Shanks Ben
John Mack was an old resident of Wawarsing. John Mentz, his son-in-law, lived on the east side of the mountain. The only communication between the two families was by an Indian trail leading over the mountain, known as the Wawarsing path. Some time during the Revolution Mack started on a visit to his daughter, Mrs. John Mentz, accompanied by his younger daughter Elsie. On their way they called at the house of a neighbor. While there, Elsie, who was dressed in white, catching a view of herself in the glass, declared that she "looked like a corpse." As she was of a vivacious temperament, the remark impressed itself on the minds of her friends, some regarding it as a premonition of some evil that was to befall her. Without further incident they accomplished their journey, and made the contemplated visit.
John Mentz, his son-in-law, lived on the east side of the mountain. The only communication between the two families was by an Indian trail leading over the mountain, known as the Wawarsing path. Some time during the Revolution Mack started on a visit to his daughter, Mrs. John Mentz, accompanied by his younger daughter Elsie. On their way they called at the house of a neighbor. While there, Elsie, who was dressed in white, catching a view of herself in the glass, declared that she "looked like a corpse." As she was of a vivacious temperament, the remark impressed itself on the minds of her friends, some regarding it as a premonition of some evil that was to befall her. Without further incident they accomplished their journey, and made the contemplated visit. On their return, John Mentz accompanied them as far as the top of the mountain, with two horses for the old man and his daughter to ride. Mentz proposed taking along his rifle, but was dissuaded from so doing by Mack, who thought it was not necessary. On arriving at the summit where they were to separate, the father and daughter dismounted, the former seating himself upon a log and lighting his pipe. Presently strange movements of the horses indicated they saw something unusual; and looking down the path over which they had just come, Mentz saw two Indians advancing, while a third, whom he recognized as the notorious Shanks Ben, was taking a circuitous route through the woods, so as to get in advance of them.
Mentz understood the significance of this movement, and realized the danger of their situation. He bitterly regretted he had not followed his own counsel, and brought along his rifle. He might easily have killed the two Indians in the path at a single shot. He had formerly been on intimate terms with Shanks Ben. They had hunted in company, and together had engaged in the labors of the farm; but a quarrel about a dog, and the bitter feeling engendered by the war, had contributed to destroy their friendship, and they were now sworn enemies. The old man, knowing it would be vain for him to attempt escape, sat still, resigned to his inevitable fate. Mentz started with Elsie in a direction designed to elude pursuit; coming to a precipice, he was obliged to leave the girl, in spite of her earnest entreaties that he would not abandon her, and save himself by jumping off the ledge some twenty feet in height. In his leap he injured his ankle badly, but succeeded in making good his escape. Mentz said he might have saved the girl had it not been for a little dog that followed them and kept constantly barking.
When Mentz came in sight of Colonel Jansen's, he saw a number of men collected there. A relief party was immediately made up and dispatched to the mountain, where they found the bodies of the old man and the blooming maiden, side by side, covered with purple gore, and mutilated by the tomahawk and scalping knife--their immortal spirits gone forever! The scene was solemn beyond description; and it was with difficulty that, in after years, Mentz could be induced to speak of it; and he never related the story without shedding a flood of tears.
At the time of the murder of John Mack and his daughter, Elsie, Shanks Ben and his associates were returning from Col. Johannes Jansen's. Lured by the prize offered by the British for the scalp or person of the doughty Colonel, the wily savages had attempted to ambush Jansen as he was leaving the house in the morning. The Indians were discovered by some of the family, and the alarm given. The Colonel ran with all his might for the house, hotly pursued by Shanks Ben, and closed the door just as the latter hurled a tomahawk at his head. This door is still preserved as a relic of the past, bearing the prints of the Indian's weapon. Failing to enter the main building, the assailants plundered the kitchen: and hearing Mrs. Jansen call out as if the neighbors were coming, they hastily left the place.
Col. Johannes Jansen's. Lured by the prize offered by the British for the scalp or person of the doughty Colonel, the wily savages had attempted to ambush Jansen as he was leaving the house in the morning. The Indians were discovered by some of the family, and the alarm given. The Colonel ran with all his might for the house, hotly pursued by Shanks Ben, and closed the door just as the latter hurled a tomahawk at his head. This door is still preserved as a relic of the past, bearing the prints of the Indian's weapon. Failing to enter the main building, the assailants plundered the kitchen: and hearing Mrs. Jansen call out as if the neighbors were coming, they hastily left the place. A young white girl, named Hannah Grunenwalden, daughter of a neighbor, was that morning coming to spin for Mrs. Jansen, and was approaching the house as the Indians were engaged in their plunder. Mrs. Jansen called to her to go back, but Hannah misunderstood the warning, and fell an easy captive. The Indians also took with them two negro boys, that were never heard of afterwards. Fearing her screams would guide pursuers, Shanks Ben and his companions soon killed and scalped the girl.
Hannah Grunenwalden, daughter of a neighbor, was that morning coming to spin for Mrs. Jansen, and was approaching the house as the Indians were engaged in their plunder. Mrs. Jansen called to her to go back, but Hannah misunderstood the warning, and fell an easy captive. The Indians also took with them two negro boys, that were never heard of afterwards. Fearing her screams would guide pursuers, Shanks Ben and his companions soon killed and scalped the girl.Table of Contents