was a hunter and a fighter but had professed faith in Christ through the
influence of the missionaries. My greatgrandmother passed the facts on
to her children and they have been handed down for four generations. I,
in turn, have given the traditions to my children and grandchildren.

"No more peaceful home had ever offered itself to the red man than the
beautiful valley of the Wabash river. Giant elms, sycamores and maple
trees bordered the stream while the fertile valley was traversed with
creeks and rills, furnishing water in abundance for use of the Indian
campers.

"The Indians and the white settlers in the valley transacted business
with each other and were friendly towards each other, as I have been
told by my mother, Eliza, and my grandmother, Courtney Hawk.

"The missionaries often called the Indian families together for the
purpose of teaching them and the Indians had been invited, prior to
being driven from the valley, to a sort of festival in the woods. They
had prepared much food for the occasion. The braves had gone on a long
hunt to provide meat and the squaws had prepared much corn and other
grain to be used at the feast. All the tribes had been invited to a
council and the poor people were happy, not knowing they were being
deceived.

"The decoy worked, for while the Indians were worshiping God the meeting
was rudely interrupted by orders of the Governor of the State. The
Governor, whose duty it was to give protection to the poor souls,
caused them to be taken captives and driven away at the point of swords
and guns.