Allegheny County, PA - Samuel Hulings Interview with Lyman C. Draper, early 1800's
Special Collections: Lyman C. Draper's notes from his interview with
Samuel Hulings, Draper Manuscripts 3S116
Transcribed and contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Robert
Stewart, bstewart2@juno.com.
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From Samuel Hulings, Allegheny Co, PA in his 67th year: Knew Brady
saw him frequently about '91-'92 etc.
Hulings several years ago met one Wm Hall down the Ohio River, who said
he was with Brady when young Henry and sister were rescued - that Hall
said, the Indians had been doing mischief near Hannah's Town & took
prisoners & horses & loaded em with plunder.
That the Indians had one day the start of Brady - that Brady kept 2
spies ahead, discovered by the muddy appearance of the water in the
horse-track, in the low ground, that they were nearing the Indian
party, and that evening discovered the smoke of the Indian camp. Then
Brady & party fell back in the night, crept up & one old Indian Rept
mending his moccasons all night by a small fire, who once in a while
would hear the crack or snap of brush broken by the tramp of Brady's
men, in spite of all their caution. The Indian would listen while,
and finding all still, would resume his labors. When the attack was
made, this Indian was shot dead, two balls passing through him - & 10
others were killed (a great mistake, as Gen Brodhead's letter in the PA
Register of Hazard shows but one actually killed-LCD). The Indians
dusted off, plunged into the river, and Brady's party shot at them but
could not tell whether they affected anything as their shots were
chance over in the night. One of the Indians reached the opposite
bank; high and elevated, where he blackguarded Brady's party and called
them d_____d Yankees. Hulings says he has seen the spot where Brady
defeated this Indian party - on the eastern bank of Allegheny River, at
the lowere end of Brady's Bend. That he saw an old felled chestnut,
with a representation painted with vermillion on the tree of the scalps
taken. The Indians left prisoners and plunder.
In 1792, when Hulings' family were living in Pittsburgh, Capt Brady
With 10 or 12 men brought into town 2 squaw prisoners & 3 scalps - the
Latter arranged on a painted pole, and marched in triumph through the
town. This was in May or June & before Wayne's troops rendezvoused at
Pittsburgh. Brady had made this successful foray in the Indian country
west of the Ohio. Some few threatened to have Brady apprehended (on
the old charge of killing friendly Indians, doubtless-LCD) but the mass
of the people cherished kindly feelings for Brady, and looked upon him
as one of their best friends & most faithful defenders of the frontier
& would not permit Brady to be molested. The citizens gave the squaws
a considerable quantity of presents & it was thought best to send them
to their own country, & Brady & his party escorted them beyond the
reach of danger, put them on a plain path and let them go. (For
further reference to this affair, see Eph Eckley letter -LCD)
Brady then wore red leggins and a match-coat; his common garb. Hulings
heard Capt Brady relate the adventure - when once closely pursued by
Indians who had a dog, who followed the track & would by barking keep
The Indians advised of Brady's route & thus enable his pursuers
something to take near cuts and gain on him; Brady said he thought he
was gone, but finally shot the dog - loaded again quickly as he ran
along, but saw nor heard any more of his pursuers.
The last Indian depradation in West Penn occurred on the 15th of June,
1795, at the mouth of Conneant, in Crawford County - then a new
settlement. A party of three Indians came across 2 young men, Barney
McCormick and James Finley, making rails and killed them. & took their
scalps. The same day these Indians came to a surveyor's camp in that
region-the surveyors were out & James Thompson alone was at the camp,
where a horse was tied. The Indians stole up, shot the horse, and took
Thompson prisoner. The Indians exhibited to him the scalps of the two
young men they had killed. Thompson was kept a few weeks and then
returned.
The bodies of McCormick and Finley were buried at Meadville. Hulings
Was then living in the settlement where they were killed & Thompson
Was captured.
Freeland's Fort - Hulings was raised in Northumberland, & the
Doughertys who figured at Freeland's Fort were his uncles - & he knew
Capt John Lytle who commanded the fort. The fort had been taken, &
the women and children were placed in some cabins outside the fort,
when Capt Boone & 31 men made their appearance. Capt or Lt John
Dougherty stole up behind a tree when Sally Cupples of the prisoners
recognized him and begged him to retire and not expose himself; but he
heeded not her entreaties and soon shot down an Indian carrying about
a red flag & soon shot down the 2nd Indian who had assumed the place
of flag-bearer & then made good his escape. This occurred when Boone
& his men were fighting the Doughertys were of Boone's party - Samuel
Dougherty heard Capt Boone calling to him to come to his aid, ran to
his relief, and both were killed. Charles Hammell, whose powder was
exhausted, had secreted himself, and saw Dougherty pursued and could
have killed the Indian after him, if he had ammunition. Hammell and 15
others escaped - one of them wounded - and 16 were killed - none
captured of Boone's party. Capt John Lytle, who commanded the fort and
was taken prisoner, afterwards returned from captivity. No
recollection about the story of his wife having married in his absence
& Capt Lytle died in Erie County PA about 1810.
Capt John Dougherty, after the war, was stabbed with a knife by an ugly
boy, on the Susquehanna & killed.
Mr Hulings knew Ben Eulen - went out with a bridle to hunt a horse - an
Indian pursued and shot at him but missed. Then continued the pursuit
with uplifted tomahawk, & Eulen having neither gun, tomahawk or knife,
had to continue his flight - forced to jump down the rocky
perpendicular bank of the Ohio - a tree top broke his fall, and he struck
the ground without hurting him seriously. A party raised and pursued ,
but did not overtake the Indian. This jump was on the VA shore, below
Captiva (I think it was at or near Pt Pleasant -LCD).
About the close of March 1791, a party of Indians killed James Chapman
At Sample's Mill on Girty's Run, 2 miles above Pittsburgh, on the
Northern side of the Allegheny, and took prisoners Thomas Dick and wife
and kept them several months. This created a great alarm and all the
settlers on that side of the river fled to block-houses, etc.