The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1874-01-15
Cn plain Brady's Famous Leap
SKETCH WRITTEN BY JUDGE MOSES HAMp
TON.

TON.
In pursuance of your request,
furnish you the following sketch oi
the celebrated leap of Captain Sam
Brady across river when pursued
by the Indians.-This narrative was
originally prepared at the instance
Of Judge Wilkins, but never having
been in print, trust it may prove ol
some interest to your numerous
readers /:
Having heard OF "Brady's leap
from childhood, I have taken some
pains to obtain all the facts within
my reach which might tend to shed
light on tho subject. The only doc.
umentary evidence have been able
to procure is found In small work
entitled Historical "reminiscences
of Summit County, by Gen. l.. V.
Bierce," Of Akron, Ohio, which was
sont TO me by the author in 1856, in
answer to letter of inquiry address
ed by me to him, seeking for infor.
nation on the subject.
His statement is very brief, and
copy it entire "As | remarked on q
former OCCASION, the Cuyahoga river,
portage Path and ruscarawas branch
of the Muskingum, were originally
the boundary between the Six Ma,
tions and the Western Indians. The
Onondagas, Oneidas, Mohawks and
others of the Six Nations reside, in
the territory until the difficulty with
Diver in 1906. There was, on the
first settlement Of the country, an
Indian trail, commencing at Fort Nc.
Intosh, at the mouth of the Big Bea-
YER, and running from thence through
west Portage county, crossing the
Cuyahoga in Franklin, at what Is
called the Standing Rock; thence
west to Northampton in Summit
county, where there was settlement
of Indians thence to Sandusky and
Detroit. This trail was the great
Indian thorughfare from Detroit to
the Ohio river. On il was constantly
passing large parties of Indians, and
it became, of course, the favorite
hunting grounds of these Western
Nimrods.-The 1 d ian were as
readyas they for tho encounter, and u
war Of determination commenced. In
1850 large party Of warriors from
the villages on the Cuyahoga had
crossed the Ohio and made IN in
cursion into the white settlements,
numbering several families, and tax
ing away large amount of plunder.
"Brady called together his band
and started in pursuit. He led on
the men, guided more by courage
than discretion, until he entered the
Indian village on the Cuyahoga liver
in what is now Northampton. The
Indians expecting pursuit, were pre-
pared for him, and with numbers
four times his own, attacked him on
all sides, and, with his followers, he
was put to perfect rout. The re.
treat became a fight, and every man
was for himself. The Indians singled
out Brady, and leaving all the rest, a
chase commenced for him, which
without interruption till he
arrived at the Cuyahoga river in
Franklin, just north Of the present
location OF the bridge on the road to
Ravenna.-The Indians had extend
ed their lines 80 as to hem him in,
and with lound shouts of triumph,
thought their prisoner safe. The
river was here bounded on each side
by perpendicular rocks, the chasm
being % feet wide. Brady, on reach
ing the river, gave bound that de-
spair on one 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 substantially correct as far as it
goes, but it is by no means full and
complete. Having been on the
ground and examined it carefully :;
md from inquiry in tho neighborhood
,s to the tradition among the first
settlers, rs we'll rs from information
derived from my father ffty years
lgo, l believe the following additional
acts to be true.
The place where Brady leaped
.oross tho Cuyahoga river is alta little
village called Franklin Mills, six
niles west of Rayenna, the county
'eat of Portage county, Ohio, and
within about two miles of the rail
'oad leading from Pittsburg to
Both above and below
his place the banks are low, and the
stream easily forded at any ordinary
stage Of water. But for the space of
perhaps half mile or more, the
ground ascends on either side Of the
liver, by a gentle rise, for the space
If half q mils.
The geological formation is that
II gray sandstone, and the Cuyahoga
liver at this point passes, for some
through what seems 10 be
. fissure in the rock, caused by some
internal convulsion OF nature. The
assure, was credibly informed, is
about thirty feet deep, aud the point
where Brady jumped, the rock pro
ected short distance over the
,byss. The distance he lsaped, as
was informed when last there in 1856
vas AZ feet and Q inches, on o dead
evel, or horizontal line. General
Bierce says IL was "a feet Whether
he tradition, a. given 10 me, or Gen.
Biercs. BIO the better authority, I win