Van Bibber Pioneers Electronic Newsletter
Volume 2, Number 4 · February 1998
Van Bibber Pioneers Electronic Newsletter
Volume 2, Number 4 · February 1998
Greetings: The shortest month of the year has come
on gone, but if all the contributors had there way this would
have been the longest newsletter of our short existence. The
first rough draft of this newsletter was thirty-three pages long.
I was afraid to send that long of an e-mail to everyone, considering
the problems of the past, so I had to postpone about nine pages
of the original newsletter until next month. My apologies to
Gary R. Hawpe and Steve Smith. The rest of your material will
appear in the March issue of the newsletter.
After a tenuous start the Van Bibber e-mail discussion list has slowed down considerably. If you have not been getting any e-mail from the list it is because there has not been any lately. We still need more of the newsletter subscribers to subscribe to the e-mail list and more of the e-mail subscribers to use the list for your queries or discoveries. Please use the list if you have a query or new discovery or simply to introduce yourself to the group. The query or discovery will also appear in the newsletter for those who do not wish to subscribe to the discussion list.
We now have one hundred and seventy-one subscribers. The newsletter subscription list still continue to grow at a very good rate.
The editor reserves the right to make any corrections or additions.
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CONTENTS
New Members and Changes of Address
Maria Van Bebber Bleydesteyn
Isaac Van Bebber's Birthday
George And Veronica Van Bibber Dixon
Obituary Of Isaac Van Bibber Estill
Roy W. Haney
E-Mail From Roseanne Kirby
Vanbibber Marriages
Success Story
A Necrology Of Graves At The Old Oakland Cemetery
Jeff Davis Fulfer
Draper Manuscripts
Hunting Trip Of Nathan Boone And Matthiasvanbibber-1804
Queries
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New Members
Duane Shoemaker ([email protected])
Spencer Hill ([email protected])
Sandy Wyatt ([email protected])
Ronnie Van Bebber ([email protected])
Bonney Ayers-Leihsing ([email protected])
Patricia Lindeman ([email protected])
R. Paul Van Beber ([email protected])
Joyce Haney McFail ([email protected])
Brenda K. Goodman ([email protected])
Linda Jane Jones ([email protected])
Virginia L. Aldridge ([email protected])
Mariana Wilke ([email protected])
Cheryle Blevins ([email protected])
Change of Address
John Hutchison ([email protected])
Cheryl Kenter ([email protected])
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MARIA VAN BEBBER BLEYDESTEYN
By Charles Van Bebber ([email protected])
Last week while I was in Amsterdam I had the obituary
from Maria van Bebber
Bleydesteyn translated from its 18th century Dutch. This Maria
was the daughter of Huybert (whom my Dutch translators maintain
should actually be Hujbert in Dutch) and granddaughter of Hendrick
Isaacs VB. I am told the writer is obviously well educated (tending
to use flowery run-on sentences) with no regionalisms in his speech
or manner of writing. I will give you the following translation:
"Today one of the most terirble tragedies in
a human life happened to me. My
dearest spouse Maria van Bebber, with whom, for more than 22 years,
I fortunately lived in happy matrimony, was, to my bitter sorrow,
suddenly but with a smooth separation from my side, and after
a quickly increasing fever (or disease, translator's note) of
only a couple of days, at the age of 61 years old, was taken away
from this life. How badly this terrible event has struck myself
and my children is easy to understand. But, as one ought to, we
have to obey the will of a All Powerful Higher Being in whose
hand is the breath of life. What, in this obedience, as difficult
as it may be, must support me not little, is the merciful promise,
and the comforting hope of the Holy Bible of an eternal life,
together with the profound trust that my deceased spouse is gracefully
accepted by the Creator, will have exchanged the present weak
and temporal for the better and eternal life, upon which we, by
the faith in our sanctifier Jesus are waiting. I pray to God,
to support my
sincere efforts to obey his will under the present ordeal and
for those are worth it, to be under his holy protection and to
be shielded from painful losses. With this wish and prayer, I
am sincerely yours,
Depressed Servant,
Jan Blydesteyn
Utrecht, May 7th, 1784
The translation is a little stilted at times but
we tried to maintain the literal translation to the greatest extent
possible. The writer uses lots of parenthetical phrases.
Best wishes,
Charles Van Bebber
Stuttgart, Germany
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ISAAC VAN BEBBER'S BIRTHDAY
By Charles Van Bibber ([email protected])
Also, while in Washington, DC last week I photocopied
the rev. war pension
files from the National Archives for my ancestor Salathiel Martin,
whose daughter Mary married my ancestor Isaac VB, son of John
VB and grandson of Isaac "Michael" VB. I was pleased
to find there an affidavit written by Isaac VB which states his
birthday as 30 April 1790. I have always wondered about this birth
date and have now found it corroborated. Also, I found it interesting
that this Salathiel Martin, a captain in the NC Militia was listed
as six feet nine inches tall.
Charles Van Bebber
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GEORGE AND VERONICA VAN BIBBER DIXON
By Hal Amick ([email protected])
Thought this might be of interest here (posted on
DIXON-L) because of VAN BIBBER wife's surname. If anyone recognizes
this family and can give this couple a son named William born
1810, please let me know. I've got a William DIXON b 1810 in KY
who wound up marrying in this county. Parents and siblings are
unknown.
The back of his headstone reads:
George Dixon and his wife Veronica Van Bibber 1824
1788 Peter Dixon 1789 Eunice Dixon
1794 Jessie Dixon 1798
Henry L. Dixon 1800 Olive Dixon Stover
I have other Dixon's that are buried in this cemetery.
Some appear to be related to this George.
Hal Amick
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OBITUARY OF ISAAC VAN BIBBER ESTILL
By Gary R. Hawpe ([email protected])
To my fellow researchers who are descendants of Isaac VanBibber Jr. and Elizabeth Hays:
The Montgomery Standard, Montgomery City, Montgomery
County, Missouri Friday, December 20, 1895, Page #4, Column #5.
Identification:
Isaac VanBibber and Sarah Davis
Isaac VanBibber Jr. and Elizabeth Hays
Matilda VanBibber and James Estill
Isaac VanBibber Estill and Frances Ann Hudnall
Obituary of Isaac VanBibber Estill:
After a brief illness ISAAC VANBIBBER ESTILL died at his home in Tipton,
Friday, November 29th, at the age of 71 years, 6 months, and 14 days.
The deceased was born at Lutre Lick, Montgomery County, Missouri, May 15, 1824. He was the fourth of a family of fourteen children, five of whom are still living; one brother in California, one in old Mexico, another in Kansas City, and two sisters in Southwest Missouri. Mr. Estill came from a long line of pioneers, being a descendant of David Crockett and Daniel Boone.
He removed with his father to Lawrence County in 1844 and two years later entered the employ of the Government as a freighter, his route lying through the Indian Territory to Santa Fe, New Mexico. One year of this kind of work was enough for him until 1849 he engaged in farming and stock raising. Like many others, he took the gold fever and went to California that year, where he remained two years, being quite successful. He then returned to Montgomery County where, on April 8, 1852, he was married to Fanny A. Hudnall. In 1855, after making a second trip to California, he settled on a farm in Audrain County remaining there until the breaking out of the war, when he joined the Confederate Army. After the war he lived in Callaway County and Montgomery County, and in 1883 removed his family to Westport where he remained until '91 when he moved to Tipton.
