Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-04-27
THE
xStauptopxV indicators
FRIDAY MORNING. APRIL 81. 1888.
LOCAL.
SOME INTERESTING READING.

LOCAL..
SOME INTERESTING READING.
INDIAN MAssACREs IN AUGUsTA-EXE-
CUTIoNs IN OTHER DAYs-INTEREsT
ING RgMINIsENC Es.
&C., &C., &C.
We have received an advance copy of
the Supplement to ANNALS of Augusta
County" just issued from the press. The
author of the Annals, Mr.. Jos. A. Wad-
dell, found that their publication brought
to him so much additional information
from correspondents. about the county and
its early settlers, that he determined to
embody it in Supplement. 1t is a small
book OF itself, numbering seyenty-seven
pages, and will be bound in with future
editions of the Annals that may be printed.
The annals have had what was to their
author when be compiled them, circula-
tion in unexpected quarters as the receipt
of letters shows him. For instance one
would hardly look for local history OF a
Virginia county in the library of Harvard
University, and yet among the letters he
received recently, expressing high appre-
citation of the work, was one from the
Librarian of Harvard. Another letter of
a similar character is from the Librarian
OF the National Library at Washington.
We have read the Supplement with inter-
est, and we give below some facts condens-
ed from it which will be deeply interesting
to our readers.
INDIAN MAssACREs IN AUGUSTA.
The strip of country that extends from
the new iron bridge across Middle River
on the Staunton and Churchyille road, up
the river to the mouth of Buffalo Branch,
and up that stream aDd Dry Bran,
to their respective sources has an event.
full history. About two miles up the river
and on its North side occurred the last
massacre by the Indians in this county. It
was Oh the farm now known as the Coed
ing farm, that in October. 1864 John Trim
and step daughter taken prisoners. Aud
yet hardly mile West of it and still stand
iny to-day, was the stone house called the
"Old Fort" or old Keller house, which,
could they have reached it, would have
made them safe. Some of the stones Of
the Keller house have fallen out, but the
rafters and other timbers are there as sound
to-day as they were over century ago.
Trimble lived On Middle River about two
miles from Churehville and seven from
Staunton. John Trimble, his wife. and his
step daughter, Mrs. Estill, were at the
house and Ia field near by, Adam. a
negro man, was blowing assisted by James
Trimble boy of eight ysars. A band of
nine Indians led by a white renegade
named Dickinson, who had been outlawed
In Eastern Virginia, stole through the
woods to the field, and fred upon and cap
tured the negro and the boy. The firing
caused the pillow horses to run of, and John
Trimble seeing them loose and running,
killed by the Indians who met him. They
then went to the house and captured Mrs
Estill, but not Mrs. TrimbIe who had
fled. They burned the house, took what
plumber they could load on their horses,
got their two prisoners, Adam and th boy,
and started off. When the alarm was given,
Capt. George Moffett half brother of
Mrs. Estill, raised party of twenty five
men and started in pursuit, the Indians
having fifteen hours start. On the fifth
do NIT hnp hn
savages having gone into camp at the
foot of spur of the Allegb apy mountains,
The whites intended to attack after dark
and hid in the tall grass, but an indian
riding towards them forced them to IRE
and attack sooner. In the rush, they found
| the Indians standing around, the male
captlves tied, aHd Mrs Estill sitting on
log, sewing. A melee commenced in which
the colored man, Adam, was shot. The
Indians after brief fight, fled. The rescu-
ing party took the prisoners with them
back, but were followed some distance by
the Indians, who once or twice ran ahead
and ambushed them as they passed. They
| finally gave it up and turned westward.
| and they carried him on litter. The
whole party got back home safely
oixty.four years afterwards, John A.
Trimble of Ohio, Ia son OF the boy cap
tive), was visiting IN Virginia, and near
Buffalo Gap met William Kincaid, very
old man who was one of the rescuing party
with Muffett. He said the trail was found
by one of the party finding d blue Worsted
garter of Mrs. Estlll hanging on bush,
| where she had thrown it to that end, while
travelling during the night. At the first
rush of the whites, Mrs. Estill put tin
pan over her head and ran towards them
the pan saved her life, for tomahaWk
thrown at her by Dickinson struck it.
Dickinson was killed at the battle of Point
Pleasant. On the Trimble raid, the Indians,
who were Shawnees, gathered eight prison.
ers in all from the country through which
| they passed. All were rescued.
There was another massacre in the same
| year-perhaps on the same day-and this
time about two miles northeast of Buffalo
Gap. The house was Alex. CraWford's
about hundred yards So, of the present
residence of Mr.. Baxter Crawford, his de-
scendant, and its site is now marked by
pile of stones which formed its chimney.
Alexander and Mary Crawford, with their
eleven children, lived there, but hearing
rumors of coming Indian raid went to
the sold FORT" the old Keller house, which
was deemed impregnable, for safety. On
the day of the massacre, Crawford, land his
wife returned to the home place to get
some vegetables Two OF the sons, William