Year: 1869

70 The Editors OF the Intelligencer:


Some time in the year of 1880, in what
our grand parents would call "1ngun
times" the fort at Goals Mouth in the
I<AnRwha Valley, where the few whites
who had braYed the dangers of frontier
life, had concentrated for self defence,
was attacked and taken by the Indi-
ans. Some were killed outright, some
were taken captive, while some escaped
in one way and some in another
Many were the scenes of cruelty that
were enacted on that occasion, which
for the purpose OF my story 1t is not
necessary to mention. Prominent
among the Inhabitants of the fort was
family by the name of Young. some
of whom were extensively known
in the history of border war
fare of that day, consisting of the
father and several sons. One OF
the sons, Jacob, was shot dead on the
spot. Another family by the name of
Tacket. also known In the history of
the times was among the number.
John Young who had married the
daughter of Mr.. Tacket, finding that
resistance was hopeless against the saw.
age forces, seized his wife who had
bat the day before become the mother
OF her first child, anu carried her, with
their babe to the river.threw them into
a canOO and pushed Oft into the stream.
Many shots were fired at him as he
crossed the Great Kanawha river, and
made his way hugRing the opposite
shore to the fort at Charleston, where
he arrived safely with his wife and
babe. enCOuntering on the way most
terrific storm OF rain and wind, from
the fury OF which sne hAd no prOtec :
ton except the hunting shirt OF her
husband, which with some twigs or
shrubs he formed into shelter from
the pitiless blasts. Yet strange as 1t
may seem, mother and child both lived;
the mother died at the age of ninety
two. Her father and mother who were
also in the fort at the time OF its cap
ture: the latter OF whom, with her son
Lewis was captured and remained
with tho Indians over u year, died some
years ago on Elk river, at the ages res
pectfuily OF 103 and 1O5. The baby
That was so miraculously preserved is
still living, as the reader will see.


On Friday evening last about 6
O'Clock (whiIe tremendous rain was
falling from the clouds,) a venerable
looking old gentlemen came into the
store OF White &c Slack, in Charleston,
with middle aged lady by his side.
each seeming 10 be impressed with
some weighty matter, which they SEEM
ed at loss for language TO express.
At length the clerk who seemed to au-
Iicipato ther "design" came to their re-
lief and assisted them in giving utter
auce to the fact that they desired
10 be united in the "holy estate of ma
trimony," which (after a little prepar-
alton ut the Recorders ofhce) was then
and there consumated by the clerk
aforesaid, who was authorized by law
to perform the hymenial rites and cere-
monies. They Immediately repaired
to the house of a friend where they
spent the night, and left on the steamer
Saturday morning to enjoy the "honey
moon" The Bridegroom as the read
es may have anticipated was the re-
scued infant alluded to in the former
part of this article-he has perhaps sew
ernl scores ofdcscendants in this valley,
several of whom were conspicuous in
the war for the suppression of the late
rebellion. Two OF his grand daughters
are the wives of officers who Distinguish
cd themselves in the late war, and one
of them the wife of a member of the
West Virginia ConferenCe-yet the
old gentleman does not seem to have
any idea that he is an "old man" but
doubtless expects to raise another
"crop" of soldiers for the "next war;"
as his loyalty to his country is not only
cherished principle OF his nature but
an .'inheritance." May his highest
anticIpations be realized. G. s.