Georges Township High School - Georgian Yearbook (Uniontown, PA)

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THE WETZEL FAMILY -l :-0oo- :-1 The Wetzel family was of Dutch origin and the first of the name to be found on the Southwestern border was John Wetzel. This John Wetzel had five sons : Martin, George, John, Jacob and Lewis. The whole of this Wetzel family were hunters and Indian fighters, but the most daring and reckless of all, and the one who has left the great- est name on the Western border, was Lewis Wetzel. We will not have the space to give any details concerning any of the other brothers of the Wetzel family in this story, but Lewis, the youngest of the family. Without Lewis Wetzel the story of Northwestern Virginia and of Southwestern Pennsylvania would be like the plays of Hamlet with Hamlet left out. His presence was a tower of strength to the settlers, and for many years he was esteemed the right arm of their defence. With most of the pioneers of the West, Indian fighting was only an episode-frequent- ly a compulsory one-but with Wetzel it was a life business. Again we do not have the space to give anything much of the life of Lewis Wetzel. We have selected from amongst the many daring fights of this great hunter and Indian fighter, one which we think should 'stamp him as the most remarkable man of his day on the Western border. The following story will illustrate his resources, his cunning and his bravery. s Shortly after Crawfordis defeat, a man named Thomas Mills, in es- caping from that unfortunate expedition, reached the Indian spring about nine miles from the present town of Washington, Pennsylvania, where he was compelled to leave his horse and proceed to Van Metre's Fort. There he met Lewis Wetzel whom he persuaded to go with him to the spring for his horse. Lewis cautioned him against the danger, but Mills was deter- mined, and the two started. As they neared the spring they saw the horse tied to a tree. Lewis was at once on his guard and tried to persuade Mills not to approach the animal, but Mills was determined that he would secure the horse and laughed at the idea of danger. He walked boldly up to his horse and began to untie him when the report from four rifles rang through the forest and Mills fell mortally wounded. Lewis realized at once that his only safety was in flight and he sprang ran until the foremost Indian was within a short distance of him, when he shot the Indian through the body. Lewis had early learned to load through the forest rapidly with the three Indians in close pursuit. He 88

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GEORGE BOZARTH'S RUSE AND ESCAPE -i-:-oo0A:HL- The last incursion of savages in Northwestern Virginia happened in 1794. A murderous band appeared on Wheeling Creek. Expresses were sent all about to warn the people, but they had been so long exempt from savage marauders. that a false security was engendered. Among other careless settlers, John Bozarth, with his sons, George and John, were busy in a field drawing grain to the barn,,when the agonizing shrieks of those at the house rent the air, and they hastened to ascertain the cause. The elasticity of youth enabled George to approach the huts? some few paces in advance of his father, but the practiced eye of the all gzi- tlemanfirst discovered an Indian, only a smallldistance from this son, and with, his gun raised to fire upon him. With parental solicitude .he exclaimed, Take.care, George, an Indian is going to shoot you I George was then too near the savage to think of escaping byttlight. He looked at him steadily, and when he supposed the fatal aim was taken and the finger ,just pressing the trigger, he fell. and the ball whistled by him. Not doubting but that the youth had 'fallen in death, the savage passed by him and pressed in pursuit of the father. Mr. Bozarth was yet springy and agile, and was enabled to keep ahead of his pursuer. Despairing of overtaking him, by reason of his great speed, the savage hurled a toma- hawk at his head. It passed harmlessly by, and the old gentleman got safely off. When George Bozarth fell as the Indian fired, he lay as if dead, and supposing the scalping knife would be next applied to his head, determined on seizing the savage by the legs as he would stoop over him, and endeavor to bring him to the ground, when he hoped to be able to gain the mastery over him. Seeing him pass on in pursuit of his father, he arose and took Hight also. On his way he overtook a younger brother, who had become alarmed and was hobbling slowly away on a sore foot. George gave him every aid in his power to facilitate his flight, until he discovered that another of the savages was pressing close upon them. Knowing that if he remained with his brother, both must inevitably perish, he was reluctantly forced to leave him to his fate. Proceeding on, he came up with his fatheri who, not doubting but he was killed when the savage fired at him, broke forth with the exclamation, Why, George, I thought you were dead I and manifested, even in that sorrowful moment, a joyful feeling at his mis- take. The Indians who were at the house wrought their work of blood, killing two or three small children and took Mrs. Bozarth and two boys prisoners. With these they made their way to their towns, and arrived in time to surrender their captives to General Wayne. 87

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his gun as he ran. This accomplishment was to save him now. After shooting the foremost -Indian he started again to run through the forest loading his gun as he ran. After it had been charged he slackened his pace until the second Indian was close upon him when he resolved to shoot himg but the Indian was so close that he grasped the gun and now began a struggle for the possession of the weapon. The Indian almost succeeded in wrenching the gun from Lewis's hands but by a desperate effort he jerked the rifle back until the muzzle of the gun rested against the body of the Indian when Lewis pulled the trigger and the Indian fell. Lewis again away with the remaining two Indians in pursuit. When his gun was again loaded he stopped suddenly and sprang behind a tree, anxious to have done with this kind of sport, but the Indian also treed. Lewis sprang away again with the Indian in pursuit. After running a shork distance he suddenly sprang behind a large tree. The Indians also attempted to tree but the foremost Indian was unable to find a tree large enough to shelter his entire body. Wetzel fired at the portion of the body exposed and the third Indian fell. The remaining Indian made an imme- diate retreat, yelling as he went, No catch dat man, him gun all way loaded. This adventure proved Lewis Wetzel to be one of the most resourceful Indian fighters of his day. ' 89