MARY NEELY

Mary Neely was born fourth of a family often children, born to William and Margaret (Patterson) Neely, near the Tench Broad River, in the State of South Carolina, on the 20th day of August, 1761. Her parents were of Irish and Welsh extraction. At what date they came to America is not known, or whether they were born in South Carolina. Neither is it material to the subject of this sketch. Mary seemed to be a great favorite of her father’s, but in that early day schools were scarce, and books were few, and nothing like system was attempted in what few schools there were in the rural districts; and owing to circumstances that followed, six weeks was all the schooling she ever had Her early days were spent, as those of most of those hardy pioneers, in carding and spinning wool and flax, and assisting the men in their endeavor to make a living for the family. She was just past her eighteenth birthday when her father became restless, on account of the Indians being driven back, and concluded to emigrate to the Territory (then belonging to North Carolina), now State of Tennessee. Moving a family at that time, and in that direction was a hazardous undertaking. So her father, with six other pioneers, set about making preparations to move their household effects, he choosing a large poplar tree in which the country abounded, and dug out for himself a canoe the dimensions of which were 56 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 3 feet deep, the largest of the fleet, made tom a single tree; but there were some that were of larger dimensions, but made tom two trees. When it was completed he added 4 inches to the depth by nailing on strips into which, after launching, he placed 7 grindstones for ballast. After selling his landed possessions for thirty thousand dollars in Continental money, he loaded his household goods into this canoe, leaving the balance of the family to come by land, bringing with them 96 head of cattle and some forty head of horses, to what is now Neely's Bend, in the Cumberland River, some ten or twelve miles east of the present site of Nashville, Tennessee, the Bend fleet he embarked on their perilous enterprise down that crooked stream

to its junction with the Tennessee; then down the Tennessee to nearly opposite Nashvilk, near the Mussel Shoals, then across the country, stopping where the City of Nashville now stands, where they found an unfinished pole cabin, but they were ataid to remain on account of the many signs of Indians, but journeyed on in a short time, to the present site of the village of Goodlettsville, some two miles north of the junction of Louisville and Nashville Railroad, and its Henderson Branch, and there built a fort the remains of which were still visible in 1873, and I presume are, to this day. Here some twenty families gathered for mutual protection, with between 30 and 40 men able to bear arms. William Neely was chosen leader, as his counsels were sought in every enterprise. Neely put his stock, both horses and cattle, down in the bend of the river for the purpose of getting food, being protected to some extent tom marauding bands of Indians. One of the great needs to all civilized nations is salt, and to their great delight they discovered a small spring on the bank of the River tom which they could supply that demand, although it is so strongly impregnated with sulphur that its use now for the manufacture of salt would not be thought offor a moment; but to those sturdy pioneers it was a God-Send The stock required no feed except what they could get tom the cane brakes and pea vine; but not so with the people, although bear, deer, and turkeys were abundant.

