University of Virginia Library

The celebrated Salt Pond is five miles from these springs—sometimes known as the
White Sulphur Springs of Giles—and ten miles E. of Parisburg. It is a natural and
beautiful lake of pure fresh water, on the summit of the Salt Pond mountain, one of
the highest spurs of the Alleghany. This pond is about a mile long and one-third of a
mile wide. At its termination it is dammed by a huge pile of rocks, over which it runs:
but which once passed through the fissures only. In the spring and summer of 1804,
immense quantities of leaves and other rubbish washed in and filled up the fissures, since
which it has risen full 25 feet. Previous to that time it was fed by a fine large spring
at its head; that then disappeared, and several small springs now flow into it at its upper
end. When first known, it was the resort of vast numbers of elk, buffalo, deer, and
other wild animals, for drink; hence its name of "salt pond." It has no taste of salt,
and is inhabited by fine trout.

In the year 1774 the Indians commenced their outrages in the vicinity of Sinking
Creek, on the New River, in Giles county. In July of this year John Lybrook, (now
living, 1836,) with several other children, while at play near the stream were discovered
by four Indians. One ahead of his party pursued young Lybrook, who escaped by jumping
a gully twelve feet wide. The rest of the children sprang into a canoe and were
followed by the Indians, who killed and scalped five of them. A sister of Lybrook, a
girl of thirteen, jumped out of the canoe and ran, pursued by one of the Indians. Her
life was saved by a remarkably fierce dog, who, attracted by her screams, jumped upon
the savage and threw him down, hung and jerked violently upon him while the girl got
out of danger. The Indian struck at him with his war club, and finally knocked him
down; the dog then ran to the canoe and guarded the dead children until the people took
them away for burial. The animal refused to follow them—immediately ran off, and
soon raised a most piteous howl. This attracted some of the party to the spot, who
found a little brother of Mr. Lybrook, aged about 6 years, with his scull severely fractured
and his brains oozing out, and scalped. He lived about 24 hours and then expired.

Mrs. Margaret Hall, now living, when about 10 years old was taken prisoner by the
Indians on New River and conveyed to their towns, with whom she remained 18 years,

until after Wayne's victory. The Shawnese, by whom she was taken, transferred her
to the Delaware tribe, where she was adopted into the family of an Indian chief. The
Indians were somewhat civilized. In this respect the Shawnese were superior to the
Delawares. The Indians had a few cattle, and made butter, fritters, and pancakes.
Shortly before Mrs. Hall returned home an Indian chief fell violently in love with her,
and urged his suit, and upon her refusal to marry him threatened to kill her. Her
foster-mother used her persuasions in his favor, and the young squaws presented their congratulations
upon the offer. Annoyed by his solicitations she fled early one morning,
on horseback, to a village about 70 miles distant, where her foster-sister and brother had
removed. She arrived about sunset, and found her foster-brother absent. There she
was pursued by the young warrior, who told her she must immediately consent to marry
him or he would take her life. She refused, and he made a lunge at her with a long
knife; at which her foster-sister threw herself between them and received a slight wound
in the side, the point of the knife striking a rib. The Indian girl instantly seized the
knife by the blade, wrenched it from him, broke it, and threw it away. A fight ensued,
while the subject of it sat petrified with fear. Her sister bade her run and hide, as he
would probably kill them both. The girl proved the conqueror, gave him a severe drubbing,
and drove him from the field. Her foster-brother, on returning home from a hunting
excursion, told her not to be uneasy, called him a dog, and threatened to kill him if
he made any further attempts. The fellow never annoyed her again, and was subsequently
killed at Wayne's victory. Mrs. Hall is now living in Giles county, about 4
miles from the Troy Sulphur Springs.

The scene of the lives and depredations of this notorious family is in Giles county, on
Doe Creek, a small branch of New River which heads in the celebrated salt pond mountain,
and from its obscurity and loneliness, and the character of its inhabitants, has always
been avoided by civilized man.

The father of Lucas is now about 93 years of age, and is, no doubt, a hoary-headed
old villain, although he has, during a long life, been adroit enough to commit no
crime of which the law could take cognizance. I will give one trait in the character
of this old sinner, which will suffice to show what kind of man he is. On the recent
trial of his son "Dove," when his life was in jeopardy, this old man, on being asked
what was the character of his son David, responded that he believed "Dave would kill
any man for twenty-five cents."

The first in this family of blood—perhaps unparalleled in civil society—was the first
son of "Old Ran," as he is universally called. (His name, perhaps, is Randolph; but
I presume he has never seen or heard of the baptismal fount.) Well, this first-born of
"Old Ran," named "Jerry," as long ago as the late war, became criminally connected
with a man's wife, who was in the service of his country as a military man at Norfolk.
In a week after the man returned home. "Jerry Lucas," at the earnest solicitation
of the fiendish woman, under pretence of friendship, invited him home from muster
with him. He was afterwards found murdered, behind a log, with about two hundred
weight of stone upon his body. Lucas confessed that the evening they left the musterground
he beat his victim over the head with a club until he supposed he was dead, and
went to his house and stayed all night with his wife. To make assurance doubly sure, he
returned in the morning to see if the man was dead. He found him sitting, leaning
against a tree, and covered with gore. The poor fellow begged for his life, told Lucas
to take his wife, and he would leave the country as soon as he was able, and would
never say any thing about what he had done to him. The savage Lucas was inexorable,
murdered, and concealed him. For this murder he was hung at Giles Court
House, in the fall of 1814. Old Ran, his father, sat under the gallows when he was
hanging, and amused himself by eating gingerbread. Jerry's paramour escaped punishment
for want of testimony.

