Ohio History Journal

OHIO

Archaeological and Historical

PUBLICATIONS.

 

 

SIMON KENTON.

 

PROF. R. W. M'FARLAND.

 

 

SECTION I.

 

PRELIMINARY NOTE.

It may seem to many people that enough has already been

written both of Boone and Kenton: the first having been the

most prominent early settler of Kentucky; the second having

been the scout who did probably more than any one else, not ex-

cepting Boone himself, to save the settlers from the tomahawk

and scalping knife of the Indian. By Boone's own account, it

appears that he, John Finley, John Stewart, and three others left

their homes on the Yadkin river, North Carolina "in quest of the

country of Kentucky. This was in May, 1769, and 'on the ₇th'

day of June following, we found ourselves on Red river, the

northernmost branch of the Kentucky river."

The party continued hunting with great success throughout

the summer and fall, as late as December 22d. Soon after this

date, Stewart was killed by the Indians, the first victim to fall,

so far as is known. Estimates of the number of men, women,

and children killed by the savages from 1770 to 1790, vary from

fifteen hundred or two thousand. No one puts the number be-

low the smaller of these two numbers. Of course the exact

number can never be known; but it is an appalling list, viewed

in any light whatever.

Vol. XIII.- 1.          (1)

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It should be noted that before the year 1774, the only per-

sons in Kentucky were the early hunters and explorers. It is

true that Boone, and a company of about forty persons, had

attempted to reach the new country in the fall of 1773, but on

the 10th of October, they were attacked by Indians, and six of

the white men killed, and one wounded. This occurred in

Powell's valley, not far from Cumberland Gap.  The rest re-

turned without delay.

In the great amount and rush of business in all parts of this

country, there is some probability that too little attention may be

given to the history of the early settlements or attempted settle-

ments:- to the dangers, the distress, the heroic courage, and

the long endurance of the "Hunters of Kentucky."

Many sketches of Kenton's life have been written, some

with, and some without adequate knowledge of the subject.

Preparatory to writing this sketch, the writer hereof spent a

week in the State Library at Columbus, examining the various

accounts found there. To show the uncritical way in which so-

called History is too often written, it may be proper to state that

in these various publications it was found that Kenton was born

in two different counties, at six different dates, and that he died

on three different days.

Of the sketches above referred to, the two which stray fur-

thest from the truth are, the one in the American Magazine of His-

tory, printed several years ago, and the article in Harper's Mag-

azine for February, 1864. The latter account seems to have been

written with "malice prepense," the author having absolutely no

proper conception of the character which he professed to set

forth; -the other may be properly characterized as "apocry-

phal," having the setting of a fairy story, and the lineaments of

a myth.

The account written in 1838 by Col. John McDonald of Ross

County, a companion of Kenton in several expeditions against the

Indians, is a story of a very different cast, and sets the man be-

fore you in the proper light. So, also, is the account written in

1832, by John A. McClung, of Kentucky. This latter sketch was

regarded by Kenton's friends and relations as being strictly cor-

rect, as far as it goes, but it does not profess to be a complete ac-

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Simon Kenton.                      3

 

count, merely sketches of the principal events in his remarkable

career.

In the several accounts given by the various parties there are

irreconcilable contraditions. Of course there is error some-

where. Reference will be made to several of these cases in the

course of this narrative.

In the April number of this Journal for 1903, appeared an

article which showed the opportunities enjoyed by the writer of

this sketch of becoming acquainted with the life and character of

Simon Kenton, and to that article reference may be had by all

who may care to know the particulars. By reason of the state-

ments therein set forth, and the several minor notices of Ken-

ton which have appeared in the Quarterly, I have been requested

to give some account of the life and character of Kenton, whose

checkered career as pioneer, scout, and spy for about twenty-five

years, has no parallel in the annals of the West.

At the unveiling of the Kenton monument in the Urbana

cemetery in 1884, General Keifer in his address on that occasion,

said, "A long life of hardy adventures, with unexampled courage,

and a devoted patriotism in the cause of his country, justly stamp

him as illustrious."

SECTION II.

 

THE KENTON FAMILY.

In connection with this sketch of Simon Kenton, it may be

well to give some account of the Kenton family, - no such ac-

count, so far as I know, having ever been printed; and most peo-

ple prefer to know something of the surroundings of the princi-

pal character.

Mark Kenton, Simon's father, was born in Ireland, March

1, 1701. On his arrival in this country he made his way to

northern Virginia. His wife was of Scotch descent. Their old-

est child, William, was born September 20, 1737. Other sons

were Benjamin, Mark, Simon, and John. There was one sis-

ter, whether more, I do not know, the record not being complete.

Benjamin was a soldier in the revolutionary war, and died in

Philadelphia in the course of the war. Mark, born 1749, was

also a soldier, and died in 1785. Simon was born April 3, 1755,

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and John in 1757. After the latter came west, he lived many years

in Mason county, Kentucky, but the date of his death is not found

in the Kenton family record.

Whether the father lived in Culpepper or Fauquier county,

the record does not say: some writers give one county; some the

other as Simon's birthplace. However it may be, it is certain

that when the Kenton kindred went west in 1783, the leader of

the colony, William, the oldest son of Mark, moved from Fau-

quier county; the record so states the fact. William Kenton

and his family of six children, the father, Mark, and about forty

others, neighbors and friends, left Fauquier county, September

16, 1783, and reached the Monongahela, in the vicinity of Red-

stone, (now Brownsville, Pa.) about the middle of October.

The father, being in his eighty-third year, was very feeble,

and died just before the company reached the river, and was

buried on the bank of that stream. For some days previous to

his death he was carried on a horse litter. This consisted of two

long poles, one end of each being fastened to the collar of a horse,

and the other end resting on the ground ten or twelve feet to the

rear of the horse. To these poles cross pieces were fastened, and

a cot was then firmly tied on this rude frame, and the invalid

bound to the cot. The company, having procured boats, and

laid in a supply of provisions, ammunition, etc., embarked for

the falls of the Ohio, Louisville, and reached that point about the

first of December, 1783. Thence the family moved to the vicin-

ity of Harrodsburg, and remained about ten years. Then they

moved to Mason county, a few miles inland from Limestone,

(now Maysville) and remained until 1801, when there was a

general emigration of the kindred to the valley of Mad river, in

what subsequently became Champaign county, Ohio. They lo-

cated in the western half of the county, their land extending

from the river westwardly two or three miles, and lying north

of the village of Westville.

By this time William's children were mostly grown, and sev-

eral of them were married. There were Philip, Thomas, William,

Mark, Elizabeth, Jane, and Mary of the one family. Simon had

preceded his brother by two years, and together with half a dozen

other families, had erected a sort of fort a couple of miles north-

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Simon Kenton.                      5

 

wardly from the present site of Springfield. This was before

either Springfield or Urbana was laid out, the former being laid

out in 1801, and the latter in 1805, Champaign being set off in

1803 and Clark in 1817. In those early days Mad River was

sometimes called Chillicothe River. The early settlers knew

when they found a good country; and whoever knows the Mad

River valley, knows that it is about as fine a stretch of land as

any the sun shines on.

Intermarried with the Kentons either before or after their

removal to this state, were persons of several names, Arrow-

smith, Talbot, Corwin, Bayles, Haller, McCord, Cheatham, Mc-

Ginnis, McFarland, Osborn, Chance, Putman, Mouser, Sears,

Russell, Phillips, Lewis, Dowden, Owens, and others, names well

known in Champaign county as among the pioneers of the Mad

River valley in the first quarter of the last century. It appears

therefore that a goodly number of the relatives of Simon Kenton

enjoyed the bounties of the country which he had so long served,

as Indian scout and spy, and as the intrepid soldier.

After these preliminaries we come to the main topic of this

article.

SECTION III.

 

SIMON KENTON.

The counties of Fauquier and Culpepper are contiguous and

are situated about fifty miles westwardly from Washington City.

Of course it is well known that this city was not laid out till near

the close of the eighteenth century; and it is referred to here

merely as a convenient way of locating places for the benefit of

such as may wish easy rather than elaborate reference.

Simon's early life was passed on the farm with his father

and other members of the family. But there is no specific ac-

count of his work or his words till he was about sixteen years old.

Then occurred an event which changed the whole current of his

humble life, and started him on a career which for wild ad-

venture, hair-breadth escapes, for grand service rendered to his

fellow pioneers, has never been equaled; a career extending over

about twenty-five years, not the "piping times of peace," but

times of unbroken war from year to year, from month to month,

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6         Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.   and sometimes from day to day. Through all this long fight of the pioneers of Kentucky for the possession of the land, there was no force sent against the savage foe, but in front of that

force, as spy and scout, Kenton was found, and the service ren- dered does not admit of calculation. And the private and per- sonal expeditions came oftener than the seasons, and there was scarcely a month in that long series of years in which Kenton did not risk his own life for the sake of his fellow pioneers. It

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Simon Kenton.                      7

 

is natural that such a career should be the center around which

mythical story and weird legend should gather.

