Yelverton Peyton

Draper Manuscripts 18 S 238-242

Yelverton Peyton was the son of Henry Peyton and was a native of Albemarle Co., VA on the James River. Henry was killed by Indians in going from his house to his barn of the Virginia frontier.

Yelverton, John, Ephraim, and Thomas Peyton (all brothers and all grown men) and a stranger named Bonham followed the Indians. At night while the whites camped, the Indians crept in and shot at them wounding John’s right arm, Thomas’s thigh was broken and Ephraim broke his ankle jumping a steep bank. Bonham was mortally wounded. Ephraim, hearing the Indians cocking their guns, kicked the blankets covering them over the fire which darkened the place or else all might have been killed. Bonham was found at the camp scalped. Evidently he had crept off and when the Indians departed he was so cold he crept back to the camp and died there.

Yelverton escaped unhurt and John and Thomas Peyton got in. Ephraim always had a turned foot in consequence of his broken ankle. He settled and died in Warren Co., KY and died since the War of 1812 about 8 miles below Springfield. John got in and the shattered bone was taken out and gristle grew in, so he could write and survey lands. He lived and died in Tennessee.

A party went back with Yelverton Peyton and buried Bonham and brought in Thomas and Ephraim who were considerable distance and had some trouble in finding them. Thomas finally settled in Missouri.

Yelverton Peyton came with a guard to Boonesboro in 1775, through Boone’s Gap, In Madison County, between head waters of Roundstone and Silver Creeks, a range of mountains through which Boone’s Trace passed. In passing through Powell’s Valley, they were fired on and several killed.

Once Yelverton and Charles English were together near English Station, returning from hunting a horse stolen by a white man. English had heard one night that a rattlesnake bit him in the side and next day as they were riding along, Indians fired on them from the came and shot English, who fell from his horse. Peyton slid from his horse and darted into the cane hearing as he fled the tomahawk cleave English’s skull. Horses ran to English Station and a party went back with Peyton and buried English.

Yelverton was selected to act as a spy and guard from Boonesboro to Boone’s Gap. Sometimes out as many as nine days at a time, to watch and reconnoiter for Indian sign and kill his game to live on and had to be exceedingly cautious when he would shoot a deer or turkey, lest an Indian might hear the report of the gun and steal up and shoot him while securing his game. If signs were discovered he would report at Boonesboro.

Near Boone’s Gap, two miles north of the gap, is the Slate Lick. There he came one day and discovered a drop of fresh blood spreading upon the water in the Lick and at once knew an Indian had shortly before killed a deer there. He instantly made his way into the cane. While on this service, he one day shot a deer and watched his game and soon discovered an Indian watching him and raised his gun to shoot the Indian when the latter commenced zig-zagging, jumping one way and then another, by aid of his hand seizing a bush and then another, so Peyton could not get a shot. The Indian got out of sight and cleared himself

The above information was given by Guffey Peyton, son of Yelverton, who was born in Madison County, Ky August 29, 1796.

Revolutionary War Pension of Moses Nelson

This is not the complete pension record, just the part that relates to Kentucky.

Page 5-6

State of Kentucky
County of Bath

On this 8th day of October 1832 personally appeared in open court, before the Honl. Judge of the Circuit Court of the County of Bath, now sitting Moses Nelson a resident of the County of Bath and State of Kentucky aged 74 years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth, on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passes June 7th 1832.

That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated (to wit)

About the first of June 1778 I enlisted in Captain John Holder’s Company in Rowan County in the state of North Carolina and marched to Kentucky. On the 24th day of June 1778 we arrived at Boonesborough Ky. where we found the people in the garrison, in a most distressed situation, in want of almost every thing within, besides the danger they were constantly exposed to from the Indians without lurking in the cane watching an opportunity to take a prisoner or a scalp.

