TIP #547 MORE INDIAN PROBLEMS - Carroll, Clark and Fleming County Correction to last week's post. Please change the reference to the Civil War to read the Revolutionary War. Again, information is taken from Lewis Collin's History of Kentucky. Carroll County was formed in 1838, but before that date, had it's problems with Indian uprisings. In March of 1795, a body of Indians surrounded the house of one Mr. Elliott, situated at the mouth of the Kentucky River and made a furious assault upon it. The members of the family generally made their escape but Mr. Elliott as killed and his house burnt by the savages. In 1786 or 1987, Captain Ellison built a block house on the point at the confluence of the Kentucky and Ohio river, and was successively driven from his post in the two succeeding summers, by a superior Indian force. In 1789-90, General Charles Scott built a block house on the second bank, in an elevated position, and fortified it by picketing. This post was occupied until 1792, when the town of Port Williams (now Carrolton) was first laid out. The Indians were then troublesome. In Clark County there were also problems. "Clark County was settled at a very early period in the history of Kentucky; it being separated from Boonsborough, the first point settled in the State, only by the Kentucky River, which forms the southern boundary of the county. Strodes Station, a point of considerable importance in the early Indian wars, was situated about two miles from Winchester, the present seat of justice. In the year 1780 it was besieged by a large body of Indians, who attempted to cut off the supply of water from the garrison. But, foiled in this effort, the savages were repulsed and forced to retreat. In the pursuit which followed a white man by the name of Van Swearingen, a man of noted courage, was killed. This was the only loss sustained by the garrison during the siege." In Fleming County is found an interesting tale of George Stockton. "George Stockton, who, in his infancy, had been taken prisoner, together with a sister, by the Indians in Virginia, and carried to New York, there remained until he became so much attached to the Indian manner of living, that the desire to see his friends and family could scarcely overcome his reluctance to part with those whom association had made dear. After he had grown up, he accompanied his tribe on a trading expedition to Pennsylvania, and there determined to visit his friends in Virginia. A fondness for forest life had so entertwined itself with his very nature, that he could ill support the dull uniformity of society, and he soon set out for Kentucky, to enjoy the glorious solitude and freedom of the woods. He settled at Stockton's station, in sight of Flemingsburg, in 1787. "Robert Stockton and Beacham Rhodes set out from Stockton's station in the winter of 1789, for the purpose of hunting on the waters of Fox's creek and its tributaries, then the favorite resorts of the buffalo, deer, bear, &c. Regarding the season of the year, it was not considered any adventure fraught with great danger as the Indians rarely visited Kentucky except in the seasons when the necessaries of life were more easily obtained. The hunters pitched their camp upon the bank of Fox's creek, and enjoyed several days of successful hunting and exciting sport. On the night of the 15th February, after a day of unusual excitement and fatigue, the hunters, replenishing their fire, rolled themselves up in their blankets, and stretching themselves (with their two fine dogs) upon the ground, after the manner of the hunters of that day, without other "means and appliances," were soon sound asleep. About the middle of the night, they were aroused by the simultaneous discharge of two guns. Stockton sprung to his feet only to fall lifeless to the earth. Rhodes, though severely wounded in the hip by two balls from the same gun, succeeded (whilst the dogs made fiercely at the Indians), in crawling beyond the light of the fire. Stationing himself behind a tree, he calmly awaited the re-appearance of the Indians, resolved to sell his life at the cost of one of theirs. The Indians, doubtless, suspecting his purpose, were wise enough to mount the horses of the hunters, and made for the Kentucky river, where one of them was afterwards killed. The Indians not appearing, Rhodes determined, if possible, to conceal himself before day should dawn. With this hope, he crawled into the creek, and that his trail might not be discovered, kept in the water until about a half a mile from camp he dame to a large pile of brush and logs which the creek had drifted. In this he remained secreted (in a momentary expectation of hearing the Indians) all day. At night he set out on a painful journey towards home, and on the seventy day after his wound, reached Fleming creek, having crawled a distance of fourteen miles. The creek was considerably swollen, and in his wounded and exhausted state, presented an insuperable barrier to his further progress. Fortunately however, he was found by another hunter, who aided him in reaching his home. The friends of Stockton, instantly collecting, started for the camp, where they found "His faithful dog, in life his firmest friend, The first to welcome, foremost to befriend, Whose honest heart was still his master's own, Who labor'd, fought, lived and breathed for him alone," - guarding his body, though so weak from starvation, as to be unable to walk. A circle of torn earth all around the body of Stockton, marked and rage and disappointment of wolves and panthers, and told how watchful and firm had been the protection of the dog. Stockton was buried where he fell, and his grave, marked with a large slab, is yet to be seen in going from Flemingsburg to Carter courthouse, one mile beyond Phillip's springs. The friends of Stockton carried home the dog, and after several week, the other dog, which had followed the horses, also returned." Collins continues: "Michael Cassiday was a native of Ireland, whence he emigrated to the United States in his youth. At the breaking out of the revolutionary war, he enlisted and served for several years in the ranks of the army. After leaving the army, he came to Kentucky, and attached himself to Strode's Station, in what is now Clark county, and from thence removed to this county, and settled at Cassiday's station. He was remarkably small in stature, little if at all exceeding five feet, and there are many amusing stories told of his contests with Indians, who looked upon him as a boy. Upon one occasion, while camped in the woods with two other friends, (Bennett and Spor), three Indians attacked their camp, and killed Bennett and Spot at the first fire. Cassiday sprung to his feet, but was soon overpowered and made prisoner. The Indians, supposing him to be a boy, and proposing to relieve the tedium of the night, selected the smallest of their number to carve him up with a large butcher knife, for their diversion. Cassiday, whose fiery spirit little predisposed him to suffer an unresisting martyrdom, grappled with his antagonist, and flung him several times with great violence upon the earth, greatly to the amusement of the other Indians, who laughed immoderately at their companion's defeat by one seemingly so disaproptioned in strength. The two Indians, finding that it was growing a serious matter, came to the rescue of their companion, and with several strokes of their war clubs, felled Cassiday to the ground. Fortunately, Cassiday fell with his hand upon the knife which his competitor had let fall, and rising, brandished it with such fierceness that the Indians gave back, when he, stepping to one side, darted rapidly into the woods. The darkness of the night enabled him to elude his pursuers until he came to a deep pool of water, overhung by a large sycamore. Under the roots of the tree, up to his neck in the water, he remained concealed until the Indians, flashing their torches around him in every direction, gave up in despair. He carried to his grave the marks of the Indian clubs, to testify with what good will they were given. Colonel Thomas Jones, who was at the burial of the two men (Bennett and Spor), yet lives near Flemingsburg. To be continued next week. © Copyright 30 June 2005, Sandra K. Gorin Sandi's Puzzlers: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~gensoup/gorin/puz.html SCKY Links: http://www.public.asu.edu/~moore/Gorin.html GGP: http://ggpublishing.tripod.com/