The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1873-11-21
KERR, THE BORDERER.
An Incident of Early Times in the
Muskingum Valley.

From the Cleveland Herald.
An old gentleman 1 met ON the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad, between New
ark and GAINESVILLE, not long ago, gave
me thrilling account of one of Ham
ilton Kerr's adventures, as told him by
his father, who was a member Of the
"Ohio Settlement Company" and at one
time under the command of General
Harmar The story has never before
been in public print.
Among the boldest of the spies and
rangers who operated in defense of the
first settlers of Ohio, was Hamilton Kerr.
He was of Scotch descent, man of pow
erful endurance, a feet runner, and as
sly as a fox in all his movements. He
was so we'll posted in the art of wood
craft that the Indians learned to hate
him, and did their best to put him out
of the way.
Sometime before the great Indian war
broke out, probably between the years
1885 and 17SS, Kerr had secret habita-
ton on the island in. the Ohio above the
mouth of the Muskingum, and while
there, it is said, he sent full forty red
skins to the happy hunting grounds
Taylor's History of Ohio, l believe, ver-
ifes this assertion.
Although generally more than match
for the most artful of the savages, his
/ victories were not always easily won, and
several times he came so very near losing
his life that, as he expressed it, he ''nev-
/ er expected to draw bead on feathered
/ head again" One of the most singular,
if not the most desperate of his adven-
lures occurred in the following manner:
One day in the spring Of the year,
while on a hunting expedition up the
Muskingum, few miles north of the
Ohio, Kerr suddenly came across three
Delaware Indians whom he at once rec
ognized as his deadly enemies, He would
have turned and avoided an open con-
tact had he not been seen at the same in
stant, but being ever on his guard, Kerr
got in the first salutation, and one of the
warriors leaped into the air with a yell
and fell dead to the earth. The sudden
and fatal movement put the remaining
two off their guard for moment, and
the hunter knowing that odds were still
against him, having an empty gun, he
turned and ran, hoping to be able to
load his rifle as he retreated. He had
not, however, gone far when his powder
horn caught upon projecting branch
and in his struggle to free himself the
strap broke which held it, and the BEN
limb threw the horn several feet back
The Indians being in hot pursuit, i
, would not do to return for powder, anc
the rifle becoming worthless without it
he threw the faithful piece away, ant
, trusted to his legs for escape.
: After running a while with perfec
confidence in his ability to distance hi
pursuers, he was not little surprised tt
E find that one of the savages was givin:
4 him close chase, if anything lessenins
). the distance between them. Kerr doubled
his efforts, but in spite of his best outla,
b of strength, the young warrior kept hin
It hard pressed, and carrying loaded rifle
t made the chances of the white man nc
, the most encouraging that could be i'm
n agined.
Down through the forest they spec
y the pursuer and the pursued, one rur
k ming to save life, the other to take it
r Like the hound and the hare, the tw
men leaped log and stream, the distanc
r between them varying a triie now an
a then, not enough to pronounce either {
=, them the better runner. The Indian o.
s casionally lifted his rifle as if to shoe
A. but Kerr watched the motions of the sa'
'r age by constant glances over his shou
IN der, hoping by zig-zag course to be alb
W to prevent the enemy from getting ia
Is sight ON him.
III They had run fully mile when Ke
as reached the body of large log, and ju
as he was about to leap upon it, he sa
IS the Indian lift his gun to his shoulde
d: jumping to one side as quick as ligf
" ming, ana Iuen dnedu, ne CledISu the II
as but before alighting on the other 81
re heard the crack of the REDSKINS rifle.
Although unharmed, he threw up
we arms and dropped to the earth. Instal
ed ly picking up a stick he placed his coo
ch skin cap upon it, and so placing the r
no on end that the cap would show on
at right side of the log as soon as the
dian came within a few feet of it, t
re- artful hunter crept stealthily around
* roots of the upturned tree, and watch
the movements of the enemy.
ou After firing, the savage drew his to
ahawk and bounded forward like tig
Id Reaching the log with the instrum
at ready for the fatal blow should he
ley find the pale-face already dead, he E
he the cap and with a whoop he clutci
on the furry object, he lifted it high in
Ind air, and stood gazing in establishment
not the spot from whence it came. Had
lad not have been SO chagrined at the
INST ception, he doubtless would have mott