The deceased was the father of 12 children, eight of whom are living, viz: Mrs. Texana Worland and C.W. of Montgomery County; Mrs. Theresa Yarnell, Morgan County, A. L. of California; and S.J., Jennie Lee, Lela Josephine, and Jessie M., who reside in this city.
Mr. Estill had been a member of the Baptist church
some years and was for many years a member of the Masonic order.
The funeral was held Sunday afternoon, the services being conducted
by the local Masonic lodge, the members attending in a body. Tipton
news.
Gary R. Hawpe.......San Diego, CA.
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ROY W. HANEY
By Gary R. Hawpe ([email protected])
The following is an article I have in my files on
Roy Haney the son of Adoniram Judson Haney.
Identification:
Peter VanBibber Jr. and Marjory Bounds
Jacob VanBibber and Sarah Miller
Nancy VanBibber and Moses Haney
David Haney and Martha Ann Henry
Adoniram Judson Haney and Mary L. Clark
Roy W. Haney and Marie A. Simmons
A STANDARD HISTORY of HANGING ROCK IRON REGION OF
OHIO by Eugene B. Willard, Ironton, General Supervising Editor,
1916. Pages 1225/1226.
Roy W. Haney. The popular and capable superintendent of Woodland Cemetery, Roy W. Haney, is well known to the citizens of Ironton, not alone in his official capacity, but as a business man, for during several years he was at the head of a contracting business here in which he did some of the city's best street and sewer work. He is a native son of Ironton, and was born September 6, 1880, his parents being A. Judson and May (Clarke) Haney, the former a general mechanic of Ironton, where he was born in 1860, while the latter is a native of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and was born in 1859. There were six children in the family: Roy W., Anna L., Rose May, Edward H., David J., and William C. Roy W. Haney attended the public and high schools of Ironton, graduating from the latter in 1901, at which time he became an assistant to the city and county engineers, as well as to civil engineers in private practice, in Lawrence and other counties of Ohio, and Kentucky. In the spring of 1910 he engaged in business on his own account, having become an expert on cement and in cement contracting, and during the following four years was extensively engaged in street and sewer work in Ironton, one of his best achievements being the building of the upper end of Pine Street, in 1911. His work was at all times characterized by the utmost thoroughness and fidelity to contracts, and those with whom he was associated in business found him a man on the highest principles. Mr. Haney continued in business as a contractor until August 1, 1914, when he was elected superintendent of Woodland Cemetery. A promising young man of pleasing personality, he is energetic and industrious, faithful to his trust and possessed of progressive ideas, and has gained the good will of the people by the admirable manner in which he has discharged his duties. A republican in politics, he served three years in the capacity of central committeeman. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and has a wide acquaintance among business men, Mr. Haney is possessed of some reputation as a fisherman and enjoys frequent trips to the streams of Lawrence County, but his chief pleasure is in his home among his books. He is also possessed of more than ordinary talent as an artist, although he has confined himself in this line to drawings for his own pleasure and that of his friends.
Mrs. Haney and children are members of the Methodist
Church. Mr. Haney was married November 4, 1910, at Jackson, Ohio,
to Miss Marie A. Simmons, daughter of Peter Simmons, a farmer
of Marion, Lawrence County. Two children have been born to this
union, namely: Nancy Marie, and Jack Simmons.
Gary R. Hawpe.......San Diego, CA.
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E-MAIL FROM ROSEANNE KIRBY
By RoseAnne Kirby ([email protected])
Good Morning, Again--I was so excited to read your letter that I did NOT fully read it, if you know what I mean. A partial excuse is that I am not fully awake!
I thought that someone had found a church record with the VB marriage. I am
in agreement that Anna's name could be HERR, rather than HEM. The Straburgh and surrounding areas, as listed in the e-mail was the "disputed" boundary between PA and MD. This disputed area, according to records, could either be PA or MD, depending on where you lived--either south or north of this "boundary." And, my feeling is that this "never-never" land is where Peter and Anna married.
In the MD Calendar of Wills, by Cotton, there is an entry that states that Peter Van Bebber was a witness to a will, 1720 Cecil CO. Interestingly, John Reynolds was also a witness. It seems that they moved together to PA at some point.
This area needs more research.
I have found a very interesting record fact for HENDRIK. It has been assumed that he died in Cecil CO MD, for Matthias, his brother filed his will there. In a record of Quaker Meetings for Philadelphia, I found an entry: Henry Van Bebber, bur 5/31/1733. This HAS to be our Hendrik, for there were no others, especially named Henry/Hendrik.
This falls in line with the advertisement placed in Ben Franklin's newspaper in 1732. That, he did live in Philadelphia at the time. All his land transactions are in PA, by the way.
I shall write to the Friends Library at Swarthmore and ask where the burial ground is for this time period. They are not so generous with general questions: They still charge $15 just to look through their indexes; then, it is a charge by the half-hour. A bit disconcerting, don't you think? I will follow this lead, though.
The Reference for the above is: Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, page 429, for PA and New Jersey.
It was interesting to note that although Herman OpDenGraff's daughter (md. Peter Schumacher) married "Quaker," there were no OpDenGraffs or Schumachers listed in this Meeting. It could be that it was Philadelphia. But, the New Jersey portion of this reference was for all of New Jersey.
One question does lead to another, doesn't it?
I think that perusing the HERR line is very good.
I will start researching the churches in the area (again) with
the Herr Family. Mind you, HERR is similar to SMITH in this part
of PA.
RoseAnne Kirby
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VANBIBBER MARRIAGES
By Gary R. Hawpe ([email protected])
VanBebber, Andrew J. - Hodges, Pearl Apr 19, 1919 Jefferson Co. OK.
VanBebber, Clarence W. - Ryan, Maggie I. Jan 26, 1933 Jefferson Co. OK.
VanBebber, Claude A. - Long, Ada D. Nov 14, 1909 Montague Co. TX.
VanBebber, George W. - Nichols, Dessie M. Apr 30, 1926 Montague Co. TX.
VanBever, George W. - Reynolds, Hattie G. Jan 6, 1940 Collin Co. TX.
VanBibber, Harry M. - Lynas, Mabel V. Jun 2, 1928 San Diego Co.CA.
VanBibber, James A. - Warren, Zellah Apr 8, 1896 Red River Co. TX.
VanBebber, James N. - Armstrong, Mary J. Dec 12, 1901 Montague Co. TX.
VanBebber, John C. - Wilson, Belle Jan 5, 1883 Montague Co. TX
VanBebber, John C. - Dane, Emarine G. Mar 28, 1887
Montague Co. TX
Gary R. Hawpe.......San Diego, CA.
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SUCCESS STORY
From Shirley Anderson ([email protected])
Thanks to Gary Hawpe, my family and I are able to call ourselves VanBibber descendants. I don't think I would have ever found the connection on my own--especially since VanBibber was misspelled on the document that proved the family line!
We had no idea we were VanBibbers. I had been reading their stories on the Boone page, and recall that while visiting a Kansas City museum some years ago, I admired a beautiful fireplace mantel that was said to be from the home of Nathan and Olive VanBibber Boone. I had no idea I was looking at the mantel of my ancestral Aunt Olive!
Sometimes we have a family tradition of a link to a famous family and go looking in that line, but I had already worn out the only such family lore--that we were kin to the Boones--without finding any Bennetts or Shaws in their stately family trees. So I was only trying to find the ancestors of my Grandpa Bennett, and had no idea it would be anyone I had heard of, since having given up on the Boones.
