USA > Virginia > Tazewell County > Tazewell County > History of the Settlement and Indian Wars of Tazewell County, Virginia: With a Map, Statistical. > Part 11
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It is difficult to say where their original homes were; but from the fact of their being in Georgia in 1540, and then at the treaty of the Great Elm in 1682, we might conclude that they were a rambling tribe. Their homes at this latter
* This tradition is taken from the history of the North American Indians, by Hall and Mckinney, and quoted by Drake in his life of Tecumseh. The tradi tion strongly reminds us of the passage of the Red Sea. 13
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COMPEND HISTORY OF THE SHAWANOES.
date, were, perhaps, on the shores of the Susquehanna. From here they went into the country of the Iroquois, but here they got into a war, and were compelled to emigrate to the south. They settled near their former homes, on the Savan- nah river, in Georgia, and from thence spread themselves westward, through Ohio, the southern part of Kentucky, and northward through North and South Carolina. Their extension westward had been directed by a noted chief named Black Hoof. Their migration to the west seems to have been caused by inability to defend themselves against the combined forces of their old enemies, whom they had often despoiled. After settling their whole nation in Ohio, they were taken under the protection of the Delawares. Chapman informs us that after they had established them- selves in a town at the mouth of the Wabash, "they ap- plied to the Delawares for some territory on which to reside." This seems not to have been the wish of the majority, for after the request had been granted, " a council was held. to consider the propriety of accepting it." A part, principally the Piqua tribe, refused to accept it, and formed a settle- ment on the forks of the Delaware. A dispute between them and the Delawares induced them to move to Wyo- ming valley, on the Susquehanna. They built their town on the west bank, and there reposed in peace a number of years.
That part of the nation which remained on the Wabash, took sides with the French in the war of 1754, between the French and English, and endeavored to persuade their
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COMPEND HISTORY OF THE SHAWANOES.
brethren of Wyoming to a like course ; but the labors of Count Zinzindorf, a christian minister, sent out by the United Brethren, had made them averse to war.
A childish dispute between themselves and the Delawares, who had settled near them by this time, brought on a war, in which the Shawanoes were defeated, and in consequence, moved westward and settled on the banks of the Ohio. They were finally spread from the Alleghanies to the Big Miami river. They built many villages along the river bot- toms of the west, and among them one called Piqua, mem- orable as the birthplace of the great Tecumseh. This vil- lage was destroyed in 1780, by an expedition sent out from . Kentucky, under the command of General George Rodgers Clark.
After this village was destroyed, they settled a district which had been evacuated by the Miamis, where they re- mained till again routed by the Kentuckians. From thence they crossed over to the St. Mary's and Wapakanotta .* They are divided into four tribes, viz : ~ Maguachake, Chilicothe, Kiskapokohie, and Piqua. The following tra- dition has been cited in "illustration of the Piqua tribe. " In ancient times, the Shawanoes had occasion to build a large fire, and after it was burned down, a great puffing and blowing was heard, when up rose a man from the ashes ! hence the name Piqua, which means a man coming out of the ashes." It is said that this tradition has given
· Drake.
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COMPEND HISTORY OF THE SHAWANOES.
rise to the barbarous custom of burning prisoners, preva- lent among those Indians related to the Algonkin-lenape family ; and that it is not a desire to torture, but a kind of religious offering to this man of the " ashes."
It is known that the Shawanoes took sides with the Eng- lish in the war of 1776, though their acts to the Americans were trifling, and again in the war of 1812, when they played a part which cost us much blood. For these acts there are many mitigating circumstances, which I would be glad to set forth if the limits of my work would admit. It only remains to state what became of the Shawanoes after the close of the frontier war.
In 1817 they ceded the principal part of their lands in Ohio to the United States, and moved to a small reserve around Wapakanotta, where they remained a short time ; but, by the pressing demands of the government, they sold this too, and are now living on the Platte river, west of Missouri. They have depreciated in numbers to about one thousand souls.
" Alas ! who can but pity ?"
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DEFENSIVE POSITION. 197
CHAPTER III.
DEFENSIVE POSITION OF TAZEWELL DURING THE FRONTIER WAR.
IN order to appreciate the true situation of the frontier- men during the long wars which so devastated the settlements, it is essentially necessary that the reader should know the exact position which they occupied, and how much depended upon their own exertions. For this purpose has this chapter been set apart.
