The Frankfort roundabout. [volume] (Frankfort, Ky.) 1882-1908, 1905-07-08
[ From Collins History of Ky. ]
FEMALE HEROISM.

or an attack on INNS Settlement,
near Frankfort, in April, 1892, are
derived from the Rev. Abraham
Cook, a venerable minister of the
Baptist Church, himself a pioneer,
who died in 1850, 80 years of age,
and the brother of Jesse and Hosea
Cook, the husbands of the two in
trepid and heroic females whose
bravery is here recorded:
/. Some five or six years previous
TO the occurrence of the event
named, a settlement was COM
menced on South Elkhorn, a short
distance above its junction with
the North fork, which, though Lot
very strong, was considered a sort
of asylum from Indian invasion.
About Christmas in the year 1871,
two brothers, Jesse and Hosea
Cook and their families, their
brother-in-law Lewis Mastin and
family, and William Dunn and part
of his family, with William BledsOe
and family, moved to Main Elk
horn, about three miles from the
above named place, and formed a
settlement in bottom there,
known as Innis' bottom. A man
by the name of Farmer, with his
family, shortly after made settle
ment a short distance lower down
the creek; and an Overseer and
three negroes had been placed on
an Improvement of Colonel Innis' q
short distance above. The new
settlement was between three and
four miles from Frankfort, at that
time containing but a few families.
1t was composed of newly married
persons, some with and others
without children. They had been
exempt from Indian depredations
up to the 18th of April, 1892, al
though solitary Indian on horse
back, had passed it i'm the night,
during the preceding winter. The
two Cooks settled in cabins close
together; Mastin and BledsOe Occu-
pied double cabins some three hun
dred yards from the Cooks; the
cabin of Dunn was about three hun
dred yards from those above
named, and Farmers about the
same distance below the Cooks !;
while Innis' overseer and negroes
were located about three-fourths of
a mile above.
On the day above mentioned (the
2Sth of April, 1922, an attack was
made on three several points Of the
settlements, almost simultaneously.
by about one hundred Indians.
The first onset was made upon the
Cooks. The brothers were near the
cabins, one engaged in shearing
sheep, the other looking on. The
sharp crack of rifles was the first
intimation of the proximity of the
Indians: and that fire was fatal to
the brothers-the elder fell dead,
and the younger was mOrtaIly
wounded. but enabled to reach the
cabin. The two Mrs. Cooks, with
three children 1.-TWO whites and one
black, were instantly collected in
the house, and the door, very
strong one, made secure. The In
dams, unable to enter, discharged
their rifles at the door, but without
injury, as the balls did not pene-
trate through the thick boards of
which it was constructed. They
then attempted to cut it down with
their tOmahawks, but with no bet
ter success. While these things
occurred without, there was deep
sorrow, mingled with fearless de-
termination and high resolve
within. The younger Cook, NOR
tally wounded, Immediately the
door was barred, sunk down on the
floor, and breathed his last; and
the two Mrs. Cooks were lett the
| sole defenders of the cabin, with
the three children. There was a
rifle in the house, but no balls could
be found. In this extremity, one
Of the women got hold of musket
ball, and placing it between ber
teeth, actually bit it in two pieces.
With one she instantly loaded the
rifle. The Indians, failing in their
attempt to cut down the door, had
retired few PAGES in front, doubt
less to consult upon their future
operations. One seated himself
| mon a lnn anna rnntlH annrahnnl