Narrative of Mrs. Clendenin – Indian Captivities

Narrative of the Destruction of the Settlement of Green-Brier, Virginia, together with the capture and surprising conduct of Mrs. Clendenin, who was among those Who Escaped the Tomahawk of the Indians at that Massacre. After peace was confirmed between England and France in the year 1761, the Indians commenced hostilities in 1763,  when all the inhabitants in Greenbrier were totally cut off by a party of Indians, headed by the chief warrior Cornstalk.  The principal settlements were on Muddy Creek. These Indians, in number about sixty, introduced themselves into the people’s houses under the mask of friendship, where every civility … Read more

Biography of Maj. John P. Clendenin

MAJ. JOHN P. CLENDENIN. This gentleman, the register of public lands at Harrison, Arkansas, is capable, efficient and trustworthy, and in the discharge of his official duties has shown that he is the ” right man in the right place.” The Major was born in Louisville, Kentucky, September 4, 1839, a son of James M. and Eliza (Peay) Clendenin, the former of whom was born in Harford County Md., in 1796, and was a son of John Clendenin who was also born in that State and who was a soldier of the Revolutionary War. The name is of Scotch origin, … Read more

Indian Captivity Narratives

The Abduction of Daniel Boone's Daughter by the Indians

This collection contains entire narratives of Indian captivity; that is to say, we have provided the reader the originals without the slightest abridgement. Some of these captivities provide little in way of customs and manners, except to display examples of the clandestine warfare Native Americans used to accomplish their means. In almost every case, there was a tug of war going on between principle government powers, French, American, British, and Spanish, and these powers used the natural prowess of the Indians to assist them in causing warfare upon American and Canadian settlers. There were definitely thousands of captivities, likely tens of thousands, as the active period of these Indian captivity narratives covers 150 years. Unfortunately, few have ever been put under a pen by the original captive, and as such, we have little first-hand details on their captivity. These you will find here, are only those with which were written by the captive or narrated to another who could write for them; you shall find in a later collection, a database of known captives, by name, location, and dates, and a narrative about their captivity along with factual sources. But that is for another time.