Several months ago, I was looking on the Linn County, MO Genweb page for anything I could find about my grandfather's line, when I saw a message from Gary Hawpe concerning two VanBibber daughters, one of whom married a Bennett in Linn County and had a son Melvin--my grandfather's middle name--and I thought it was worth a try. With Gary's help, the connection was proved.
My great-grandmother was Mary J. VanBibber, who married William Bennett in Linn County, Missouri. She was a daughter of Jacob and Catherine Guthrie VanBibber, who also migrated to Linn County from Claiborne, TN. My grandfather, Richard Melvin Bennett, went to Clark County, MO from Linn County. He married my grandmother, Baby Jane (Jennie) Shaw, and they raised a large family including my mother, Minnie Esther Bennett.
My grandfather was a fiddle player and violin maker. In the wintertime when he wasn't farming, he would go out into the woods and select a certain kind of tree from which to make the violins. Whether the violin-making came from the VanBibbers or the Bennetts I do not know. Mama says Grandpa used mules for the farm work instead of horses, because he liked the mules better. She says he babied the mules. Thinking of his Tennessee heritage and the fiddle playing, I asked whether Grandpa could sing. Mama said she never heard either one of her parents do any singing, and that she supposed there was enough vocalizing going on with eleven children in the house.
I am grateful to Gary Hawpe for the information and help which proved the connection. Thanks also to Bruce for the excellent newsletters, discussion group, etc. I especially like the stories.
I would like to ask Bruce to explain to all of us
about the copyright on the newsletters. I would like to print
them out to read later, but I don't know whether that is permissible
since they are copyrighted. Is it all right to share information
from the newsletters with family members? Is copying a page,
an article or the entire newsletter for ourselves and our families
all right, or would reprinting the material violate the copyright?
This would be good information for all the members to know.
Shirley Anderson in West Texas
(Ed. Note: I encourage the readers to print and share the information found in the newsletters with others who do not have Internet access or family members.)
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A NECROLOGY OF GRAVES AT THE OLD OAKLAND CEMETERY OF SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA, Compiled by Eric J. Brock 1986 - 1987 Shreveport, Louisiana 1988. Pages 50, 77, & 106.
By Gary R. Hawpe ([email protected])
Little, Ann VanBibber b. Charleston, SC 1769 d. June 3, 1851
Epitaph reads in full: "In memory of Mrs. Ann
Little, a native of Charleston, South Carolina. Born 1769, Died
June 3, 1851, aged 83 years. She was a member of the Baptist Church
57 years. Devoted and pious, she lived triumphant and she died.
This monument, sacred to her memory, was placed over her grave
by her only son, Henry Van Tromp Van Bibber, a citizen of Shreveport,
Louisiana."
Van Bibber, Amelia V. w. of Samuel Van Bibber b.
Franklin Co., VA June 7, 1833 d. June 22, 1855
Van Bibber, Lilla Beall dau. of F.J. & S.A. Van
Bibber b. New Orleans, LA Mar. 14, 1859 d. Dec. 16, 1865
Van Bibber, Nancy Leisk w. of Henry Van Tromp Van
Bibber b. Laurens Dist., SC Nov. 27, 1799 d. Nov. 7, 1853
Van Bibber, Samuel b. 1819 d. May 9, 1896
Van Bibber, William H. d. May 30, 1891
Gary R. Hawpe.......San Diego, CA.
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JEFF DAVIS FULFER
By Gary R. Hawpe ([email protected])
WHEATHEART OF THE PLAINS AN EARLY HISTORY OF OCHILTREE
COUNTY published by The Ochiltree County Historical Survey Committee.
Pg. 347 & 348. Jeff Davis Fulfer by Mrs. Ray Barclay.
Identification:
Isaac VanBibber and Sarah Davis
Peter VanBibber and Ellinor VanBibber
Peter VanBibber and Catherine Ridenour
Olive VanBibber and Thomas Ives Fulfer
Jefferson Davis Fulfer and Alabama Caroline
Brown
JEFF DAVIS FULFER
Jeff Davis Fulfer was born in Huntsville, Texas, and his wife, Alabama Caroline Brown, was born in Arkansas. They were living at Stephenville when a daughter, Bessie Evelyn, was born. When she was six months old they moved to Ardmore, Oklahoma, where a son, Bert, and a daughter, Grace, were born. In 1909, the family moved to Miami, Texas. This trip was made in a covered wagon and it took nineteen days. They stopped about half way to pick cotton for food and money to continue their trip.
Mr. Fulfer did farm work and Mrs. Fulfer raised chickens and sold eggs. They had a garden and canned food for the winter. The children helped in the field, milked the cows and cut wood. They traveled about fifteen miles to church that was held under the trees or under a tent top. Everyone brought a basket dinner and ate together after services. Mr. and Mrs. Fulfer were baptized in the Washita River. They belonged to the First Baptist Church.
In 1913 the Fulfers moved to Ochiltree and Mr. Fulfer worked for Sherman Jines. Before they moved from Ardmore, Oklahoma, an old Indian woman told Bessie to look in a old well at noon on the first day of May with a looking glass and she would see the man she would marry or see her coffin. When she did this, she saw a man and did not realize it was Ray Barclay for many years.
A group of young people were going to a dance at
the Getzer ranch and Ray was there. They were married by Judge
Hanna, on August 4, 1913. Grace Fulfer married Frank Chick, August
5, 1913. Mr. and Mrs. Chick had four children; John lives in Anthony,
New Mexico, Mavis lives in Amarillo, Frank in Perryton. Don is
a career man in the Air Force. Bert lived in Perryton until his
death in 1949.
Gary R. Hawpe.......San Diego, CA.
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DRAPER MANUSCRIPTS
By Dick Walker ([email protected])
I have added to the previous portions of Section C23 of the Draper Manuscripts I sent you. Words in this version I could not understand have been replaced with "xxx". Misspelled words are transcribed as written (although I have probably added a few).
It is from Section C23. It consists of many letters to Lyman Draper, most in response to Draper's questions about Van Bibber's Rock. It is almost like a mystery and ends up with a very different interpretation that the one it started with. Remember the original version was in Section S06 on page 343.
Remember that the people being queried are usually the grandchildren of those who were involved in a particular action. Everything is "word of mouth."
The page numbers are those in the microfilm reel.
This should help everyone find a particular letter if they so
desire. One nice thing about the microfilm is that the signatures
are included (as they are obviously not in my transcription).
It could be a thrill seeing your ancestor's signature. Several
of the letters are signed by an Isaac Van Bibber.
