U.S. Data Repository -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: History and Progress of the County of Marion, West Virginia by George A. Dunnington, Publisher 1880 CHAPTER V: COMMENCEMENT OF INDIAN TROUBLES--FORTS ESTABLISHED, ETC. For a period of nearly ten years after the close of the French and Indian war in 1765, and previous to 1774, there were no outbreaks among the Indians of Northwestern Virginia, and the settlers were free from their depredations. This state of things would have doubtless continued had it not been for the unprovoked murder of three Indians by John Ryan, on the Ohio, Monogahela and Cheat rivers, at different periods during these years. The first of Ryan's victims was a chief of some distinction, known as Captain Peter, and the others were warriors on friendly terms with the whites. Several Indians were likewise killed in the vicinity by other settlers, while they were upon friendly visits. Bald Eagle was an Indian on very friendly terms with the whites in this vicinity, and was in the habit of associating with them. While on one of his friendly visits to the white settlements, he was waylaid by three men, Jacob Scott, William Hacker and Elijah Runner, and murdered in cold blood. Their wanton thirst for Indian blood thus gratified, they seated the body in the stern of a canoe and set it afloat in the Monongahela river, after thrusting in the mouth of the dead warrior a piece of "journey cake." Several persons noticed the canoe and its ghastly burden descending the river, but supposed he was merely returning from a visit to his white friends at the settlements at the head of the stream. Finally, below the mouth of George's creek, the canoe floated near the shore, where it was observed by a Mrs. Province, who recognized the unfortunate old man, had him brought to shore and decently buried. These, and various other murders of a like character, in different parts of the colony, aroused the passions of the heretofore peaceful Indians, and they very soon re- opened hostilities and visited their terrible vengeance upon the heads of the innocent settlers, whenever opportunity afforded. Men, women and children everywhere fell victims to the savage ferocity thus excited. It was the opinion of many, however, that the hostilities of the Indians upon the American frontier at this time were not provoked by these or other massacres--that they were urged to war by emissaries of Great Britain and Canadian traders. It is true that the agents of Great Britain aided and encouraged the Indians in the war commenced by them in 1774, but that their prime incentive was the outrages perpetrated by the whites, together with the realization that the settlers were crowding them out of their lands--their rightful inheritance--there can be no doubt. As soon as it was manifest that the Indians were intent upon waging a bloody war, the inhabitants on the frontiers of Northwestern Virginia proceeded to put themselves in a state of defence. Some took refuge in the forts, and others collected together into certain houses, which were converted into temporary fortresses. Many made their way to Fort Pitt, at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela river the present site of Pittsburgh. It was then that there were a number of private forts established in various settlements. In Tygart's Valley the principal forts erected were Westfall's and Cassino's. About five miles below Fairmont on the Monongahela, at the mouth of Prickett's creek was erected Prickett's fort, which afforded protection to all the settlers on the upper Monongahela, in the vicinity of where now stands the towns of Fairmont, Palatine, Rivesville and Newport. Nutter's fort, near Clarksburg, afforded protection to the inhabitants on the West Fork from its source to its confluence with the Valley river. Jackson's fort was also established on Ten Mile, and was a rendezvous for the settlers in that neighborhood. These were the most important stations in this vicinity, but there were quite a number of private strongholds, in which two or three families only would take refuge, when signs of the Indians appeared in their immediate neighborhood. The region of the upper Monongahela and those settlements now embraced in Marion county were not the scenes of active war, but suffered from occasional depredations by straggling parties of savages, who would detach themselves from the main bodies and descend upon our settlements. The great chief, Logan, justly celebrated for his prowess and eloquence led a party through the country from the Ohio to the West Fork, and committed several massacres in the vicinity of Simpkins. This was about the nearest that any regular war party, came to this region. The straggling bands mentioned above, however, committed more dreadful deeds than did the regular war parties. Their acts of vengeance were accompanied with more terror to the unfortunate victims, because they were unlooked for. They would steal upon the settlers when least expected, and when they were not in a state of defence--when they were at work in their fields, or upon the unguarded family at home, and massacre them in cold blood.