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Windham County Connecticut
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WINDHAM COUNTY NEWSPAPERS : WINDHAM HERALD 1791-1795
 

 

376. WH Sat Jun. 2, 1792: Knoxville, April 28.
On Thursday morning the 5th instant a party of five or six indians, went to the house of Harper Ratcliff, in Stanley Valley, about 20 miles
from Hawkins Court house, and killed his wife and three children; plundered the house, and instantly made off. They left behind them three
war clubs, a bow and a shief of arrows. A company started immediately after them but returned without being able to overtake the savages.
We hear, that the company under the command of Capt. James Cooper, which was ordered to go to Mero District, have received orders to range on the frontiers of Hawkins County, for the defence and protection of the Frontier inhabitants thereof. They are to range from the Virginia line to the Powder Spring Gap in Clinch Mountain, and from Powder Spring Gap to the river Holsten.
Extract of a letter from a gentleman in Cumberland to the Printers of this paper, dated April 2, 1792. “The Indians have commenced hostilities against this country upon every quarter; and we believe it to be the Cherokees and Creeks from the best information we can receive; they have lately taken a station and committed several murders and depredations upon our frontier settlements.”

377. WH Sat Jun. 2, 1792: Lexington, (Kentucky) Feb, 11. We have heard this morning that the Indians killed a man and a woman on North Elkhorn on Thursday evening last, near Grant’s mill.
We are informed that about 50 Indians fired on a boat last week, on the Ohio, below the mouth of Kentucky, without doing any damage.
On Monday evening last the Indians stole 10 or 12 horses from near Grant’s Mill on north Elkhorn and on Tuesday night burnt two dwelling houses together with all the household furniture belonging to the proprietors. They having left their houses late in the evening.

378. WH Sat Jun. 2, 1792: Winchester, May 7. We have received the melancholy information of the Indians having penetrated into the country as far as the head waters of Dunker Creek, within fifteen miles of Morgan-Town where they have committed murders on our innocent fellow citizens, the here recital of which is sufficient to stir up every latent spark of American valour to revenge. On the plantation of one Leg
there was a blockhouse in which nine militia men were stationed; seven of those having gone to the Pau Pau station, about eight miles distant,
on some business with their officer, and the other two being out, cutting timber for benches, a party of indians, consisting of 15 or 20,
came in the interim, too Mr. Leg, two of his children, a man by the name of Honsacre (who was out in a field, and was first wounded by them) a
young woman of the name of Baldwin, and five children (part Honsacre’s) prisoners. Mrs. Leg was wounded above the shoulder bone, but escaped to the house of one Cutler. Having forced the prisoners, the Indians set fire to the dwelling house and block house, and then proceeded up the creek about nine miles, and encamped. On the march, Honsacre, being faint with the loss of blood, they pricked him with knives and spears to make him keep up. At the place the encamped, they scalped him and knocked out his brains. Mrs. Honsacre, bemoaning the loss of her husband was tomahawked by them; and her youngest child, who cried bitterly at the tragic scene she beheld, also fell a sacrifice to savage vengeance. A part of militia went in pursuit of them next day, arrived where they had encamped, buried the unfortunate Honsacre, his wife and child, and then proceeded on, but without effect, as they did not overtake the Indians. The militia returned the Sunday following, reported that as they came back they discovered a fresh trail, from which it is conjectured another party of Indians is still hovering about the settlements. The house above mentioned, said to be set on fire, was extinguished by a person who was passing by, before much damage was sustained—the block house was reduced to ashes.

379. WH Sat Jun. 2, 1792: Boston, May 23. Last Monday was found in one of the old tan-pits belonging to Mr. E.W. Calef of this town the body of a female infant, supposed to be about two months old—it was jammed up in the shoe of a spout, and a piece of board nailed over it: the scull of
the child was fractured; it was wrapped up in a piece of check, and probably had been there some months. The Coroner’s inquest brought in
their verdict, “Murder, against some person or persons unknown.”

