1787.
THE BEVANS' MURDER.
Clark's block-house[41]
was, in July of this year, the scene
of a painful occurrence. Of those who had resorted there,
was a family by the name of Bevans, embracing six members
in all, two sons and two daughters. Not apprehending danger,
these four visited, on the occasion referred to, their farm,
which was within a mile of the fort, for the purpose of pulling
flax. Reaching the field, they all seated themselves upon the
fence and were looking at the flax, when the Indians fired
upon them. John, one of the sons, received a ball through his
body, but not so as to disable him from running for the blockhouse.
An Indian followed close in pursuit, but the unfortunate
young man kept ahead until within sight of the blockhouse,
when he sunk down dead. The Indian had just given
up the chase, as he saw him fall. Cornelius, the other brother,
ran a different direction, with an Indian after him, tomahawk
in hand. The little fellow ran down a steep hill, leaping over
a large prostrate tree, in the top of which he hid himself. The
two girls were tomahawked and scalped, and both found lying
together. They were buried on the spot and in the same grave.
Clark told Rodefer that he saw John Bevans fall over the
fence a short distance below the fort. One of the daughters
was married, and an additional account says, that her husband,
James Anderson, was with her and was killed.
FEMALE HEROISM.
The women of the west were Spartans in every sense of
the word. They possessed in a remarkable degree a union of
strength, courage, love, devotion, simplicity and shrewdness
which well fitted them for the severe and often terrible trials
through which they had to pass. These noble qualities, called
forth, perhaps, by the circumstances with which they were
surrounded, distinguished the women of the heroic age of the
west. Disregarding danger, and alone devoted to the safety of
her little household, the western mother nerved her arm and
steeled her heart to the severe duties which surrounded her.
A young girl braves the danger of an Indian army, and
rushes forth from a place of safety to procure the means of
defending those whom she loves more tenderly than life.
Another bares her breast to the knife of the savage rather
than disclose the hiding place of her friends; while yet another
throws herself upon the person of her father, to receive the
impending blow of the uplifted tomahawk.
Again, the fond wife, who has seen her husband shot dead
by a rifle levelled over her own shoulders, watches over his
blood-stained corpse, in her desolate home, surrounded by
fierce savages, rather than attempt to escape and leave his
precious remains subject to farther outrage. Such were the
women of the west—the hero-mothers of the Revolution.
The case of our Virginia matron, which should have been
noticed in its appropriate chronological order, will now be given.
On Dunkard creek, now within the limits of Monongalia
county, lived a Mr. Bozarth, his wife, and three children.
The alarm which had caused the settlers to resort to Prickett's
fort, (elsewhere noticed), induced two or three families
living convenient to Mr. Bozarth, to collect at his house.
About the 1st of April, (1789), when but two men were in the
house, with Mrs. Bozarth, the children, who had been out
playing, ran suddenly in, crying that "Indians were coming!"
In order to ascertain the true cause of this alarm, one of
the men stepped to the door and was struck upon the breast
with a rifle ball, which knocked him back into the house. A
savage sprung in after him and attacked the other white man
with all the fury of his nature. The man being unarmed,
called for a knife, but Mrs. Bozarth not seeing one at the
instant, picked up an axe, and killed the savage on the spot.
While the courageous woman was thus engaged, a second
Indian presented himself at the door, and firing, killed the
man who had been struggling with his companion. Quick as
thought, the intrepid matron turned upon this new comer, and
at one blow ripped open his abdomen, causing the savage to
yell most lustily for help. Immediately, several of his companions
rushed to the rescue, but the invincible woman was
ready for them. The first who attempted to enter was struck
upon the head, and his skull cleft, making the third victim to
the axe of this Virginia Amazon. The others having drawn
out the wounded savage, and learning the strength of the
house, attempted to force the door, but Mrs. Bozarth had so
securely fastened it, as to defy all their efforts. The savages
then killed the children in the yard and made off.
