Indian Massacres in Grant and Hardy County, West Virginia

     A Shawnee chief named Killbuck, whose home was  probably in Ohio, invaded what is  now 

Grant and Hardy Counties in the spring of 1756, at the head of sixty or seventy savages. He killed 

several settlers and made his escape. He appeared again two years later in Pendleton County, 

where he attacked and captured Fort Seybert,  twelve  miles west of the present town of Franklin,

 and put to death more  than  twenty persons who had taken refuge in the fort. The place no

 doubt could have made a  successful resistance had not the inmates trusted to the promise 

of  safety made by the Indians, who thus were admitted into the fort, and at once massacred the 

settlers. In 1758 the Indians again invaded Hampshire County and killed a settler near Forks of 

Capon. This same year eight Indians came into the country on the South Branch of the Potomac,

 near the town of Petersburg, and attacked the cabin of a man named Bingaman. They had forced

 their way into the house at night, and being at too close 
quarters for shooting, Bingaman clubbed his rifle and beat seven of them to death. The eighth

 made his escape. In 1759 the Indians committed depredations on the Monongahela River near 

Morgantown. 

                       57 gruesome stories of Indian capture and torture

The Massacre at the Zeimer Cabin

The History Ashland County, Ohio  1909

PURSUIT AND CAPTURE. 

"They knew no dread of danger, When rose the Indian's yell; Right gallantly they struggled, Right gallantly they fell." The massacre at the Zeimer cabin aroused the feelings of the people, not only in Richland, but in other counties, almost to frenzy and companies were organized at Wooster, New Philadelphia and other places to protect the settlers. Captain Mullen commanded the Wooster company and Alex McConnel the one at New Philadelphia. Of the five Indians who committed the Zeimer-Ruffner murders, two had been killed by the heroic Ruffner in his defence of the Zeimer family ere he himself fell in the murderous assault of the savages. Some weeks later the three surviving Indians of that murderous gang, after having been seen lurking near Odell's lake, were captured at Fern Island, five miles down the Tuscarawas river from New Philadelphia. Fern Island is now a famous picnic resort and is reached by steam and electric cars both from New Philadelphia and Urichsville. The Tuscarawas is, perhaps, the most poem-inspiring river in the state. It courses through one of Ohio's most fertile valleys with an ease and grandeur that is both restful and inspiring. As rays of light shine upon its dark waters they reflect emerald tints as though the bottom was paved with precious stones. But the Indians had not sought that locality for its romantic beauty, nor because the waters of the Tuscarawas were wont to dazzle one with their diamond-like gleams, but for the protection the dense forests of that secluded isle would give them. The mark of Cain was upon them and the avenging Nemesis was following their trail. In that forest-embowered isle stood armies of ferns with nodding plumes and crimson falchions and among these the tired savages laid down to sleep.
  Captain McConnel, hearing that Indians were upon the Island, marched his company over the "Plains" and when the destination was reached he left.

                                                 57 gruesome tales of Indian capture and torture

Early Description of the Miami Indians in Present Day Fort Wayne, Indiana

A picture of conditions about the confluence of the St. Mary's and the St. Joseph at this time comes down to us from the letter of a French officer, writing in 1718. ' ' The Miamis are sixty leagues from Lake Erie and number four hundred, all good-formed men and well tattooed," he writes. "They are hard-working, and raise a species of maize unlike that of our Indians at Detroit. It is white, of the same size as the other, the skin much finer, and the meal much whiter. This nation is clad in deerskin, and when a woman goes with another man, her husband cuts off her nose and refuses to see her any more. They have plays and dances; where fore they have more occupation. The women are well clothed, but the men use scarcely any covering, and are tattooed all over the body." The writer adds in description of the region to the south-west, along the Wabash, that "from the summit of this elevation nothing is visible to the eye but prairies full of buffalo. ' ' Another writer of the same year adds strength to the correctness of the latter remarkable statement in the claim that along the Maumee river, at the mouth of the Auglaize, near the present city of Defiance, Ohio, "buffaloes are always to be found; they eat the clay and wallow in it."  Five years earlier, Father Gabriel Marest, a French missionary, wrote of the region to the southward that "the quantity of buffalo and bear found on the Oubache [Wabash] is incredible," and LaSalle in 1682, describing the region of the Ohio, says: "The multitude of buffalo is beyond belief. I have seen twelve hundred of them killed in eight days by a single band of Indians."

