The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-10-25
Captain Brady's. Famous Leap.
sketch Written by Judge Moses
Hampton.

tumptOus
Ftom tho Peoples Monthly.)
In pursuance Of yodr request, furnish
the following sketch of the celebrated
leap Of Capt. Sam Brady across river
when pursued by tho Indians This mar.
rativc was originally prepared at the in.
stance Of Judge Wilkins, but never hay
ing been in print, l trust it may prove Of
some interest to your numerous readers:
Having heard OF "Brady's leap" from
childhood, have taken some pains TO
obtain ali the facts within my reach
which might tend to throw light on the
subject. The only documentary evidence
have been able to procure is found In
a small work entitled, Historical Remin.
sciences OF summit County" by Gen. l..
Y. Bicrce, OF Akron, Ohio, which was
sen, me BY the author in 1856, in answer
10 letter Of inquiry addressed by me to
him, seeking for information on the sub
ject.
Ills statement is very brief, and copy
il entire: "As l remarked on former &C.
casiun, the CuyahOga river, Portage Path
and TuCarawts branch OF the MuskiDgum
were originally the boundary between
the Six Nations and the Western Indians.
The Onondagas, Oneidas, Mohawks and
Others Of the Six Nations resided in the
territory until the difficulty with Diver in
1906. There was, on the first settlement
Of the country, M Indian trail, commence
ing ut Fort Mcintosh, ut the mouth OF Big
Beaver, and running from thence west
through Portage county, crossing tho Gu.
yahOga in Franklin, at what Is called the
Standing Rock; thence west TO North
ampton, in Summit county, where there
was settlement Of Indians; thence TO
Sandusky and Detroit. This trail was tho
grLlt Iudian thoroughiare from Detroit to
the Ohio river. On II were also constant
ly passing large parties OF Indians, and ii
become, Of course, the iavorite hunting
grounds of these Western Nimrods. The
Indians were as ready as they for the en-
counter, and a war Of determination COM
mcnced. In 1850 a large party Of war
rlors from the villages on the Cuyahoga
had crossed the Ohio and made an incur
sion into tho white settlements, murder
ing several families, and taking away o
large amount oil plumber.
Brady called together his band and
started in pursuit. He led on the men,
guided more by courage than discretion,
until no entered the Indian village on the
Cuyahoga river, In what Is now North
ampton. Tho Indians, expecting pursuit,
were preparation him, andwith numbers
tour times his own, attacked him on all
sides, and, with hisfollowers, he was put
to perfect route. The retreat became d
flight, and every man was for himself.
The Indians singled out Brady, and leav-
ing all the rest, o chase commenced for
him, which continued without Interrupt
ton until he arrived at Cuyahoga river,
in franklin, just north OF the present 10.
cation of the bridge on the road 10 Raven.
ma. The Indians had extended their
lines so as TO hem in, and with loud
shouts OF triumph, thought their prisoner
safe. The river was here bounded by
perpendicular rocks, the chasm being
twenty-five feet wide. Brady, on reach
ing the river, gave q bound that despair
on ono side and hope on the other alone
could have effected; and clearing the
abyss, he gained the opposite bank"
This statement, have no doubt, Is sub.
stantially correct as far as itgoes, but 1t Is
by no means full and complete. Having
been on tho ground and examined 1t care
fully, and from inquiry in the neighbor-
hood as to the tradition among the first
settlers, US well as from information de-
rived from my father fifty years ago, l be-
leive the following additional facts 10 be
true:
The place where Brady leaped across
the CuyahOga river, iSat little Franklin
Mills, six miles west OF RavennR, the
county seat Of Portage county, Ohio, and
within about two miles OF the railroad
leading from Pittsburgh to Cleveland
Both above and below this place the banks
are low, and the stream easily forded al
any ordinary stage Of water. But for the
space Of perhaps halt mile or more, the
ground ascends on either side Of tho river
by gentle rise for the space Of half a
mile. .,.....
The geological formation Is that Of gray
sandstone, and tho Cuyahoga river at tai
point passes, for some distance through
what seems TO DO fssure In the rocl
caused by some internal conyulsion Of ma
iure, This fiSsure, was credlbly inform
cd, Is about thirty feet deep, and at thu
point where Brady jumped, the rock pro
lecled u short distance over the abyss
The distance he leaped, as I was inform.
ed when last there in 1856, was twenty
seven feet six inches, on dead level, o.
horizontal line. General Bierce says
WAS thirIy.two feet. Whether the tradi
tlon as given TO inc or General Bierce, b
heheltCr authority, will moi undertak,
10 decide. did not measure II, Lecaus
heprcjecting rock on the cast side wa
cut away in making the tow.psth Alonl
the hank na ihia Hnnri Of Al,n IT, L l