CORRESPONDENCE:  Sarah Dunn Thompson to Lyman C Draper, 4 July, 1888

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Transcribed by:  Dorothy des Lauriers (Ddeslaurie@aol.com)
Submitted:       4 May 2003
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[The first letter was written by my gg grandmother, Sarah Dunn Thompson, 
to Lymon C. Draper on July 4, 1888.  Draper apparently had inquired about 
the history of Sarah’s father John Dunn, believing that he might have been 
the John Dunn/Donne who was at Ft. Jefferson in the 1780s.  (He was not.)  

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Shepherdsville July 4, 1888

Lyman C. Draper, Esq.

Dear Sir,
Yours of 3 inst. is rec’d.  My father John Dunn came from Ireland to America 
at a very early day, landed in Philadelphia before he was 18 years old, with 
only one English Shilling in his pocket.  He came over in the year 1773; from 
Philadelphia he went to Canada and after would return to Philadelphia; and from 
there he went to Tennessee about the year 1789 and there met Gen. Jackson who was 
appointed United States District Attorney by President Washington for the Territory 
of Tennessee and he and Jackson becoming great friends; Dunn  had a mill and store 
near Nashville and traded a great deal with the Indians.  Dunn left Tennessee and 
moved to Lexington, Ky. and lived there some time, was appointed a Cap’t. and was 
in several skirmishes with the Indians across the Ohio River, and on one occasion
he and his soldiers pursued a body of Indians across the Ohio River into their 
territory and after a bloody fight the Indians  became completely daunted as the 
whites thought, and the whites went into camp highly elated, and not dreaming of 
any surprise by the Indians took no necessary precautions against an attack; and 
O the Indians made an unexpected attack upon the whites and routed them and every 
pale face struck for the Ohio River, and my father John Dunn in his flight came 
upon a horse tied to a tree with a piece of hickory bark, he cut the bark and 
mounted the horse and struck for the Ohio River.  When he reached it he plunged 
into it and swam the horse across to the shore; the Indians shooting at him all 
the time, a ball passed through his hat and another nicked the bottom out of his 
powder horn which was strapped around his shoulder.  My father could not swim and 
when he reached the other shore he had to lead the horse some distance down the river 
before the horse could ascend the bank of the river it was se steep; my father took 
the horse to Lexington where the owner resided, & he the owner, gave the horse to my 
father, saying that he had more than earned him.  My father was in many Indian fights; 
but I never heard him speak of being at Fort Jefferson on the Mississippi below the 
Mouth of the Ohio.  I do not think he was ever there  I never heard him speak of it.  
Gen Geo. Rogers Clark built fort Jefferson in 1788 by the instructions of Gov. Thos 
Jefferson then Gov. of Virginia, after he had taken Kaskasia, Vincennes and Caholia 
in 1778 - 1779, but the Southern Choctaw Indians claimed the land on which it was 
built and made a furrious attack on it, 1000 or 1200 warriors strong and only about 
30 sick men in the fort.  Gen. Clark came to their relief from Kaskaskia and the 
Indians retired, the fort was built without the consent of the Indians;  The land on 
which it was built was never bought of the Indians and the fort was abandoned in 1781, 
and because it was too remote to be protected and defended by Virginia.  My oldest 
brother Charles Dunn was appointed Chief Justice of Wisconsin by President Jackson 
in 1831/36 which office he held till about 1848 when Wisconsin was admitted into the 
Union, he died some eight or ten years ago.  If he was living he could tell more of 
my fathers history than I can.  His daughter Kate, married Gov. Dewey of your state,  
she may be able to tell you something she learned from her father.  Send me a copy of 
your history.     

Yours,   
Sarah Thompson