In connection with this, and as illustrative of our subject,
we will give one more case, which, although not occurring
within the present limits of our state, was, at the time the
transaction took place, strictly a part of Virginia.
"During the summer of this year, the house of Mr. John
Merrill, of Nelson county, Ky., was attacked by Indians,
and defended with singular address and good fortune. Merril
was alarmed by the barking of a dog about midnight, and
upon opening the door in order to ascertain the cause of the
disturbance, received the fire of six or seven Indians, by
which his arm and thigh were both broken. He instantly
sunk upon the floor and called upon his wife to close the door.
This had scarcely been done, when it was violently assailed
by the tomahawks of the enemy, and a large breach soon
effected. Mrs. Merrill, being a large woman, possessing both
strength and courage, guarded the door with an axe, and
successively killed or badly wounded four of the enemy as
they attempted to force their way into the cabin.
"The Indians then ascended the roof and attempted to enter
by way of the chimney, but here again they were met by the
same determined enemy. Mrs. Merrill seized the only feather
bed which the cabin afforded, and hastily ripping it open,
poured its contents upon the fire. A furious blaze and stifling
smoke instantly ascended the chimney, and brought down two
of the enemy, who in a few moments were at the mercy of the
woman. Seizing the axe, she quickly dispatched them, and
was instantly afterwards summoned to the door, where the
only remaining savage now appeared, endeavoring to effect an
entrance, while Mrs. Merrill was engaged at the chimney. He
soon received a gash on the cheek, which compelled him, with
a loud yell, to relinquish his purpose, and return hastily to
Chillicothe, where, from the report of a prisoner, he gave an
exaggerated account of the fierceness, strength, and courage
of the "Long-knife squaw!' "
THE BECHAM MURDER.
Of those who settled on Little Wheeling, after the cessation
of hostilities in 1783, was a family named Becham. They
lived near what is now known as the Scotch ridge. In
October, 1787,[42]
two of the sons of Mr. Becham left home to
hunt their horses, and look for bee trees. They had not gone
far before a small party of Indians fell upon them, and took
them prisoners. The Indians had caught one of the horses
and tied him to a tree, and when the boys approached they
were made captives without any resistance. The Indians
then caught another horse, and placing a boy each before
them, rode off. They made for the Ohio at Grave creek.
That night they encamped about four miles from the river,
and after securing their prisoners, fell asleep. During the
night, something caused them to believe they were pursued;
and without a moment's hesitation tomahawked and scalped
the unfortunate prisoners, and then made off as speedily as
possible. Happily, in the hurry and confusion of the moment,
they did not do up the work of death in an effective
manner, as neither boy was killed, and the eldest but slightly
injured, saving the loss of his scalp. Thomas sat by the side
of his brother for some time, but finding his head bleeding
freely, took from the Indian's plunder a check apron,
[43]
and
tied it around his head. Deeming it imprudent to remain
there, Thomas took some of the plunder, among which were
a few pewter spoons, and mounting one of the horses,
rode off for help. He travelled about three miles down
Grave creek, where he left the horse, and proceeded on foot
to the Flats. He went directly to the house of Mr. Masters,
father of Dr. Z. Masters, living at that time on the farm now
owned by Mr. Lewis D. Purdy, where his wound was dressed,
and himself taken care of. A party went out on the morning
to look for the other boy, but the savages had been back and
made fatal work. It was supposed they had waited at
some convenient point of observation until daylight, and discovering
no pursuing party, returned to camp and dispatched
the poor boy who had still survived. Thomas lived to a good
old age, and for many years resided in Belmont county, Ohio.
The Indians engaged in this expedition returned to the
neighborhood of West Alexandria, and killed a Scotch woman,
also a man named Ageo. They then escaped to the Ohio,
and crossed near Yellow creek. Ageo was killed in going to
the fort, after the murder of the woman referred to. He was
shot from his horse.
