Quickly, the indians and their captives moved westward into what is now kentucky. River, ky grave of jenny wiley she escaped the indians. A second helping the church basement ladies sequel. He is credited with the rescue of the kidnapped pioneer jenny wiley from a native american raiding party at harmans station, kentucky in 1790 by piloting a crude raft made from logs and vines to transport her across the river to the safety of the blockhouse. The historic cabins at jenny lake lodge are elegant, private, and relaxing the perfect blend of modern comfort and old west charm. At big blaine creek, in jenny wiley state park the name jenny wiley remains a popular one in many sections of floyd and johnson counties. Thomas and jenny wiley had pioneered land on walkers creek in bland county, virginia. Samuel lusk and followed the river as in mary ingles escape in 1755. The story of jenny sellards wiley is one of great appalachian lore. Jenny wiley association levisa fork of the big sandy river. Jenny wiley lived in johnson county, kentucky, with her family until her death in 1831. She gave birth to a child shortly after her capture, and family lore says that she named the boy robert bruce.
Hezekiah sellards who was probably of scotchirish parentage, came to pennsylvania in 1732. Jenny wiley, who was about seven months pregnant, was captured along with a 15month old child. Rivers lend themselves to stories, and stories lend themselves to books. Save on popular hotels near jenny wiley state resort park, prestonsburg. See the complete the river series book list in order, box sets or omnibus editions, and companion titles. The true story of jennie wiley by wheeler, arville. How long jenny was held and what happened is a story that has many versions. Featuring daniel boone national forest, natural bridge state park, cumberland gap national historical park, cumberland falls state resort park, jenny wiley state resort park, kingdom come state park, grayson lake state.
Skaggs gap along the old trail that lead to this part of the country was named for them and if you will read the book dark hills to westward, which concerns the story of jenny wiley and how she was captured and what she went through while she was a captive and her escape. Those who want to stay indoors should take a look at other options such as kentucky cabin rentals or state park lodges. Jenny sellards was born in 1760 in the state of pennsylvania. The biggest attraction at jenny wiley state resort park is the spring warblers and migration. She was buried near the farm in river where she spent her final years. We hope you find this app helpful in exploring the people, places, and stories of johnson county. The revised jenny wiley trail begins at fistrap lake wildlife management area and passes through the hills of eastern kentucky for approximately 129 miles in a mostly northnorthwesterly direction. Again she was forced to swim across the river with two indians at both sides helping her. Author yen mah offers vivid descriptions of ancient chinese life during the song dynasty. The entrance to the mountain biking trails at jenny wiley state resort park is located about 4 miles from may lodge off hwy. You will be able to add numerous warblers to your list along with many sightings of american redstarts, eastern bluebirds, and bald eagles. Jenny wiley was a legendary pioneer woman who was taken captive by native americans in. Then began a nightmare flight through the wilderness into the dark kentucky hills to westward.
A spa tub is featured at this cabin, along with limotown car service. Dedicated 20 years ago, three plaques are displayed at monument, with a cross at the point of the heart. Jennys only hope for survival was to keep pace with her captors. Thomas built a small log cabin in the upper clinch river valley and the couple set about raising a family. The saga of jenny wiley kindle edition by caudill, harry m download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. According to the story, several of her children and her brother were killed at the time. The trails provide over ten miles of hiking for all ability levels, as well as a threemile mountain bike loop. Within 6 miles 10 km of this rogers cabin, youll find natural bridge state park and kentucky reptile zoo. The wiley cabin was located in present day bland county, va, on todays route 604, approximately 2 12 miles from sr 42, especially close to the old appalachean trail. By the time harman and thomas wiley got to the wiley homeplace, jennies teenaged brother and three children had been killed and mrs. Jenny wiley was a young wife and mother in 1780s virginia when a band of native americans attacked her farm, killed her children and dragged her hundreds of miles, across rugged hills and swollen rivers, to the wilderness of presentday eastern kentucky. Jenny wiley state resort park is located along the country music highway that winds north through tall pines and lush mountains.
