Where did the Drapers meadows settle?
Following a common migration route, her family eventually settled on the far western frontier of the colony of Virginia, on the present-day site of Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Virginia. Here, Mary's family, along with several other families, established a small farming settlement called Drapers Meadows.
What happened at the Draper's Meadow Massacre?
Draper's Meadow massacre. Jump to navigation Jump to search. In July 1755, a small outpost in southwest Virginia, at the present day Blacksburg, was raided by a group of Shawnee Indian warriors, who killed at least five people including an infant child and captured five more.
Where did Mary Draper live?
Mary Draper, the daughter of Scotch-Irish immigrants, was born in Philadelphia in 1731. Following a common migration route, her family eventually settled on the far western frontier of the colony of Virginia, on the present-day site of Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Virginia.
What is the story of Mary Draper Ingles?
There is an acclaimed outdoor drama performed each summer in Radford, Virginia entitled, "Walk To Freedom: The Mary Draper Ingles Story," which details the events during the attack at Drapers Meadows and Mary Draper Ingles' heroic trek through the wilderness to reach her home in the New River Valley.
Who founded Drapers Meadow?
At about this time, (1748), Thomas Ingles and his three sons, Mrs. Draper her son and daughter, Adam Harmon, Henry Lenard, and James Burke left for the west and made the first settlement west of the Allegheny Great Divide. The name used for this settlement was Draper's Meadows.
Where is Draper Meadows located?
VirginiaDraper's Meadow massacre / Location
Who was the first European explorer to enter what is now West Virginia?
1669 - John Lederer visits the Blue Ridge Mountains and is the first European to enter West Virginia. 1671 - Explorers Thomas Batts and Robert Fallam travel into the Appalachian Mountains and find Kanawha Falls. 1726 - German settlers build the settlement of New Mecklenburg.
Where was Mary Ingles captured?
Although Ingles moved away from Draper's Meadow after her return, she remained in Virginia until her death in 1815. Historical marker #163 was originally dedicated June 15, 1963. Said to have been first white woman in Kentucky. Captured by Indians in Virginia, July 1755, and taken to Ohio.
What really happened at Drapers Meadow?
In July 1755, a small outpost in southwest Virginia, at the present day Blacksburg, was raided by a group of Shawnee warriors, who killed at least five people including an infant child and captured five more....Draper's Meadow MassacrePerpetratorsShawnee4 more rows
Is follow the river based on a true story?
Indiana author James Alexander Thom's best-selling historic novel, Follow the River, was published in 1981 but continues to resonate with readers four decades later. The novel is based on a true story from 1755 involving a Virginia woman captured by Shawnees and taken to an area in what is now Ohio and Kentucky.
Who were the first settlers in America?
Before Columbus We know now that Columbus was among the last explorers to reach the Americas, not the first. Five hundred years before Columbus, a daring band of Vikings led by Leif Eriksson set foot in North America and established a settlement.
What Native American tribes lived in West Virginia?
The historic tribes most closely associated with Western Virginia are the Shawnee, Delaware, and Cherokee, as well as Iroquoian-speaking groups including the Seneca, Tuscarawas, Susquehannock, and Mingo.
Who were the first settlers in West Virginia?
The white settlement of present-day West Virginia probably began with the first German settlers at Mecklenburg (present-day Shepherdstown) in 1727, despite earlier claims that Morgan Morgan had been the first.
What happened to Mary Draper Ingles baby?
In July Drapers Meadows was attacked by warriors of the Shawnee nation, who were allied with France. Three men, one woman, and an infant child were killed; one man, two women, and two young boys were taken captive. Among these captives were Mary Draper Ingles and her two sons, Tommy, four, and George, two.
Was Mary Draper a patriot or a loyalist?
Mary Draper is famous for her efforts to assist the Continental Army by offering food, hospitality, clothing, and ammunition to the Patriots. Little is known of her life previous to the American Revolutionary War.
What happened to Mary in Little House on the Prairie?
Her body was returned to De Smet, where she was buried in the Ingalls family plot next to her parents at De Smet Cemetery.
Who was the first European explorer?
Leif Erikson was a famous Norse explorer who is credited for being the first European to set foot on American soil (c. 1000). Marco Polo was an Italian explorer who traveled to the Far East and back to his hometown Venice in the matter of 24 years. He is noted for making detailed chronicles of his travels (1271–95).
Where was the first European settlement in the US?
St. Augustine, FloridaThe invasion of the North American continent and its peoples began with the Spanish in 1565 at St. Augustine, Florida, then British in 1587 when the Plymouth Company established a settlement that they dubbed Roanoke in present-day Virginia.