 The great danger was in hunting them, but a brave man, such as composed that little band of Spartans, will brave any danger to appease the hunger of his wife and little ones. In this manner did they live, some guarding while others felled the great giant of the forests. The following summer they had to live on meat and vegetables, as their little stock offlour and meal was long ago exhausted. But tom the mapks that were abundant in the bend tom which they could supply themselves with sugar and molasses, with plenty of meat, and vegetables, which grew luxuriantly, they managed to keep soul and body together until roasting ears grew; but when the corn became hard a new dificulty presented itself-they had some corn, but no mill to grind it; but as necessity is the mother of invention, they soon made a mortar in which they pounded it, taking the finest for bread, while they made hominy of the coarser. It was at this incident the incident occurred which changed the whole course of young Mary’s life. Part of the men were at the Spring, about 2.5 (Two and one hal]) miles tom the fort clearing off ground for cultivation. This location was considered comparatively safe, as no sign of Indians had been noticed for quite a while. On Tiday evening Mary concluded to go with some of the men to the spring; having the chills at the time, she thought the water would be beneficial to her, taking some of the softest corn with her to grate for a hoe cake for her father’s supper. About two hours before sunset her father told the men all to go to the fort, and he and Mary would stay there alone. Some of the men protested, saying it was dangerous to leave him and Mary thus exposed; but he being a man w it ho ut fear thought there was no danger, and persisted in remaining. Seeing expostulations and persuasion was of no avail, the men went to the fort. No sooner were the men out of sight then three Indians that had been lurking in the cane, whose eagle eyes saw that his gun was some little distance tom him, sprang upon him before he could reach his gun, and cleft his head open with their savage tomahawk, while Mary stood, thoughtless of her own safety, hollering to him to run for his gun; but when the murderous tomahawk had done its work, she fainted; and when consciousness returned, two Indians had her one by each arm, dragging her more dead than alive, to their canoe, which was concealed in the cane. She could have secreted herself easily where she might have remained safe until the men returned tom the fort had she had presence of mind to have done so, but heroine as she was, to see that dear father struck down in the vigor of his manhood, was too much for her poor young heart to bear. Through her long life afterwards, she would refer to that as the saddest day of her whole life. Poor child-who would doubt this, a girl nineteen years of age, full of hope in anticipation of a bright future, seeing her father’s life blood flowing tom his dear head; then, as if that was not enough to satisfy their savage brutality, to tear tom that head the scalp, more savage than a hyena. Think of this, you that were born in the lap of luxury, surrounded by tiends and all the blessings that civilization brings, what our grandfathers and grandmothers had to endure, those that first tried to make a permanent settkment in Kentucky and Tennessee, yea, we may add, tom the Atlantic to beyond the great Father of Waters, even to the Pacific Ocean. After the murdering of Mary’s father, they made haste to get away. They crossed over the river to the north and travekd for three days due north before they came to the balance of their band; and when they reached their savage comrades Mary fully expected they would murder and scalp her; but to her astonishment, they did not. Then she concluded she was spared for future torture, well knowing their savage nature. The Indians held a council, and finally gave her the choice of becoming the wife of a young buck of her choice or a servant to the chief and she chose the servant’s place.

