DRAPER MSS: Jones, Robert - Interview events 1788 - Bourbon County, Kentucky

From: Bob Francis <darby@nemr.net>
Date: 04/11/2000 11:09 am


Interview with Robert Jones from Draper Manuscripts
"Pioneer History of Kentucky" appearing in "The Kentuckian-Citizen" 
May 1935
Courtesy Mrs. William B. Ardery

The articles appeared in six installments. 
The first one is missing from the collection of newspapers.

SECOND INSTALLMENT

Ben Cox afterwards lived up by Bairdstown. Peter Cox was killed out back
of Cincinnati. David Cox, in the upper part of the state of Ohio, above
Wheeling.

George McCoy, and Peggy (Cox that was) his wife, were also killed up
there. George McCoy was wounded, carried out, and tomahawked, out in the
back of the fields. The wife was shot standing in the door. Their child,
John McCoy, was taken prisoner, This was below Beaver, Pa., on the
waters of Short Creek,, and after the time we are speaking of. These
were Cox's boats. Joe Cox's wife, popping up her head, unduly anxious to
see, was shot by the Indians, who now pursued along the shore. The shot
only grazed her neck without hurting. Ben's hat, through the rim, on the
back part. I got it as we went up,

Old Capt. Van Bevar (Bibber?), was captain at the mouth of the Kenhawa,
at the time of Lewis' battle. While we were there, Jacob Van Bevar, his
bro. and a negro man named Daniel, (Van Bevar lived about a hundred or
150 steps above the Fort) were out with a little boy, out hobbling their
horses, the evening before. The little boy came and told them he saw
Indians. They Didn't believe him, and the next morning when they went
out to get them in, the Indians had tied the horses, and shot Jake Van
Bevar. He was brought in, wrapped up in a blanket, and buried in a roll
of hickory bark. I had been up there the evening before, and had agreed,
on invitation, to go out with them that morning; but got there two
minutes too late, as Rhoda Van Bevar said. After talking some little
with Rhoda, I returned to the Fort, and Just as I got there I heard the
gun. We had gotten our canoe lost, and I staid there 3 weeks: Evan
Shelby, who had kept a store at Limestone, and traded some of his goods
for furs and peltries, perhaps the remnant of the, got tired of waiting,
went back, and came up again at the end of that time with the Keizers,
and we then went on again. There were two roads leading from Lexington,
the Riddle road, and the Limestone road., In 1790, while I was at
Limestone, I visited my father's by Lexington., (1793 ?). Returning I
camped or stopped 10 miles on the Riddle road. It was 8 miles to where
my sister lived, over on the Limestone road. I rose and started for
there as soonlight, to get my breakfast. When I got there she said that
Timothy Downing had just passed on down the road, leading a horse, and
if I had gotten there a little sooner, I could have gone with him, I
told her that I would just take a piece in my hand, without waiting for
her to cook any, which I did and got to Blue Licks without ever meeting
or hearing anything of Downing, and when I got to the Blue Licks, he had
not passed. After waiting a while, I passed on down to Washington, and
related the circumstances. Soon after which Neill Washburn, also came
in, a spy, and related that he had come on a trail; and taking the back
track had pursued it to the Ohio and found three canoes hid in the river
The wagons were between Mayslick and Johnson's Fork.

I spent the night at Limestone. 60 of us went down under Kenton and 3
captains., Joshua Baker, redheaded Alexander McIntyre, and one Davis.
The boats were carried round and hid upon White Oak, and 7 joined us
there. About 2 o'clock that day, 3 Indians came, raised a canoe, and
crossed over. These were all killed. Downing with 3 or 2 other Indians
was just a little piece below. The Indians said to him, it was their
men, about to take a boat. But they soon fell back, and lay quiet, till
night came on, without attempting to go over, or build a raft. That
night they got him over, and took him, after that, way up on the heads
of the Little Miami, where he got away. It was a drizzly, rainy day.

That day 2 more came over. One of them was shot with 23 bullets in the
breast. He had called not to shoot, for he had been a prisoner last
fall. He snapped his gun, however, and then they all fired. .Both of
them, I believe, were white men. Both were blue-eyed. Bill Frame and
Archibald Frame, some said they were., That day, an hour, before sun
down, we got back. And that day Downing, also, got back down the river.
7 more then joined us, and went out with him. We took provisions,
expecting only to be away 4 days but were gone 9. We came back helter
skelter, croping? at least 15 miles apart.

