Copyright by the editor, Hal Morris, Secaucus, NJ 1997. Permission is granted to copy, but not for sale, nor in multiple copies, except by permission.
Jacksonian Miscellanies is a weekly email newsletter which presents short documents from the United States' Jackson Era, with a minimum of commentary. Anyone can receive it for free by sending to hal@panix.com a message with
subscribe jmisc
as either the subject line, or as the *only* line in the message body. If you want to make a comment or query, please send a separate message to hal@panix.com.
Jacksonian Miscellanies can also be read at http://www.panix.com/~hal/jmisc. The WWW version is augmented with much biographical, bibliographical, and other information.
Please direct responses to hal@panix.com, even though you may receive Jacksonian Miscellanies by way of a mailing list. That way I am more certain to read them, and perhaps, with your permission, post useful excerpts in a later issue.
A business trip (hunting computer network bugs) took me to Maryland, where I followed the advice of a SHEAR 96 attendee, and went to the Second Story Bookstore, and found the Life and Times of Elder Reuben Ross, by his son, James Ross - with an introduction and notes by J.M. Pendleton - Philadelphia: Printed by Grant, Faires, and Rodgers. The introduction is dated February 1, 1882. James Ross seems to have written this late in life for his daughter, and there are frequent references to "your grandfather". I am not sure how Pendleton came to publish the book, except it seems he was a strong admirer of the elder Ross, and a friend of the family.
I'd appreciate hearing from any readers familiar with Ross or with this book. Apparently he became a leader of the western Baptist church, and was involved in the splitting of the Red River Association, in which some members fell in with the teachings of Alexander Campbell.
The two chapters of the book given here tell of a two month journey into darkest Tennessee, in which the encounter such exotic beings as Indians and Methodists. James Ross, who tells the story, was six years old at the time, and gives a very lively childs-eye account embroidering the adult ordeals with games the children made up to imitate them.
THE time for beginning the journey at length arrived; and I propose
to give you some of the scenes and incidents connected with it, as they
arise in my memory. You will no doubt, be surprised to find that it retains
so many of these, as I was then only six years old. But what things I shall
relate, and many besides, were themes of conversation in the family circle
long years afterwards, and thus became fixed in my memory.
Several other families had concluded to emigrate with us, with their
large families of children and servants. It was agreed that all should
leave their homes the same day, in the morning, and meet at a deserted
Episcopal church that stood in a forest of pines some distance from the
town, and there encamp the first night.
There were many of these deserted churches in Virginia and the Carolinas
at that time. When the law was passed depriving the clergy of that church
of the sixteen thousand pounds of tobacco to which they had been entitled
annually, the Established Church was broken up, and these lonely and decaying
buildings might be seen in many places in the country. As many of these
churches had graveyards attached which were likewise neglected, the
superstitious imagined they often saw forms that did not seem properly
to belong to this world-not only by night, but sometimes in broad day-standing
still or moving about; people generally went a little out of their way
to pass around them. This was especially the case with the boys and negroes,
who had many tales to relate of what they and others had seen at these
places.
On the 6th of May, 1807, according to appointment, all bade adieu to
their friends and relatives, the scenes of their early life, the graves
of their fathers, and many objects besides around which memory loves to
linger, and turned their faces towards the setting sun. It was customary
then, and I believe is so still, when a family was about to remove from
a place where they had long resided, and seek a home in a distant country,
for the near neighbors and intimate friends to call and bid them farewell.
This is usually a time when there is much tenderness of feeling; many,
in taking leave, would not venture to speak; a tender embrace, a silent
tear, and a pressure of the hand in many cases would be all. But few of
the aged men and women now living do not remember such parting scenes.
In those early times the emigrants that left Carolina or Virginia to settle
in Kentucky or Tennessee hardly expected ever again to see those from whom
they parted, especially if somewhat advanced in years. The great distance,
the intervening mountains and rivers, the difficult roads, and the cruel
savages that roamed in and around these States forbade the indulgence of
this hope. They parted much as do those who part at the grave.