 Little did she think when she made the choice that it would be respected, but the idea of becoming the wife of the brute who murdered her father was so repulsive to her nobk nature that death would have been far preferable. For three weeks after her father was killed she could not shed a tear. She often said afterwards that she felt she would give the world if she could cry, but her poor heart was too full. All that long and weary march, when unperceived by the Indians, she would make marks on the tees to guide those who might pursue, or as a guide to her if she should make her escape, but, poor child, their vigilant eye was ever on her. Day after day, and night after night, did she watch, wait and hope for deliverance, but, alas! Hope would spring up to be dashed to the ground Even the stars through the long watches of the night seemed to mock her in her misery. One day, while brooding over her desolation, the tears began tofill her eyes, and when she could weep, what a relief to her poor heart, which she continued to do for many days. Finally, one of the savages said, "What makes you cry so" She replied, "You killed my father". As if to pacify her grief he said, "If I had known it was your father, I would not have killed him ", which seemed to her savage mockery. Day after day did she perform the work assigned her, but not willing. They kept her hands bound as a precaution against her attempting to escape, binding her in the evening and taking them off in the morning, when her services were wanted A favorite pastime with them in the evening was to get out the scalps they had taken, to dry them in tont of the fire. What must have been her feelings, to see those demons take her father’s scalp and hold it up before her eyes, pretending to be drying it, and as though that was not enough, would trim off the corners and cast them at her feet, when she would collect them together, make a hole in the ground with her hands, and bury them, which she did with her hands crossed and bound in tont of her. Her captors did not cease their vigilant watch over her for a long time, but after they had reached the vicinity of the Mammoth Cave, in Kentucky, they became kss watchful, and allowed her to sleep unbound One night, whik encamped under a beech tee into which a grape vine had climbed, she watched her opportunity, when her enemies were asleep, climbed up and secreted herself among its branches, remaining there until morning, when search was made for her, but she nowhere could be found She becoming aware that they would not leave camp without making a more thorough search and would remain there longer than she could remain in the tree, answered their call and came down, to their great delight, for they had found by this time that she was too valuable a servant to give up. When she was captured she had afew needles which she well knew how to use, and did what sewing they required. By this time winter had come, and in a short time the smallpox made its appearance, when the whole band was sticken with that dreadful disease, except an old squaw. Mary was broken out all over her body, and swelled to such an extent that she had to stand on her hands and knees, which were the only spots that were not covered with sores. Little did she think when she made the choice that it would be respected, but the idea of becoming the wife of the brute who murdered her father was so repulsive to her nobk nature that death would have been far preferable. For three weeks after her father was killed she could not shed a tear. She often said afterwards that she felt she would give the world if she could cry, but her poor heart was too full. All that long and weary march, when unperceived by the Indians, she would make marks on the tees to guide those who might pursue, or as a guide to her if she should make her escape, but, poor child, their vigilant eye was ever on her. Day after day, and night after night, did she watch, wait and hope for deliverance, but, alas! Hope would spring up to be dashed to the ground Even the stars through the long watches of the night seemed to mock her in her misery. One day, while brooding over her desolation, the tears began tofill her eyes, and when she could weep, what a relief to her poor heart, which she continued to do for many days. Finally, one of the savages said, "What makes you cry so" She replied, "You killed my father". As if to pacify her grief he said, "If I had known it was your father, I would not have killed him ", which seemed to her savage mockery. Day after day did she perform the work assigned her, but not willing. They kept her hands bound as a precaution against her attempting to escape, binding her in the evening and taking them off in the morning, when her services were wanted A favorite pastime with them in the evening was to get out the scalps they had taken, to dry them in tont of the fire. What must have been her feelings, to see those demons take her father’s scalp and hold it up before her eyes, pretending to be drying it, and as though that was not enough, would trim off the corners and cast them at her feet, when she would collect them together, make a hole in the ground with her hands, and bury them, which she did with her hands crossed and bound in tont of her. Her captors did not cease their vigilant watch over her for a long time, but after they had reached the vicinity of the Mammoth Cave, in Kentucky, they became kss watchful, and allowed her to sleep unbound One night, whik encamped under a beech tee into which a grape vine had climbed, she watched her opportunity, when her enemies were asleep, climbed up and secreted herself among its branches, remaining there until morning, when search was made for her, but she nowhere could be found She becoming aware that they would not leave camp without making a more thorough search and would remain there longer than she could remain in the tree, answered their call and came down, to their great delight, for they had found by this time that she was too valuable a servant to give up. When she was captured she had afew needles which she well knew how to use, and did what sewing they required. By this time winter had come, and in a short time the smallpox made its appearance, when the whole band was sticken with that dreadful disease, except an old squaw. Mary was broken out all over her body, and swelled to such an extent that she had to stand on her hands and knees, which were the only spots that were not covered with sores.

She was blind for four days, and to add to her misery, she was without clothing of any kind except a cotton garment, and a blanket, and all the fire she had was a small stick and the end of which was set on fire, and by steadily pushing it against a large log kept herselftom teezing. As there were none to wait on her, and if the Indians had not been similarly afflicted she would have gotten but little care. While she was thus afflicted, their scanty supply of meat gave out, and they were reduced to the painful necessity of drinking bear’s oil of which the Indians seemed to always carry a supply, but of which she could not partake, as her stomach rebelled. if the Indians had not been similarly afflicted she would have gotten but little care. While she was thus afflicted, their scanty supply of meat gave out, and they were reduced to the painful necessity of drinking bear’s oil of which the Indians seemed to always carry a supply, but of which she could not partake, as her stomach rebelled.

When the pox began sloughing off the old squaw made her an ointment of the leaves of the prickly pear, and bear’s oil, and gave her to an oint her face and hands, which effectually prevented them tom leaving scars. When the pox began sloughing off the old squaw made her an ointment of the leaves of the prickly pear, and bear’s oil, and gave her to an oint her face and hands, which effectually prevented them tom leaving scars. When the indians recovered they soon procured meat enough to satisfy their immediate wants, and that is all the indians seem to care for. It was now spring of the year, and they set off north, hunting and skulking in the brush for white men who, at time, had to depend on game for their supply offood Sometimes the Indians would be entirely out of anything to eat and would resort to the bear's oil, which poor Mary could not drink.

