Barbara Cooper Dick, mother Garnet Lively Cooper, grandmother Bessie Lively Fisher, Great grandmother, Anna Margaret Thomas Fisher. captive of Chief Bull.-- Barb Dick Ladyyellowrose@webtv.net
SOURCE: History of the Early Settlement & Indian Wars of West Virginia by Wills DE HASS, 1851.
During the following year (1758), the savages again reappeared east of the mountains, & spread desolation & terror wherever they went..A party of about 50 Indians, penetrated the neighborhood of Mill creek, about 9 miles south of Woodstock. This was pretty thickly settled; & among other houses, George PAINTER had erected a large log one, with a good sized cellar. On the alarm being given, the neighboring people took refuge in this house. Late in the afternoon they were attacked. Mr. PAINTER attempting to fly, had 3 balls shot through his body, & fell dead, when the others surrendered. The Indians dragged the dead body back to the house, threw it in, plundered the house of what they choose, & then set fire to it. While the house was in flames, comsuming the body of Mr. PAINTER, they forced from the arms of their mother 4 infant children, hung them up in trees, shot them in savage sport, & left them hanging. They then set fire to the stable containing sheep & calves. After these atrocities, they moved off with 48 prisoners; among whom were Mrs. PAINTER, 5 of her daughters, & 1 of her sons; a Mrs. SMITH & several of her children; a Mr. FISHER & several of his children, among them a lad of 12 or 13 years old, a fine well grown boy & remarkably fleshly. This little fellow it will be seen, was destined to be the victim of savage cruelty.
Two of PAINTER's sons & a young man by the name of Jacob MYERS, escaped.
After 6 day's travel they reached their villages & held a council when it was determined to sacrifice their helpless prisoner, Jacob FISHER. They first ordered him to collect a quanity of dry wood. The poor little fellow shuddered, burst into tears & told his father they intended to burn him. His father replied, " I hope not;" & advised him to obey. When he had collected a sufficient quanity of wood to answer their purpose, they cleared & smoothed a ring of sapling, to which they tied him by one hand, then formed a trail of wood around the tree, & set it on fire. The poor boy was then compelled to run round in this ring of fire until his rope wound him up to the sapling, & then back until he came in contact with the flame, whilst his infernal tormentors were drinking, singing & dancing around him, with 'horrid joy'. This was continued for several hours; during which time the wretches became beastly drunk & as they fell to the ground, their squaws would keep up the fire. With long sharp poles, they pierced the body of their victim whenever he flagged until the poor & helpless boy fell & expired with the most extruciating torments whilst his father & brothers were compelled to be witnesses of the heart-rending tragedy.
After an absence of about 3 years, Mrs. PAINTER, with her son & 2 of her daughters; Mrs. SMITH, who had the honor, if it could be so deemed, of presenting her husband with an Indian son by a distinguised chief; FISHER, & his surviving sons, with several others, returned home. Three of Mrs. PAINTER;s daughters remained with the Indians; one of whom, after many years captivity, returned. The others married & spent their lives with their swarthy companions.