We children and the negroes that were along kept up our spirits pretty
well by thinking and talking about Cumberland,-the name of the beautiful
new world we were to find at the end of our journey. We loved to hear the
word pronounced, and when journeying on towards it, if a stranger asked
us to "what parts" we were going, we answered proudly, "To
Cumberland." We always lost heart though a little when told there
were no shad or herring, chincapins, huckleberries, or pineknots to
kindle fires with in all this beautiful country. The negroes made a serious
matter of the pineknot question, and thought the lack of these a great
drawback on any country, however blest in other respects,-even on Cumberland
itself.
On the day appointed, the whole party met at the old church; and as
the night came on, the tents were pitched. Two or three stakes, forked
at the upper ends, were cut; and firmly planted in the ground. On these
a ridgepole was laid, and against it other poles were leaned like
the rafters of a house. Over all these a large tentcloth or piece
of canvas was spread, to keep off the rain and dews; then another piece
of the same material was hung up opposite the front, which was always turned
from the wind to keep the smoke from being blown in. Then, if the leaves
on the ground were dry, some of them would be brought in and spread down
inside the tent. A bed was then brought in from the wagon and laid on quilts
and made comfortable to sleep on, a blazing fire kindled at the mouth of
the tent, and supper cooked and served. This would be followed, perhaps,
by a stroll around the campfires, and then to bed.
The first night we children camped out we were ill at ease. We thought
ghosts could not find a more desirable place for their walks than the lonely
church. The scarred trunks of the pines, white with the indurated rosin,
the moaning of the wind in their lofty tops, and the red glare of the campfires
among their branches worked on our imaginations, and caused the whole scene
to appear weird and spectral. But at length "tired nature's sweet
restorer" came to our relief, and in the deep slumber of happy childhood
all was forgotten. Next morning betimes all were up. The teams were fed,
breakfast prepared and served, the tents struck, and the long journey began
in earnest.
Other emigrant families soon joined us, and their wagons and teams,
in addition to ours, formed a long line that moved slowly over the white
sandy roads, bordered by the stately pines. Among these families was that
of a man named Long, with his wife and three or four children. They seemed
to be in better circumstances than any others of the party,-better dressed,
better equipped for traveling, more cheerful and lively, and in these respects
in strong contrast with their followtravelers. We soon learned they
were Methodists, a kind of people we young Predestinarians knew but little
about.
The first night we encamped together the Long children joined us in
our plays; and after things began to grow a little dull the oldest daughter,
a lively girl ten or twelve years old, proposed that we should have a campmeeting,
and all get happy. Then she began to sing a lively song, in which her little
sisters joined her, clapping their hands, shouting "glory! glory!"
and swaying their little bodies backward and forward in a way that astonished
the rest of us greatly. Their parents did not seem to think this at all
improper; but ours looked grave and shook their heads, thinking it a kind
of mockery.
One evening the little Long girl and another got up a discussion about
religion, in which the former remarked that her papa said everybody had
a spark of grace in his soul, which, if he would blow and fan it, would
kindle into a bright flame, and make him a good Christian. To this it was
replied, "If one was not of the elect he might blow and fan a long
time, before he would see any bright flame make its appearance." This
subject was discussed more or less frequently for several days, among the
larger children and indicated the hardshell and soft shell elements
very clearly.
After journeying with us for several days, the Longs took another road
and left us, very much to our regret. We missed the campmeetings and
songs, especially at night, after they were gone. I do not remember where
they were to settle, if I ever heard.
The first town through which we passed, after leaving Williamston, was
Tarboro, in Edgecombe County,-the county where the General Assembly of
North Carolina met in 1787. Here we crossed the Tar River, on a long narrow
bridge The water under the bridge looked nearly black, and I imagined was
very deep. I thought it a dangerouslooking place, and was glad when
we were safely over it. The next place that I remember was Hillsboro, in
Orange County; and the next Guilford Court-House, now Greensboro, where
the famous battle was fought between General Green and Lord Cornwallis,
in 1781. Here we all stopped, and remained several hours on the battlefield,
trying to find some vestige of the conflict. We only made out, however,
two or three trees cut off a considerable distance above the ground by
the cannon balls. This was not much, it was true, but all seemed thankful
that they had seen that much. I remember there was a good deal of jesting
about the time it took some of the North Carolina militia to reach Martin
County, after the fight. One fellow, of marvelous speed and bottom, got
in some time before any one else, and reported that he was the only one
left alive of General Green's whole army,-that all the rest were lying
stark and cold on the bloody field of battle, and he alone was left to
tell their sad story.