On one occasion they were without food for ten days, and all the poor girl had to eat during that time was a piece of white oak bark that she peeled with her knife, which she had carried with her since her capture. On the tenth day, about ten o clock they killed a bear, but were ataid to remain long in that locality, so they cut out such parts as they desired, and Mary cut about a pound of the fat along the loin, and devoured raw, which, of course, came near costing her her life; but the old squaw made herself useful in her case, gave her some tea made of herbs, and she soon was relieved There is one good trait in the character of the Indians-they will divide whatever they have to eat even with their prisoners. At a subsequent time they killed a quail and divided it into fourteen parts, not omitting to divide the entrails. On another occasion they killed a large blacksnake on which they feasted That summer seemed to be hard on them. They were passing through the Indiana Territory, and theirs was a small band, only fourteen, including their captive. Three or four of that number were squaws, and they were in constant dread of the whites. They camped at the Tench Licks for some days, while there, and in sore distress for something to eat, an eruption occurred just after dark about a quarter of a mile northeast of their camp. A great flash of light seemed to burst tom the ground, accompanied by loud report, which shook the earth for quite a distance, which greatly excited the Indians. The bucks all went to ascertain the cause. When they started they gave strict orders that no noise was to be made at the camp, but they had not been gone a great while when a deer that had probably been tightened by the explosion, or the Indians, came running in the direction of the camp. Not withstanding the positive orders of the old chief his old squaw pointed to Mary and to the gun, when the girl raised the gun and killed the deer in its tracks. The Indians supposing the whites had attacked them, came running back to ascertain the cause of the disturbance. They were told that it was Mary who had fired the gun and killed the deer. On the instant the old chief raised his tomahawk to brain her for daring to disobey him, when the old squaw caught his arm and pointed to the deer, when his wrath immediately subsided, and he appeared greatly delighted. The following day the Indians revisited the locality where the great light burst up tom the ground the night previous, and brought back many specimens which they supposed was lead ore, but when they failed to melt it with all the appliances they possessed, they pronounced it money. Specimens of silver have been found there occasionally ever since, and no doubt there is a deposit of silver ore in that vicinity, to what extent is not known.

The Indians now commenced their march to the north, keeping as close to the Wabash River as possible. The next winter found them in northern Indiana. Here they suffered much tom the cold of the long winter that followed. Think of it, you that have warm houses, and comfortable clothing, of spending a winter in northern Indiana out of doors with no shelter but the starry heavens, no clothing but a thin cotton garment and a blanket. It was during that winter that the incident occurred that caused quite an unusual stir among the Indians. They had gotten so far away with their captive, that they were comparatively careless with her, supposed she never could get away tom them, and they had ceased to keep such a close watch on her. So, one night she lay down after a hard day’s work, rolled herself up in her blanket, and was soon oblivious to her surroundings. During the night it began to snow, and by daylight there had more than afoot in depth fallen. When the Indians got up no Mary was to be seen. They made search for her in all directions, without success. Finally, abandoning the hope of ever finding her, one of the Indians threw a pole back in the snow, which fell with considerable weight on her, and with a spring she was on her feet in an instant, to the amazement and delight of the Indians. When she awoke she was in profuse perspiration. After the first exclamation of joy at her discovery, their brutal instincts returned, and they compelled her to cut and carry twenty poles to burn before they would allow her to come to the fire to warm.

Finally, warm weather returned, when the band went out on foraging expeditions, coming in bringing many scalps with them, and some horses. After a time the horses strayed, and all hands, including Mary, were sent or went to hunt them. Mary and the chiefs son‘s wife went in company. Mary had a rising on the bottom ofher foot, caused by a bruise which made her quite lame. Consequently, she could not walk as fast as her companion. The little squaw asked her why she did not walk faster. When she replied she could not on account of the sore on her foot, to which the squaw made reply, "Let me see it", and when she held her foot up for inspection the little savage hit it with a large club she was carrying, which rendered her foot so painful that she was compelled to go to camp, where Mary laid in her complaint to the old squaw; and when her husband came in she told of the treatment Mary had received, whom the Chief called into his presence, and she corroborated the story of the old squaw, and exhibited her foot. This enraged the old chief and he called up the young squaw, and administered to her such a beating as Mary had never witnessed before; in fact, until she was sorry and pleaded for the young brute. Although her treatment by the Indians was brutal in the extreme, yet she was of such a tender and sympathetic disposition that she rebelled at unnecessary punishment.

