The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1937-07-22

There follows a long petition from
Captain Brains imploring clemency.
Finally the captain was called before
the Governor who delivered him a
lecture, but forgave him, especially
since this is day of Public Thanks
giving upon the happy news of the
good Agreement of his Majesty and
the Parliament"
The History of Preston County, W.
Va, gives the following information
of the Brain family:
James Brain, killed by Indians, 1778.
His children were:
~ James.
(2) Benjamin, b. 1768, d. after
1880.
(3) Rachel, b. 1776, d. 1858; m.
William Michael.
az Isaac, killed 1778 CD
Children of James Brain, Jr.:
(D John G., b. 1929, m. ~
Mary A. Wolfe; (2) Mary
Gray.
(2) Susan, m. James Field.
After the Indian Wars
For many years after the wars, lone
Indians came back to visit the noun
tains where their fathers and grand
fathers had hunted and camped. The
Friends tell of one walking down the
Sang Run road to the Indian camp
ground, erect, dignifed, looking
straight ahead.
And after generation of bitter
warfare the pioneer settlers and their
children were often suspicious of and
hostile toward any red men.
Preston county history informs US
that one of these lonely travellers,
coming to the mountains to visit the
graves of his ancestors, was shot in
the road by one of the Dawsons stand
ing behind chestnut tree soon after
the Indian crossed into Maryland. The
old saying in action: "The only good
Indian is a dead Indian"
Henry Bittinger, one of our pio-
neers who had fought in the Indian
wars in the West used to refer to them
as "yellow Burgers"
"Davy" Sibert, Indian Fighter
In Jacob Browns book dealing with
early Western Maryland history, we
learn that
David Sibert was a soldier in the
Revolutionary War and in the War
of 1912. He claimed to have been
brought across the ocean by General
Lafayette. He certainly served in "the
war;" as he drew pension in his life
time and his widow after him. "Davy''
was also in some of the Indian border
wars thereafter and was captured by
the Indians and was about to be burnt
according to the savage code. In his
terribly extremity he told his tormen-
tors he possessed wonderful powers
with the fiint-lock musket, and that
if they would spare his life they
should have the benefit of his skill in
that capacity. The dodge took and he
was released and made one of the
tribe. Davy never repaired any guns
but made miraculous escape the first
opportunity.
Some years before Sibert's death
in 1886, an Indian struggled from COM
panions on their way to Washington
over the National Road and was seer
about a hotel on Keyser's Ridge. Davy
was known to be around with his
rifle. Some days later an Indian was
found below Pursley Run bridge with
a bullet-hole in him.
Sibert's decided opinion was he hac
fallen over the bridge and killed him.
self. Other opinions were he was
thrown over, but that the fall did moi
hurt so much as the bullet. However
there was not much said about it anC
still less done.
BY the way, it was not an uncom.
mon thing about 1886 for an Indian tc
stray away in this manner. One came
to our home near Grantsville, drunk
on a cold winter evening for shelter
A good mother could not turn even 6
savage away. He was given place
behind an old-time woodworking stove
with two stalwart sons on the opposite
side as a guard who prevented hin
from doing anything more than to beg
for "lum whiskey," which he did moi
get for more than one reason. There
was one very wakeful urchin thai
night. However, the red man wen
his way peacefully in the morning
feeling just like a white man under
like circumstances.
A Friendly Visit
Let US close with a story of peace
and friendship, as related by Rev. D
A. Friend, in his book, "The Goodness:
of God":
"After the French and Indian Wal
the settlement about the region o.
Friendsville was much harassed by thu
Indians, who had formerly been quite