The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1917-01-12

! govt, allow your romantic patriotism
to persuade you to climb the cliff-like
border Of the G. & o. railroads prop
erty, and take the old buffalo trail,
called by Simon Kenton the Lower
Indian War Road" II you have for
gotten how you played Indian" in
your more youthful days, you will
have to be reminded that Indians,
while travelling, followed each other
In single file. However this is not ne
cessary along the present trail, It be-
ing widened by the buffaloes, and later
by the white pioneers, until a beauti-
full highway lies before you. though
now lying neglected and crossed by
line fences and partly hidden by sec
ond growth forests. Catching fresh
glimpses of the beautiful river with
each step we advance two miles east
ward and find ourselves at the spot
where Capt. Daniel Greathouse and
his entire wamily were cruelty muir
dered by the Indians March "a, 1891.
These Indians inspired by the great
Chief Logan, had with them Tecumsch
who later became chief of the Shaw
anees. At this time he was but sew
enteen years of age. He was a silent
spectator of the atrocities of his mates
and when all was over he empathical-
ly declared against such inhuman war
fare and It is said he adhered to the
principles advocated at that time,
through his whole life.
The Indians had secreted them
selves at the mouth of Cabin Creek
and when the two boats came In sight,
a white man (name unknown) had
been sent to call them in pretending
to be Just escaped from the Indians.
The people in the first boat were
skeptical and, fearing it was trick,
declined to come In but Greathouse,
having been importuned by the white
man who ran along the shore crying
and calling to them very pitifully frcm
the mouth of the creek, down the river
shore, quite ways, at last replied
that he would at least come in nearer
the shore, that the man might come
aboard. At this the entire party of In
dams sprang from their hiding places
seized the boat and tomahawked every
one on board excepting Greathouse
himself. At this earnest solicitation,
he was permitted to bury his wife and
sons upon the bank, after which he
was burnt alive. 1t Is said that this
was the last time prisoner was ever
burnt alive in Tecumsch's presence.
The bodies of these massacred set
tiers remained undlsturbed until 1885
when some workmen for the c. & o,
railroad. Internationally dislnterred
them. Then they were carefully gath
cred together and replaced in decent
grave in the old cemetery at Pleasant
Hill about one and a quarter miles up
the creek.
When the other boat reached Lime
stone (now Maysville) and reported
their experiences, anxious watch was
kept until nightfall, for the second
boat load of settlers,
The next morning as they had not
arrived. a large party went up the
river to the place where the whiteman
had called to the first party to land,
and there the sad tragedy was read, in
the newly made graves, the charred
body at the stake and the looted boat.
Tecumsch afterward related the &C.
currence to many.
This dreadful calamity caused such
feeling of horrors and fear through
out the whole country that other con-
templating settlers hesitated about
starting, Neil Washburn, the famous
Indian scout was sent up the river to
the Big Sandy, to warn all single boats
to wait for larger parties. Four other
scouts were hired to make bi-weekly
trips between Maysville and the Big
Sandy. They were Duncan Macarthur
afterward Governor of Ohio, Samuel
Davis, Samuel Mcdowell and Nathan
lei Beasley.
We will now leave this sad scene
and return to the location of the pa
per town" of Madison or Liberty flor
1t was called by either of these names)
which was surveyed and laid off by
Judge John Coburn, first Circuit
Judge of Mason county. upon his
farm, which lay just one mile up the
river from the mouth of Limestone
Creek. This was in 1908 and several
lots were sold at handsome prices but
no improvements were ever made.
You may look In vain before ar
rival at your home for any signs of
this city which was to eclipse Mays
Vile. II this days cross country run
has not exhausted you we will soon
take another.
Yours sincerely,
MRS. CLARA DEGMAN HOOK.