But to return to the unpleasant incident above referred to.

Even in regard to this event there are conflicting accounts, one

of which had a great variety of particulars, which can not pos-

sibly be all true, and it is far more likely that all are false, and

were invented in order to round out the trumped-up story. Be-

fore Kenton was sixteen years of age, he fell in love with a

neighbor's daughter, as did also another young man of the vi-

cinity. The general outline of this story is here inserted because

it is found in several of the sketches of Kenton's life, copied, I

judge, by the later writers. I do not know who first wrote up

the story. It is to this effect, that on the occasion of the mar-

riage of his rival to his sweetheart Kenton went unbidden to the

wedding and made himself disagreeable to the company by his

unseemly conduct; that his rival, here called William Veach,

gave Kenton a severe drubbing; others say that the drubbing

was administered by the bridegroom's brother and friends, that

in consequence, Kenton subsequently sought out his successful

rival and had the personal rencounter which sent Kenton to the

wild west under an assumed name. Below is the account of the

affair as given by McClung in his "Sketches of Western Ad-

venture." About two years after Simon's death I read Mc-

Clung's account to Thomas Kenton, Simon's nephew, a man who

was closely associated with Simon for fifty years, and who was,

at the time of the reading, in strong and vigorous old age of

about seventy years. Inasmuch as this man had not learned to

read, I read McClung's story very carefully, repeating large parts

of it again and again in order that he might fully understand all

that the historian intended to say, and see that it corresponded

with his own knowledge of the case. His comment will be given

further on. Here is what McClung says:

"At the age of sixteen, by an unfortunate adventure, he was

launched into life, with no other fortune than a stout heart and a

robust set of limbs. It seems that, young as he was, his heart

had become entangled in the snares of a young coquette in the

neighborhood, who was grievously perplexed by the necessity of

choosing one husband out of many lovers. Young Kenton and

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a robust farmer by the name of Leitchman seem to have been the

most favored suitors, and the young lady, not being able to

decide on their respective merits, they took the matter into their

own hands, and in consequence of foul play on the part of

Leitchman's friends, young Kenton was beaten with great se-

verity. He submitted to his fate, for a time, in silence, but in-

ternally vowed that as soon as he had obtained his full growth,

he would take ample vengeance upon his rival, for the disgrace

which he had sustained at his hands. He waited patiently until

the following spring, when, finding himself six feet high, and

full of health and action, he determined to delay the hour of ret-

ribution no longer. He, accordingly walked over to Leitchman's

house one morning, and, finding him busily engaged in carrying

shingles from the woods to his own house, he stopped him and

told him his object, and desired him to adjourn to a spot more

convenient for the purpose. Leitchman, confident in his superior

age and strength, was not backward in testifying his willingness

to indulge him in so amiable a pastime, and having reached a

solitary spot in the wood they both stripped and prepared for the

encounter. The battle was fought with all the fury which nat-

ural hate, jealousy, and herculean power on both sides could sup-

ply; and after a severe round in which considerable damage was

done and received, Kenton was brought to the ground. Leitch-

man (as usual in Virginia) sprung upon him without the least

scruple, and added the most bitter taunts to the kicks with which

he saluted him from his head to his heels, reminding him of his

former defeat, and rubbing salt into the raw wounds of jeal-

ousy by triumphant allusions to his own superiority both in love

and war. During these active operations on the part of Leitch-

man, Kenton lay perfectly still, eying attentively a small bush

which grew near them. It instantly occurred to him, that if he

could wind Leitchman's hair, (which was remarkably long,)

around this bush, he would be able to return the kicks which

were now bestowed upon him in such profusion. The difficulty

was to get his antagonist near enough. This he at length ef-

fected in the good old Virginia style, viz.: by biting him en ar-

riere, and compelling him by short springs to approach the bush,

much as a bullock is goaded on to approach the fatal ring, where

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Simon Kenton.                     9

 

all his struggles are useless. When near enough Kenton sud-

denly exerted himself violently, and succeeded in wrapping the

long hair of his rival around the sapling. He then sprang to his

feet and inflicted a terrible revenge for all his past injuries. In

a few minutes Leitchman was gasping, apparently in the agonies

of death. Kenton instantly fled, without returning for an addi-

tional supply of clothing, and directed his steps westward. This

was on April 6, 1771. During the first day of his journey he

traveled in much agitation. He supposed that Leitchman was

dead, and that the hue and cry would instantly be raised after

himself as the murderer. The constant apprehension of the gal-

lows lent wings to his flight, and he scarcely allowed himself a

moment for refreshment, until he had reached the neighborhood

of Warm Springs, where the settlements were thin and the im-

mediate danger of pursuit was over. Here, he fortunately fell

in with an exile from the state of New Jersey, by the name of

Johnson, who was traveling westward on foot, and driving a

single pack horse, laden with a few necessaries, before him.

They soon became acquainted, related their adventures to each

other, and agreed to travel together. They plunged boldly into

the wilderness of the Alleghany mountains, and subsisting upon

wild game, and a small amount of flour which Johnson had

brought with him, they made no halt until they arrived at a small

settlement on Cheat river, one of the prongs of the Monongha-

hela. Here the two friends separated, and Kenton, (who had

assumed the name of Butler,) attached himself to a small com-

pany, headed by John Mahon and Jacob Greathouse who had

united for the purpose of exploring the country." So far, Mc-

Clung.

It is sufficient to say that the company fitted themselves out

with a canoe or two and with the supplies deemed necessary, and

floated down the river to a settlement. Here Kenton fell in with

two men named Yeager and Strader, the former of whom had

been captured when a child, and had passed many years with the

Indians. He gave glowing accounts of a country called Kain-

tuckee, lying on the south side of the Ohio river. He claimed that

for fertility of soil, luxuriant vegetation, and general excellence.

there was no country equal to it; that it was entirely uninhabi-

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ted, but was used as hunting grounds by the various tribes, for

there were immense droves of buffalo and elks and other animals

sought after by hunters. He claimed also that he would be able

to recognize the place where the Indians were accustomed to

cross the river. Kenton's curiosity was aroused, and procuring

a canoe, the three men floated down the Ohio for days in search

of the goodly land. They probably reached the vicinity of Mays-

ville, but not finding what they expected, they retraced their

course up the river, somewhat inclined to rally Yeager for his

glowing description of the undiscovered country; but Yeager

still insisting that he was right. On their way up the river they

examined, to some extent, the country on the Big and Little

Sandy, the Guyandotte, and other streams, and finally went up

the Great Kanawha as far as the Elk river, not far from the

present site of Charleston. Here they hunted through the re-

mainder of the year, and in the early part of 1772, took their

peltries to the Ohio, and exchanged with the traders of Pitts-

burg for necessary supplies of provisions and ammunition.

Returning to their hunting grounds they passed the re-

mainder of the year in their usual way. In March, 1773, while

in camp, the three hunters were fired on by Indians, Strader

being killed. Kenton and Yeager barely escaped with their lives,

being compelled to abandon guns, blankets, and provisions, and

committing themselves to the wilderness, "without means of

sheltering themselves from the cold, procuring a morsel of food,

or even kindling a fire." They started for the Ohio, allaying

their hunger during the first two days by chewing such roots as

they could find on the way. "On the third day their strength

began to fail, and the keen appetite which had at first constantly

tortured them, was succeeded by nausea, accompanied with diz-

ziness and a sinking of the heart bordering on despair. On the

fourth day they threw themselves on the ground, determined to

await the approach of death, and were as often stimulated by

the instinctive love of life to arise and resume their journey. On

the fifth day they were completely exhausted, and were able only

to crawl at intervals. In this manner they traveled about a mile

during the day, and succeeded by sunset in reaching the banks of

the Ohio. Here, to their inexpressible joy, they encountered a

• 10
 

Simon Kenton.                    11

 

party of traders, from whom they obtained a comfortable sup-

ply of provisions."

The traders were not pleased with the dangerous situation,

and returned at once to the mouth of the Little Kanawha, a place

of comparative safety. Here they met Dr. Briscoe at the head of

another exploring party. Of him Kenton obtained a rifle and

ammunition and again plunged alone into the forest, and hunted

with success until the summer of '73 was far advanced." He

then returned to the Little Kanawha and "found a party of four-

teen men under the direction of Dr. Wood and Hancock Lee

who were descending the Ohio with the view of joining Capt.

