Special Collections: Letter from the Draper Manuscripts, 206C. 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 ************************************************************************ J. Marshall McCue to Lyman C. Draper, September 1, 1887 Draper Manuscripts, 20C6 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 {} * * * * * {Draper’s note at top of page} J. Marshall McCue Fishersville, Va. Sept 1st, 87 Lyman C. Draper, LL.D. My venerable friend, Yours of the 26th came to hand a day or two ago, and will attempt a reply to your several queries. Augusta is the water shed on its eastern & n. eastern sides, of the Shen River, & the west & southwest of the North River, a prominent tributary of the Jas at Balcony Falls. The rough diagram will enable you to take in the relative objects, positions &c. I exhausted fully all chances in Berks, to ascertain anything touching Hy. Millers family. That he was a native of Berks & connected with Boone, only thro Annie Boone 1st wife of Wm. Winter but what relation to Danl can’t say. I incline to the belief Miller was the Sr. of Boone -- who born in Oley township, on the 22 of Oct 1733, must have been quite young, when accompanying Miller to Mossy Cr as his father removed to Yadkin N Car in 1750. All about these expeditions to Mossy Cr is purely traditional & can’t recall my author, but think it was Jerry Webb -- the old carpenter -- a relative, as he claimed, of the Boones & Millers, & father of yr correspondent, the Rev J. Wesley Webb -- Meth & I think the youngest of a large family. Do not think John Cochran of Charlottesville ever referred to it -- long since dead, & father of Judge Jno Lewis Cochran, now in Charlottesville & H___, the historian of the family, but now in wretched health, & at one of the many watering places, don’t know where. Fear cant answer your queries in your order. The above in answer to No 1 -- with the fact -- I heard of no other hunting expeditions of Boone & Miller, & never beyond two trips -- yet all is the vaguest tradition. The 2nd is answered above as to how I heard &c. The third about the Cini Enqr letter was from Jno H. McCue -- he was not, as I believe the author -- none of the Boone & Miller tradition came from him, as I said to you in my last -- he was 3-5 miles from Mossy Cr -- too young. The 4h as to Millers birthplace, is answered above. The 5h about Bird. My friend _____ of Philda (Sec of the Iron & Steele Association -- author of the exhaustive work -- “The Old Furnace &c,” I understand was written because of a suggestion of ours -- that met his eye -- somewhere --) some years ago -- sent me a brief printed slip cut frm one of his proof-sheets -- telling me that Bird & his son Mark -- failed about 68, in Berks, as furnace men. On 6h 7h Apr ’74 -- as the deed is witness, Adam Stephen, without the S__ of the Rev (with Chas Lee & Gates, Englishmen who were with Braddock -- & thro Gen Washington’s influence got positions in the Army of the Colonies -- all rose to the rank of Maj Genl -- & all de__red for their efforts in conspiring vs Washington & all settled near each other in the corner of Berkley -- Stephen & in Jefferson Ky Gates & Lee) made to Hy Miller & Mark Bird for 800 & 400 (1200) acres in Mossy Cr & N. River. There in 74 the furnace was built (see Jefferson Notes on Va -- this & Isaac Zanes -- the history of which wrote up some years ago -- for a Winch Va paper -- it being on Cedar Cr line of Fred & Shen as I did also of the “Old &c” in Albemarle, on head of Hardware -- for a Charlottesville paper). Miller & Zane -- only trees in Shen. Valley & Zane supplied some of the carrion for Rev. army -- after Valley Forge &c as I said to you -- I think, years ago -- Bird sold to Miller in 78 as I think -- for $75,000 -- put 15,000 pounds & I supposed he moved to Shen. & became the founder of the Bird family. A Judge Mark Bird died some years ago, might have known -- any one of present generation, wont, as half cant tell who their gr. parents are, & the other half dont care. Have no knowledge, at all, of place or date of Birds death, and as I believe he was the progenitor of the Birds of Shen -- bringing the name of Mark -- several there have worn. The above exhausts your first page. No find several other queries. 6th is about Annie Boone—replied to in the 1st. 7th -- Paddy Crawford -- father of George, bro-in-law of Sam Miller & Maj Jno -- gr. father of Col Jno H. Crawford, who lives on site of Paddy’s cabin & his post office, New Hope -- but he cant aid you. The distance 12 to 14 miles to Hy. Miller’s & the old stone house of Craws, a facsimile of the one at Valley Forge. I suppose was built after Uncle Cid & Boone passed on their visit to Hy. Miller. Failed to describe the iron ore -- hematite & cropped out, & in mining this top earth caved -- making a hole you could put a Pa. Dutch barn in. The Cr. {Draper’s note in brackets}[Mossy Creek] swooped around making a big meadow of 70 acres. Hy Miller’s big limestone house was at southeast side & his gr. son-in-law -- Hugh Harvey McDowell son of Genl Joe of King’s Mtn & older than my uncle Genl Joe of Hillsboro O -- and the man you improperly say “of Ky -- now of Mo,” as H.H. McD. removed in 1825 with his bros-in-law -- Harry & Jack Miller -- sons-in-law of Geo Crawford (Winter) Robert, Saml, Jas & Wm. Miller -- to Grand Pass Saline Co. Mo -- passing thro Lexn Va where Jno. McCue -- father of Jno H. happening to be in conversation on a street corner with Col. J.H. Benton took leave of ‘em, as the caravan of wagons, carryalls -- 100 or more negroes -- passed up main str -- thro S.W. Va -- Cumbd. Gap -- thro Ky -- fear of Ohio abolitionists to -- underground rail-road &c -- Benton asked McCue who they were -- where going &c. When Saline was mentioned, shaking his head --“I am sorry for it -- they will die off like rotten sheep” -- Isaiah never uttered so true a prophecy -- in a few years they were nearly extinct. McDowell lost six lovely daughters in one year & put two of ‘em in one grave. Adventurous -- hunters &c here--never worked became Santa Fe traders -- what was left -- except Harry who took his family to Ark. The remnants came back here. Benton said that in the establishment of the line of forts from ___ to mouth of Mi__ one of ‘em was in Saline--had to be abandoned. Here the solution ___ The ponds -- bayous -- on surface -- as soon as the sod was broken by plow they disappeared – ‘tis today as healthy as any part of Mo. The furnace was burnd down in ’37 never rebuilt -- plenty ore there. Dora Coal, yr humble sert -- developed at his own cost & charges & carrying best specimens to Schuylkill Co. Pa in ’52 -- became convinced Profr Wm. B. Rogers was correct in saying they were crushed veins. J. Marshall McCue {Draper’s handwritten note follows} Cyclopean Towers noted on the plat. See Howe’s Histl Colls. Va, pp. 180-81. Martin’s Gazr. Va 316-17 {Next pages – 20C8 and 20C9 – contain note and map drawn by Draper} Plat of Miller’s Iron Works & where he died at sugar camp & Paddy Crawford’s locality; where Boone visited in 1792. The map shows that Miller’s Iron Works were southwest from New Hope, where Paddy Crawford lived. In passing from Charlottesville to Crawford’s, Boone may have passed through Rockfish Gap or Jarman’s Gap – latter shortest. It was doubtless to visit Geo. Crawford’s wife he went to Paddy Crawford’s.