Acquaint yourself with the natural beauty of jenny wiley state resort park on the trails. There are several sites at carter caves associated with the lost silver mine. Between 1740 and 1744, the draper family moved to the western frontier of virginia, settling in pattonsburg on the james river. There is an annual jenny wiley festival held in prestonsburg, floyd county, the second. Her story, just like many others, has the ability to shine a light to give us a clearer picture on a very difficult time period in u. So naturally, there have been a couple of great river books over the years. Jenny wiley state park, a wonderful resort park built around dewey lake, honors the school bus accident victims with a heartshaped garden and stone monument. When jenny wiley was rafted across the big sandy river by henry skaggs in 1790, the main means of transportation in the big sandy valley was by saddle horse over indian trails or pushboat on the river. Wiley, williamson, smith, snuffer, cadle, agee, sellards henry skaggs was the man who fell a snag tree to make a raft and brought it across the river to retrieve jenny wiley. From the unpublished manuscript, indian atrocities along the clinch, powell and holston rivers, pages 183196. Jenny wiley state resort park is great for a getaway or meeting check out the music highway grill restaurant, theater and more. Mary draper ingles was born in 1732 in philadelphia, pennsylvania to george and elenor hardin draper, who had immigrated to america from donegal, ireland in 1729. Jenny wiley association indian child controversary.
I passed this post on to other jenny wiley researchers with the particulars on the dna. The jenny wiley trail heritage byway embraces a 154mile loop drive in eastern kentucky. She was a pioneer woman who with her husband thomas wiley resided in bland county, virginia, was taken captive by american indians in 1789 and taken to kentucky. The material focuses on kentucky women who lived during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Find cheap deals and discount rates among them that best fit your budget. In the captivity story of kentucky heroine jenny wiley, she talks about smelting silver with her captors. Jenny wiley, captive white woman native heritage project.
Readers will be entertained by the book s fascinating details about cricket fights, calligraphy, and jade carving, to name a few. Up that stream they went to the mouth of dry fork, and up the same to its head, when they crossed the dividing ridge and proceeded down what is now called cherokee fork of big elaine creek, to a point within two miles of its mouth. I am so excited to renew the interest in the jenny wiley story. Our customers like its familyfriendly amenities and dining options.
Jenny, seven months pregnant, was taken captive along with her baby son, adam. The indians decided that it was time to kill jenny wiley. Denise smith has researched the story of jenny wiley, a white woman who was captured and held by the shawnee indians. A fictionalized account of jenny wileys captivity and escape based on her own narrative. Visit reports, news, maps, directions and info on grave of jenny wiley she escaped the indians in river, kentucky. Jennys sister lived near by with husband john borders. Skaggs permanently settled in kentucky in 1789 on pitmans creek in barren county.
Browse expedia s selection of 35 hotels and places to stay closest to jenny wiley state resort park. Johnson county has a rich history to explore including the improbable story of jennie wiley, important civil war action, and much more. There the whereabouts of jenny wiley would have probably been lost to obscurity as were many settlers taken captive. Jenny wiley that rainy day october 1, 1789, 1 was busy at her loom in a big, twostory log house situated in upper clinch river valley. She escaped after several months of captivity and, while pursued by her captors, made her way through many miles of wilderness to safety. Jenny and her husband, thomas, had five additional children. Sep 10, 2014 jenny sellards wiley passed away in 1831 of paralysis, and is buried on a hill just down from the williams farm near the tiny community of river, kentucky. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading dark hills to westward. On october 1, 1789, while thomas was away, a small band of indians, seeking revenge for a recent defeat at the hands of white settlers, attacked the wiley cabin and killed and scalped jennys three older children and her brother. Several settlements were being made on the headwaters of the big sandy the river that crosses between kentucky and west virginia on i64 today.
Jenny wiley was a young wife and mother in 1780s virginia. Excerpt from the founding of harmans station and the wiley captivity prefacenotes by russell whitlock william elsey connelley, in the founding of harmans station and the wiley captivity, includes considerable information on the levisa fork of the big sandy. The park is centered around 1,100acre dewey lake, and features the jenny wiley theatre. Here is a turnofthecentury photo of a big sandy pushboat moored at the mouth of johns creek.
The selection of handcrafts include walking sticks, coal figurines, candles and unique art work. My own thirdgreatgrandfather, aulse hicks traveled to prestonsburg, kentucky, sometime between 1790 and 1810 and we do not have a single historical document about his life. Descendants of hezekiah sellards father of jenny wiley. To the river is laings first book, a travel memoir of her walking the ouse in sussex, interspersed with the history of the river and its residents, particularly virginia however its been below 0 on and off this week so much was read in the bath, or in bed listening to watery themed music.