Page 109-109(4)
Danville, April 30th, 1854
Mr. Draper, Dear Sir. Answer to your letter. William
Hays was born and raised in Ireland, and came to America with
his mother and grandfather when he was about 16 years old. His
mother being a widow and in 1775 he married Eliza Beth Boone,
the eldest daughter of Col. Dl. Boone and in the Spring of 1776
he removed from North Carolina with David Boone, Hancock, Whitley,
Anderson, Logan, and others - in all thirty families and a number
of young men without families. Among other single men was Flanders
Calloway, that married his (Boone's) second daughter Jemima Boone
in 1779 when Colonel Boone lived on the KY River. One remarkable
circumstance about the marriage - they were living on the KY River;
their was few girls that could not manage a canoe, and their being
together among female acquaintances their they all three left
the house about three o'clock in the evening and got in a canoe
and paddled to the west side of the river and landed the canoe
when they war seazed by eleven Indians and carryed away to where
the Indians placed them on two horses commenced a march and at
candle liting when the marriage was to take place - the bride
not being found caused immediate search when Will, Calloway's
servant, and this Bill was the first negro slave that ever trod
Kentucky soil - said that he saw them turn the point on the opposite
side of the river, the men was appraised it; now being dark and
Colonel Boon, Flanders Calloway, William Hays, Devil Bill Bryant,
and others repaired to the spot and the moon then having raised
they found their trail when they pursued them closely xxx girls
taring fragments from the sleeves of their dresses to leave sign
when they was discovered the indians cut their sleeves of tape
up to their shoulder when they pursued the xxcons by taring small
strips of the xxx front of their dress when they were again discovered
and the finafit cut their dresses of above their knees. I saw
Mrs. Calloway xxx in '33 and heard the old lady relate the whole
matter such and I am sorry that I have such a imperfect recolection
of the matter that I can't never xxx the whole particularly that
this much I do recollect - the Indians never stoped until (?)densday
morning when they placed one in a tree and the others after making
a fire and putting on a kettle filed with beans and sum meat;
the next xxx layed down and fell asleep with the xcceptxx of the
finafit and the girls seeing the whites xxx and Colonel Boone
motioned his hand at them they all fell upon the ground when the
xxx took his xxx over their heads and said, "no charge"
in English when one of the American rifles fired accidently, and
the gard in the tree being asleep tumbled out with out takiing
time to wake; the Indians then ran for their lives and the xxx
having fallen from the tree was without arms and being closely
pursued by a yong man he came running to the girls and Jemima
Calloway said that she new that he had in every case saved them
from being molested and she would now save him from harm, so he
ran rite between them as they stood up and she clinched the yong
man that was grabbing at the xxx Indian and saved him of the whites
that man that would have cut him to peces: Now in regard to William
Hays' death I will say this about that he emigrated to this country
in 1??? With his father when my father moved his family and David
emigrated, and his son-in-law James Davis that marryed his second
daughter Jemima, he still when he still having three daughters
that was single 2 not xxx . Susan married Joshua Dodson that came
from xxx virginia; Malinda in 1816 marryed Louis Jones, that is
still living and is now in his 77 year of his age, he is our county
surveyor and has been ever since Montgomery has been a county.
xxxth he has refused to except the nomination for the next 4 years
on the grounds that he does not expect to live 4 more years and
the people would be at the trouble and expense of another election
his yongest daughter marryed Jonathan Davis in 1822, and is the
only one of his daughters living; he is brother to James Davis
the man that marryed Jemima now - five weeks after William hays
landed in MO, he lost his wife that was in '94; and in 1808? he
had a falling out with his son-in-law James Davis who shot and
killed the old man in a mean and cowardly manner, it was under
Spanish government and no one presant but one of a negro boy of
12 years old; and him I hasn't inburd relate the facts connected
with the matter, he having belonged to my father 39 years and
that is a negro slave had the character of being honest and truthful
he was kiled in St. Charles city his 18 xxx above on the female
age one miles from the Missouri river xxx mustards to coarse enough
to KY Hays and a party went ahead to gather with his wife she
being the only female in company and they got xxx their in the
fall, and they had made no xxx and depended on hunting, and lived
on met [meat] with out brest(?) and I have hurd old man Logan
say that during the frist winter she was singed the hair off of
dryed buffalow hides and bailed them till they war tender, then
eat them and thought they were fine, and being gratified to see
that their was so plenty of dryed hides that they could live without
destroying their cattle which they need to raise from now xxx
to Louis Wetzel I may be mistaken in the name tho I do not think
I am - the xxx will see Louis Jones and he can correct me if I
am mistaken. The man that I spek of was fishing in a canoe, I
heard by William Burk, and both of the men were wonded [wounded]
and Louis lost his arm Daniel Boone first dressed the arm and
bound it too late, and Dr. Sagrin took it off, and he was a Dutchman
that spoke quite broken - so much so, that I could not distinctly
understand him.
- may xxx Mr. Draper dear xxx.
I have waited to see Louis Jones at our Whig convention
in order to satisfy my self as to my recollection about Louis
Wetzel and their I learned that he had gone to Virginia on xxx,
and tho he is expected to return shortly, I will now send you
what I can get from the recollection of others. I have seen my
brother-in-law Hickerson and my sister his wife, and from them
they both being present at my fathers at the time this old one
armed man came along, and stayed all night at my fathers; and
their recollection both differ from each other as to the name
tho as to the year they and I am satisfied they are right as to
the year and it was 1817 insted of 18. Now I incline to think
my sister is right, for I do not recollect of hearing my father
call any other name but louis and my sister says his name was
Louis Huffmen and that she heard them talk of Colonel Andrew Lewis
his brother Charles that received a mortal wound where and when
my grandfather fell and Colonel Andrew Lewis' three sons - their
dairing brave the noble bold and magnanimityous mother and the
cowardice of their father; the bold and dairing Lewis Wetzel -
Neil Washburn, Simon Kenton, Sam Mason - this too sons who after
wardturned out to highway robbery, William Hank, as numerous others
he Wm not being any a kin to and Litle Hank the confederates of
Sam Mason's tho brave and generous at the time of their acquaintance
acted badly. In 1806; him and another man had seduced too young
girls from their parents and Stayed with them to Missouri; were
pursued by the two brothers of the girls and over taken in Illinois
by the two brothers of the girls, and the two brothers crawled
upon them and shot their brains out when they were sitting in
the field of a farmer of that Teritory. Saw the year that Daniel
boone came up to Louterlick for the fun catching beaver out of
Louterlick and the river . It was the winter of '16 and he was
carried home to his son-in-laws in February '17, where he recovered
his health and in 1820 he came up to my fathers and spent the
largest xxx of his time their being a salt spring or springs that
the deer liked abundantly, he was still fond of shoting; he killed
a number of deer from a blind that him and John Clay of KY, the
brother of Henry Clay, fixed in 40 yds of the spot where deer
licked, where Clay shot some 4 or five times a day without even
killing one deer, while the old man killed one every other day
without ever missing a shot. the time Clay went to the lick and
finding the man asleep he came back called my father and said
Colonel Boone was dead and they both started and some deer in
the xxx then they heard him shoot and saw the deer fall and my
father said to Clay "you liy to mos" and my father called
Pompey and they went on, and Clay rejoyced to see his mistake
tho after he returned to Kentucky he had his death published xxx
obtained Colo. Boon's consent before he left him to do so.
I think Colonel Tilton lives in Columbia, xxx you can find out from judy Todd of Columbia who is well acquianted with Colonel T.
