Indian attack

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The Jamestown Massacre

~ michaelhvs ~ Leave a comment

The year 1622 saw what many consider to be “the most brilliantly conceived, planned, and executed uprising against white aggression in the history of the American Indians.” It was orchestrated by Opecancanough, chief of the Powhatans, who, while openly professing love and affection for the settlers of Jamestown, was, for almost a decade, secretly plotting for the indiscriminate massacre of every man, woman and child in the colony.

On March 21, 1622, the Indians came to the plantation homes bringing food gifts to share. But on March 22, 1622, while socializing with the settlers, an Indian war whoop signaled the commencement of the hostilities. As one, the Indians fell upon the colonists, quickly moving from the plantation homes into the fields and towards the main settlement, attacking the unsuspecting colonists without mercy nor regard to age or sex. Those who perished, died within an hour of the first blow. And yet, despite the well conceived surprise attack, 893 souls of the 1240 settlers survived – all because of the actions of two men.

The night before the planned assault, two Indian brothers who had embraced Christianity and were in the employ of two different colonist families, were discussing the impending raid. They had instructions to strike down their patrons at noon the next day as the main attack was beginning. One of the brothers, Chanco, lived in the plantation home of Richard Pace who had always treated him as a son, educating him alongside his own son George. When his Indian brother left for his own house, Chanco woke Pace and warned him what was about to happen. 

Pace acted quickly. He secured his family and as many neighbors there was time to reach and then rowed the three miles across the James River to warn the inhabitants of Jamestown. Defensive measures were taken and as the Indians approached the main settlement, they were quickly repelled. 

Richard Pace was the 10th great grandfather of my daughter-in-law. His actions saved the lives of the 893 surviving colonists. Among them was one of my ancestors, William Cantrell.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website. And please take a look at our TEDxEustis talk and let us know what you think.

Lavisa’s Ruse

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There are many stories told involving the Bowens of Virginia and Tennessee. This one features Lavisa Smith, wife of Lt. Rees Bowen, Revolutionary War hero, and a 6th great grandmother of my niece’s husband.

Rees and Lavisa were among the first whites to settle in Tazewell County, Virginia. To protect themselves and other families from Indian attacks, Rees built a strong stockade around his house which grew to encompass other structures. It eventually would become the historic Maiden Springs Fort. Hearing that the Ohio Indians were on the warpath and heading towards Maiden Springs, killing and scalping any inhabitants along the way, the men of the area left the fort to meet the Indians and keep them from attacking their women and children. When they were several days away from the fort, the men were horrified to find that the Indians had slipped past them and were headed straight for their settlement and their defenseless families.

Lavisa was outside of the fort’s walls, driving the cows to their milking area and, while passing over some marshy ground, noticed fresh moccasin prints. Immediately realizing their dire circumstances, she managed to keep a cool head and after she finished with the cows, informed the other women that they should dress in men’s clothing and march around the palisade to make the Indians think their husbands were in the fort, armed and ready. Not one woman was willing to risk exposing themselves in such a manner.

So Lavinia dressed the only woman over whom she had authority, a large negro woman, in her husband’s clothes, while she, being of diminutive stature, dressed in her son’s clothes. Carrying sticks to simulate rifles, they marched in military fashion around the fort all night. Her ruse worked for when the men arrived back home, they found their families safe and secure. Lavisa had surely averted a massacre from taking place for they found the Indian’s camp ground on the side of Short Mountain, overlooking the fort, where they opted not to carry out their attack plans based on what they could see.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotape, audio recordings, photos, negatives and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website. And be sure to watch our TedXEustis talk and let us know what you think.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

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Around 1772, Daniel Boone once again crossed paths with some of my family members. My 8th great grandfather, Shadrach Inman, along with his brothers Meshach and Abednego joined Boone in exploring the wilderness west of the Cumberland Mountains, an area now known as Tennessee. With their provisions depleted, they relied on their hunting skills for what little nourishment they received. It was not an easy feat as winter was upon them.

While camping near the Nick-a-Jack cave, they were surprised by an Indian ambush. Most of the party was killed, including my great-uncle Meshach. Abednego received a tomahawk wound to his forehead but survived, crawling into a hollow of a tree where he stayed, in and out of consciousness for nine days, before finally emerging and somehow finding his way back to his North Carolina home.

Shadrach and Boone were among those who escaped, stealthily navigating their surroundings like the experienced woodsmen they were. Boone, on account of his superior skill and knowledge of the Indian wiles, escaped unharmed. The Indians pursued him keenly through the dense forest but, like a fleeting shadow, he eluded them and led the few survivors safely back to their homes. Shadrach did receive a non-fatal wound in his side from an Indian spear which he kept. His descendants have it still in their possession, kept on display under glass.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives, and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website. And don’t forget to check out my TEDx talk! https://youtu.be/uYlTTHp_CO8

Raid on Deerfield

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We can sometimes forget that long before the American colonists fought for their independence, other nations were battling to gain dominance in this new land. Throughout Queen Anne’s War, English and French forces fought each other to gain control of North America. On February 29, 1704, fifty French troops, allied with two hundred native Americans savagely attacked the British settlement of Deerfield Massachusetts. Forty-eight villagers were killed and one hundred twelve were captured. 

The prisoners were then forced to march a three hundred mile journey to Canada. Winter had set in and they faced deep snow and bitterly cold conditions. Those who could not keep up were killed. Of the one hundred twelve prisoners, only eighty-nine survived the journey. Some were ransomed and returned to America, while others stayed in Canada, assimilating into the Indian or French communities. My wife had relatives who had settled in Deerfield and were a part of this nightmare scenario.

61 year old John Caitlin (9th great-grandfather) was killed in the village attack. 

47 year old Thomas French (8th great-grandfather) was captured and ransomed in 1706.

40 year old Mary Caitlin French (8th great-grandmother) was captured and killed en route to Canada.

20 year old Ruth Catlin (8th great-grandaunt) was captured and ransomed in 1707.

18 year old Mary French (7th great-grandaunt) was captured and ransomed in 1706.

17 year old Joseph Caitlin (8th great-granduncle) was captured but killed in the meadow outside the compound during a militia rescue attempt.

17 year old Thomas French (7th great-grandfather) was captured and ransomed in 1706.

12 year old Freedom French (7th great-grandaunt) was captured and remained in Canada as Marie Francoise French.

9 year old Martha French (7th great-grandaunt) was captured and remained in Canada where she married a Frenchman.

7 year old Abigail French (7th great-grandaunt) was captured and remained in Canada with the Indians.

1 year old John French (7th great-granduncle) was killed in the village attack.

“The Redeemed Captive: Returning to Zion, ” a first-hand account of the raid on Deerfield and the march to Canada was published in 1707 by John Williams, Deerfield’s religious leader, who survived the experience.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.