Who is a European explorer?
included Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, Vasco de Gama, Sir Francis Drake, Sir Walter Raleigh, Hernando Cortes, John Cabot and Samuel de Champlain!
Who was the first European?
The first Europeans to arrive in North America -- at least the first for whom there is solid evidence -- were Norse, traveling west from Greenland, where Erik the Red had founded a settlement around the year 985.
Where was the Draper's Meadow massacre?
Draper's Meadow massacre. In July 1755, a small outpost in southwest Virginia, at the present day Blacksburg, was raided by a group of Shawnee warriors, who killed at least five people including an infant child and captured five more. The Indians traveled back with their hostages to a Shawnee village in Kentucky.
Where did Mary Draper Ingles live?
Survivors relocated in 1787 to Blockhouse Bottom near what is now East Point, Kentucky. After her escape, Mary Draper Ingles reunited with her husband and resumed farming at Dunkert Bottom until the following spring. Concerned about continued Shawnee raids on neighboring settlements, they moved to Fort Vause, where a small garrison safeguarded the residents. Mary remained uneasy, however, and persuaded her husband to move again, this time to Bedford County, Virginia. In 1762 they established Ingles Ferry across the New River, along with a tavern and a blacksmith shop. Mary died there in 1815.
What is the name of the movie that follows Mary Draper Ingles?
The story of Mary Draper Ingles' escape and journey home has inspired a number of books, films, and living history programs, including the popular 1981 novel Follow the River by James Alexander Thom, a 1995 ABC television movie Follow the River (TV movie), and the 2004 film The Captives.
Who was the woman who escaped the attack?
One of the captives, Mary Draper Ingles later escaped and returned home on foot through the wilderness. Although many of the actual circumstances of the incident are uncertain, including the date of the attack, the event remains a dramatic story in the history of Virginia. Reconstructed 18th-century pioneer cabin on Smithfield Plantation, ...
Where was the Blacksburg settlement located?
The settlement was situated on the present day campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. At the time of the attack, the area had been populated by a group of around twenty settlers who were a mix of migrants from Pennsylvania of English and Germanic origin.
Where did Mary escape?
In mid-October Mary escaped at Big Bone, Kentucky, without her children, and made a journey of more than eight hundred miles (1,300 km) across the Appalachian Mountains back to Draper's Meadow. Some sources state that Mary was pregnant when captured and gave birth to her daughter in captivity, and that she abandoned her baby when she decided to escape, however there is evidence to the contrary.
Who was Mary's husband in the forest?
William Ingles (Mary's husband) was attacked and nearly killed but managed to flee into the forest. One of the victims, Caspar Barger, was described as an old man and was decapitated by the Indians; they delivered his head in a bag to a neighbor, explaining that an acquaintance had arrived to visit.
Location
The original 7,500 acre (30 km²) tract that became known as Draper's Meadow was awarded to Colonel James Patton, an Irish sea captain turned land speculator. This land was bordered by Tom's Creek on the north, Stroubles Creek on the south and the Mississippi Watershed (modern-day U.S. Route 460) on the east; it approached the New River on the west.
The Massacre
Rising tensions between the natives and western settlers were exacerbated by fighting in the French and Indian War and the encroachment on tribal hunting grounds. Recent victories by the French over the British, although north of Virginia, had left much of the frontier unprotected.
The Aftermath
In the aftermath, Draper's Meadow was abandoned - as was much of the frontier for the duration of the French and Indian War. William Preston, who had been in Draper's Meadow on the morning of the attack but left on an errand and so was saved, eventually obtained the property, which became Smithfield Plantation.
Historical accuracy
Except for a few scattered references to these events in contemporary reports and letters, the main sources of information are the written accounts by John Ingles and Letitia Floyd who were children of two survivors of the attack (Mary Ingles and William Preston).
Popular culture
The story of Ingles' ordeal has inspired a number of books, films, and living history programs, including the popular 1981 novel Follow the River by James Alexander Thom, a 1995 ABC television movie of the same name, and the 2004 film The Captives.
When was Draper's Meadows settled?
The Draper's Meadows Settlement (1746-1756) Part I: George Draper and Family
Where is Draper's Meadows?
Draper's Meadows formed a 7,500-acre tract lying on the waters of Strouble 's and Tom's creeks in present-day Montgomery County, in what was part of Augusta County until 1770. On 20 June 1753, William Preston's uncle, Colonel James Patton (c. 1692-1755), received a patent for
How many acres did Patton sell?
and early the following year Patton sold a total of 17 subdivisions of his 7 ,500 acres to 18 settlers, including John Draper and William Ingles.
