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Subject: Fwd: TIP#76 - SOME INDIAN RAIDS IN LINCOLN CO, KY
Date: Thu, 14 Aug 1997 15:18:36 -0400 (EDT)

Here's some more information from KYRESEARCH by Sandi Gorin

Pat
---------------------
Forwarded message:
From: (Sandi Gorin)
To:
Date: 97-08-14 08:07:58 EDT

TIP# 76: Some Indian Raids in Lincoln County:

These stories are recaps from Collins History of Kentucky Volume 1. I
thought it might be interesting for the readers to know a little bit about
the Indian raids and some of the people who were involved.

Fall of 1799: Samuel Daviess, a resident of Bedford County VA, moved to KY
and lived for a time at Whitley's Station in Lincoln. From there he moved
to Gilmer's Lick, about 6-7 miles from the station. In Aug of 1782, he
walked a few steps fro his door and was suprised by an Indian's appearance
between him and the door with tomahawk uplifted. He was not armed, ran
around the house, ran in through the back door and found the house full of
Indians. He then ran to a nearby cornfield, hid himself and the Indians
finally left. He ran to the station of his brother, James Daviess - five
miles away. He told them of his distress and told them that his wife and
children had been captured by the Indians. A search was begun but the
ground was so dry that they were unable to pick up the trail. Several
miles into the quest, they heard a dog howling, the sound of which they
followed. Two Indian spies saw the group coming and ran forward. The other
Indians stayed with Daviess' family, one knocking down his oldest boy,
about 11 years old. Mrs Daviess, seeing the upset of the Indians, saved
herself and her suckling child by jumping into a sink hole. The entire
family was saved by 9 o'clock that night, no lives lost but one of their
boys had been scalped. He recovered but was disfigured for life. The boy
had a chance 10 years later to get his revenge when the Indians returned
into the neighborhood. He and a party of men went in pursuit of them,
following them for days. The Indians discovered that they were being
followed, went into ambush and killed the young Daviess lad and one other
man. Mr. Daviess died one year later, it thought to be because of the
distress of the events.

Fall of 1779: William Montgomery, the elder, father-in-law of General
Logan, and his family, and son-in-law, Joseph Russell and his family, came
to KY from Virginia and settled at Logan's Fort. They stayed just a few
months and didn't see any Indian danger. Thus the older Montgomery along
with his sons, William, John, Thomas and Robert, son-in-law Russell banded
together and built four log cabins on the head waters of Green River,
about 12 miles southwest from Logan's fort. They settled in during the
spring of 1799. Shortly after this time they were attacked by Indians.
William Montgomery the elder, his wife and sons, daughters Jane and
Betsey, along with two younger children, James and Flora lived in this
cabin. Mrs Montgomery and the youngest daughter, Flora, were back at
Logan's fort at the time. Thomas and Robert Montgomery were out spying.
William Montgomery Jr and his wife with one child, later to be Judge
Thomas Montgomery (son by a previous marriage) and a bound boy were in
another cabin. There were also some slaves. This occurred in March of
1780. A band of Indians surrounded the cabins which were built close
together in a square. Sometime between daylight and sunrise, William
Montgomery the elder followed by a large negro boy stepped out their door.
They were immediately fired at and both killed. The boy's head fell back
on the door-sill. Jane, the daughter, who later married Col. William Casey
of Adair County, sprang to the door, pushed out the head, shut the door
and called for her brother Thomas's gun. Betsey, her sister who was about
12 years old, climbed out of the cabin through the chimney and ran towards
Pettit's station about 2 1/2 miles away. An Indian chased her for some
distance but she was to fast for him and reached the station safely. Back
at the cabins, the Indians delayed for a time in their attack. William
Montgomery Jr heard the first gun shot and seized a large trough and with
the assitance of the bound boy, grabbed his rifle, pointed it through a
crevice in the soor and fired twice. He kiled one and wounded the other.
John Montgomery who was in bed, was fired at through a crack in the mortar
and was killed, his wife was made a prisoner of the Indians. John Russell
escaped the cabin, leaving his wife and three children to the mercy of the
Indians. This family, along with a mulatto girl were captured by the
Indians. The Indian who had pursued Betsey returned, hid himself and
yelled out. William Montgomery Jr killed him. General Logan, warned of the
danger at the Montgomery settlement immediately sounded the alarm - his
horn was well known. Twelve or fifteen armed men mounted and equipped for
battle. The picked up the trail of the Indians, assisted by Mrs Russell,
prisoner, who kept breaking twigs, dropping a handkerchief, etc. They soon
found the mulatto girl who had been tomahawked, scalped and left for dead
- she heard Gen Logan's familiar voice and revived, surviving.

