The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-01-23

eoould, to cfectthe safety ofTysart's
anily. This was done. and the
od'itry atandOnedby thin.
Net long afte. this, Dr.. Thomas
1clarly and his two brothers came
rom Pennsylvania and calnpedat the
mouth Of = creek emptyiag into the
Nonongahels, s or 10 miles below
lorgantown; they we're Dunkards,
'nd from that circumstance the water
curse Oh which they 6xed themselves
or a while, has been called Dunkard's
:reck. While their camp continued at
his place, these men were engaged in
Sploring he country; and ultimately
ettled on Cheat river, at the Dunkard
bottom. Here they erected a cabin
for their dwelling, and made such i'm
provcmcnts as enabled them to raise
The first year a crop of ccrn sufficient
'or their use, and some culinary
vegetables; their guns supplied them
with an abundance Of meat, of favor
as delicious as the refined palate Of a
modern epicure could we'll wish.
Their clothes were made chiefly of,he
skins of ANIMALS, and were easily pro.
cured; and although calculated to give
grotesque appearance to 6ne gen
tleman in city drawing room, yet
were they particularly suited to their
situation, and afforded them comfort.
The society, Of which Doctor Eek,
arly was member, was rather obnox-
ious to majority Ct the frontier
inhabitants. Their intimacy with the
Indians, although cultivated with the
most laudable motives, and for noble
purposes, yet made them objects a,
least Of distrust to many. Laboring
under these disadvantages, it was with
difficulty that DR.. Eckarly prevailed
on the officer ofthe fort,o release him,
and when this was done, he was only
permitted to 20 home under certain
conditions-he was to be escorted by j
guard Of armed men, who we're to carry
him back if any discovery was made
prcjudicial to him. Upon their arrival
at Cheat, the truth of his statement
was awfully confirmed. The frs,
spectacle which presented itself to
their view,wh the party came within
sight Of where the cabin had been, wal
heap Of ashes On approaching tn:
ruin', the half dccaysd and mutilated
bodies of the poor Dunkards were seen
in the yard: the hoops, on which their
scalps had been dried, were there, and
the ruthless hand of desolation had
waved over their little fields. DR..
Eek arly aided in burying the remains
Of his unfortunate brothers, and re.
turned to the fort on the South Branch
In the fall ofl75S, Thomas Decker
and some others commenced settle.
men. on the Monongahela river, at
the mouth Of what is now Dccker's
creek. In the ensuing spring it was
entirely broken up by a party Of
Delawaresan and Mingoes, and the greater
part Of its inhabitants murdered.
There was at this time at Browns
Vile fort, then known as Redstone
fort, under command Of Captain Paul.
One Of Decker's party escaped from
the Indians who destroyed the settle
ment, and making his way to Fort
Reds,One, gave to its commander the
melancholy intelligence. The garrison
being too weak to admit Of sending a
detachment in pursuit, captain Paul
despatched runner with the
information to Captain John Gibson,
then stationed at Fort Pitt. Leaving
the fort under the command Of
Lieutenant Williamson. Captain
Gibson SGT forth with thirty mer to
intercept the Indians on their return
to their towns.
lnconseiuence Of the distance which
the pursuers had TO 20, and the haste
with which the Indians had retrcated,
the expedition failed in its object; they
however accidentally came on party
Of six or seven Mingocs, on the head Of