Some days after leaving this place, we children had loitered behind;
on coming up with the wagons, we found them all stopped on an elevated
part of the road. On inquiring the cause, we were shown what seemed to
be a light blue cloud lying far away to the west, on the verge of the horizon.
It was indeed to our young eyes a vision of beauty. In its vast outline
not a rent or fissure could be seen; and we gazed upon it with mingled
feelings of wonder and admiration. And this, then, was the famous Blue
Ridge, about which we had heard so much, and beyond which lay our distant
homes. As for crossing over it, how was that possible? Could wagons and
teams ascend perpendicular walls? or pass over the clouds?- so thought
and spoke the children.
Some time after this, if I remember rightly, we passed near the base
of the Pilot Mountain, a conical peak of great elevation, and, as I think,
in Surrey County, around the lofty summit of which some wonderloving
chap told us shapes like men with wings had often been seen flying in the
clear blue sky. This was something to study about; and for years afterwards,
your two aunts and I talked about it, so much did it haunt our imaginations.
I have thought since that perhaps eagles might have sometimes built their
nests on this mountain, and that this gave rise to the story, if there
was any foundation for it at all.
North Carolina is divided by geographers into three sections,-the eastern
or alluvial; the middle, or hilly; and the western. or mountainous. We
were now in the section Last mentioned. As we approached the Blue Ridge,
it seemed every day to rise higher and higher towards the zenith. At length
our tents were pitched at its base. In vain they tried to make us believe
that this was the same calm and beautiful mountain which we had seen many
days before when it first came into view. The vast masses of rock, piled
one above another in wildness and confusion; the lofty summits beaten and
scarred by wintry storms; and the deep ravines worn in its sides by descending
torrents,-forbade our believing it to be the same beautiful mountain first
seen. "Distance" had indeed lent "enchantment to the view."
We did not cross the Blue Ridge by the road which the State of North
Carolina, in 1776, ordered to be opened from Morganton on the east to Jonesboro
on the west of the mountains, but farther north. Nor do I remember the
name of the Gap or Pass at which we crossed. A good deal, though, was said
at the time about a pass called Ward's Gap.
After the pass had been reconnoitered the ascent began. A wagon was
lightened by having a part of its load taken out. Then as much team, from
other wagons, added to it as could be conveniently managed. After which,
one man would be placed at each wheel to assist in turning it, and two
behind it, each with a large stone in his hand. It was the business of
the scotchers, as they were called, to save every inch of ground in the
ascent, by placing their stones, or scotchers, behind the wheels, to prevent
the wagon from rolling back and dragging the team after it.
All things being ready, the driver would throw himself into the saddle,
crack his whip, yell at the horses, in which he would be joined by others,
and if your grandfather were not too near, perhaps some bad words would
be heard after a hard pull, the driver would ascend probably eight or ten
yards, and then make his team stop just as he perceived they were about
to do so themselves. The scotchers quickly placed their stones behind the
wheels, to save all the ground gained. Then resting a minute, the word
would be given again and a similar feat performed. In this way all the
wagons finally reached the summit of the mountain, and a shout of triumph
was heard by those below.
While this was going on the boys had a sort of sideshow which made them
nearly frantic with delight. They persuaded a stout lad to play wagon for
them. He got down on allfours, with a string around his neck, which
was held by another boy, whip in hand, and scotchers were behind with stones
to prevent his rolling back; in this way they carried him up the mountain
too. They enjoyed every part of the show in a high degree; but when the
boy would balk, as he sometimes did, and kick up his hind legs like a horse,
the mountain fairly echoed with their yells of delight.
I do not remember the number of emigrant wagons then with us. Perhaps
there were half a dozen, perhaps more. Some had taken other roads and parted
from us before we reached the mountain. All finally gained the heights
in safety, prepared, after a night's repose, to resume the journey on the
morrow.