Previous to 1776, the settlers were engaged in erecting suitable houses to protect their families from the inclemen- cies of the weather, as well as to render them more secure from the attacks of the Indians. Their lands had to be opened, and, consequently, they were much in the forest. As there was an abundance of game, and few domestic ani- mals, their meat was taken mostly from the forest ; this like- wise took them from home. They were few, and to raise a house, or roll the logs from a field, required the major part of a settlement. This likewise left their families exposed ; yet such work was usually executed during the winter months, when the Indians did not visit the settlements. To give further protection to the families of the settlers, in every neighborhood block-houses were, as soon as conve- nient, erected, to which the families could repair in times of necessity.
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198 DEFENSIVE POSITION.
After 1776, forts and stations were built, as it became necessary for many of the settlers to join the army. In these forts, and particularly at the stations, a few men were left to defend them. But the extent of country to be defended was so great, and the stations so few, that there was, in reality, but little safety afforded to the families of the settlers.
De Hass has given correct descriptions of block-houses, forts, and stations, to which I beg to refer the reader. There was a fort erected by William Wynn, a strict old Quaker, and one of the best of men, on Wynn's branch ; another at Crab orchard, by Thomas Witten, and one at Maiden Spring, by Rees Bowen - two men whose names will be cherished in the memories of the people of Tazewell for ages to come.
There was a station on Linking Shear branch, containing a few men under the command of Capt. John Preston, of Montgomery; another on Bluestone creek, in command of Capt. Robert Crockett of Wythe county, and another at. the present site of the White Sulphur springs, in command of Capt. James Taylor of Montgomery. It is also said, that there was a station in Burk's Garden ; I imagine, however, that it was not constructed by order of the Government.
The following persons, citizens of the county, were posted in these forts and stations, viz:
Bailey, John Bailey, James Belcher, Joseph
Burgess, Edward
Belcher, Robert
Brewster, Thomas .
DEFENSIVE POSITION.
* 199
" Chaffin, Christopher Maxwell, John
Connelly, James
Maxwell, Thomas
Crockett, John
Marrs-(?)
Cotterel,
Peery, James
Evans, John, Sr.
Pruett, John
Evans, John, Jr.
Thompson, Archibald
Gilbert, Joseph Witten, James
Godfrey, Absalom
Wynn, Oliver
Hall, William Wright, Michael
Lusk, David Ward, John
Lusk, Samuel
Ward, William ·
Lusley, Robert
Wright, Hezekiah.
Martin, James
These men were to hold themselves in readiness to act as circumstances might demand. To make them more efficient, spies were employed to hang upon the great trails leading into the settlements from the Ohio. Upon discovering the least sign of Indians, they hurried into the settlements and warned the people to hasten to the forts or stations, as the case might be. They received extra wages for their services, for they were both laborious and important, and also fraught with danger. For such an office the very best men were chosen ; for it will be readily seen, that a single faithless spy, might have permitted the Indians to pass unobserved, and committed much havoc among the people, before they could have prepared for defense. But it does not appear that any "spy" failed to give the alarm when possible so to do.
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DEFENSIVE POSITION.
They always went two together, and frequently remained out several weeks upon a scout. Great caution was necessary to prevent the Indians from discovering them, hence their beds were usually of leaves, in some thicket commanding a view of the war-path. Wet or dry, day or night, these men were ever on the lookout. The following persons were chosen from the preceding list, to act as spies, viz :
Burgess, Edward Martin, James
Bailey, James
Maxwell, John
Bailey, John
Wynn, Oliver
Crockett, John
Witten, James
The last of whom, was one of the most sagacious and successful spies to be found anywhere on the frontier. His name is yet as familiar with the people, as if he had lived and occupied a place among them but a day ago .*
Such as were too old to bear arms in the government service, usually guarded the women, children, and slaves, while cultivating the farms. Tazewell had but a small popu- lation at this time, yet from the number engaged in the
* James Witten was born January 7th, 1759, in the colony of Maryland, and emigrated to Tazewell with his father, Thomas Witten, in 1773. At this time, though only about fifteen years of age, he was much distinguished as a hunter and woodsman. He was brave and generous to a fault; and was remarkable for decided action even at this early age. He married in 1783, and became at once a conspicuous character in the border war, which had not yet ceased. From 1794 to '96, he was employed as a regular spy. When any duty requiring bravery, firmness, and prudence, had to be performed, James Witten was the man invariably chosen, as he possessed these qualities in an eminent degree Many incidents of interest are related of him, which should be preserved.
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DEFENSIVE POSITION.