Bullitt, who was supposed to be at the mouth of the Scioto, with

a large party on his way to Kentucky. Kenton joined Dr.

Wood's company, and they descended the river in canoes as far

as the Three Islands, frequently stopping and examining the

country on both sides of the Ohio. At these islands they were

alarmed by the approach of a large party of Indians. They

abandoned their canoes, and struck across the wilderness in the

direction of the settlements in the Greenbrier country. This re-

treat was coupled with extra danger, because Wood was bitten

by a copperhead snake, and the company was compelled to wait

about two weeks until the Doctor was able to travel. But at

length they reached the settlements in safety. Kenton, not car-

ing to return to the older parts of Virginia, built a canoe at some

point on the Monongahela, and again went to the Great Kanawha,

and hunted until the spring of 1774, when war broke out with

the Indians, chiefly on account of the murder of Logan's rela-

tions by some evil-disposed white men. Lord Dunmore, Gov-

ernor of Virginia, raised two large bodies of troops, with a view

of conquering a peace. One division was commanded by Col.

Lewis, and marched from the central parts of Virginia to the

mouth of the Great Kanawha, where the celebrated battle of

Point Pleasant was fought on October 10, 1774. Lord Dun-

more's division went down the river from Pittsburg to the mouth

of the Hocking, built a fort, and then advanced towards the

Pickaway plains on the Scioto. Kenton and Simon Girty were

two of Dunmore's scouts, and their weeks of service together

laid a foundation for friendship which on a later occasion re-

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suited in rescuing Kenton from the stake. These men carried

dispatches from Dunmore to Lewis before the battle, but neither

of the scouts was in the fight, having set out on the return

journey.

In the year 1775 Girty left the whites and took up his abode

with the Indians, and became one of them. Two or three of

Girty's brothers had been captured in boyhood and were living

with different tribes. Shortly after the battle of Point Pleasant,

the remainder of Lewis's forces joined Dunmore on the Scioto,

and a treaty was made with the Shawnees, after which the troops

returned to Virginia.

Kenton's services as scout being for the time at an end, and

for a youth only nineteen years of age, having had very wide

experience as a hunter and scout, he still thought of the wonder-

ful land on the Ohio, as described by Yeager years before.

Wherefore very early in the spring of 1775 he and two compan-

ions set off in a canoe to search once more for the enchanted land.

They went as far down as Big Bone creek, miles below North

Bend. Making extensive search in that region and not finding

what he was looking for, the party returned up the river as far

as Cabin creek above the site of Maysville. Here they debarked

and struck across the country, determined to find out whether or

not such a paradise was in existence. A few miles back from

the river they were greatly pleased with the beauty of the land,

and the evidences of great fertility of the soil. At length they

fell in with a great buffalo trace which in a few hours brought

them to the Lower Blue Lick. The flats on both sides of the

river being crowded with great herds of buffalo, which had come

to the salt licks; a number of deer appeared on the ridges near

by, and the great object of their search was attained. And so

pleased were they that the exploration was continued towards the

south, until they had traversed, in great part, the land now con-

stituting the counties of Scott, Woodford, Fayette, Montgomery,

and one or two others. Finding another buffalo trace they fol-

lowed it to the Upper Blue Lick, on their return route. This

expedition had brought to their view a country superior to any

that Yeager had led them to expect, and they determined at

once to establish more permanent quarters. In all this long

• 12
 

Simon Kenton.                     13

 

tramp they did not find any indications of white men. Butler, in

his history of Kentucky, says that the first log cabin in Ken-

tucky was bulit by James Harrod in 1774, on the present site of

Harrodsburg, that it was occupied but a short time when the

hostilities of the Indians caused the inhabitants to withdraw till

the next year. Butler also says, "It was not until the 14th of

June, 1775, that the first fort of the white man was built in Ken-

tucky."

The place was called Boonesborough, was in what is now

Madison county and about twenty miles southeasterly from Lex-

ington. In executing their purpose of permanent quarters, Ken-

ton and his companions returned to the mouth of Cabin creek,

and then up the Ohio a few miles to the place where they had

deposited some stores, axes, hoes, etc., which they had brought

from the Little Kanawha. Returning they built a cabin about

where Washington now stands, cleared an acre or so in the midst

of a large canebrake, and planted it in corn. It is claimed that

this was the first corn raised north of the Licking river. Where-

fore Kenton may be considered as among the very first settlers

of Kentucky, for his cabin was built before the "first fort," and

it was occupied by the three men before the return of Harrod's

party to his abandoned cabin, in the latter part of 1775. Stroll-

ing about the country they fell in with two men near the Lower

Blue Lick. They were destitute of guns, and supplies of every

kind, apparently lost in the wilderness. The men claimed that a

few days before while coming down the Ohio, their boat was

capsized in a squall, that their guns, ammunition, and supplies of

every kind were lost, and that they were attempting to find their

way back to Virginia through the woods. They gave their

names as Fitzpatrick and Hendricks. McClung says, Kenton in-

formed them of the small settlement which he had opened at

Washington, and invited them to join him and share such for-

tune as providence might bestow. Hendricks consented to re-

main, but Fitzpatrick, being heartily sick of the woods, insisted

upon returning to the Monongahela. Kenton and his two friends

accompanied Fitzpatrick to "the point" as it was then called,

being the spot where Maysville now stands; and having given

him a gun, etc., assisted him in crossing the river, and took leave

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14       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

of him on the other side. In the meantime Hendricks had been

left at the Blue Lick without a gun, but with a good supply of

provisions, until the party should return from the river. As

soon as Fitzpatrick had gone, Kenton and his two friends hast-

ened to return to the Lick, not doubting for a moment that they

would find Hendricks in camp as they had left him. Upon ar-

riving at the point where the tent had stood, however, they were

alarmed at finding it deserted, with evident marks of violence

around it. Several bullet holes were to be seen in the poles of

which it was constructed, and various articles belonging to Hen-

dricks were tossed about in too negligent a manner to warrant

the belief that it had been done by him. At a little distance from

the camp, in a low ravine they observed a thick smoke, as if from

a fire just beginning to burn. They did not doubt for a moment

that Hendricks had fallen into the hands of the Indians." And

not knowing how large the party might be, the returning party

beat a hasty retreat, and remained away until evening of the next

day, when they returned and cautiously reconnoitered the place.

The Indians were gone, but the skull and bones of their friend

too plainly revealed the manner of his death. They sadly re-

traced their steps to their cabin in the canebrake, pondering on

the insecurity of their own condition, and the danger to which

they were daily exposed, from the numerous bands of Indians

who were prowling around in every direction.

They remained, however, entirely undiscovered and undis-

turbed until the month of September, when again visiting the

Lick they saw a white man who informed them that the interior

of the country was already occupied by the whites, and that there

was a flourishing settlement at Boonesborough. Being highly

gratified by this intelligence, they broke up their encampment

near the river and visited the various stations which had been

erected at different points in the interior.

In the years 1776 and 1777 the Indians were very trouble-

some. In the old edition of Collins's History of Kentucky, p.

385, we find the following incident. "The incursions into the

country by the savage foe were frequent and bloody, and every

station was hotly besieged, Boonesborough sustaining three. To

watch the Indians and give timely notice of their approach, six

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Simon Kenton.                    15

spies were appointed, for the payment of whom Major Clark

pledged the faith of Virginia. Boone appointed Kenton and

Thomas Brooks; Harrod appointed Samuel Moore and Bates

Collier; and Logan, John Conrad and John Martin. These spies

performed good service. It was the custom for two each week

by turns, to range up and down the Ohio, and about the deserted

stations, looking for Indian signs, etc.

On one occasion, Kenton and two others early in the morn-

ing, having loaded their guns for a hunt, were standing in the

gate of Boonesborough, when two men in the fields were fired on

by the Indians. They immediately fled, not being hurt. The

Indians pursued them, and a warrior overtook and tomahawked

one of the men within seventy yards of the fort, and proceeded

leisurely to scalp him. Kenton shot the daring savage dead,

and immediately, with his hunting companions, gave chase to the

others. Boone, hearing the noise, with ten men hastened out to

the assistance of the spies. Kenton turned and observed an In-

dian taking aim at the party of Boone; quick as thought he

brought his rifle to his shoulder, pulled the trigger first, and the

red man bit the dust. Boone having advanced some distance,

now discovered that his small party, consisting of fourteen men,

were cut off from the fort by a large body of the foe, which had

got between him and the gate. There was no time to be lost:

Boone gave the word, "Right about - fire - charge," and the

intrepid hunters dashed in among their adversaries, in a des-

perate endeavor to reach the fort. At the first fire from the In-

dians, seven of the fourteen whites were wounded, among the

number, the gallant Boone, whose leg was broken, which

stretched him on the ground. An Indian sprang on him with

uplifted tomahawk, but before the blow descended, Kenton,

everywhere present, rushed upon the warrior, discharged his gun

into his heart, and bore his leader into the fort. When the gate

was closed and all things secure, Boone sent for Kenton. "Well,

Simon," said the pioneer, "You have behaved yourself like a man

to-day; indeed you are a fine fellow." This was great praise

from Boone, who was a silent man, little given to compliment.

