History of The Middle New River Settlements - Chapters I-III



Chapter I
1654-1753

The country embraced by the New River Valley belonged, at the time the
first settlements were made therein by white people, to that vast unknown
domain in Augusta County, beyond the Alleghanies, which was sometimes
erroneously called "West Augusta," stretching from the top of the
Alleghanies Westward to the Mississippi River--if not to the uttermost sea.

The country at the time mentioned was a vast unexplored wilderness about
which the people East of the Aleghanies had very vague and indefinite
ideas. Immediately in and near this valley, about or a little before the
white people came, the Canawhay tribe of Indians occupied the valley and
plateau, now in Carroll and Floyd Counties, Virginia, and from the name of
which tribe of Indians, the New and Kanawha Rivers took the name of
Kanawha.

Where or when the upper part of this same river came to be called New
River is not altogether agreed. The late Capt. Charles R. Boyd, upon the
authority of Judge David McComas, says it was an Indian name meaning "New
Water." Hardesty in his geographical history, says that "Captain Byrd, who
had been employed in 1764 to open a road from the James River to where the
town of Abingdon now stands, probably using Jefferson's map of Virginia
engraved in France in 1755, and on which this river did not appear, named
it New River. The late Major Jed Hotchkiss of Staunton, Virginia,
attributed the name to a man by the name of "New," who at an early day
kept a ferry at or near where "Ingle's Ferry" was afterwards established.

The first white man who is supposed to have entered this valley, was
Colonel Abraham Wood in 1654. Wood lived at the Falls of the Appomatox
near where the present city of Petersburg, Virginia, now stands, and
being, as said, of an adventurous turn of mind, obtained from the
Government authority to open trade with the Western Indians. It is
supposed, in fact stated, that Colonel Wood came over the Alleghanies at a
place now and long known and called Wood's Gap in the present county of
Floyd, and passed down Little river to the river now known as New River,
and seeing a river flowing in a different direction from those up the
course of which he had just traveled, he took it to be a new river and
gave to it his own name "Wood's River," and it so appears on some of the
oldest maps of Virginia.

So far as known, between the date of the discovery of this river by
Colonel Wood, Captain Henry Batte in 1666, Thomas Batte and party in 1671,
John Salling who was captured by the Indians and carried over this river
to the West thereof in 1730, Salley, the Howards and St. Clair in 1742,
Dr. Thomas (note: Upon the authority of Haywood, Vaughan of Amelia County,
Virginia, with a number of Indian traders crossed New River about Ingle's
ferry in 1740.) Walker, and his parties in 1748-1750, are the only white
men that had seen or crossed New River, or penetrated this vast wilderness
country prior to 1748, unless it were the three men whose names are
hereinafter mentioned.

It is now more than a century and a half since the first white settlement
was made in the New River Valley. It has been claimed, in fact conceded,
that the first white settlement was made in the year of 1748 by Ingles,
Drapers and others near where Blacksburg, in Montgomery county, Virginia,
now stands, but this claim is now and has been for many years disputed and
upon an investigation it appears from discoveries made at the mouth of
East River at its junction with New River in Giles County, Virginia, that
in the year of 1780, when Mr. John Toney (note: Built the brick dwelling
house at mouth of East River, the first brick house built in Giles
County.) and his family, from Buckingham County, Virginia, settled at that
place, they found the decayed remains of a cabin and evidences that some
of the land around the same had been cleared, and nearby they found a
grave with a rough stone at the head, on which was engraved, "Mary Porter
was killed by the Indians November 28, 1742. (note: This stone with
engraving thereon often seen by Dr. Phillip H. Killey and Mr. G. W.
Toney.) "Then followed something respecting Mr. Porter, but the crumbling
away of the stone during the century and a half which has elapsed since
its erection, has rendered it illegible."--Hardesty's Geographical His.
405.

This Ingles-Draper settlement was called "Draper's Meadows," but we are
told that the name was changed by Colonel William Preston to "Smithfield,"
in honor of his wife, who was a Miss Smith of Louisa County, Virginia.

While the Draper's Meadows" settlement was not made directly on the New
River, it was not far away and the drainage of the waters in the vicinity
is into this river.

Adam Harman, who came with the Ingles, Drapers and others form
Pattonsburg, in the Virginia Valley, shortly after the planting of the
Colony, located, probably in the Spring of 1749, on New River at the place
now known as Eggleston's Springs, but called by the early settlers
"Gunpowder Spring," from the resemblance of its odor and taste to that of
gun powder. This settlement of Harman, save that of Porter at the mouth of
East River, is believed to be the oldest settlement made by white people
in what is now the territory of Giles County.

Philip Lybrook, from Pennsylvania, but most likely born in Holland, and of
whom we shall have occasion to hereafter speak, settled at the mouth of
Sinking Creek on the New River, a short distance below Harman's
settlement, about 1750. It is not believed that Lybrook, the correct
spelling of whose name in his native tongue is "Leibroch," came with the
Drapers Meadows settlers, but subsequently. His was the third settlement
made by the whites in what is now Giles County.

It was upon Harman at Gunpowder Spring in April, 1749, that the Indians
committed depredations by stealing his fur skins, but they remained
peaceable and quiet until the breaking out of the French and Indian war in
the year of 1753, which continued on the border for more than ten years.

It seems that Harman suspected a man by the name of Castle as being in
league with and as prompting the Indians to steal his fur skins. Castle
was at the time on a hunting expedition with the Indians, who were now
friendly, in what is now called Castleswoods on the Clinch River in the
Western portion of the now County of Russell. Harman obtained from a
magistrate of Augusta County a warrant for the arrest of Castle, and with
a posse, among them a large, stout, athletic man by the name of Clinche,
who had been a hunter in that section, he set out to accomplish his
purpose, but met with serious resistance from Castle and the Indians with
whom he was engaged in hunting, and forced to beat a retreat, in which his
man Clinche was thrown from his horse in crossing the river. Being a lame
man from an attack of white swelling, the Indians supposing him disabled
from the fall, one of them dashed into the river and seized him, but the
great, strong man was an over match for his Indian enemy, and succeeded in
drowning him, hence the name "Clinche River" was given, as the story goes.
Dr. Thomas Walker in his journal kept of his journey to and through
Cumberland Gap and return in 1750, says: "Clinche River was named for a
hunter whose name was Clinche." It therefore seems altogether probable
that, except Salling, Porter, Castle and Clinche were the first white men
to cross the Middle-New River and to explore the territory West thereof.
It is stated upon the authority of Mr. Virgil A. Lewis in his recent
history, as well as by others, that in 1742, Salley, the Howards and St.
Clair crossed the New River below the mouth of Greenbrier and passed over
on the Coal River, to which they gave that name.

In the year of 1748 Dr. Thomas Walker, of Albemarle County, Colonel James
Patton, Colonel John Buchanan, Colonel James Wood and Major Charles
Campbell, from the neighborhood of Pattonsburg, on the James River, made
an excursion into what is now known as Southwestern Virginia. The precise
route this party traveled after leaving the New River, or how far they
went Westward, seems to be left in doubt. This trip must not be confused
with Dr. Walker's second one across the New River westward through
Cumberland Gap and into Kentucky in 1750, in which his companions were
Ambrose Powell, William Tomlinson, Colby Chew, Henry Lawless and John
Hughes. This party on this trip in 1750 gave names, in some instances
their own, to several mountains and streams, and on their return home came
by way of the site of the present city of Pocahontas, Virginia, and along
the Bluestone and Flat Top mountains near the present town of Hinton, and
thence up the Greenbrier. See Appendix to "His. Southwest Virginia," by
Summers.

From sketches taken from the diary of Dr. Walker and published by Major
Jed Hotchkiss some years ago, it appears that Dr. Walker was the first
white man to discover the great coal deposit in the Flat Top region. In
his dairy he says that near the mouth of a small creek at the base of a
mountain he discovered a large bed of stone coal lying to the north and
northwest.

As already stated the Drapers Meadows settlement was made in 1748. Whether
the settlers made this location prior to Dr. Walker's first journey across
the New River or after his return, does not certainly appear, but it is
evident that some of the parties who established themselves here must have
had some knowledge of the country before the date of settlement.

In 1750-1751 Christopher Gist, the employee of the Ohio Company, explored
the country west of New River through a portion of Kentucky, returning
through what is now Wise County, Virginia, giving his name to a river now
in that county, as well also as a station, moving east along the watershed
dividing the Clinch, Sandy and the Bluestone, he passed through the
territory of what is now the County of Mercer, crossing New River about
eight miles above the mouth of Bluestone, and not far below the lower part
of Culbertson's Crump's Bottom, now in Summers County, and on the 11th day
of May discovered on top of a very high mountain a lake or pond about
three-fourths of a mile long, northeast and southwest, and one-fourth of a
mile wide, which is supposed to be what is now known as Mountain Lake, in
Giles County, Virginia.-- "His. So. W.Va.," Summers.

