CHAPTER V.

THE ATTACK ON RICE'S FORT - THE KILLING OF GEORGE HUMPHREY - THE 
KILLING OF WILLIAM COCHRAN - LEWIS WETZEL AND THOMAS MILLS - CAPTURE 
OF TWO BOYS - THE DEATH OF JOHN NEISWANGER - THE MURDER OF THE VAN 
METRE FAMILY - JOHN VAN METRE - CAPTURE OF JOHN WETZEL AND ANOTHER 
BOY. 

HAVING left the main body, after they had determined to raise the 
siege of the fort at Wheeling, as stated in the last chapter, a 
detachment of about 100 warriors remained on the Virginia side of the 
river for the purpose of plundering and laying waste the adjacent 
country. The following extract from a letter written by James 
Marshall, commandant of Washington county, Penn., addressed to the 
commandant of Fort Pitt, dated Sunday morning, September 15, 1782, 
gives an explanation of the movements of this detachment and their 
objects:
 
"DEAR SIR:- You may depend upon it, as a matter of fact, that a large 
party of Indians are now in our country. Last night I saw two 
prisoners who made their escape from Wheeling in time of the action, 
who say the enemy consists of 238 Indians and forty rangers, the 
latter commanded by a British officer; that they attacked Wheeling 
fort on Wednesday night and continued the attack until Thursday 
night, at which time the above deserters left them; that fort, they 
say, was the principal object of the hurry, but it appears both from 
their account and the enemy's advancing into the country, that they 
have despaired of taking it, the deserters say that shortly before 
they left the enemy, that they had determined to give up the matter 
at Wheeling and either scatter into small parties in order to 
distress and plunder the inhabitants or attack the first small fort 
they could come out, the latter, I'm this moment informed is actually 
the case, that they have attacked one Rice's block house on what is 
called the Dutch fork of Buffalo, and it is to be feared it will fall 
into their hands," etc., etc. 

One Jacob Miller, during his absence from home, having received of 
Indians was on the war-path, and apprehending that this place where 
he resided would be the object of their attack, hastened to return to 
the block house and give the alarm. He succeeded in reaching it just 
as the Indians appeared before it, and at once, together with the 
small number of whites gathered there, at once commenced their 
preparations for its defense. This fort, or block house so called, 
was situated a few miles north of the present town of Bethany, in 
Brooke county, West Virginia. Including Miller there were but seven 
men in the fort, and the others, about twenty in number, being absent 
on a scout. The fort was built in the form of a square and occupied 
about a half of an acre of ground. The Indians, who had thought to 
execute a surprise and to take the place by storm or by slight 
resistance; were greatly disappointed on discovering that the whites 
were not only aware of their vicinity, but were also prepared to 
receive them. Shouting their war whoop they rushed forward to the 
assault. They were promptly met and answered by the fire of the brave 
little band within and forced to take refuge behind the trees and 
fallen timber. Both sides continued their firing, while in the 
interval the savages who could speak English would call out to the 
whites - "give up - give up - Indians too many - Indians too big - 
give up - Indians no kill. But the whites were not to be deceived by 
any such vain assurances, as they had no faith in the promises of the 
red man. So, instead of complying with their demands, those in the 
fort replied in words calculated to exasperate them - cowards who 
skulked behind logs - and taunted them by daring them - "to leave 
their covers - to show their yellow hides and they would make holes 
in them." 