The next move the Indians made was toward the east. In their journeying they came to a British trading post, presided over by a British officer, where the Indians halted and bought some trinkets of the officer, the officer taking in exchange human scalps, among which was Mary’s own father’s. She tried to get him to buy her of the Indians, to which he replied, saying he would buy no more live scalps, when all the indignation that her young heart could muster arose, and she commenced to taunt him with his nefarious business, which so aroused his ire that he threatened to cleave her head tom her shoulders, which she dared him to do. In that house, strung on a wire, she saw infants’ scalps, the hair on which was not more than an inch long. What think, kind reader, of a government that will resort to such nefarious measures, murdering women and children? It may be said that the government did not do that; but they did by their savage tools. Here was a man, a British subject, an officer of her army, and in its pay, stationed there for the purpose of inciting the Indians to murder; not only so, but to buy the scalps of infants and their mothers, that had been butchered no wonder the British government will not allow these things published in their history of the war of the Revolution. It is a disgrace that will never be effaced tom its history. No other civilized government on earth has ever resorted to such measures. No wonder the brave hearts of the Irish people rebel at their tyranny. The heart turns sick at the contemplation of such deeds of infamy; and turning tom the dark deeds, we are about to enter a brighter chapter. They were now nearing Deto it, Michigan, and camped just outside of the stockade, where the Tench showed Mary every kindness; in-fact, it was their business to buy or steal prisoners tom the Indians. In her case, the Tenchman who undertook to get her away took a plan which he was sure would succeed. That is, he tied the effects of fire water; so he brought them a quart of whiskey of which they all pertook very teely, except the old chief who remained sober to watch, as is the Indian custom. The Tenchman remained talking with the Indian until near sunset; then he informed the old Chief that his wife would want the cup to put milk in to feed the baby during the night, well knowing he would order Mary to return it to its owner. The chief turned to her and bade her take the cup home, when she pretended to refuse (as she was sick with the chills at the time), she well knowing that he would repeat the order, which he did with a threat of splitting her head open with the tomahawk if she refused; when she arose, going to their treasure box (as she carried the keys), unlocking it with the intention of getting a pair of silver show buckles that belonged to her, but was unable, in her excitement to get but one; and ataid to delay, left the keys in the lock, not wishing to take anything belonging to them. Imagine, if you can, the joy that was welling up in her heart, mingled with fear, that after two long years of most cruel imprisonment she was now about to be tee; but that some move made, a word spoken, might dash all her hopes to the ground. She thought of home, of tiends, although she knew she was separated tom them by hundreds of miles; but she hoped to yet be spared to see them. The terrible uncertainty of her escape being successful, seconds seemed hours to her. She, when prudence dictated to her to tarry no longer, took the cup and hastened as fast as she could to her destination. The lady to whom she was sent was standing in her yard when she arrived, told her to throw the cup over the fence, and go with her brother, waiting to accompany her, which she did. The brother taking off his own coat and hat bade her put them on and he tied a handkerchief around his head, as was the custom of many of the Tench. When they arrived at the gate of the stockade, it was nearly dark, and the gate closed. Her guide made the usual request to be admitted, when the guard answered, "Who comes there?" "A tiend to the King", was his response; but turning to her, in a low whisper, said, "A tiend to our country at present." They were admitted and Mary was taken to her tiend’s mother, who at first concealed her in the cellar. The next day the whole town was aroused, and a vigilant search made, which was unsuccessful. Going to the lady where she returned the cup to inquire she said the girl came to the gate and threw the cup in the yard, and went off as if she was mad. After making thorough search outside of the stockade, they inquired of the guards at the gate, who said no woman had passed through the gate on the evening before, but two men had, which completely put them off their scent. After a few days they ceased their search for the time being. Mary was kept in the cellar for a few days; then the old Tench lady moved her up stairs and gave her some sewing to do, and she remained unmasked for about three weeks, until one day, unthoughtedly, she stood up tont of the window to shake the wrinkles out of a shirt she had just finished. Just opposite a tailor had a shop and saw her; and in a few days he got drunk and told the Indians, and they came and demanded to search for her, which could not be denied, as the post was in the hands of the British, and they had their garrison to enforce their orders; and why should they not let their tiends (the Indians) search, if need be help them, capture women and children, well knowing in many cases the Indians would scalp their victims and burn them at the stake. Shame! Shame! on a nation that would resort to such methods to gain a victory. But, thanks to our great creator they were not permitted to carry out their hellish designs in enslaving a people that had tasted of liberty although thrice baptized in blood The great watch-word to them was "Liberty or death.. So thorough was their search for Mary, the old Tenchman put her in his money vault, built in the wall of the house, where she stood on thousands in gold and silver, so ataid she dared not breathe, even. She was ataid the beating of her heart would attract their attention.