If tradition well authenticated is to be taken when supported by well
attested evidence, then Christopher Gist never saw Mountain Lake in Giles
County. (note: If Gist really saw this lake in 1751, then it is evident
that water had escaped before 1768.) The earliest settlers in the vicinity
of the lake and who lived longest, left the unbroken tradition that when
they first knew the place where the lake now exists there was a deep
depression between the mountains into which flowed the water from one or
more springs which found its outlet at the northeastern portion of the
depression, and in this gorge or depression was a favorite salting ground
in which the settlers salted their cattle by whose continual tramping the
crevices through which the water from the springs found an escape, became
closed and the depression began to fill with water. This filling began in
1804 and by 1818 the water in the depression had risen to about one-half
its present height.

Kerchival in his "History of the Valley," at page 343 gives a conversation
had by him in the year of 1836 with Colonel Christian Snidow and John
Lybrook, which fully substantiates the statement above made, that the lake
did not exist when the first settlers knew the place. To reconcile this
statement with that of Gist it is fair to presume that after he saw this
lake in 1751, the water had escaped through the crevices of the rocks and
had disappeared before Snidow, Lybrook, and others saw it in about 1768,
and that afterwards it repeated the process of refilling. It is reputed to
be rapidly receding, having fallen several feet within the past two years.

In 1753, Andrew Culbertson settled on New River on what has been known
since his settlement as Culbertson's, or Crump's Bottom, now in Summers
County, formerly a part of the territory of Mercer County. This was the
first white settlement made within the boundaries of Mercer County.

Andrew Culbertson, who lived in Pennsylvania, near to or where the town of
Chambersburg is now situate, was compelled on account of the breaking out
of the French and Indian war and fear of Indians to leave his land. He
sold his claim to Samuel Culbertson, perhaps his brother. The country for
some years was so infested with Indians from northwest of the Ohio, that
the property appeared to be deserted and abandoned and in fact was. In the
meantime other persons began to assert claim to the land, until finally
the claims of all became vested in Thomas Farley who in March, 1775,
procured the land to be surveyed, took a certificate thereof in order to
obtain a grant from the Virginia Land Office, then expected to be shortly
opened, and then assigned his right to James Burnsides. (Byrnside.)

Long litigation followed over the right and ownership to this land or a
part thereof between the Culbertsons, Reid, and Byrnside.--Wythe's
Chancery Reports, 150.

Thomas Farley from Albemarle County, Virginia, came to New River Valley
shortly after the coming of Culbertson and immediately on locating on the
land referred to, erected a fort near the lower portion of the bottom on
the south bank of the river, near what is known as "Warford." (note:
Shortly after the opening of Dunmore's war in 1774, a fort was erected at
the mouth of Joshua's Run, on Culbertson's Bottom, called Fort Field.)

This fort was known as Farley's and in which James Ellison, whose father
came from the State of New Jersey, was born in May, 1778. The father of
James Ellison was in the battle of Point Pleasant, and after his return to
his home on Culbertson's Bottom, was on the 19th day of October, 1780,
while at work about a corn crib, attacked by a party of seven or eight
Indians, wounded in the shoulder, captured, and carried some fifteen
miles, escaping the day after his capture. In 1774 a woman was killed on
Culbertson's Bottom, by the Indians, and about the same time a man by the
name of Shockley, on a hill above the bottom, which still bears the name
of Shockley's Hill."

The James Ellison spoken of, became a distinguished and successful Baptist
minister, and was instrumental in planting a number of Baptist churches in
this section, among them the Guyandotte Baptist church, in 1812, where
Oceana, in Wyoming County, is now situated. He was the father of the late
Matthew Ellison, of Beckley, West Virginia, and who was regarded the most
distinguished Baptist preacher in this section in his day.

James Burke, who was one of the Drapers Meadows settlers, on a hunting
expedition in 1753, wounded an elk and followed it through what is now
called Henshue's Gap, into that beautiful body of magnificent land which
has since borne the name of Burke's Garden, about which and the discoverer
more will be said later on. The Indian (note: When first seen by white
men, contained a large number of acres of wet, marshy land, evidently once
a lake. The waters flowing out of Burke's Garden are the head springs of
Wolf Creek.) name for this beautiful land was "Great Swamp."



CHAPTER II
1753-1766

The Mississippi Valley was first explored and settled by the French. They
had a line of forts extending from New Orleans to Quebec, one of which
being Fort du Quesne, where Pittsburg now stands. The English were jealous
of these movements, which jealousy at last ripened into open hostility,
but before proceeding to open acts of war, the English sought to gain
possession of the Western country by throwing a large white population
into it by means of land companies, to whom large grants for land were
made. The Ohio Company with a grant of 500,000 acres on the south side of
the Ohio between Monongahela and the Kanawha; the Greenbrier Company, at
the head of which was John Lewis of Augusta, obtained authority to locate
100,000 acres on the Greenbrier and its waters, and the Loyal Company,
with a grant of 800,000 acres with authority to locate the same from the
North Carolina line north and west.

Each of these land companies proceeded to locate their lands, and in 1751
Colonel John Lewis and his son, Andrew, afterward a distinguished General,
surveyed the Greenbrier tract, including "Marlinton's Bottom," on the
Greenbrier River, on which is now situate the town of Marlinton, the
County seat of Pocahontas County, where they found Jacob Marlin and
Stephen Sewell. The Loyal Company surveyed a large part of the lands
granted to it, even extending its surveys into what is now Giles County,
Virginia, about one of which tracts a controversy arose and was decided by
the Supreme Court of appeals of Virginia in July, 1834. French vs Loyal
Company, 5th Leigh's R. 680.

The movements of the English were closely watched by the French, who,
understanding their design, determined to defeat them.

They accordingly crossed Lake Champlain, built Crown Point, and fortified
certain positions on the waters of the upper Ohio. In the year of 1752, on
the Miami, a collision occurred between some of the French soldiers and
the English traders and Indians, in which some of the Indians were killed
and some of the whites were taken prisoners. This was the beginning of
what is known as the French and Indian War, which resulted in the loss to
France of all her territory east of the Mississippi.

Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia, arrived in that Colony in 1752, and
viewing with alarm the encroachments of the French, dispatched George
Washington on a commission to the French Commandant on the Ohio.

Washington left Williamsburg on the 31st day of October, 1753, and
proceeded by way of Romney, in Hampshire County, where he remained one
night, and finally reached the French post on the Ohio, made known his
commission to the French Commandant, who replied that it "did not become
him to discuss civil matters." Washington returned immediately to
Williamsburg and reported the failure of his mission. Under instructions
from the English government to raise a force of men to build and occupy
two forts on the Ohio, the House of Burgesses voted 10,000 pounds and the
raising of a regiment of men, the command of which was given to Colonel
Joshua Fry as Commandant, with George Washington as Lieutenant-Colonel.
Fry was taken sick on the journey and the command devolved upon
Washington. These troops left Alexandria, Virginia, in April, and arrived
at Will's Creek on the 20th of the same month, and on the 28th of May
reached a place called Redstone, where they encountered a French and
Indian force, which they attacked, killing ten and taking the rest
prisoners. From these prisoners Washington learned that a large force of
French and Indians were in his front; nevertheless he continued his march
to the Great Meadows, where he halted and built a fort, calling it "Fort
Necessity." On the third day of July, at 11o'clock a.m., the enemy
assailed Washington's works with vigor, and attempted to carry them by
assault, but were repulsed with loss. The battle however, continued with
great fury until well into the night. At the end of a nine hours
engagement and after severe loss to the enemy, the French Commandant Count
de Viliers, sent in a flag of truce, praising the gallantry of the
Virginians, and offering to treat for a surrender of the works on
honorable terms. His proposals were accepted, and the next morning the
treaty was concluded, and the Virginians took up their line of march for
their homes. The French and Indians numbered 1,000 men. (Peyton's Augusta.)

It seems that Washington on his march to the Great Meadows was joined by a
Company of soldiers from South Carolina, who were with him at the
surrender of Fort Necessity.

Being now fully satisfied that war was inevitable, the British cabinet
encouraged the Colonies to unite for defense or aggression, as might be
necessary, and a plan to this effect was duly signed in 1754.

In the Spring of 1755 the colonial forces attacked the French at four
different points, Nova Scotia, Crown Point, Niagara, and on the Ohio
River. Against the French on the Ohio, operations were conducted by
General Braddock, who arrived from England in February of that year with
two regiments. Virginia raised eight hundred men to join Braddock, who
arrived at Alexandria, then called Bellhaven, and appointed Washington his
aide-de-camp. Braddock dispatched one company of colonial troops under
Captain Thomas Lewis of Augusta, to the Greenbrier country to build a
stockade fort and prevent Indian raids on the white settlements in that
region.

The captains commanding companies in the Virginia troops, which served
under Braddock in his march to the Monongahela were Waggener, Cock, Hogg,
Stephens, Poulson, Pemronny, Mercer and Stuart.

Braddock with his command of about twenty-two hundred men, left Alexandria
on the 20th day of April, and crossed the Monongahela River on the 9th day
of July, 1755, where he fell into an ambuscade of French and Indians. He
was mortally wounded, and his army after sustaining fearful loss was
routed and put to flight. But for the courage and bravery of Washington
and his Virginians, Braddock's whole force would have been annihilated.
The Colonial and British loss in this engagement was seven hundred and
seventy-seven (777) killed and wounded.

