder, the ball passing under his shoulderblade and out very near his spine; he was tied and taken off a prisoner. The next day, when they had traveled about fifteen miles with him, while passing through a thicket he suddenly escaped from them, and was pursued, but outran them and got off. This old and intelligent man, was afterwards in the battle of the Point, under Col. Lewis. The author saw him and conversed with him ; he was then about eighty years of age.
Mr. Ellison has been a great and successful hunter. There were but very few buffalo and elk remaining in the country, but abundance of bears, deers, panthers, wolves, wild cats, and a vast number of turkeys and other small game. Mr. Ellison stated that he might safely affirm that he had killed more than one thousand deer, three or four hundred bears, a great many panthers, wolves, &c. The wild game was the chief dependence of the first settlers, for subsistence. There were a great many beavers, otters, and other fured animals taken by hunters.
Mr. John Lybrook, born in Pennsylvania, aged seventy-three, was too young to recollect when his father moved and settled on New River, at the mouth of Sinking Creek, this was in 1772, now living in Giles county.
In the year 1774 the Indians commenced their outrages in this neighborhood. The first act of murder was perpetrated by four In- dians near his father's house. Mr. Lybrook was then about ten or eleven years old. About the first of July, my informant and several of his brothers and sisters, and several of Mr. Snydow's children, were at play on the edge of the River. They discovered the Indians approaching. John went to the shore and ran some distance along the margin of the water ; but he discovered that an Indian on the bank had got ahead of him. The bank at that place was so precipi- tous that there was but one point that could be ascended. The In- dian stooped to fire at two lads swimming the river, and John took this opportunity to ascend the bank by a narrow channel, worn in it by the feet of wild animals, when they used it as a passage to and from the water. He darted by the Indian, who instantly pursued him. After running about one hundred yards, he leaped across a gully worn by a small stream of water in the bank of the River. It was at least twelve feet wide. At this place the Indian halted, but would not try the leap, but threw a buffalo tug at the boy, which he felt strike his head and back ; but the little fellow made his es-
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cape, and got safely to the Fort at his father's house. Mr. Lybrook stated this fact to the author, and most solemnly declared it was true. Three of the Indians entered the canoe, and killed and scalped five of the children. A sister of my informant, a girl about thirteen years of age, had the presence of mind to turn the canoe, which she was in, with the other childern, stern foremost, while the Indians were engaged in killing and scalping their victims, and jumped out and ran. She was pursued by an Indian : her screams attracted the attention of a remarkable fierce dog, which immediately ran with the utmost speed to her relief. The Indian had got so near her, that he extended his arm to seize her, but the dog had approached near enough to save her. He ran so close to her that he threw her down ; then seized the Indian by one of his thighs just above his knee, gave a violent jerk, and threw the fellow to the ground. The girl escaped ; the dog hung on, tearing at him for a little time : but letting go his hold, he sprang at the fellow's throat. The Indian struck him a violent blow with a war club, and knocked him down. The dog then ran to the canoe and guarded the dead children until the people took them away for burial. The dog refused to follow them, immediately ran off, and raised a most piteous howl. Some of the party went to see what produced the distress of the dog, and found a little boy about six years old, who had been violently struck on the head with a war club, his skull severely fractured, and his brains oozing out and his head scalped. He was a brother to my informant. The little fellow breathed about twenty-four hours, and then expired.