Yours in hast Isaac Vanbibber
page 110(1) - 110(4)
out in surch [search] of my father and reached the xxx xxx in February, 1835, and found Davis the old french man and he could only tel him of the departure of my father with Crienwaad(?) and family for the xxx the noheck(?) lived 200 miles above on the Missouri river. Davis had a son-in-law about 24 years old that had few connections, but he was an
aspirant to grateness and had got to be a war chief and was called by his people a big capt. he had then maried Laniers daughter and had Bryan(?) about , you old and he agreed to go with my brother to the assivibines tho he said he had tuck [took?] many of them scalps so they sat out and when they got to the assinibines they found the assinibines all absent but a few old men and squaws that war [were] living their upon corn withoout met [meat] but dear [deer] being many plenty and Acnatafry being a good hunter could kill too or three every day so they lived well til the first of May when the assinibines came in from their winters hunt they brought plenty of dryed buffalow meet with them and xxx only brother and Acnatafry with a xxx of friendship ocman Acnatafry spoke osage french english and had learned to speak the assinibine tong [tongue] from an assinibine squaw that lil peterson had with the otoes and ocnatafry had while peterson was living with the oto Indians came in from his ware hunts and exibeted [exhibited] scalps and boasted that them ware the xxx of hur connection and unfortunately for ocnatafry this squaw came in with hur people from their winter hunt and reconized ocnatafry as the enemy of the assinibines and celebrated oto ware cheaf so they xxut hur forid to shake hands with ocnatafry which she did adressing in the name of ocnatafry the big oto capt to which he responded teling him he was and had taking 25 Assinibines scalps and if she wanted his their it was droping on all fores placing his head on the ground when she sprang forid and ketched up an ax that was lying near at hand and at three blows divided his head taking that front part that was above his eyes clean off and leaving him on my brother without any one that he could rely upon as his friend but he discovered a man amonxt them that did not look exactly like an Indian and he beconed to him and he went to my brother and he said to him in french. and answered him in english and told him he should not be hurt this was a halfbred his name was Tenach he spoke english and had bin xxx the british tradinghouses he informed my brother that grenwood and my father had left the assinibines in november and went on to the mandan cuntry in surch of bever [beaver] so he reterned to fannels tradinghouse leaving xxx with xxx when he might be around when he remained til the 20 of july when my father and grenwood landed at F tradinghouse my father having called to see his friend davis and found all things rite davis being in each xistness a bout the lass of his son-in-law ocnatafra and no chance to get revenge as he had fell by the hands of bill petersons squaw and he peterson was davies best friend.
I saw Mr. Logan yesterday and he was along which
the miami xxx was taking and he says it was in 1814. I saw Bill
Williams after he was released that was as Mr L informed me feb
1815 he came to my father and pretended a gradual of friendship
to my father teliing him howwel he loved him and only for his
interference, Boone Hays and Sarchel Cooper would have xxx him
when he was a prisoner. now I will explane that this Williams
had lived one winter at Flanders Caloway and was a boy of 15 years
of age and FC was the unkle of BW having maried the duaghter of
Col Daniel Boone and he was an orphan his father and mother both
being then dad in the spring Calloway put them both to work and
after they had planted corn and it was growing they were put to
being xxx and the sun shone hot, and it did not suit W to toil
beneath the rays of the blazing sun; so he proposed to FC that
they should leave and go and live with the Indians, to which proposal
FC refused, tho W left and took to the woods and was not heard
of for 14 years afterwards, when my father came after him and
drew his gun on him, demanded him to surrender W threw down his
gun, called on my father to protect him when he got to the camp
saying the whites would kill him; he w was dressed in full Indian
stile, and was near(?) astall(?) by his own people: my father
replied to him that no man wished to kill him, and he was a prisoner
of war and would be treated as such; then he wanted to know what
the people would do with him, which he told him he would be examined
and if he had commited offence against the whites he would be
punished; and if he had not commited offence against the whites,
he would be set at liberty: he then said that he had not spilled
any whitemans blood nor would not; and he had a squaw and three
children with the Osages and the osages were all friends to the
whites, that there were 12 Osages that had been persuaded by a
geat capt. to join against the whites the Osages had and they
had all been killed. but the Osages were not mad with the whites
for the destruction of those twelve, but had offered many horses
to the man that would take the scalp of that big capt. that had
induced these twelve to take up arms against the whites; so when
they got to the xxngenses Indians had caught nine of the Miammies,
and they stated that W had bin with them 10 and sick and they
knew nothing about his where abouts but he was a white man and
they ware friends to the white people and all ways took care of
them where they found them in distress. about this time Williams
recognized Boone Hays and called him by telling him that they
was old acquaintances and from reaching out his hand for a harty
shake hands when he struck him and felled him to the ground and
Cooper gave him a kick, when my father rescued him from their
vent and when he was at my fathers house in feb 1815 in St. Charles
city and I lived in Howard or near Boons Lick and in march 1815
their was a hole, picked through the daubin of his cabin and he
was shot dead at his own fireside tho W was not suspected for
the murder of C. and their was no clu to suspicition on any white
man but in 1832 xxx and my brother living went west to the Rocky
mountains with capt. Wliam L Sublett their I fell in with Bill
Williams their he was known amonxt the trappers and mountain men
as red Head Bill Williams and he finding me out, told me that
he knew my father and how wel he loved him and how they became
acquainted, and how Boon Hays and S. Cooper had treated him and
how intent he had bin on getting even, and how he had killed Cooper
and had waylayd FC five days to get an opportunity to kill him
and Hays was sick and at the point of death and he heard that
men as there war riding off one evening say one to the other boon
hays will dy to night and it grieved him to think that he had
such a litle hopes of reveng he said that night he tuck a pig
out of a pen and it a hervy(?) bate of it which sickened him and
he came near loosing his life tho he still lived in hopes yet
to dip his fingers in Hayes blood tho he never did for I saw Hays
did the 23d of march '50, at Weaverstown, California, in the 66
years of his age he died of scurvey; and about one year after,
the death of Willaims, who was murdered by his own son, a half
Indian for his money, which did not amount to over $1300; his
son was hung for the murder, and made a full acknolledgement of
his guilt at Iouse(?). Now in 1816 my father mooved from St. Charles
city to Luter Lick where he kept tavern until 1830, when my mother
died in August in September after the death of my mother, he bought
xxx in traps and got a young man and relatives Jno Van Bibber
and there set out for the heart of the Des Moin in surch of beaver,
but finding but very few they both returned home but my father
was not satisfyed soo in the spring of thirty-one, he wanted to
take a trip to the mountains and me and my brother both made an
outfit and went with Capt. Sublet so the old man was compled [compelled]
to remain at home, but when we returned in Oct '32, with Subletts
fur Company we found the old man still interest on a trip and
he made grate inquiries of some mountain men about beaver and
a man by the name of Stiles told him that he had noticed beaver
sign on the Blue river, as we came down that stream, it being
the north fork of the Kansas river, so he persuaded my brother
Alphons, he being the youngest of the family, to accompany him
and on the 20th of Oct, 7 days after the return of me and Ewing,
my brother Alphonso then being turned in his 7th year of his age,
my brother E acompanyed them to the mouth of the Kansas river,
where they procured a canoe, and only 20 miles above the mouth
of that river, my father discovered some beaver sign; it being
now the 10th of November, and they then struck camp and were visited
by pawnee Indians and a frenchman by the name of Grandxxx an old
hunter and acquaintance of my fathers who told him that their
were three families of beaver their and xxx on the Missourie their
was several more families that had habited their for ten years
that they proceeded down to Choteau's trading house Greenwoods
squaw and his son William and 2 litle daughters accompanied them
to Cs trading house when they sold of their furs and Mrs Greenwood
and my father setled off, mr G being well pleased, they then parted
for their respective places of abode, and my father: I have heard
him say she was one ofthe noblest xxx that he ever met with. She
is long since dead and old Grenwood with his sons in 1849 emigrated
to California where I saw him dy the 3 of december '49 in the
83d year of his age; now from Choteuas trading house my father
and brother continued their journey home where they arived on
the 11 of August 6th being in good health and my father health
continued good untill '38 when he began to decline, and this ill
health continued til the 30th of Sept when the final turmination
was death. Now as to the approval of your collection I approve
of any thing you may have got from Samuel Boon on Albert G. Boone,
Hampton, Wesler on William Boone. But their was a long story writing
out by Colonel Tilton which could not approve of; the Colonel
is a fine man and was always one of my fathers best friends and
wrote the piece with the best motive but the Colonel was a man,
like many other men, was fond of good liquor, and my father tho
he never used it himself allways kept it and Col. T. ust to freequently
stay with my father and tack [take] a grate interest in his relating
things of by gone years, but in relation to that he has stated
it many for my father was a feling man and never murderd Indians
in time of peace as related by Col. T. I have nothing more but
remain yours in Hast.
