USA > West Virginia > Upshur County > The history of Upshur county, West Virginia, from its earliest exploration and settlement to the present time > Part 23
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William White now left this community to rid himself of further prosecu- tion, knowing that his absence from the town of Winchester and his home, would in time cause the dismissal of the charge of murder against him.
We next find him among the settlers along the Tygart's Valley and Buck- hannen Rivers. He was employed to watch the paths and trails which the mur- derous Indians followed, in their invasions eastward and westward. During the time he was an Indian scout, he was exceeding useful to new settlers, was joyful in deceiving, escaping from and killing Indians. He loved to thwart the murderous designs of the savage, on the peace-loving whites. His most noted services to the settlers were the following incidents.
The occasion when William White, Thomas Drennen, Paul Shaver, and John Cutright and others were sent out by the settlers to watch the coming approach of the Indians in 1770; again his participation in the killing of Captain Bull's five families on the Little Kanawha in June, 1772, as a revenge of the massacre of Adam Stroud, his wife and seven children on Elk River, his capture with Leonard Petro by the Indians in 1777 while watching the paths leading up the Little Kanawha.
Mr. L. V. McWhorter informs us of the following incident of his life: White and several of his neighbors were on a hunting expedition and ran into a small party of Indians. Several were killed by the hunters, one active young
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savage ran away. White took after him. They had it neck and neck. White was pushing his Indian foe so hard that he leaped from a precipice and alighted in a quagmire up to his waist. White with his tomahawk, jumped after him, a struggle ensued. White buried his tomahawk in the red man's skull. The victim's father was among those who escaped and for several years this father lurked about the settlements trailing White. Finally he succeeded in finding an opportunity to shoot his man.
On the 8th of March, 1782 or 1795, William White in company with Timothy Dorman and his wife, were crossing the Buckhannon River at the Heavner ford below the town of Buckhannon, when some guns were discharged at them. They were fired upon by a party of Indians in ambush; and White being shot through the hip soon fell from his horse. The avenging Indian tried to get his scalp but an attacking party from Bush's Fort, having been on the outlook all day for something of this kind to happen, was so close upon the Indian avenger that he fled before accomplishing his object.
The reason of the two dates above is that Henry Westfall in his notes says it ocurred in 1782, while the tombstone over the grave of White in the Heavner cemetery bears the date 1795.
WILLIAM WHITE, JR.
William White, the Indian scout, left a son by the name of William White, and a daughter who married Joel Westfall, to survive him. This son was known throughout the settlements in Randolph county by his half woman, half man, half monster eccentric characteristics. He was as beardless as a babe in swaddling clothes and as tender and harmless as a youth just about to enter on the age of responsibility. He had small hands and small feet and was as poor as a church mouse. He spurned the possession of riches and lived and died in harmony with that sentiment. He might be properly called a vagabond traveling from house to house bartering his laurel root pipes, brass rings, darning needles, pewter buttons for anything which would satisfy the wants of his vicarious life. He was always followed by two or more docile dogs, ever smoked a laurel-root or corncob pipe and carried with him one or more for sale or traffic. Along late in the winter and during the spring he would beg garden seed and beg only for he never planted them or gave them away. He carried his seeds and goods in a reticule and never would sleep in a bed, much preferring the hard floor near an open door in summer and by the fire in winter, yet with all these aforenamed weaknesses and singular habits, "Bill" White possessed some admirable traits of character. He was apt, quick, knew the Bible by heart and delighted to contend with divines upon any theological question. This exorbi- tant desire for debate was stronger than his conscientious opinions, therefore he took any side of a question. He had a good mind and poetic temperament. William C. Carper relates this story in support of this last quality. "Bill" White had dug potatoes for Zed Lanham, the blacksmith at the town of Buckhannon, several days. Mr. Lanham became indebted to him for this work and for some reason deferred payment to White, who despairing of ever getting his hire, sought to even up with his bad paymaster by reciting this stinging epitaph :
"Here lies a human prod,
There lives no damneder dog.
His head lies low, his body level, His soul hath gone to the devil."