380. WH Sat Jun. 2, 1792: A likely Jack, will cover the stable of the subscriber, through the season, except Tuesdays and Wednesdays, when he will be at Mr. Jesse Barrows’. The terms, to ensure a foal 10s. ­ the season, 8s ­ single leap 5s. The subscriber will contract for the miles
at the common price. Benj. Hutchens, jun. Mansfield, June 1, 1792

381. WH Sat Jun. 9, 1792: Windsor, May 15. By a gentleman from Vershire, in this state, we have the following singular account of
Female Greatness. The wife of Mr. Nathan West, of said town, having occasion to go into a pasture near her house, in order to bring home her
sheep, to secure them from the ravages of wild beasts, spied a large Bear in full pursuit after one of the Lambs of her flock; upon which she
immediately called to her favourite dog for assistance. The faithful animal, ever open to the calls of his Mistress, obeyed the command and
eagerly leaped off, to secure from destruction the innocent bleating victim. He immediately engaged with the bear, and threw him upon the
ground- in which situation he held him until his mistress with that degree of fortitude and resolution, not peculiar to her sex, came up
­when, grasping with one hand, a leg of the bear, and with the other, a club, she made such application of the latter to his pate, as almost
instantaneously put a stop to all further appetite or inclination in him for mutton food ­ she supped that evening upon the flesh of the bear! ­
“Whosoever findeth” such “a Wife ­ findeth a GOOD THING!”

382. WH Sat Jun. 9, 1792: Died.
Mrs. Ellis Moulton, consort of Mr. James Moulton, of this town, aged 62.
At Mansfield, Mrs. ___ Snow, consort of Mr. Thomas Snow.

383. WH Sat Jun. 16, 1792: Portsmouth, June 2. The following melancholy occurrence may serve to shew the uncertainty of life and the certainty of death:--A Mr. Jethro Hill of Candie [or Candle?], on the 25th ult. was found dead in his field, he left his family in good spirits, a short time before, in order to prevent the fire which had caught in some bushes, doing damage to his fence, however, he was too late, the fire
had got so far a head as to rage with considerable fury, spreading devastation wherever it went. He fought it for sometime, it is
conjectured, till being exhausted and having no one to assist him, he became a prey to this devouring element—and was when found, a spectacle shocking to behold. He was not absent more than an hour from his family when found in the above situation.

384. WH Sat Jun. 16, 1792: Died.
Mr. Simeon Robinson, aged 90.
In the Creek Country, Col. Alexander M’Gillvroy, the celebrated Chief of that nation, and an ally of the United States.

385. WH Sat Jun. 16, 1792: The hon. Court of probate, for the district of Windham, hath allowed six months from this date, for the creditors to the estate of Dr. Thomas Gray, late of Windham, deceased, to exhibit their claims against said estate, to the subscriber, or be debarred a
recovery agreeable to law. Sam’l Gray, Adm’r. to law. Windham, June 12, 1792.

386. WH Sat Jun. 16, 1792: Lost, the 4th inst. in Mansfield, two town orders both jointly in favour of Mrs. Lucy Adams, and Col. Experience
Storrs, as executors to the estate of Dr. David Adams, late of Mansfield, deceased. One order was given for 3 [English pounds] 12 8; and the other for 3 [English pounds] 8 5. Whoever will return them to the subscriber, shall be generously rewarded. Jabez Adams. Mansfield,
June 14, 1792.

387. WH Sat Jun. 23, 1792: Columbia, May 8. Sunday last one Gardner Williams was shot dead by a person of the name of Massey, on his
plantation about 16 miles from town. Massey is not yet apprehended. Wednesday last William Massey, who killed Gardner Williams a few days since, surrendered himself to John Wilson, Esq, justice of peace, and was by him committed to Camden goal, in order to take his trial next session.