This defeat spread wide alarm throughout Virginia, and aroused the people
to renewed energies for the defense of the border.

It may here be noted that among the Virginians who survived this battle,
and were afterwards distinguished in our annals, were Washington, Andrew
and William Lewis, Matthews, Field, and Grant.

Following this disaster of Braddock and his army, devastations and inhuman
murders were perpetrated by the French and Indians during the summer on
the western borders of Virginia and Pennsylvania.

As a result of Braddock's defeat, the whole frontier of Western Virginia
was thrown open to the ravages of the Indians, who crossed the Alleghanies
and pushed into Augusta, the lower Valley and New River settlements,
torturing and murdering men, women and children. Such was the distress
occasioned by these butcheries that Washington in one of his letters to
Governor Dinwittie says, "The supplicating tears of the women and the
moving petitions of the men melt me into such deadly sorrow, that I
solemnly declare that if I know my own mind I could offer myself a willing
sacrifice to the butchering enemy, provided that it would contribute to
the people's ease."

During all the years, beginning with the year 1753 to 1763 the Indians
continued their barbarities along the Virginia border. We must now turn to
events transpiring in the New River valley.

Notwithstanding that Drapers Meadows settlement was far from the Ohio, and
apparently safe from any probability of attack from any quarter, and
although these settlers must have been aware that war was then being waged
by the Indians against the whites, they took no reasonable precaution for
their safety, but on Sunday, the 8th day of July, 1755, the day before
Braddock's defeat on the Monongahela, they permitted themselves to be
surprised by a band of marauding Shawnees from North of the Ohio, who
killed, wounded and captured every person present. The killed were Colonel
James Patton, Mrs. George Draper, Casper Barrier, and a child of John
Draper, James Cull; wounded, Mrs. William Ingles, Mrs. John Draper and
Henry Leonard, captured. After putting their plunder and the women and
children on horses, they set fire to the buildings, and with their
prisoners began their retreat to the Ohio, passing on their way, and not
far from the scene of the tragedy, the house of Philip Barger, an old
white haired man, whose head they cut off, put in a bag, and took it with
them to the house of Philip Lybrook at the mouth of Sinking Creek,and
where they left it, telling Mrs. Lybrook to look in the bag and she would
find an acquaintance.

The morning of the attack upon the settlers of Drapers Meadows Colonel
Patton had sent his nephew, young William Preston, over to Philip
Lybrook's, on Sinking Creek, to get him to come over and help next day
with the harvest, which was ready to cut. Preston and Lybrook instead of
following the river, crossed the mountains, probably by the place where
Newport, in Giles County, is now situated, and thus doubtless escaped
death or capture. Of the facts and circumstances attending the attack on
this settlement, the killing, wounding and capture of all present, of the
journey of the prisoners to Ohio, the escape and return home of Mrs.
Ingles, the writer is largely indebted to the authentic, pathetic account
by the late Dr. John P. Hale, of Charleston, West Virginia, in his book
"Trans-Alleghany Pioneers."

Just why the Indians did not disturb the families of Adam Harman and
Philip Lybrook, whose settlements were immediately on the river and along
the trace the Indians must have traveled in going to and returning from
Drapers Meadows, cannot well be explained. These Indians with their
prisoners passed down New River, crossing at the ford above the mouth of
Bluestone, thence across what is called White Oak Mountain, the
northeastern extension of the Flat Top, by way of where Beckley, in
Raleigh County, is now situated, the old Indian trail passed at what is
now the junction of the principal streets of the town, and on to the head
of Paint Creek and down to the Kanawha. Thus it will be seen that they
passed over the territory of Mercer County. This trail up Paint Creek, and
either by Pipe Stem Knob or mouth of Big Bluestone, was on of their
frequently traveled ways to the East River and New River settlements.Paint
Creek took its name from several trees standing thereon painted by the
Indians as one of their guides or land marks on their marauding
expeditions into the white settlements and on their return they by marks
on these trees would indicate the number of scalps taken.

Governor Dinwiddie had on August 11th, 1755 been informed of the death of
Colonel Patton and the destruction of the Drapers Meadows settlement, as
he refers to same in a letter of that date to Captain Andrew Lewis.

Mrs. William Ingles who was captured by the Indians at Drapers Meadows,
and carried by them to their town North of the Ohio, and later to Big Bone
Lick, in Kentucky, escaped in the fall of the same year with an old Dutch
woman, and they made their way up the Ohio, Kanawha and New Rivers to the
settlements. Evidently, from what subsequently happened, Captain William
Ingles, the husband of Mrs. Ingles, very shortly after her return, went to
Williamsburg to lay before Governor Dinwiddie the situation of affairs on
the border. Governor Dinwiddie writes on December 15th, 1755, to Colonel
Stuart and to Captains Hogg, Preston, Smith, Richard Pearis and Woodson,
of the intention to take the Shawnee towns on the Ohio River, and in his
letter to Preston and Smith he refers to the bearer thereof as Mr. Ingles,
who evidently was Captain William Ingles, who, while at Williamsburg with
the Governor, originated and planned the Sandy expedition against the
Shawnees whose towns were situated on the lower side of the Scioto on the
North bank of the Ohio opposite the present city of Portsmouth. In about
1767 a great flood in the Ohio overran their towns and they moved up to
Chillicothe.

Governor Dinwiddie in a letter to Major Andrew Lewis, dated February 6,
1756, and which seems to have been written but a few days before the
starting of the Sandy expedition , says: "The distance by Evans' map is
not two hundred miles to the upper towns of the Shawnees, however, at once
begin your march." This map was made by Lewis Evans, a copy of which can
be found in the Library of Congress, and the distance estimated by
Governor Dinwiddie from the farther settlements to the Shawnee towns on
the Ohio River, at the mouth of the Scioto, was not far from correct.

Richard Pearis was a captain of militia of Augusta County and further had
charge of a company of friendly Cherokee Indians. He is often referred to
in the letters of Governor Dinwiddie. On page 266 of "The Dinwiddie Papers,
" note 161, Richard Pearis is described as an Indian trader, located on
Holstein River, who acted as interpreter, and was afterwards commissioned
a captain to command a company of Indians. The name is spelled in other
instances, "Paris", and has respected representatives in Augusta County
today. In a letter of Governor Dinwiddie's to Major Andrew Lewis, dated
February 16th, 1756, he says: "I am glad the Cherokees are in so high
spirits. I desire that you show proper regard and respect to the High
Warrior and take care that Mr. Pearis behaves well and keeps sober."

It is undoubtedly true that Mrs. Ingles on her return from captivity in
November, 1755, made known to her husband and others, the position of the
Indian towns on the Ohio and of the expressed determination of the savages
to destroy the white settlements along the New River valley. This led to
Captain Ingles' visit to the Governor at Williamsburg to forestall the
Indian plans by sending a force of troops to destroy them before they
could strike a blow at the settlements.

Mrs. Ingles was not willing to remain on the New River nor even at Vaux's
fort, on the Roanoke, nearby where Shawesville now stands, but insisted
that her husband should carry her to a place of greater safety for she was
well aware that the Indians would repeat their visits to the settlements
and that she and her friends would again be exposed to danger of death or
capture.

The fears of Mrs. Ingles were well grounded, for on the very next day
after the departure of herself and family from Vaux's fort, in the summer
of 1756, it was attacked by the Indians, and the inmates were destroyed or
captured and carried away, but two or three afterwards escaped.

The incursions made by the Indians into the frontier settlements and their
depredations immediately after Braddock's defeat, led to the organization
of the Sandy expedition, under the order of Governor Dinwiddie, and
suggested and planned by Captain William Ingles, who accompanied the
expedition. Colonel Washington sent Major Andrew Lewis from Winchester to
take charge of the forces, which were to attack the Indian towns on the
Ohio. Major Lewis' forces rendezvoused at Fort Prince George on the
Roanoke, near where Salem, Virginia, now stands. The force consisted of
about 340 men. Among the officers were Captains Peter Hogg, John Smith,
William Preston, Archibald Alexander, Robert Breckinridge, Obediah
Woodson, John Montgomery and ------- Dunlap, together with a company of
friendly Indians under Captain Richard Pearis. The company commanded by
Captain Hogg failed to attend at the appointed time, and Major Lewis after
delaying a week for its arrival, marched forward, expecting to be
overtaken by it.

It was important to the success of the expedition that it should not be
discovered by the Indians until it was too late for them to take measures
to thwart it; therefore, instead of taking the more public route by way of
the Great Kanawha. Major Lewis selected the route most likely to keep his
movements concealed from the enemy. While it would seem important, yet
Major Lewis made no report of the expedition; if so it has not been
published. Yet we are not without fairly full information on the subject.
The author being so fortunate as to get a copy in part of Captain William
Preston's journal, kept by him on this expedition, which will be
hereinafter copied. The route by which Lewis with his men reached the
mouth of the Sandy, has been stated by different writers, no two agreeing,
and none strictly correct. See Withers. Bord. Warf. Hale's Trans-Alleghany
Pioneers. Peyton's His. of Augusta. Lewis' His. of W. Va. His. Southwest
Va. by Summers.

