| Notes |
- Bob Smith on FB’s lineage- to Sam W.
HISTORY OF MONTAGUE COUNTY BY MRS W, R, POTTER
babies. But the ringing laughter of the children at
play in the sunshine dispels their momentary fear,
and they take up the thread of conversation anew.
The men in the front yard talked of everyday af-
fairs, and gave an occasional word of warning to
the newcomers about the Indians.
The day being clear and sunshiny, the entire com-
pany decided to go over to the new Willingham and
Wainscot place, as they expressed it, just to pass
the time. The following were in the number : Cash
McDonald and family, Daniel Wainscot and family,
Bob Wainscot and family, John Willingham and
family, Fine McFarland, Ike Wainscot, Jack Kil-
gore and family.
Cash McDonald drove his wagon, with a yoke of
steers hitched to it, and a number of the women
and children rode with him, the others walking leis-
urely along by its side, as steers do not travel fast.
Bob Wainscot and Jack Kilgore were a little in ad-
vance of the wagon. When they reached a point of
timber, about a quarter of a mile from the new
house, without a word of warning seven Indians
sprang out from the woods upon them, uttering un-
earthly yells as they came. Seeing their approach
to the house was cut off by the Indians the men
turned to run back to the wagon. Just after they
reached it both men were slain by the Indians. By
this time the women and children had scattered like
frightened birds, some going in one direction and
some in another. Contrary to their custom, the In-
dians did not take time to scalp their victims, but
turned their attention to the rest of the party. All
the members of the company managed to reach the
home of John Wainscot in safety, with the excep-
tion of Cash McDonald and Mrs. Bob "Wainscot. Mr.
McDonald held in his arms his two-year-old daugh-
ter, Mary (now Mrs. Andy Jackson of Bowie). He
was shot in the arm with an arrow, but fortunately
little Mary was unhurt. Notwithstanding this, he
walked twelve miles, shunning the road, for fear of
Indians, still carrying the child in his arms, reach-
ing Bill Freeman's house in the night. They pulled
the arrow from his arm, which had remained there
all of these hours, and was very painful. Mrs. Bob
Wainscot also had a thrilling experience. In the
confusion following the attack by the Indians she
became separated from her husband. Looking back,
she saw an Indian shoot her husband, who fell with
their four-year-old daughter in his arms. She sup-
posed both were killed, but the Indians passed on
and they made their way to safety. She proceeded
on her way, running with her six-weeks-old baby
in her arms. (Now Mrs. Huse Wainscot of Denver.)
She came upon Mr. Cash McDonald, who, as has al-
ready been told, had his little daughter with him.
The child was sick, and crying aloud for her mother.
They could not quiet her by any means, so Mr. Mc-
Donald said, "If Mary continues to cry this way she
may attract the Indians, and they will come and
kill us all. It is hard for you to start out through
the woods alone, but it may be the means of saving
your life and that of your baby. ' ' It was a fearful
moment, but the half distracted woman decided to
take his advice and started through the woods alone.
Having just come into the neighborhood the day be-
fore she was wholly unacquainted with the coun-
try. Her one thought was to travel in the direction
of the old home she had left. On and on the terror
stricken woman went. She traveled all the after-
noon and that night over stones and hollows, through
briars and thickets ; the next day found her between
Bradin's Bluff and Clear Creek, having traveled in
her wanderings about thirty miles. In all this time
she had eaten but two wild plums. About 12 o 'clock
that day, hungry and almost exhausted, she paused
to rest for a short time near a hollow. In the begin-
ning of her flight she had lost her sunbonnet. Her
hair had become loosened and fell about her face in
such a manner that her features could not be dis-
cerned without close scrutiny. A band of white men,
who had heard of the raid and started out to aid in
the capture of the Indians, came upon Mrs. Wain-
scot quite suddenly. Seeing her long black hair fall-
ing in Indian fashion about her face they mistook
her for an Indian squaw and paused an instant, be-
fore approaching, not knowing what might await
them. She caught a glimpse of the men, and be-
lieving them to be Indians, she ran with her baby
clasped to her breast. She hid in a washed out place
in the hillside. The men found her there, and she
was overjoyed to learn they were white men. She
poured out her story to them between sobs. One of
the men took her behind him on his horse, while an-
other carried the baby in his arms. They took her
to the home of Mr. John Wainscot, where to her
great joy she found her husband and little daugh-
ter.
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1813 - 1886 (72 years)