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INDIAN DEPREDATIONS
He attended school very little. The spirit of revenge was inherited and occasionally satisfied by William White, Jr. As an evidence of this, the tradi- tional story comes to us that a Mr. Buckey, of Beverly, had done him on one occasion an injustice and he wreaked his revenge on Mr. Buckey by throwing a dead dog into his well. He was never desirous to violate law, nor anxious to be apprehended by civil authorities so in this instance he covered his vindictive action by walking through to the town of Buckhannon after he had committed the aforesaid crime, reaching here early in the morning.
William White, Sr.'s daughter married Joel Westfall, and their children were Henry F. Westfall, Wesley Westfall, Isaac Westfall and Polly Westfall, who married a Mr. Hughes of Lewis county. All the Hughes of Lewis county, can trace their genealogy back to White, the great Indian scout.
FLIGHT OF 1770 AND PURSUIT OF INDIANS
Many of the most thrilling incidents in the pioneer settlement on the waters of the Buckhannon, are like unto the common laws of England, unwritten, tradi- tional, handed from generations unto generations in fireside stories. Therefore many must be the names of heroes lost in the oblivion of bygone years because no one cared, peradventure was not able, to enroll them on the annals of the past, Such a chapter is the following: We know it only through traditional sources. Paul Shaver tells it to Colonel Henry F. Westfall, in 1821, and he in turn con- verts it into notes and communicates it to the older citizens now living.
Soon after the first settlement of the year 1770 had been made on the Tygarts Valley, Buckhannon and West Fork rivers and their tributaries and before many inroads and invasions had been made by the merciless savages on these pioneers for the purpose of killing and scalping men, women, and children or carrying them into captivity, arrangements were made by which spies or scouts were sent out to watch the movements and approach of the Indians, and to report same to the settlers. Indeed companies of these scouts or spies were organized and commanded by proper officials and were obliged to serve alternately by squads. Such military organizations were obtained in the summer of 1770, when a detacli- ment of six men were sent out from Randolph County to spy on the maddened Indians. Four of this small company were, William White, Thomas Drennen, Paul Shaver and John Cutright, the other two are unknown.
John Cutright was young, a mere boy, small of size but not a drop of cowardly blood coursed his veins. The scouts went through the boundless forests following the meanderings of the Little Kanawha river to its conjunction with the Ohio. They descended this latter stream as far as the mouth of the Great Kanawha. After a season of inspection, scouting and spying near the famous battle grounds of Point Pleasant they began their homeward journey, passing through the trackless wilderness country now embraced in Mason, Jackson, Roane, Calhoun, Gilmer, Braxton and Lewis Counties. They reached the head waters of the Little Kanawha river without having seen any trace of the savage. Game being bountiful along this river they resolved to spend a few days on a hunt. They pitched their camp on Stewart's Creek. Indian Summer was now on and the weather was all that could be desired by our scouts (now termed hunters). They never forgot themselves so much as to neglect watching the trail leading
LYMAN CUTRIGHT.
PROF. B. U. FARNSWORTH, AND HARPS.
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up the little river near which they were camping, and over to the settlement on the West Fork.
