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Hunting with Greathouse and Kenton 1771 - 1774

A genealogical sketch of the life of Jacob Greathouse from his appearance along the Cheat River, in the area of Ice's Ford, Augusta County, VA, and Springhill, Bedford County, PA, in 1771, covering his exploring, hunting, surveying and trapping expeditions with Simon Kenton, William Grills, the Mahon brothers and Joel Rees, through his purported participation in the Yellow Creek Massacre, which occurred on 30 Apr 1774, using John McDonald's, "A Sketch of the Life of General Simon Kenton, of Kentucky", as backdrop.

The following excerpts from John McDonald's, A Sketch of the Life of General Simon Kenton, of Kentucky [Google Book] , were obtained from a personal interview John McDonald conducted with General Simon Kenton in 1830. Regarding the source of his narrative, McDonald stated [Google Book]:

1771, Apr - Excerpt: John McDonald, Biographical Sketches of General Simon Kenton

Page 200

Simon Kenton of Fauquier County, VA, after a fight with a neighbor over a woman, thinking that he had killed the neighbor and fearing that he would be hanged, fled across the Allegheny mountains. This was on the 6th of April, A. D. 1771. Lying concealed by day, he traveled by night. In this way, he passed over the mountains, and came to a place called Ise's Ford [Frederick Ice's Ford/Ferry], on Cheat river, a branch of the Monongahela. When he arrived at this place, he was nearly exhausted with fatigue and famine. Here he changed his name to that of Simon Butler. While he remained in this neighborhood, his mind was a continual prey to bitter remorse and fear; fancying that everyone he saw was in pursuit of him.

1771, Summer - Excerpt: John McDonald, Biographical Sketches of General Simon Kenton

Page 201 - 202

He [Simon Kenton] had been occasionally laboring and sauntering about the Cheat river [between Ice's Ferry, Augusta, VA and Point Marion, Westmoreland, PA] for some months, he fell in the company with William Grills, Jacob Greathouse, and two men by the name of Mahon, who were preparing to descend the river Ohio, on a hunting tour [between Apr and Sep 1771]. Having previously, by his labor, procured a good rifle, he was willing to go on any expedition that would take him farther from home. He joined this party, and assisted in making a canoe. This being completed, they embarked [from some where between Ice's Ferry, Augusta County, VA and Point Marion, Bedford County, PA], and went down the stream till they came to Fort Pitt, [then Fort Dunmore] (now the city of Pittburgh). At this place they met with an Indian trader, by the name of David Duncan, who informed the Mahons, that their father (whom the Indians had taken captive some time previous) was still alive, and where and how he could be found, and for what sum he could ransomed. The two young Mahons immediately left the hunting party, and went in search of their father, to release him from captivity. To the mortification of Kenton, the hunting tour was abandoned.

1771, Oct - Excerpt: John McDonald, Biographical Sketches of General Simon Kenton

Page 202

In the fall of the year, he fell in with John Strader and George Yeager, who were going down the Ohio, on a hunting tour. They searched for cane near the mouth of the Kentucky river. By this time the winter season had commenced. They engaged in hunting, until they arrived at the mouth of the Big Kanawha river, and thence up that river to the mouth of the Elk river, where they built a camp [present-day Charleston, WV], and remained for the winter. [They remained in this area through the year of 1772, exploring, hunting and trapping.]

1773, Mar - Excerpt: John McDonald, Biographical Sketches of General Simon Kenton

Page 204

In the month of March, 1773, as Kenton and his companions were lolling about their camp [at mouth of Elk River, present-day Charleston, WV], in the dusk of the evening, not thinking of danger, a party of Indians fired upon them, and killed Yeager. Strader and Kenton fled, with only their lives and their shirts; and in this naked and helpless condition, they wandered for six days and nights without fire or food.

...

Protected by the guardian care of a merciful Providence, and still hoping for relief, they reached, on the sixth day a point on the Ohio river, within six miles of the mouth of the Kanawha [near present-day Point Pleasant, WV], where, to their great joy, they with Joel Rease, Jacob Greathouse, William Grills, and the two Mahans, who were the party, it will be recollected, with which Kenton first united on the Cheat River. They had returned from searching for their father, and were now descending the Ohio, with a view of exploring the country bordering it. When they came in view of the camp of these men, Strader was so exhausted, that it seemed impossible for him to travel another mile, and Kenton was not in much better condition. Friendship and hospitality were, at the time, universal among western adventurers: consequently, Kenton and his companion were received with much kindness, and had their wants supplied, and their sufferings alleviated as far as circumstances would admit.

Under this treatment, their strength returned, and their spirits revived, and uniting with the party upon which they had so fortunately fallen, they began to think of new adventures. After deliberating some time, it was concluded to return up the Ohio [to Fort Dunmore], till Kenton and Strader should meet with some opportunity of supplying themselves with arms, to enable them the better to meet the danger with which they were threatened by the hostile Indians.

1773, Oct to Mar 1774 - Excerpt: John McDonald, Biographical Sketches of General Simon Kenton

[Kenton's travels led him to the settlements on the Greenbrier River by fall 1773.]

Page 206

At Green Briar, Kenton left the party, and again directed his steps towards the Monongahela country, where he met William Grills and Jacob Greathouse, two of his former companions, who were subsequently joined by Samuel Cartwright and Joseph Lock. Casting in his lot with these, Kenton prepared once more to descend the Ohio, and winter in the wilderness. Having provided themselves with the necessary articles for the excursion, the party embarked and descended to the mouth of Big Sandy [present-day Kenova, WV], where they continued to hunt and trap till the next spring. This spring, 1774, an Indian war appeared inevitable. The Indians had robbed some, and killed others, and continued to manifest so much insolence, that the hunters and traders took the alarm, and retreated to Fort Pitt [Fort Dunmore]. Kenton's party sold the proceeds of their winter's hunt, to a French trader, and following the example of others, ascended the Ohio. All the settlements which had commenced the previous year, were now evacuated. Some adventurers took shelter at a place called Thomas's Fort, at the mouth of Ten-mile creek; others, at Fort Pitt [Fort Dunmore]; so that no settlement remained on the Ohio, below the latter place.

Footnotes:

Sources:

John McDonald, Biographical Sketches of General Nathaniel Massie, General Duncan McArthur, Captain William Wells and General Simon Kenton Who Were Early Settlers in the Western Country, Dayton, OH: D. Osborn & Son, 1852. Page 200, Simon Kenton arrived at Ice's Ford. Online: Google Book