University of Virginia Library

"The most active mineral ingredients in the water are carbonated alkalies. In this it differs materially
from the White and Salt Sulphur, and is more nearly assimilated in its qualities to the Red and Gray
Sulphur. It is, however, more decidedly alkaline than either of those springs. This peculiarity will
ever recommend it to persons subject to acidities of the stomach, and to the other concomitants of dyspepsia,
while the large quantity of hydrogen that it contains will render it useful in all of those complaints
for which sulphur-water is usually prescribed."

The Tunkers are a denomination of Seventh-Day Baptists, which took its rise in the year 1724. It was
founded by a German, who, weary of the world, retired to an agreeable solitude, within sixty miles of
Philadelphia, for the more free exercise of religious contemplation. Curiosity attracted followers, and his
simple and engaging manners made them proselytes. They soon settled a little colony, called Ephrata,
in allusion to the Hebrews, who used to sing psalms on the border of the river Euphrates. This denomination
seem to have obtained their name from their baptizing their new converts by plunging. They are
also called Tumblers, from the manner in which they perform baptism, which is by putting the person,
while kneeling, head first under water, so as to resemble the motion of the body in the action of tumbling.
They use the trine immersion, with laying on the hands and prayer, even when the person baptized is in
the water. Their habit seems to be peculiar to themselves, consisting of a long tunic or coat, reaching
down to their heels, with a sash or girdle round the waist, and a cap or hood hanging from the shoulders.
They do not shave the head or beard.

The men and women have separate habitations and distinct governments. For these purposes, they
erected two large wooden buildings, one of which is occupied by the brethren, the other by the sisters of
the society; and in each of them there is a banqueting-room, and an apartment for public worship; for
the brethren and sisters do not meet together even at their devotions.

They used to live chiefly upon roots and other vegetables, the rules of their society not allowing them
flesh, except upon particular occasions, when they hold what they call a love-feast; at which time the
brethren and sisters dine together in a large apartment, and eat mutton, but no other meat. In each of
their little cells they have a bench fixed, to serve the purpose of a bed, and a small block of wood for a
pillow. They allow of marriages, but consider celibacy as a virtue.

The principal tenet of the Tunkers appears to be this—that future happiness is only to be obtained by
penance and outward mortifications in this life, and that, as Jesus Christ, by his meritorious sufferings,
became the Redeemer of mankind in general, so each individual of the human race, by a life of abstinence
and restraint, may work out his own salvation. Nay, they go so far as to admit of works of supererogation,
and declare that a man may do much more than he is in justice or equity obliged to do, and that
his superabundant works may, therefore, be applied to the salvation of others.

This denomination deny the eternity of future punishments, and believe that the dead have the gospel
preached to them by our Saviour, and that the souls of the just are employed to preach the gospel to those
who have had no revelation in this life. They suppose the Jewish Sabbath, sabbatical year, and year of
jubilee, are typical of certain periods after the general judgment, in which the souls of those who are not
then admitted into happiness are purified from their corruption. If any, within those smaller periods, are
so far humbled as to acknowledge the perfections of God, and to own Christ as their only Saviour, they
are received to felicity; while those who continue obstinate are reserved in torments, until the grand
period, typified by the jubilee, arrives, in which all shall be made happy in the endless fruition of the
Deity.

They also deny the imputation of Adam's sin to his posterity. They disclaim violence, even in cases
of self-defence, and suffer themselves to be defrauded, or wronged, rather than go to law. Their church
government and discipline are the same with other Baptists, except that every brother is allowed to speak
in the congregation; and their best speaker is usually ordained to be the minister. They have deacons
and deaconesses from among their ancient widows and exhorters, who are all licensed to use their gifts
statedly. The Tunkers are not so rigid in their dress and manner of life as formerly; still they retain
the faith of their fathers, and lead lives of great industry, frugality, and purity.

In Boquet's treaty with the Ohio Indians, it was stipulated that the whites detained by them in captivity
were to be brought in and redeemed. In compliance with this stipulation, Mrs. Renix was brought
to Staunton in 1767 and ransomed, together with two of her sons, William, the late Col. Renix, of Greenbrier,
and Robert, also of Greenbrier—Betsy, her daughter, had died on the Miami. Thomas returned in
1783, but soon after removed, and settled on the Scioto, near Chilicothe. Joshua never came back; he
took an Indian wife, and became a chief among the Miamies—he amassed a considerable fortune, and
died near Detroit in 1810.

Hannah Dennis was separated from the other captives, and allotted to live at the Chilicothe towns.
She learned their language, painted herself as they do, and in many respects conformed to their manners
and customs. She was attentive to sick persons, and was highly esteemed by the Indians, as one well
skilled in the art of curing diseases. Finding them very superstitious, and believers in necromancy, she
professed witchcraft, and affected to be a prophetess. In this manner she conducted herself, till she became
so great a favorite with them that they gave her full liberty, and honored her as a queen. Notwithstanding
this, Mrs. Dennis was always determined to effect her escape, when a favorable opportunity
should occur; and having remained so long with them, apparently well satisfied, they ceased to entertain
any suspicions of such a design.

In June, 1763, she left the Chilicothe towns, ostensibly to procure herbs for medicinal purposes, (as she
had before frequently done,) but really to attempt an escape. As she did not return that night her intention
became suspected, and in the morning some warriors were sent in pursuit of her. In order to leave
as little trail as possible, she had crossed the Scioto River three times, and was just getting over the fourth
time, 40 miles below the town, when she was discovered by her pursuers. They fired at her across the
river without effect; but, in endeavoring to make a rapid flight, she had one of her feet severely cut by a
sharp stone.