To reach the upper story of the block house from which the men 
fought, it was necessary to ascend by means of a ladder. In one of 
the houses in the enclosure lived a man by the name of "Deeds," who 
thought the quarters he occupied, were not so safe as some of the 
others were. He therefore concluded to mount the ladder and pass over 
to another near by. He had ascended several rungs when one of the men 
called to him and told him he would have forty bullet holes in his 
person before he could succeed in accomplishing the undertaking. Upon 
hearing this he at once let go of the ladder, falling heavily to the 
ground, and crawled under a bed, where he remained during the whole 
action, and until the Indians had withdrawn. In one of the houses 
occupied by Mrs. Jacob Leffler, was a small window which she 
attempted to cover by placing a quilt over it, which was pierced by 
seven bullet holes before she succeeded in accomplishing her purpose. 
A continuous firing was kept up by the savages until night and was 
replied to promptly by those within the fort. In the evening the 
shots of the Indians were principally directed against the stock as 
it came up to the station as it was accustomed to do, and the ground 
was strewn with its carcasses. About thirty or forty yards from the 
stockade stood a large barn of logs which the Indians set fire to, 
and the flames from which for a time seemed to threaten the 
destruction of the block house, but being situated on more elevated 
ground and the current of air changing to a contrary point of the 
compass, the fort escaped destruction. Before the burning of the 
barn, several of the Indians had taken advantage of it as a cover 
from which to fire upon the whites. In front of it extended a wide 
platform. One of the Indians was observed several times to jump out 
on it and cry out "booh!" to those in the fort and suddenly jump back 
to the inside. Capt. Miller, whose attention had been directed to the 
antics of this fellow, remarked to those standing by, "Let him try 
that once more and I will fix him." He had not long to wait, for in a 
short time he made his appearance as usual, but failed to jump back 
into the inside that time, until his lifeless body was drawn in by 
his companions. Some of the Indians had gone into the milk house 
which was fashioned of split boards stood, upon end. Those in the 
fort as soon as they saw them enter, directed their fire against it. 
After the Indians had withdrawn, on inspecting it, there was found a 
breech clout and splotches of blood on the walls, showing evidently 
that fatal execution had been done there.
 
It is supposed that the return of the party to the fort who had been 
absent on a scout, alarmed the savages, and was the cause of their 
withdrawal after a siege of about five hours' continuance. The 
ascertained loss of the Indians was four - three of whom were killed 
at the first fire of the whites - the other about sundown. George 
Felebaum was the only one of the whites who was killed. Early in the 
fight he was shot in the forehead, the ball entering through a port 
hole near which he was standing, and he expired instantly. This left 
as the sole defenders of the place: Jacob Miller, George Leffler, 
Peter Fullenweider, Daniel Rice, Jacob Leffler, Jr., and the 
redoubtable "Deeds," whose resistance was eminently passive.

On the day of the attack on Rice's block house, George Humphrey, 
having heard of the troubles there and being curious to learn all the 
particulars, set out for Buffalo to obtain them. In the afternoon of 
the same day, a man by the name of - Agar - visited at Humphrey's to 
learn the news from, Humphrey, as he was aware of the latter's 
mission. But Humphrey did not return to his home until late, after 
dark, and Agar detained him until his arrival, when Humphrey 
communicated to him what details he had gathered concerning the fight 
which, with the comments of the men, took up so much time that it was 
quite late before Agar made any preparations for his departure for 
home. The family strongly opposed his leaving, and urged him to 
remain during the night and insisted that be should not leave before 
daylight, but their appeals to prevent him were in vain. Starting out 
into the darkness, he was not seen alive after leaving the house. It 
was presumed that a party of Indians had watched his movements when 
he came to Humphrey's house in the afternoon, and laid in ambush for 
him on his return, and in the darkness they suddenly came down on him 
before he had time to escape. The next morning he was found scalped, 
his dead body lying but a mile or two from the house he had left the 
preceding night.

The following account of the killing of William Cochran by the 
Indians in this same year has been furnished to us by his great-
grandson, (Hon. R. H. Cochran) who received it from his grandfather, 
who died in the year 1860 at the venerable age of ninety-six years. 
We relate it as nearly as we can in the words of the narrator. By way 
of preliminary remark we would state that William Cochran settled on 
lands near the town of West Liberty in the year 1773, being the same 
lands now owned by S. S. Jacob, Esq. 

"About the time of father's death there were great disturbances on 
the frontier, and this was particularly the case in the neighborhood 
of West Liberty. It was customary for us to keep our horses hobbled 
or belled. The morning failing to hear the sounds of the bells as 
usual, father sent me to the block house, at West Liberty, while he 
and my two older brothers started out in search of the horses. It was 
arranged between them after starting, that they should separate and 
pursue the object of their search in different directions, my father 
taking one direction and the boys in company another. The latter soon 
discovered signs which led them to believe that the horses had been 
captured or driven off by the Indians, and they at once started on 
the nearest way leading to the block house, upon reaching which they 
gave the alarm.
 