Kenton had deserved the eulogium: he had saved the life of his

captain and killed three Indians, without having time to scalp any

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16       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

one of them. There was little time to spare, we may well be-

lieve, when Kenton could not stop to take a scalp."

Very early in the year 1778, General George Rogers Clark

started on his renowned expedition against Kaskaskia and other

Illinois towns. Kenton was employed by Clark as a scout.

When the expedition was completed Kenton was sent back with

dispatches to the general government. He and his two or three

companions took Vincennes in their route, procured a couple of

horses for each man, and on reaching White river, a few miles

on the way from Vincennes, their horses were re-taken by the

Indians just after passing the river, and the men saved them-

selves by hiding until night fall, when they escaped and brought

the dispatches through, but with adventures not here related, al-

though of the usual characteristic variety.

Shortly after this affair Boone and Kenton concerted an ex-

pedition against a small Indian town on Paint creek, not far from

the present city of Chillicothe. In addition to the two men

named there were nineteen others. The following is McClung's

account. "Kenton acted as a spy on this expedition, and after

crossing the Ohio, being some distance in advance of the rest,

[and now not far from the Paint creek town,] he was suddenly

startled by hearing a loud laugh from an adjoining thicket, which

he was about to enter. Instantly halting, he took his station

behind a tree, and awaited anxiously for a repetiton of the noise.

In a few minutes two Indians approached the spot where he lay,

both mounted upon a small pony, and laughing and chatting in

high good humor. [The Indians were riding back to back.] Hav-

ing permitted them to approach within good rifle distance, he

raised his gun, and aiming at the breast of the foremost pulled

the trigger. Both Indians fell, the one shot dead, the other se-

verely wounded. Their frightened pony galloped back into the

cane, giving the alarm to the rest of the party who were some

distance in the rear. Kenton instantly ran up to scalp the dead

man and to tomahawk his wounded companion, according to the

usual rule of western warfare; but when about to put an end to

the struggles of the wounded Indian, who did not seem dis-

posed to submit very quietly to the operation, his attention was

attracted by the rustling of the cane on his right, and turning

• 16
 

Simon Kenton.                     17

rapidly in that direction, he beheld two Indians within twenty

steps of him, very deliberately taking aim at his person. A quick

spring to one side on his part was instantly followed by the flash

and report of their rifles,-the balls whistled close to his ears,

causing him involuntarily to duck his head, but doing him no in-

jury. Not liking so hot a neighborhood, and ignorant of the

number which might yet be behind, he lost no time in regaining

the shelter of the wood, leaving the dead Indian unscalped, and

the wounded man to the care of his friends. Scarcely had he

treed when a dozen Indians appeared on the edge of the cane-

brake, and seemed disposed to press upon him with more vigor

than was consistent with the safety of his present position. His

fears, however, were instantly relieved by the appearance of

Boone and his party, who came running up as rapidly as a due

regard to the shelter of their persons would permit, and opening

a brisk fire upon the Indians, quickly compelled them to regain

the shelter of the canebrake, with the loss of several wounded,

who, as usual, were carried off. The dead Indian, in the hurry

of the retreat, was abandoned, and Kenton at last had the gratifi-

cation of taking his scalp."

It will be noticed that Kenton's quick motions saved his life

in the above encounter, and it may be well to say that for agil-

ity of action, for quickness in reaching conclusions, he possibly

had no equal among all the hosts of agile men who constituted the

major part of the pioneers of Kentucky. A remarkable instance

is related above in the extract from Collins's History, where death

came to the Indian before the uplifted tomahawk had time to fall

on the head of Boone. And in the sixteen combats with single

Indians, as I heard from Kenton's own lips, he was every time

too quick for his antagonist. Of this trait an instance will be

given farther on; my father was a witness to the transaction. In

1778, the year in which Kenton suffered his greatest hardships,

he was past twenty-three years of age, but having six years of

steady experience in the forests of the west, and in constant con-

flict with the ubiquitous savage.

But returning from this digression, it is right to say, that

the intended surprise of the Indian village being now impossible,

Boone, with all his men, except Kenton and Montgomery, re-

Vol. XIII-- 2.

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18       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

turned at once to Kentucky. But these two men determined to

make a night visit to the village and procure a horse or two as

some compensation for their time and trouble. The Indians

were continually killing or capturing the horses of the settlers,

and reprisals were made as often as was found practicable, as

was right and just. Kenton and Montgomery captured two

horses each, and by a rapid night's travel, they got beyond dan-

ger of pursuit, crossed the Ohio at the mouth of Eagle creek, and

made a safe return.

And now begins the most eventful period of Kenton's long

career. I cannot better introduce the subject than by quoting

somewhat fully from McClung; and the more particularly as that

account was pronounced as being in entire accord with what

Simon had related to his people, the Kentons. This statement

was made by Thomas Kenton, the nephew referred to in the

first part of this narrative. Thomas, not having learned to read,

gave the closer attention to the statements of McClung as they

were read and read again for the purpose of comparison with

oral statements long current in the family. There was only one

mistake. When I read that Simon found Leitchman carrying

shingles from the woods, he cried out with great vehemence,

"That's a lie, it wasn't shingles, it was two foot clapboards."

When one reflects that there is only six inches difference in the

length of the two kinds of house covering, he may well believe

that the printed account is substantially correct. McClung says,

"Scarcely had he returned, [as just related,] when Col. Bow-

man ordered him to take his friend Montgomery and another

young man named Clark, and go on a secret expedition to an In-

dian town on the Little Miami, against which the Colonel medi-

tated an expedition, and of the exact condition of which he

wished certain information. They instantly set out, in obedience

to their orders, and reached the neighborhood of the town with-

out being discovered. They examined it attentively and walked

around the houses during the night with impunity. Thus far all

had gone well, and had they been contented to return after due

execution of their orders, they would have avoided the heavy

calamity which awaited them. But unfortunately during their

nightly parade they stumbled upon a pound in which there were

• 18
 

Simon Kenton.                     19

a number of Indian horses. The temptation was not to be re-

sisted. They each mounted a horse, but not satisfied with that,

they could not find it in their hearts to leave a single animal be-

hind them, and as some of the animals seemed indisposed to

change masters, the affair was attended with so much fracas, that

at last they were discovered. The cry ran through the village

at once, that the Long Knives were stealing their horses right be-

fore the doors of their wigwams, and old and young, squaws,

boys, and warriors, all sallied out with loud screams to save their

property from these greedy spoilers. Kenton and his friends

quickly discerned that they had overshot the mark, and that they

must ride for their lives; but even in this extremity, they could

not bring themselves to give up a single horse which they had

haltered, and while two of them rode in front and led, I know

not how many horses, the other brought up the rear, and plying

whip from right to left, did not permit a single horse to lag be-

hind. In this manner they dashed through the woods at a furi-

ous rate with the hue and cry after them, until their course was

suddenly stopped by an impenetrable swamp. Here, from ne-

cessity they paused for a few moments and listened attentively.

Hearing no sounds of pursuit they resumed their course, and

skirting the swamp for some distance, in the vain hope of cross-

ing it, they bent their course in a straight direction for the Ohio.

They rode during the whole night without resting a moment,

and halting for a few minutes at daylight, they continued their

journey throughout the day and the whole of the following night,

and by this uncommon expedition, on the morning of the second

day they reached the northern bank of the Ohio [near the mouth

of White Oak creek]. Crossing the river would now ensure their

safety, but this was likely to prove a difficult undertaking, and

the close pursuit which they had reason to expect, rendered it

necessary to lose as little time as possible. The wind was high

and the river rough and boisterous. It was determined that

Kenton should cross with the horses, while Clark and Montgom-

ery should construct a raft in order to transport their guns, bag-

gage, and ammunition to the opposite shore. The necessary

preparations were soon made, and Kenton, after forcing his

horses into the river, plunged in himself and swam by their side.

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20       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

In a very few minutes the high waves completely overwhelmed

him and forced him considerably below the horses, that stemmed

the current much more vigorously than himself. The horses,

thus being left to themselves, turned, about, and swam again to

the Ohio shore, where Kenton was compelled to follow them.