The Indians then rushed across the river to overtake and catch her, but she eluded them by crawling
into the hollow limb of a large fallen sycamore. They searched around for her some time, frequently
stepping on the log which concealed her, and encamped near it that night. On the next day they went on
to the Ohio River, but finding no trace of her, they returned home.

Mrs. Dennis remained at that place three days, doctoring her wound, and then set off for home. She
crossed the Ohio River, at the mouth of Great Kenawha, on a log of drift-wood, travelling only during
the night for fear of discovery. She subsisted on roots, herbs, green grapes, wild cherries, and river mussels—and,
entirely exhausted by fatigue and hunger, sat down by the side of Greenbrier River, with no
expectation of ever proceeding further. In this situation she was found by Thomas Athol and three
others from Clendennin's settlement, which she had passed without knowing it. She had been then
upwards of twenty days on her disconsolate journey, alone, on foot; but, till then, cheered with the hope
of again being with her friends.

She was taken back to Clendennin's, where they kindly ministered to her, till she became so far invigorated
as to travel on horseback, with an escort, to Fort Young on Jackson's River, from whence she was
carried home to her relations.

In Braddock's war, he was in a company in which were all his brothers, the eldest,
Samuel Lewis, being the captain. This corps distinguished themselves at Braddock's
defeat. They, with some other of the Virginia troops, were in the advance, and the first
attacked by the enemy. Severed from the rest of the army, they cut their way through
the enemy to their companions, with the loss of many men. His conduct at Major
Grant's defeat, in his attack upon Fort Duquesne, acquired for him the highest reputation
for prudence and courage. He was at this time a major. In this action, the Scotch
Highlanders, under Grant, were surrounded by the Indians; when the work of death
went on quite rapidly, and in a manner quite novel to the Highlanders, who, in all their
European wars, had never before seen men's heads skinned. When Major Lewis was
advancing to the relief of Grant with his 200 provincials, he met one of the Highlanders
under speedy flight, and inquiring of him how the battle was going, he said they

were "a' beaten, and he had seen Donald M'Donald up to his hunkers in mud, and a'
the skeen of his heed." Both Lewis and Grant were made prisoners. Before Lewis
was taken into the fort, he was stripped of all his clothes but his shirt. An elderly
Indian insisted upon having that; but he resisted, with the tomahawk drawn over his
head, until a French officer, by signs, requested him to deliver it, and then took him to
his room, and gave him a complete dress to put on. While they were prisoners, Grant
addressed a letter to Gen. Forbes, attributing their defeat to Lewis. This letter being
inspected by the French, who knew the falsehood of the charge, they handed it to
Lewis. He waited upon Grant,[1] and challenged him. Upon his refusal to fight, he
spat in his face in the presence of the French officers, and then left him to reflect upon
his baseness. Major Lewis was with Washington July 4, 1754, at the capitulation of
Fort Necessity, when, by the articles agreed upon, the garrison was to retire and return
without molestation to the inhabited parts of the country; and the French commander
promised that no embarrassment should be interposed either by his own men or the
savages. While some of the soldiers of each army were intermixed, an Irishman, exasperated
with an Indian near him, "cursed the copper-colored scoundrel," and raised
his musket to shoot him. Lewis, who had been twice wounded in the engagement, and
was then hobbling on a staff, raised the Irishman's gun as he was in the act of firing,
and thus not only saved the life of the Indian, but probably prevented a general massacre
of the Virginia troops. He was the commander and general of the Virginia troops
at the battle of Point Pleasant, (see Mason co.,) fought the 10th of May, 1774. In this
campaign the Indians were driven west of the Ohio. Washington, in whose regiment
Lewis had once been a major, had formed so high an opinion of his bravery and military
skill, that, at the commencement of the revolutionary war, he was induced to recommend
him to Congress as one of the major-generals of the American army—a recommendation
which was slighted, in order to make room for Gen. Stephens. It is also
said, that when Washington was commissioned as commander-in-chief, he expressed a
wish that the appointment had been given to Gen. Lewis. Upon this slight in the appointment
of Stephens, Washington wrote to Gen. Lewis a letter, which is published in
his correspondence, expressive of his regret at the course pursued by Congress, and
promising that he should be promoted to the first vacancy. At his solicitation, Lewis
accepted the commission of brigadier-general, and was soon after ordered to the command
of a detachment of the army stationed near Williamsburg. He commanded the
Virginia troops when Lord Dunmore was driven from Gwynn's Island, in 1776, and
announced his orders for attacking the enemy by putting a match to the first gun, an
eighteen pounder, himself.

Gen. Lewis resigned his command in 1780 to return home, being seized ill with a
fever. He died on his way, in Bedford co., about 40 miles from his own house on the
Roanoke, lamented by all acquainted with his meritorious services and superior qualities.

"Gen. Lewis," says Stuart, in his Historical Memoir, "was upwards of six feet
high, of uncommon strength and agility, and his form of the most exact symmetry.
He had a stern and invincible countenance, and was of a reserved and distant deportment,
which rendered his presence more awful than engaging. He was a commissioner,
with Dr. Thomas Walker, to hold a treaty, on behalf of the colony of Virginia, with the
six nations of Indians, together with the commissioners from Pennsylvania, New York,
and other eastern provinces, held at Fort Stanevix, in the province of New York, in the
year 1768. It was then remarked by the governor of New York, that `the earth
seemed to tremble under him as he walked along.' His independent spirit despised
sycophantic means of gaining popularity, which never rendered more than his merits extorted."