1786 OHIO RIVER COX STORY
Following is from the Lyman Copeland Draper Manuscripts Series volumes 13-17 Shane collection, Kentucky and Ohio, 1807-1835. Draper's prolific work is housed at the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. This appears to be the recollections of Mr. Robert Jones who made a number of trips up and down the Ohio River in those early years.
"Landed at Maysville, the last day of March 1786 31st. Next day went on in our boat to 15 miles below. Landed at the mouth of Lees' Creek we made no stop till we got down within 17 miles of Louisville, where we were driven in by a storm. We had a barge and a flat-boat. The winds took the flat, carried it in, & held it there, till it subsided. While we were there, a company of soldiers came on, and met us there. There were about 30; they were going up. They got to the keel, while we were up to help down with the flat, and thought it had been deserted. We got down to Louisville this same evening after the storm. A party of Indians had just gotten over at the 18 miles islands. We saw where they had killed a horse, laying on the Kentucky side, before crossing. Perhaps because they could not manage him. They were too few in number to trouble us.
The Barge was loaded with whiskey, blacksmith's tools, and some flour; the flat with flour. They belonged to one Owen: Bial Owen & John Cockey Owens. The flour was taken on to Orleans by one Tardevoo, a french man.
A few days after we got to Louisville, some Indians who had been over stealing horses, were pursued by a party. Two Indians who had been wounded so they couldn't get up, shot Isaac Keller and Col. Christian of the pursuing party. (The latter the father of Mrs. Dr. Warfielde, Dr. Fishback, and of one armed Governor John Pope of Arkansas.) They rode up on them. Col. Christian wasn't dead yet, when they got him to Louisville.
We were at Louisville about 3 weeks, and perhaps a day or two. I went there by Bullit's Lick, Bairdstown, Danville,& so on to Limestone again. At Bairdstown was an election; and one Gwinn, wanted us 4 to vote. About the last of April we got to Limestone. Sometime in the week. And on next Sunday morning, as Keiah (Hezekiah) Wood, and Lot Masterson were out hunting their horses to go to meeting at Washington, where they were shot. Wood and I, the day before he was killed, shot at a mark a good deal. Masterson was originally from the same neighborhood in Pennsylvania.
We were at Limestone about 8 days, waiting for company to go up; and then only had 6. 1. Alex? Faulkner 2.Jim Freeland 3. Evan Shelby 4. Joshua Griffin. 5.myself & 6. A young man going to Greenbriar. Faulkner was a red (?)-footed man; dreadfully lazy: wouldn't work a stroke; and we had like to have left him behind on the way.
About the 12th of May, in the bottom, above the Sciota, had left the boat, and gone up to kill some turkies. After going up the bottom some distance, I heard some turkies clooking, clooking, and I never liked to hear that noise. (It showed something scared them.) Immediately after, they flew up into a tree right before me. I shot them after some hesitation, & they remained, and had loaded my gun, and shot again, as I looked round and saw 5 Indians coming right on me. I ran an hour, till dark had set in, so that I could be hid. I could hear their footsteps passing round in search of me, & saw the outline of one distinctly pass between me, & the light which the break to the open space of the river afforded. After all was still, I again started on my return. The Indians were in hearing, and pursued as far as they could. I ran along on the beach, till I came to the canoe, with the man lying in it, tied to the shore. This I escaped in safety, but got none of my turkies.
The day we left Limestone, the Coxes' boat got down to that place. At the mouth of Guyan. William Chenowith & Joe & Ben Cox & Ben Cox's negro, heard (what they thought were) turkies, & went out in a canoe from the boat, & landed right in an Indian ambush. The 1st round they killed Joe Cox and the 1st or 2nd round wounded Ben Cox, & killed Ben Cox's negro. They shot away the rim of Ben Cox's hat behind. I recollect very well, it was a double rim. The same ball went in at the top of his back, & came out way below, without ever entering the hollow of his body. We saw Joe Cox's body laying there on the shore, with his arms spread, and his head scalped, as we came up. We didn't venture to land to bury them, but told some soldiers we met a little piece above, in a boat, going down, and suppose they did. Turkies were plenty It was very foolish in them to go out without 1st seeing them, And they had enough of safe opportunity to kill them.
Ben Cox afterwards lived up by Bairdstown. Peter Cox was killed out back of Cincinatti. David Cox, in the upper part of the state of Ohio, above Wheeling. George McCoy, and Peggy (Cox, that was) his wife, were also killed up there. George McCoy was wounded, carried out, and tomahawked, out in the back of the fields. the wife was shot, standing in the door. Their child, John McCoy, was taken prisoner. This was below Beaver PA; on the waters of Short Creek, and after the time we are now speaking of. These were Cox's boats. Joe Cox's wife, popping up her head, unduly anxious to see, was shot by the Indians who now pursued along the shore. The shot only grazed her neck without hurting.
Ben's hat, through the rim, on the back part. I got it as we went up."
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