Again he forced them into the water, and again they returned to

the same spot, until Kenton became so exhausted by repeated

efforts, as to be unable to swim. A council was then held and

the question proposed, "What was to be done?" That the In-

dians would pursue them was certain; that the horses would not

and could not be made to cross the river in its present state was

equally certain. Should they abandon the horses and cross on

the raft, or remain with the horses and take such fortune as

heaven should send to them? The latter alternative was unani-

mously adopted. Death or captivity might be tolerated, but the

loss of so beautiful a lot of horses, after having worked so hard

for them, was not to be thought of for a moment. As soon as it

was determined that themselves and horses were to share the

same fate, it again became necessary to fix upon some probable

plan of saving them. Should they move up or down the river,

or remain where they were? The latter course was adopted. It

was supposed that the wind would fall at sunset and the river

become sufficiently calm to admit of their passage, and as it was

supposed probable that the Indians might be upon them before

night, it was determined to conceal the horses in a deep, neigh-

boring ravine, while they should take their stations in an ad-

joining wood. A more miserable plan could not have been

adopted. If they could not consent to sacrifice their horses

in order to save their own lives, they should have moved

either up or down the river, and thus have preserved the dis-

tance from  the Indians which their rapidity of movement

had gained. The Indians would have to follow their trail, and

being twenty-four hours march behind them, could never have

overtaken them.   But neglecting this obvious consideration,

they stupidly sat down until sunset, expecting that the river

would become more calm. The day passed away in tranquillity,

but at night the wind blew harder than ever, and the water be-

came so rough that their raft would have scarcely been able to

• 20
 

Simon Kenton.                     21

 

cross. Not an instant more should have been lost in moving

away from so dangerous a place; but, as if totally infatuated,

they remained where they were until morning, thus wasting

twenty-four hours of most precious time in total idleness. In

the morning the wind abated and the river became calm; but it

was now too late. Their horses, recollecting the difficulty of the

passage of the previous day, had become as obstinate and heed-

less as their masters, and positively and repeatedly refused to

take the water. Finding every effort to compel them, entirely

unavailing, their masters at length determined to do what ought

to have been done at first. Each resolved to mount a horse and

make the best of his way down the river to Louisville. Had even

this resolution, however tardily adopted, been executed with de-

cision, the party would probably have been saved; but after they

were mounted, instead of leaving the ground instantly, they went

back upon their own trail, in the vain effort to regain possession

of the rest of their horses, which had broken from them in the

last effort to drive them into the water. They wearied out their

good genius and literally fell victims to their love for horseflesh.

They had scarcely ridden one hundred yards, (Kenton in the

centre, the others upon the flanks with an interval of two hun-

dred yards between them,) when Kenton heard a loud halloo,

apparently coming from the spot which they had just left. In-

stead of getting out of the way as fast as possible and trusting to

the speed of his horse and the thickness of the wood for safety,

he set the last capping stone to his imprudence, and dismounting,

walked leisurely back to meet his pursuers, and thus give them as

little trouble as possible. He quickly beheld three Indians and

one white man, all well mounted. Wishing to give the alarm to

his companions, he raised his rifle to his shoulder and took steady

aim at the breast of the foremost Indian, and drew the trigger.

His gun had become wet on the raft and flashed. The enemy

were instantly alarmed and dashed at him. Now, at last, when

flight could be of no service, Kenton took to his heels, and was

pursued by four horsemen at full speed. He instantly directed

his steps to the thickest part of the woods, where there was much

fallen timber and a rank growth of underwood, and had suc-

ceeded as he thought in baffling his pursuers, when, just as he

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22       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

was leaving the fallen timber and entering the open wood, an

Indian on horseback galloped around the corner of the wood, and

approached him so rapidly as to render flight useless. The

horseman rode up, holding out his hand and calling out "brother,

brother," in a tone of great affection. Kenton observes that if

his gun would have made fire he would have "brothered" him to

his heart's content, but being wholly unarmed, he called out that

he would surrender if they would give him quarter and good

treatment. Promises were cheap with the Indian, and he show-

ered them out by the dozen, continuing all the while to advance

with extended hands and a writhing grin upon his countenance

which was intended for a smile of courtesy. Seizing Kenton's

hand he grasped it with violence. Kenton, not liking the man-

ner of his captor, raised his gun to knock him down, when an

Indian who had followed him closely through the brushwood,

instantly sprang upon his back and pinioned his arms to his side.

The one who had just approached him then seized him by the

hair and shook him until his teeth rattled, while the rest of the

party, coming up, all fell on Kenton with their tongues and ram-

rods, until he thought they would scold or beat him to death.

They were the owners of the horses which he had carried off,

and now took ample revenge for the loss of their property. At

every stroke of their ramrods over his head, (and they were

neither few nor far between,) they would repeat in a tone of

strong indignation, "Steal Indian hoss, hey!" Their attention,

however was soon diverted to Montgomery, who, having heard

the noise attending Kenton's capture, very gallantly hastened to

his assistance; while Clark, very prudently consulted his own

safety in betaking himself to his heels, leaving his unfortunate

companions to shift for themselves. Montgomery halted within

gunshot and appeared busy with the pan of his gun, as if prepar-

ing to fire. Two Indians instantly sprang off in pursuit of him,

while the rest attended to Kenton. In a few minutes Kenton

heard the crack of two rifles in quick succession, followed by a

halloo, which announced the fate of his friend. The Indians

quickly returned, waving the bloody scalp of Montgomery, and

with countenances and gestures which menaced him with a sim-

ilar fate. They then proceeded to secure their prisoner. They

• 22
 

Simon Kenton.                    23

 

first compelled him to lie upon his back, and stretch out his arms

to their full length. They passed a stout stick at right angles

across his breast to each extremity of which his wrists were

fastened by thongs made of Buffalo hide. Stakes were then

driven into the earth near his feet, to which they were fastened

in a similar manner. A halter was then tied around his neck

and fastened to a sapling which grew near, and finally a strong

rope was passed under his body, lashed strongly to the pole

which lay transversely on his breast, and finally wrapped around

his arms at the elbows in such a manner as to pinion them to the

pole with a painful violence, and render him literally incapable

of moving hand, foot, or head in the slightest manner. During

the whole of this operation neither their hands nor their tongues

were by any means idle. They cuffed him from time to time

with great heartiness, until his ears rang again, and abused him

for a "tief," a hoss steal, a rascal, and finally for a "d-d white

man." I may here observe that all the western Indians had

picked up a good many English words, particularly our oaths,

which, from the frequency with which they were used by our

hunters and traders, they probably looked upon as the very root

and foundation of the English language. Kenton remained in

this painful attitude throughout the night, looking forward to

certain death, and most probably, torture, as soon as he should

reach their town. Their rage against him seemed to increase

rather than abate, from indulgence, and in the morning it dis-

played itself in a form at once ludicrous and cruel. Among the

horses which Kenton had taken, and which their original owners

had now recovered, was a fine, but wild young colt, totally un-

broken, and with all his honors of mane and tail undocked.

Upon him Kenton was mounted, without saddle or bridle, with

his hands tied behind his back, and his feet tied under the horse's

belly. The country was rough and bushy, and Kenton had no

means of protecting his face from the brambles through which it

was expected that the colt would dash. As soon as the rider

was finally fastened to his back, the colt was turned loose with a

sudden lash, but after executing a few curvetts and caprioles, to

the great distress of his rider, but to the infinite amusement of

the Indians, he appeared to take compassion on his rider, and

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24       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

falling into line with the other horses avoided the brambles en-

tirely, and went on very well. In this manner he rode through

the day. At night he was taken from the horse and confined as

before. On the third day they came within a few miles of Chil-

licothe. [Of course this was the town from which the horses

were taken, and which some have supposed to mean the Chilli-

cothe on Paint creek, Ross county, claiming that McDonald in

his account of Kenton so says, but this is an error. Speaking

of this expedition of Kenton and his two companions, McDonald

says, "they crossed the Ohio and proceeded cautiously to Chil-

licothe, (now Old Town)." This applies as well to the Little

Miami town as to the one on Paint creek. One of these places

I have known for more than sixty years, and the other nearly as

long. Both were called "Old Town" when I first knew them;

and a few weeks ago I inquired of a gentleman who resides not

far from Xenia what name the old Indian town was now called.

He promptly replied, "Old Town." It is perfectly certain that

Kenton first ran the gauntlet at the Chillicothe on the Little

Miami, as has already been published in the Historical Quarterly,

and made clear to any judicial mind.] Here the party halted and

dispatched a messenger to inform the village of their arrival, in

order, I suppose, to give them time to prepare for his reception.