We will let Captain William Preston tell the story as written down by him
at the time.

"Monday, ye 9th day of February, 1756, "In pursuance to ye orders of Major
Lewis, dated the 4th inst., I marched from Fort Prince George, with my 2
Lieutenants, 2 Sergeants, 3 Corporals, and 25 Privates. We had one wagon
load of dry beef, the wt. 2000 lbs. We traveled 15 miles the first day and
lodged at the home of Francis Cyphers, on Roanoke, and early on Tuesday
morning, being the 10th, we proceeded on our journey as far as Richd.
Hall's, about 15 miles.

"Wednesday, the 11th, marched to New River; informed that Capt. Hog's
company was but a little behind us. As we marched by the Cherokee Camp we
saluted them by firing off guns, which they returned in seeming great joy,
and afterwards honored us with a war dance.

"Thursday, 12th, heard a sermon preached at Capt. Woodston's Camp, by Rev.
Mr. Brown.

"Friday, 13th: reviewed by Major Lewis. The number reviewed was about 340,
Indians included, being the Companies of Capt. C. Hog, Preston, Smith,
Overton, Woodston, and Pearis, with the Cherokee Indians. Rev. Mr. Craig
preached a military sermon, text in Deuteronomy. Two Captain's commissions
given by Major Lewis to two head Cherokee Warriors named Yellow Bird and
Round O.

"Sat. 14. A company of volunteers, 25 in number, under Capt. Delap (The
name is indistinct in the Mas.) joined us.

""Sunday 15, James Burk brot word that Robert Looney was killed nigh Alex
Sawyers, and he had himself one horse shot and five taken away by the
Shawnee Indians.

"Monday 16, 40 Indians and 60 white men under command of Capt. Smith and
Woodston marched from fort in order to range the woods about Reed Creek;
they are to march to Burke's Garden.

"Tuesday 17, Mr. Paul returned from the horse guard (This guard had been
left to protect the crossing of New River.)

"Wednesday 18, Capt. Hog's company and Major Lewis march in afternoon.

"Thursday 19, Left Fort Frederick at 10 o'clock: 27 loaded pack horses,
got to William Sawyer's: Camped on his barn floor.

"Friday 20, Switched one of the soldiers for swearing, which very much
incensed the Indian chiefs then present. Advanced to Alex Sawyers, met the
Indians who went out with the first division, and Lieutenant Ingles who
informed us of the burial of Robt. Looney. Some of our Indians deserted.

"Sat. 21, Major Lewis, Capt. Pearis and the interpreter went to Col.
Buchanan's place, where they met the Indians who had deserted us, and
induced them to return, which they did.

"Sunday 22, Marched to John McFarland's.

"Monday 23, Marched over the mountain to Bear Garden, on North Fork of
Holston's river. Lost sundry horses.

"Tuesday 24, Crossed two mountains and arrived at Burke's Garden. Had
plenty of potatoes which the soldiers gathered in the deserted plantations

""Wednesday 25, Remained in Camp.

"Burke's Garden is a tract of land of 5000 or 6000 acres, as rich and
fertile as any I ever saw, as well watered with many beautiful streams,
and is surrounded with mountains almost impassible.

"Thursday 26 Marched early, crossed three large mountains, arrived at head
of Clinch. Our hunters found no game.

"Friday 27, Lay by on account of rain. Hunters killed three or four bears.

"Saturday 28, Passed several branches of Clinch and at length got to head
of Sandy Creek, where we met with great trouble and fatigue, occasioned by
heavy rain, and driving our baggage horses down said creek, which we
crossed 20 times that evening. Killed three buffalos and some deer.

"Sunday 29, In 15 miles passed the creek 66 times, Sundry horses were
left, not being able to carry loads any further. Encamped at a cane swamp.
This creek has been much frequented by Indians both traveling and hunting
on it, and from many late signs I am apprehensive that Starnicker--the
prisoners taken with him were carried this way.

"Monday 1st, of March (1756)

"Marched at 9 o'k. In 4 miles left the Creek to Eastward, passed a gap in
high ridge, and came upon a branch, where we camped in a large bend in a
prominent place. Sent Abrim Bledsher to hunt.

"Tuesday 2, Discovered recent signs of enemy Indians hunting camp: our
Cherokees ranged the woods. Moved down the branch and came to the main
creek where we camped. Put on half rations. Came into the Cole (Coal)
land: crossed the river 8 times.

"Wednesday 3, Marched only 8 or 10 miles being much retarded by the river
and mountains which closed in on both sides, which made our marching very
difficult, and more so as each man had but half pound of flour and no meat
but what we could kill and that was very scarce.

"Thursday 4, Lost many horses that wandered off and could not be found.
Marched 6 miles. Hunters had no success, and nothing but hunger and
fatigue appears to us.

"Friday 5, With great difficulty marched 15 miles: the river being very
deep and often to cross, nearly killed the men, as they were in utmost
extremity for want of provisions. My fourth horse expired.

"Saturday 6, As we encamped nigh the forks of the river, we only crossed
the S. E. fork and encamped. The Cherokees made bark canoes to carry
themselves down the river. Major Lewis had a large canoe made to carry the
ammunition and small remnant of flour. The men murmured much for want of
provisions and numbers threatened to return home.

"Sunday 7, Marched to a place 6 miles below the forks of the river.
Mountains very high and no appearance of level country, which greatly
discouraged the men. The men were faint and weak with hunger and could not
travel the mountains and wade the river as formerly, there was no game in
the mountains, nor appearance of level country, and their half pound of
flour would not support them, and that would soon be gone, and they
intended to leave next morning and go home. I proposed to kill the horses
to eat, which they refused. They said that might do to support them if
they were on their way home, but it was not a diet proper to sustain men
on a long march against the enemy. They finally agreed to make one more
trial down the river.

"Monday 8, Proceeded down the river about 3 miles, where the mountains
closed so nigh the water that we could not pass: went up a branch, crossed
a very high mountain, and down another branch to the river, where we met a
party of men who had been at the river and could not get down any further.
Crossed another mountain to the head of another branch which we followed
several miles to the river and camped. Some of the volunteers killed two
elk, which they divided with us.

"Tuesday 9, The volunteers killed two buffalos and an elk, which helped us
some, but the men are very faint and continue to murmur. Did not move this
day waiting for Major Lewis, and the rest of the men who were left at the
forks of the river, supposed 15 miles.

"Wednesday 10, Sent a messenger with a letter to Major Lewis to come at
once, as the men were determined to desert and go home.

"Thursday 11th, 8 of Capt. Smith's men went off and Bledsher and -------.

Friday 12, 8 or 10 of my Company being ready to leave, I was obliged to
disarm them and take their blankets from them by force. Capt. Woodson
arrived, with some of his company, and informed us that his canoe overset,
and lost his tents and every thing of value. Major Lewis' canoe was sunk
in the river and he and Capt. Overton and Lieut. Gun had to swim for their
lives: they lost every thing of value, particularly 5 or 6 guns.

"Saturday 13th, Major Lewis ordered each Capt. to call his company
together immediately, which was done. He made a speech to them, but they
were obstinate.

"Major Lewis stepped off some yards, and desired all that were willing to
share his fate, to go with him. All the officers, and some privates, not
above 20 or 30, joined him. Then Montgomery's volunteers marched off, and
were immediately followed by my company and Smith's: 4 private men and my
lieutenants stayed with me.

"Major Lewis spoke to Old Autocity, who was much grieved to see the men
desert, who said that he was willing to proceed, but some of his warriors
and young men were yet behind, and he was doubtful about them. Mr.
Dunlap's volunteers went off in the afternoon.

"An account of miles marched each day on our journey to the Shawnees'
towns.

Miles

"From F. P. George to Cyphers' 15
2nd day to R. Hall's 15
3rd day to F. A. Frederick 15
19th Feb. to Wm. Sawyers 20
20th Feb. to McCaul's 13
Sunday 22, to McFarland's 7
Monday 23 to Bear Garden 10
Tuesday 24 to Burke's Garden 9
Thursday 26, to head of Clinch 10
Saturday 28, to head of Sandy Creek 10
Sunday 29, down Sandy Creek 12
Monday 1st, March Sandy Creek 6
Tuesday 2, Sandy Creek 3
Wednesday 3rd, Sandy Creek 10
Friday 5, Sandy Creek 15
Saturday 6, Sandy Creek 2
Sunday 7, Sandy Creek 7
Monday 8, (Here the journal ends M,) 7


It will appear by a close examination of this journal by one fully
acquainted with the territory from the head waters of the Clinch to the
mouth of the Dry Fork of the Tug Fork of Sandy, where the Station of
Iaeger on the line of the Norfolk and Western Railway now stands, over
which territory the expedition passed, that it proceeded by way of one of
the North branches of the Clinch through the farm of the late W. G.
Mustard in Tazewell County, thence through Maxwell's Gap on to the waters
of Horse Pen Creek, thence down the same to Jacob's Fork, and down the
same to the Low gap or Cane Brake in the ridge dividing the waters of
Jacob's Fork from Dry Fork, and a little South and West of the residence
of Rev. R. B. Godbey, on Jacob's Fork, then down the Dry Fork to its
junction with the Tug or main fork.