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regular service, we should be led to think otherwise. The following table will convey a good idea of their dispersion over the country, their families, in the meantime, exposed to the horrors of the tomahawk and scalping-knife.
NAMES.
WHERE ENGAGED.
WHERE KILLED.
WOUNDED.
King's Mountain
King's Mt .. . .
Clark's Ex. to Illinois
Alamance
Pt. Pleasant, etc.
Furguson, Saml. Alamance
Harrison, Thos. . Brandywine, Germantown and Yorktown
Harper, Jesse . ..
Lasly, John .....
Clark's Ex. to Illinois
Maloney, Archer
Brandywine and Stony Point .
Mc Guire, Nealy Moore, Capt.
Clark's Ex. to Illinois
Alamance
James *... .. Peery, William ..
Alamance and Illinois Ex.
Peery, Thomas . .
Alamance
Alamance.
..
Peery, Johnt ....
Alamance
Alamance
Stratton, Solom.
Clark's Ex. to Illinois
..
Tomlinson, Isam Brandywine, Germantown, etc.
* Capt. James Moore was afterward killed by the Indians, in Abb's valley. See History of Moore Family.
+ This man actually received fifty-four saber cuts in this engagement. He was disabled and thrown upon the ground, and as Tarlton's troops passed, each man gave him a cut. His head and arms were literally cut to pieces, yet he recovered, and lived many years to enjoy the freedom which cost him so dearly.
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Bowen, Rees .... Bowling, Jarret . Brown, Low .... Cartmill, James . Dolsberry, Lyles
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DEFENSIVE POSITION.
It is a little strange that the frontiers should have furnished so many men for the army, when their absence so greatly exposed their families. But when we reflect that no people felt the horrors of war more sensibly than they did, and that no people are readier to serve the country in the day when aid is needed, than those of mountainous regions, we shall at once have an explanation to their desire, and consequent assistance, in bringing the war to a close. Beside, the people of Tazewell have ever been foremost in defending the country; showing at once that determination to be free, which so eminently characterizes the people of mountainous districts .* -
* The following list of persons who served in the war of 1812-14, will cor- roborate the above statement, viz:
Asbury, William
Higginbotham, James Tabor, Daniel
Bowen, Col. Henry
Higginbotham, Wm.
Thompson, Henry B.
Barnes, William
King, Isaac
Vandyke, Charles
Belcher, James
Lusk, David
Vandyke, John
Bostic, Isaac Peery, Capt. Thomas
Witten, William Wynn, Peter E.
Brooks, James
Peery, Jonathan
Bainheart, George
Peery, Solomon
Ward, Alexander
Davidson, John
Robertson, David
Wilson, Hugh
Earley, Jeremiah
Stevenson, Matthew
Wynn, Samuel
Franklin, Pleasant
Smith, William
Walls, Joseph
Green, William
Shannon, John
Young, Nathaniel
Gose, Peter
Thompson, Rees B.
Young, Israel
Two companies offered their services to the government to engage in the Mexican war; they were not accepted, however, as a sufficiency of men had already been received. JAMES WYNN and WESLEY HUBBARD, however, joined the Washington troops; with these exceptions, Tasewell may be said not to have participated in the war with Mexico.
1 THE EVANS FAMILY.
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The reader, by consulting the Map, and learning that during the Indian wars the population did not much ex- ceed five hundred, will see at once that Tazewell county afforded an open field for the depredations of the Indians. 1
CHAPTER IV.
THE EVANS FAMILY.
JOHN, and Jesse Evans, his son, emigrated from Amherst county, Virginia, near Lynchburg, and settled in Tazewell in 1773. John settled at the Locust bottom; Jesse, at a place now owned by Mr. Buze Harman, about a mile distant from his father's place, and eight miles from the present seat of justice .*
In 1777 John Evans was taken prisoner, from the Locust bottom, by a band of Shawanoes, and marched off to the
* As I have traced the history of this family beyond the limits of Taze- well county, it may not be improper to state my reasons for doing so. In the first place, every incident connected with their history is well worth the perusal, and hence, worthy the attention of the historian. Secondly, one of the largest and most respectable families in this county have sprung from them, to whom it must be interesting to have recorded the deeds of such worthy ancestors. The last, but not least, motive under which I act, is, that common justice to the memory of brave men requires me to give a suffi- ciency of their history to unfold their characters.
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THE EVANS FAMILY.
Indian towns in the west. From there, he was taken to some of the Canadian towns, from whence he either escaped or was exchanged, and made his way to Philadelphia. His son, hearing of his arrival at Philadelphia, went after him in the spring of '78, and brought him home. He was . much exposed, and represented his sufferings as immense. This captivity, exposure, and anxiety of mind, planted the seeds of consumption, and he fell a victim to its ravages in 1801.
