Draper Manuscripts: Col. Timothy Downing & Capt. James Downing - 1791, Mason County, Kentucky Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Carmen J. Finley ***************************************************************** ***** 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 *********************************************************************** Draper Manuscripts: Col. Timothy Downing & Capt. James Downing - 1791, Mason County, Kentucky Copyright c 2000 by Carmen J. Finley. This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. finleyc@sonoma.edu ***************************************************************** Col. Timothy Downing & Capt. James Downing - 1791, Mason County, Kentucky (Draper, Lyman Copeland. Draper manuscript collection. Chicago: filmed by the University of Chicago Library, [197?], series BB vol. 4, Simon & Kenton papers, 1755-1836, p. 30-31.) Col. Timothy Downing - Capt. James Downing 1791 December 27th 1862 [Felicity, Clermont Co. O.] Mr. Draper, I received a note from you having date November 22 you wish information of Simon Kenton and Timothy Downing. As for Kenton I can give you but very little account. I will give you the account of father first - he was born in the State of Maryland, in the year of 1755 - was married in 1777 - he then in a few years emigrated to the back woods in Pennsylvania - there followed hunting and trapping; while there, he went out under Crawford to the Sandusky plains and was in the defeat: He then was a captain - he with six others kept the Indians back till the army was through the prairies. In 1789, he emigrated to Mason County Ky - in spring of 1791, on his way from Lexington to Fayett county to Washington he was taken prisoner by 16 Indians near the Lower Blue Licks on Licking River: the Indians sepparated before crosing the Ohio river - three took father and the other thirteen crost in a different place: They traveled Two days threw Ohio - the last day was a dark wet day - the young man got lost and didn't come in that night - This left an old man and boy in camp after they were done eating the old Indian told father to hand him the camp kettle of water - he stept to the kettle and picked it up in one hand and a squaw ax in the other - while the Indian was drinking father struck him in the back of the head with the edge of the ax - as he jerked the ax from his head, the boy caught the ax - he gave a hard pull, and let go the ax - the boy fell - father jumped into the woods and ran to the horses and unhobbled them jumped on one and started, and wandered two days till struck the Ohio river there a young man ran to shore with a canoe, and took him in and swam his horse accross to the boat and gave him something to eat - from there he wandered through the woods home. In a few years father bo't a piece of land in Mason county and settled on it, and lived there till the day of his death, which was in December 1816. He was a low heavy set man, 5 feet 8 inches high his common weight 180. - I now will give what I know of Kenton. he heard of the Indians being in Kentucky - he took his men and hunted the river found the canoes and way laid them and kild the most the Indians. When father got home Kenton raised his men - took father - crossed the river, and found the Indian that father killed - all this hapend before my remembrance. If you will direct to Chares (Charles?) Downing at Hainsvill Clark County Missouri - not (north?) Kansas City you will get an answer - excuse my writing - John Downing c:\docs\kentucky\draper.txt