party of white men, who informed them that they and fome othere `had fell in with a party of Shawnese, who had been hunting on the south west fide of the Ohio, that they had killed the whole of the Indian party, and that the others had gone across the country to Cheat River with the horfes and plunder, the confequence of which they apprehended would be an Indian war, and that they were flying away. On making enquiry of them when this murder should have happened, we found that it mult have been fome confiderable time before we left the Indian towns, and that there was not the fmalleft foundation for the report, as there was not a fingle man of the Shawnefe tribe, but what returned from hunting long be fore this fhould have happened. We then informed them that if they would agree to remain at the place we then were, one of us would go to Hock Hocking River with fome of their party, where we should find fome of our people making canoes, and that if we did not find them there, we might conclude that every thing was not right. Doctor Wood and another perfon then propofed going with me; the rest of the party feemed to agree, but faid they would fend and confult captain Crefap who was about two miles from that place. They fent off for him, and during the greatest part of the night they behaved in the most disorderly manner, threatening to kill us and faying the damned traders were worfe than the Indians and ought to be killed. In the morning Captain Michael Crefap came to the camp. I then gave him the information as above related. They then met in council, and after an hour or more captain Cresap returned to me and informed that he could not prevail on them to adopt the propofal I had made to them, that as he had a great regard for captain R. Callender, a brother in law of mine with whom I was connected in trade, he advised me by no means to think of proceeding any further, as he was convinced the prefent party would fall on and kill every Indian they met on the river, that for his part he fhould not continue with them, but go right across the country to Redstone to avoid the confequences. That we then proceeded to Hocking and went up the fame to the canoe place, where we found our people at work, and after fome days we proceeded to the towns on Siota by land. On our arrival there, we heard of the different murders committed by the party on their way up the Ohio. This Deponent further faith that in the year 1774, he accom panied lord Dunmore on the expedition against the Shawnefe and other Indians on their Siota, that on their arrival within 15 miles of the towns, they were met by a flag, and a white man of the name of Elliot, who informed lord Dunmore that the chiefs of the Shawnefe had fent to requeft his lordship to halt his army and fend in fome perfon, who understood their language; that this deponent, at the requeft of lord Dunmore and the whole of the of ficers with him, went in; that on his arrival at the towns, Logan, the Indian, came to where this deponent was fitting with the Corn-Stock, and the other chiefs of the Shawnese, and asked him to walk out with him; that they went into a copfe of wood, where they fat down, when Logan, after fhedding abundance of tears, delivered to him the speech, nearly as related by Mr. Jeffer fon in his notes on the ftate of Virginia; that he the deponent told him then that it was not col. Crefap who had murdered his relations, and that although his fon captain Michael Crefap was with the party who killed a Shawnese chief and other Indians, yet he was not present when his relations were killed at Bakers, near the mouth of Yellow creek on the Ohio: that this deponent on his return to camp delivered the fpeech to lord Dunmore; and that the murders perpetrated as above were confidered as ultimately the caufe of the war of 1774, commonly called Crefap's war. Sworn and fubfcribed the 4th April, 1800, at Pittsburgh, before me, JOHN GIBSON. JER. PARKER. Extract of a letter from col. EBENEZER ZANE, to the honorable JOHN BROWN, one of the fenators in Congrefs from Kentucky s dated Wheeling, Feb. 4th, 1800. I was myself, with many others, in the practice of making im provements on lands upon the Ohio, for the purpose of acquiring rights to the fame. Being on the Ohio at the mouth of Sandy creek, in company with many others, news circulated that the Indians had robbed fome of the land jobbers. This news induced the people generally to afcend the Ohio. I was among the number. On our arrival at the Wheeling, being informed that there were two Indians with fome traders near and above Wheeling, a propofition was made by the then captain Michael Crefap to way lay and kill the Indians upon the river. This measure 1 oppofed with much violence, alleging that the killing of those Indians might involve the country in a war. But the oppofite party prevailed and proceeded up the Ohio with captain Crefap at their head. In a short time the party returned, and also the traders, in a canoe; but there were no Indians in the company. I enquired what had become of the Indians, and was informed by the traders and Crefap's party that they had fallen overboard. I examined. the canoe, and faw much fresh blood and fome bullet holes in the canoe. This fully convinced me that the party had killed the two Indians, and thrown them into the river. 