We found at the deserted camp, great quantities of onions, which we tore
up and threw in great heaps into the fire, and ate as soon as they
wilted. We pursued, Kenton, said, to within 12 miles of their towns,
where were laying at that time 200 Indian warriors.

McIntyre was afterwards taken by the Indians, and or lost among them.


THIRD INSTALLMENT

Jan. 18, 1788-At the mouth of Ohio Eagle Creek, Robt. Walker and myself
plundered an Indian camp We were alone in our canoe (had gone ahead, or
were behind the rest of the Mo. Co.), had drawn it ashore, and were
ascending the bank, myself foremost, I thought I saw something, and said
to Bob not to push on too abruptly, or close. The pot was swinging over
the fire in full view, only concealed by the leaves, so that I did not
at first see what it was. etc.

We were now on our way to Mo., 20th. of May got back to Louisville, 24th
of June, got back to Pa.

General Scott made an expedition to guard the passage of the Ohio, Maybe
in 1792: Was a mortal creature to swear.

I was out and in 14 times. Twice I was in company with 8 men, who had
left from my own neighborhood, and all within the hollow of me, and all
both times lost.

Jack Dial was Captain of my company, Ben Whiteman Lieutenant, and myself
ensign, In the company under Scott, that campaign. He also commanded the
Mason company of spies.

In the fall of 1788 I came down with a boat load of cider, apples, and
brandy, etc. I could sell the apples of good size at 25¢ dozen, and
cider 25¢ a quart. Soon after I had sold out, I went out and staid up at
Washington, till Jan. 18, 1789. I there met with the 2 Walkers, who were
known to many of Col. Morgan's Co., which he added to in Pa., after
leaving New Jersey. And they being led to join by their acquaintance. I
was led to join them by my acquaintance. I then went on with that
company to the Spanish settlement on the Mississippi. Col. George,
Morgan of New Jersey, had gotten a grant of land at New Madrid. Every
man was to have 300 acres of land who would go. The company met with
these Walkers and got them, & they got me. Walker and- I went down ahead
in that canoe, A little flurry of snow had fallen the last two or three
hours, & there were no tracks. They had been trapping with success, & I
believe were now going to steal horses, to take it on home.

The Indians killed one son of old James Campbell (brother of Mathew
.Campbell that lived at Limestone. He was killed just over the river
from there in the spring, and just before I returned from over the
Mississippi. Perhaps was hunting.

Col. G. Morgan's company amounted to 75, about, in 2 keels, & 5 or 6
flats. We loaned our spare money at Louisville, to buy bells?, Pickled
pork, etc. Among the surveyors, about 6, were John Walker, Pete Light,
old Mr. Rankins, and John Ward. When we got to Missouri, we wouldn't
take the land. He wanted us to give 9d an acre, and we didn't want it.
We came back and he went on down and back by way of New Orleans. We
never got one half our money. It took half of it to get the rest, which
we did. When we got back to Louisville we hadn't a dollar in money. I
had lost my gun and sold my watch.

The Indians were far more dreadfully worse about Wheeling than ever in
Ky.

We were not troubled in Missouri. They were with us every day, and
every night, in perfect friendship. It was a Spanish country, and they
had only to leave to live there. They were not to trouble the
Spaniards, or anybody they sent there. As soon as we entered the Ohio,
though, we had to stand guard, 2 hours at a time, all night. One woman,
called Molly Morgan, that went on to wash for them, staid in that
country, and several others; right at the mouth of the creek where New
Madrid now is. We surveyed from there, out back. The Indians had a
town close by where we landed, Cherokees, Chickasaws, Delawares,
Shawnees, etc. Here they brought in scalps and prisoners, frequently:
They had a young woman for one of their prisoners. One Jacob Markle,
one of the Pennsylvanians, fell in love with her, and was injudicious
enough to propose to buy her. They immediately carried her away to one
of their Shawnee towns, 60 miles away, afraid.

My father came down in the spring of 1790. It was the coldest spring I
ever knew. He staid a season at the Irish, Station, near Millersburgh.