"From 'Billy Boggs,' who was held by the Indians as a prisoner at the 
time, but who shortly afterwards escaped, we learned the particulars 
of father's death as told to him by the Indians while he was in 
captivity. Father was a very active and resolute man and the savages 
wanted to capture him. It appears that they had caught the horses and 
wrapping moss around the bell clappers, had led them away to a 
distance, placing six of their number in ambush to capture father or 
any one who might venture to search for them. Not finding the horses 
he started on his return, towards the block house, on the way passing 
in sight of his own house in expectation, as he hoped, of seeing the 
boys. The Indians meanwhile had gone into his cabin. Intending to 
enter he was prevented by having his suspicions aroused from certain 
appearances around and in the vicinity which only the keen eye of a 
disciplined woodsman would detect, and which caused him to change his 
purpose and start for the block house at the top of his speed. The 
Indians at once started in pursuit of him, but when they found that 
the gap between the pursued and pursuers was widening and that they 
could not overtake him, a half-breed, wearing the cognomen of 'Dolway 
Jim,' suddenly dropped on his knee and taking fatal aim, fired, and 
killed him just as he was crossing a piece of rising ground. His 
remains were afterwards found and buried by a party from the fort on 
the spot where he fell, which was about two miles south of West 
Liberty. 

"His scalp had been taken by the Indians to their camp where it was 
flaunted in the face of Boggs, the prisoner, who recognized it. Boggs 
subsequently escaped, having run the gauntlet and these details of my 
father's death he repeated to me and my brothers as related to him by 
his captors." 

In the interval after Crawford's defeat, and before the attack on 
Fort Henry in September of this year, occurred an incident of local 
interest which shows the dexterity and skill of the famous Indian 
scout, Lewis Wetzel. Thomas Mills, who lived on Wheeling creek, had 
accompanied Crawford on his campaign, and, on his return, had left 
his horse on the west side of the Ohio river, near the spot where St. 
Clairsville, Ohio, now stands and distant about twelve miles from 
Wheeling. One day, securing the services of Wetzel, Mills and his 
companion left Fort Henry to get his horse and bring the animal home. 
When within a mile or two of St. Clairsville they were met by a band 
numbering some forty or fifty Indians, who were roaming around in 
search of stragglers on their return from the army of Crawford. The 
Indians and white men discovered each at about the same time. Wetzel 
fired first and killed one of the savages, which was promptly 
returned by one of the Indians. The Indian's fire had wounded Mills 
in the foot, which prevented him from eluding the savages, who soon 
succeeded in overtaking and killing him. Four of the Indians then 
dropped their guns and pursued after Wetzel, who at first succeeded 
in keeping a respectable distance between him and his pursuers, and 
loaded his rifle as he ran. But, after running some distance, one of 
the Indians rapidly gained upon him until he approached within a few 
steps of him, when Wetzel wheeled around, shot him down and ran on, 
loading as he ran. After running some distance farther, a second 
Indian came so close to him that as he turned to fire, the Indian 
clenched the muzzle of the gun, and he and the Indian had quite a 
tussle for the possession of it. He, however, succeeded in killing 
the savage. The pursuit was continued by the two remaining Indians, 
who now exhibited signs of caution, for when Wetzel would wheel to 
fire on them they would seek cover behind trees. After running some 
distance, Wetzel thought he would practice a little piece of 
strategy, and so made for a small piece of comparatively open ground. 
The Indians were not far behind him, and as he was passing over this 
he suddenly wheeled and stopped with a view of shooting the foremost 
one who as promptly jumped behind a small tree which failed to cover 
his body. Wetzel shot, and wounded him in the thigh, which put a stop 
to further pursuit on his part. The last of the Indians then gave a 
little yell, and exclaimed: "No catch dat man, gun always loaded," 
and gave up the chase. 

