From "HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY,"  Vol. I, pages 690-691. Brant & Fuller, 1890.  (Marshall Co., WV) 

JOHN CROW

John Crow was the first of the family to fall victim to the Indians.  In August, 1879, Frederick, Martin 
and John, went to Wetzel county, this state, to hunt.  After being there one night or more, they got up 
in the morning and went down to the creek (Fishing creek), and while absent, Indians came and 
secreted themselves in the camp the others had left.  One of the boys had killed a wild duck, which he 
carried with him.  Frederick and Martin returned to camp, while John staid behind.  When the first two 
named came, one threw the duck in the camp, when the Indians arose and fired one bullet, cutting the 
tip of Martin's ear, and another striking Frederick under the arm, making a flesh wound from which the 
blood flowed freely.  They ran up the creek bottom some distance, jumped over the bank, and crossing 
safely, they got separated, and did not get together till the next day.  John, not knowing what the 
shooting meant came running, when a number of the Indians fired at once.  Five balls entered his 
breast, in the size of one's hand.  Frederick and Martin got home the second day.  The third day a squad 
of men went to hunt John, and found him dead near the camp with his throat cut.  A grave was dug in 
the creek bottom with sharp sticks and hunting knives.  A box or coffin was prepared by felling a tree 
and splitting four "puncheons," one for each side, and one for bottom and top.  His age and death were 
cut on a tree near by the grave.  

The saddest event in the history of this family was when four of their daughters were captured, and three
of them brutally murdered by the savages.  Sabbath morning, May 1, 1791, Susie, Betsey, Tena and 
Catherine, started to visit a sick woman who lived somewhere up Wheeling creek (south branch).  A horse 
had gotten  away and went to Braddock's, on Crabapple, a branch of Wheeling Creek.  Michael took a 
bridle and crossed the hills for him.  After getting the horse, he was returning, and found his sisters at a 
fording about a mile from home and about three miles from the forks of the creek.  Seeing Katie, who 
was but a child, alone, he tried to persuade her to get on the horse and go with him.  This she was 
unwilling to do, and as the horse was excited and wanted to go, he let him have the rein and he galloped 
off at full speed.  Soon as he was out of sight, the Indians, who were hid behind a rock, came out and 
captured all of them.  There were two Indians and a man whose name was Spicer, whom the Indians 
captured and raised.  They took the girls to a flat place on the hill side, and two of them staid to watch 
them and the others followed the brother.  Tena said he was gone long enough to have followed him 
nearly home.  When he returned, and the work of butchery begun, one held Tena and Katie by the hands.  
When one of the Indians struck Betsey, who was a girl of more than ordinary strength and activity, she 
came near getting loose, and in the excitement Tena got loose and ran.  One Indian grabbed his gun, 
and ran till he overtook her, when he punched her in the back hard enough to knock her down and ran 
back.  She looked and saw that he had left her, then sprang up again, ran and got away.  While guarding 
the girls, Spicer, who talked English, asked them questions.  When  Tena got home and told the sad news 
the family got ready hastily and fled to the block house at Lindley's, having no thought but that the other 
three were all dead.  A squad of men came the next day and found Susie and Katie dead, but Betsey, who 
was not with them, after being insensible the remainder of the day of the murder and till the next morning, 
had regained consciousness and crawled to the creek to get water.  She lived till the third day after they 
found her.  Susie and Katie were buried in one grave, and Betsey, when she died, was laid by their side, 
making the first buried on the farm.  While Tena was at home, then a young woman, Spicer and one of 
the Indians who helped to kill her sisters, came to the house and asked for milk.  Tena at once recognized 
them and told her mother so.  The Indians seemed to see they were not welcome and left at once.  
Tena went to the field and told her brother Michael who had some men helping him.  One of the men 
said to Michael, let us follow them.  Michael said well, and if you will kill the white man, I will kill the 
Indian.  They went to the house, got some dinner, took their guns and started.  The Indians were riding 
large horses and made it quite easy to follow them.  They followed them to the head of Wheeling creek, 
crossed over on to Dunkard waters and nearly to the mouth of that stream.  When it got too dark to see 
the trail, they camped for the night and came back the next day.  

Michael Crow, Sr., married Nancy Johnson, daughter of William and Mary Johnson (nee Sample), who 
lived and were married at Wilminton, Del., and emigrated with their family to the farm on the north 
branch of Wheeling creek, and known as the Charles Spilman farm.  Michael Crow, Sr., and wife, raised  
eleven children, four sons and seven daughters.  The names of the sons were:  William, John, Jacob, 
and Michael, and the daughters, Mary, Elizabeth, Nancy, Sarah J., Susan, Margaret and Charlotte.  They 
all married and lived raised families except Margaret.  Jacob lives on Wheeling creek, adjoining the old 
homestead.  Michael Crow married Sarah J. Lucas of Washington county, Penn., in 1842.  Mrs. Crow was 
the daughter of Berridge and Jane Lucas.  Mrs. Lucas was a daughter of George Lee, of Washington 
county, and now, the wife of Emanuel Francis, Marshall county, and is in her ninetieth year.  Michael 
Crow, Jr., and wife were from early life, members of West Union (Dallas) Presbyterian church.  Mrs. S. J. 
Crow died February 20, 1879.  The children's names are:  Berridge L., John M., George W., Harriet N., 
Michael L., Martin L., Sarah J., William M., and Wiley L.  B. L. Crow was married to Mary Standiford, 
daughter of Abram and Susan (Crow) Standiford, October 8, 1877.  They have three children:  Ella M., 
Maggie J., and Mettie L.  Maggie married J. C. Fry, November 24, 1885.  One child, Berridge L. was born 
to them.  Ella M. marriedA. V. McClery, November 24, 1887.  Mrs. Standiford's parents were Peter and 
Susan Crow.  Her grandfather was Jacob Crow. Thus Jacob Crow was the great-grandfather of both 
Mr. and Mrs. Crow.  B. L. Crow is a farmer and stock-raiser by occupation and has lived twenty-one years 
in the same neighborhood.  He has served one term of six years as county commissioner, and is and has 
been for nearly twenty years, ruling elder in the Presbyterian church, of which the whole family are 
consistent and worthy members.