"Dave," the second son of "Old Ran," the most notorious of these villains, commenced
his career of crime about 1820, at the age of 19, by stealing a horse, for which
he was sentenced to the penitentiary for five years, during which time he escaped, in
company with another convict, to his home, was retaken, and served out his time.

Not long after his return home, he robbed a small pedler of all his wares, for which he
was again sentenced to the penitentiary for three years. At the time of his last conviction,
a cousin of Dave's, a lad of sixteen or seventeen years of age, was convicted
of some crime and also sent to the penitentiary for three years. They were discharged
at the same time, and left the penitentiary together. The boy has never been heard of
since; and Lucas, in some of his drunken frolics, boasted that as they came on home, he
killed the boy and threw his body into the river. He told the boy's father, that when
he ran his knife into him, he bawled like a calf. So it seems he murdered the boy for
the wretched pittance given him on leaving the penitentiary to defray his expenses home.

On the night Dave returned last from the penitentiary, a large stack-yard, and a barn
full of grain, were burnt in his neighborhood, belonging to witnesses on behalf of the
commonwealth in his several convictions, which he subsequently admitted were set on
fire by him. Dave's next exploit was at a militia-muster, in September, 1841. In a
quarrel and fight with his sister's son, he killed him with a blow. He was acquitted,
on trial, owing to some extenuating circumstances. Since his recent confinement, he
has admitted he ought to have been punished for this murder, as he had, at the time
he struck the blow, a pound of lead concealed in his hand.

The next crime of which Dave is accused, is founded on the following strong circumstances:
Some years ago, a man who had been on north with a drove of cattle, merely
as a driver, was returning home through Dave's neighborhood, on foot. Shortly after
he passed, Lucas was seen to follow him with a rifle, and in a few minutes a report of a
gun was heard in that direction. Dave returned with blood on his clothes, and there
was seen, on the same day, a large quantity of blood in the road. But, as the drover
was an entire stranger, no investigation was had. Very recently a man's dog, in the
vicinity, came to his master with a human skull in his mouth.

Dave's last crime, and for which the world has been freed from the monster, was the
murder of John Poff, a poor laborer, who had been working at the Kanawha salt-works
a few months, and who, with the proceeds of his labor in his wallet, was travelling alone,
and on foot, to his family and home in Floyd county. Dave fell in with him late in
the day, and invited him to go home with him, saying he could entertain him as well as
any one. Poor Poff consented, and soon met his fate.

Dave killed him within 200 yards of his residence, and so obscure is the place, that he
lay nearly a week above ground without discovery; and what was certainly a strange
infatuation, apparently no pains or care was taken to conceal the foul deed. He was
tried, and found guilty by the jury in 15 minutes from their retirement from the courtroom.
There were 17 witnesses on the part of the commonwealth. The criminal had
no witness, and refused to employ counsel. The court assigned him counsel, but his
case was so plain and flagrant that the counsel submitted it to the jury without argument.
He was sentenced, and hung, at Giles Court-House, Friday, June 24th, 1842.
The wretched man died as he had lived, without any outward signs of compunction. He
made no particular confession when under the gallows; on the contrary, swore when
in this awful situation, in answer to something said by one of the attending clergy; and
finally, while the sheriff was adjusting the rope around his neck, attempted to bite his
ear. He met death with such a demoniac grin, that among the many thousands present
not one tear of sorrow or sympathetic feeling was manifested.

The next on the list of this family of criminals is John Lucas, "Old Ran's" third son.
He also has killed his man, and his full cousin too; for it seems they are like old Cain,
their hands appear to be raised against their own kin. John and his cousin engaged in
a fight, caused by the cousin tauntingly saying, "Your brother Dave is in the penitentiary,"
which so enraged John that he struck him a blow with his heavy rifle, with so
much force as to cleave his skull to the very teeth, breaking stock and barrel off in the
middle, and causing instant death. Dave being, in part, cause of this quarrel and its
disastrous consequences to John, perhaps accounts for the recklessness of his behavior on
hearing of Dave's final fate, and may have been strong in his mind when he made the
observation, "that it would have been to the credit of the family if Dave had been hung
many years ago."

John was tried for his life; but as the murder occurred, on the part of the murdered
man, under aggravating circumstances, John was sent to the penitentiary. He is a very
good fac simile of the Lucas family. They are truly a savage-looking race. There
are yet two brothers, younger than those already mentioned, who have not yet rendered
themselves so conspicuous in the annals of crime. What their fate will be time only
can tell. They promise fair to be genuine chips of the old block, and although young,
are already the terror of the neighborhood. "Old Ran" has also daughters, for these

ill weeds are very prolific; but they are worse than the sons—save the mark—and thereby
hangs a tale. But it is a tale not meet to be told among Christians, and we pass it
over.