                                         57 gruesome stories of Indian capture and torture

Indians Murder and Scalp Women In Miami and Piqua County Ohio

                                           57 gruesome tales of Indian capture and torture

 

The Dilbones resided two miles north of the Gerard home. They were among 
the earliest settlers of the county and were well known people. Dilbone and his wife were found
 at work pulling flax. As they had heard nothing of the killing of  Gerard, they were 
 unsuspicious of danger, and therefore were not able to make any resistance to their enemies. 
It was a beautiful summer day and the sun was sinking slowly behind the distant hills, the last rays
flooding the flax fields with a shower of golden light. At the first volley by the Indians Dilbone 
fell with a bullet in the breast, being unable to render his wife any aid. He was mortally  wounded,
 but managed to hide himself in the corn and was overlooked by the enemy. From his hiding place
 he saw the fiends shoot and scalp his wife, after which they cleared out with the bloody trophies of
their foray. There were only two Indians  engaged in this killing, and one was only a half-grown 
boy, who in all probability was taking his first lessons in warriorship. The boy carried but one rifle,
which  was lost, but was picked up the following day.  Dilbone survived his wound till the next day,
but his wife died. It was afterwards ascertained that these same two Indians were seen along 
Spring Creek the day previous to the killing, but they  disappeared so mysteriously that their 
whereabouts could not be traced. Of course  this incursion into the county created the greatest 
excitement. The whole border was thrown into a state of alarm, and it was for a time feared that 
a large body  of Indians was about to be precipitated again the Miami  settlements. The fact that 
the two Indians concerned in the murders of Spring Creek went north after their  bloody work
gave rise to the belief that they were taking the scalps to their white employers for the promised
reward.   About this time a woman named Martin was scalped by marauding Indians, but she 
survived her wounds and lived for many years afterward in this county

Settler Family is Murdered by Indians in Ross County, Ohio

Family Murdered by Indians in Ross County, Ohio

On their entry they appeared friendly, shaking hands with the whole family; 

nor Were the family} ^ alarmed, as the visitations of Indians were there- 
quent. But Euffner's sudden apj^earance aroused the suspicions 
of Philip Seymore. Euffner thinking that they would not dare 
to attempt an assault upon the family in his presence, insisted 
upon Philip, as he was the most fleet on foot, to run into the 
settlement and gather up some friends. As soon as Philip had 
left the cabin, Euffner immediately noticed a sudden change in 
the countenances of the savages; they cast upon each other 
significant looks and glances, as much as to say: "He is gone 
for aid, and now is our time." A deep, death-like silence 
now reigned in the lonely forest cabin. Kate Seymore could 
no longer endure this deathly gloom. Advancing toward 
Euffner, she said : " Oh, Euffner, we shall all be killed!" Euff- 
ner, who had sat eyeing the savages with a tiger's look, sprang 
to his feet and exclaimed, in a stentorian voice : " Imps of hell, 
leave this place this moment, or I will send your bloody red 
spirits to the burning pit of hell," advancing toward them. 
Instantly the Indians sprang from their seats, and made an 
attack upon the heroic Euffner with uplifted tomahawks. 
In the bloody conflict he killed three of the murderous savages, 
bat, being overpowered by their united strength, fell a lifeless 
bleeding corpse upon the cabin floor. The remaining savages 
then turned upon the aged and helpless couple, who sat like 
petrified statues, gazing with a vacant stare upon the terribly 
bloody scene around them. Two tall savages, with tomahawks 
uplifted, dripping with the blood of the murdered Euffner, 
dealt each a blow upon their heads, and they, too, fell in the 
aofonies of death. 