So cautious was her tiend in concealing her that he had whitewashed the door so it would appear as the wall of the house; but had to leave the key hole open to furnish air. Oh, what think you, kind reader, must have been her feelings after braving all the dangers she had passed through, and when she had unexpectedly found tiends, to be thus basely be tayed, each moment expecting to be discovered, when a move of the foot or a loud breath would betray her hiding place and surely cost her, her life; when within touch of those savage brutes she could hear threats that they would burn her alive if they ever got hold of her again. But thanks to an overruling Providence, they were not permitted to find her, and she lived many years afterwards, to relate these tales to her children, grandchildren, and her great-great grandchildren. Finally, the indians gave up the search and she remained with her tiends for some weeks. But such was the constant dread of the enemy that her tiends were compelled to send her out to an island, about nine miles tom the shore, which was the first time in over two years she could breathe easily. There she found about ninety who had been prisoners like herself waiting for a vessel to take them away. Finally, a vessel landed and they were bidden to come aboard, which invitation did not need to be repeated when all was ready, they set sail for the East; but, mind you, they were yet in the hands of the British Government, and prisoners of war. How does that sound, prisoners of war. But such was the fact. When they got out on Lake Erie they encountered a severe gale, which became so severe they were liable to go to the bottom any minute. The passengers and crew were ordered below, and every wave sweeping the deck, the hatches batted down, and everybody sea sick, nearly. Mary tried it for a while and she concluded she would rather take the chances of being washed overboard than be cooped up in that intolerable stench; so when the hatches were raised to admit air she ran up the stairway and refused to go down again. The captain seeing her pluck, caught her by the hand and with the other caught a ring around the mast, and in that way they were able to stay on deck until the storm passed. Finally, they landed, when they obtained a rowboat to take them to Niagara Falls, which they were unacquainted with, and came near going over. Being rescued, they disembarked and walked down to Lake Ontario, where they embarked for Lake Champlain, and where they arrived in due course of time. Here a new difficulty to Mary arose (The first intimation that she was a prisoner of the British Government) and where she found an officer ready to take their paroles. She and two other girls and an old man had set out alone to go south;
The Colonel; for that was his rank, ordered them to halt, but Mary urged them on, saying they were no soldiers, and would sign no parrot; but the officer was persistent, telling them he would not permit them to go unless they signed it. Finally, after he had followed them a little way, Mary turned to him and said; "If you follow us to that bend in the road, I will cut a switch, and these two girls and I will give you such a switching as you never experienced in your life. He persisting in his efforts to get them to sign, and they refusing, Mary told him she could not be a soldier, but she could run bullets. "Now, she said, when almost to the turn in the road "You dare go around that turn so as to be out of sight of your soldiers, and we will whip you so you cannot walk back", and she stepped to the side of the road and began to cut the switch, when he hesitated and finally stopped, when the General mounted a stump and hallered for the girls who had backed out the Colonel, when Mary remarked, "Cheer up, girls, the General is not against us " and the Colonel left them without further mokstation, to pursue their journey. By this time winter had set in, but the feeling of being tee and on their road home filled Mary with new hope. Who can imagine what her thoughts were, hundreds of miles away tom her kindred, not knowing that one of them were alive, and they having no intelligence tom her, not knowing whether she was dead or alive.
