Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-01-08
HISTORY OF THE VALLEY.
CHAPTER VIII.
INDIAN INCURSIONs AND MASSA'
CRES-CONTINUED.

INDIAN INCURSIONs AND MAssA-
CRES-CONTINUED
In preceding chapter the erec-
ton of several stone dwelling
houses is noticed. These houses
generally had small stockade forts
about them and whenever an
alarm took place, the neighborlng
people took shelter IN them, as
places OF security against their saw
age foe. (a)
The men never went out of the
forts without their guns. Thee enc
my we're frequently lurking about
them, and at every opportunity
would kill some of the people. At
the residence of Mai. Robert ID.
Glass, on OpeQuon, five miles
southwest of Winchester, part OF
his dwelling house was erected IN
the time of the Indian war: the
portfolios we're plainly to be seen
before this body was covered with
weather boarding. The people
were closely "forted" for about
three years. After the termination
of hostilities between England and
France, the incursions OF the In
dams were less frequent, and never
in large parties but they were con-
tinued at intervals until the year
1866 or 1861.
About the year 1853, q man by
the name Of John Stone, near what
is called the White House, in the
Hawsbill settlement, was killed by
Indians. Stones wife, with her in
| fant child and a son about seven or
eight years old, and George Grand
staff, youth Of sixteen years old,
were taken off as prisoners. On
the South Branch mountain, the
Indians murdered Mrs. Stone and
her infant, and took the boy and
Grandstaff to their towns. Grand
staff was about three years pris-
oner, and then got home. The lit
tie boy, Stone, grew up with the
Indians, came home, and after OBJ
tanning possession of his fathers
property, sold it, got the money,
returned to the Indians, and was
never heard Of by his friends after
wards.
The same Indians killed Jacob
Holtiman's wife and her children,
Hoffman escaping. Theyplunder-
ed old Brewbecker's house, piled
up the chairs and spinning wheels,
and set them on fire. A young wo-
man who lived with Brewbecker
had concealed herself in the sarret;
and after the Indians left the
house, extinguished the fire, and
saved the house from burning.
Brewbeckcr's wife got informed
that the Indians were cOmingm2nd
ran of with her children to %here
several men were at work, who
conveyed her across the river to a
neighborlng house. Mr.. John
| Brewbecker now resides on the
fam where this occurrence took
place. (b)
The following singular tradition,
as connected with this occurrence,
has been related to the author:
About dusk on the evening pre-
vious, Mrs. Brewbecker told her
husband and family that the In.
dians would attack them next
morning, saying that she could see
party of them on the side of
Masinutton mountain, in the act
of cooking their supper. She also
declared that she saw their fire,
and could count the mum Ter OF
Indians. She pointed to the spot (;
but no other part OF the family
saw it and it was therefore thought
that she must be mistaken. Per
sisting in her declarations, she
begged her husband to remove her
and her children to place OF
safety: but she was laughed at,
told that it was mere superstition,
and that she was in no danger. II
was however afterwards ascertain
ed that the savages had encampcd
u that night at the place on the
mountain pointed out by Mrs. b
O 1t was about two miles OIL. (c)
These outrages of tho Indians
p drove many OF the white settler
below the Blue Ridge.
IT Probably the same year, severa
Indians attacked the house of :
- man named Bingaman, near th'
present site of New Market. Bin
gaman, who was remarkably stou
g and active, defended his famil.
with great resolution and frmness
and laid two of the assailants dea
2. at his feet: they succeeded, how
ever, IN killing his wife and chi
dren, Bingaman escaping wit
ri several wounds, from which h
OF finally recovered. The same part
took Lewis Bingaman "a nephe'
III of the one spoken of prisone
He was a boy about thirteen o
fourteen years old, grew up wit
10 the Indians, and became a man
b. distinction among them.
ror About the same time the lndiar
forcibly entered the house of M
ID Young, who resided on tho far
now owned by William Smith
ESQ, not more than mile frol