Poor Kate was an eye-witness to the dreadful tragedy. She 
was compelled to hand over all the money of her murdered 
father, and cook dinner for the murderous Indians. Immedi- 
ately after dinner Kanotchey, the brutal chief, approached Kate 
and sunk his tomahawk deep in her head. She, too, fell to rise 
no more. 

The savages then left the cabin, concealing themselves in the 
deep, dark forest. Philip, on returning with help, entered the 
yard, and seeing the blood, mangled body of Eutfner, sprang 
into the cabin, where his worst fears were realized. The sight 
was shocking. Poor Kate, the once romping, laughing, beau- 
tiful, rosy-cheeked Kate — there she lay beautiful in death. 
Philip, on beholding her lifeless form, and those of his beloved 
parents and the noble Euffner, gave vent to a flood of tears, and 
exclaimed: "'Tis done; I am left alone." Said he to his neigh- 
bors: "Blood for blood shall be my motto." Bidding them fare- 
well, he bounded into the deep forest, becoming an Indian killer. 
His home was the forest; his covering, the blue sky; his food, 
wild meat. He would lay in ambush, and every straggling Indian 
that hove in sight he would kill. Near the close of the war, 
while seated on a high bluff near the Mohiccan, in a narrow 
bottom below, he saw a large, straight, tall Indian in shooting dis- 
tance. He cocked his gun, took aim, fired, and killed the sav- 
age. He descended and walked to the place where the Indian 
lay. On examination of his costume and person, he found it 
was Kanotchey, the murderer of his sister. Philip said: "I am 
Now avenged." He then returned to his home on the Mohican. 

Indian Battle Near Bainbridge Ohio on Paint Creek

Indian Battle Near Bainbridge Ohio on Paint Creek

A Battle Near Reeve's Crossing. In 1793, a large party of Indians crossed the Ohio above the mouth of Brush Creek and attacked the white settlements about Morgan's Station. Col. Kenton having been informed of the attack hastily collected a party of about thirty of the choice spirits about his station and set off in hot haste to intercept the Indians on their retreat to the Chillicothe towns on Paint Creek. Taking Tod's trace opposite Limestone, he followed it to what is known as Reeve's Crossing of Paint Creek near the present town of Bainbridge, where he discovered a fresh trail of Indians going down the creek. It was late in the evening and he cautiously followed the trail till dark. Kenton then left his party, and in company with Michael Cassady, went forward to make observations. They had not proceeded far when they found the Indians encamped on the bank of Paint Creek. They had three fires ; some of them were singing and making other merry noises, showing that they felt in perfect security. Kenton and Cassady returned to their party, and it was concluded to lay still till daylight and then surround and attack the Indians. Kenton's party were all on horseback. Having secured their horses, they lay still till daylight when they moved on for the Indian camp. When they got near the camp they halted and divided into three divisions. Capt. Baker, with one division, was directed to proceed to the creek above the camp ; Cassady with another division was ordered to make the creek below the camp; and Kenton with the re maining division was to attack the camp in front. Strict orders were given that no attack should be made until it was light enough to draw a clear bead. The divisions took their several stations promptly. Day light began to appear, the Indians had risen, and some were standing about the fires. Capt. Baker, seeing the Indians, soon became impatient to commence the action, and before it was light enough to see to draw a clear sight, he began the attack. All the divisions then rushed upon the Indian camp and fired. The Indians dashed across the creek and scattered through the woods like a flock of young partridges. Three Indians only, and a white man named Ward, were killed. Ward had been taken prisoner by the Indians when young, and in every respect was an Indian. He had two brothers, James and Charles, who were near neighbors to Kenton and who were respectable men. James Ward was with Kenton in this engagement. Kenton's party lost one man, Joseph Jones, in this engage ment. The party returned home without any further adventure. To the reader in these days of advanced civilization these thrilling stories of Indian depredations against the white settlements on the Kentucky border, and the prompt retaliatory incursions of the whites against the Indian towns in the Northwest Territory, read like fiction. It seems incredible that any considerable body of mounted troops could be collected and carried over the Ohio River within the course of a few hours' time. There were neither bridges nor ferries across the Ohio in those days, and the rapid crossing of that broad stream by mounted troops would seem a formidable undertaking.

