Subject: HISTORY: A Narrative of the Captivity of Isaac Knight Partt 1, Kentucky 1793 ------------------------------------------ Contributed for use in USGENWEB Archives by: Bob & Kate Cook Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 13:47:45 -0500 ------------------------------------------- What follows in multiple installments is the account of a young man, Isaac Knight, who was kidnapped by the Pottawatomies in April 1793 from the Green River area of Kentucky and escaped their capture 2.5 years later. I have an extensive biographical and genealogical report on these families (Knight and heir collaterals) if any one is interested in them. Contact me privately at my email: rcnkc@compaq.net Installment No. 1: A Narrative of the Captivity & Sufferings of Isaac Knight From Indian Captivity Giving an account of the cruel treatment he received from The Savages while afflicted with the small pox: His hardships of an Indian Prisoner, during Two years and Six months. Communicated by himself And of his request written by Hiram A. Hunter Evansville Printed at the Journal Office 1829. (Editorial Commentary: How the long, out-of-print Narrative of the capture of the boy, Isaac Knight, was discovered: In 1937, David Duniway and his father, Dr. Clyde Duniway, were in Illinois and visited Pat Rolofson, a first cousin of my grandfather, Thomas. Pat’s daughter told them of Mrs. Gamble’s Memoirs. David obtained a copy from her son, Claude Gamble. She recalled parts of the Isaac Knight story which had been published in a booklet form telling of his capture by the Indians. David looked for a copy in the Congressional Library in Washington D. C.; it wasn’t there, but the records there listed two libraries that had original copies one was the Darlington Library of the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. From this original copy, he obtained a microfilm copy. This copy he added to our family files in the Oregon State Library in Salem. David arranged for photographs of this film to be made for me. From these photographs, I had these mimeographed booklets made. This is a valuable and interesting incident in our Family History, and to David belongs all the credit for finding it and making it available for members of the family; it also establishes for a certainty our original ancestors in this country: Lawrence Roelofson, Sr., a German. It also shows the character and stamina of a young boy, grandson of Lawrence, Sr. He came through the ordeal, a credit to his family and the pioneers of the time. This reprint is presented by Wylie W. Rolofson, July 1967.) To The Reader: In presenting this little Narrative to the Public, the Author has nothing to offer in aplology, except that it is at the request of many old acquaintances, who have heard his tale of wo, some of whom were distant witnesses of the horrid conduct which bore him from the bosom of his father’s family; who also have expressed a solicitude that those who enjoyed the privileges and advantage of the Western Country, may know how they lived, who preceded them, in the settlement of this highly favored and enlightened land, and be induced thereby to place an estimate on the fruits of their liberties, somewhat becoming their unspeakable value. May are yet living who heard the report of the guns which killed one of the company, when the subject of this little Narrative was taken captive, and who also heard the cry, "Don’t kill me, don’t kill me!" from another little boy whom the barbarous wretches left dead on the ground. Induced, if all slumbered in death, who had knowledge of the facts herein related, the character of ISAAC KNIGHT, as a man of the strictes veracity, will warrant the public in crediting the truth of his history; as far as he is known, we feel assured that nothing more will be required to recommend it. (All the words in this Narrative are being typed just as they are spelled in the original copy.) A Narrative of the Captivity & Sufferings of Isaac Knight. Isaac Knight, the subject of the following Narrative, was born in what was then called Washington County, in Pennsylvania; the record of his age being lost, the exact time of his birth cannot be ascertained. His father’s name was John Knight, who married Ann Rolison, by whom he had seven sons, of whom Isaac was the eldest. When the subject of this Narrative was a child, his father removed, by water, in company with his father-in-law, Mr. Lawrence Rolison, and Norod Franceway, who married in the same family. These all settled at or near the place now known by the name of Vienna, on Green River, about eighty miles above its mouth, where, with much difficulty, they lived some year, grinding their corn on hand-mills, or pounding it in a mortar; and at one time such was the difficulty with which bread stuff was had, that Isaac’s father, bought corn at the mouth of Green River, at one dollar and twenty-five cents per bushel, and conveyed it to his family in perogue or canoe. Indeed, the difficulties under which the first settler of that part of Kentucky labored, were almost insupportable. The corn purchased as above stated, sustained the family while they cultivated the soil to make more. Their strength being small, their crops were not large, and the wild beasts of the forest, together with the vermine, well nigh destroyed all the production of the first year’s labor. This placed them in as destitude a situation as ever; for owing to the seareness of their crops, they were reduced to the necessity of relying on their success in hunting for their sustenance; and that without bread for some eight months. In the mean time, Indians were frequently seen more iment in their chase after the white man, than the latter after his game. For the security of the whites and their families, they were impelled to build and resort to forts in as large bodies as their thinly settled population would permit. Uniting their energies, they labored by turn in each man’s field, one or more, as necessity required, standing as sentinel. During the season in which corn was making, they remained in their forts; but returned to their lonesome and dangerous retreats for the remainder of the year. Seldom would anything short of abundant sign of Indian hostilities, drive them in the spring of the year, from their homely huts. It is, however, perfectly within the recollection of the Author of this Narrative, that when a boy, he heard the report of a gun, which killed dead, one of the finest men in the settlement, and one, too, who lived within a few steps of his father’s door. Mr. Downs, who was thus shot by the Indians, left a wife and seven children to lament his untimely death. He was most cruelly used by the savage butchers and left scalped on the ground. About this time the country about the Red Banks, on the Ohio river, now known as Henderson, in Henderson county, Kentucky, began to be spoken of as a most desirable section, and Isaac’s father, with the rest of the connexion, moved to that place, where they found a few families residing. But one house was yet erected - the rest of the families lived in camps. In removing to this place, their property being conveyed by water, except the stock, Isaac, then a boy about nine or ten years of age, assisted in driving them. One circumstance transpired on this route, which much diverted the little drover, and therefore, for the amusement of the little readers, although it resembles somewhat some of Davey Crockett’s staked and ridered stories. Bears, buffaloes, deer , and almost all wild game, were plenty; and the dogs scouting about started a huge bear, which ran almost into the midst of little Isaac’s drove, and not more than twenty or thirty steps from him started to climb a tree, when a sprightly little dog belonging to some of the company, seized him by the ham, and either he was to light or the bear so strong, the he decended the tree to the distance of some twenty to thirty feet, with the little dog holding to him. When he loosed his hold the reader would of course expect him to fall and be killed, or very much injured; but to the surprise of the anxious spectators, when he struck the ground he was heard to grunt, "ah, hah!" sprang to his feet and ran off. During this route, also another circumstance, a little diverting, attracted the attention of and very much pleased the drover. On discovering a gang of buffaloes, one of the company shot down one, which proved to be a cow, that had following her a fine young calf, which was kept and driven with little Isaac’s charge. A Dutchman by the name of Adam Hay, being in company, had no little fondness for playing with it; and would frequently, when the cattle were halted, get on his hands and knees, as if in a posture for battle, motioning his head toward the calf, as another would do to butt it. The little calf of the forest became at length enrage, and before the Dutchman was aware, the calf grunted, gave its tale a twist, and throwing its head at the Dutchman’s, to his great mortification, and the sport of the company butted him over. As soon as he could collect himself, he arose, and pronouncing a Satanic benediction upon the little thing, calmly stepped aside, and let it alone. to be continued....... ************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ***************************************************************************