Re: Wallen Family--- ELISHA!!
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In reply to:
Re: Wallen Family--- ELISHA!!
Roy Godsey 11/22/05
Hamilton's atrocity stories of Southwest Virginia includes a story about the death of "Mrs. John Walling/Wallen" on the 17th of March 1785.
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~varussel/indian/66.htmlhttp://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~varussel/indian/66.html
In this story Hamilton quotes a letter From Joseph Martin to the Governor of Virginia,
On the 17th instant a party of Indians came to the house of John Wallen, killed and scalped his wife, about 15 miles from my Station (in Powells Valley), and I further expect every hour to hear the people there are all murdered.
In a separate story
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~varussel/indian/80.htmlhttp://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~varussel/indian/80.html
Hamilton quotes Addington's History of Scott County
Sometime in the year 1789, John Wallen built a small cabin at the mouth of Stock Creek where Clinchport is situated now. He located his cabin on the Kentucky Path, and, no doubt, helped to entertain some of the hundreds of settlers who were emigrating to Kentucky at the time over the Wilderness Road. Wallen was not left long in the peaceable enjoyment of his new home in the wilderness. Benge and his forest bloodhounds soon found his cabin. One morning just at daybreak, his wife, opening the door, was shot at by an Indian and slightly wounded. Quickly closing the door, she barred it to prevent its being forced. Wallen, who was yet in bed, then hastily arose and snatching the gun from its rack, shot and killed the Indian nearest the door. The other Indians then rushed upon the house, trying to effect an entrance, nor did they retreat until Wallen had killed three of them. After driving the Indians away, Wallen and his wife went to Carter’s Fort, eight miles distant.
Addington's source of information for this was a letter from Thomas Carter in the Draper MSC.
Both stories take place in the Powell River Valley.TO summarize, according to the first story, John Wallen's wife is killed in 1785.According to the second story, John Wallen's wife is wounded in 1789, but escapes with her husband to Carter's Fort.
Hamilton makes no comment on the apparent discrepancy between the two stories.Either he didn't realize they conflicted, or he had a resolution for the conflict, or he chose to ignore it.
Its possible that these are in fact two separate stories, and that the John Wallen remarried after the death of his wife in the first attack.Thus the Mrs. Wallen who was wounded in the second attack would be his second wife.
However, another possibility is that two separate stories have been conflated, with elements of one story attached to the other.
Hamilton backs up the second story with a quote from a letter to
Arthur Campbell, by John Anderson, states may 17th, 1789
Dear Sir: I wrote you a few days ago, wherein I informed you respecting Mr. Wallen’s being driven from home. Wallen lived at the mouth of Stock Creek...
This letter clearly refers to a second attack on the home of a Mr. Wallen, and Hamilton presumes this to be the home of John Wallen.As far as it goes this is consistent with the story told by Addington, though there's no mention of a Mrs Wallen.
Assuming that the letter to Campbell does refer to John Wallen, then we can presume that he probably was attacked twice, once in 1785, and again in 1787.
I have two questions:
A.Is there any evidence that John Wallen remarried after the death of his first wife?
B.Has anyone previously looked at the discrepancy between the two stories?
Thanks
Bill
More Replies:
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Re: Wallen Family--- ELISHA!!
Roy Godsey 7/18/08
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Re: Wallen Family--- ELISHA!!
Bill Willis 7/23/08
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Re: Wallen Family--- ELISHA!!
Roy Godsey 7/24/08
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Re: Wallen Family--- ELISHA!!
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Re: Wallen Family--- ELISHA!!
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Re: Wallen Family--- ELISHA!!
Roy Godsey 7/18/08