The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1895-06-07
UP SANDY.
Our Rambler Has Been There.

SldOtS VI Inv NNi'a - '''f''f :
stopped at several places OF more
or less commercial interest, some
of slight historical interest, among !
which | mention East Point, which
is situated ON the west bank Of the
Big Sandy at the mouth of Little
Paint. This is the point where
the heroic Jennie Wylie came to
the Big Sandy and crossed over in
her flight from the Indians.
This bit OF history has been
dormant SO long that to many OF
your young readers it will seem as
news. venture to give it.
Mrs. Wylle was one of the first
settlers Of what is now Tazewell
county, Va. Her husband being
from home they were rushed upon
and made prisoners by the Chero-
kee Indians. The children, except
the babe in the mothers arms,
were all instantly put to death.
The Indians carried Mrs. Wylie
and the babe captiSes down the
Tug river to front near the old
Crum place, where Mrs. Wylie be-
came exhausted. The child was
snatched from the mothers loving
embrace and its head crushed
against the roots OF a beech, which
few years ago was still standing.
They proceeded on down the Tug
and to the mouth OF the Sandy,
which stream they crossed, passing
down the Ohio to the mouth OF
Little Sandy, up that stream to
Little Fork, up Little Fork to Dry
Fork, over through Cherokee Gap,
and down Cherokee to within about
one mile Of its mouth, where they
made another camp for hunting
Here they stayed several months
in rock house. At this point
Mrs. Wylie gave birth to child
which is most likely the first white
child ever born in Lawrence Co
: The child was put to the test OF q
good fighter by thrusting it int
cold water. The child cried, ant
thus falling to stand the test, it
: little brains We're dashed out upor
a convenient stone. Thus Mrs
Wylie had witnessed the whole o
J, her family except her husband pu
a to death. On several occas
: ions councils of war were held Z
!! put Mrs. Wylie to death, but a
: last an old chief bought her from
the tribe and allowed her to G
free, she previously having bee
bound to tree every night.
At last the long coveted oppoI
. tunity arrived. The Indians fail
ing one night to return from thei
hunt, Mrs. Wylie made her escape
! Passing up Big Blaine to the mout
of Hood, up that stream, over an
down Mud Lick to "Big Paint,
down that stream crossing tn
same on some drift while it was a
flood tide, she went up "Jennies
creek $50 named for Mrs. Wylit
through Hager gap, down Littl
Paint; arriving at its mouth sh
heard just below some men work
ing. To these she made know
her distress, and having no boa
they Immediately cut and role
in some logs and formed a raft
with which they crossed the ragin
waters of the Big Sandy. Mrs
Wylie, more dead than alive, wa
freed from her captlves, who al
peared upon the opposite bank a
the little rude bark landed nea
the block house that these me
were constructing. Mrs. Wylit
after a brief rest at block hous,
was conveyed by her good friend
(some OF the present Auxier generi
tom to her home and people i
Virginia. After many years Mr.
Wylie removed to Kentucky an
died near the mouth Of Tom
creek in johnson county.
We look upon these savage ma
sacres as acts not to be forgiven
But compare their condition, ci
cumstances, and day to the pre-
ent Anglo-Saxon race. The Cher
KEGS, which at one time compose
the tribes Of the"Catawbas" "Chi
amauga, /" "Shawnees" and "Chicl
asaw's," owned or claimed all Il
Ohio valley from the mouth Of Il
Kanawha to the Tennessee, an
following the divide to the Gun
bertrand mountains. These wit
other tribes have been driven fro
e, their ancestral home to an u
to known and inhospitable regio
The country OF their fathers W
k peculiarly dear to them. The blo'
nv OF these warriors can be trac
y. from the Hiwassee to the OH
or Then We're they not provoked
:, the degree of murder?
- i now find myself in the capt.
of johnson, one Of the best count
'0' OF the Sandy valley. Probably Il
~ the best roads Of any county in
ou valley save Boyd. This coun
ay was named in honor of Col. Rio
ard NJ. johnson, who lived upol
rty farm in Scott Co., KY, and bor'
as' very enviable reputation. In Il