The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-08-01

January s. ISIS. She was the first daugh
ter Of Moses and Jennie Damron. He
father was OF pure English blood ant
emigrEted from England with two broth
ers, Lazerous and Richard. and settle,
on the Big Sandy river. Mr.. Damror
was a great Indian fighter and was EN-.
ployed by the government rs scout and
spy during the war with the Shawnees
end Delawares. He performed grca,
deeds OF daring and bravery. which wer,
recognized by the government: among
them and worthy OF record, was that OF
rescuing woman and five children. The
shawnces had scalped her husband and
carried or herself and six children. The
Indians soon tired OF the baby and tear
ing Il from its mothers arms beat Il to
death against a tree, they hushed the
mothers screams by rubbing her face
with her husbands scalp Mr.. Damron
volunteered to so in pursuit OF these In
dlans and with II men he followed 50
miles. coming up with them Just after
dark. An were sitting around the fre
eating their supper. There were % war
riorS The leader was standing before
the fire. When the men saw the % war
riors, 10 turned and fed Mr.. Damron
nothing daunted instantly shot the lead
ing savage, who fell into the fire. Dam
ron gave the war whoop to charge and
the Indians thinking an army was upon
them fed. Mr. Damrou and his one
faithful comrade rushed in and rescued
the woman and children and carried them
across mountain and returned to the
trail, well knowing that the Indians
would soon be on his tracks. He secreted
himself under an old stump, having an
over growth. Soon two Indians scouts
came along. striking their iints and light
ing their punks They stopped close by
the stump. so near that Damron might
have toushed them with his hand. He
often said that he thought then the
scourts might have heard his heart beat.
They did discover the tracks OF the 10
retreating white men and on they rush
ed. whistling to their comrades to follow.
As sodn as they passed Mr. Dam
ION lost no time in returning to his
charge and with his comrade took the
woman and children to settlement in
another direction. For this feat Of BRAY
cry our government presented Mr. Dam
ron with a splendid rifle. richly mounted
with silver and valued in those DAYS at
500. Mr.. Damron killed the noted Indian
terror big Foot" shooting him in a
pass Of the Cumberland mountains.
During these dreadful times Of Indian
wars Mr.. Damron. in 1872. married Miss
Jennie Mullins. To them were born six
children, Moses Sarah. Louisa, Elizabeth.
William and Solomon. In 1856 they moved
to Illinois, where they lived two years,
but not being satisfied there. Mr.. Daulron
started to return. 10 their old home in
Kentucky. They reached Posey county.
H.. on the Ohio river. where they stop
ped 10 rest. Here Mr.. and Mrs. Damron
were attacked by what was then known
as milk sickness and within six DAYS ]
both were dead and buried. During their
illness, the father called their oldest son =
and daughter Moses ana Sarah, Cthe sub /
jeet Of this sketch l2 and 10 years old, to
his bed side and told them many times,
describing in the minUtest detail every
turn and cross road on their long journey .
home. He marked out their whcle route y
md made them promise that they would d
continue steadily on Until they reached
their relatives in Kentucky In those
lays children without parents were often II
bound out" To provide against this d
Mr.. Damron called in his Masonic breth- !!
ZEN and exscted pledge from them that u
hey would see to it that his children u
should not be bound out" He then
made all arrangements for their Journey II
After the burial Of their parents these u
'ix children started on their sad jour y
iey, In a light one horse wagon, or =
.arriage. They reached home in one
month. including all stops; never once II
osing their way or having TO retrace +"
heir steps, so well had this wise father D
his accurate knowledge upon u
he minds Of his young son and daughter, e
,ut sad to say this trip was the means ci
II rendering this 12-year-old lad cripple "
or life. While ascending steep hills he
,ften had to put his foot under the tc
wagon wheel to keep It from sliding and ot
hereby bruised his foot and ankle which ro
'rought on a disease Of the joint, making OF
lin cripple and finally causing his IN
eath. The children were overwhelmed In
rith kindness throughout their trip One !
light they stopped at the house Of an ~
Id bachelor who upon reading their "
etter from the Masons made up his mind ~
o adopt the children He kept them for OK
early a week. He seemed to have been bn
good but very eccentric sort Of per- XII
on, for he had provided himself with a w'
ofln in which he kept his Tug Of whisky. so
he sight Of the coffin thoroughly fright wc
ned them, especially Sarah who ran IT
own stairs screaming. Ths old man was DO
cry kind to the children and loaded tni
lem with good things to eat One day an
e went TO town leaving them with an Z
Id negro and his wife, telling the child sin
IN he would not be gone long. As soon In
S he was out Of sight the children hitch teI
up their horse and slipped away: the vi!
Id colored people pretending not to Bu
office them. They travelled with all fir
aste for fear the old man would follow cal
lem, but they never saw him again. onl
arah and Eliza had the ague and shook thi
'ery other day. After several days an
avel they they came to the Widow re-
opkin's, a wealthy woman who was WI
nown far and wide. She kindly took fir
lem In and cured the girls ague. bai
'idow Hopkins had large plantation TIL
I'd a hundred slaves. Her two widowed Of
lughters lived with her. The hearts of TIL
lese wealthy and good women were vel
armed toward these orphaned children, he