The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-02-02
[From the Marietta Register.l
The Captivity of Joseph Kelley
"Truth Stranger than Fiction"

EXTRACTS from my Diary of April 9, 1881
At a social reunion of the pioneers
held in Marietta, on the 7th of April,
1859, Mr.. Joseph Kelley was called to
the stand, and stated the particulars of
his captivity by the Indians near Belle
vile, in 1871, and taken from his lips at
the time, and placed In my diary, are
substantially-errors of memory by the
speaker excepted-as follows:
He came to Marietta in November,
1873, landing at Point Harmar. The
date of his birth was September 20,
1888, that of his brother, ST. Clair Kel-
ly-the first white child born in Ohio
was December 80, 1888. (Note-A. T.
Nye, Esq, thinks December 80, 1889
K. Nj. Stimeon says J. V. Cushing was
second white child, born January, 1899.
L. G. Converse. Feb. IA, 1889, see diary
kept byDavid Wilson-also'family Bible
in hands of Converse and Wilson fami-
lies, of Waterford.) Joseph was four
years old when he came to Ohio, and six
years old when taken prisoner. His
earliest recollection was that of imbibing
cherry bounce in an upper loft, in Har-
mar, and slight remembrance of its
exhilerating effects.
He was assisting his father in driving
hogs from lot, when the sudden ap-
pearance of savages attracted their no.
tice. One of their number grappled
him by the waist; his father also grap-
pied one of their number, but was pow
erless in their hands, and was soon after
shot dead on the spot. They also shot
an old lady by the name of Shearon.
The men in the fort, seven or eight in
number, fired and killed one of the In
dians. They then threw young Kelley
over the fence, and hurried him away to
the woods. He remembered sobbing
bitterly, and halloeing for one Peter
Anderson. Signals were made by imi-
tating gobbling turkeys from distant
points on the hills, and the savages then
marched toward Belleville, carrying
Joseph on couple of poles, crossed the
Ohio on raft, at sundown with com.
pany of thirty Indians, and cncamped
the first night about one mile from the
river. After supper, an Englishmar
with them, ordered him to light pipe
for his majesty; on a refusal, an alterca
tion ensued, which resulted in our pris
oner gaining for himself character fol
great boldness, and he was ever aftel
called good fellow" by the savages
At one time they tied him on the bacl
of a COW, and as the animal dashed
through the brush, their cruel propensi
ties were extremely gratifed He wa
in the custody of the Shawnees, ant
travelled directly to their tribe at tn
mouth of the Auglaize river. Whel
near it, the warriors painted themselves
and announced their approach by FIRM
guns. The braves and squaws of Mau
NEE came out to meet them. Mr.. Kel
| ley was taken into a wigwam, and
council held to decide his fate; and Will
| there he saw the scalp of his oun .fathe
suspended from poles. A thrill of hor
ror and thought of revenge fitted thrc
his body and mind. Itwas decided tha
I he should run the gauntlet; his fate wa
made known to him by the celebrate
, Girty, who was then with the tribe. III
e refused to run-was knocked down, an
. an old squaw, by the name of Maskahe
/ la, interfered and adopted him as he
q son, naming him Ta-lak-qua. He wa
allowed to play with the boys. but the
: sport was his "death," as they usual
o combined in their attacks upon the
J. white adversary. He labored In tt
e cornfeld with the squaws, packed WOO,
O pounded hominy, hulled corn, and W,
d we'll drilled in Indian cookery. His be
= was deer skin and coarse. .blanke
e his wardrobe was always scanty-bucl
y skin being in the ascendant.
When the British came to the camp
l. sell whiskey, he always fed to the wood
e and often nearly suffered starvatio
t. rather than risk his life in the presen
is of the warriors who INDUCED in drum
If en- revelries, and with their squaws Z
1t mained in blessed state of Oblivion
d ness while the "fEe-water" Taste
h Gambling was universal among thel
Of and Mr.. K. confessed to being an expe
d at all their games and athletic exercise
Of An Indian boy, with his bow and q
10 row, once shot him near the eye; in !
- turn, Mr.. K. accidentally shot the Indi
es in the leg, wounding him with the ba
lie of the arrow. After peace was declar
to in 1872, band of Shawnees were G
a. camped near -Harmar, and while one
I'd their number was trading at the store
Tx Col. Stone, Mr.. Kelley recognized h
n, as the Indian boy who had wound
at him during his captivity. After ma
en- questions about his Indian mother,
.es K. questioned him as to the white b
ke Ta-lak-qua. The Indian replied W
IN an ugh! ugh! me shoot Ta.lak-qua
it big man shoot Indian" Mr.. K. II
4 showed him the scars on his face;
,rt savage recognized him, and challene
he him for foot race. They ran, and
,th Indian was badly beaten.
At one time he attempted to escap'
70 went down the Maumee, stopped a
,r- strange wigwam, and finally spent
winter in his new quarters. When
nd thony Wayne fought his celebrated /
vo tie on the west side of the Maumee,
70 Kelley was with the Indians when Il
,od fed, and mourned the loss of the c.
af. crop which Palepsa Ia squaw) and hi
self had raised. Wayne's forces burr
the Indian town in which he resid
1ey Mr.. K. crossed the river with the
ills turning forces, went down the ri
out where the treaty of Greenville, in l.
,alf was soon after made by General Way
ain Colonel Meigs was general commissio
a at this treaty, and sent two Indian
one bring Mr.. K. into camp. He was
at to part with his Indian mother.
yers finally arrived at the Muskingum ri