It was during the summer of this same year that two boys belonging to 
Wheeling were sent out for the purpose of finding and driving back 
some stray cows which had wandered away. For some reason or other 
they concluded that they had swam the river and crossed to the west 
side and jumping into a canoe they paddled across and commenced their 
search for them. While so engaged they were surprised by three 
Indians; who were watching them, and by them taken prisoners. At once 
the Indians set out on their journey compelling each of the boys to 
carry a large bag, of which they had several in their possession. 
They were so heavy that it was with difficulty that they could keep 
pace with their captors, who required them to do so and would suffer 
no lagging. From the weight of the bags the boys concluded that they 
must be filled with gold. Urged as they were to their utmost speed, 
one of them at every opportunity when he could do so unperceived, 
would break off twigs from the branches of the trees to mark the 
direction in which they had traveled, in case an opportunity should 
offer for their escape and thus be enabled to find their way back. 
When night came on the Indians selected a camping place and prepared 
to retire; before doing which, however, they tied the hands of the 
boys as well as their feet, which for this purpose they drew close 
together with strips of bark. They were then compelled to lie down 
between two of the Indians who stretched a blanket over the bodies of 
the boys upon on the ends of which they laid themselves down, while 
the third Indian seated himself upon a fallen log in front to keep 
watch. Deering, the eldest boy, who was about fifteen years of age, 
managed disengage his hands from the thongs which bound them and 
slyly drew a knife from the belt of one of the sleeping Indians, with 
which he succeeded in loosening his feet. Overcome with fatigue the 
third Indian had braced his back against the trunk of a friendly tree 
with his legs astraddle of the log upon which he sat. Whispering to 
his companion to lie perfectly quiet, he sundered the thongs which 
bound him. One of the Indians lying beside him had rolled over in his 
sleep off of the blanket. With great caution, so as not to disturb 
the sleeping Indians by their movements, they quietly arose and the 
elder of the two took the loaded rifle of one of their captors, 
placing it upon a log for a rest in a line with the head of one of 
the sleeping savages and gave it in charge of the younger boy, about 
twelve or thirteen years of age, and instructed his young companion 
not to fire until he gave him the signal to do so. He himself took a 
tomahawk, and stealing on the sleeping Indian who had been placed on 
watch, instantly buried his tomahawk in his brains and then rushed to 
the Indians lying on the ground, at the same time giving the signal 
to his companion to fire, struck deep into the skull of his sleeping 
victim. The Indian at which the younger of the two boys had fired 
instantly sprang to his feet howling with rage and pain. The boys not 
stopping to ascertain what was the effect of the shot, at once took 
to their heels, and following the trail over which they had passed 
the preceding day, late in the afternoon of the day following, 
reached the fort in safety to the surprise of their friends, who had 
given them up as lost completely. 

The relation of this adventure seemed to be so incredible that 
several of the scouts determined to ascertain the truth or falsity of 
their assertions, and made preparations to visit the place where the 
tragedy occurred. A hunter who was present and heard the recital 
given by the boys, who stated in the course of their narration that 
they believed the bags contained gold, was shortly after missing. 
This individual, whose conduct in the past justified the belief 
(which was general among the settlers), was looked upon as dishonest. 
The scouting party set out, and from the description given by the 
boys of the country through which they had passed, and the location 
of the Indian camp, found no difficulty in fixing the spot. There 
they found the bodies of two Indians who had been tomahawked just as 
the boys had stated, and in pursuing their investigations they found 
concealed in an old hollow tree the third Indian, whose whole lower 
jaw was shot away. He was barely alive when discovered, and they 
dispatched him. After this they commenced a search for the bags, but 
no sign of them was visible, notwithstanding they spent two or three 
hours in looking for them. On their return to the fort they found the 
suspected hunter was still absent, which confirmed the common belief 
that he had anticipated the visit of the scouts, and reaching the 
place ahead of them had secured the plunder of the Indians and hidden 
it. At all events, some years subsequent to the events here recorded 
he became one of the largest landowners and wealthiest settlers in 
the section of country in which he resided. 