Captain Hogg and his company finally overtook Major Lewis. At the same
time a messenger arrived directing the return of the expedition. It
however proceeded to the mouth of the Sandy, and some of the officers
urged the crossing of the Ohio river, but it was finally decided to obey
the summons to return. The weather was extremely cold, snow having fallen
the march was a difficult one, and the men stopping at Burning Spring
(Warfield) took strips of the hides of the buffaloes and broiled them in
the burning gas. They cut them into strips or thugs, hence the name of Tug
River. On leaving the spring they scattered through the mountains and many
of them perished, either frozen to death, starved or killed by the
Indians. They left however, some marks by the way, cutting their names on
trees on the route pursued by them, notably at the forks of Big Coal and
Clear Fork of that River, but these trees have been destroyed in recent
years.

As already stated, if Major Lewis ever made any written report of this
expedition, the author has been unable to find it or any trace of it, and
therefore we are without information as to the number of men lost on the
expedition.

The Indians had discovered that Lewis and his men were on the Sandy or
about the mouth of it, and some of them followed the whites for a distance
on their way homeward.

A second Sandy expedition seems to have been contemplated, but for some
reason abandoned.

Reference has already been made to that splendid body of land situated in
the southeastern part of the present County of Tazewell. about fourteen
miles from the Court House thereof and known as Burke's Garden. Colonel
William Preston, as we have seen from his journal, gives a short
description of this body of land. It appears that Lewis and his men saw
this Garden within less than three years after Burke had discovered it.
Whether between 1753 and 1756 Ingles and Patton were therein surveying
lands for the Loyal Company does not certainly appear.

Burke moved with his family into the Garden in 1754, (Note: A white thorn
bush, sprout from an older bush, at a spring, near to the residence of Mr.
Rufus Thompson, in Burke's Garden, is pointed out as the spot where Burke
spent his first night in the Garden.) cleared up some land, and planted a
crop, including potatoes, and in the fall of 1755 was driven out on
account of fear of Indians, and left his crop of potatoes in the ground
which Lewis' men found the next spring and appropriated. Burke had killed
a large number of deer, elk and bear, and had tanned a number of the
hides, which he took with him when he left in the fall of 1755. On his way
out with his family he camped one night in an old hunter's cabin near what
is now Sharon Springs in the now County of Bland, Virginia. The Indians
followed him, and on their way killed two hunters in their camp. On
approaching Burke's cabin and seeing several horses, and the tanned hides
rolled up in the cabin, they came to the conclusion that there were too
many people for them to attack, and contented themselves with the cutting
of the throat of one of Burke's horses. One of the evidences adduced that
Burke had removed with his family to this Garden, and lived there in 1755,
is that no mention of him or of his family is made in the history of the
destruction of the Drapers Meadows settlers by the Indians on the 8th day
of July, 1755, while all the other settlers are accounted for. Burke was
not killed in the Garden. He was living and seen by Captain Preston and
his men on the 15th day of February, 1756, when he reported to Major Lewis
the killing by the Indians of a man by the name of Robert Looney near
Alexander Sawyer's. Burke with his family never returned to the Garden to
live, first, because the Loyal Company claimed the land and had Ingles and
Patton to survey it. Second, Burke got not one foot of it, and third; he
removed South where he died. Many of his descendants, among them the
Snidows, of Giles County, still reside in the New River Valley, and they
seem never to have heard of the story that Burke was killed in the Garden.
Again Morris Griffith, the step son of Burke, who is reputed to have first
seen the Garden, was captured at Vaux's Fort in the Summer of 1756, but
escaped.

The failure of the Sandy expedition gave encouragement to the Indians and
they prepared to assault more fiercely the border white settlements during
the Spring, Summer and Fall months of 1756.

Vaux Fort situated on the Roanoke near where Shawesville Station on the
line of the Norfolk and Western Railway Company now stands, was built
prior to 1756, and destroyed in the early Summer of that year.

On September 8th, 1756, Governor Dinwiddie, (Dinwiddie Papers) writes to
Captain Hogg as follows: "I received yours of the 25th ult., and observe
you have made a beginning to build a fort near Vass's plantation, which is
well. I am of the opinion that three forts are necessary, as the one you
are constructing may be sufficient, as I hear Col. Washington is with you,
counsel with him thereon." This letter shows that Colonel George
Washington was with Captain Hogg on the Roanoke at Vass's Fort when the
above letter was written.

From the beginning of the French and Indian war in 1753 up to the close of
the war in the year 1763, the border country from the lakes to the
mountains of North Carolina was scourged by Indian forays and incursions,
and the few inhabitants were kept in almost constant fear.

Preston's Journal shows that several settlements had been made along Peak,
Reed and other Creeks West of New River prior to 1756. Among the parties
he names are William Sawyers, Alexander Sawyers, and John McFarland, and
Dr. Walker mentions Samuel Stalnaker as on the Holston on the 24th of
March, 1750, when he and Mr. Powell helped him to raise a house.

Hale in his Trans Alleghany Pioneers states that seven families were
settled West of New River in 1754, but gives the names of but two, Reed
and McCorkle.

The New River lead mines were discovered by Colonel Chiswell in 1757.

About the year of 1758 Joseph Howe, and a little later James Hoge settled
in the Back Creek Valley.

In 1760 an Indian marauding party penetrated the New River settlements,
and passing over into what is now Bedford County, committed murders and
other depredations and on its return, reaching the vicinity of Ingles'
Ferry, was attacked by Captain William Ingles, Captain Henry Harman,
(Harman Ms.) and others. One white man and six or seven Indians were
killed, and this was the last Indian foray that ever succeeded in
penetrating so far into the interior. Captain Henry Harman was a German,
born in the Isle of Man, and first settled in Forsythe County, North
Carolina, where he married Miss Nancy Wilburn, and removed to the New
River Valley about 1758, and settled first on Buchanan's Bottom (the Major
James R. Kent farm, below the present town of Radford, Virginia); and from
thence removed to Walker's Creek in what is now Bland County, and shortly
thereafter to the Hollybrook farm on Kimberling in the same County.

This name Harman being German, was originally Herman, and the family of
this name that settled in the New River Valley, except Adam Harman, and in
Tazewell County, Virginia, were all from the State of North Carolina. Adam
Harman and his family and all by that name that settled on the Jackson
River and in Western Virginia came from the Valley of Virginia.

In the Fall of the year 1763, about fifty Indian warriors ascended the
Great Sandy, and passed over the present territory of Mercer County on to
New River, where they separated, forming two parties, one going towards
the Jackson River, and the other towards the Roanoke and Catawba
settlements.

Pitman, Pack and Swope, trappers on New River, discovered the trail of
these Indians and the route they had taken, suspecting that they were
preparing to attack the settlements just mentioned, they set out, Pitman
for Jackson's River and Pack and Swope for Roanoke, but the Indians
reached both places ahead of them. After killing some people in the
Jackson's River settlement and taking some prisoners, the Indians began a
hasty retreat towards the Ohio, pursued by Captain Audley Paul with a
company of twenty men from Fort Dinwiddie, and who followed the Indians up
Dunlap's Creek over on to Indian Creek and New River, to the mouth of
Piney Creek without discovering them, and Captain Paul started on his
return.

The party that had crossed over on to the Roanoke and Catawba committed
some depredations and murders, and captured three prisoners, a Mrs.
Katherine Gun, a man by the name of Jacob Kimberline (who was taken from a
creek now called Kimberling, a branch of Walker's Creek) and another whose
name is not given. This party was being pursued by Captain William Ingles,
Captain Henry Harman and their men. On the night of the 12th of October,
the Indians pursued by Ingles and Harman were discovered by Captain Paul
and his men about midnight, encamped on the North bank of the New River
opposite an island at the mouth of Turkey Creek (now Indian Creek) in
Summers County. Paul's men fired on them, killed three and wounded several
others, one of whom threw himself into the river to preserve his scalp,
the rest of the party fled hurriedly down the river.

The Snidows came in 1766 and settled in the neighborhood of Philip
Lybrook, near the mouth of Sinking Creek; however settlements had been
made in the Greenbrier section of country by Marlin and Sewell in 1750,
and some families came in 1762, but they were massacred by Indians in
1763, and resettlements did not begin in that section until the year of
1769

The Snidow family mentioned above, were Germans, and came from
Pennsylvania. John, the father, and head of the family, had in 1765
visited the New River section, and Philip Lybrook, whom it is supposed had
been his neighbor in Pennsylvania. He returned for his family and started
with them for his new home in 1766, but on the road was taken suddenly and
violently ill, from which illness he died. His widow, Elizabeth, with her
children, made her way to the New River home which had been selected and
fixed upon by her husband. This family later suffered from an Indian
attack in which a part of its members were killed and a part captured.
This family became one of the largest and most influential of the settlers
of the New River Valley.