Why is the location of the tract unknown?
Unfortunately the location of the tract is unknown because Buchanan's notation was left incomplete and provides no further description or clues about the acreage or boundaries of the tract he surveyed. In yet another memorandum from February 1746 [1746/47], Buchanan noted that George Draper was indebted to him for £0: 12:0 in
When did George Draper settle on the New River?
George Draper and Family Settle on the Waters of the New River, circa 1746
When did George Draper appear in court?
The court summons in the file ofthis case commanded George Draper to appear before the justices of Orange County Court on the fourth Tuesday of"next Month." The summons note was dated "xxixth Day of 7br 1743" (29 September 1743), so Draper was to make his appearance at court in October 1743 to answer the charge of debt. On the back of this summons under the clerk's notation "Graham assee [assignee] Graham vs Draper Sums [Summons]" was written in two different hands: "Not to be found RY" and "May Dismiss." The notation "Not to be found" was presumably
Where was the Draper family?
The Draper Family on the James River in Western Virginia, circa 1742-1745
Where is Draper's Meadows?
Located in the New River Valley in what is now Montgomery County, Virginia, the Draper's Meadows settlement was one of the earliest Euro- American settlements in the colonial Virginia backcountry. Its first known settlers were George and Eleanor Draper and their children, John and Mary, who arrived apparently in the year 1746.
When was Draper's Meadows abandoned?
1 . Part II continues the story of the Drapers but presents more information about the larger Draper's Meadows settlement through the year 1756 , at which time it was more or less abandoned until after the French and Indian War (l 754-1763). George Draper and Family in Pennsylvania (1730s) .
Who surveyed the western waters of the Mississippi River?
Also in 1751or1752, Colonel John Buchanan (d. 1769) composed a list of the surveys he had made on the Western Waters (tributaries of the Mississippi River) since the mid-l 740s. To identify the 7,500-acre tract he had surveyed for James Patton & Company on Tom's and Strouble's creeks .
Who were the three people who were ordered to appraise Conly's estate?
7 . Augusta County Court ordered that James Nealy, Richard Hall, Thomas Inglish (Ingles), and Tobias Bright, or any three of them, inventory and appraise Conly's estate, but the location of his residence was not mentioned. Ingles, Hall, and Bright returned their appraisement to the court on 21 May 1752.
Who copied the survey of Draper's Meadows?
This document is undated but was probably prepared in 1752 or 1753. 20 . James Patton Receives a Patent for Draper's Meadows (June 1753) .
How many acres were in the original 1747 plat?
The first step in determining this was to transpose Buchanan's original 1747 plat for "7,500" acres over modern 7.5-minute scale United States Geological Survey topographic maps, after first re-drawing the plat to fit the scale ofthe map. The author's map was then checked against the earlier work of John .
What happened to Drapers Meadows?
The French and Indian War, like all wars, brought its worst horrors to the civilian peoples caught in its path. In Jul y Drapers Meadows was attacked by warriors of the Shawnee nation, who were allied with France. Three men, one woman, and an infant child were killed; one man, two women, and two young boys were taken captive. Among these captives were Mary Draper Ingles and her two sons, Tommy, four, and George, two.
How long did Mary stay in Drapers Meadows?
After 500 miles and forty days of struggling along the riverbanks and the deep rocky gorge of the New River, scavenging for food and shelter, and living off the land as best she could, Mary arrived home to the snow-covered remains of Drapers Meadows.
What was the only hope of the two women who escaped the wilderness?
The two women made their escape into a vast, rugged wilderness in the face of an oncoming winter, with no supplies, maps, or equipment. Their determination to endure and the plan to follow the Ohio, Kanawha, and New rivers eastward to English settlements was their only hope of survival.
What was the New River area?
In that year the New River area was the far western frontier of English colonial settlement, and England and France were at war for control of North America. Mary Draper, the daughter of Scotch-Irish immigrants, was born in Philadelphia in 1731. Following a common migration route, her family eventually settled on the far western frontier ...
Where did Mary and William live after Mary's return from captivity?
Cabin by the New River where Mary and William lived out their years after Mary's return from captivity. In the year 1755, New River Gorge was the site of one of the great stories of survival and endurance in American history.
Who was Mary Ingles' neighbor?
Here, Mary's family, along with several other families, established a small farming settlement called Drapers Meadows. She married her neighbor, William Ingles, and together they built a homestead and began raising a family.
What happened to Mary and her two boys?