One evening after having spent a full day hunting deer, several of which they had killed and the haunch of one they were now roasting in their camp fire, they heard a noise, at first supposed to be calling of turkeys going to roost. Cut- right thinking that a variety of meat would be spice to their simple life, seized his gun saying he would get a turkey for supper. He walked very briskly toward where the turkey calling was heard; he had not gone far before the turkeys were answering each other in different directions. This fact appealed to the strong perceptive faculties of White and aroused his suspicion that all was not right. He called to Cutright to return and let him go and discover the roost- ing place of the turkeys. He went but a short distance before he returned with the thrilling news that they were nearly surrounded by a band of Indians. The situation was dangerous and the camp fire by means of which the savage had located them was put out. An escape must be now effected or in a short time the scouting party would be attacked. White was the leader, the rest were his followers. They stole away and traveled at a rapid gait over rocks, hills, and small streams for four miles before a halt was made. On the summit of a ridge they stopped to reconnoiter and to ascertain whether they were pursued or not. Hearing and seeing no signs of the pursuing Indians they rested here for an hour, during which time most of the party went to sleep. White alone being awake and on the lookout. Suddenly he called to his companions, "The Indians are upon us." He heard the whine of a dog. They took to their heels again till out of danger then walked on for several miles until they came to a creek of considerable size (most probably Leading Creek). Knowing the keen scent of the Indian canine and the impossibility of being traced in water they waded up this stream a mile and a half or more, coming out on the same side they had entered the stream. They now ascended a hill some distance to its summit, then turned down the stream, keeping about half a mile from it and going about the same distance. Here they halted once more for the purpose of rest and observation. The Indians must have pursued them uncomfortably close, for soon White detected their approach again. This time they descended the hill, crossed the stream behind the Indians, ascended the opposite elevation and took a course along the ridge which led in the direction they wished to go to find the path leading over onto the West Fork. The path could not be found and White concluded that in the dark- ness they had missed it. They decided to wait the coming of day. To afford themselves the most advantages, they ascended a high bluff to await the action of their pursuers. Again they were driven from their resting place out into the darkness of the night and forced to travel until about sunrise, when they de- termined to stop and if the Indians were not too many to give them battle. The most suitable position around them was selected and here they had to wait but for a short time before three Indians were seen on a neighboring hill. Seventeen others joined these three shortly afterwards and all seated themselves upon a fallen tree resting and talking and counselling. Presently they separated, twelve forming the pursuing party, eight returning. Six white men confronted by twelve red men ready for battle would be an easy proposition to wager money upon. Other things being equal superior numbers will win. Therefore our scouting party took themselves to flight rather than fight. Cutright being a mere boy and having traveled all day and night, now showed sign of great fatigue, but the others urged him on. White carried his gun and two others assisted
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him up the steepest hills, hoping thus to be able to bring him to the Buckhannon river where they thought the Indians would discontinue their pursuit. Cutright held out until the river was reached, when exhausted and crying he lay down and could not go farther. He said to his companions that he could welcome a natural death, but to be tomahawked and scalped by the savage was too hard to bear. "Save yourselves by flight, but leave me to my fate," was the answer to the urgent appeals of his companions to proceed. But White said, "No, John, we will never leave you ; if one is left all will stay, fight and die together." White being a man of wonderful strength and endurance gave his gun to one of his com- panions, took Cutright upon his back and bore him beyond the river. Two other companions carried him to the summit of the river hill opposite the mouth of a run which was then named Cutright's run, and which was afterwards John Cut- right's home. Here all the party fell asleep, but White and Drennen, who stood on guard watching to see their pursuers cross the river. Soon three Indians approached the river on the opposite side and began to cross the stream. A battle was imminent and necessary. Drennen rushed back and aroused his com- panions. All returned except Cutright, who was too exhausted to do anything. They took their position and waited orders from White to fire. At last the moment came. The three Indians were in a row. The report of the rifles rang out upon the air, two of the savages were killed and the third was anxious to retreat, but he was not to make his escape for White snatchd the gun which had failed to fire and shot the Indian just as he leaped the bank of the river.
Now for the first time it was known to a certainty why the Indians were able to follow the trail so well. They had a dog which went in advance of his red master. This dog fell into the hands of the victors and became the property of White, who used him to good account afterwards, for it is said that White exchanged the same dog and gun for the Heavner farm, upon which the Buck- hannon or Bush Fort was afterward erected.
MURDER OF CAPT. BULL AND FIVE FAMILIES OF DELAWARE INDIANS.
In the year 1772 when so many new settlers came, the very atrocious act of murdering all the warriors, women and children of that Indian town on the Little Kanawha was perpetrated.
Bulltown, for that was the name of this Indian village, was inhabited by five families, who were in habits of social and friendly intercourse with whites on Buckhannon and on Hacker's creek; frequently visiting and hunting with them. There was likewise residing on Gauley river, the family of a German by the name of Straud.
In the summer of that year, Mr. Straud being from home his family were all murdered, his house plundered and his cattle driven off.
The trail of the murderers leading in the direction of Bulltown, induced the supposition that the Indians of that village had been the authors of the outrage and caused several to resolve on avenging it on them.
A party of five men, William White, William Hacker, Jessie Hughes, John Cutright and another expressed a determination to proceed immediately to Bull- town.
The remonstrance of the settlement generally could not operate to effect a change in that determination.