In a short time, Black Fish, one of their chiefs arrived, and regard-

ing Kenton with a stern countenance, thundered out in very

good English, "You have been stealing horses?"  "Yes, sir."

"Did Captain Boone tell you to steal our horses?" "No sir, I

did it of my own accord." This frank confession was too irri-

tating to be borne. Black Fish made no reply, but brandishing a

hickory switch which he held in his hand, he applied it so briskly

to Kenton's naked back and shoulders, as to bring the blood

freely and occasion acute pain.

Thus alternately beaten and scolded, he marched on to the

village. At the distance of a mile from Chillicothe, he saw every

inhabitant of the town, men, women, and children, running out

to feast their eyes with a view of the prisoner. Every indi-

vidual, down to the smallest child, appeared in a paroxysm of

rage. They whooped, they yelled, they hooted, they clapped

their hands, and poured upon him a flood of abuse to which all

• 24
 

Simon Kenton.                    25

 

that he had yet received was gentleness and civility. With loud

cries they demanded that their prisoner should be tied to the

stake. The hint was instantly complied with. A stake was

quickly fastened into the ground.  The remnant of Kenton's

shirt and breeches was torn from his person, (the squaws offi-

ciating with great dexterity in both operations,) and his hands

being tied together and raised above his head, were fastened to

the top of the stake. The whole party then danced around him

until midnight, yelling and screaming in their usual frantic man-

ner, striking him with switches, and slapping him with the palms

of their hands. He expected every moment to undergo the tor-

ture of fire, but that was reserved for another time.  They

wished to prolong the pleasure of tormenting him as much as

possible, and after having caused him to anticipate the bitterness

of death, until a late hour of the night, they released him from

the stake and conveyed him to the village. Early in the morn-

ing he beheld the scalp of Montgomery stretched upon a hoop,

and drying in the air before the door of one of their prin-

cipal houses. He was quickly led out and ordered to run the

gauntlet. A row of boys, women, and men extended to the dis-

tance of a quarter of a mile. At the starting place stood two

grim looking warriors with butcher knives in their hands, at the

extremity of the line was an Indian beating a drum, and a few

paces beyond the drum was the door of the council house.  Clubs,

switches, hoe handles, and tomahawks were brandished along

the whole line, causing the sweat involuntarily to stream from his

pores, at the idea of the discipline which his naked skin was to

receive during the race. The moment for starting arrived, the

great drum at the door of the council house was struck, and Ken-

ton sprang forward on the race * * * Kenton avoided the row

of his enemies, and turning to the east drew the whole party in

pursuit of him. He doubled several times with great activity,

and at length observing an opening he darted through it, and

pressed forward to the council house with a rapidity which left his

pursuers far behind. One or two of the Indians succeeded in

throwing themselves between him and the goal, and from these

alone he received a few blows, but was much less injured than he

could have at first supposed possible.

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26      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

As soon as the race was over, a council was held in order

to determine whether he should be burnt to death on the spot, or

carried round to the other villages and exhibited to every tribe.

The arbiters of his fate sat in a circle on the floor of the council

house, while the unhappy prisoner, naked and bound was com-

mitted to the care of a guard in the open air. The deliberation

commenced. Each warrior sat in silence while a large war club

was passed around the circle. Those who were opposed to

burning the prisoner on the spot were to pass the club in silence

to the next warrior; those in favor of burning, were to strike

the earth violently with the club before passing it.  A teller was

appointed to count the votes. This dignitary quickly reported

that the opposition had prevailed; that his execution was sus-

pended for the present, and that it was determined to take him

to an Indian town on Mad river, called Waughcotomoco, [Wapa-

tomica]. His fate was quickly announced to him by a rene-

gade white man who acted as interpreter. Kenton felt rejoiced

at the issue, but naturally became anxious to know what was in

reserve for him at Waughcotomoco. He accordingly asked the

white man, "What the Indians intended to do with him upon

reaching the appointed place." "Burn you, G-d d-n you" was

the ferocious reply. He asked no further questions, and the

scowling interpreter walked away.

Instantly preparations were made for his departure, and to

his great joy, as well as astonishment, his clothes were restored

to him, and he was permitted to remain unbound. Thanks to

the ferocious intimation of the interpreter, he was aware of the

fate in reserve for him, and secretly determined that he would

never reach Waughcotomoco alive if it was possible to avoid it.

Their route lay through an unbroken forest abounding in thickets

and undergrowth. Unbound as he was, it would not be impos-

sible to escape from the hands of his conductors; and if he could

once enter the thickets, he thought that he might be enabled to

baffle his pursuers. At the worst he could only be re-taken, and

the fire would burn no hotter after an attempt to escape than

before. During the whole of their march he remained abstracted

and silent, often meditating an effort for liberty, and as often

shrinking from the peril of the attempt. At length he was

• 26
 

Simon Kenton.                   27

 

aroused from his reverie by the Indians firing off their guns,

and raising the shrill scalp halloo. The signal was soon an-

swered, and the deep roll of a drum was heard far in front, an-

nouncing to the unhappy prisoner that they were approaching

an Indian town where the gauntlet, certainly and perhaps the

stake awaited him. The idea of the repetition of the dreadful

scenes which he had already encountered, completely banished

the indecision which had hitherto withheld him, and with a sud-

den and startling cry, he sprang into the bushes and fled with

the speed of a wild deer. The pursuit was instant and keen,

some on foot, some on horseback. But he was flying for his life,

the stake and the hot iron, and the burning splinters were before

his eyes, and he soon distanced the swiftest hunter that pur-

sued him. But fate was against him at every turn. Thinking

only of the enemy behind he forgot that there might be enemies

before, and before he was aware of what he had done, he found

that he had plunged into the center of a fresh party of horsemen

who had sallied from the town at the firing of the guns, and hap-

pened unfortunately to stumble upon the poor prisoner now mak-

ing a last effort for freedom. His heart sunk at once from the

ardor of hope to the very pit of despair, and he was again halt-

ered and driven before them to town like an ox to the slaughter

house.

Upon reaching the village, (Pickaway,) [near Springfield]

he was fastened to a stake near the door of the council house,

and the warriors again assembled in debate. In a short

time they issued from the council house, and surrounding him,

they danced, yelled, etc., for several hours, giving him once more

a foretaste of the bitterness of death. On the following morning

their journey was continued, but the Indians had now become

watchful, and gave him no opportunity of even attempting an

escape. On the second day he arrived at Waughcotomoco. [In

Logan county, about fifty miles from Pickaway]. Here he was

again compelled to run the gauntlet, in which he was severely

hurt, and immediately after this ceremony he was taken to the

council house, and all the warriors once more assembled to de-

termine his fate.

He sat silent and dejected upon the floor of the cabin, await-

• 27
 

28       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

ing the moment which was to deliver him to the stake.  When the

door of the council house opened and Simon Girty, James Girty,

John Ward, and an Indian came in with a woman, (Mrs. Mary

Kennedy,) as a prisoner, together with seven children and seven

scalps. Kenton was instantly removed from the council house,

and the deliberations of the assembly were protracted to a very

late hour, in consequence of the arrival of the last named party

with a fresh drove of prisoners.

At length he was again summoned to attend the council

house, being informed that his fate was decided. Regarding the

mandate as a mere prelude to the stake and fire, which he knew

was intended for him, he obeyed it with the calm despair which

had now succeeded the burning anxiety of the last few days.

Upon entering the council house he was greeted with a savage

scowl, which, if he had cherished a spark of hope, would have

completely extinguished it. Simon Girty threw a blanket upon

the floor and harshly ordered him to take a seat upon it. The

order was not immediately complied with, and Girty impatiently

seizing his arm, jerked him roughly upon the blanket, and pulled

him down upon it. In the same rough and menacing tone,

Girty then interrogated him as to the condition of Kentucky,

"How many men are there in Kentucky?"  "It is impossible for

me to answer that question," replied Kenton, "but I can tell you

the number of officers and their respective ranks, you can then

judge for yourself."  "Do you know William Stewart?" "Per-

fectly well, he is an old and intimate acquaintance."  "What is

your own name?"   "Simon Butler," replied Kenton. Never did

the enunciation of a name produce a more powerful effect.  Girty

and Kenton, (then bearing the name of Butler,) had served

as spies together in Dunmore's expedition. The former had not

then abandoned the society of the whites for that of the savages,

and had become warmly attached to Kenton during the short

period of their services together. As soon as he heard the name

he became thoroughly agitated and springing from his seat, he

threw his arms around Kenton's neck, and embraced him with

much emotion. Then turning to the assembled warriors who

remained astonished spectators of this extraordinary scene, he

addressed them in a short speech, which the deep earnestness of

• 28
 

Simon Kenton.                     29

 

his tone, and the energy of his gestures rendered eloquent. He

informed them that the prisoner whom they had just condemned

to the stake, was his ancient comrade, and bosom friend, that

they had traveled the same war path, slept upon the same blanket,

and dwelt in the same wigwam. He entreated them to have

compassion on his feelings, to spare him the agony of witnessing

the torture of an old friend, by the hands of his adopted brothers,

and not to refuse so trifling a favor as the life of a white man to

the earnest intercession of one who had proved by three years'

faithful service, that he was sincerely and zealously devoted to

the cause of the Indians.

