Special Collections: Letter from the Draper Manuscripts, 22C41. Transcribed and contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Diana Lehman, dlehman@ix.netcom.com ********************************************************* 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. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb *********************************************************************** Rebecca Boone (Grant) Lemond to Lyman C. Draper, March 22, 1853 Draper Manuscripts, 22C41 Transcribed from microfilm copy of the original document from the Draper Manuscripts Collection of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Madison, WI. Spelling and punctuation are as they appear in the original text. Transcriber’s notes in {} * * * * * March the 22 1853 Mr Draper Dear Sir You wish to know Some of the particulars of my Mother & Uncles having the Smallpox, I cannot tell you only I know they had it before they left Pensylvania. 2 – I donot know what year my father went to South Carolina, but I have heard my Father Say it was after he came from Virginia which I think might be about the year 1762, but I donot pretend to be very correct about dates, it was many years before I was born. 3 – As to Col. Samuel Bryan, I do not know where he died, but I Suppose on his farm where he lived before the war, that was on the Yadkin river the Shallow ford, in what was then calld Bryants Settlement, as to the Political opinion of William James & Morgan Bryan I know they diffrd very mutch from the Col for I knew them after I was capable of judging, I think there was no finer family than the Bryans, but some of them were greatly in the opinion of liberty, but it was far from having the opinion of all. I believe the different opinion in Politicks was the greatest reason that induced my Father to come to Kentucky as soon as he did, I have often heard him say; it was one of the most trying things he ever met with, to See Some of his best friends so carried away in so bad a cause. Col. Saml Bryan was one he so highly esteemed. [I know nothing of John Bryan) I had forgot to tell you Uncle Samuel Boone with his family went with my Father to South Carolina. He remained there till the fall of 1779 and that fall moved to Bryant Station My father, William & James Bryan, with 11 men but I donot know their Names, came to Bryans Station. I expect in 1763 {“[1776]” is written in brackets above the date 1763}, Cleared Ten acres of ground put it in corn & when they laid it by went back for their familys, but was dissapointed, my fathers waggon & team was Presst to carry provision for a Indian campain, Brother Israel drove the team, that prevented them from coming that year. There was many things took place that prevented them from coming till the Spring 17__ on the tenth of Aprile my father with his little band landed at Bryans Station, it consisting of my Mother, Brother William, sister Elizabeth, my ___ & a colord woman, William Bryan & his Daughter Hannah, Sam’ Bryan, wife and one child; William Hays wife an one child, Mr. Jones with his family & a young man name of garton – they put in corn, there little Field with some more they cleared & in the fall Uncle Bryan & my father went back for the remainder of the family; that winter our Station consisted of 60 Familys & no prospect for Bread but what little corn was raised there. Uncle Bryan, Brother Israel & Brother William was three that offered there servis as Hunters to supply the Station (there was other hunters at ___) & in a party went out without agare__ or Spies as they were calld to ca__ge in the woods, & if Sign of the Indians to give the alarm to the Hunters, or the Station) The day Uncle B got his Death wound, brother Israel was also wounded, he left his horse an took a tree just as he fired the second time, while loading again he was Shot and fell; there was a Mr. Hargol who saw him lying bleeding he got of his horse, put my Brother on & held him on for some distance, till he became so faint from loss of blood that Mr. Hargol was forced to take him down, tore a part of his linning & bandaged his wound, that that day there was 8 of the party wounded. At that time we had no doctors among us & Aunt Bryan & my mother was allmost all that attended on the sick & wounded. ___ Uncle was wounded & Aunt could not assist, it is one of the first things that at this time I recollect perfectly is my going with my Mother to assist her in carrying her pail of ooze & ___on of Elm bark bitten to dress the Poor wounded mens wounds, my Mother was a woman of a cheerful disposition & a great fortitude. The winter of ’79& ‘80 my Father had it very hard: my Brothers engaged in hunting for the Station, after our little supply of corn was gone, our only chance for bread was packing corn from Louisville then our Paper Money was of little value, it was under one hundred dollars for one of Silver. The men could not go only in large companys for fear of the Indians, then there was no road but a Buffalo path, and when we got a little corn it was ground on a handmill. When we got a little Salt, my Father had to pack his Pots to the Blue Licks to get a few pounds of very inferiour quallity. That winter my Fathers family was large – we had more cabbin rooms than any one in the Station: our cabbins made one