On arrival at the Shawnee towns her two boys were taken from her for adoption into the tribe, and Mary was given into servitude to a French trader. By October, Mary and another captive, known from history only as the "old Dutch woman" (the term "Dutch" at that time referred to German immigrants), had planned an escape.
Who were the first settlers of Drapers Meadow?
The first settlers of Drapers Meadow proper were the widow Eleanor Draper, and Thomas Ingles. Eleanor's family included her son John and daughter Mary. Thomas' family include sons William, Mathew, and John. Both families were present in the area by 1748.
Who were the children of Bettie Draper?
Bettie Draper's baby, Casper Barger and. Phillip Barger, Five settlers were taken back to Kentucky as captives to live among the tribe, including: Mary Draper Ingles, wife of William Ingles. Thomas Ingles (son of Mary Draper and William Ingles) George Ingles (son of Mary Draper and William Ingles)
How many families were in the area by 1755?
Both families were present in the area by 1748. By 1755 about 20 families were in the area. Rising tensions between the natives and western settlers were exacerbated by fighting in the French and Indian War and the encroachment on tribal hunting grounds.
How many acres did the Harmon family own?
This family owned upwards of 15,000 acres of land in the area, and their properties may have included what became the Draper's Meadow Tract. In anyevent, in 1748 much of this area was included in the Woods River Land Grant to James Patton. Shortly thereafter Harmon served as an agent for Patton, selling parcels of land in the area ...
When did the Shawnese Indians fall upon the New River?
The Massacre. The New river settlers were not permitted to escape the ravages of the Indians and the French, for on the 8th day of July, 1755, the day before Braddock's defeat, a considerable party of Shawnese Indians fell upon this settlement and wiped it out of existence.
Who was the colonel who was detained by sickness in the New River settlement?
This invasion occurred on Sunday, the 8th day of July, 1755. Colonel Patton, accompanied by William Preston, was on a visit to the New river settlement, and was detained by sickness at the house of William Inglish.
Was Draper's Meadow abandoned?
In the aftermath, Draper's Meadow was abandoned - as was much of the frontier for the duration of the French and Indian War. William Preston, who had been in Draper's Meadow on the morning of the attack but left on an errand and so was saved, eventually obtained the property, which became Smithfield Plantation.
Overview
In July 1755, a small outpost in southwest Virginia, at the present day Blacksburg, was raided by a group of Shawnee warriors, who killed at least five people including an infant child and captured five more. The Indians traveled back with their hostages to a Shawnee village in Kentucky. One of the captives, Mary Draper Ingles, later escaped and returned home on foot through the wilderness. Although many of the actual circumstances of the incident are uncertain, including th…
Location
The original 7,500 acre (30 km²) tract that became known as Draper's Meadow was awarded sometime before 1737 by Governor Robert Dinwiddie to Colonel James Patton, an Irish sea captain turned land speculator. This land was bordered by Tom's Creek on the north, Stroubles Creek on the south and the Mississippi watershed (modern-day U.S. Route 460) on the east; it approached the New River on the west. The settlement was situated on the present day campus of Virginia Te…
The Massacre
Rising tensions between the natives and western settlers were exacerbated by fighting in the French and Indian War and the encroachment on tribal hunting grounds. Recent victories by the French over the British, although north of Virginia, had left much of the frontier unprotected. In the summer of 1755 several settlements had been ravaged by the Indians. On July 9 a force of about 1300 British soldiers under the command of General Edward Braddock had been decisively defea…
The Aftermath
Draper's Meadow was abandoned, as was much of the frontier for the duration of the French and Indian War. William Preston, who had been in Draper's Meadow on the morning of the attack but left on an errand and so was saved, eventually obtained the property, which became Smithfield Plantation and later Blacksburg. Out of the surviving family members, only the Bargers returned later to reclaim their land and settle.
Historical accuracy
Except for a few scattered references to these events in contemporary reports and letters, the primary sources are:
1) the 1824 written account by Colonel John Ingles (son of Mary Ingles and William Ingles, born in 1766 after Mary's return); 2) parts of an 1843 letter by Letitia Preston Floyd (wife of Virginia Governor John Floyd and daughter of Colonel William Preston, a survivor of the Draper's Meado…
Popular culture
The story of Mary Draper Ingles' escape and journey home has inspired a number of books, films, and living history programs, including the popular 1981 novel Follow the River by James Alexander Thom, a 1995 ABC television movie Follow the River (TV movie), and the 2004 film The Captives. There is an acclaimed outdoor drama performed each summer in Radford, Virginia entitled, "Walk To Freedom: The Mary Draper Ingles Story," which details the events during the attack at Drape…