Settlements began on the head waters of the Clinch in 1766-1767, but as
there will be a chapter in this work devoted exclusively to the history of
Tazewell County, in which these settlements were made, a statement in full
in regard thereto is reserved to be stated in said chapter.



Chapter III
1766-1774

Up to and including the year of 1769 the territory covering the New River
Valley and the section of the country West thereof, was within the county
of Augusta, but in November of that year a county called Botetourt was
created, the act to be in effect January 31st, 1769.

The following are the boundary lines of the county of Botetourt as given
in the Act: "That from and after the 31st day of January next ensuing, the
said parish and county of Augusta be divided into two counties and
parishes by a line beginning at the Blue Ridge, running north 55 deg. West
to the confluence of Mary's Creek (or of South River) with the North
branch of the James River; thence, up the same to the South of Kerr's
Creek (Carr's Creek) thence, up said creek to the mountain; thence, North
45 deg. West as far as the courts of the two counties shall extend it.

By reference to the map of Virginia it will be seen that a line 45 deg.
West extended from the mountain at the head of Kerr's Creek will reach the
Ohio river at some point not far from the present city of Wheeling, and
will cover largely that vast territory which had formerly belonged to
Augusta County.

Between the years of 1769 and 1774, settlements had been made by the Cooks
from the Virginia Valley on Indian Creek (one of their number, John, being
killed by the Indians),the Woods on Rich Creek, the Grahams on the
Greenbrier, and others near Keeney's Knobs. Cook's Fort was on Indian
Creek about three miles from New River, Wood's fort on Rich Creek on a
farm recently owned by the family of John Karnes, and about 4 miles East
of the present village of Peterstown in the County of Monroe. The Keeneys
built Keeney's fort near Keeney's Knobs. The Snidows, Lybrooks, Chapmans
and McKensey built Snidow's fort at the upper end of the Horseshoe farm on
New River, in what is now Giles County. The Hatfields built Hatfield's
fort on Big Stony Creek in the now county of Giles on the farm belonging
to the late David J. L. Snidow. The fort at Lewisburg was built in 1770.
The Bargers built Barger's fort on Tom's Creek in the now County of
Montgomery. Colonel Andrew Donnally built Donnally's fort. Colonel John
Stuart built Fort Spring, and Captain Jarrett the Wolf Creek fort, the
three last named on the Greenbrier waters.

In 1771 came John Chapman, Richard his brother, and their brother-in-law
Moredock O. McKensey with their families from Culpepper County, Virginia,
and located at the mouth of Walker's Creek on the New River. The Chapmans
and McKensey, the latter a Scotsman, who had married Jemima, the only
sister of the Chapmans, left their Culpepper home in November, 1768,
crossed the Blue Ridge into the Valley of Virginia, and remained for more
than two years on the Shenandoah (then called the Sherando) River, and at
some time in the year of 1771 fell in with the emigrant bands making their
way further West, and even across the Alleghanies. John Chapman erected
his cabin on the Northwest side of Walker's Creek at the base of the hill
and near the bank of the creek. Richard Chapman and McKensey built on the
river bottom above the mouth of the creek.

An adventurer by the name of Absalom Looney in 1771 left his home on
Looney's Creek, now in the Rockbridge country, and came over the
Alleghanies and explored the upper Bluestone country, particularly a
beautiful valley now in Tazewell County, Virginia, and which in part bears
the name of its discoverer, being called "Abb's Valley." Looney remained
in this valley and adjacent territory for two or three years, and had for
his refuge and hiding place from the savages and wild beasts a cave or
rather an opening in the limestone rocks, for it was not deep under
ground. This hiding place was pointed out to the author by William T.
Moore, Esq., whose grandfather settled nearby in 1777. The cave referred
to is a few yards south of the spot whereon now stands Moore's Memorial
Methodist Church. On Looney's return to his home he gave such glowing
description of this valley that one of his neighbors, Captain James Moore,
was induced to make a journey to see it. He came in 1776 or 1777 alone,
from his home with no companions nor weapons, save his rifle gun, tomahawk
and butcher knife, the hunter's usual weapons of offense and defense.
Looney had furnished him such a description of the valley as to enable him
to find the way without difficulty. Further description of Captain Moore's
journey and settlement in this valley, and the destruction of his family
by Indians will be related in the Chapter on the history of Tazewell
County.

In 1773 John McNeil from the lower Virginia Valley, settled in the Little
Levels on the waters of the Greenbrier, now in Pocahontas County, West
Virginia. McNeil accompanied General Lewis' army to the battle of Point
Pleasant, and was a participant therein.

John Sevier of French extraction, who established and gave name to the
town of New Market in the Valley of Virginia, and kept a store in that
town, having made the acquaintance of Evan Shelby of King's Meadows, now
Bristol, Tennessee- Virginia, made in 1772 a visit to Shelby, and went
with him to the waters of the Watauga, finding there among the settlers
persons who had fought in the battle of the Alamance, and some from the
County of Fairfax, Virginia. These people later, together with settlers on
the Holstein, were called by some, Backwater men, Over mountain men, and
Peace men, as some of them at least opposed the war with Great Britain.
But when the tug of war did come, they were almost without exception found
on the American side, and many of them served in the patriot army. Sevier
made up his mind to locate in this section, and accordingly did, fixing
his residence upon the Nolichuckey, and he was afterwards known as, and
called "Nolichuckey Jack." He was a brave, courageous and intelligent man,
and figured extensively in the border wars, and in the formation of the
State of Franklin, of which he was the Governor four years; and was
afterwards Governor of the State of Tennessee for a number of years.

Owing to the remote settlements west of the Alleghanies and along the New
River waters and farther to the west, and the difficulties the inhabitants
had of reaching the courts held at Fincastle in Botetourt County, the
inhabitants petitioned the Legislature of Virginia for the formation of a
new county, the prayer of which petition was granted in February, 1772.
The county of Fincastle was created out of Botetourt; with the following
boundary lines as given in the act creating same.

"That from and after the first day of December next, the said county of
Botetourt shall be divided into two distinct Counties, that is to say all
that part of said county within a line to run up the east side of New
River to the south of Culbertson's Creek, thence, a direct line to the
Catawba road, where it crosses the dividing ridge between the north of the
Roanoke and the waters of New River; thence, with the top of the ridge to
the Bent, where it turns eastwardly; thence, a south course to the top of
Blue Ridge mountains, shall be established as one distinct county and
called and known by the name of Fincastle; and that the other part
thereof, which lies to the east and north east of the said line, shall be
one distinct county and retain the name of Botetourt.

Daniel Boone from the Yadkin River, North Carolina, visited the Holstein
settlements in 1760 and again in 1773, and engaged in hunting along the
waters of the Tennessee, performing his usual feat of "Cilling a bar," and
proclaiming the fact by inscribing it on a beech tree. Several trees are
said to have been found with similar inscriptions. A brief sketch of the
life of Boone is given by Dr. John P. Hale, in the Trans Alleghany
Pioneers. It may be well to add, however, that in the fall of 1773 the
Boones, with five other families set out from their home on the Yadkin to
go to Kentucky, and were joined in Powell's Valley by William Bryan, their
brother-in-law, and forty other people. That while this body of emigrants
was leisurely traveling through the Valley, a small company under James
Boone, Daniel's eldest son, left the main body and went to the home of
William Russell to procure provisions, and on the 9th of October James
Boone and his company, among the number being Russell's son, Henry, and
two slaves, encamped a few miles in the rear of the main body. At this
point they were the next day waylaid by a small party of Shawnee and
Cherokee Indians, who were supposed to be at peace with the white
settlers. On the morning of the 10th James Boone and his entire company
were captured, and after cruel torture were slaughtered. After this
occurrence Daniel Boone's company broke up and returned to the
settlements, and Daniel and his family returned to the home of William
Russell near Castleswoods on Clinch river, and spent the winter of 1773-
1774 in that neighborhood. "Summers' His. South West Va." In addition to
these statements made by Summers, it may be added upon well authenticated
testimony that Squire Boone, a brother of Daniel, with his family were
with this party of emigrants and remained over the same winter in the
neighborhood of William Russell, and his brother Daniel and his family.
Squire Boone was a Missionary Baptist minister, and during his stay at or
near Castles-woods, planted the germ from which sprang Castle's-woods
Baptist church which exists to this day. Again it is known that Squire
Boone married the first white couple that were married in Kentucky.

