Ohio History Journal

SILVER MINES OF OHIO INDIANS.

 

PROFESSOR R. S. KING.

[We occasionally have had inquiries concerning the history or

myth, if it was merely traditionary, concerning some silver mines worked

by the Indians, which mines were supposed to have been located near

Old Chillicothe, Greene County, Ohio. We have never been able to

secure any definite information in regard to the same until we received

the following from Professor R. S. King, now of the University of

Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.-EDITOR]

Some time ago I mentioned to my father, Mr. William

Harrison King, that I had once upon a time read a legend of

silver mines located in Greene County, Ohio. As my father

was born and raised in that county he has vivid recollections of

events that happened in the early days. The following is his

version of these mines and their locations:

According to some of the prisoners of the Indians they

were made to pack heavy loads from    a distance up Massie's

Creek down to Old Chillicothe, now Old Town, Ohio. These

prisoners were some of the early pioneers who ventured into

this region before the first settlement was made. It was re-

lated by these men that the Indians would blindfold them early

in the morning and march them     up the trail along Massie's

Creek for a distance estimated between three and three and a

half miles. Then they would be left under guard for a period

of time, usually estimated at about one-half day, at the end

of which time the Indians who had departed would return with

material in bundles that was very heavy for the size of the

package. These heavy bundles or packs would be forced on

the prisoners and they would be compelled to carry them to Old

Chillicothe without any rest.

One of these prisoners whose name is not recalled claimed

that he was able to remove the bandage partly from his eyes

and that the Indians did not leave the party but remained with

them so that the prisoners would think that the material had

been brought to them from a distance. He also claimed that

(114)

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Silver Mines of Ohio Indians.          115 he saw them load up the packs and that they were bars of silver which came from a mine near by. As this prisoner had a reputation among his companions of "handling the truth in rather a reckless manner" not much faith was put in his story. However the tale was told from time to time and efforts have been made to locate this mythical mine. It might be said that the claim was also made that the Indians buried part of this

wealth near Old Chillicothe and carried a part of it north where it was buried. Shortly after Old Chillicothe was destroyed by Gen. George Rogers Clarke and those who had the location of the wealth were either killed later or did not return to claim the silver. Mr. James Stevenson, a son of Samuel Stevenson of near Lexington, Kentucky, moved into Ohio about 1796 or 1797 and

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116      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

located his land in the region of these mines. He afterward

married Miss Anna Galloway, who was the daughter of Wil-

liam Galloway, who lived near Paris, Kentucky. A daughter,

Jane Stevenson, married Mr. Vincent King, who later purchased

from his father-in-law the land that, according to what follows,

contained these mines. As soon as this land was acquired

Vincent King erected thereon a flour mill, the approximate lo-

cation of which is shown on the accompanying map. In dig-

ging the race a short distance from the bed of Massie's Creek

small flat stones were thrown out that contained or rather had

engraved on their sides some marking or hieroglyphics. No-

thing was thought of this at the time but later some men who

were interested in trying to locate these mythical mines heard

of it and near by they found what appeared to be two round

holes about twelve feet in diameter that seemed to be filled up

with rocks. They started to sink a hole or shaft beside one

of these rock-filled holes and as far down as they went this

rock fill continued. Their digging was in earth. This showed

beyond a doubt that there had been a hole or shaft here at

some former time that had been filled with "nigger-heads" and

other rock. As the surrounding ground was all deep earth and

no rocks in the soil it seemed certain that the lost mine had

been found but the digging was discontinued because of water

encountered. Considering the finding of peculiar marked rocks

at the time of digging the race and the two circular holes filled

with rock leads one to think that perhaps there may have been

some work of some sort done here by the Indians or their prede-

cessors.

The accompanying map shows the approximate location of

these two circular holes. I certainly would like to see this

"particular" mine investigated, not that it is likely to disclose

any hidden wealth but that it might be worth while for what it

would yield in an archaeological way.

The above account may have been elaborated extensively

but I believe that all the facts are set forth. I trust that this

paper may bring out further information in connection with this

myth. I might say that this land is located just north of Wil-

berforce University, Greene County, Ohio.

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