Massacre at Fantinekill
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This widow Bevier had a daughter by the name of Catherine, that had been lately married to Abram Jansen, whose father lived about four miles southwest of Fantinekill. The elder Jansen was strongly suspected of being a Tory, and of communicating with and assisting the Indians, the following being some of the circumstances on which this suspicion rested: 1. His premises, although on the outposts and unguarded, were not molested. 2. The prints of Indian moccasins were seen about his house. 3. His daughter, who was at a neighbor's house, was importuned to return home the night before Fantinekill was burned. 4. It was so managed that his daughter-in-law was absent from her mother `s house on a visit to Jacob Bevier `s at Napanock. 5. By the death of his daughter-in-law's family, his son fell heir to the estate at Fantinekill.
Abram Jansen, whose father lived about four miles southwest of Fantinekill. The elder Jansen was strongly suspected of being a Tory, and of communicating with and assisting the Indians, the following being some of the circumstances on which this suspicion rested: 1. His premises, although on the outposts and unguarded, were not molested. 2. The prints of Indian moccasins were seen about his house. 3. His daughter, who was at a neighbor's house, was importuned to return home the night before Fantinekill was burned. 4. It was so managed that his daughter-in-law was absent from her mother `s house on a visit to Jacob Bevier `s at Napanock. 5. By the death of his daughter-in-law's family, his son fell heir to the estate at Fantinekill. The family of Michael Sock were all killed. As none survived to tell the tale, no particulars can be given here. There were a father, a mother, two grown-up sons and two small children in the household. A young man, either a Sock or a Bevier, had run some distance from the house into a piece of plowed ground, where a desperate contest had evidently taken place between him and an Indian. A large space had been trodden down, and the scalped and mangled corpse of the young man lay upon it- he had several wounds from a tomahawk on his arms. A few days before there had been a training day at Napanock, and this same young man had loudly boasted that he was not afraid of Indians.
Michael Sock were all killed. As none survived to tell the tale, no particulars can be given here. There were a father, a mother, two grown-up sons and two small children in the household. A young man, either a Sock or a Bevier, had run some distance from the house into a piece of plowed ground, where a desperate contest had evidently taken place between him and an Indian. A large space had been trodden down, and the scalped and mangled corpse of the young man lay upon it- he had several wounds from a tomahawk on his arms. A few days before there had been a training day at Napanock, and this same young man had loudly boasted that he was not afraid of Indians. At the house of Jesse Bevier, the savages and their accompanying Tories met with a warm reception. The first salute that Uncle Jesse received was when the blocks in the window were stove in, and two or three balls were fired just above his head as he lay in bed. He sprang up and seized an axe, with which he prevented them from entering the window, at the same time calling to his sons David and John, who immediately responded. A desperate action ensued, for this family were all famous marksmen. This was especially true of David, who had some choice powder for his own use, which his mother brought forward in the course of the conflict. He declined to use it, saying that common powder was good enough to shoot Indians with. They had powder loose in basins on a table for the sake of convenience, and measured the charges in their hands. The women assisted in loading, it being common to have a double stock of arms. But the enemy approached from a point against which this little band of Huguenot heroes could not bring their guns to bear, and found means to set fire to the old log house.
Jesse Bevier, the savages and their accompanying Tories met with a warm reception. The first salute that Uncle Jesse received was when the blocks in the window were stove in, and two or three balls were fired just above his head as he lay in bed. He sprang up and seized an axe, with which he prevented them from entering the window, at the same time calling to his sons David and John, who immediately responded. A desperate action ensued, for this family were all famous marksmen. This was especially true of David, who had some choice powder for his own use, which his mother brought forward in the course of the conflict. He declined to use it, saying that common powder was good enough to shoot Indians with. They had powder loose in basins on a table for the sake of convenience, and measured the charges in their hands. The women assisted in loading, it being common to have a double stock of arms. But the enemy approached from a point against which this little band of Huguenot heroes could not bring their guns to bear, and found means to set fire to the old log house.Table of Contents