388. WH Sat Jun. 23, 1792: Philadelphia, June 13. We are sorry to learn, that Capt. Monfort [Monsort?], and a soldier of the first
regiment, being lately a short distance from Fort Jefferson were killed and scalped by the Indians, parties of whom are constantly hovering
round that post, so that it is dangerous to venture out of sight of it. This happened at the same place where Capt. Shaylor’s son was killed
last Februrary.

389. WH Sat Jun. 23, 1792: Lansingburg, May 18. A gentleman lately from Canada, says that many of the Indians in the two provinces are engaged and engaging with the western Indians in the ensuing campaigns and from what he could discover, the recruiting business is more encouraged than discouraged by the inhabitants.

390. WH Sat Jun. 23, 1792: Boston, June 11. On Thursday last a melancholy accident happened at Chelsea. Two sons of Mr. John Adams, of
that town, and a young man by the name of Cutter from Cambridge, sat out early in the morning on a fishing party. They had not left shore more than fifteen minutes when the boat overset, and notwithstanding the exertions of the several persons who saw the disaster, they all
perished. June 13. The bodies of three young mentioned in our last, to have been drowned, were found on Sunday, and interred.

391. WH Sat Jun. 23, 1792: Windham, June 23. Wednesday, a barn belonging to Mr. Asa Kimball, of Hampton, was struck with lightening and consumed.

392. WH Sat Jun. 23, 1792: Badger & Webb, In the new Store opposite Maj. John Ripley’s tavern, have just received, and are now opening for sale, A genteel assortment of Calicoes and Chintzes, with a variety of other goods; suitable for the season. They have a large assortment of
Crockery ware, also Rum, Loaf and Brown Sugar, Bar Iron, German Steel, Tea, Coffee, &c. &c. which they will sell at a very low advance for
ready pay. They flatter themselves that those gentlemen and ladies who will give themselves the trouble to call at their store, view the Goods,
and hear the prices, will be induced to purchase. The smallest favours will be gratefully acknowledged. N.B. They want to purchase Towcloth,
check’d and white Flannel, Butter, Cheese, Grain, GeeseFeathers, Bees’ Wax, Sheep’s Wool, &c. Windham, June 20, 1792.

393. WH Sat Jun. 23, 1792: The hon. court of probate for the district of Pomfret, having allowed six months from the 12th of June instant, for the creditors of Abijah Brooks, late of Ashford, deceased, to exhibit their claims against said estate; demands not properly attested within
said term, will be forever debarred. Lucy Brooks, Adm’x. Nathaniel Brooks, Adm’r. Ashford, 12th June, 1792.

394. WH Sat Jun. 23, 1792: Chronology of Facts. (Chronology, although a science at present little studied, is, nevertheless, not without its
uses. By Chronology we are taught how to affix a proper date to all historical events, without which knowledge history itself is lame and
defective and productive of little satisfaction to the student. For want of due and faithful application to this excellent science, it is that
European and Asiatic accounts of distant events do so widely disagree in point of date as not to be reconciled by any ingenuity or learning of
the present age. To prevent American chronology from suffering in like manner, I have begun to keep a regular list of American Chronological Occurrences, of which, gentle reader, be pleased to take the following specimen):
1775-1783. Liberty established in America by the blood and property of her patriots.
1783-1789. Patriots get for their services two shillings in the pound.
1789-1790. Speculators receive without services two pounds on the shilling. About this time the prostitution of the press is attempted
with some degree of success.
1790. The millions of dollars flowing into the hands of speculators produce a glare of wealth, which is misrepresented for general
prosperity. The people asleep, and speculators forging the chains of monarchy and aristocracy for them.
1791. The people, still asleep. The reign of speculators. A free gift of sixty per cent added to the capitals of speculators by means of the
bank, and other governmental douceurs. Banks, bubbles, tontines, lotteries, monopolies, usury, forgery, lying, gambling, swindling, &c.
&c. abound. Poverty in the country—luxury in the capitals—corruption and usurpation in the national councils.
1792. Bubbles burst. The champions of public faith turn out swindlers ­ Members of C—ng—s detected and exposed in their speculations and combinations. The waste of luxury turning the stream of our wealth to foreign countries, and making us tributaries for four millions a year to the brokers of London and Amsterdam. The people begin to awake. Speculators are alarmed—their reign totters.
1793.—March. (A New Era) The people thoroughly awake. The national councils purged of stock-jobbing, monarchy-jobbing, bank-jobbing, and aristocracy-jobbing. Effectual measures taken to secure public credit by paying off the public debt, and to support the energy of the government by regaining the confidence of the people. Industry, order, and virtue established. Republicanism flourishes, and is again in fashion. The people rejoice in freedom, and are determined to maintain it.