She was buried near the farm in river, where she spent her final. The stories of jenny wiley is the first book to not only separate the threads of history from the broadcloth of legend but also to look at the historians and storytellers who have carried her memory into the 21 st century. When john borders, a brotherinlaw, on his return from hunting lost sheep, told her that he had heard in the woods what sounded like owls hooting. Gravesite of jenny wiley jenny was held captive by the natives for several months in what is presently little mud lick creek, johnson county, kentucky. While the author only refers to this book as a guide both in the title and a few times in the text, it is quite a bit more than a simple guide book. There they find historical books, cook books and novels by kentucky authors. The lodge overlooks dewey lake, one of kentuckys manmade lakes, with over 50 miles of shoreline and offers a plethora of recreation and event opportunities. Jenny wiley state resort park is a hotel in prestonsburg. Jenny had escaped from her captors and was across the river with the indians close behind. The route provides easy access to more than 60 miles of existing recreational facilities, such as hiking trails. Both setting and emotional tension rely heavily on cliche and exclamation points. Denise tells the story, attempts to sort out the facts utilizing traditional genealogical research methods and shares her extremely indepth research in.
The book is printed in large easytoread type at an intermediate reading level. Her captivity and escape nearly a year later are vividly recounted in this book. The indians traveled on with jenny, to the waters of mud lick, down its mouth, where they formed an encampment. She was buried near the farm in river, where she spent her final years.
There are three trails of varying difficulty that offer 3 miles of excellent biking or hiking the shortloop. Jenny wiley state resort park was established in her honor just northeast of prestonsburg near highway route 23. Tour explore johnson county, kentucky explorekyhistory. Plan your road trip to jenny wiley state resort park in ky with roadtrippers. A guide to historic coal towns of the big sandy river. Jenny wiley, a young american pioneer woman, was captured by indians in the fall 1789 and witnessed the murder of her brother and five children. I am the 7th greatgrand niece of jenny wiley on my daddys side. Jenny wiley lived until 1831 and died at the age of 71 more than 40 years after her capture. Caudill expands the story of pregnant jenny wiley, who was abducted in the 1790s from her frontier home in west virginia, held captive by a band of indians for a year, forced to witness the torture killing of another captive, being traded to another group, and finally her improbable and harrowing escape to a white settlement. The story of her capture is told in several books including, white squaw, dark hills to westward, and the founding of harmans station and the wiley captivity. Along the river is a quick read that explores the importance of art and the challenges of growing up. Preface at the annual meeting in october 1999, we asked for additional accounts of the jenny wiley story as it has been handed down through the years. The survival story of jenny wiley bland county history archives.
Your eighth great grandfather was peter despain, a 5 5 34 farmer born in nc in 1764, before the revolutionary war. Creating a longdistance trail in kentucky a step closer. If you want to read further, look for the book, white squaw. The area is known locally as crackers neck the story goes that the road was so crooked, he cracked his neck driving along it. It is a wonderful and useful piece of work, especially for those who are interested in the coal camp towns along the length of the big sandy river.
Somewhere around the year 1800, the wiley family crossed the big sandy river, and settled in what is currently johnson county, kentucky. The wiley farm was sold, in 1847, to james nibert, who in turn sold it to samuel spears, in 1877. Henry longhunter skaggs 17241809 find a grave memorial. The books and printed versions of the story varies, too. I would appreciate if you could e mail me a list of books about jenny. A doctor hypnotizes her, and readers shift to the song dynasty and ccs previous life in a starcrossed romance, observing the scene in the famous painting along the river at the qing ming festival. Jenny wiley lived in johnson county with her family until her death in 1831. Hamilton the following is the unpublished manuscript, indian atrocities along the clinch, powell and holston rivers of southwest virginia, 17731794, written by the late emory l.