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They went, and on their return, circumstances justified the belief that the pre-apprehension of those who knew the temper and feelings of White, Hacker and the others, had been well founded, and that there had been some fighting between them and the Indians; notwithstanding that they denied ever having seen an Indian in their absence, yet it was the prevailing opinion that they had de- stroyed the men, women and children at Bulltown and threw their bodies into the river. Indeed, one of the party is said to have inadvertently, used expressions confirmatory of this opinion, and to have then justified the deed by saying that the clothes and other things known to have belonged to Straud's family were found in the possession of the Indians.
The village was soon after visited and found to be entirely desolate and nothing being ever after heard of its former inhabitants there can remain no doubt but that the murder of Straud's family was requited on them. Here then was a fit time for the Indians to commence a system of retaliation and war, if they were disposed to engage in hostilities.
Captain Bull had been a Delaware chief on the headwaters of the Susque- hanna river in the now state of New York.
His attempt to unite the Delaware to Pontiac's conspiracy (1763), caused a strong party of whites and friendly Indians to seek, capture and convey him in irons to New York City.
He was eventually discharged from prison. On reaching the Delaware towns he found them burned. His family of relatives moved with him to what the whites called Bulltown, on the Little Kanawha. Here was a salt spring to which the pioneer settlers went for salt.
Captain Bull and his people did not murder the Stroud family-wife and seven children, and there was no ground for an attack upon him and his people. The Shawnees were the murderers of the Stroud family.
CAPTURE OF WILLIAM WHITE AND LEONARD PETRO
Withers's Chronicles says that in September of the year 1777 Leonard Petro and William White, being engaged in watching the path leading up the Little Kanawha, killed an Elk late in the evening; and taking part of it with them, withdrew a short distance for the purpose of eating their suppers and spending the night. About midnight, White, awaking from sleep, discovered by the light of the moon that there were several Indians near, who had been drawn in quest of them by the report of the gun in the evening. He saw at a glance, the impossi- bility of escaping by flight ; and preferring captivity to death, he whispered to Petro to lie still, lest any movement of his might lead to this result. In a few minutes the Indians sprang on them; and White, raising himself as one lay hold on him, aimed a furious blow with his tomahawk, hoping to wound the Indian by whom he was beset, and then make his escape. Missing his aim he affected to have been ignorant of the fact that he was encountered by Indians, professed great joy at meeting with them, and declared that he was then on his way to their towns. They were not deceived by the artifice; for although he assumed an air of pleasantness and gaity, calculated to win upon their confidence, yet the woeful countenance and rueful expression of poor Petro, convinced them that White's conduct was feigned ; that he might lull them into inattention, and then be enabled to effect an escape. They were both tied for the night ; and in the morning White being painted red, and Petro black, they were forced to proceed to the Indian
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towns. When approaching a village, the whoop of success brought several to meet them; and on their arrival at it, they found that every preparation was made for their running the gauntlet; in going through which ceremony both were much bruised. White did not however remain long in captivity. Eluding their vigilance he took one of their guns and began his flight homeward. Before he had traveled far, he met an Indian on horseback, whom he succeeded in shoot- ing; and mounting the horse from which he fell, his return to the Valley was much facilitated. Petro was never heard of afterwards. The painting of him black had indicated their intention of killing him; and the escape of White probably hastened his doom.
The William White mentioned in this and succeeding narrations by Withers, was killed by the Indians at or near the Heavner ford below the town of Buck- hannon about the year 1795, at least the rough headstone of his grave bears that date.
William White was Indian scout during the entirety of his long and useful life and the incident of his life here related, signifies the kind of man he was, his usefulness to new settlements and his professed great joy in deceiving and escaping from the Indians in order that he might be able again to thwart their evil designs upon the peace loving whites.