A foot without money, except a few dollars, and in a country where prisoners were continually passing and the people unable to do much for them, she struggled on until she reached Philadelphia, where she got in company with a family by the name of Riddle, that were going to Virginia, and she engaged to go with them; that is, they agreed to let her go if she would pay her own way, and help them drive the stock, to which she readily consented, and she made herself useful, as the sequel will prove; for when they got to the Susquehanna River, there was an old kaky skif there, and she asked permission to ferry herself across, of the ferryman, which he readily consented, not thinking she could manage a boat, but when he saw how soon she was on the other side of the river, he was undeceived. The family all got across, and all their stock except an unruly cow, which they could not get into the boat. Mary told the ferryman if he would take her across she would bring the cow over. Seeing her exploit with the skiff he consented to do so; when she landed she caught the cow by the nose with one hand and by the horn with the other, and led her until they reached the other shore. Young ladies, how many of you of the present day could or would do that? Not many, I fancy. The family with which she journeyed finally reached their destination in Virginia in midwinter. Here Mary stopped with a family by the name of Spears, where she was employed as a domestic. Now she was away tom the fear of molestation of Indians, and for the first time in nearly three years she enjoyed the luxury of sleeping in a bed. All this time she had a faithful brother who had not ceased his inquiry for her, although most of the family had given her up for dead. During her absence her mother had been killed by the Indians, also some of her brothers. This faithful brother mounted his horse, rode through Kentucky and into Virginia, looking and inquiring of emigrants, when he fell in company with a man who saw her hold the cow in the ferryboat while crossing the Susquehanna River, which he related and farther stated that she was left-handed, which clue slight as it was, gave her brother hope, and he kept on his journey inquiring of everyone that he hoped to gain any information tom. Finally, he stopped on Sabbath to feed his horse. Just as the farmer had given the horse his feed, the brother inquired if he knew of any one that had been a prisoner with the Indians. He said yes, there was girl at the old man Spears’, that had come there last winter, and after a further description of her, he mounted his horse without giving him time to eat, and put out to see it was his long lost sister. When he arrived she had gone to church, and he sat and conversed with the old man, who satisfted him that it was none other than his sister. Finally the old man Spears saw his daughter, wife, and Mary coming down the lane, and he said to Neely, "There come three women down the lane; is either of those your sister?" He looked a moment, and replied, "Yes, the one in the middle is ". When the women came in, Mary passed by him, and threw her bonnet and shawl on the bed, when he raised his head to observe her. With an exclamation of delight she sprang into his arms, exclaiming "My Brother!" "My Brother!" Oh! What a delightful reunion, dear reader. Can you imagine, then the intelligence tom home, mother dead, two brothers, also, butchered by the inhuman and relentless savages. Home broken up and the remnant of the family had to flee for their lives. But after three long years, midst dangers such as fall to the lot of very few, indeed, she was permitted to behold the face of a dear brother. Truly, it was happiness, mingled with sorrow. In a few days she and her brother set out on one horse for Carpenter’s Station, in Lincoln Co., Ky., (now Casey), where they arrived in due time, and where she met an older sister, and the remnant of the family; but further progress towards their home in Tennessee was hazardous in the extreme.