The east of the Blue Ridge is the boundary between North Carolina and
Tennessee. On these lofty heights the emigrant might take his stand, and
turning his face to the east, gaze for the last time on his native State
and bid it a final adieu. First and last,, how many sorrowful hearts, young
and old, have performed how this sad rite!
The journey thus far had been one of no little anxiety to your grandfather.
Soon after it began, your grandmother took a deep cold from which she did
not fully recover before it ended. At one time she was so much indisposed,
that a physician was called in to prescribe for her, and fears were entertained
that she would not be able to finish the journey. I well remember her pale
and sorrowful face, as she lay on her bed, and was moved along over the
rough uneven roads.
WE must have made a considerable detour after crossing the mountains
for Abingdon, in Washington County, Virginia, was the next town I remember.
Its locality in the old times, I think, was known as the "Wolf Hills."
Here lived the Crabtrees, who killed an Indian while the treaty of Watago
was being negotiated, which brought so much trouble upon the early settlers.
This town was on the great highway traveled by the early emigrants from
Virginia, who, turning to the right and passing through the famous Cumberland
Gap, entered Kentucky, while those from Carolina, turning to the left down
the valley of the Holston, entered Tennessee.
Along this route Boone and his large party of emigrants met with a bloody
defeat, by the Indians, in 1772, in which one of his sons was killed. On
this route, also, the father of the famous Peter Cartwright and his family
traveled in these perilous times, when on their way to Kentucky, of which
he has given an account so deeply interesting in the first chapter of his
autobiography, and which culminated in the murder of "the seven families"
near Crab Orchard, in Kentucky, by the Indians. On this route the famous
pioneers of Kentucky, Boone, Calloway, Henderson, Clark, Rogers, and others
traveled to explore this wild and perilous region when in its primeval
state; as also Robertson, Donelson, Sevier, etc., so famous in the annals
of the early settlements in Tennessee.
Abingdon was even then a pretty town. Here we children had a feast of
gingerbread given us by our parents, and most of us received some small
presents besides. Mine was a bright, tin cup, which I carried many days
suspended from my neck, and used in drinking water from the pretty streams
which we so often crossed. It was long ere we juveniles forgot Abingdon
and the name even now sounds pleasant to my ears.
Journeying on, we at length reached Bean's Station, a place about which
the emigrants had a great deal to say long before we reached it, as being
the place where the first settlement was made west of the mountains, in
what, as I think is now Grainger County. But its being the place where
the first white child was born in Tennessee, seemed to have given it more
dignity and importance than anything else. They could never cease talking
about that child and I came at length to envy its good fortune to some
extent, and to wonder why I could not have been born there instead. To
me, except for the child, the place seemed to have no interest whatever,
ignorant as I then was of the bloody Indian wars and thrilling incidents
that had occurred long before, on the banks of the historic Watauga and
Nolichucky rivers, and also of the famous old beech tree that bore until
lately, if it does not still the inscription carved in its bark by Daniel
Boone, in 1760-about fortyseven years before we passed through that
country.
After leaving Bean's Station, while among the mountains of Tennessee,
we saw much that was picturesque and beautiful, hills and mountains, covered
with vast primeval forests, and robed in the light green of early summer,
with valleys of surpassing beauty and fertility, through which flowed streams
of bright and sparkling water. No wonder the poor Indian struggled long
and hard to retain possession of this beautiful and romantic region.
It was among these mountains that I got into trouble. Passing near a
beautiful stream, where some men were engaged in catching a quantity of
fine fish, I could not resist the temptation to stop and look at them.
I waited too long. The wagons got far before me. Starting off in a hurry
to overtake them, I took a wrong road. After proceeding some distance I
turned back to get in the right one again, having found my mistake. In
the meantime I had been missed; the wagons were all stopped in the road,
the horses unharnessed and mounted, and the neighborhood scoured in search
of me. They feared I had been drowned in the river. All were in distress,
and some in tears, for I had many friends. At length I was seen toiling
up the road, weary with my long walk and anxiety. A shout was raised; all
gathered around me and manifested, for a while, the most lively satisfaction
for my safety. But some who had been in tears, when they thought me dead,
after they came to think of the trouble and detention I had caused, suddenly
turned against me and rather hinted that some punishment would do me no
harm: I was quite surprised at the sudden turn things had taken. I escaped
punishment, however, but was in disgrace for several days.