With the opening of the Spring of 1774 the Indians began their
depredations upon the border, and Governor Dunmore began the raising and
mobilizing of a Virginian army to punish the savages. The army was divided
into two divisions, the northern division was commanded by Dunmore
himself, the southern division commanded by Brg. General Andrew Lewis, and
its appointed place of rendezvous was at Camp Union (now Lewisburg, West
Virginia). To this southern division belonged Colonel William Christian's
regiment of Fincastle men, to which was attached a company from the lower
Clinch commanded by Captain William Russell, which in August, 1774,
marched for the place of rendezvous, joining en route on New River the
regiment to which it belonged. It is believed that the line of march of
Russell's company was up the Clinch and down the East river, passing the
site of the present city of Bluefield, West Virginia. In Russell's Company
were Reece Bowen, Moses Bowen, the latter dying from small pox on the
expedition, and others from their neighborhood in the Cove, in the now
County of Tazewell. Daniel Boone was left in command of Russell's fort and
the border in the absence of Russell and his men. At this time Reece Bowen
had a fort at Maiden Spring, which was located on the farm of Mr. Reece
Bowen, a great grand son of the Reece Bowen, first above mentioned. In the
absence of Captain Russell and his company, the neighbors of Reece Bowen
had gathered in his fort, they were principally, if not altogether, women
and children. Mrs. Bowen went out in search of her cows, and in a marsh
she discovered Indian signs, immediately returned to the fort, and dressed
up in male attire a negro woman, gave her a rifle gun, and caused her to
walk to and fro in front of the door or gate to the fort. The ruse
succeeded, and the fort was not attacked.

Between the years of 1765 and the Spring of 1774 there had been peace
along the border between the whites and the Indians. A difference of
opinion exists as to the causes which led to Dunmore's War. Some have
asserted that it had its origin in the murder of some Indians on the Ohio
river both above and below Wheeling in the Spring of the latter mentioned
year. Others suppose it to have been produced by the instigation of the
British emissaries and the influence of Canadian traders. It is certain,
however, that numerous outrages were committed upon the Indians by the
whites, and the war was the natural outgrowth of the strained relations
which had long existed between the Savages and the white colonists in
their midst. Also immediately after the perpetration of the outrages,
Indians in numerous bands and marauding parties attacked the border
settlements and bloodshed and murder were the results.

One of these marauding parties left the north bank of the Ohio river
making their way up to the settlements of the Lybrooks, Chapmans and
Snidows, and after prowling around several days it was discovered by some
of the settlers that they were in the neighborhood, and thereupon most of
the families took refuge in the forts for safety. The family of John
Chapman abandoned their house and went to the fort. The Indians burned his
house which was the second they had destroyed for him. It has already been
stated that the Chapmans, Lybrooks, McKenseys and Snidows had a fort on
the bank of New river, at the extreme upper end of the farm now known as
the Horse shoe, and that Adam Harman had a fort or block house at
Gunpowder Spring, in which his family and perhaps others had taken
shelter. Philip Lybrook and a man by the name of McGriff had built their
cabins in a little bottom just below the mouth of Sinking Creek on the
farm lately known as that of Croft or Hale, and were engaged in the
cultivation of a small crop of corn on the bottom lands. Mr. Lybrook had
built a small mill on the spring branch. As was the custom in that day,
when people were few in the country, for the young people to assemble or
get together on Sunday, and so it happened that on Sunday the 7th day of
August, 1774, that some of the children of Mrs. Elizabeth Snidow, who has
heretofore been mentioned, and a young woman by the name of Scott went on
a visit from the fort to Lybrook's and McGriff's. Mr. Lybrook was busy
about his mill, McGriff was in the house, and the young people and the
smaller children were at the river. Two of the young men, a Snidow and
Baltzer Lybrook, were out some distance in the river bathing, and three or
four of the little boys were playing in the water near the bank, and a
young woman, the daughter of Lybrook, was out in the river in a canoe with
some of the small children therein, when an Indian was discovered in the
high bank overlooking the brink of the river, and the alarm was given. The
two young men in the river made for the opposite shore, the Indians in the
mean time began to shoot at them. Being expert swimmers they turned upon
their backs their faces being turned to the Indians, enabled them to watch
their movements. The four small boys playing in the water near the edge of
the river, were, viz. Theophilus Snidow, Jacob Snidow, Thomas McGriff, and
John Lybrook. There were some deep gullies washed down through the banks
of the river, by way of which wild animals had made their way to the river
to get water, and when the little boys discovered the Indians, they
attempted to escape by way of these breaks in the bank, and as they did so
the Indians would head them off. Finally an Indian stooped down and placed
one hand on his knee as a rest for his gun, and attempted to shoot one of
the young men in the river, and at this moment John Lybrook, a boy only
eleven years old, ran under the muzzle of his gun and made for the house.
So soon as the Indian fired, he pursued John, and coming to one of the
gullies which had washed out to about the width of twelve feet, the Indian
close upon him, John leaped the gully, and the Indian finding he could
not, threw his lariat at him, striking him on the back of the head, at the
same time tumbling into the gully. By this time the two young men in the
river had reached the opposite shore, and were hidden behind the trees,
and discovering that John had safely crossed the gully, they cried out to
him, "Run John run," and John ran, and safely reached the house. While
this was transpiring Miss Lybrook, who was standing in the rear end of the
canoe, was pushing the same to the shore, when an Indian, who was hidden
in the weeds on the bank of the river came to the water's edge and reached
out as the canoe touched the bank, and pulled the front end of it to the
bank, and stepping therein, with his war club began striking the little
children over their heads and taking their scalps. The rear end of the
canoe being down stream, and having floated near to the bank Miss Lybrook
sprang out and started to the house, the Indian pursuing her. Her cries
brought to her assistance a large dog, which seized the Indian and finally
threw him, but the Indian succeeded in getting to his feet, and striking
the dog with his club, but in the meantime, the young woman made her
escape. While a part of the Indians were on the river shooting at the
young men in the river, capturing the boys, and killing the children, a
part of them had gone to the mill and the house. One shot Mr. Lybrook,
breaking his arm and Mr. McGriff shot and mortally wounded one of the
Indians, whose remains were years afterwards found under a cliff of rocks
not far away from the scene of the tragedy. Three of the little boys,
Theophilus Snidow, Thomas McGriff and Jacob Snidow were captured by the
Indians and carried away by them, and after traveling with them for some
two or three days, they formed a plan of escape, and that was to slip away
at night. They reached Pipestem Knob, now in Summers County, and there
camped for the night. During the night, and after all things had gotten
quiet, two of the boys, Jacob Snidow, and Thomas McGriff slipped away from
the camp, not being able to arouse the third boy without awaking the
Indians, and thus they were compelled to go without him. After they had
gotten a few hundred yards from the camp, knowing that they would probably
be pursued, they crawled into a hollow log. In a few minutes thereafter
the Indians discovering their absence raised an alarm and went in search
of the runaways, and even stood on the log in which the boys were hidden,
and in broken English cried "Come back, get lost." Not being able to find
the boys, they gave up the hunt and returned to the camp. So soon as
everything was quiet, the boys came out of their hiding place, struck
through the woods, and made their way to Culbertson's bottom on the New
River, where they were afterwards found by some of the scouts from the
settlement, and who were in pursuit of the Indians. In this attack Mr.
Philip Lybrook was wounded, three of his children, and a young woman by
the name of Scott, two of the children, (small girls) of Mrs. Snidow were
killed, and the three boys captured. The two young men who were in the
river when the attack began, and had reached the farther bank ran across
the ridges to the Gunpowder Spring, Harman's fort and halloed across the
river to the people in the fort to bring a canoe and take them over, but
the people being afraid they were Indians refused to go. After waiting
some time, the young men being afraid of pursuit by the Indians, plunged
into the river, and a young woman, seeing this insisted that they were
white men, ran to the river, jumped into a canoe, and pushed into the
river to meet the swimmers, just in time to save one of them, who was
sinking the third time, and who no doubt had taken a cramp by reason of
exertion and overheating in his run across the ridges. She carried them
safely to the fort. Who this young woman was, inquiry fails to disclose,
and now will never be known, but she deserves a place in history. Colonel
William Preston was at the time of this attack, the commandant of the
military district of Fincastle, and was then at Draper's Meadows fort,
then called Preston's fort, and writes a letter about this incident on the
13th day of August, 1774 which is as follows: "This summer a number of our
people have been killed and captured by the northern Indians. Thomas Hogg,
and two men near the mouth of the Great Kanawha, Walter Kelly with three
or four other persons below the falls of that river, William Kelly on
Muddy Creek, a branch of the Greenbrier River, and a young woman at the
same time made prisoner. One of the scouts, one Shockley, was shot in this
county and on Sunday the 7th of this inst., a party attacked the house of
one Laybrook (Lybrook), about 15 miles from this place. Old Laybrook was
wounded in the arm, three of his children, one of them a sucking infant, a
young woman, a daughter of one Scott, and a child of one widow Snide
(Snidow) were killed. They scalped the children, all but one, and mangled
them in a most cruel manner,. Three boys were made prisoners, two of whom
made their escape the Wednesday following, , and were found in the woods
by the scouts. The Indians were pursued by the militia, but were not
overtaken." The number of Indians in this marauding party numbered six,
and all this mischief was done by them in a very few minutes. The Indians
escaped with their prisoners though they were pursued by a company of men
under a Captain Clendenin. The night of the 7th of August was a sad one at
the fort. Mrs. Snidow and Mrs. Lybrook walked the floor throughout the
night, weeping and wringing their hands, and saying that "they knew where
the dead children were, but their hearts went out for the little boys,
captives." The pursuing party followed the Indians down the New River
until they met the escaped captives, and after listening to the story of
their escape and calculating that the Indians were too far ahead to be
overtaken, returned with the boys to the settlement, reaching there on the
Wednesday after their capture on Sunday, much to the delight and joy of
their mothers and friends. Theophilus Snidow, the other captive boy, was
carried by the Indians to their towns north of the Ohio, and when he had
reached his manhood returned to his people, but in delicate health with
pulmonary troubles from which he shortly died. (Lybrook and Snidow Mss.)