75 Stories of Murder and Mayhem on the Ohio Frontier

Retribution For Indian Kidnapping and Murders in Adams County, Ohio

Retribution For Indian Kidnapping and Murders in Adams County, Ohio

   Tod's Expedition. One of these expeditions organized by Col. Robert Tod, of Paris, Kentucky, and Simon Kenton, of Kenton's Station, near Washington, Kentucky, took its route across Adams County, and blazed a line of travel through the forest, that afterwards became a prominent landmark in this region, known as Tod's Trace and Tod's War Road. The Indians had greatly harassed the inhabitants around Kenton's Station, stealing their horses, and killing the settlers or carrying them away in captivity. This was in the summer of 1787. and Kenton sent word to Col. Tod to bring what men he could raise and join his men at Washington from which place their combined forces would march against the Shawnee town on the north fork of Paint Creek in what is now Ross County, Ohio. The forces rendezvoused at Washington, and Col. Tod was put in command. They crossed the Ohio at Limestone and marched up the river to Little Three Mile Creek and thence by the way of where Bentonville now stands to the waters of Lick Fork, and thence to Ohio Brush Creek which they crossed at the Old Indian Ford, afterwards called "Tod's Crossing," near the Fristoe bridge, and thence by way of the Sinking Spring to Paint Creek. McDonald says Kenton as usual commanded a company and piloted the way to the Chillicothe town. On their route out, about five miles south of the town, the advance guard, commanded by Kenton, met four Indians. Kenton and one Helm fired, and killed two of the Indians. The other two were taken prisoners. Kenton was surrounded by a set of young men of his own training, and fearful was the doom of enemies of equal numbers who came in their way. From the two prisoners they learned that there was a large Indian encampment between them and old Chillicothe, and about three miles from that place. On this intelligence the army was halted, and Kenton and his company went cautiously forward to reconnoiter the situation of the enemy. Kenton proceeded near the Indian camp, and with a few chosen men reconnoitered the enemy. He then sent an express to Col. Tod, informing him of their probable number and situation. Before day Maj. Hinkston came on and joined Kenton. Prompt measures were immediately, taken. The Indian camp was surrounded, but the whites were too impatient of delay, and the attack was made before it was light enough. Two Indians were killed and only seven made prisoners. Many in the darkness made their escape. Col. Tod, with the main body of the troops, lingered behind, and did not reach the place where the Indians were defeated till the sun was at least two hours high in the morning. The Indians who escaped alarmed the town. They're men, women and children took naked in the woods, and by the time Col. Tod reached the town, they had all fled. The town was burned and everything about destroyed. The army camped that night on Paint Creek and the next day made their way home, without the loss of a man killed or wounded.

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Indian Murders and Revenge in Ross County, Ohio