During the summer of the year 1783, occurred the death of a noted 
Indian spy and hunter, John Neiswanger, a brother of Peter 
Neiswanger, who was one of the defenders of Fort Henry, when it was 
besieged by the English and Indians in the fall of 1782. He was one 
of the earliest settlers on the waters of Little Wheeling creek, in 
Ohio county, having taken up a tract of some 400 acres of land now 
owned by the Stewart brothers, worthy citizens of the said county, 
and others. He had at first established himself in quarters erected 
by him on the north side of the tract in close proximity to his 
boundary line, and had deadened two or three acres of timber in the 
immediate vicinity. As the troubles on the border increased and 
danger became imminent, being inconveniently situated, and at some 
distance from the sheltering protection of a fort, he resolved to 
change his location, which he accordingly did, to the opposite side 
of his farm, where he built a cabin and cleared some ground. Under a 
shelving rock of a water-fall, in a ravine near his new location, 
which was narrow, deep and wild, he arranged and improved a cave in 
which he forted in times of apprehended danger from the savages. 

When he went out on hunting and scouting expeditions it was his 
custom to dress himself in complete Indian costume. It was on one of 
these occasions that he met with his tragical end. He, in company 
with Joseph Heffler, another efficient and successful spy and hunter, 
started oil an expedition down the Ohio dressed in the fashion 
indicated. They descended the river in a canoe, and on the evening of 
the same day, on which they had started, they put into the mouth of 
little Grave creek. A party of Indians, who had been in concealment, 
had watched their movements, and during the night made a sudden 
attack upon them with great fury. Neiswanger was killed in his canoe, 
but Heffler succeeded in eluding the pursuit of the Indians with the 
loss of two fingers, shot away at the time of the attack. However, 
while in pursuit of Heffler, the canoe had by some means become 
unfastened and floated away and descended the river, and thus the 
savages lost the opportunity of scalping the unfortunate Neiswanger. 
After the lapse of some months the canoe, containing the remains of 
the hunter with his gun, were found lodged af the head of Captina 
Island, some miles distant from the scene of the catastrophe. On a 
beech tree, something like a half mile distant from the Neiswanger 
tract of land, on lands now owned by Hon. C. D. Hubbard, of Wheeling, 
which was cut down a few years ago by a former owner of the land, was 
plainly carved in a rude manner the initials, P. N., with the date, 
1776, together with the representation of a gun, a tomahawk and a 
pipe. The initials were doubtless those of Peter, a younger brother 
of John Neiswanger the same who, as before stated, was one of the 
brave defenders of Fort Henry at the time of the siege at that post 
in the year 1782, and who was well-known along the border as an 
efficient Indian hunter and scout. An event which occurred during 
this year, 1783, and which aroused the indignation of the settlers to 
a high pitch of excitement, was the murder of a portion of the Van 
Metre family. The following account has been furnished to us by 
Vincent H. Van Metre, Esq., a descendant of the family now living 
near West Liberty, in Ohio county, W. Va: 