Mrs. Margaret Hall, sixty-nine years of age, when ten years old, with a younger sister, and a little daughter of Richard Esty, were taken by a party of Shawnee Indians, on New River. Her mother, three sisters and brother, were killed at the time, and the prisoners were taken to the Shawnee towns. The same morning Philip Kavanah was killed, and a young lad fifteen or sixteen years of age taken, named Francis Denny. Mrs. Hall was eighteen years with thd Indians, and never returned home until after Gen. Wayne defeated them. Mrs. Hall was transferred by the Shawnee to the Delaware tribe. She was adopted by the Indian chief Koothumpun, and her sister Elizabeth in the family of Petasue, commonly called Snake. The Indians had a few cattle, and used some milk and but- ter. Their bread was commonly made with pounded corn meal. The English, however, frequently furnished them with flour, which they usually baked in the ashes. The bread ate very well when fresh. They also made fritters and pancakes. The Shawnee women were far better house-keepers than the Delawares. The Shawnees lived better and more plentifully than the Delawares. A few years before Mrs. Hall returned home, a young Indian made love to her and vehemently urged her to consent to marry bim, which she peremptor- ily refused. He threatened her life if she would not consent. He continued his visits to her, and her foster mother urged her to con-
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sent to the match. The young squaws frequently congratulated her on her fine offer. She at length, by continued solicitations of the young chief, became so annoyed that she determined to take flight to another village, seventy miles off, to which her foster sister and brother had removed. Early one morning she secured a very fine horse, mounted him, and purshed off. She traveled briskly, and reached her destination about sunset ; traveling the seventy miles through a tractless wilderness. She found her foster sister, but her brother was out on a hunting excursion. She complained to her foster sister of the treatment she had received, who replied, " I will defend you with my life." The young warrior determined not to be defeated in this way, without another effort to secure her to himself or take her life. He pursued her immediately, and reached the village to which she had fled, the next day in the after- 11001. He soon found where she was, and called on her and told her if she did not immediately consent to become his wife, he would kill her. Her foster sister stood by her. She raised her hands and protested that she never would. He made a lounge at her with a long knife, but her sister threw herself between them, and received a slight wound in the side, the point of the knife striking a rib. The girl instantly seized the knife, and wrenched it from his hand, broke the blade and threw it away. They quickly commenced a furious fight, while she sat petrified, as it were, with fear. Her sis- ter told her to run and hide herself, exclaiming, "He will kill ine and then kill you." She then ran and concealed herself. But the young woman proved too stout for the fellow, gave him a severe drub- bing, and drove him off. Her foster brother returned in about a fortnight, from his hunting expedition. She complained to him. He told her not to be uneasy ; called him a dog, (the worst epithet they could apply to each other), and said that if he ever made any further attempts upon her, he would immediately kill him. The fellow, however, never, never annoyed her again. He was some time after killed in Wayne's battle with the Indians. Mrs. Hall's residence is in Giles county, about four miles from the Grey Sul- phur Spring.
FIRE HUNTING.
Mr. John Lybrook has been a most enterprising and successful hunter. He stated to the author that he had probably killed three thousand deers, five or six hundred bears, hundreds of panthers, wolves and wild cats ; and an innumberable number of turkeys and small game. When he was about thirteen years of age, his father's dog treed a panther of enormous size. He came to the house and took down a rifle. His mother asked him what he was going to do with the gun. He replied that he was going to see what the dog had treed. She remarked that it was probably a panther, and charged him, if it was, not to shoot it, but to get his father to shoot
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it ; adding, if he wounded it and did not kill it, it would tear him to pieces. He soon discovered that it was a huge panther, standing at full lengh on a large limib of the tree, about twenty feet from the ground. He knew himself to be a sure marksman, and would not forego the temptation at firing at so fine a mark. Disobeying his mother's injunction, he took a deliberate aim at his side, a little be- hind the shoulder, and the ball passed through the animals heart, and it fell dead. His mother was near scourging for disobeying her orders ; but he acquired great credit from his father and the neigh- borhood generally, for his bravery and firmess. It was the largest animal of the kind ever known to be killed in that part of the coun- try. It measured upwards of fourteen feet from the end of his nose to the end of his tail .*
The author had frequently heard that the western people, in early times, practiced what they called "fire hunting," but never knew exactly what it meant, until Mr. Lybrook explained it to him. The hunters made stone hearths in one end of their canoes, on which they would raise large pine lights in the night, and set their canoes to floating down the stream. The deers usually collected in consid- erable numbers in the rivers, in order to feed on the moss that grew in them. As the light approached near the deer, it would raise its lead, and stare it ; and its eyes would shine as bright as diamonds. When the shining of the eyes were seen, the hunter would consider himself near enough to shoot. Thousands and thousands of deer were killed in this way.