Indian Murders and Revenge in Ross County, Ohio

George EuflPner emigrated to the Scioto Yalley, in 1798, from 

Kanawha, Virginia, and settled on the waters of Paint creek, 
near Chillicothe. The foundation of his cabin is yet visible. 
He was a fearless, brave, and daring hunter; had a great antip- 
athy to the Indians, in consequence of the killing of his father 
and mother by them, in 1791, on the Kanawha. He lived by 
hunting panthers, bears, wolves, and deer, and would kill, 
during his hunting excursions, any straggling Indians that 
crossed his path. During the wars of 1791 and 1812 he served 
as a spy. He moved his headquarters on the head waters of 
the Mohiccan, was frequently in company with the renowned 
Indian killers, Wetzel and Hughes. A few days after the 
burning of Greentown, a party of Indians was discovered upon 
the banks of the Mohiccan Lake. The discoverer was Bunty 
Billy. It appears that the Indians had recognized Billy at the 
same time he saw them. Billy at first attempted to run away, 
but the Indians called to him to stop, telling him that they 
would not hurt him; he stopped. The Indians approached 
him in a friendly manner, calling him good boy, etc. "Do 
you know a family by the name of Seymore?" asked a tall 
Indian. "Yeth thir, I geth I do, thir," said Billy. "Do you 
know a man by the name of EuflFner?" "Yeth thir, but I'd 
tbay to you, thir, not to put yourthelf in hith way, thir. He ith 
a perfect devil, thir, when he ith not in a good humor, thir." 
"All right," said the Indian, and the Indians took their leave, 
and Billy hastened home to inform Euffner of his discovery. 
Instantly Euffner seized his rifle and set out in pursuit of the 
Indians. He soon got on their trail and followed them to the 
cabin of Seymore. The Indians had entered the cabin door 
when they were soon joined by Euffner. On their entry they 
appeared friendly, shaking hands with the whole family; nor 
were the family alarmed, as the visitations of Indians were fre- 
quent. But Euffner's sudden appearance aroused the suspicions 
of Philip Seymore. Euffner thinking that they would not dare 
to attempt an assault upon the family in his presence, insisted 
upon Philip, as he was the most fleet on foot, to run into the 
settlement and gather up some friends. As soon as Philip had 
left the cabin, Euffner immediately noticed a sudden change in 
the countenances of the savages; they cast upon each other 
significant looks and glances, as much as to say: "He is gone 
for aid, and now is our time." A deep, death-like silence 
now reigned in the lonely forest cabin. Kate Seymore could 
no longer endure this deathly gloom. Advancing toward 
Euffner, she said : " Oh, Euffner, we shall all be killed!" Euff- 
ner, who had sat eyeing the savages with a tiger's look, sprang 
to his feet and exclaimed, in a stentorian voice : " Imps of hell, 
leave this place this moment, or I will send your bloody red 
spirits to the burning pit of hell," advancing toward them. 
Instantly the Indians sprang from their seats, and made an 
attack upon the heroic Euffner with uplifted tomahawks. 
In the bloody conflict he killed three of the murderous savages, 
bat, being overpowered by their united strength, fell a lifeless 
bleeding corpse upon the cabin floor. The remaining savages 
then turned upon the aged and helpless couple, who sat like 
petrified statues, gazing with a vacant stare upon the terribly 
bloody scene around them. Two tall savages, with tomahawks 
uplifted, dripping with the blood of the murdered Euffner, 
dealt each a blow upon their heads, and they, too, fell in the 
Agonies of death. 

Poor Kate was an eye-witness to the dreadful tragedy. She 
was compelled to hand over all the money of her murdered 
father, and cook dinner for the murderous Indians. Immedi- 
ately after dinner Kanotchey, the brutal chief, approached Kate 
and sunk his tomahawk deep in her head. She, too, fell to rise 
no more. 

The savages then left the cabin, concealing themselves in the 
deep, dark forest. Philip, on returning with help, entered the 
yard, and seeing the blood}^, mangled body of Eutfner, sprang 
into the cabin, where his worst fears were realized. The sight 
was shocking. Poor Kate, the once romping, laughing, beau- 
tiful, rosy-cheeked Kate — there she lay beautiful in death. 
Philip, on beholding her lifeless form, and those of his beloved 
parents and the noble Euffner, gave vent to a flood of tears, and 
exclaimed: "'Tis done; I am left alone." Said he to his neigh- 
bors: "Blood for blood shall be my motto." Bidding them fare- 
well, he bounded into the deep forest, becoming an Indian killer. 
His home was the forest; his covering, the blue sky; his food, 
wild meat. He would lay in ambush, and every straggling Indian 
that hove in sight he would kill. Near the close of the war, 
while seated on a high bluff near the Mohiccan, in a narrow 
bottom below, he saw a large, straight, tall Indian in shooting dis- 
tance. He cocked his gun, took ainl, fired, and killed the sav- 
age. He descended and walked to the place where the Indian 
lay. On examination of his costume and person, he found it 
was Kanotchey, the murderer of his sister. Philip said: "I am 
now avenged." He then returned to his home on the Mohiccan.