and of the Station except the big gate. In one of his cabbins, they commenced a trench & dug it to the Spring and covered it over so they could go to the Spring in safty for fear being attacked & starved out for water. Our cabbins was near the Spring. The winter 79 & 80 the Indians were very troublesome, they killed our men, Stole our horses, & destroyed all our stock – Brothers Sam & Squire went out one day, but a few yards from the ___’s fence, to drive in a cow; they were going round the root of a tree which was blown down but the body did not quite reach the ground. They met an Indian – boath partys gave back, my Brothers had the presence of mind to secrete themselves under the body of the tree. The Indian walked on the boddy of the Tree with the hope of suing the cane shake; but the boys did not quit their Share of Safety till they found the Indian had left the place; & then they got Safe to the fort. That winter my Father had a large family about him. Brother John’s Family – Brother Mitchels family & a large one of his own; that winter there was a great many gentlemen came to K__y on Land business & as my Father & uncle Bryan had the most Cabbins, they had the most company, I have heard my Mother say that they at Some times that winter had a Family of over 50. I only say this to shew the weight that lay on my Father as the head of so large a Family. When they went to Louisville for corn they had to go in large Company, for Fear of the Indians; at one time my Father Started & forgot something – Brother Willm went after him & over took the party, my Father was leading a Horse with a Buffalo halter the young horse was unbroken & got Fritend, my Father got his hand entangled in the halter and lost his middle finger on his right hand he sufferd greatly from the wound & Brother W went on with the Company through the winter Brother John & some men was building Cabbins and making arange__ins arrangements to move to his own Land 5 miles North of Bryan’s Station. Early in the Spring ’80, he with 7 Familys, moved to his Station they had not been there but a few weeks, when one morning as soon as the men opend the gate to go to the work they were attacked by the Indians 3 was killed & several wounded; among the rest a woman of my Brother’s was going out to milk, that broke up his Station. Brothers wife had a babe 3 days old, they rapd her up put her on a Sled & brought her to Bryans Station as soon as he could he Started for Carolina with a great many others my Father insisted on my Mother going also with Elizabeth Moses & myself, Brother Israel was to go with us, to get horses to move the balance of the Family back as the Indians had taken all of our horses except 4, when my Father came here (when my Father came to Kentucky he brought with him Twenty Seven Horses) my Mother con___d to go & purchas horses to move the ballance back when they went to Start, there was nohorse to carry a bed for my Mother, my Father gave a young the Name of Colwell 4 hundred acres of Land lying 10 miles North of Lexington for his horse (which we kept but Three weeks till the Indians took him) my Mother Started with the company; the first Night they camped about 10 miles from the Station, Some of the company told my Mother, that my Father did not think of returning till Fall, as he intended to try to raise Some corn & bring them back again. Brother Israel was to bring horses for there use he felt better Satisfyed now he thought my Mother & the younger children was in Safty ---- as soon as my Mother heard it early in the morning She packed her horses & returnd to the Station ____ deturmind to Suffer hardships & dager with my Father – my Father Said it was one of the most trying moments of his Life, he knew what hardships & hungers She would have to go through & he knew She was one of the Noblest of women and able adviser & there was no inconvniance She would not go through for the advantage of her Husband & Children that Spring Brother Israel Married Susanna Bryan, daughter of James Bryan --- __he 1780 the Indians were not so troublesom as they had been. This year my Father raised a fine crop of corn. Brothers Saml & Squire came out to see my Mother, in the fall when the ballances of the family came, with the intention of returning in the spring to the School they had left, Samuel Stayd but Squire returned to College to stay till he got his Eduation & after got an appointment of Survayer in Pennsyl While on one of his Survaying tours his camp was attacked, one many killed & himself wounded they were more than 20 Miles from any Settlement it was cold & Snowing, my Brother soon became so weak from the loss of Blood & fatigue that he could not go any further, he Sat down on a log, & found it was hollow, he then broke some cane crept in the log feet foremost & drew the cane in to him from the cold wind – next day he got to Cold Bledso where he was kindly taken care of; it was along time before he was able to go home to C__ash__ Brother Saml got an appointment of Survayer in Kentucky; he went through a great deal of hardship an danger – in the year 1789 he went to Virginia on land business & Married Lydia Craig daughter of Elijah Craig of his Death you are acquainted with the circumstance. In the Spring ’81 My Father moved to Mercer County, 8 miles North