On the 24th day of February, 1785, Mary was united in marriage to George Spears, shortly after which she and her husband moved to Greene County, Ky. and lived in the outside house of the settlement for four years. Many times did they have to flee to the fort (Grey’s) and twice to Carpenter’s sixty miles away. Many an Indian was made to bite the dust by an unerring rifle in the hands of a Neely. As one of Mary’s brother told the writer, he had killed six of the rascals, but that had not compensated him for the tiends they had killed. This brother (Samuel) was with his mother when she was killed, he only nineteen years of age, but he had the satisfaction of killing their chief who, he supposed, killed his mother. On another occasion he killed five while they were crossing the Tennessee River. He would shoot the one paddling the canoe, and by the time another would get the paddle and get the canoe straightened on its course, he would shoot that one, and so on until he killed fwe out of eight that started across. The old man, in relating the circumstance many years after, said if the river had been wide enough he would have gotten them all. This brother remained in Neely's Bend and lived to a good old age, surrounded by a large family of children. He and his companion lie buried near the old homestead. His wife was a Watkins, a sister of the late Samuel Watkins, founder of the Watkins Institute, Nashville, TN.

Mrs. Spears, seeing the great need of a physician in the early settling of Kentucky, and having gained a considerable knowledge of the Indians how to treat the prevailing diseases of the country, now turned her attention to the study of medicine, more particularly the teatment of white swelling, or hip disease, and chronic sores, in which she was very successful. Such became her fame that her practice extended for many miles, hundreds of cases coming to her house, until at times it was converted into a veritable hospital. For fifty years she treated white swelling, with success in every case, never failing in a single instance, while the medicaltaternity were pronouncing it incurable.

Still, they called her a quack, little up-starts that had M D. attached to their names, would sneer at the idea of a woman knowing about the sciences. But she cared about as much for their abuse as a good general would if an enemy was to fire tow wads at his army out of a pop-gun. But as time went on such men as Dr. Dudley of Kentucky, McDowell and Merriman of St. Louis, and many other eminent physicians acknowledged her ability particularly in the treatment of white swelling or hip disease, chronic sores, and in fact, almost every disease that the human family was subject to and sent her many cases, in the treatment of which she was very successful. She never despaired of effecting a cure in the worst cases that presented themselves and was successful in a remarkabk degree, in fact, a failure in her case was a rare exception in which she took great delight, not in the fact that she could and did cure cases that were pronounced incurable, but tom a consciousness that she was doing a duty that was incumbent upon her; neither did she exult in the fact that she was in possession of knowledge that others were not, as no one was more willing to impart knowledge than she, and often times would say, during the latter part of her life that she would be glad to communicate all the knowledge she had acquired if any one was willing to learn. But it seemed as if those near her acted as though they felt she would always be with them, as two or three generations had come and gone during her life, and yet she remained, and but few would be willing if they had the knowledge, to undergo the hardships that she did for the compensation that she received, which did not amount to a decent board bill. I have in mind a son of Mr. Mumford, who laid out the town which bore his name in Kentucky, who had the misfortune to be thrown tom a cart on which was a hogs head of tobacco, and falling under the wheel had his leg broken, or, rather 2.25 inch of both bones crushed and broken through, Mr. Mumford being a man of means, sent and had four of the most noted surgeons of the State to visit his son, whose unanimous opinion was the leg must be amputated; but the boy was fifteen years old, and let them know he had something to say; he said, "Send for Mrs.. Spears, if she says cut it off so be it; I will never consent unless she says so." So his father posted a boy after her, 35 miles, and she returned with him the same evening. The most noted surgeon who had come ninety miles, stayed to see (as he expressed it) what an old woman would do with a case like that. Well, he had the pleasure of seeing what she would do with it. This was in April and she said to him, "You come back in October, and I will show you that leg sound and well." "Well! Madam" said he, "In four days that leg and boy both will be under the ground." "Never fear, "was her laconic reply. And sure enough, in October following, he drove ninety miles to his utter astonishment, found the boy sound and well, and further, said it was the greatest feat in surgery that had ever been performed. He reported it as such to the medical journals of that day. These facts I obtained tom a younger brother in 1873, who is willing to make an affidavit to every word. The brother lived to be sixty-five years old. Many other cases as remarkable could be recited and ver fled by indubitable evidence but we deem it unnecessary, as if all the good deeds of this remarkable woman were written, they would fill a large volume, for it seemed her whole business in life was to do good to others. If she had charged as other physicians did for their services, she could have been twice a millionaire, but her whole life seemed spent in doing good to others and without compensation. Never was it too cold, or the weather too stormy for her to go to the relief of suffering. Her husband had served a short time during the Revolutionary War, when he was only sixteen years old, when the Indians had been driven out of that part of Kentucky, and were giving the Government a good deal of trouble in Indiana Territory. General Harrison called on Governor Shelby for troops. Mr. Spears raised a company, and went as its lieutenant, and continued in the service until their services were no longer needed Tom the close of the War of 1812-15 they were permitted to live in peace and by their own fireside. She continued to live in Greene County, Ky. Until August 10th, 1824. This was when they sold their possessions and moved to Sangamon County, (now Menard) Illinois. At that time was wild and sparsely settled, where the Indians still remained, but not in their immediate vicinity. They came to hunt every fall, but were tiendly. Blackhawk did stir up a fuss in 1833.

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