Pioneer Log Cabin
Pioneer Log Cabin
The Clendenin Massacre
William Jr., James, Charles and Archibald Clendenin, all born in Scotland, arrived in America through the port at Baltimore, Maryland and made their way to the Shenandoah Valley. They were among the first wave of searchers to settle in Virginia. These white families were constantly in contact with the local indigenous Shawnee and Iroquois Native Americans. There were often disputes and skirmishes among them. Mostly, they avoided each other.
On one occasion a small band of hunters came upon the Clendenin farm in a friendly manner. The Indians were invited to enjoy a meal and all seemed to be going well.
Cornstalk Shawnee
The hunting party, led by Shawnee Chief Cornstalk, returned the next day while most of the family was working in the fields. They heard screaming and a ruckus coming from the cabin. Two of the Clendenin’s Black Slaves began crying and shouting to those in the field. By the time Ann Clendenin reached the barnyard she saw an Indian murder and scalp Archibald and James Clendenin. The Indian flung the scalp of Archibald and it stuck to the side of the barn. Ann saw one Brave pick up her infant son by the ankles and dash his head against a tree, killing him instantly. Ann was tied with a rope to the shaving horse in the shed while they ransacked the log cabin. Three other children were taken captive and tied together with their mother.
Ann was a woman of little fear and long on courage. She began to fight the Indians bare-handed screaming out at the Indians with her loud voice. An Indian raised his tomahawk to strike her but she showed no fear.
After the horrible slaughter of fifty or so whites the Shawnee assembled those who had not been killed and made their way over Muddy Creek Mountain. As they crossed the creek Ann asked a woman near her to help carry her infant child. Unobserved, she slid down an embankment and hid under a shelving rock. After remaining motionless for a long time she heard heavy footsteps approaching her. In her imagination she could feel the Indian’s tomahawk crushing her skull. Peeking out of her shelter she found herself face to face with a large bear. The bear seemed as alarmed as Ann and scooted off into the thick woods.
The savages soon discovered Mrs. Clendenin’s escape and tried to lure her back by faking her infant’s cry. The next day Ann came upon her dead child, left on the trail. One can only gasp at the thoughts of this solitary woman.
Ann's daughter Jane was released many years later, fearing white settler’s reprisals.
This and other recent massacres put fright in hearts of these Pioneer families and increased the desire to provide forts to protect these white settlers. These whites were the most western outposts of civilization at this time.
Charles and his family homesteaded in the Greenbrier Valley. Several of his sons including George Clendenin served in the army under the command of Col. Andrew Lewis. They participated in several early battles during this time including Dunmore’s War of 1774 and the Battle of Point Pleasant. Three Clendenin’s appear on the wounded in battle documents. Some historians claim that this battle was in actuality the first battle of the Revolutionary war (and not Lexington or Concord. (check source) To their delight, Shawnee Chief Cornstalk was killed in this battle. {Details of this slaughter can be found in the book “The Clendenin Massacre” by Gregory A. Clendenin.}
It was during the marches on the battlefield that the Clendenin’s first laid eyes upon the rich bottom lands of the Elk and Kanawha rivers.