395. WH Sat Jun. 30, 1792: Knoxville, May 29. Extract of a letter from a gentleman in Fayette county, Kentucky, to his brother in Green county, dated May 1. “I am very sorry to inform you of the invasion of our country. It is said 600 Indians are now in our settlements. The night
before last a party of them burnt Frankfort, a frontier town, and killed 50 persons.

396. WH Sat Jun. 30, 1792: Died.
Mrs. Mart Whiting, relict of Capt. John Whiting, aged 73.
Mrs. Edy Spencer, consort to Mr. Samuel Spencer, aged 29.
At Hartford, very suddenly, Mr. Daniel Merril, aged 43.

397. WH Sat Jun. 30, 1792: Edmund Badger, Esq. is appointed an Auxiliary Collector of the Revenue, for the County of Windham, and
district of Connecticut. John Chester, Supervisor. Windham, June 25, 1792.

398. WH Sat Jun. 30, 1792: To be sold. That elegant and beautiful Mansion House and Out-houses, lately occupied and owned by Col. Eleazer
Fitch, situated a little to the Eastward of the Court-House in Windham, together with about 24 acres of good land adjoining; consisting of
mowing, pasturing, plowing, &c. which will be sold on the most reasonable terms. For particulars apply to Ebenezer Whiting. Norwich
June 29th, 1792.