In this year, the wife, an infant child and a daughter fifteen years 
of age, all of the family of John Van Metre, were wantonly and 
cruelly murdered by a roving band of Indians during the absence of 
the father at a house-raising. The wife and child were deliberately 
butchered at the door of her house. The girl was, engaged in washing 
clothes at a spring some distance from the house, and had on a sun-
bonnet, which prevented her from discovering the approach of the 
stealthy savage before he was upon her, and who tomahawked her while 
she was in the act of binding over the spring.  When the Indians 
gathered around her as she lay on the ground in the rigidity of death 
and gazed upon her mute, but young and lovely countenance, even their 
hard, stern hearts relented and lamented the sad result, saying, "she 
would have made a pretty squaw." The information of the expression of 
their regret at her taking off, was subsequently communicated by the 
renegrade, Simon Girty, who was with the party who committed the 
murders, to a prisoner who, after his exchange, told it to one of the 
members of the family. Three of Mr. Van Metre's sons, aged 
respectively, eleven, eight and six years, were at the time playing 
in a field near to the house, but discovered the Indians in time to 
attempt an escape in which two of them succeeded, but John, the 
youngest, not being so active as his brothers, while in the act of 
mounting a fence was caught and carried away by them. While these 
events were transpiring, Mrs. John Spahr, a niece of Mrs. Van Metre, 
was on her way to visit her aunt. When nearing the house she observed 
feathers flying in the air, which aroused her suspicions that 
something was wrong, which were confirmed by more closely observing 
the surroundings which, clearly to her eye, indicated the presence of 
Indians. Instantly reaching her hand under the neck of her horse she 
grasped the clapper of the bell which was suspended therefrom, and 
held it while she urged her beast to its utmost speed in the contrary 
direction, and was thus the first one to convey the intelligence of 
the presence of the red men.  After securing a quantity of bed 
clothes and other articles, they set fire to the cabin and then made 
off toward the river with their plunder, and were safely on the 
western side of it before any organized pursuit could be made to 
overtake them. The place where this tragedy occurred is now owned and 
occupied by Eugene Ridgely, being the same farm formerly owned by one 
Matthews, and is situated on the waters of Short creek, about four 
miles southwest of West Liberty.
 
Some time in the year 1805 a party of Wyandot Indians, from the 
northern part of the state of Ohio, were on a trading and hunting 
expedition to the southern part of that state, when they stopped on 
their return at a trading post, which had been erected and was 
controlled by Isaac Zane, near the site where the city of Columbus 
now stands. Mr. Zane had, for a number of years, been a prisoner 
among the Wyandots, and was well versed in their language and habits, 
he was engaged in conversing with some of them in their own tongue, 
while other white men standing around were talking with some who 
could speak English. One of the Indians, as he took him to be, 
addressed Mr. Zane, speaking in broken English and said: "Me John 
Metre," Upon inquiry concerning him, an Indian volunteered to give 
the desired information about him, and an account of the 
circumstances attending the capture of the person who had addressed 
him. After a time they left and continued their journey. Mr. Zane, 
who was acquainted with the Van Metre family, at once communicated 
with them, giving an account of the interview he had had with John 
Van Metre, for it was no other a person than he, the same who had 
been captured by them at the time of their making the incursion in 
the settlements, in the year 1783, and enquiring as to the facts 
connected with the capture of young Van Metre and the circumstances, 
and stated that the Indians contemplated returning in about six weeks 
and that they could see him on that occasion at his post. Mr. Van 
Metre, the father, was still living, but was unable at the time to 
make the journey, and perhaps entertained doubts whether it really 
was his son. But he sent his two sons at the time when Mr. Zane 
informed him that the party was expected to return, with instructions 
that if it was their brother, that they were to urge him to return 
home and take up a civilized life. But if they could not prevail on 
him to return and remain permanently, they were to pursuade him, if 
possible, to visit his parents, and his old home. They arrived at the 
post about the same time that the Indians did, and saw John and were 
convinced of his identity, while he, himself, was convinced of the 
identity of his brothers. But it was with great reluctance and 
hesitation that he could be prevailed upon to accompany his brothers 
on their return. They represented to him, among other arguments, that 
their father was a cripple and could not visit him, but that he was 
young and strong and could easily go to his father, moreover, they 
portrayed before him the pleasure it would give his aged parent to 
see him once again. The efforts made by the brothers to induce him to 
accompany them were seconded by Mr. Zane. Finally he consented. In 
the company there were six or seven squaws, one of whom was John's 
wife who, when the determination of John was made known to her, 
opposed it most strenuously until upon being informed that she could 
accompany him, yielded her opposition.
 