In the summer of 1779, Jesse Evans left his house with six or eight hired men, for the purpose of executing some work at a distance from home. As they carried with them various farming implements, their guns were left at the house, where Mrs. Evans was engaged in weaving. a piece of cloth. Her oldest daughter was filling quills for her ; while the remaining four children were either at play in the garden, or gathering vegetables.
The garden was about sixty yards from the house, and as no sawmills were in existence at that day in this county, slab-boards were put up in the manner called "wattling" for palings. These were some six feet long, and made what is called a close fence. Eight or ten Indians, who lay con- cealed in a thicket near the garden, silently left their hiding- places, and made their way, unobserved, to the back of the garden ; there removing a few boards, they bounded through and commenced the horrid work of killing and scalping the children. The first warning Mrs. Evans had was their screams and cries. She ran to the door, and beheld the
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THE EVANS FAMILY.
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sickening scene, with such feelings as only a mother can feel.
Mrs. Evans was a stout, athletic woman, and being in- ured to the hardships of the times, with her to will was to do. She saw plainly that on her exertions alone could one spark of hope be entertained for the life of her " first- born." An unnatural strength seemed to nerve her arm, and she resolved to defend her surviving child to the last extremity. Rushing into the house she closed the door, which being too small left a crevice, through which in a few seconds an Indian introduced his gun, aiming to pry open the door, and finish the bloody work which had been so fearfully begun. Mrs. Evans had thrown herself against the door to prevent the entrance of the savages, but no sooner did she see the gun-barrel than she seized it, and drew it . so far in as to make it an available lever in prying to the door. The Indians threw themselves against the door to force it open, but their efforts were unavailing. The heroic woman stood to her post, well knowing that her life de- pended upon her own exertions. The Indians now en- deavored to wrest the gun from her ; in this they likewise failed. Hitherto she had worked in silence ; but as she saw no prospect of the Indians relinquishing their object, she began to call loudly for her husband, as if he really were near. It had the desired effect ; they let go the gun, and hastily left the house, while Mrs. Evans sat quietly down to await a second attack ; but the Indians, who had perhaps
206
THE EVANS FAMILY.
seen Mr. Evans and his workmen leave the house, feared he might be near, and made off with all speed.
While Mrs. Evans was thus sitting and brooding over the melancholy death of her children, anxious to go to those in garden, but fearing to leave her surviving one in the house, exposed to a second attack, a man named Goldsby stepped up to the door. Never did manna fall to the hungered Jew more opportunely ; yet no sooner did he hear her woeful tale, than he turned his back upon her, and fled as if every tree and bush had been an Indian taking deadly aim at him. Such were his exertions to get to & place of greater safety, , that he brought on hemorrange of the lungs, from which he with much difficulty recovered.
Seeing herself thus left to the mercy of the savages, Mrs. Evans took up the gun she had taken from them, and started, with her remaining daughter, to Major John Taylors, about two miles distant, where, tired and frenzied with grief, she arrived in safety. She had not been gone a great while when Mr. Evans returned, and not suspecting anything wrong, he took down a book, and was engaged in its perusal for some time, till finally he became impatient, and started to the garden, where he supposed Mrs. Evans was gathering vegetables. What must have been his feelings when he reached the garden, to see four of his children murdered and scalped ? Seeing nothing of his wife and eldest daughter, he supposed they had been taken prisoners ; he therefore re- turned quickly to the house, seized his gun, and started for
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THE EVANS FAMILY.
Major Taylor's, to get assistance, and a company to follow on, and try, if possible, to retake them. Frantic with grief; he rushed into the house to tell his tale of woe, when he was caught in the arms of his brave wife. His joy, at finding them, was so great, that he could scarcely contain himself: he wept, then laughed, then thanked God it was no worse. As is common in such cases, in a new country, the neighbors flocked in to know the best or worst, and to offer such aid as lay in their power. They sympathized, as only frontiermen can sympathize, with the bereaved parents; but the thought of having to bury four children the next morning, was so shocking, and so dreadful to reflect on, that little peace was to be expected for them. Slowly the reluctant hours of night passed away, and a faint gleam of light became visible in the eastern sky. The joyous warb- - lers were gayly flitting from branch to branch, and carol- ing their sweetest lays, while the sun rose above the moun- tain summit, shooting his bright beams on the sparkling dew-drops, which hung like so many diamonds from the green boughs of the mountain shrubbery, giving, altogether, an air of gorgeous beauty, which seemed to deny the truth of the evening's tale. The light clouds, swimming in the eastern atmosphere, brilliantly tinted with the rising sun,
And the gentle murmur of the morning breeze, Singing nature's anthem to the forest trees,
seemed to say such horrid work could not be done by beings wearing human form. But alas ! while nature teaches naught
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208 THE EVANS FAMILY.
but love, men teach themselves lessons which call forth her sternest frowns.
