Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1865-11-30
vRsE W0NDERHsE ESCAPE.
A STORY OF EARLY FRONTIER LIFE

The most extraordinary incidents ct ro
nance and Wild adventure that even the his
tory of early frontier life ever developed, oc
aurred perhaps during the first settlement Of
the State Of Kentucky This fertile and ia
vored region was, rs is well known to tic
reader of American history the chosen hunt
ing ground of red men, for which they long
est, latest, and most pcrtnaciously contcnded
until the stains Of many a desperately fought
battle reddencd its soil and crimsoned its
rivers, comforting upon it forever the name o
,hc dark and bloody grosnd. RI.
- Among the many truthful accounts Of per
sonal daring and adventure which have been
preserved BY the historian, or handed down in
legend, none more wonderful perhaps, sur
iivcs than the story of James Morgan, the i'm.
mediate ancestor, it is believed Of the late par.
isan chief John Morgan. ra - ,.
James Morgan was nativcIof Maryland
and having married when quite young man
be moved with his wife to Kentucky and set.
tied near Bryants Station, not far from the
present city CT Lexington. He soon erected
a Iog cabin, cleared some acres of adjoining
land and planted his crops, preparing himself
for . pioneers life. 1t was in the middle OF
Aug. l7S2, that Morgan, with his yoang wife
and infart child, was sitting at the door Of
their rude dwelling, enjoying that sweat sense
Of contcntmcnt which is true happiness. and
locking forward with hope to the future. He
had b4tn talking to his wife Of the past, and
together they had been perusing some old
letters which had passed in the days of their
comtship Mrs Morgan at length rose and
entered the house to- prepare the evening
meal while lHr husband remained in thought
and sweet contemplation with his little child
on his knees Suddenly he was startled by
the sharp report Of afrifle, another, and an
other following in quick succession! He
sprang to his feet, and his wife running to the
doorat the same moment, they simultaneously
exclaimed: "lndians p 'g aa. liH r ,I.
Retiring instantly to the interior Of the
house, they had scarcely time to secure the
door before, a bold and dashng attack was
made by a small party of savages hideously
disguised in their paint That the cabin
could not be successfully defended for any
length OF time was apparent, and Morgun,
who was cool, brave and prompt, soon decided
on his course, Under the plank flooring Of
his room was an excavation, scarcely to be
dignifed by the name of cellar, but large
enough for the OCCASION Here he determined
to conceal his wife; hut as he was about to do
80, overcome by1a mothers tenderness she
seized her child to take it with her, and yet
was afraid its cries would discover her place
of concealment. Pressing it to her bosom:
and covering its face with kisses and tears,
the infant became alarmed and wept aloud.
"For Gods sake, Eliza, let 90 the child, or
we are all lostF exclaimed her husband, gen
tIy forcing the nlantfrom her arms, and hur.
rying her into her hiding place. AS soon as
he had done so, he quickly took up his gnn,
knife and hatchet, ran up the ladder, which
led to the loft and drew it up after him. In
another moment the door was burst open, and
the Indians entered. ia
Morgan had by this time secured his child
in bag, which he lashed to his back then
throwing Of some boards from the roof of bis
cabin, he resomtey leaped to the ground. =
He was instantly aSsailed by two Indians As
the first approached ho felled him b The oarth