At length they started on their journey for Virginia, John and his 
wife and his two brothers. That night they camped in the forest, but 
on arising next morning one of their number was missing. John's wife 
had decamped during the night while they slept. He was exceedingly 
vexed at the discovery. The brothers urged him to continue without 
her, but he sternly refused. Collecting a bunch of twigs from spice 
bushes growing there, he stuck each twig on end in the ground, making 
with them a circle, inside of which he enkindled a fire, and taking a 
pouch from his person which he said contained a powerful medicine, he 
sprinkled some of it in the flames and indulged in mysterious 
incantations and indescribable movements and gyrations, during all of 
which time he hovered closely over the fire, while his dilated eyes 
seemed almost ready to burst from their sockets. Suddenly raising 
himself to an erect posture and straightening himself to his full 
stature, he announced that his wife would overtake and reach her 
party in safety, but that her feet would be very sick. After this 
mysterious performance he announced his readiness to continue his 
journey, and, in company with his brothers, cheerfully proceeded the 
remainder of the distance without manifesting any further reluctance. 
His visit extended over a period of several weeks, but he resisted 
all appeals to abandon his Indian mode of life and return to his own 
people. While he seemed much gratified in once again meeting his 
father, and appeared to enjoy his visit, yet his restlessness and 
anxiety grew upon him to such a degree that he could no longer 
restrain his instincts, but, yielding to their influence, he 
surprised them all one day by unexpectedly saying, "good-bye," and 
bounded away out of sight at the top of his speed. In the course of 
two or three years after his unceremonious departure, he made another 
visit to his early home, remaining, on this last occasion, for some 
five or six weeks, at the end of which period he again took his 
departure in much the same manner in which he did on the occasion of 
the first. In the meantime, however, his father had died. This was 
his last visit, for shortly after his return to his tribe he died. 

Several years after the murder of his family he married the widow of 
Mr. John Beekey, who was an early emigrant from New Jersey to Western 
Virginia. Mrs. Beekey had four daughters by her first marriage, named 
respectively, Mary, Marcy, Jemima and Susan. Mary, the eldest, became 
the wife of Maj. John McColloch, a brother of the famous Maj. Samuel 
McColloch, the border scout and hero of the celebrated leap; Marcy, 
the second daughter, married Col. Harmon Greathouse, a noted 
frontiersman, and resided for many years in Lexington, Ky.; Susan, 
the third one, married John Roland, who resided at West Liberty, Ohio 
Co., Va., and Jemima, the fourth, became the wife of the Rev. Joseph 
Doddridge, of Wellsburg, Brooke Co., W. Va., the celebrated author of 
the "Notes on Western Virginia." One child was the issue of Mr. Van 
Metre's second marriage, whose name was Sarah. She married Mr. Robert 
Patterson, of Wheeling, Va., who died a few years since. 

In the beginning of the year 1785 and especially in the spring of 
that year, the settlers on the frontiers were again seriously menaced 
by the Indians, who had commenced their incursions much earlier than 
it was customary for them to do. Many of the settlers with their 
families resorted to the fort at Wheeling, and the private forts 
above and below, for greater protection. Others, however, remained on 
their clearings, prepared at the first alarm to vacate them. 

It was in the spring of this year that two boys went out one morning 
for the purpose of catching horses which were needed at the fort 
(Shepherd's). One of these boys was John Wetzel, aged about sixteen 
or seventeen years, the son of John Wetzel, Sr., whose clearing was 
in Marshall county, and a brother of the celebrated Lewis Wetzel. The 
other was a lad slightly younger than John Wetzel, his companion. One 
of the animals they were instructed to catch and bring in, belonged 
to a sister of young Wetzel, and was a mare with a young foal. This 
foal she had given to her brother sometime prior to this. While 
engaged in the search for the horses they ran into the midst of a 
party of Indians who had captured the horses, and placed them in a 
thicket, expecting that the sound of their bells would attract the 
attention of their owners, whom they could then easily capture and 
take their scalps. 

The boys were attracted by the tinkle of the bells to the place where 
the Indians lay concealed, rejoicing that they had experienced so 
little difficulty in finding the horses, when they were at once 
seized by the rascals. John, however, made some resistance and had 
succeeded in breaking away from his captor and was making his escape 
when he was shot through the arm by one of the savages and re-taken.
 