The survival story of jenny wiley bland county history. For the adventure paddle seeker, jenny wiley state resort park and yatesville lake state park both have kayakcanoe access only campsites that have waterfront views. This jenny wiley pamphlet was produced about 10 years after the formation of the jenny wiley state park the date of this pamphlet coincides with the formation of the jenny wiley summer music theater in 1964 and was likely an attempt by scalf to capitalize on that event or, perhaps, to help support the push to form the theater. Around 1744, george draper went on an exploratory trip into what is now west virginia, and never returned. It was impossible for the indians to cross and they decided to winter on the kentucky side of the river. She managed to escape to harmans blockhouse in what was then floyd county now johnson county, aided in. It was to that fact that jenny wiley probably owed her life. Boating we have pontoons, canoes, kayaks, and a jon boat available for rent so you can enjoy dewey lake. Wiley, along with her fifteen month old child were kidnapped. It is named after her but is not where she lived, so we also ventured out to cemetary where she is buried in river, ky after having read several books about her capture at big walker mt, virginia, her life with the indians, and her escape. The child was killed on the third day of jenny wiley s captivity trek. Annie mckinney hatfield 17641859 find a grave memorial.
While the jenny wiley association normally does not post photographs of living individuals, we think youll agree that these directdescendant youngsters are so special and beautiful, they are deserving of their own page. With a stay at this hotel in prestonsburg, guests can enjoy access to a restaurant and an outdoor pool, along with free wifi. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book. Continuing downstream, they unsuccessfully searched for a place to cross the swollen river into ohio. Jennys story the capture of jenny wiley by luther f. Some of the units feature cable flatscreen tv, a fully equipped kitchen with a microwave, and. They killed jenny wiley s brother, 15 years old, and three children. The jenny wiley trail heritage byway is a 154mile loop drive, which follows the kentucky portion of the legendary route taken by native americans with their captive jenny wiley.
This book, printed for new adult readers, is a series of nine brief biographies of famous kentucky women. This small group followed the big sandy river north to its confluence with the ohio river. Her husband thomas wiley fought in the revolutionary war and they returned to kentucky in 1800 to raise a family in a cabin near her grave site in rural river,kentuckyjohnson county. The heartbreaking story of jenny wiley appalachian magazine. Soon they heard the sound of rushing water and they came to a river where she was forced. Jenny wiley grave in river, ky johnson county music kevin macleod.
Jean jenny sellards, the daughter of hezekiah sellards, was born in pennsylvania about 1760. Several families named harman also lived in the area. Addington from the unpublished manuscript, indian atrocities along the clinch, powell and holston rivers, pages 183196. Having no way to proceed across the river, the indians turned south and made their way to the little sandy river which they ascended. A marker on route 23 directs those who wish to visit her grave at river, kentucky, and there.
The area at the time was genuinely on the edges of white civilization in america. Red river gorge is within 20 miles 32 km and cave run lake is within 32 miles 40 km. Wiley endured the slaying of her brother and five children and escaped after 11 months of captivity. Wiley and child were pressed to travel swiftly across brushy mountain and wolfe creek to the bluestone river. Hiking acquaint yourself with the natural beauty of jenny wiley state resort park on the trails. She managed to escape to harmans blockhouse in what was then floyd county now johnson county, aided in crossing a major river by longhunter henry skaggs. Searching for swifts lost silver mines kentucky living. Top 10 hotels closest to jenny wiley state resort park in. He migrated to the shenandoah valley, then to walkers creek, virginia and died in kentucky. Jenny wiley state park in floyd county, kentucky offers cabin rentals, hiking and biking trails, camping and fishing.
In approximately 1800, the wiley family crossed the big sandy river, and settled in what is. Bring a touch of luxury to your national park experience by staying at jenny lake lodge, a aaa fourdiamond resort at the foot of the teton range. They fell in love and shortly after got married at walkers cabin. At the age of about 19 she and her family moved to walkers creek virginia now known as bland county va. She met and married an irish immigrant, thomas wiley, in walkers creek, tazwell now bland county, virginia in 1778 or 1779.
When it was discovered that wiley and her baby were missing, a party led by matthias harman left walkers creek to. Formed in 1843, johnson county is located in eastern kentucky along the big sandy river. Jenny wiley state resort park, prestonsburg roadtrippers. Aug 11, 2019 being a direct decendant of jenny wiley, i along with my family really enjoyed our visit to the park. Click here to learn more about receiving a years subscription of the print edition of appalachian magazine.
Featuring a swimming pool, a restaurant and a bar and views of the lake, jenny wiley state resort park is located in prestonsburg and provides accommodations with free wifi. Jan 01, 2010 along the river is a quick read that explores the importance of art and the challenges of growing up. The survival story of jenny wiley jenny sellards was born in 1760 in the state of pennsylvania. But in this particular winter the ohio river was unusually high.
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