In the Spring of 1773 a few individuals had begun to make improvements on
the Kanawha River below the falls, and some land adventurers were making
surveys in the same section. To these men Captain John Stuart, of
Greenbrier, in the spring of 1774, had direction of Colonel Charles Lewis,
sent a messenger to inform them that apprehensions were entertained of
serious trouble with the Indians and advising them to remove from that
section. When Stuart's messenger arrived at the cabin of Walter Kelly at
the mouth of Kelly's Creek on the Kanawha, twelve miles below the falls,
he found Captain John Field Culpeper engaged in making surveys. Kelly at
once sent his family to the Greenbrier Valley under the care of a younger
brother, but Captain Field, regarding the apprehension as groundless,
determined to remain with Kelly. Very soon after Kelly's family had left
the cabin and while yet within hearing of it, a party of Indians
approached unperceived and shot Kelly, and rushed to the cabin where they
killed a negro woman, and took prisoner a young Scotsman. Captain Field
escaped and on his way to the Greenbrier settlement met Captain Stuart
with a body of men, who on being informed of what had occurred decided to
return to the settlements and prepare them for defense.

In a few weeks after this another party of Indians came to the settlements
in the Greenbrier section and killed Mr. Kelly, the brother who had
conducted the family from Kanawha, and captured his niece. These outrages
along the border impelled the Virginia government to take action to
repress them, and to punish the Indians by the destruction of their towns
north of the Ohio; and it was determined to raise an army for that
purpose. The army destined for this expedition was composed of volunteers
and militia, mostly from the counties west of the Blue Ridge, and
consisted as already stated of two divisions. Lord Dunmore in person took
command of the troops raised in Frederick and Dunmore (the latter now
Shenandoah), counties and the southern division composed of different
companies under Captain Field from the County of Culpeper, east of the
Blue Ridge, and two companies from the Holstein and Watauga settlements
under Captains Evan Shelby and Herbert, and a company under Captain
William Russell from the Clinch, and an independent company from Bedford
under Captain Buford. These latter companies formed a part of the forces
to be commanded by Colonel William Christian. Near the first day of
September the troops commanded by General Lewis rendezvoused at camp
Union, now Lewisburg, and consisted of two regiments commanded by Colonel
William Fleming of Botetourt, and Colonel Charles Lewis of Augusta, and
numbering about four hundred men each. The third regiment, under Colonel
William Christian, was composed as above stated. The force under General
Lewis consisted of about eleven hundred men, and set out on its march to
the mouth of the Kanawha on the eleventh day of September, 1774. The
northern division of the army composed as herein before stated was under
the immediate command of Colonel Adam Stephens. With this division was
Lord Dunmore and Major John Connoly. Taking into consideration the forces
already in the field under Major Augus McDonald and Captain William
Crawford, this northern division numbered some twelve hundred (1200) men;
along with which as scouts, were George Rogers Clark, Simon Kenton and
Michael Cresap. The country between Camp Union and the mouth of Kanawha
River was a trackless forest so rough, rugged and mountainous as to render
the march of the army exceedingly tedious and laborious. Captain Mathew
Arbuckle, who had been on the Kanawha some years previous, became the
guide for Lewis's army and after a march of several days it reached the
Ohio river on the sixth day of October, and fixed its encampment on the
point of land between that river and the Great Kanawha. Owing to some
difference between General Lewis and Colonel Field as to priority of rank,
and Field being in command of an independent volunteer company not raised
by the order of Governor Dunmore, but brought into the field by his own
exertion, after his escape from the Indians at Kelly's, induced him to
separate his men from the main body of the army on its march and to take a
different route or way than the one pursued by it, depending largely on
his knowledge of the country to lead him by a practicable route to the
river. While Field's company was encamped on the banks of the Little
Meadow river, a branch of the Gauley, two of his men, Clay and Coward were
sent out to hunt deer for the company and were attacked by the Indians,
Clay was killed, but Coward made his way back to camp, first having spies
watching the movements of Lewis's army and the one who escaped was able to
make report to his fellows on the Ohio.

Early on the morning of Monday, the tenth (10) day of October, two
soldiers left the camp and proceeded up the Ohio in quest of deer. When
they had gone about two miles from the camp, they unexpectedly came in
sight of a large number of Indians rising from their encampment, and who
discovering the two hunters fired upon them and killed one. The other
escaped unhurt, and running to the camp communicated the intelligence,
"that he had seen a body of the enemy, covering four acres of ground as
closely as they could stand by the side of each other." There is a
difference in authors who have written upon the subject as to who these
two men were. Withers in his Chronicles says, that they were James Mooney,
of Russell's company, and Joseph Hughey, of Shelby's company, and that
Hughey was killed by a shot fired by Tavenour Russ, a white renegade in
Cornstalk's party; while, Haywood the author of the Civil History of
Tennessee says,these men were James Robertson and Valentine Sevier, of
Shelby's company. Both accounts may be correct in this, that there may
have been four men out hunting deer, instead of two.

The main part of the army was immediately ordered out by General Lewis,
one wing commanded by Colonel Charles Lewis and the other by Colonel
William Fleming. Forming in two lines they had proceeded for a short
distance when they met the Indians, and the fierce combat began which
lasted throughout the day and finally resulted in the withdrawal of the
Indian army. The loss on the part of the Virginians was severe in officers
and men, being seventy five (75) killed and one hundred and forty (140)
wounded.

The following gentlemen with others of high reputation in private life,
were officers in the Battle of Point Pleasant. General Isaac Shelby, the
first Governor of Kentucky, and afterwards secretary of war; General Evan
Shelby one of the most favorite citizens of Tennessee; Colonel William
Fleming, and acting governor of Virginia during the revolutionary war;
General Andrew Moore, of Rockbridge, the first man ever elected in
Virginia from the country west of the Blue Ridge to the senate of the
United States; Colonel John Staurt, of Greenbrier; General Tate, of
Washington county, Virginia; Colonel William McKee, of Lincoln county,
Kentucky; Colonel John Steele, at one time governor of the territory of
Mississippi; Colonel Charles Camron, of Bath; General Bazeleel Wells, of
Ohio, and General George Mathews, a distinguished officer in the war of
the Revolution, the hero of Brandywine, Germantown and Guilford, Governor
of Georgia, and a senator from that state in the Congress of the United
States. The salvation of the American army at Germantown is ascribed in
Johnston's life of General Greene, to the bravery and good conduct of two
regiments, one of which was commanded by General, then Colonel Matthews.

In this battle of Point Pleasant was John Sevier, who became a most
distinguished citizen of Tennessee, and who upon entering upon the
expedition to Point Pleasant regarded and believed himself to be a citizen
of and living in Virginia, when in fact, he at that time was within the
territory of North Carolina.

Another distinguished man in this battle was Captain William Russell, in
whose company was Reece Bowen, who distinguished himself in the battle at
King's Mountain in which he laid down his life for his country.

The battles of the Alamance and Point Pleasant were in reality the opening
battles of the American revolution, but behind the battle of Point
Pleasant, and which urged it on and brought it about were British
emissaries, who had doubtless urged the Indians on to deeds of bloodshed
and murder with the view and set purpose of destroying the colonists.

No attempt has been made herein to give full details of this last
mentioned battle as this has been fully done by others. Although a short
respite occurred after the battle, the years following 1774 were filled
with horrors beyond description. All along the border settlements the
savages made repeated forays, attacking the defenseless inhabitants,
killing, plundering, burning and ravaging the country.

On the twenty fifth day of April, 1774, there was granted by Dunmore,
Royal Governor of Virginia, to Mitchell Clay assignee of Lieutenant John
Draper, a tract of eight hundred acres of land on the Bluestone Creek in
Fincastle county; this tract was then known and is still known as the
"Clover Bottom," situated about five miles north of Princeton the present
county seat of Mercer county. It is a very beautiful, rich body of bottom
land, and one of the most valuable tracts to be found in this section of
the country. By the terms of this grant, a copy of which is on file in the
clerk's office of the county court of Mercer county, the grantee was to
take possession of this tract of land within three years from the date of
the grant. Mitchell Clay, at the date of the grant, lived in the county of
Franklin, Virginia, and exchanged a negro woman and her children to John
Draper for this land and took from Draper an assignment of the plat and
certificate of survey, upon which the grant was issued to Clay as the
assignee. The land script or warrant upon which the survey was based, was
issued to Lieutenant John Draper for services rendered by him in the
French and Indian war.