The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-28
FRAMES sLOCUM.
An Experience of Eighty Years Among the
Indians in Pennsylvania and Indiana.

Written for the indianapolis Journal.
The account given in the Journal of the cap
ture of Messrs. Rush and Hardin by the Indians
calls to mind the case of Frances Slocum In
Wabash county are still to be found some rem
nants of the once powerful Indian tribe known
as the Miamis, and am not certain but that a
few Pottawattomies still live there. About
twenty years ago there died among the Miamis
an old woman, who. more than eighty years be-
FORE had been stolen as child from her home
in Pennsylvania, and during all these eighty
years had lived with the Indians, and for sixty
of the period unknown to her family. She was
old woman when she was discovered by the
whites, and her existence made known to her
family. About the year 1888 George Ewing,
the Indian agent stationed at Logans-
port, while out among the Miamis
on business trip stopped one
night at an Indian wigwam on the
banks of the Mississinena river. Among the
occupants of tho wigwam was an old woman
whose hair was light, soft and waving, unlike
that of the Indians. Her face and hands were
tawny, but by watching her closely he dscov-
cred that her skin beneath her dress was white.
He questioned her and found that she had been
stolen when a child. She could remember no
name except that of Slocum, and she did not
know that that was the one she bore. She re-
membered something about her fathers family,
and that they had lived on the banks Of a river
called Susquehanna, but had no recollection Of
the name of the town from whence she had
been taken She had originally been stolen by
the urons, but had been passed from tribe to
tribe until finally she had been adopted by the
nx.1 I'D "a &k.l
He was shortly afterward killed in battle with
the w hites, and she married the chief Of the
tribe. By him she had had several children,
who were then living with her. The family was
quite rich in houses and lands horses and cattle.
When Mr.. Ewing returned to Logansport he
wrote an account of this discovery, but after
considering for some time as to the best place to
send it for publication, in hopes that it might
reach some member of her family, if any still
survived, he addressed it to the Editor Of the
Newspaper" Lancaster, Pennsylvania. There
was paper published in that village at the
time, and 1t laid in the postoffce there for more
than year Finally, the late Hon. John w.
Forney went to Lancaster and began the pub
LEGATION of paper One day the postmaster
happened to call to mind this ong-forgotten
letter. and hunting it up gave it to Mr.. Forney.
He at once published it, and called attention to
it. 1t was extensively copied, and at last came
under the notice Of family of Slocums living
at Wilkesbarre In the year 1778, their home
had been destroyed by the Indians, part of the
family slain, and others carried into captivity.
Two of them, boy and girl had succeeded in
escaping, but the other girl, Frances, had never
been heard from, and long before had been given
up as dead. The two who were living at Wilkes
barre were old, too old, in fact, to undertake so
long journey in those days, but they deter
mined to come to Indiana and see if, indeed
their long lost sister was still living.
The journey was long and tedious one, for
there were no railroads in the West then, but
they at last reached the Indian village they
were seeking after. Taking an interpreter with
them they called upon the old woman While
conversing with her they noticed that the nail of
one of her thumbs was off. They asked her
how this came. apd she replied when a child her
Oldest brother had pounded it off with hammer.
This satisfied them that she was indeed their
sister, for just such an occurrence had taken
place ia their old home The old man who was
so ntently watching her was the one who, as a
boy, had pounded off her nail. DO what they
could, they could not get her to call to memory
her first name until one Of them asked her II il
had not been Frances, when quick as a fash, IL
all came back to her, and tho family were
togetheragain that had been so terribly separated
sixty years before.
They endeavored to persuade her to 60 back
with them to the old home, but it was all in
vain: She could not speak one word of the
English language, and knew nothing of civilized
life. She was essentially Indian in everything,
and had around her her children and grand
children. Her brother and sister remained with
her several days, and then sadly turned their
faces eastward, leaving behind them their Sis
ter as they had found her. dressed in all the
gew-gaws and adornments of an Indian squaw.
They never saw her agein. She lived several
years and died when she had nearly reached
century of life After the visit of her brother
and sister she was always known aud spoken of
as the white squaw" The old settlers who
knew her delight yet in telling her story as
have told it in this sketch. Some of her grand
children still live in Wabash county, or did,
f.x1f To-. hno nnwIx 20
the Indians she had known Simon Girty. having
met him while she was with TIE Shawnees.
She also knew Tecumseh and his brother, and
was fond of telling OF the eloquence of the great
Shawnee chief.
The Postoffice Then and New.