Fall 1792. John Edgington (&w. old Mrs. Nelson), Bill Williams, Joe
Wells (&w. Archibald McDonald) and myself, had a boat coming down the
Ohio; when we got down opposite the mouth of the Scioto, the Indians
raised the hollow. Our boat was floating bow & stern to shore and we
didn't mind them. They asked if we didn't' want some venison; & wouldn't
come ashore; we, if they wouldn't drink some grog? They said it was
William Campbell they had there, or that spoke. I told them I knew
better, for I had met him in Pa. during the summer, coming back from
Detroit. We, under General Scott, he told me. In one of our scouting
parties, had come within 2 miles of where he lay, spring 1792. Jacob &
Daniel Light's came on back with us. That Daniel Light that was with us
in Missouri. The Indians attacked the boat, and killed & wounded all
that were in it but 2. Yet the boat was saved. Their boat was 15 or 20
miles behind ours. That, Daniel Light they wounded in 7 places.


FOURTH INSTALLMENT

Strong's boat. A man that was rowing was shot, so as to graze the front
of his forehead, just above, or at the eyebrows. It didn't break the
skin: but blood-shot, his face and killed him. All the men on shore were
kilied. It was at the mouth of Cygart's creek. I think they were buried
on the lower side of the creek, all together.

Bill Lynn was the Captain at the Grove Creek defeat, in the time of the
old revolution. He was killed at his station in Kentucky, near
Middletown.

There, was never as much death from the Indians in Pennsylvania, as
lower down in Virginia, where that narrow strip and those short creeks,
made it all a frontier.

1792? McCurry was the wagoner's name, who was in the road.

Millersburgh. 1790.. Irish station. Came, landed at Limestone, 3rd May.
Last of May contracted for some land. We made an Indian ladder, trimmed
the sugar trees way up, and burned the branches about the foot of trees,
and planted last of May. The Irish station was just settled. They laid
out 5 acres to a lot, each side of the road, and that made the station.
It was not picketed. One John Cahie, of the Irish station killed a Mr.
McCutchen of Millers station, a widower this fall. McCutchen had pursued
turkeys over to the neighborhood of Irish station, where Cahie was
engaged in the same business. And seeing his head above a log, mistook
it for a turkey's back, and shot him.

Jimmy Barbour, Andrew Caldwell, old Mr. Frazier, John Cahie, his sons,
Geo., Wm., and Jim, (and a son John also?) were at the Irish station.

It was very high water that year, in the Mississippi country, and the
Bayous ran up into the land, and the high water covered over a great
deal of country. There was now and then a very fine piece of land in the
midst of such country.

Landed at Louisville spring of 1789, May 20th, went up by Owen's
Station, near where Shelbyville now is, and from there went on across to
where Frankfort now is. There were only three little bush pole cabins at
that place. And one Jerry Gullion set us, Johnny & Bob Walker, & myself,
over the river. Staid that night at old Wm. Haydon.'s, about a mile out.

The fall of 1789, I returned from Pa., and down back of Marietta,. to
hunt, Saw Col. Harrod there for the last time. He stopped about a month
or more, at one Saml. McCullough's. Was there a hunting. He and I hunted
a good deal there together.

He seemed perfectly contented, and without any definite purpose in his
mind.

Joseph Jones, my brother, was killed on Paint Creek, in the spring of
1792. Had gone out a scout under Kenton. The Indians came on the camp in
the night, Their fires were hid by the wigwams doubled close around it,
so that they came right on it, was the way he got killed. The scout
staid ready to go on the next day, or at day, but the Indians cleared
out.

John Jones, my brother, I was a boy then, was killed at the Beech Bottom
ort, on the Ohio, above Wheeling. The Indians were laying in ambush. New
Robinson, & my brother, were coming from Ramsey's Fort, about 6 miles
off. Ned was shot in this way, viz., etc.-My brother told Robinson to
tell Capt. Jos. Ogle to come out that he was mortally wounded.

After this my brother, Ignatius Jones, with this same gun that John had,
was taken out of the head of the Muskingum, from Fort Tuscara--was, time
of McIntosh's campaigns, carried out to Sandusky towns, got away, and
was out 18 days. He was the only one that was taken. Lower Sandusky, I
think. He and three or four others, had just started to go to Fort Pitt.
The Indians had ambuscaded, and took him advancing, and as he thought
leading on the others, to attack, when they had retreated. They kept him
2 months at the towns. They were then out at 2 camps, making sugar. He
killed 2 from each camp, and made his escape. They had given him an old
gun to mend the britch, & he brought it off. He died out on Mad River in
Ohio.

