..6...
Historical Sketch J (First entry, p. 117)
Terrified, Mrs. HeDaniels fell in the water and was drowned; Lks. Bruner,
her child, and the slave were captured. As they were being taken toward
an Indian settlement in Illinois, the child and the slave were brutally
killed by the savages. But for the intervention of an old chief who
agreed to take her for his wife, Mrs. Bruner would have shared the same
fate. Months later she was rescued by white men and returned to her hus-
band. (ll) ‘
Other members of the courageous group of pioneers who settled in
this region were: Samuel Spencer, an able Indian fighter; John Barbee,
reported to have been the first to manufacture a plow-iron a forked tree
limb and an "L"-shaped piece of iron; Sally McDonald; Joseph Allen; John
J Jolly; and the Reverend Francis Clark, credited with being the first
Methodist minister in Kentucky. (12)
On November 2, 1882, at the site of the old Hardin's Station where
.William Hardin lies buried beneath a sturdy hickory tree, a centennial
.celebration was held under the direction of Colonel Alfred Allen, Presi-
dent of the Breekinridge Historic Society. (13) The Breckenridge (sic)
News, dated November 8, 1882, quotes from Colone1_Kllen7s address as fol-
lows; "It will be renmmbered that the ground immediately adjacent to the
ford. was broken up by John Berbee and devoted to the cultivation of corn.
It was the habit to detail pickets, who were posted in the forest beyond
p ithe field, to guard against the men and women engaged in planting the A
corn being surprised and massacred or borne off prisoners by the Indians.
One day Hardin himself was performing picket duty, when he was fired upon
J and wounded in the neck or shoulder by savages. Among those at work in
the field was a man named McDonald and his three daughters. Hardin, not
” knowing how badly he was wounded, made for the field to hurry those who
may not have taken the alarm and fled to shelter into the fort. He was
closely pursued by several Indians. All had sought safety in flight ex-
cept the eldest McDonald girl, who waited to see if she could be of any
assistance to the wounded hero, the blood streaming down and dyeing his
shirt, apprising her that he had been hit. She ran by his side encourag-
V ing him to greater exertion, causing him to turn about twice and raise
his empty gun as though about to fire, thus temporarily checking the pur-
suers, until diey reached Barbee’s plough, to which was attached a span
of horses by rope gearing. By this time a burly Indian was but a few ‘
_ yards behind them, brandishing his tomahawk and uttering triumphant yells,
` 1 already certain of his prey, At this moment Sallie McDonald exclaimed;
'Fbr God’s sake, lk. Hardin, stop and raise your gun, while I loosen the
horsos1' He did so. lhe Indian dodged back, threw down his tomahawk, and
began rapidly loading his own rifle. But the intrepid girl succeeded in
freeing the horses from the plough, almost threw Hardin on the back of one
of the animals -- such strength did excitement lend her -- mounted the other,
ll. Goooson, oa; CIT., we. 8-14,
12. lege. *— _—— _ ,
13. Wm. C. P. Bnsckxmaxoes, Epeggss Qgplygagp gl IEE Qgglgwiiéh CELEBRATION or THE
SETTLEMEEI gg Dascxxnnnoea Coumrv op Ig; silg gg HAaoxm·s gpg jggjigégg Eggpigsgpge,
FRAMKFORT, KY., 1882.
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