Isaac Vanbibber
page 113 - 114
Van Bibber - Col Danl Boone - W. Va.
Enon Nicholas Co., West Va
June the 2nd, 80
Mr. Lymon Draper,
Sir by your request I saw David Van Bibber and he
gave me the following detail of his father. he says his father
was born in a fort on Wolf Creek near Greenbrier River in Monroe
County, West Va then Augusta Co., Virginia in the 1772 and he
died in the county of Nicholas xxx West Va at the age of 55*.
he says he does not know who the Chloe Flinnis the same person
or not says his father captured a young exile from the Indians
near Detroit Michigan, and she married a man by te name of Wagoner
and lived in the co. of Monongahela, West Va. Says he does not
know anything of Col. Daniel Boone living any further up the Kanhawaha
River than Point Pleasant, near the mouth of the Kanhawaha River.
*Marginal Notation: Matthias Van Bibber born 1772, age 53, hence died 1825.
David Van Bibber is very good health of a man of
his age he is now in his 84th year.
In different writing at the bottom of page 1131:
after taking the statement of David Van Bibber, he tells me that his father Mathias Van Bibber told him that he had a brother, that was captured by the Indians when he was about 14 years of age; and that he heard of him living near Detroit, Michigan, and found him near that place and stole a young woman or girl near the same place. left the girl in Monongahela County and don't recollect her name, nor where she was captured.
Yours truly, with Respect,
In different writing at the bottom of page 114:
July 2d 83 - Inquiries to the submitted to D. Van Bibber:
2d- Where did the Van Bibbers live before settling on Wolf Creek?
3d- Nathan Boone told me when i visited him in 1856 that there was a white man, or white Indian with the party who captured Jacob Van Bibber. What was his name?
4th- Did Mathias Van Bibber go out on hunts in xxx with Col. Danl Boone - if so, give particulars.
5th- Did D. VB ever see Col. Danl Boone - when? where?
6th- Did Dl Boone and M. Van Bibber have hunts together in the Pt. Pleasant region or up the Kanawha Valley or its streams - if so, where and particulars.
7th- Any traditions of Gen. Simon Kenton hunting on the Kanawha or Elk -if so, what is recollected?
8th- When and where did old Capt. Van Bibber die (who made the jump?) -and his age? And abt how old was David VB when Capt John died?
9th- Give exact dates of M. Van Bibber's birth and death if there is a record. If no record, is any grave stone inscription?
L. C. D.
page 115
Enon, Nicholas County, West Va, August 4th 1883
L. C. Draper, Madison, Wisconsin
My dear friend. Please excuse me for not answering your letter of July 2 until this time. I have been to see David Van Bibber twice since I received your last letters. he can't give any correct acount of any thing you made inquiry about. he never saw Col. Dan Boon nor don't think his father ever hunted with Col. D. Boon, but his hunted, a good deal with Nathan Boon. He said he had lost the record of his fathers age, birth, and death that his sister had moved to the west many years ago and taken it with her.
Please receiv my thanks for the books you sent me.
Yours with respect,
page 116
Enon, Nicholas County, West Va, Aug. 22nd, 1883
L. C. Draper
My dear sir I recved your letter of 11th inst, and have seen Mr. Van Bibber and he tels me the name of his sister that moved away from this County some good many years ago was Magir and she married a man by the name of Noah Davis and they moved to the upper county in Missourie; and they are boath dead and had but one child, and it was a girl and does not know what has become of her. he wrote to her and his letter came back to him and he expects her to be dead and thinks the old family record to be finally lost as they took it with them.
yours truly,
A Rader
page 117
Enon, Nicholas County, West Va, Sept 17th, 1883
L. C. Draper
My dear friend excus me for not answering your last letter sooner than this as I have been away from home. I have just got home now from seeing David Van Bibber. he tels me in answering to your inquiry that Noah Davis's wife had one child, a daughter, and her name was Jane and she maried a man the name of Alexander Richard and thare post office address was Canton, Lewis County, Missourie and he dose not know what has become of them. he said the last letter he sent to them was not received by them it went to the ded letter office, and then sent back to D. Van Bibber, the writer of it and hesupposes they are ded or moved away from the County they lived in.
yours truly
page 118 - 118(3)
Matthias Van Bibber's Leap
Charleston W. Va. Nov 17th 1880
L. C. Draper, esq.
Madison, Wis
Dear Sir
Your favour of the 12th inst was recd today.
The Van Bibber story is both recorded here and is substantially true though the details are told with some variation.
The newspaper story to which you refer was communicated to the Louisville Courrier Journal some months ago by a Kentucky correspondent and may have been copied extensively. the specific tid verse on here differs from that in this: that after taking the leap into the River he swam and crawled least under the projecting shelving rock secreting(?) himself ats best he could mostly in the water and there lay all night. and next morning either swam across the River or his wife xxx a canoe over for him, and the story is told both ways - the Indians gave up the chase when he made the plunge probably supposing he was drowned or killed.
The Kanawha falls are 36 miles from this place. the
water had cut the strata just under the fall to a just dileth(?)
Making a very deep pool of water. the Van Bibber roack is just
below the fall and projects into and somewhat overhangs this pool.
the ground level of the rock is probably50 ft above water level,
but a point might have been reached (according to my present recollection)
when the leap need not have been more than 20 to 30 ft. - the
rock is universally known him by the name of Van Bibber's Rock.
It is a very hard rock and the Chesepeake and Ohio Railroad is
cut through it for several hundred feet in length mand 20 to 30
feet depth - about this rock and just under the falls is one of
the best fishing places in W. Va in the season when the fish are
running up stream being unable to get up over the fall, (some
18 or 20 ft.) they compensate xxx caught in great numbers by sportsmen.
Van Bibbers name was Mathias. Called Tias or Tice for short. he was a xxx man here in his day. - His leap was made about 1791, 2 or 3. His wife was a Mrs. Robinson - a son of theirs is still living. Not many miles from the falls. A very old man - I have just made arrangements through a friend to have him interviewed within the next few days. Anse hopes to get from him the accurate version of the Vanbibber Store above xxx xxx - I will at once communicate to you. Isaac Boone a son of Daniel married a Miss Van Bibber.
I think she was the daughter of David and niece of Martha but am not quite xxx.
The volume you mention having sent me has not yet
arrived. but let me thank you for it in advance.
