Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-03-19
The Indian Massacre OF Kerr's Creek.
ROckbridge County, Virginia.
BY THE LATE REV. SAMUEL BROWN

By THE LATE REV. SAMUEL BROWN.
How soon do the exciting scenes
of past generation pass into obliv.
ion amongst the living! Who, even
Of the citizens of Rockbridge, as
they pass up and down the beautiful
valley of Kerr's Creek, know or
think anything of that dark and
bloody day, more than a hundred
years ago, when death and destruc-
tion in their most horrible form
swept over its inhabitants?
There is reason to believe that the
savages had, for some time, medi.
tated visit to this settlement. Some
weeks before, two boys, James Tel
ford and his brother were returning
from school in tho evening when
they saw naked man near their
path, standing behind a tree, and
trying to keep the tree between him
and them. Not knowing what il
meant, they were alarmed. and run
ming home, told what they had seen
but 1T was not thought much of until
the massacre, when it was believed
that the person seen was one oftheir
spies, sent to examine the condition
of the settlement.
The party of Indians which sep.
arated from the main body at OF
near Old Millboro in Bath county,
} made their way directly over Mill
Mountain, about two miles north ot
) where the turnpike crosses it, at q
low place still called the "Indian
TRAIL" and falling over on the
waters of Bratton's Run, they
crossed the North Mountain where
the road now crosses it, leading from
Lexington to the Rockbridge Alum
Springs, and where large heap of
stones is still to be seen touching the
road, evidently put there by the In
dians at some time, probably as a
landmark between their tribes. l
do not think it stretch of the inn
agination to suppose that these
painted warriors made q pause on
this rude pile of stones, perhaps the
landmark of their fathers. Here
they had full view of the Valley
of Kerr's Creek. They could see
the smoke Of the white man abode,
and mark the encroachment upon
what they claimed as their hunting
ground, given to them by the "Great
Spirit" With passions thus excited,
they were prepared for the deeds of
blood before them that day.
fastening down the mountain,
they were seen on the headwaters of
the creek twenty seven warriors
marching in "Indian file," as seen
by Mr.. Irwin. Their determination
seemed to be an indiscriminate
slaughter of all who fell into their
hands, and general burning and
destruction of property. No pris-
oners were made by them on this
their first visit. All who were made
prisoners were taken in the second
invasion two years afterwards.
The first house reached by them |
was that Of Charles Daugherty,
where they murdered the entire
family. They then proceeded down |
the creek to the house of Jacob Gun
niDgham, where w. Moore and G.. |
Harper now live. Cunningham was
from home his wife was killed and
a daughter ten years old, was strick-
en- down with the tOmahaWk. Think |
ing her to be dead they scalped her.
She revived after they left and |
lived but was destined again to fall
into their hands on the second invas.
ion two years afterwards, when she
was taken prisoner and carried to |
their towns in Ohio, where they put |
on her head what they gave her to
understand, was her own scalp, and |
with mirth and rejoicing, danced
around her. She was afterwards |
redeemed and brought back by her
friends, and lived forty years, and
eventually died from the effects of
the scalping. Her head had never
properly healed and turned to can
cerous affection. These strange facts |
l learned from her niece twenty |
years ago. The Indians next came
to the house Of Thomas Gilmore be-
ing where his great grandson, Cap
tain w. G. Gilmore now lives. The
old gentleman and his wife were Just |
starting to visit neighbor. They
were both killed and scalped, and |
the house burned. The rest of the |
family escaped at that time, the |
alarm had now spread through the |
neighborhood, and the inhabitants
were fleeing in every direction. The
house of Robert Hamilton came |
next. He lived on the place now
owned by NJ. Dunlap. This was a
large family of ten members one
half of the number fell victims to |
the fury of the savages. For some |
cause not known, the main body off
Indians went no further at this |
time than the house of Hamilton.
Perhaps their thirst for the white
mans blood was satisfied for the |
present, or. what Is more probable, |
as the alarm was now spreading
rapidly, they feared to venture |
further with so small band of war
riors. There may have been more,
but it is certainly known that more
than one Indian pushed on to the
house of John Mckee where j. A. |
Laird now lives. Mckee had re-
Gently come to the Creek from Penn.
sylvania. From some alarm that
had been given, probably the naked
man, who had been seen, he had
sent his six children to the house of
friend on Timber Ridge intending
soon to follow with his wife. When
the alarm reached him, he and his
wife fled down the creek for about a
mile. Their aim was to gain thick
growth Of brush where they could
better cover themselves. When
passing through an open space they
saw one Indian following them i'm
swift pursuit. An old colored woman
was trying to flee with them, and