HUGHES AND LOWTHER SHOT, ISAAC WASHBURN KILLED
The avenging spirit of the savage over the massacre of Capt. Bull, exhibited itself in the Spring of 1778, when a party of twenty Indians made an attack upon the Hackers Creek and West Fork neighborhoods. The setttlers expecting such an invasion of the Indians they had taken the wise precaution in the winter preceeding, to move to West's Fort on the waters of Hackers Creek and to Richard's Fort on the waters of the West Fork river. These forts were the winter homes of the pioneers as well as the sure protection from the Indian ravages. They also afforded the families inhabiting them during the winter a splendid opportunity for social intercourse, cultivating a communistic and altruistic spirit of mind. The men would hunt game, bring it to the fort and share' it with all the inhabitants thereof. Spring approaching the women and children were left in these safe retreats during the day under the protection of a few men while the majority would perform the usual labors of their farms in companies, so as to preserve theirs and themselves from an attack of the Indians. Such companies of men were thus engaged during the first week in May, some fencing, others clearing, some plowing, and others rolling, when they were unexpectedly fired upon by the Indians. Thomas Hughes and Jonathan Lowther were shot down, the others being unarmed fled for safety. Two of the number being so situated as to have the Indians between them and West's Fort ran directly to Richard's Fort. The news of the approach of the enemy had already preceded them and every preparation possible had been made for defence and security. This news to the inhabitants of Richard's Fort was communicated in this way. Some hunters the day before had found the mangled remains of one, Isaac Washburn, who had been to mill on Hackers Creek and returning to Richard's Fort was shot from his horse, tomahawked and scalped. The Indians observing the ample preparations for defense and security of the forts and their inhabitants, refrained from further attacks and in a day or so left the neighborhood. The whites were too weak to go in pursuit and molest them.
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MRS. FREEMAN KILLED, AND PURSUIT OF THE INDIANS
Again in the month of June, 1778, as three women from West's Fort were peacefully gathering greens in the adjoining field, four vindictive Indians lying in wait, fell upon them, one shot only was fired, and it passed through the bonnet of Mrs. Hacker, who was affrighted, screamed and ran toward the fort with all her might. Another Indian carrying a long staff with a spear in one end pursued the fleeing woman closely and thrust his staff at Mrs. Freeman with such force and violence that when it struck her in the back below the shoulder it pierced the body through, coming out at the left breast. Falling she was immediately set upon and tomahawked by her Indian pursuers, who cleft the upper part of her head off and carried it away by the hair to save the scalp. Just before this occurred the men who had been alarmed at the fort by the wild screams of Mrs. Hacker, ran out with their guns and fired just as Mrs. Freeman fell. They did not prevent the Indian from getting her scalp. The shots served however to warn the men who were out of the fort that danger was at hand ; and they quickly came in.
JESSE HUGHES, a man of fierce and unbridaled passions, a confirmed Indian hater and most cruel in his punishment of the savage, and John Schoolcraft, with almost the opposite human attributes and temperament, while making their way to the fort saw two Indians standing by the fence. So intently watching the movements of the men at the fort were they that they succeeded in passing them unseen, their entrance to the fort being undiscovered. Hughes, as soon as he could get his gun, proposed to go out and get the corpse of Mrs. Freeman. Others went with him. Now a pursuing party was made up consisting of Charles and Alexander West, Charles Hughes, brother of Jesse's, John Brown, Jolin Sleeth and Jesse Hughes. They started to the place where Hughes had seen the two Indians leaning on the fence. Before reaching the place an Indian was heard to howl like a wolf. (A signal among the savages). And this call was answered by a similar howl; and the men proceeded in the direction from whence the sound came. Nearing the spot where the sound appeared to be Jesse Hughes also howled, was instantly answered, and he with his companions ran to a summit of the hill and looking over it saw two Indians coming towards them in answer to Hughes' signal. Hughes fired and an Indian was killed, the other took to flight. The fugitive sprang into a thicket of laurel and underbrush. His pursuers proceeded to surround the hiding place of their foe and especially put forth every effort to intercept him in coming out on the opposite side. The Indian was too cunning for the white man for he came out where he entered and made his escape. In their anxiety to catch and kill the fugitive Indian they neglected the wounded one. It is said that one of the men stopped when near by the fallen Indian and was for finishing him; but Hughes imperatively called to him, "He is safe, let us have the other." And they all obeyed Hughes. The wounded Indian recovered his feet and was making tracks for his escape. His bleeding wounds enabled the pursuers to follow him some distance, but presently a heavy rain fell. rapidly obliterating the trail and trace of blood and they were obliged to give up the chase.
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