Long before we reached it we heard of a portion of country we had to
pass through called the wilderness; and what made it more appalling to
us children was that sometimes the word "howling" was added.
The phrase "howling wilderness," sounded ominous in our ears.
Visions of wolves, bears, lions, tigers, panthers, and Indians rose before
us. This wilderness lay on the Cumberland Mountains between the Clinch
River, a northern tributary of the Tennessee and the Caney Fork, a southern
tributary of the Cumberland.
In consequence of some misunderstanding about what was called the treaty
of Holston, it was uncertain at the time to which race it belonged, the
white or the Indian, and consequently neither held it in possession. It
commences, I believe, about forty miles west of Knoxville and terminated
about sixty miles east of Nashville. And as the distance between Knoxville
and Nashville is two hundred miles, it must have been about one hundred
miles across. A beautiful description of this wilderness you may find in
Parton's Life of Jackson, Volume I, chapter 16. It was written by Francis
Bailey, the celebrated English astronomer, who crossed it in 1797, about
ten years before we did.
It was necessary for all who passed through this wilderness to provide
food for themselves and their teams, before attempting to do so; especially
for themselves. There were many places where the teams could find an abundance
of grass and wild peavines. These peavines were preferred by
horses and cattle to any other food whatever. And it was said to recruit
them when in low condition faster than any other known. These were abundant
among the hills and mountains of Tennessee in early times, and afforded
the richest pasturage.
Soon after entering the wilderness, we descended a very long and steep
hill, not far from Crab Orchard, in Morgan County, Tennessee, I think,
and encamped near a pretty stream of water. It was a beautiful and romantic
spot. The little stream was called Daddy's Creek. This name greatly delighted
us children. We would have given anything to know how it came by that name.
The hill we had just descended was the famous Spencer's Hill, so called
from a pioneer of that name who had been killed upon it by the Indians.
There was a great deal said that night around the campfires about
poor Spencer, how he and another man named Holiday crossed the mountains
together and traveled on until they reached the neighborhood where the
City of Nashville now stands; how each built a rude cabin and cleared a
little field; how Spencer would cut down a large tree, take a railcut
on his shoulder, and carry it to the place where he was making his fence,
split it into rails, and lay them upon it, all of which he was enabled
to do on account of his prodigious strength; how a hunter, not knowing
he was in the country, and seeing his enormous footprints in the snow,
became frightened, fled from it, and reported it full of giants; how Holiday
lost his knife, and Spencer broke his own in two and gave him half of it
when they parted; and how, after he had finished his cabin, and fenced
his little field, when on his way home to bring his wife and children to
the beautiful country he had found for them, he was killed by the cruel
savages on the hill which bore his name.
The children shed tears for the noble hunter, when we thought of his
manly form lying stark and cold far away in the lonely mountain, never
again to be seen by his sorrowing wife and fatherless children; and gave
vent to our feelings of abhorrence by heaping every opprobrious epithet
we knew upon his murderers. I may observe here that most, if not all of
what we heard that night relating to Spencer is, I think, historically
true.
We were alarmed on several occasions while in the wilderness, two of
which I remember. One evening, after our tents were pitched for the night,
a solitary Indian came to us with some venison for sale. He told us he
was "good Injun." Our people, however, thought differently, and
set him down as an Indian of the very worst kind, sent as a spy by his
tribe, perhaps not far off, to ascertain our strength and means of defense;
and if he found us weak, to return and bring a party down upon us during
the night, to tomahawk and scalp the last one of us before day. The more
we thought about it, the greater the danger seemed. A council was held,
and the "conscriptfathers" decided to buy the Indian's venison
and to invite him to stay with us all night. Should he consent to this,
well and good; if not, to place him under arrest, and keep him prisoner
till morning. When the proposition was made he readily consented, and at
bedtime rolled up for himself a bed of dry leaves, got into it and went
to sleep. Not so your grandmother, Aunt Rosa, and others. All night they
watched that pile of leaves, expecting every moment to see the Indian crawl
stealthily from among them, and start off to bring his gang upon us. But
this did not happen. When morning came he was still there, remained with
us till after breakfast, then shouldered his rifle, bade us adieu, disappeared
in the forest, and this was the last of our "good Injun," as
he really turned out to be.
