Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1905-03-08
JONATHAN DORE.
His Transformation to savngery ant
Return to Civilization

His TRANSFORMATION to savnEery and
Return to Civilization.
In June, 1746, Jonathan Dore, q boy
Of twelve years old, was told by his
father, who was at work with other
men in the field, to sit on the fence
and keep sharp lookout for Indians,
who were suspected to be not far away.
This was In or near Rochester, N. II.
The boy sat whistling on the fence
The Indians all at once came In sight
He gave the alarm, and the men all
escaped, but before he could get down
from the fence the Indians seized him.
His father saw him captured and car
rled off, but could do nothing. Eleven
years afterward the Fort William
Henry massacre occurred. Among the
New Hampshire soldiers who escaped
fidently that he had seen Jonathan
Dore. He had often been at Mr.. Dore's
house and knew Jonathan well. He
was sure he had not been mistaken in
his Identification.
When the massacre became general
after the surrender of the fort, the Do
yer man ran for the woods and was
closely pursued by an Indian. His pur-
suer gained upon him so fast that he
turned at last and faced him to meet
his unavoidable fate. The uplifted TOM
ahawk was just descending upon his
head when he recognized, amid the
paint and costume Of an Indian, the
eyes Of Jonathan Dore. The recogni-
ton seemed to be mutual. The Indian
dropped his tomahawk at his side and
walked slowly back to the fort.
Such was the story Of the returned
soldier, but it gained little credit. Two
years later, however, Jonathan Dore
suddenly made his appearance in
Rochester after an absence Of more
than thirteen years.
He had been treated kindly by the
st. Francis tribe, to which his captors
belonged, had married an Indian girl,
had acquired the habits and disposition
Of an Indian, and indeed had almost
forgotten that he was descended from
another race. He bore a part In all the
cruelties at the taking Of Fort William
Henry. A white man whom, he was
pursuing turned upon him just In sea-
son to arrest the descending toma-
hawk, and then Dore saw face which
had been familiar to him in childhood.
Memories of bis fathers Preside and
the happy scenes of his boyhood rush
ed upon his mind; his arm fell, and he
walked back to the fort and took no
further part In that horrible tragedy.
From that time he thought continually
OF his boyish home, but his wife and
children bound him to the Indians with
ties that could not be severed.
Then came Major Rogers and his
rangers. intent upon avenging the Fort
William Henry butchery. Dore was
absent in the field husking corn. Hear
ing n general discharge Of muskets and
knowing that an enemy was upon the
village, he kept himself concealed and
from his hiding place witnessed the
massacre that followed. Then the vii.
lage was set on fire, and after the
flames subsidized he yentured forth.
Among the ruins he found the bodies
Of his wife and children. He buried
them In one grave and with them his
attachment to the Indians. AS soon as
possible he made his way back to Roch-
ester He settled In Lebanon, Me-,
married again and spent there the re-
mainder of his days, famous for his
craftsmanship especially with the bow
and arrow, and known to every one as
Indian Dore."