The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-10-03

S"isHc" loI inulFluual Ha!or, patriot
Ism and executive ability, in the hi,.
tory Of the formative period O.. our
country. History, as it is too often
written to day, has failed to mention
the names of many Of .llo,c mcn, aud
their fame has become matters Of local
memory. The history Of the frontiers
men, Of the mcn who conquered the
West, is factor Of onr national de-
vclormcnt TOO often neglected and
forgotten. The part played by indi-
yiduals in this stirring drama was Of
immense Importance These men Of
the bordcr-betwccn Tie more civiliz.
ed stretch Of land along the Atlantic
seaboard and the settlement which
were just beginning west Of the noun
tains, performed great dccds-cpoch-
making deeds.
y glance backward few score years
will show that there were two streams
OF migration which pcopled the west
ern country, as it was called in early
days. One came from the Southern
States, notably Virginia and North
and South Carolina, and their neigh
bors, and the other came from New
England, New York and Pennsylvania.
From the Southern country the p;o-
ncers established themselves, ever
pushing forward, to the West and
Southwest, while the northerly stream
occupied the Northwest territory as it
was called. 1t was not until after the
revolution that this Northwestern
stream began; but the men who
fought the wilderness, and the savage
dcnizens thereof, in Kentucky and
Tennessee, whose descendants event
ually spread over Missouri and the
Southwest helped to make the Amcri-
can War of independence a great fact
in history.
John Sewer. leader in the founda-
ton OF the commonwealth Of Tenncs-
see, was one who had to fight to the
west and east, and Isaac Shelby,
first governor of kentucky, was an
other.
Isaac Shelby was born December II,
1870. near IIagcrstown, Md, where
his father and grandfather had settled
after their arrival in America from
Wales. He obtained the elements of
good English education, his school
ing being interrupted many times on
account Of the Indian wars. Natural
ly under Surroundings of danger. he
was brought up to the use Of arms and
the pursuit Of game. At the age of
u he removed to Western Virginia,
having previously acquired knowl.
edge of surveying. The extensive
ranges of thai region encouraged cattle
raising, and young Shelby kept large
herds Of cattle.
He was lieutenant in the company
of his father, General Evan Shelby,
in the battle at the mouth Of the
kanawha, October 10, 1874, where the
officers, Colonels Lewis, Fleming and
Field, having been killed or disabled,
Evan Shelby became commanding
officer. The battle gave peace to the
frontier for several years.
In l775 young Shelby was in Ken
tucky acting as surveyor for Hender-
son 4 Co., and in 1916 he was ap-
pointed captain Of minute company
by che Committee Of Safety in Vir-
ginia. The worth, nerve and skill of
the young patriot were thus early re.
cognized by his fellows. In the wear
I777 he was appointed by Governor
Henry commissary Of supplies for an
extensive body Of militia, posted at
different garrisons to guard the from
tier settlements, and for treaty to
be held at the Long Island of Holston
River with the Cherokee Indians.
These supplies could not have been
obtained nearer than Staunton, Va, a
distance of 300 miles; but by the
most indefatigahle perseverance Zone
of the most conspicuous traits of his
characteD he accomplished the task to
the satisfaction of his country.
In l'7s he was engaged IL tho COZ,
missary department providing supplies
for the Continental army and for an
expedition, by the way Of Pittsburg,
against the Northwestern Indians. In
the early part of l779 he was appoint
ed by Governor Henry to furnish the
Chickamauga Indians. AS there were
no govern ment funds for the service,
Shelby provided the supplies upon his
individual credit. To feed an army
at ones own expense is service great
for any time and any age, and Shelby
but proved his mettle again and gave
promise of what he would do in the
future.