of Danville, near the Mouth of Hickman – he built Some large cabbins & inclosed them with Strong picketing, the Night after he finished his little fort the Indians took ___ last horse. I forgot to tell you, moving was but aslow business with 4 horses an 2 Slids, our corn Bufflow & Bears meat, was the greatest Part of our plan___ negro woman & child was to Stay at Mr Rogers to take care of things, till the last load, before my Brothers came back She was takn prisoner by the Indians & a young man namd Jones Killd near the Gate; that day there came & express from Lexington for assistance & all of the men had left the Station, She was not more than one hundred yards from the gate – the women saw her draggd off, but could not Save her. When the Indians took our last horse there was a gentleman had just come to Smith’s Station of the name of Archable Woods who brought Severel horses he loand my Father Some till my Brother went to Carrolina for a fresh Supply. Mr. Woods was A Brother in law of Ben Cooper who Married my Father’s Niece (Mr Woods was killd at the Battle of the Blue Licks) Brother William was in that Battle, also, & B. Cooper Brother after crossing the river left his horse and took a tree to defend those crossing, his horse left him Mr B Cooper ___ caught him, they did not go far till William dismounted again to assist some Poor wounded man, his horse left him the Second time, Mr. Cooper was near on horseback overtook & brought him back – Brother Israel was with Logans Party you know they did not get to the Battleground There was noone lived in our little Fort the first year but our own Family the second year Uncle George Boon & Jesse Cafar lived with us, the, next Spring they moved back to Madison For four Summers after we moved to Mercy the Indians was troublesome stealing horses but never killed any Person in our Neighbourhood the second year they Took a boy prisnor named Lewis Garrard it was not more than one mile from my fathers – in 1787 in the Spring Part of my Fathers Family came to Fayatte 10 Miles north of Lexington to his own Land, to raise corn & build to bring the remainder in the fall, our nearest neighbours was six mile that was Grants Station (my Brother John Grant had returnd ___ years before (Moses Mitchel & John Landers my two Brothers in law, had come also), Brother William had not been there at work more than a few weeks when the Indians came through the Neighbourhood, killed Elizabeth Sanders in Sight of her Father’s house She was going part of the way home with a little girl the name of Mosby who had stayd with her all Night, they also killd Mr. Paton [Peyton] They went on further near the road that goes to Cincinati killd & took whole Family the name of Shanks – that broke up the Settlement; they all moved to Grants Station for Safty) that Prevented my Father before he was 60 he had gone through so mutch fatigue boath of body & mind, when he left Carolina he Sold two Farms & two mills an in Payment was to take Paper Money; you know the fate of that Currency, he bought 5 warrents to locate Lands he lost every entry except one, that was four Hundred acres four Hundreds of them he gave Mr. Colwell for A horse – when he went to Mercer he soon cleard afarm raised a great deal of corn he supplyd the nedy & never Sent the Poor empty from his door; his cabbins was free to every traveler who chose to Shelter under its Rough. The first association held in Kentucky, by the Baptist Church, was held in my Father’s cabbins in Mercer and at meeting there was the widdows of Trigg Christian Woods McBride Lapsley Fields & Vancleave, you may be Sure it was a meeting of Sympathy, those ware the Relicts of my Fathers belovd friends & acquaintance. Mr. Draper I might quit I fear you will not have the patiance to wade through this uninteresting detail, Mr. Draper you may form an Idea of the hardships & privations my Parents went through in Kentucky, but the half is not to___ This is the only thing of any lenth I have rote for many years You might know I neer went to School one Month in my life, what little I learnd was from my Parents, my riting bad my diction poor speling worse I fear very much you cannot read it, but I thought it would be rather a curiosity to see a letter from an Auld woman ___ that never went to School I assure you it was a great task for I could not rite but afew minuts till my Hand would become so weak & unstuddy I would have to quit I have heartfore got my Granddaughters to rite for me I did not tell you that Sister Sanders Second Son James was killed at Winchesters defeat & Brother Israels Second Son William was killd at Dudlys defeat, I could enumerate a great many of my Mothers near Connections if worthwhile I only tell you those things to let you know how our Family has sufferd in the farwest I believe my Father was worth more Property, when he left Carrolina than he was when he died, but he had given all his Children some thing to live on Mr Draper please excuse me for riting So mutch, that you have no Intrust in, Sir I wish to purchase a coppey of your work when finished My Brother I believe was in allmost all of the Scouts that ever was calld out in our Neighbourhood William was in Logans Campaign & also in Scotts Believe me your well wishes & Friend Rebecca B Lemond Lyman C Draper