In this situation we continued until the month of August ensuring when the ten Frenchmen and Capt. Blackfish the Shawnee Chief with 300 warriors appeared in sight of the forts and professed friendship upon condition that Colo. Boon would surrender the fort into their possession. Colo. Boon and his men declined to accede to the proposition then Capt. Blackfish proposed a treaty, which was agreed to. The next day Colo. Boon and his officers were to meet Blackfish and his Chiefs at a Spring about 60 yards from the fort. Accordingly they preceeded to the appointed place. At the conclusion of the said treaty, Blackfish said the custom among then was for two Indians to take hold of one white man, and shake hands strong to make a lasting treaty. When the Indians had got hold of the white men’s hands they attempted to make prisoners of them. The men from the fort fired on the Indians, they run and all our men got into the fort safe and unhurt, except one man who received a slight wound. The Indians then attacked the fort and besieged the fort for nine days and nights without a cessation of hostilities. They then raised the siege. The Indians continued very troublesome throughout the whole country. There were at that time only four garrisons in the Country (Towit) One at Boonsborough, one called Logan’s Station, the Falls of the Ohio, and at Harrodsburgh. We were kept in constant service. About the last of May 1779 Colo. Bowman raised a company of volunteers from the garrisons to march against a Shawnee town called Chilicothe. I belonged to Capt. Holder’s company. We arrived about day break at the town whereupon a battle ensued and continued until about 9 oclock when a Negro woman came out and told our officers that they had sent runners to Preaway [?] for Simon Gurty, and a strong party of Indians. Colo. Bowman upon that information ordered a retreat, we left the town. The Indians pursued us and about one or two oclock they came up with us in the woods. They attacked us, we formed and gave them battle, each party took shelter behind trees. We remained on the ground until late in the day where we charged them and drove them off the ground. We lost 9 men killed and got two scalps. We then returned to Kentucky, I went to Boonesborough and remained there till the spring 1781. I then went to the falls of the Ohio, and I think about the first May 1780. I enlisted in the regular service under Captain Weatherton in the Illinois regiment for two years. I marched immediately to the Iron banks on the Mississippi under the command of General George Rogers Clark, continued there until my term of service expired, marched back to Kentucky and was then discharged. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. And that he has so lost or mislaid his discharge so that he cannot get it, but can prove his services partly by Josiah Collins, and partly by Edward Parker.

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.

Moses Nelson

Revolutionary War Pension Application of George Michael Bedinger

This is not the complete pension record, just the part that relates to Kentucky.

Page 7-9
In the spring of 1779 on the first day of March, this affiant in company with nine others left his home in Berkley County Virginia, and arrived at Boonsborough in Kentucky on the 7th of April, where we found Capt. John Holder with only about fifteen men under his command and the fort in great distress and eminent danger, in consequence of a Mr. Starns and a party of 10 or 12 men having left the Fort, a day or two before our arrival. And who, as it afterwards appeared, had near all fell into the hands of the Indians one of the party who made his escape got into the fort, about 2 hours after we did and gave the information of the defeat of Starns and his party.

Fortunately for us, we had missed the path, and at the time the Indians who killed Capt. Starns and his party were passing on it, we were in a thick cain brake near to it. We had not traveled more than about a half mile until we got into the path again, and were surprised to see a large trail that had just been made and from broken bows, the shape of the feet, and particularly the pigeon or great toe (as some call it) we were convinced that a number of Indians had passed and that providentially our lives had been saved by our missing the path at that place.

We proceeded on in the path that evening and got within 6 or 7 miles of the Fort, and encamped for the night, made a fire and laid by it until day brake without a centinel or spy to watch for the approach of the Indians. This incautious conduct was occasioned by Col. William Morgan, he was I think the oldest man except one, in the company, had been in Genl. Braddock’s line, an Indian warrior, spy and scout, who when some of the young boys as three of us were called, proposed going out from the path for greater safety observed that "we would not die, until our time come." So we remained near the path; and it was believed that this apparently improper conduct induced another party of Indians who were seen that evening and had chased two spys towit, Col. Estel and another.

The Indians came out of the path that we were on and it was believed they saw our fires, horses &c but that they expected the fire was made to deceive them and to draw them into an ambuscade. This they were the more ready to believe, from the fact that the people of Boonsborough had but a short time before tied an old mare by the heel, out in the cainbrake then laid in ambush, but the Indians discovered the deception and cautiously avoided the trap set for them. A prisoner who escaped from them reported "that the Indians laughed that the white people should think that they (the Indians) could be caught in a trap like a beaver. This affiant for fear of not giving the general circumstances of his services, discovered that he had digressed too far by running into particulars he hopes the digression will be excused and will return to the main subject.

When we arrived at Boonsborough the distresses of the Fort, induced me to join Captain John Holder’s company who had the command of the Fort at that time, in which company and service I served seven months. A part of the term I acted as an Indian spy, scout and hunter, always taking my turn with the other men of the Fort as hunter. To this course I was induced by the by the feeling of humanity and sympathy for distressed women and children who were unable to leave the country and who if they had attempted it, would have been sacraficed by the Indians, who were constantly scouring the country around the Fort and would have in all probability have taken it had we not joined it when we did.