2 On the afternoon of the day this action happened, a report prevailed that there was a camp, or party of Indians on the Ohio be low and near the Wheeling. In confequence of this information, captain Crefap with his party, joined by a number of recruits, proceeded immediately down the Ohio for the purpose, as was then generally understood, of destroying the Indians above mentioned. On the fucceeding day, captain Crefap and his party returned to Wheeling, and it was generally reported by the party that they had killed a number of Indians. Of the truth of this report I had no doubt, as one of Crefap's party was badly wounded, and the party had a fresh scalp, and a quantity of property, which they called Indian plunder. At the time of the laft mentioned tranfaction, it was generally reported that the party of Indians down the Ohio were Logan and his family; but I have reafon to believe that this report was unfounded. 3 Within a few days after the transaction above mentioned, a party of Indians were killed at Yellow creek. But I must do the memory of captain Crefap the justice to say that I do not believe that he was prefent at the killing of the Indians at Yellow creek. But there is not the least doubt in my mind, that the massacre at Yellow creek was brought on by the two transactions first stated. All the tranfactions which I have related happened in the latter end of April 1774: and there can scarcely be a doubt that they were the cause of the war which immediately followed, commonly called Dunmore's war. I am with much efteem, yours, &c. The certificate of WILLIAM HUSTON of Wafbington county, in the fate of Pennfylvania, communicated by DAVID RIDDICK, Efquire, prothonotary of Washington county, Pennsylvania; who in the letter inclofing it Jays" Mr. WILLIAM HUSTON is a man of established reputation in point of integrity:" I William Hufton of Washington county, in the state of Pennfylvania, do hereby certify to whom it may concern, that in the year 1774 I refided at Catfishes camp, on the main path from Wheeling to Redstone: that Michael Crefap, who refided on or near the Patowmack River, on his way up from the river Ohio, at the head of a party of armed men, lay fome time at my cabin, 2 I had previously heard the report of Mr. Crefap having killed fome Indians, faid to be the relations of " Logan" an Indian Chief. In a variety of conversation with several of Crefap's party, they boafted of the deed; and that in the prefence of their chief. They acknowledged they had fired first on the Indians. They had with them one man on a litter, who was in the fkirmish. I do further certify that, from what I learned from the party. themselves, I then formed the opinion, and have not had any reafon change the opinion fince, that the killing, on the part of the whites, was what I deemed the groffeft murder. I further certify that fome of the party, who afterwards killed fome women and other Indians at Baker's Bottom, alfo lay at my cabin, on their march to the interior parts of the country; they had with them a little girl, whose life had been spared by the interference of some more humane than the rest. If neceffary I will make affidavit to the above to be true. Certified at Washington, this 18th day of April, Anno Domini, 1798. WILLIAM HUSTON. The certificate of JACOB NEWLAND, of Shelby county, Kentucky, communicated by the honorable judge Innes, of Kentucky. In the men, year 1774, I lived on the waters of Short creek, a branch of the Ohio, 12 miles above Wheeling. Some time in June or July of that year, capt. Michael Crefap raised a party of and came out under col. M'Daniel, of Hampshire county, Virginia, who come manded a detachment against the Wappotommaka towns on the Muskinghum. I met with captain Crefap, at Redstone fort, and entered his company. Being very well acquainted with him, we converfed freely; and he among other converfations, informed me 2 feveral times of falling in with some Indians on the Ohio fome diftance below the mouth of Yellow creek, and killed two or three of them; and that this murder was before that of the Indians by 3 Greathouse and others, at Yellow creek. I do not recollect the reafon which captain Crefap affigned for committing the act, but never understood that the Indians gave any offence. Certified under my hand this 15th day of November, 1799, being an inhabitant of Shelby county, and State of Kentucky. JACOB NEWLAND: |