399. WH Sat Jun. 30, 1792: Pitsburgh, May 28.
MassyHerbeson, on he oath, according to law, being taken before John Wilkins, Esq. one of the commonwealth’s Justices of the peace in and for the county of Alleghany, deposeth and saith, that on the 22d day of this instant, she was taken from her house within 200 yards of Reed’s
block-house which is called 25miles from Pitsburgh; her husband being one of the spies, was from home, two of the scouts had lodged with her that night but had left he house about sunrise in order to go to the blockhouse, and had left the door standing wide open; shortly after the
two scouts went away, a number of Indians came into the house and drew her out of bed by the feet, the two eldest children, who also lay in
another bed were drawn out in the same manner, a younger child, about one year old, slept with the deponent; the Indians then scrambled about the articles in the house, when they were at this work the deponent went out of the house and hollowed to the people in the blockhouse; one of the indians then ran up and stopped her mouth, another ran up with his tomahawk drawn, and a third ran and seized the tomahawk and called her his squaw; this last indian claimed her as his, and continued by her; about fifteen of the indians then ran down towards the blockhouse, and fired their guns at the block and store house, in consequence of which one soldier was killed and another wounded, one having been at the spring, and the other in coming or looking out of the store house; this deponent then told the Indians there were about forty men in the block house and each man had two guns, the Indians then went to them that were firing at the blockhouse and brought them back, they then began to drive the deponent and her children away, but a boy about three years old being unwilling to leave the house, they took it by the heels and dashed it against the house, then stabbed and scalped it; they then took the deponent and the two other children to the top of the hill, where they stopped until they tied up the plunder they had got, while they were busy about this, the deponent counted them and the number amounted to thirty-two, including two white men that were with them painted like the Indians.
That several of the Indians could speak English, and that she knew three or four of them very well, having often seen them go up and down
the Alleghany river, two of them she knew to be Seneccas and two Munsees, who had got their guns mended by her husband about two years
ago—that they sent two Indians with her, and the others took their course towards Puckty—that she, the children and two Indians had not
gone above two hundred yards when the Indians caught two of her uncle’s horses, put her and the youngest child on one and one of the Indians and the other child on, the other—that the two Indians then took her and the children to the Alleghany river, and took them over in bark canoes, as they could not get the horses to swim the river—after they had crossed the river the oldest child, a boy of about five years of age, began to mourn for his brother, one of the Indians then tomahawked and scalped him; that they travelled all day very hard, and that night arrived at a large camp covered with bark; which, by appearance, might hold fifty men; that the camp appeared to have been occupied some time, it was very much beaten, and large beaten paths went out in different directions from it; that night they took her about three hundred yards from the camp into a large dark bottom, bound her arms, gave her some bedclothes, and lay down one on each side of her; that the next morning they took her into a thicket on the hill side, and one remained with her till the middle of the day, while the other went to watch the path, least some white people should follow them; they then exchanged places during the remainder of the day: She got a piece of dry venison about the bulk of an egg that day, and a piece about the same size the day they were marching; that evening, (Wednesday the 23d) they moved her to a new place, and secured her as the night before: During the day of the 23d, she made several attempts to get the Indian’s gun or tomahawk, that was guarding her, and could she have got either, she would have put him to death, she was nearly detected in trying to get the tomahawk from his belt.
The next morning (Thursday) one of the Indians went out as on the day before to watch the path, the other lay down and fell asleep; when she
found he was sleeping she stole her short gown, handkerchief, and a child’s frock, and then made her escape—the sun was then about half an
hour high—that she took her course from the Alleghany, in order to deceive the Indians, as they would naturally pursue her that way; that
day she travelled along Conequenessing creek, the next day she altered her course as she believes, fell upon the waters of Pine creek, which
empties into the Alleghany—thinking this not her best course, took over some dividing ridges, fell in on the heads of Squaw run, she lay on a
dividing ridge on Friday night, and on Saturday came to Squaw run, continued down the run until an Indian, or some other person, shot at a
deer; she saw the person about 150 yards from her, the deer running, and the dog pursuing it, which from the appearance, she supposed to be an indian dog- she then altered her course, but again came to the same run, and continued down it until she got so tired that she was obliged to lay down, it having rained on her all that day and the night before, she lay there that night, it rained constantly; on Sunday morning she proceeded down the run until she came to the Alleghany river, and continued down the river till she came opposite to Carter’s house, on the inhabited side, where she made a noise, and James Closier bro’t her over the river to Carter’s house.
This deponent further says, that in conversing with one of the Indians that could talk English very well, which she suspects to be George Jelloway, he asked her if she knew the prisoner that was taken by Jeffers and his Seneccas, and in Jail in Pittsburgh? She answered no—he
said you lie. She again said she knew nothing about him; he said she did, that he was a spy, and a great Captain; that he took Butler’s
scalp, and that they would have him or twenty scalps; he again said that they would exchange for him; that him and two more was sent out to see what the Americans were doing; that they came round from Detroit to Venango; the Indian took paper and shewed her that he, at Fort Pitt,
could write and draw on it; he also asked her if a campaign was going out against the Indians this summer ­ she said no—he called her a liar,
and said they were going out, and that the Indians would serve them as they did last year, he also said the English had guns, ammunition, &c.
to give them to go to war, and that they had given them plenty last year: this deponent also says that she saw one of the Indians have
Captain Crib’s sword, which she well knew, that one of the Indians asked her if she knew Thomas Girty, she said she did—he then said that Girty lived near Fort Pitt, that he was a good man, but not as good as his brother at Detroit, but that his wife was a bad woman, she tells lies on
the Indians, and is a friend to America. Sworn before me the day and year first above written. John Wilkins.

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