PAPERS OF GENERAL INTEREST 53 



gal Thomas, who was engaged to be married to Daniel 

 Boone and was on her way at the time to meet and marry 

 him, was taken by the Indians. 



"In their desperation my great grandparents, with a 

 friend and helper, bundled together what they could carry 

 in a skiff ; she, dear heart, was brave of heart but far from 

 strong, as her infant, my grandfather (their eldest) was 

 about four weeks old at the time ; but knowing death was in 

 their midst, yes, very near their home, lurked these savage 

 fiends. After night had wrapt the earth in slumber, they 

 carried their little bundles of clothes, bedding and food to a 

 landing on the river and quietly stole away, to the unknown, 

 but, as they hoped and believed, a place of safety. 



"After much care and dodging (for they often felt they 

 heard the paddle of the enemy's oar or a murmur of voices 

 not far away) they landed at what is known as Cave in 

 Rock, Illinois, on the Ohio river near Elizabethtown and 

 after wandering around for a time (which seemed an age 

 to the faint little mother) they espied what seemed to be a 

 wash in a hillside or bank. Upon investigation it proved to 

 be a cave and hearing something nearby they crept into this 

 place not knowing what awaited them as they entered, I 

 do not recall just how long the men remained, but only long 

 enough to make the wife and babe as comfortable as they 

 could under such circumstances and then they left them, 

 promising to return in a few days at most." 



Then follows an account of how this woman stayed for 

 weeks in this cave living upon roots and berries, always in 

 fear of discovery. Finally, in desperation, she found a wild 

 turkey quill, tore a leaf from her Bible, wrote with blood a 

 note and pinned it to her skirt which she hung on a bush 

 outside to attract a passing boat. This plan succeeded and 

 she was provided with food, but she refused to leave, so the 

 boatmen left her to await the return of her husband who 

 did not get back for more than two months. 



Moonshiners had their stills in secluded places in the 

 pioneer days. Stillhouse Hollow reminds us of those times, 

 and the old stone for grinding the corn lies near. The first 

 settlers were credulous people as are some of their later day 