Charles Norris, and a woman named Bilderback, at the mouth of Short
Creek above Wheeling, hadn't been married, it was said, and moved over
to the other side to avoid the law. This was the first man and woman
that lived in Ohio. He was there & this woman with him, when I came,
August 1779, in first block house ever built in Ohio. It was on the
upper side of Short Creek, right at the point. That was a stopping
place, & crossing place for those who went out and over land jobbing.
They then thought that preemptions could be made in Ohio, as well as in
Ky. This untill it became Congress land. I had an improvement there
clear of timber, some old Indian village,, I suppose. Norris got a still
house on this side, & moved back over, and three or four years after,
one day jumping from a little wagon, instead of springing forward, and
throwing it back, he went straight up, and fell down on the standard,
and was killed. 'Twas said he and her were never married at all. But all
the frontiers were settled with such kind of people. It is so now way
out in the frontiers of Missouri. Tilton gave $70 for a cabin, as an
improvement, but it fell into the hands of Congress & he had to give
$3600 for 900 acres. Pennsylvania and Virginia were taken up by
improvements.

FIFTH INSTALLMENT

I was 16 when I came down. 79 now. 63 years ago. 63-42 equals 19 1842-63
equals 1779.

Wm. Green, afterwards in Bracken, was one of those in Missouri. Bob
Walker was married to his sister.

I came down, time of St. Claires defeat, with another boatload, but it
was as great a defeat to me, as it was to the army.

I could get a pair of silver knee buckles for a dozen of apples.

Ben Hewlin? was Lynne's interpreter when he first came down to
Cincinnati. He was chased by the Indians out back of Point Pleasant. Was
caught in a place where he had either to be taken, or to jump, from a
cliff of rocks. He jumped 53 feet into the top of a buckeye, and from
there swung down by the limbs, and when he got down, his cordery vest
was burst all into slits by his body swelling. He kept his gun with him
all this time, but was so stunned out of his head, that instead of going
to the fort, he took down the river, and got 4 miles from the fort, down
the Ohio, opposite Gallipolis. He there hung up his Powder horn and left
his gun, & crept back to the mouth of the Kenhawa, where he hallooed
over, and they came and got him, it was on the lower side of the Kenhawa
this happened. His cordery vest was all slit, as with a knife. The
Indians, when they saw he would jump, shot 2 guns, but missed. The
Indians went down and crossed at the islands, below Gallipolis, that
night. The Indians used to come down the Big-Miami, to cross at 18 miles
island above Louisville, and 9 miles island on the lower side of Big
Kenhawa.

Brother-in-law was cabined there on Short Creek, long before it was
congress' land. One Maj. Hamtrammock, passed down toward Louisville, and
burned every cabin on that side. But they soon put them up again.

At the time that McBevar was taken, or killed, one Allen was sent up to
the salt-works-are now on Elk Creek--to let them be warned. One Morris
family lived on Elk up there. They went back afterwards. Dr. Thompson &
Bill Owens, seeing them, was shooting a. welcome, and like to have
killed themselves.

General Scott's company, that went up to guard the Ohio, numbered 91.
One Jones got drowned crossing at Limestone. 91 paraded. 89 went and
came. Were 9 days gone. Did nothing. Went up to the mouth of Little
Sciota, landed, and 25 men under Jack Dial took a circuit up the Little
Sciota, above the forks, and then over to the Big Scioto, on the upper
side, and then down to the mouth of Scioto, and then back to Scioto. Not
a man over the 25 were willing to go out.

These voluntary tours were always a month to draft from which they
excused us.

Ben Hewlin's jump. was in 1790. We took letters to Blaking and Black,
contractors at Washington, Pa., for him. The year before, this, 1789, a
very forward frost killed all the corn in roasting ear. Soft corn. It
was last day in September. A very early snow. The soft corn froze, and
the snow came, too, that night. The weather changed, and a rain fell, &
you could smell the corn a 100 yards. Next year, '90, we got rye bread.
11 miles beyond Washington, Pa.; the rye cut green, dried in the straw,
and then made into bread. 4 miles beyond was Jack Hill's tavern,
evacuated . 11 miles was Davis'. The rye grain was not ripe, but the
grains plump and big. The spring was backward, and the corn was planted
late. A bushel of corn was from a dollar to 10/s. My brother, Jonas
Jones, now the other side of Owenton, was along, 9 miles on the
Cincinnati road, 4 miles from Liberty.

Bob Todd married a Jenny Lytle. Was killed coming down the, hill, to
other side, opposite Frankfort. The killing of him was the making of old
General Lytle. Todd had just gotten in as surveyor over in Ohio, and
Lytle succeeded him. Nobody with Todd at the time, but his horse brought
him off. The Indians never got him. Year 1791 or 2. He left him in the
bottom over the other side. I went with Lytle his 1st trip to survey,
spring 1791? in Ohio, as hunter.

