The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1904-06-21
Aunt Jennie's Letter.

series of historical articles about noted women OF
pioneer time which is of especial interest to us as
North Carolinians, for the three brave women
whose lives have been described thus far were all
natives of our dear old State. The stories were
complied by Landon Knight, and the first of the
series, 'reating of Catherine Sheriff. (afterward
Sewer is in the May issue of the Delineator.
Catherine Sheriff. was born in the Yadkin
country of North Carolina in 1858. The lives of
few persons indeed have been filled with so much
of the glamour of romance and the hard condi-
tions of pitiless reality, and fewer still have
borne the smiles and frowns of fortune so ad-
mirably as did this "queen of the back-woods."
The line of civilization had advanced westward,
and we first meet this daring maiden in the
Watauga Valley (now Eastern Tennessee) in
1776 under circumstances which seem almost pro-
phetic of her subsequent career. The chief of
the Cherokees had decided that he would extermi-
nate the white people of the settlement, and they
were in the midst of a fight when Capt. John
Sewer, who defended the fort, saw a tall graceful
white girl, pursued by bowling, Infatuated In
dams, trying to reach the fort. He, of course,
longed to protect her, and several Indians fell by
his unerring aim. The girl leaped the fort and
fell into the arms of her rescuer.
This incident afterward exerted a greater in
fuence over the frontier settlement than did the
battle won that day, for it was the beginning of
a love affair which lasted a life time, as it resulted
In the marriage of Catherine Sheriff. to Capt.
John Sewer, or "Nolichucky Jack" His regi-
ment rode with him as best man to the residence
of Mr.. Samuel Sheriff., where he went to claim
his bride, in 1880.
1t was a state occasion. Everybody was there,
including "Old Abraham of Chilhowie," the In
dian king who led the attack on that memorable
day; now fraternity and good fellowship prevail
ed. The bride, of course, was the center of attrac-
ton, and was attired in a wondrous white dress
that had been spun, woven, cut, fitted and made
with her own hands. It was a grand affair, and for
half a century many Tennesseeans remembered
"Nolichucky Jacks" wedding as the most glo-
rious event of their lives.
Hardly had the young couple settled in their
new home when an urgent request was sent over
the mountains for Colonel Sewer to come over
and help the few steadfast patriots who were
being so hard pressed by Tarleton and Ferguson.
"Nothing is impossible to a great man when
aided by a clever woman" He took the field, and
she undertook to supply horses, wagons, provi-
sions and clothing from their own estate, which
task was no small one when we remember that
there were 1,O40 of them. That it was the best
equipped regiment in the war was due solely to
her. Just think of her courage! Besides being
step mother to his children by a former marriage,
she was quartermaster of a small army.
Truly no situation could have been more try
ing, yet we see her moving through it all calmly,
steadfastly, not thinking of self, managing the
farm, educating the children, caring for the
wounded soldiers, relying with simple faith upon
God for protection through it all. If Tories
came, she with gun in HANDY informed the lead
err that the first act of depreciation would cost
L. IL Lee and hor determination ouo.axuoG