Very truly
J. P. Hale
page 119-119(1)
Van Bibber's Rock and Leap
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St. Albans, WV Nov 22/1880
Dr Mr Draper
I was as much gratified as surprised by the receipt of yours of 18/Inst - I have in my possession some letters from you to my father written in 1845/46 referring to a work on which you were then engaged and which I know interested my father very much - Never having had the pleasure of meeting with the book or its author I had concluded you had gone to the land of shadows, before fully preparing your work for the Press - As to the subject of your present inquiry I can say: there is a bold cliff projecting into the Kanawha over a short distance below the great Falls which is known and has been known from my earliest recollection as "Van Bibbers Rock".
Tradition has always been that Van Bibber finding himself hemmed in on this point by Indians jumped from the top of the cliff a distance of some fifty feet or more into the river and made his escape. As to his wife coming to his relief - that was new to me when I saw it a few months since in a newspaper story and may have been a fabrication of the writer.
I am perfectly familiar with the xxx and the tradition as I have stated it - My father purchased from Albert Gallatin, in 1826 a tract of land embracing the water power at the falls on the same side of the river as Van Bibbers Rock - built and run mills there in my log xxx and the first business in which I engaged on arriving at manhood was running the mills erected by my father in connection with merchandising - I still own an interest in the property - the mill, etc. were all destroyed by Federal troops "during the unpleasantness" and have nor been rebuilt. The Immediate point from which a man might and from which tradition says Van Bibber jumped into the river is not more than one or two hundred feet outside of the line of our land.
I am old enough to have met with a few of the old
Pioneers, as Capt. Jno Young but do not remember to have ever
heard any of them mention Van Bibbers leap - If I can serve you
in any manner in this or any other matter it will afford me the
greatest pleasure to do so. - Respectfully, Wm. A. Sxxx
page 120-120(2)
Kanawha Falls, W. Va
Nov. 25, 1880
Lyman C. Draper, Esq.
Madison, Wis.
Dr Sr
In reply to yours of 18th inst I beg to submit the following facts, relative to Van Bibber Rock.
Kanawha River at the Falls runs from North to South. Van Bibber Rock is on east side of river. It is a shelving rock, very hard, 62' high and the top projects from 5' to 15' over the base. Length of rock is about 500', distance below the Falls about 1500'. Nathan Van Bibber is name of party that jumped over. His (Nathan's) son lives 25 miles from here and is 95 years old. A great nephew of Nathan Van Bibber lives at Falls. His name is Fred Hill, aged about 20. Indian name for rock is "Wah-Kon-gu-tah" meaning far away look out.
Tradition says that Nathan Van B. while hunting was chased by Indians, who compelled him to take his leap. He was rescued by his wife who picked him up in a canoe. It is also said that a pet bear of Van B's followed his wife into the boat and took his seat upon his haunches in stern of canoe. Van B. and wife were seated ahead of bear. Indians kept up firing. When Van B. & wife landed they found that Bruin had received several bullets intended for them in his back and was dead. This latter part (bear story) seems rather tenuous, but the rest seems to have actually taken place. Width of river where Van Bibber & wife crossed is 1200'. Depth of river abreast of rock at 2' above low water mark is 55'. River raises in freshets from 10' to 35'.
Current in river is about 5 miles an hour. The Chesapeake
& Ohio RR running along the Kanawha & New River has its
track through this rock. Depth of track from surface about 15'
and distance from outer edge of rock about 30' - 40'. Thanking
you for your valuable work, and trusting these few facts may be
of service I remain
Very Truly Yours,
W. R. Burden
page 121(1)
The article in the Gazette was probably written by David S. Ruffner, a son of Dr. Henry Ruffner. Dr. Henry Ruffner was at one time President of Washington College at Lexington Va. and wrote among other things a History of that institution from the introduction to which Hxx makes some xxlations in his "Historical Collections of Virginia."
Dr. Ruffner's work was never printed and the manuscript
has been lost - very probably used to kindle a fire by the xxx
the creature to whom he was unfortunately married in his old age,
much to the mortification & disgust of his children &
friends.
page 122
Van Bibber's Rock
An article has for some months past been going the rounds of the press in the United States, purporting to give a correct account of the incident which gave the name to Van Bibber's Rock., a cliff about 50 feet high, overhanging the basin immediately below the Falls of the Great Kanawha river in Fayette County, in this State. The story above referred to recites that one Van Bibber, in early days, while out hunting on Cotton Hill, at the base of which is the cliff, was surprised and pursued by a party of Indians and fled down the mountain towards the river and found himself at the brink of the cliff, and being closely pressed by the savages, and there being no chance to change his course and escape he leaped from the cliff into the river and was picked up by his wife with a canoe, she having heard the firing of the Indians and rushed to the river bank, with her young babe in her arms and called to her husband to jump and that she would bring the canoe to his rescue, which she did, laying her babe down meanwhile on the river bank &tc.
The introduction of the wife and babe into the story is a recent addition to the former tradition, which was that Van Bibber jumped from the cliff, swam to the shore at the base of the cliff and posted himself under the recess there, where the Indians could not get to or even see him, except by using the same desperate means that Van Bibber had used; and that he was kept a prisoner there, the Indians remaining on watch above and below the cliff, until night came, when favored by an unusual darkness, Van Bibber quietly let himself into the water and drifted away unperceived by the savages and made his escape. This original tradition had the possibility of truth about it, for a man might leap down fifty feet into deep water with safety: but the improved form of the tradition bringing in the wife and baby, had no possibility of truth, as there was no early settlement within many miles of the Falls. But the revival of the tradition has started a discussion of the matter in our community here, and we determined to gain the best information possible in regard to the matter. Learning that there was an old man, named David Van Bibber, residing in Nicholas county, we wrote to Dr. Anthony Rader of that county and requested him to go and see the old man and inquire of him what he might know in regard to the matter.
Dr. Rader accomplished what we desired, in the most
satisfactory manner, and we give the result of his interview with
old Mr. Van Bibber as nearly as practicable in the words of the
latter, making no change except to arrange the narration in proper
order.
STATEMENT OF DAVID VAN BIBBER
"I am 81 years old and know how the rock you
speak of came to be called "Van Bibber's Rock." The
circumstances were told to me by my great uncle John Van Bibber,
after whom the rock is named. In the year 1773, there was a fort
on Wolf creek, in what is now Monroe county, West Virginia, at
and near which my grand-father and his brothers lived. My father,
Matthias Van Bibber, was born in that fort. In that year, 1773,
it was necessary to explore a route from that region to Kanawha
Valley and the Ohio river, by which the army could travel which
the Governor of Virginia was going to send out there to bring
to terms the Indians that were so hostile to settlements by the
whites. Accordingly a scouting and exploring party was made up
at Wolf Creek fort and sent out to look for a good route for the
soldiers. The party consisted of my great-uncles John and Peter
Van Bibber, Rev. John Alderson a Baptist preacher, and perhaps
others. They struck out across the Sewell mountains and reached
and crossed Gauley river at the mouth of Rich creek, and went
down Gauley to the mouth and then started down the Kanawha Valley
on the North side. When they reached the Falls of Kanawha, two
miles below the mouth of Gauley, they discovered fresh Indian
"sign," which made them afraid to camp on that side
of the river, and they made a raft, on which they crossed Kanawha
in the basin just below the falls and camped under a shelving
rock cliff where they stayed for two days. Wilst there, my great-uncle,
John Van Bibber took his tomahawk and with the poll of it, cut
or chipped his name in the face of the cliff; and from that circumstance
the rock was then and has ever since been called "Van Bibber's
rock." No man named Van Bibber or of any other name, ever
jumped off that rock that I ever heard of or believe. When the
party left the falls, after seeing no further signs of Indians,
they recrossed to the North side of Kanawha river and went on
down the Valley. The first camping place after leaving the falls
was at a place about 8 miles above where Charleston now stands.