The Indians were made aware of Logan's approach by their own spies, but
Logan surprised them and the Indians scattered. A daughter of Mrs Russell
who was about twelve heard Gen. Logan's voice and yelled out "There's
uncle Ben!" The prisoners were rescued.

Spring of 1774: Three young men, Davis, Caffree and McClure pursued a
party of southern Indians who had stolen horses from Lincoln County. They
reached what they thought was the Indian town of Chickamongo. They
overtook three Indians going the same way and by way of sign language
proceeded together - each leery of the other. The Indians walked on one
side of the road, the white soldiers on the other. Caffree was a powerful
man and it was decided that he would take out one of the Indians while
Davis and McClure attacked the other two. He sprang on the nearest Indian,
grasped his throat, hurled him to the ground and drew a cord from his
pocket, attempting to tie him. Davis and McClure leveled their guns on the
other Indians. McClure fired and killed his man, Davis' gun mis-fired.
Cafree remained on the ground with his captured Indian while Davis and
McClure took to the woods. Davis' Indian shot Caffree as he lay on the
ground, killing him. Before he died, Davis ran to his aid, the Indian
sprang to his feet and seized Caffree's rifle. McClure reloaded his gun
and followed them into the forest. He never found Davis again. McClure,
surrounded by dead bodies, retraced his steps still carrying his friend
Davis' rifle. About a mile along he spied an Indian warrior appproaching,
riding a horse with a bell around his neck and dragging a boy on foot.
McClure stepped out from hiding and extended his hand toward the Indian
and made signs of peace. Other Indians arrived and McClure sat and smoked
pipes with them. A bell was heard about 1/2 mile away and a second party
of Indians approached. Suddenly McClure was bound and tied and carried off
a prisoner with his feet tied under the horse's belly. When the Indian was
involved with acting like a hero, McClure took his remaining gun and shot
the head off the Indian. He took off on horseback and was pursued -
falling off his horse several times - he was totally blind because of the
dust. He finally dismounted, laid down on the ground face down, knowing
that he would soon be killed. But no indians came and he was able to reach
home in safety.

1784 or 1785: Near Crab Orchard, at the cabin of Mr. Woods. He had left
his family one morning leaving his wife, a daughter not grown and a lame
negro man - riding off to a station near by. Mrs Woods went outside and
some distance from the cabin, and suddenly saw approaching Indians. She
screamed loudly in order to give the alarm and ran as fast as she could
hoping to reach the cabin. However, one of the Indians forced his way into
the house. The old negro man grabbed him and they scuffled with the Indian
falling down on top of the negro. Mrs Woods was busy trying to hold the
door shut against the Indians so called to the young girl to take the axe
from under the bed and to hit the Indian on the head with it. The little
girl tried several times unsuccessfully. With a following blow, she killed
him. The other Indians were still at the door attemtping to get in. The
negro got up and told Mrs Woods to let in another and one by one they
would kill them in the same way. The noise reached the fort nearby and the
charged to the cabin and fired on the Indians, killing another while the
rest made their escape.

I hope you enjoyed these stories! Next Tuesday I'll post some more
Kentucky towns, followed on Thusday by more county courthouse holdings.
Your comments are always welcome - just write me at .

(c) 14 August 1997, Sandra K. Gorin, All rights reserved.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sandi Gorin, 205 Clements Ave, Glasgow, KY 42141-3409
(502) 651-9114 -
BARREN CO: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/1798
GORIN GEN PUB: http://members.aol.com/kygen/gorin.htm
KYBIOS WEBSITE: http://www.starbase21.com/kybiog/
KYRESEARCH: http://www.dsenter.com/~jmurphy/lessons/lessons.htm
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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