The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-01-24

nected with early history Of the Turkey
foots or Yough region might nos be u%ninter.
esting to some of your readers. who may
not be aware of the fact that this, the Yough
i"Big Crossing') region. prior to the revo-
lutionary war, was claimed by the State of
Virginia. as well as by John Penn. This
region, ms well as the greater portion of ter
ritory now known as West Virginia, was in
those early days known as West Augusta
county. Virginia. Settlers often ut that
time coming into this then wilderness. au-
thorized by the Penn government to settle
on lands found them occupied BY Nir-
g~inians, who claimed the land by authority
to settle aceording to the laws of Virginia.
A pioneer who built q cabin of one room
and cleared u corn patch was entitled TO 400
acres of land, with a presumption right to
ZOO acres adjoining. The trouble between
the settlers of the two territories, Virginia
and P-nnsy lvania, continued until Governor
tL,rd) Dunmire. of Virginia, actually dis
patched from Virginia trsn,ps Ia settle the
dispute. When the English government
sent over two commissioners, Mason and
Dixon, who located the present line between
the two territories, this ended the trouble.
1t is said that the region of country EN-
bracing the waters of the Yvugh ard Cheat
River was the best hunting grounds in the
.Allpgiienies." Ii streams abouuded in fish,
aud the wooded hills afforded immense
quantities of larger game, bear, elk, deer,
turkey and all the smaller game. while the
glades and valleys contained some buffalo
No wonder the red men were So 10th TO give
up their happy hunting ground. 1t is gem
orally conceded thai there were six men who
came intothe Turkeyfoot region from Rhode
Island about the year 1850, which we
may mention in the future. 1t is an estao-
lished fact that in those early days a party
of Dunkards settled on what is known as
the Dunkard Bottom, but were murdered
by the Indians with the exception OF n
man. who had returned to the eastern part
of the State before the massacre.
Among the names who figured in early
history of this region We find that OF Green
and Morgan. There were three generations of
Green who lived and died near the Six Pop
lars. where there is an old grave yard con-
tanning perhaps 100 to 200 graves. THIS
place is situated on the banks of the Cas-
selman little CroSsing), rear where the
/ village of Harnedsville now stands. Fifty
six years ago the last grave was dug in this
grave yard by the late John Hanna and a
AZ l.urfr Ds,Iart Graa.
While about completing the grave Messrs.
Hanna and Ankeny discovered what SEEM
ed To be the bones of II giant. The skeleton
was much larger than the new grave, which
was a large one. A very large skull was
imbedded in a heavy tnft of jet black hair.
The mould surrounding the bones indlcat-
Ell the body to have been wrapped in a blsn-
ket of coarse striped material, and had been
enclosed in a rude coffin which was almost
entirely decayed; had been put together with
large wrought iron nails. Mr. Hanna said
that Jacob Harizell, who was tien the old-
est inhabiiaut of this section, and who, II
now living. would be about l55 years old,
said he had never known of any man be-
ing buried in that particular spot.
The murder of john Green does not ap-
pear in the written history of Indian war
fare. VIM. Morgan aud John Green had
settled near Cheat River; Morgan. who was
the Indian killer, lived in the Dunkard bot
tum, now owned by the Fairfaxes. About
tile year i1sS the Indians fitted ont an exPe-
difipt af The mouth of Fishing creek, un the
Ot,in River, ard started toward Cheat river
to murder their hated enemy, Morgan. Ar
irving in he 4, hear river country The iidl
ans mistooK their route; passing Down
Green's run they came within hearing oil a
man named Lewis. who was making rails
for Green. They shot Lewis, and captured
Green's rife witch Lewis had in he woods
with him. The Indians hastened to Green's
h,,nie; one of his Iittle dsi Ihter>, who was
outside. started u, run; she YVES fired upon ny
the Indians. and wounded her in the hand
The little girl had presence OF mind to fall
down; pntting her bloody hand over her
head and face she lay there until the Indians
left. Green was soon dispatched and his
wife and two half grown daughters made
prisoners. Just before leaving one of the
Indians stepped 10 the side Of the little
wounded girl. and seeing the blood on her
head and face left her tor dead. After the
Indians left she made her way TO Cheat
river, where David Morgan now lives. A
man named Butler hearing her cries, she
was taken acr.sss the river, cared for, grew
up. and married a mai named Friend.
Some Of her descendants are now living in
Turkeyfoot ard some near Friendyille, Nd
Mrs. Green was exchanged after captivity Of
a year or more and married n man named
Moore. After Moore's death she married a
man named Spnrgin. Mrs. Green and her
three husbands are buried near the spot
where Lewis was shot.
After the defeat of the Indians by Antho-
ny Wayne ("Mad Anthony and the treaty
of 1875 was made. the two daughters of
Green were found-the conditions OF the
treaty being that all captives should be set
at liberty. The two Miss Greens were mar
ried to two French traders. The girls wish
ing TO return home, Elizabeth Green's hns-
band. not wishing to quit his pursuits. sold
his wife to a soldier named Johnson, who
returned home with and married her &C.
cording to the laws Of the whites. Sarah
Green returned home with her husband, re-
manning a short time with her mother.
They sold their interest III the Green estate
and returned To the Indians. Doubtless
some of her descendants are now roaming
aiming the foothills of the Rocky Muuh-
;ains. Mac.
ursina, January 18th.
HooyERsvILLE ITEMS.
The local institute convened in tine school
room Mt this place ON Saturday evening, the
18Th inst, There was Il large and a,l,retia-
tive audience present. The following Off
Ger. were eleetpd o IA ifuston. chairman