Boone-Woodford County KyArchives News.....John Tanner, Indian captive February 17, 1819
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Clifton D. Cardin cliftondcardin@juno.com May 27, 2010, 7:23 am

Republican Compiler, Gettysburg Pennsylvania February 17, 1819
Feb 17, 1819 RCGP - The Indian Captive Reclaimed. - Vincennes, Indiana, Dec 
26 - The following is a brief statement of facts, by Mr. Edward Tanner, of New 
Madrid county, Mississippi, who passed through this place on the 18th inst, 
with a brother, who, after a captivity of 28 years, he has at length reclaimed 
from among the Chippawa Indians;

Mr. Tanner is a man of undoubted veracity and most excellent intelligence; and 
we regret that, for want of time, we are compelled to omit more interesting 
particulars in relation to his brother, and his own adventures in pursuit of 
him, but the folowing will, no doubt, be read with some degree of interest, 
not only for the uncommon perseverence of that gentleman, but may facilitate 
others in recovering their friend, whom the disasters of Indian warfare have 
placed in similar situations.

Mr. Tanner is a son of the late J. Tanner, who formerly resided at Tanner's 
Station, on the Ohio. Mr. E. Tanner's younger brother, the subject of this 
story, in the year 1790, then about nine years old, while gathering nuts,a  
few rods from the Station, was taken and carried off by the Indians - Various 
unsuccessful exertions were made for his recovery previous to the year 1795, 
when Mr. Tanner attended General Wayne's treaty with the Indians at Granville. 
In 1798, he visited this place, and having heard that a number of Shawnees and 
Delawares had gone over the Mississippi with Lorimere, an Indian trade, in 
1799 he went and searched among them.

In May 1800, he left home, in Woodford County, Ky. crossed the Ohio at 
Cincinnati, examined through all the Indian tribes on the waters of the two 
Miamis, the Scioto, Sandusky, Miami of the Lake, the rivers Raisin, Detroit, 
Sandwich, and Malden, and thorugh the principal part of the Indian Country in 
Upper Canada, and all the waters that run into the south side of Lake 
Michigan; thence to the head of the Illinois, and down to the Elkhart, the 
head of the Wabash, and down the west side of the Great Miami, crossed the 
Ohio home. Believing his brother to be dead he gave up further search until 
last March, when he received a letter from a Mr. Castleman, enclosing one from 
Lord Slekir, which contained such information as left very little doubt of the 
existence of his brother amongst the Indians in the north. Again, on the 1st 
of August last, Mr. Tanner set out, waited on Gov. Clark, got such papers and 
instructions  as his excellencey thought necessary, left St. Louis the 15th 
for Lord Selkirk's colony in the north; on his arrival at Prairie Du Chien, 
and Indian trader at that post informed him that a man had come into 
Michilimacinac, with the Indians from the north west, resembling him in 
person: changed his route, ascended the Ousconsin river to the portage, 
crossed to Fox river, ascended to Green Bay, obtained further encouraging 
information; and, being informed that the person he was in pursuit of spoke 
the Chippawa tongue, procured an interpreter; sailed for Mackinac on board the 
Widow's Son, Capt. Rupley; arrived, got information that the said person had 
gone to Detroit; sailed for that place - arrived, called on Gov. Cass, who 
informed him that he belived the said person (who was called Taylor) had gone 
to Kentucky, in search of his relations; being furnished by his excellence 
with horses, & c. pursued on to Tort Meigs; learned that the said person had 
been unsuccessful in his search after his friends, and had returned - he then 
turned back, and found his brother in the neighborhod of Detroit, on the 17th 
of last month.

The feelings of the two brothers, when introduced to each other, thro' an 
interpreter, after a seperation of 28 years , is a them for a finer pen than 
mine.

It seems that the name of John Taylor, had through some mistake in the sound, 
had been taken by the Indians for John Tanner, which is his proper name. 

There is the strongest family resemblance, both in the person and features of 
these two brothers; and, although they cannot converse with each other, except 
through an interpreter, they look upon and act towards each other with the 
most ardent fraternal affection.

The "man of the wood", who, indeed, has nothing of the savage wildness and 
erocity in his appearance, is now going to New Madrid, to remain with his 
friends this winter, under the promise that his brother is to go with him, 
next season, to the Rainy Lake, for his family, which consists of a wife and 
seven chidlren. He is clad in citizens' apparel and is remarkably clean in his 
person; of robust, manly appearance; temperate habits - drinks no ardent 
spirits. Although the Chippawa is his most natural tongue, he can converse in 
all the languages of almost all the northern tribes; and, if he sould succeed 
in learning the English language, as he, no doubt, will soon, he may hereafter 
be of great service to the American Government. "Western Star"


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