I have even considered the service I performed at this place and during this time as the most dangerous and difficult and at the same time the most useful to my country. As we were almost continually surrounded by parties of Indians who were lying in wait for us and as we had to supply ourselves and the inhabitants of the fort mainly by the success of our hunting excursions to effect which we had to slip out at night, retire to some distance from the Fort, kill our game, which was generally buffalo and pack it in, in some succeeding nights and by our exertions the population of Boonsborough was retained and the lives of the inhabitants preserved.

During the above mentioned term of service an expedition against the Indian town then called Chilicothe now old Chilicothe under Col. John Bowman, was planned and executed in which expedition I was called on and acted as Adjutant Quarter Master in which capacities I acted not less than 2 weeks. We proceeded by the way of the mouth of Licking River, were detained some time waiting for other troops to join us, then went on to the town, made our attempt to surprise and take the town, but owing to one of our men stationed near the houses, in the night firing his gun at and killing an Indian, the Indians were apprised of our near approach, went to work and by daylight had so secured reinforced and prepared themselves, as to induce us to make a retreat the best way we could which we proceeded to execute, were surrounded and so kept for about 9 hours, when as a last resort, we made a charge and broke through their forces and made our escape after having fought them about from 12 to 15 hours, and carried of from them about 300 horses and some trinkets. Was told the horses had been stolen by them from Kentucky.

Our company returned to our fort (Boonesborough) where I remained into spring aforesaid term of seven months then returned to my home at Shepherdstown. … I further state that while I was at Boonsborough I acted fro about 3 months as commissary in issuing out salt and some provisions purchased from hunters for the use of the Fort.

Interview with William Nelson

Draper Manuscripts, 18 S pp.230-233

From Wm. Nelson, aged 60, near Boonesboro, Ky. says his grandfather, Edward Nelson was a native of Culpeper Co., Va. Early went to Yadkin, Rowan Co., N.C. where he was mostly raised -- migrated to Boonesboro with his family (my informant's father two years old - born in 1773 and died in 1858 at age of 85 -- must have gone in 1775 to Boonesboro - was there when the Boone and Calloway girls were taken - and during the long siege.
At the siege in 1778, Wm. Cradlebaugh hearing the French and Indians undermining at the river, threw buffalo bones over the fort picketing at them. They cursed back and said the people in the fort must be getting out of ammunition when they had to resort to throwing bones.
Mr. Ed. Nelson was on Bowman's campaign, and brought home a pony, which soon after strayed off. United with his old friend Colo. Dl. Boone, in settling Boone's Station - near Athens - went on Logan's Expedition in 1786 and from the effects of exposures on it finally died not long after his return, and was buried at Boone's Station. His grave is forgotten and unrecognized.
His wife survived till 1839 and died over 90 years of age, in Clark Co. Ky. (not on pension rolls). They have but one child living, a widowed daughter near Owenton, Owen Co., Ky.
My informant says, his father pointed out the charcoal at mouth of Raven Creek, [in Madison Co.] where it unites with the Ky river, a wild rocky spot, where Col. Boone once wintered [or camped] - a secluded place from the Indians.
Salt making at Boonesboro. - Mrs. Edwd. Nelson said she had made salt from the water from the sulphur well at Boonesboro - very tedious - it taking 60 gallons for a pound.
A young man perhaps named Waters*, came to Boonesboro [abt. 1778] in spring - and was out in the woods with Edward Nelson and making large wishes that he might meet an Indian. Nelson quietly replied that he might meet one much sooner than would prove desirable; and had hardly uttered the words when some guns fired, and Waters was shot through and ran for Boonesboro - and reaching the river opposite the fort - river full and swimming with ice, in his alarm plunged in, but from exhaustion sank before reaching the southern shore. A few days after a French trader's boat made its appearance - the first that ever appeared there - and when in sight fired off a small swivel, which caused the body to rise - it was recovered and buried.
This trader brought some taffia, goods and amunition and drove a good trade with the inhabitants. This visit was quite an era in the history of the fort.
When the first corn raised at Boonesboro - so was fit for roasting, that was a great time of rejoicing. Sept. 8th and 9th 1863.

*James Waters, Int. 1860, vol. 6, p. 14, was in Ky in Nov. 1777.