The next trouble we had in the wilderness occurred when at the close of a day's journey, we reached a stream of water too late to cross over it. Other emigrants though, who reached it earlier in the evening had crossed and encamped on the opposite side.
I must inform you, if you do not already know it, that large reeds,
or canes, when thrown on a hot fire, will swell and burst with a report
very much resembling the crack of a rifle. The children on the other side
of the stream, after all had become quiet, and before going to sleep, got
into a frolic, and commenced throwing armfuls of large canes on the fire,
and shouting when they burst.
We on our side took this to be the report of rifles, accompanied by
the yells of Indians, and thought all on the other side were being massacred
by them, and that it would soon be our turn. Wild shrieks now arose among
the women, children, dogs, and negroes, and dire was the din that followed.
The people on the other side, hearing the uproar among us, and never dreaming
that the bursting of the reeds and the shouting of the children of their
own party was the cause of it, concluded the Indians were and would soon
be on them, and raising a regular murder shout, joined in the concert.
It would be useless to attempt a description of the scene that followed.
Some new words would be needed for the purpose. At length, however, quiet
was restored. On reflection, we were heartily ashamed of what we had done,
and those who had us in charge thought theirs was a hard lot indeed.
After leaving the wilderness behind us and crossing the Caney Fork River,
while going towards Nashville we met a gentleman in the road, who getting
into conversation with your grandfather, advised him to purchase land,
and settle in what, I think, was then called the Dutch River country, describing
it as being a beautiful and fertile region, telling him at the same time
that he owned land there, on which he had built a good cabin, which he
might occupy until he could find land to suit him and gave him at the same
time an order to his agent to let him have possession of the house. I have
heard that this gentleman told others he was very much pleased with your
grandfather's appearance, and wanted him to settle in the part of the country
where his lands lay, believing he would attract others to settle near him.
I judge he was one of those great land speculators, who were then engaged
in securing a portion of the rich lands lying south of Nashville.
We accordingly went to the place, found his cabin, and took possession.
It was situated in a vast canebrake, a description of which would
be incredible to one who had never seen anything of the kind. The canes
reached half way up the tall trees, and were so thick that a bear, or Indian,
could not have been seen at the distance of a few yards. Where a road or
path was cut through it a wall, almost solid, seemed to stand on the right
hand and on the left. The wild and lonely appearance of the country, and
the constant dread of Indians, however, had a depressing effect on most
of the party, and they begged to be carried away from the dismal place,
so the idea of settling here was finally abandoned. But your grandfather
always regretted that he did not remain, as he thus saw the lands were
wonderfully fertile, and to procure such had been his chief inducement
in leaving his native state and moving to the West.
Leaving this place, we journeyed on in the direction of Nashville, which
a few days afterwards we reached. Here I was sadly disappointed; a few
log houses and two or three brick kilns constituted the Nashville of that
day, according to my recollection. But I suppose we must have passed through
the suburbs only. For I see from Putnam's History of Middle Tennessee,
that two years before we passed by it or through it, Nashville could have
boasted of about twenty houses, scattered around here and there, in various
directions. What a change had come over it when next seen by me some thirtyfive
years later! It had grown to be a beautiful city, the seat of wealth and
refinement. A bridge spanned the Cumberland; steamboats lay along its wharves,
and its spires and domes glittered in the sun.
From Nashville, after crossing the Cumberland, we traveled in a northwesterly direction to Port Royal, a village situated in Montgomery County on the left bank of the Red River, a tributary of the Cumberland. This was virtually the end of our long journey which we reached on the 4th of July, 1807, having been on the road two long and eventful months.
You can support this site at no cost if you make an Amazon purchase using this link to get to Amazon: Thanks