CHAPTER II.

Earliest condition of Kentucky-Tribes of Indians which disputed first Settlement-Monuments of a Superior Race-First Visits to Kentucky-Col. George Croughan-Daniel Boone's first Visit-Col. James Knox's VisitGen. George Washington's Visit-Thomas Bullitt's Visit-James Harrod erects Log Cabins at Harrodsburg-Boonesborough, foundation of laid— Boone's Family arrive in Kentucky-Simon Kenton erects a Cabin and raises Corn-Arrival of three more Ladies-Calloway and Logan arrive with their Families-Misses Calloway's Capture by the Indians-Colonel George Rodgers Clark's First Visit-Kentucky formed a County of Virginia-First Court held at Harrodsburg-Forts Assailed-Kentucky invaded by Indians and Canadians-Boone Captured while making SaltHis Escape-Captain Duquesne attacks Boonesborough-Clark's Expedition against British Posts-Louisville, foundation laid-Robert Patterson erects Block Houses at Lexington-Occupying Claimant Law passedKentucky divided into three Counties-Indian Hostilities renewed-Estill Killed Hostilities ceased for a time in 1783-Settlements advanced rapidly-Kentucky erected into a District-Dry Goods Store at Louisville-Gen. James Wilkinson visits Kentucky-Life of Daniel Boone, sketch of-Simon Kenton, sketch of-Col. George Rodgers Clark, sketch of Benjamin Logan, sketch of—Also James Harrod, Anthony Wayne, James Sandusky, John Lancaster, Col. William Whitley, Robert McAfee, James Estill, Col. William Russell, Col. Richard Henderson, Stephen Trigg, Col. John Todd, John Howard, John Bradford, Capt. William Hardin, John BreckinridgeList of other names distinguished in Kentucky History.

Of all the States of this great confederacy of ours, there is none whose history is richer in variety and interest than the State of Kentucky. Before it was ever visited by any of the Anglo-Saxon race, it was a dark forest and cane thicket, and formed the vast hunting ground of several tribes of Indians both north and south of the territory which separated them. The tribes north, which disputed the first settlement of this wilderness country with the whites, were the Shawanoes, the Delawares, and the Wyandottes; and the tribes south were the Cherokees, Creeks, and Catawbas. The fierce contests which

occurred between these tribes and the first white settlers of Kentucky were frequent, of long continuance, and disastrous to the whites in the extreme before their final expulsion.

It is believed by many experienced and knowing ones (and not without good reason) that this vast wilderness lying between the Allegheny Mountains and the Mississippi River was occupied hundreds of years ago, by a race of people greatly superior in arts and knowledge to the rude tribes we have mentioned. As monuments of their superiority, there are evidences of their having worked the copper mines of the West, and they had copper tools for working in wood and stone. Their pipes and utensils of various kinds, fashioned from clay, show their superiority in mechanism; whilst they prove their progress in the military art over the tribes I have named by their extensive fortifications, contrived to resist in the best manner a formidable foe, with which no doubt they had often to contend. Many of their fortifications were well constructed, and of solid masonry. That such a race of men occupied portions of Kentucky at some period cannot be doubted; but no investigation has been able to fix upon the time with any accuracy. The best informed fix the period at not less than eight hundred years ago. The examination which has been made of some of the fortifications and cemeteries show conclusively even a greater period than that mentioned. Who they were, or how they became extinct, can only be conjectured.

The first account we have of a visit of any of the AngloAmerican race to Kentucky was by Dr. Walker, of Virginia, in the year 1750, to the northeastern portion. Another account, however, says that he visited the eastern and southeastern parts in 1747. In 1751 Christopher Gist was sent out by what was called the Ohio Company, on an exploring expedition, and descended the Ohio River to the Falls, where Louisville is now situated. The next account we have of a visit to Kentucky was June 8, 1765, when Col. George Croughan, a British officer, descended the Ohio from Fort Pitt to a point below the Wabash, where he was encountered and taken prisoner by the Indians. In 1766 Kentucky was visited by Col.

James Smith. In 1767, by John Findley, on a trading expedition. In 1769 Daniel Boone first visited Kentucky, and was accompanied by John Findley and others. The party built a rude hut to protect themselves from the storms, and remained two years, traversing in the meantime the northern and middle regions with great attention. The visits by whites to the country previous to this time were obscure, and of but little importance. In 1770 Col. James Knox visited the country. The party led by him was called the Long Hunters; they were from Holston, on Clinch River, and explored thoroughly the middle and southern regions of Kentucky. Boone was a native of Pennsylvania, but had emigrated to North Carolina; both these parties were in the country at the same time, but never met. It was in this year that General Washington descended the Ohio as far as the northeastern part of Kentucky. Boone's party was greatly annoyed by the Indians, and James Stewart, one of the party, was killed by them, and Boone himself was taken prisoner, but afterwards escaped. They returned in 1771, and gave such glowing accounts of the country, its fertile soil, its climate, great abundance of game, &c., that considerable emigration soon set in from the western part of Virginia and North Carolina.