His speech was listened to in unbroken silence. As soon as

he had finished several chiefs expressed their approbation by a

deep guttural interjection, while others were equally as forward

in making known their objections to the proposal. They urged

that his fate had already been determined in a large and solemn

council, and that they would be acting like squaws to change

their minds every hour. They insisted on the flagrant misde-

meanors of Kenton; that he had not only stolen their horses, but

had flashed his gun at one of their young men; that it was in

vain to suppose that so bad a man could ever become an Indian

at heart, like their brother Girty; that the Kentuckians were all

alike, very bad people, and ought to be killed as fast as they

were taken, and finally they observed that many of their people

had come from a distance, solely to assist at the torture of the

prisoner, and pathetically painted the disappointment and the

chagrin with which they would hear that all their trouble had

been for nothing. Girty listened with obvious impatience to

the young warriors, who had so ably argued against a reprieve,

and starting to his feet as soon as the others had concluded he

urged his former request with great earnestness. He briefly,

but strongly recapitulated his own services and the many and

weighty instances of attachment which he had given. In a sim-

ilar strain Girty continued for some time, and finally asked as

"his first and last request that the life of his friend might be

spared." Other speeches urged the opposite course and with

great animation. But on the final vote by passing the warclub,

Girty's friends were greatly in the majority. Girty took imme-

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30       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

diate charge of Kenton and treated him with great kindness.

For about three weeks there was entire quiet; but one day walk-

ing with Girty and an Indian named Red Pole, another Indian

came from the village towards them, uttering repeatedly a whoop

of peculiar intonation. Girty told Kenton that this was the dis-

tress halloo, and all must go at once to the council house. Near

it they met the newcomer. Girty and Red Pole shook hands with

him, but he refused to take Kenton's hand when offered. This

action boded no good to Kenton, and he so understood it at once.

When in the council house a like refusal was made by half a

dozen in quick succession. Kenton, with gloomy forebodings,

turned aside and sat down apart from the others. The drift of

the speeches was evidently adverse to Kenton, and he saw that

Girty was uneasy, his appeals to the new council apparently had

no effect. At length he turned to Kenton and said, "Well, my

friend, you must die." Kenton was at once seized, and com-

mitted to a guard and immediately marched off to the north-

ward. Having proceeded two or three miles, Girty passed them

on horseback. He told Kenton that he had friends in the next

village and that he would see what could be done for the pris-

oner. But failing in this effort he returned by another route so

as to avoid meeting his old friend. Two or three miles beyond

the village the escort passed by a squaw who was cutting wood.

On seeing Kenton the master of the squaw seized the ax and

dealt Kenton a blow on the shoulder, severely wounding him and

breaking his arm. The guard prevented further injury, and rep-

rimanded the savage for trying to cheat them of the pleasure of

torturing their prisoner. Reaching a village on the Scioto, Ken-

ton saw Logan, the Mingo chief, the murder of whose family

brought on the Dunmore war. Logan spoke kindly to Kenton

and said that it was the intention to burn him at Sandusky, but

that he would send two runners there to speak a good word for

him. He did so, sending the messengers the next morning: in

the evening they returned and made their report to Logan; but

Logan did not visit Kenton till the following morning. Walk-

ing up to Kenton he gave him a piece of bread, and said that he

was to go at once to Upper Sandusky: so saying he turned away.

The guard conducted the prisoner in the usual way, and sentence

• 30
 

Simon Kenton.                    31

 

was to be executed on the following morning. But an Indian

agent named Drewyer, [some spell the name Druillard, a Cana-

dian Frenchman, in the service of the British,] urged that the

British commander at Detroit very greatly desired information

in regard to Kentucky, and that this prisoner could give what

was required, and so persistent was the agent's demand, the In-

dians at length consented that Kenton should go to Detroit, but

on condition that he should return, after examination by the

Detroit officer. The agent set out immediately for Detroit, and

informed Kenton of the way by which he had induced the In-

dians to allow him to go on this errand, but further said that he

would not be surrendered again to the savages. From Lower

Sandusky the party went by water. Arriving at Detroit, the

commandant inquired as to the number of soldiers at Fort Mc-

Intosh, lately built on the Tuscarawas, and also as to the forces

in Kentucky. Kenton replied that he was not an officer, but only

a private soldier, and had no means of knowing. Thus ended

the examination. The Indians were paid a ransom for Kenton,

who was kindly treated by the military authorities. He had to

report each day, and was restricted within certain limits, as

usual in such cases. Under this generous treatment his wounds

soon healed and his old vigor returned.

In the spring of 1779, several persons were brought in,

among them, Capt. Nathan Bullitt and Jesse Coffer, once com-

panions of Kenton. These three concerted a plan of escape.

But they had no guns and no provisions, and the distance to

Louisville was nearly four hundred miles, through a country in-

habited by their deadly foes, always on the alert. To give a full

and complete account of this daring journey, and of Kenton's

subsequent adventures, would extend this paper too far. From

this point, therefore, I shall give only a general outline. The

wife of an Indian trader at Detroit was greatly interested in the

case of the prisoners. Some give the name as Harvey, others as

Eaton. By her aid and her generous and thoughtful expedients,

guns, ammunitions, and a small amount of provisions were se-

cured and hidden on the trader's premises. By night, under the

supervision of this excellent woman, these supplies were put into

the hands of the three men; and they commenced their flight.

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32        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

Many dangers confronted them from time to time; and they had

several very narrow escapes, but by great care and skill in wood-

craft, in thirty days they reached Louisville by the last of July.

A full account of this trip would show up the sterling qualities of

these men, but there must be a limit in respect to these details.

In 1780 Clark made his expedition against the Shawnees on

Mad river. On the way he passed near the Chillicothe on the

Little Miami. The Indians had fired their wigwams on Clark's

approach and retreated to Pickaway on Mad river. After se-

vere fighting the Indians were defeated, and their villages and

crops destroyed. Kenton was a scout as usual, and after the bat-

tle he led the soldiers to the different towns in the vicinity, for

his former experience had given him pretty full information re-

garding their various settlements. He was, again, in 1782 em-

ployed in the same capacity by Gen. Clark in his attack upon the

Shawnees at Upper Piqua, on the Great Miami. This expedi-

tion resulted in the destruction of the town; and a night foray

fifteen miles further, caused the burning of Loramie's store, a

place which furnished supplies for the Indians in their maraud-

ing excursions. About twelve years later Wayne built Fort Lor-

amie near the site of the destroyed store.

Kenton about 1780 or 1781 made a station on Salt river, hav-

ing acquired a considerable body of land. His wide acquaint-

ance with the country led to his being often called on to locate

lands for other parties. In 1784 Kenton led a small party to his

station near Maysville, but threatened excursions by the In-

dians caused him to return to Salt river till the fall, when he went

back and erected a block house at his first station. In 1786 he

was with Colonal Logan in the attack on, and the destruction of

eight towns on the upper waters of Mad river, towns to which he

had been taken eight years before, and where he had run the

gauntlet so many times. Marshall, in his History of Kentucky,

p. 75, says "thirteen" times, but it was eight according to the

Kenton account: besides these "elegant pastimes," he had been

tied three times to the stake to be burned. And without specify-

ing all the campaigns in which he took part, let it suffice to say

that in Wayne's army he and Major McMahon each, as Majors,

commanded a troop of about one hundred and fifty horsemen.

• 32
 

Simon Kenton.                     33

 

McMahon was killed in the attack on Fort Recovery, June 30,

1794. McMahon and Kenton had led the scouting force in front

of Wayne, but Kenton was not in the final battle at the Fallen

Timbers. In the early part of the century, about 1805, Kenton

was made General of Militia, and from that time forward it was

customary to call him General Simon Kenton. In the war with

Great Britain in 1813, Kenton joined Governor Shelby's Ken-

tucky forces at Urbana, and was in his last battle October 5,

1813, on the river Thames, in Canada, where the British Gen-

eral Proctor was defeated, and the great Chief Tecumseh was

killed, forty-two years after Kenton's flight from Virginia. And

in these forty-two years the battles, sieges, skirmishes, raids, ma-

rauding excursions, alone or in company with others are num-

bered by the score, not to say by the hundred, and most probably

his career has never had a parallel on this continent or any other.