Fox died, and Harry Lee married his widow. There was Peter Lee, too, a
brother.

It was out back of Manchester, Lytle & we were.

Old town was 3 miles above the mouth of Big Kenhawa, where old town
creek came into the Ohio.

SIXTH INSTALLMENT

Crooked Creek emptied into the Kenhawa, where Lewis' battle was. The
Indians crossed at Old Town Creek, and at the mouth, and then came down
& hid in the banks of the gully that came into the Ohio, About 300 years
or 400 yards above the mouth of the Kenhawa and headed nearly up to
Crooked Creek, leaving only a little marshy place. The fort was about
50 yards from the top of the Kenhawa bank, mostly cabined, a little
picketing, that was between. Then 150 yards to Van Bevars. Then 100 or
150 to the gully. Crooked Creek came in about a fourth of a mile of the
point, and spoiled all the bottom along up the Ohio running so crooked,
The Indians got in that gully, and passed over into Short Creek, and
thought from behind to drive Lewis into the Ohio. He left 400 men with
the baggage, and brought 700 into the engagement.

Tother side of Johnson's fork, and facing the creek hills, one lawyer
Jones was killed, and thrown against the logs. This before I came out.

On the side of Hinkston, on a little branch that headed way back towards
the Blue Licks, a man and his family, moving to Ky., were all killed.
His wife alone, who had been left for dead, came to. Was afterwards
married, and I met her, on the banks of the stormy branch, leading to
Blue Licks, moving to Tennefore? Cumberlands.

Israel Donaldson was with us when we were out to the heads of the Little
Miami, within 12 miles of the Indian towns, where were 200 warriors, &
only 67 of us. We turned back where we crossed the prairie where Downing
got away. We saw where they had spilled the bear's oil on the grass, it
looked like it had been singed by fire. Lytle lived at that time 7 miles
from Lexington, on the Bethel Meeting house road, within a mile of the
meeting house. Nat. Mapie's town was up by the 3 islands.

After Flinns left Belleille, a Frenchman came and settled there, and
the riffle below there, in the Ohio, got the name of Letart's falls.

Pa. line crossed at the mouth of little Beaver. Fort McIntosh was just
below the mouth (Big Beaver).

All our drafts for guard, while we lived on the Monongahela, were for
out towards the Alleghany. When we were driven back, it was from down
the Ohio, and off the Allegheny. Our settlements were in a row there,
and not more than 30 miles wide, from the passage of' the Allegheny, at
Buson town, to the forks of Yough & c. on down. ,

In the fall of 1773 I went down to Wheeling country, to a sister and
sister-in-law's. Staid there the winter. Spring 1774, the Indians 
became so bad, we had to go back to the Monongahela. (We had at first 
moved from Virginia, before coming to Pa.)

One Grant made an expedition to Pitt after Braddock, and the Indians
ambushed and cut him off, They met Forbes way at Ligonier, & were
defeated, and then he took Pitt.

The upper end of Ohio was settled before the parts of Pa, above the
Allegheny, west of the mountains.

Hannah's Town was removed 3 miles, and called Greensburgh.

The first buffalo I ever saw, was on the last day of March 1786, 6 
miles above Limestone, feeding on the Cabin Creek bottom.

One (Dick or Arch) Langberry was defeated, & his whole company of men
taken, before we came down at all. He was a regular officer.

June 16, 1790, I went out from Millers station to kill a deer for my
father before I starting to go to Pa. I shot one on the creek, and it
ran on down, & I followed it till it got nearly night. I could trace it
by the. blood very plainly, till it would run into the creek. I knew I
could get it next morning, and turned back, but had pursued so far down,
I was below my coming out trail. As I passed in I stopped at the sound
of footsteps, and waited with the determination of firing. A little run
crossed the road diagonally. Five Indians came down the path, and passed
down to their left, right down the run, without seeing me. I then,
passed into the fort, but being a perfect stranger, never mentioned it,
because they would laugh at me, & not believe it. Next day I told father
to keep in and why. There were 2 stations Wm. Miller's and John's. (John
Miller). That night the Indians came, June 17, 1790, and stole all the
horses from Wm. Miller's station, and came right down the road, & 
rode right in the lane, through the Irish station. Suppose they hadn't 
known it was there yet.

Note: This completes the series.


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