The Virginia troops who had served in the French War were given bounty lands in Kentucky, and in 1773 surveyors were sent out to survey those lands upon the Ohio River. Thomas Bullitt conducted a party of surveyors down the Ohio to the Falls (now Louisville), where they erected a fortification for their protection from the Indians. A great number of surveys were made in Kentucky during this expedition, and much of the country explored with a view to future settlement. James, George, and Robert McAfee accompanied Bullitt in this expedition, but separated from him at the mouth of the Kentucky River, explored extensively, and made surveys in various places.

In 1774 James Harrod erected a log cabin where Harrodsburg now stands, which soon grew to be a station, and which was probably the oldest in Kentucky.

Daniel Boone, having been employed by Richard Henderson

to survey the country, to which he had set up claim by purchase from the Indians, and to select favorable situations, in the spring of 1775 laid the foundation of Boonesborough; by the middle of April the fort was completed; and by the middle of June of that year, Boone's wife and daughters arrived, and resided in the fort; the first white woman as far as known who ever stood on Kentucky soil. This same year Simon Kenton, the renowned pioneer, erected a log cabin, and raised a crop of corn where the town of Washington, Mason County, now stands. In the fall of that year he removed to Boonesborough. The renowned Kenton was the maternal uncle of Col. Wm. Owen, late of Adair County, personally well known to the writer, and of whom I shall give a more extended account hereafter. In September, 1775, three more ladies arrived in Kentucky, and, with their husbands and children, settled at Harrodsburg, to-wit: Mrs. Denton, Mrs. McGary, and Mrs. Hogan. In 1776 Col. Richard Calloway brought his wife and two daughters to Boonesborough, and Col. Benjamin Logan his wife and family to Logan's Fort, near where Stanford now stands, in Lincoln County. In the summer of this year Boone's daughter and two of the Misses Calloway, out at play near the fort, were taken prisoners by the Indians, but were rapidly pursued by Boone and Floyd, and eight others, and, about forty miles distance from the fort, were overtaken, the Indians dispersed, and the girls recovered. During the summer of this year Col. George Rodgers Clark visited Kentucky for the first time. He employed the greater part of his time in hunting alone, visited the different stations, but made no locations.

In the winter of 1775 Kentucky was formed into a county of Virginia. The first Court of Quarter Sessions was held at Harrodsburg, composed of John Todd, John Floyd, Benjamin Logan, John Bowman, and Richard Calloway. Levi Todd was clerk. About this time Harrodsburg, Boonesborough, and Logan's Fort were successively assailed by the Indians, They withstood the furious attacks made upon them; not, however, without great loss. During the succeeding summer they were considerably reinforced by a number of men from

North Carolina, and about one hundred under Col. Bowman from Virginia.

In 1778 Kentucky was invaded by an army of Indians and Canadians under the command of Captain Duquesne; and the expedition of Col. George Rodgers Clark against the English Post of Vincennes and Kaskaskia took place this year. In February of this year Boone, with about thirty men, was engaged in making salt at the Lower Blue Licks, when he was surprised by about two hundred Indians. The whole party surrendered upon terms of capitulation. The Indians carried them to Detroit, and delivered them all up to the commandant, except Boone, whom they carried to Chilicothe. Boone soon effected his escape and returned to Boonesborough in time to give them information of an intended attack of a large body of Indians on that place. In consequence of the escape of Boone, the progress of the Indians who were collected at Chilicothe was greatly disconcerted and delayed. After a delay of some weeks, however, Captain Duquesne, with about five hundred Indians and Canadians, made his appearance before Boonesborough, and besieged the fort for the space of nine days, but finally decamped with the loss of thirty men killed, and a much greater number wounded. The loss of the garrison was two killed and four wounded; beside this, much of their stock was taken off, and great destruction of their improvements. In 1776 Col. George Rodgers Clark started upon an expedition against the British Posts in the northwest, and, having descended the Ohio in boats to the Falls, he there landed thirteen families who had accompanied him from Pittsburgh; and by these emigrants the now flourishing city of Louisville was laid. About the first of April, 1779, Robert Patterson erected a block house, with some adjacent defenses, where the city of Lexington now stands. This year, the celebrated land law of Kentucky was passed by the Legislature of Virginia, usually called the Occupying Claimant Law. The great defect of this law was, that Virginia, by this act, did not provide for the survey of the country at the expense of the State, and its subdivisions into sections, half sections, &c., as it is now done by the United States Government. Such a course