They directed their course toward the Ohio river. The companion of 
John indulged in such grievous crying and was so loud in his 
lamentations and groanings that the Indians tomahawked him and left 
his body where it had fallen. This was not the first time John had 
been taken a prisoner by the savages. Once before he had been 
captured, but succeeded in making his escape. Notwithstanding he 
suffered severe pain from his wounded arm, he kept up his spirits, 
and wore an air of cheerfulness and satisfaction, which was 
apparently approved of by his captors. About noon of the same day 
they reached the river at a point near the mouth of Grave creek, and 
but a short distance from the cabin of Mr. Tomlinson, which, at the 
time, was deserted on account of the unsettled and threatening 
condition of affairs along the border, he, with his family, having 
removed to Wheeling for the time being. Here finding some of 
Tomlinson's hogs straying about, they killed one of them, putting it 
into a canoe which they had secreted after crossing    the river on 
the occasion of their raid into Virginia. Three of the Indians, 
together with their prisoner, got into the canoe, while the other 
Indians engaged in swimming the stolen horses over the river. That 
day three individuals, viz.: Isaac Williams, Hamilton Carr and a 
German by the name of Jacob, were looking after the stock left at the 
deserted settlement, 
having come down from Wheeling on that business.

While at the mouth of Little Grave creek, about a mile distant, they 
heard the report of a rifle. Williams exclaimed on the instant, "Dod 
rot 'em, a Kaintuck boat has landed down there at the creek and the 
crew are shooting my hogs." Quickening their steps, they hurried 
along and in a few minutes reached the vicinity of the creek, when 
they heard the whinnying of a horse. Carr, who was a much younger and 
more active man than Williams, was some distance in advance, and 
reached the bank first, and looking down the creek he saw three 
Indians in a canoe, one in the stern, one in the middle and one in 
the bow of the vessel. On the bottom of the canoe were four rifles 
and a dead hog. A fourth Indian was swimming a horse across the river 
not very far from the shore. The Indian in the stern of the canoe had 
just put his paddle into the water to shove the canoe from the creek 
into the river. As he made this movement Carr drew his rifle to his 
shoulder and shot the Indian in the stern, who fell overboard into 
the water. Just as Carr fired, Williams had reached his side, and 
shot the Indian in the bow of the canoe, who also fell overboard 
plunging headlong into the water. Jacob, the German, then came up, 
and handing his empty rifle to Jacob, took the German's and shot the 
third Indian in the middle of the canoe. He also fell overboard, but 
grasped the side of the canoe as he arose with one of his hands. So 
astonished was this last Indian at the fate of his two companions, 
that in his dazed condition, he never moved to take up one of the 
rifles which lay in the bottom of the canoe, in his defense. The 
canoe was now caught by the current and carried out into the river, 
and had floated some distance below the mouth of the creek. Carr 
having observed another person lying in the bottom of the canoe, 
loaded his gun, raised it and was about to fire, when the recumbent 
individual arose and cried out, "Don't shoot, I'm a white man." He 
was told to loosen the hold of the Indian's hand to the side of the 
canoe. He replied that he could not as his arm was broken. The 
current bore the canoe near to some rocks, not far from the shore, on 
which he jumped, and from which he waded to land. Carr now took a 
shot at the Indian on horseback, who by this time, was more than a 
third of the way across the river. The shot struck near his person, 
splashing the water over him. Seeing the fate of his companions, and 
recognizing the fact that his life was at stake, he slipped from the 
back of, the horse and bravely swam toward the abandoned canoe in 
which were the four rifles. The white men were on the upper side of 
the creek now and the canoe was below the creek. To cross the creek 
the white men would have to go some distance up to find a fording 
place, which would consume time and this was in his favor. He 
therefore succeeded in gaining possession of the canoe, crossed to 
the opposite side of the river, mounted the horse which had gained 
the opposite shore, and with a wild whoop and a yell of defiant 
anger, made his escape into the forest. The canoe was turned adrift 
by him and was not taken up, until it had floated 200 miles below the 
scene where this affair occurred. When found, the dead hog was still 
in it, the shooting of which had led to their discovery, and was the 
cause of the misfortunes which attended them.