A hasty breakfast was prepared, and the men set off to Mr. Evans's house to bury the murdered children. With a heart too full for utterance, the father led the way, as if afraid to look at those little forms for whose happiness he had toiled, and braved the dangers of a frontier life. But a day ago he had dandled them on his knee, and listened to their innocent prattle ; they were now monuments of Indian barbarity.
Turning a hill, the fatal garden was instantly painted on the retina of the fond parent's eye, to be as quickly erased by the silent tears which overflowed their fountain, and came trickling down his weather-beaten face.
The party came up on the back of the house; on the front stood the milkhouse, over a spring of clear cold water, when lo ! they beheld coming up, as it were, from the very depths of the grave, Mary, a little child only four years old, who had recovered from the stunning blow of the tomahawk, and had been in quest of water at the familiar old spring, around which, but a day before, she had sported in childish glee. The scalp that had been torn from the skull, was hang- ing hideously over her pale face, which was much besmeared with blood. She stretched out her little arms to meet her father, who rushed to her with all the wild joy of one whose heart beats warm with parental emotions ! She had wan- dered about in the dark, from the time she recovered, and it may be, that more than once tried to wake her little sisters,
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THE EVANS FAMILY.
on whose heads the tomahawk had fallen with greater force. This poor, half-murdered little child lived, married, and raised a large family.
After this unfortunate affair, Mr. Evans became dis- satisfied, and resolved to emigrate to Tennessee, He did so, and settled in a neighborhood near a fort about fifteen miles from Nashville. During the summer season, the frontiermen placed their families in forts, as well in Tennessee as in Virginia. In the summer of 1775 or '76 Mr. Evans took his two sons, Robert, a lad of fourteen, and Daniel, an elder son, together with five hired men, and set out to work a piece of corn about two miles from the fort. When they arrived at the field, they stacked their guns, and began their labors: they had not worked long, when they were fired upon by a party of about fifteen Indians. Fortunately, no one was killed; a ball entered Daniel's thigh, which disabled him. The white men started for their guns with all haste, but seeing that the Indians were likely to get to them as soon as themselves, all turned back but Mr. Evans and his son Robert, who pushed on to the stack. As Mr. Evans was in the act of getting hold of a gun, he was seized by a large Indian, who threw him to the ground, and had already un- sheathed his scalping-knife and raised it to give the fatal blow, when Robert seized a gun, and placing it against the Indian's side as he lay upon his father, fired. 'The ball entered the Indian's heart; the knife fell harmless, and from under his writhing body, Mr. Evans sprung to his feet, and commenced a rapid firing upon the advancing Indians; 14
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THE EVANS FAMILY.
Robert followed his example, and the Indians were soon brought to a halt. The men who had run off, seeing how affairs stood, turned back, and soon routed the Indians. Daniel was carried to the fort, where he lay for some time in consequence of the wound in his hip.
In the fall, about the time Daniel was getting well, flour became scarce in the fort, and as it could be purchased only at Nashville, a company of five were ordered to start after it. Companies ordered on such excursions were usually chosen by lot, and this time Jesse Evans was allotted to form one of the number. When the horses were ready, Daniel begged to take his father's place. The old man objected, but Daniel succeeded in drawing off his father's attention long enough to mount his horse ; putting spurs to him, he was soon out of the old man's reach. About two hundred yards from the fort was a dense canebrake, through which led the Nashville trail. Daniel's maneuvering with his father, had thrown him some thirty yards in the rear; looking ahead, he saw quite a number of guns on either side of the trail. He hal- looed to his companions to push through ; they however turned about, and tried to gain the fort, but to no purpose, 88 they were killed to a man. Daniel made his way through, and by a circuitous route reached the fort unhurt. When he examined, he found three bullet-holes through his clothes, and two through his hat near his head. The people in the fort. hearing the firing, and the groans and screams of the dying, and yells of the Indians, rushing out, attacked the Indians. Among those who left the fort, was the boy Robert
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