"His like we ne'er shall see again."

Change of Name. It will be recollected that in his hurried

flight from Virginia, in 1771 Kenton took the name of Butler,

and was so known for many years. On this question of resum-

ing his right name, I find various statements, Marshall, without

giving the source of his information says, "Having in 1780 met

with his brother, John Kenton, they recognized each other and he

resumed his family name."    Another writer says, "At this

period, (1782) he heard for the first time, from his long aband-

oned parents, and learned that William Veach, (his old rival,)

had recovered, and was still living. He now resumed his own

name. . . . after thirteen years    .    . he had the sat-

isfaction to find his father and all the family living  .

his glowing description of the fertility of Kentucky, induced his

parents to accompany him on his return." Both these accounts

differ from that related to me by Thomas Kenton when I read

McClung's sketches of Simon. At the time of the removal to

Kentucky, this Thomas was almost fourteen years of age, and

certainly old enough to understand his surroundings. He de-

clared that the family had never heard a word from Simon after

his abrupt departure till they moved to Kentucky in the fall of

1783, and found him there under an assumed name, and that

then he resumed his right one. All this necessarily implies that

Vol. XIII-3.

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34       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

he did not return to Virginia and take his relatives to the West;

for this lad was one of the company and explained to me what

sort of a conveyance the "horse litter" was. This being direct

testimony from the family, by a competent witness who was

present, I believe it, and reject both the other unsubstantiated

statements. The family record to which I have alluded, was

kept by this lad's sister, who subsequently married Ezekiel Ar-

rowsmith, and lived for more than half a century near Westville,

universally honored and respected. And testimony of this sort is

not to be lightly set aside by mere words without proof.

Lands. In the course of the twenty-five years which Ken-

ton passed in Kentucky, he obtained possession of many thou-

sand acres of land, lying in different counties, but the land laws

of Kentucky were not in good shape; so partly by defective title,

and partly by prior entries, all his claims fell through, and he lost

every acre. One writer says, "The ease with which, as he sup-

posed, he made land induced him to sell out a great amount; and

the purchasers, as was the custom of the country paid for it

with the most perishable materials. Besides, his locations, like

those generally made at early periods, were seen to be vague,

subject to dispute, and frequently lost. He thus found himself

involved in controversy, and embarrassed in litigation which pre-

sented an inextricable labyrinth of hazard, expense, and trouble,

with which he became disgusted, and for which he left the state,

preferring rather to encounter the Indians on the frontiers of

Ohio, than the law officers of Kentucky."

Residence. For two or three years he lived at the station

near Springfield, afterward either in Urbana or on a farm a few

miles south of Urbana, and near the county line. About the

year 1820 he moved to his little home near Wapatomica, in the

vicinity of Zanesfield, Logan county, Ohio, and lived there the

remainder of his days.

In the year 1824 the Government granted him a pension of

twenty dollars a month, in late recognition of the great services

which he had rendered the West in its time of need.

Marriage. Simon Kenton and Martha Dowden were mar-

ried in Kentucky, May 14, 1787. The wife dying after many

years, Kenton, married the second time December 11, 1818, the

• 34
 

Simon Kenton.                     35

 

second wife being a relative of the first, the Dowden family being

otherwise related to the Kentons by marriage. There were two

daughters and one son by each marriage. The youngest son is

still living, I think.

Church. For the last twenty years of his life, Kenton was a

member of the Methodist church. A very full and satisfactory

account of this connection appeared in this Quarterly for July,

1901, p. 192, written by Rev. Mr. King, to which article I gladly

refer all who may wish to contrast the stormy and war-laden

years of Kenton's vigorous manhood, with the quiet and peace-

ful times of his old age. A wider difference the world, per-

haps, has never seen.

Personal Characteristics. In Collins's History of Kentucky,

edition of 1847, p. 393, we find this: "The following is a de-

scription of the appearance and character of this remarkable man,

by one, [McDonald] who often shared with him in the dangers

of the forest and the fight. General Kenton was of fair complex-

ion, six feet one inch in height. He stood and walked very

erect; and in the prime of life, weighed about one hundred and

ninety pounds. He never was inclined to be corpulent, although

of sufficient fullness to form a graceful person. He had a soft,

tremulous voice, very pleasing to the hearer. He had laughing

gray eyes which appeared to fascinate the beholder, and dark

auburn hair. He was a pleasant, good humored, and obliging

companion. When excited, or provoked to anger, (which was

seldom the case,) the fiery glance of his eye would almost curdle

the blood of those with whom he came in contact. His rage,

when roused was a tornado.

"In his dealing he was perfectly honest; his confidence in

man, and his credulity were such that the same man might cheat

him twenty times, and if he professed friendship, might cheat

him still."

The correctness of this description could be affirmed by all

who knew the man; and in addition to this description, he had a

sense of justice and fair play which nothing could turn aside.

In the course of the war of 1812, some friendly Indians came to

the vicinity of Urbana, on legitimate business; and some men, in

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36        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

experienced in the matter of Indian warfare, proposed to kill

these men, considering all Indians bad. Kenton attempted to

dissuade the men from so high-handed a measure, but his words,

apparently not having the desired effect on them, he grasped his

rifle and took his position in front of the Indians, and in his im-

pressive and emphatic manner declared that whoever attacked the

Indians would do it over his dead body. It is sufficient to say

that the Indians were not further molested.

As before stated, his long contest with the Indians had

taught him the value of quick decision and instantaneous action;

and these things he had so long practiced that they became a part

of his nature. I will give one instance outside of the domain of

war. In the spring of 1807, my father and eight or ten other

men, with their families, left the counties of Bourbon and Har-

rison, Kentucky, for homes in the Mad river valley. Simon

Kenton was employed by the company to pilot them to their des-

tination, and to procure them a supply of fresh meat daily from

the forest. He gave his instructions for the day each morning,

before he started out for the hunt. One morning, with gun on

shoulder he started, and by some inadvertence stumbled over a

wagon tongue, and fell sprawling to the ground.  One of the

party broke into a hearty laugh. This enraged Kenton, and

quick as lightning he pointed his gun and pulled the trigger, but

the fall had knocked the powder from the pan, so that the gun

was not discharged. Kenton immediately begged pardon for his

hasty action, and asked the man never to do so again, lest in the

moment of anger, he might do what everybody would regret.

My father was a witness of this incident and told me of it years

before Simon's death.

Monument. This is a substantial structure, seven or eight

feet high and over four feet square at the base and in every way

is a most befitting memorial of the dead. In the forests of Ohio

Kenton had confronted Indians, bears, wolves, and panthers.

On the south face of the monument, is carved, life size, the head

of an Indian chief, decked out in regular savage style: on the

west face is the head of a bear, as life-like as stone can be, and

appearing as if the head had just been thrust through the face of

stone: on the north side is the head of a wolf, similarly carved:

• 36
 

Simon Kenton.                    37   and on the east side is the head of a panther. The design is by J. Q. A. Ward, the celebrated sculptor, now of New York, but a native of Urbana. His grandfather originally owned the land on which Urbana is built, and for many years the elder Ward and Kenton were intimate friends. One cut shows the south

face and the west; the other the north face and the west. It was found that in this way the little old-fashioned grave stone seen near the north face, could be better brought into view. By means of a magnifying glass, the greater part of the inscription can be read. It is given below. On the south face we find,

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38       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

 

1755-1836

SIMON KENTON

 

 

 

On the north face near the top are the words,

 

 

 

 

ERECTED BY THE STATE OF OHIO,

1884.

 

 

 

I understand that the small grave stone above mentioned

was brought from the graveyard near his residence in Logan

county, where the body of Kenton had lain for nearly half a cen-

tury.

Here is the inscription on the old grave stone:

 

 

 

 

 

IN

MEMORY

OF

SIMON KENTON

Who was born April 3, 1755 in Culpepper Co., Va.,

and died April 29, 1836, aged 81 years and 26 days.

His fellow citizens of the West, will long remember

him as the skilful pioneer of early times, the brave

soldier, and the honest man.

• 38
 

Simon Kenton.                         39 An epitaph written by Collins on another occasion may fit- tingly close this brief sketch.     "How sleep the brave, who sink to rest, By all their country's wishes blest! When Spring with dewy fingers cold, Returns to deck their hallow'd mould, She there shall dress a sweeter sod Than Fancy's feet have ever trod. By fairy hands their knell is rung, By forms unseen their dirge is sung; There Honor comes, a pilgrim gray, To bless the turf that wraps their clay; And Freedom shall awhile repair, To dwell, a weeping hermit, there."

• 39