After dark one of the party took a pine torch and went to the
spring for some water, and when he got to it, all at once the
whole air about the spring flashed out into a blaze and scared
him and the whole party terribly. That was the first discovery,
by white men, of what has been known ever since as the "Burning
Spring." After this startling adventure the party went on
to Point Pleasant, and then returned, leaving the Kanawha Valley
about five miles above Charleston and going up Campbell's creek
and down Bell creek to Gauley and recrossing at Rioli creek and
by their first trail, back to Wolf creek. The next year Gen. Charles
Lewis marched his army from the Valley of Virginia out to Point
Pleasant, by the route selected by this party and guided by them.
About seven years after the battle of Point Pleasant, that is
in 1781, my grand-father and all the Van Bibber family moved out
to Point Pleasant and settled in that vicinity. I saw my great
uncle John often, when I was a youth and heard him tell all the
incidents which I have mentioned.
Taken from the Journal of P. G. FULKERSON, Claiborne
County Resident of the 19th century, who kept sketches of the
earliest County residents:
Dick Walker
---------------------
HUNTING TRIP OF NATHAN BOONE AND MATTHIASVANBIBBER-1804
By Anna L. Lutz ([email protected])
In the fall of 1804 Col. Nathan Boone and Matthias VanBibber started on a hunting trip aiming to go to Kansas. They proceeded up the Grand River to its source where they were trapping beaver and otters. A large party of Osage Indians came to their camp. The Indians took their three horses and what furs they had and told Boone and VanBibber that another hunting party of Indians were looking for them. While Boone and VanBibber were trying to convince the Indians the furs belonged to a fur trader named Choteau the other Indians came yelling towards their camp. Boone and VanBibber ran and hid themselves in the brush. Being unable to locate them the Indians ran off.
Boone and VanBibber left and camped eight or ten miles away. The next morning four Indians came upon them. The Indians said that they were Sauks and they were allowed to camp and eat with Boone and VanBibber.
These Indians had four traps that Boone and VanBibber had left behind in their old camp. The Indians tried to seize Boone and VanBibber but they were unsuccessful in the attempt. They made a pact and came together again finally starting off together. Upon reaching the prairie they asked Boone and VanBibber to go in front of them. Fearing treachery they refused and walked side by side watching the Indians. Two more Indians joined them. One struck Boone with a ramrod both whites and Indians cocked their guns and faced one another. The Indians commanded them to "go". Boone and VanBibber told them to go first but neither would obey.
The Indians finding they could not kill them without killing their own men asked if they would give them powder, balls, and flint and they would go. But Boone and Van Bibber knew before the arrival of the other two Indians that if they remained within reach of the Indians that night they would attempt to kill them. They planned their own defense if attacked.
When the other two Indians proved to be Osage Indians the others no longer pretended to be Sauks but spoke Osage. Boone and VanBibber agreed to provide the Indians if they would lay down their guns and come up one at a time to receive his portion. This done the Indians finally moved off. Boone and VanBibber watched till they disappeared over a ridge and they ran off and kept on till dark.
That night they slept in a rock cave having very little ammunition left. They had lost their blanket coats which were on the horses. the next day snow began to fall. They traveled two days in their shirt sleeves and struck the Missouri River crossing it on the ice. It snowed two or three days becoming knee deep. Their guns frosty from the extremely cold weather would not shoot true missed the game. Their bullets were gone now but they could make a fire. They kept on and were seventeen days without meat eating only grapes and haws which could be found. They had cut up their gun wiping sticks and fired pieces at game without success. Finally they came to an old Indian camp and found a tree the Indians had marked and shot at. They cut out enough lead to make four bullets over the fire.
They went on another two or three miles and found unoccupied Indian cabins (below where Rockport now stands). They stayed the night here. Some twenty or thirty miles before reaching the Indian camp they had come upon what is now Boone's Lick discovering it to be salt water. Several springs and a spring branch runs a mile and sinks into the soil of the Missouri Bottom. Some Indian hunters had seen it and Capt. James Mackey laid claim to it. He did not get it confirmed through failure to make the required improvements. James Morrison laid pre-emptive rights to it including the springs and bought the tract from the Government.
A black panther was lying in the first Indian cabin
and Boone shot it. They ate the meat and used the skin for vests.
They left the next morning going over three or four miles finding
tracts of humans. Following them a mile and a half. they came
to a camp of white hunters one of whom was James Galloway Boone's
nephew all were friends and acquaintances. Having obtained clothing,
blankets, and ammunition, Boone and Van Bibber after a week resumed
their hundred mile trip home. They arrived at Boone's home
on December 24 spending Christmas with his family and parents.
His wife Olive said it was the first time in years that Nathan
has been at home at Christmas time. Boone said she has the Indians
to thank for it. Col. Nathan Boone never fully recovered from
the effects of these exposures.
Neither did Matthias VanBibber he died several years later on the Gauley River in Western Virginia, now West Virginia. He lived till March 9 1829 and is buried on his old farm in Nicholas County, West Virginia.
In 1805, Col. Boone went to the Osage Camp to see if he could recover the goods stolen from him and VanBibber. He went first to Big Osage Town on Pomme de Terra Creek about six miles from the Osage River. He found a trader and ascertained that it was the Osage who had robbed him. He then went to the Little Osage Town located on a fork of the Pomme de Terra Creek six miles from Big Osage but Boone could not recognize the robbers owing to their various painted countenances and changes of dress.
Col. Nathan Boone died at his home October 16 1856,
in Ash Grove Greene County, Missouri. He was buried on his homestead.
He was the youngest son of Daniel and Rebecca (Bryan) Boone.
Lyman C. Draper Manuscript, Wisconsin historical
Society, Madison, Wisconsin, obtained by Mrs. N. W. Hankemeyer
of New York.
Anna L. Lutz
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QUERIES
From Ronnie Van Bebber (Error! Bookmark not defined.)
I am new at this but I do have a query about my grandmother Nancy Elizabeth (Coffey) Van Bebber, wife of Andrew Jackson Van Bebber, son of Isaac Christopher Van Bebber. I know her father(Calton Coffey) like Andys father was also a vet of the Civil War, and lived with my grandfather and grandmother at the same time as his father. We know little else of her side of the family. we do know some of them
They lived around Montague, Texas and Fleetwood, Indian Territory. Anyone that can help with information or of a relative please reply
Thanks
Ronnie Van Bebber
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From Evelyn Pfingston Dismore ([email protected])
VANBIBBER/KINCART
I need proof of my Rachel (Vanbibber?) b1810ca Ohio
d. aft 1860 Census (Vanderburgh Co IN). Is she really the Rachel
Vanbeebee ? that married 23 Dec 1828 in Ripley Co IN to Samuel
Kincart b.1803 KY ? Who are her parents?
Evelyn Pfingston Dismore
-----
From Evelyn Pfingston Dismore ([email protected])
Need Revolution War Pension number of Peter Vanbibber.
I wrote to Lib of Congress & they say there is no Pension
record of a Peter Vanbibber. I have Estate Document that say a
Peter VB died in Vanderburgh Co IN 1835 with only one heir--being
Jacob VB.
Evelyn Pfingston Dismore
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