In 1778, grain grew scarce at the Fort. Old Mr. Lybrook and the Snydows had several parcels of wheat standing in the stack, at their respective farms. Ten men were sent to thrash out the wheat. Mr. Lybrook, about fifteen years of age, was directed to take charge of the pack horses, to convey the wheat to the Fort. (Pres- ton's Fort, about fifteen miles distant). Two men were sent with him. When they reached the wheat yard, the threshers had left and gone to his father's house or Fort, and they, Mr. Lybrook and the other two, went there also. Mr. Lybrook discovered a party of Indians on a high hill, who also discovered Mr. Lybrook and his companions, and attempted to intercept them. They had to use great ingenuity and caution to elude the enemy, but got safe to the Fort and gave information of the Indians skulking in the woods.
A brave and active man by the named Scott, went out and killed one of the party of Indians, and the others immediately took to flight.
In the year 1775, peaceable times were had with the Indians. But in 1776, they recommenced their warfare, and continued with
* The author would not have ventured to state this fact, lest it might be suspected that he is disposed to deal in the relation of marvelous stories. But he related this story to Col. Welton, on the South Branch, in Hardy county, who stated that he had himself killed one of enormous size.
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unabated fury until 1780. The white people had extended their settlements considerably to the west of New River ; this afforded some protection to the settlers in this section ; but the enemy would once in a while skulk into the neighborhood, commit murders and robberies, and steal horses, and then push off. This state of things continued for several years after the year 1780.
Mr. Lybrook, after his well managed trip for the conveyance of the wheat to the Fort, was almost every year appointed * an Indian spy, and after he grew up to manhood, he served regularly for three years in that capacity. His brother Philip and a Mr. Phillips generally served with him. It was an arduous and dangerous ser- vice, but they were fortunate enough never to get hurt by the enemy.
The last time the lostile Indians were known to be in Green- brier county, was in the summer of 1793. The three Indians came into the settlement, stole several horses, and attempted to make their escape. t.
Matthew Farly, an intripid hunter, raised ten men and pursued them. He came in sight of their encampment late in the even- ing, halted and remained until early next morning. Farly divided his men into two parties, and directed that each should fire separate- ly at an Indian. Two of them had risen, and setting quietly ; the third was lying down. When the whites approached near enough to fire, each party singled their object, fired, and the two Indians were killed ; the third sprang to his feet, and ran up the side of the hill. Farly having reserved his fire, seeing the fellow endeavoring to make his escape, fired at him, and broke his thigh. He fell, rolled down the hill, and cried out "Enough, I give up." Farly was desirous of saving his life, but Charles Clay and others, whose friends had been massacred by the Indians, rushed upon him and dispatched him.
The Executive of Virginia rewarded this little company of men by paying for their tour of service.
The author was informed that in the year 1795, there was an outrage committed on the property of a farmer in Greenbrier coun- ty, charged to the Indians. The dwelling house, in the absence of the family, and a new wagon which was drawn up close to the house, were both set on fire and consumed together. But it is more proba- ble that it was incendairy work, who had first robbed the house and then fired it, with a view to conceal tlieir villany. Every In- dian warrior was called home in the spring of 1794, when it was known that Gen. Wayne was preparing to invade their country with a powerful army. The Indians concentrated all their forces for their own defense, and after the decisive defeat by Wayne, immedi-
* Near the mouth of Indian Creek, a branch of Greenbrier.
t The Indians were overtaken on the marshes of Cole River.
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ately entered into a treaty, which put a final end to further hostili- ties by the savages in Western Virginia.
Col. Stuart, the Clerk of Greenbrier court, expressed this opin- ion to the writer.
During the period of Indian hostilies, four Indians came into the settlement on the head of the Wappatomaca. They were said to belong to a tribe then at peace with the whites. One of them ob- jected to traveling down the South Branch Fork, saying they would be in danger. The other three laughed at him. He separated from thein, and took down the North Fork. The three were pursued by white men and killed on Mill Creek ; the fourth was seen by a negro man belonging to Cunningham, and pursued seven or eight miles. As he was crossing the river, the negro fired at him. He fell into the water, but immediately sprang up and made his escape. His blanket was folded up, and placed on his back ; the ball struck the blanket, and penetrated through several folds, but remained in it. When the Indian reached his tribe, he unfolded his blanket, and the bullet was found in it.
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