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Compiled, researched by Jim Moyer, 2015 6/6/2018 ….. PAGE UNDER CONTSTRUCTION still. Research and editing still on-going.
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COLD CASE
Evidence in a cold case. A murder case.
Handley Library Archives in Winchester VA is holding it.
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It is part of an earing.
Allegedly the murderer of Chief Cornstalk took the earing off the dead Chief’s body.
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Great Winchester Star article on this. 8/28/2015 Friday A1, A13.
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THE ACCUSED MURDERER
James Hall was indicted for the murder of the Shawnee Indian Chief, Cornstalk, which occurred in Pt. Pleasant. It is recorded that Capt. James Hall became upset after learning that a relative by the name of Robert Gilmore had been killed by an Indian while hunting.
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The people of the Kerrs Creek community remembered the Indian raids in their valley with much horror. They remembered how homes had been burned, families partially or wholly wiped out. Women and children had been tomahawked and scalped, friends and relatives had been carried away, and some had never returned. The men who had participated in the killing of Cornstalk were from Rockbridge.
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Captain James Hall was related to Robert Gilmore (Captain Hall’s wife was Martha Gilmore, and the Gilmore family had suffered in the Kerrs Creek Raids).
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https://familysearch.org/photos/stories/17960025
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Read pension statement of 1833 by Samuel Tanner on 22 June 1833
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Winchester Star article 8/28/2015 Friday notes
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C. Vernon Eddy, noted for his role in preserving Staunton native, Jedidiah Hotchkiss’ civil war map, who served from 1913 to 1960 as head librarian of Handley Library.
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Primary sources on C. Vernon Eddy.
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Primary sources Handley Board of Trustees Collection
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No record of how it got to Handley Library archives. Winchester Frederick County Historical Society owns it.
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Reverend Samuel Houston, earliest settler of Monroe County WV, was brother in law of Captain James Hall, the murderer, who is cited in the only eye witness account of the murder of Cornstalk, 10 November 1777
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See location of murder site.
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VA Gov Patrick Henry ordered a trial.
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Captain James Hall, a native of Rockbridge County, was tried in Rockbridge Circuit Court in April 18, 1778, but was acquitted when no witnesses came forth. See pages 80-83, A History of Rockbridge County Virginia by Oren F Morten 1920
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More on the 4 accused murderers
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more on the trial
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Patrick Henry Orders Arrest of Militia Members Who Murdered Friendly Indians – Chief Cornstalk and his Sons, April 3, 1778
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Hokoleskwa, a blade or stalk of corn. 1720 born near Chilicothe, Scioto River, Ohio.
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Cornstalk linked to 1759 Kerr’s Creek raid, (Carr’s Creek) in Rockbridge County.
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November 1777 was the murder. Site Fort Randolph at Point Pleasant. Cornstalk came to Capt Mathew Arbuckle saying he wont go to war but others of his nation will. Because Cornstalk said he might “go with the stream,” Capt Arbuckle took him hostage. on the day before Cornstalk’s murder, Ellinipsico, his son, and Red Hawk, and another Indian came to see his father and were also taken hostage.
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Memoir of Indian Wars and Other Occurrences, Col John Stuart of Greenbrier. witnessed the murder and reports it.
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Gilmore hunting deer near Kanawha River was killed by Indians. He was related to Capt James Hall by marriage to a Martha Gilmore. Capt James Hall led the militia to seek revenge for that on the indian towns but heard about Cornstalk taken hostage.
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Cornstalk was a large man of commanding appearance, oratorical ability, and intellectual grasp — Draper Manuscripts at Library of the Wisconsin Historical Society.
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Col John Stuart and Capt Mathew Arbuckle objected.
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Benjamin Wilson, Born: 07 Nov 1747, Winchester, Frederick, VA, Died: 02 Dec 1827, Bridgeport, Harrison, WV
Rank: Colonel, VA Militia // Captain, VA Militia // Lieutenant, Dunmore’s War // Aide-de-camp, Lord Dunmore
Years Served: 1774 – 1781
Colonel Benjamin Wilson
Of his oratory, Colonel Benjamin Wilson, Senr., an officer in Dunmore’s army, in 1774, having heard the grand speech to Dunmore in Camp Charlotte, says — “I have heard the first orators in Virginia, Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, but never have I heard one whose powers of delivery surpassed those of Cornstalk on that occasion.“
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The following short bio on Reverend Samuel Houston is from Page 258, A History of Rockbridge County, Virginia, Oren F. Morton, (1920) :
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Reverend Samuel Houston, first cousin to the famous Virginian Sam Houston of Texas fame. The Reverend was born Jan 1 1758 and died Jan 20 1839. See tombstone at Falling Spring Presbyterian Church Cemetery. Member of the Daniel Morgan Rifles in the War for Independence. His first marriage was to Mary (Elizabeth) Hall, sister of Capt James Hall the man linked to murdering Cornstalk. Graduate of Liberty Hall. Presbyterian Minister 1784. Several years in the State of Franklin being on committee to draft its constitution. Returning 1789 he became pastor of Falling Springs Presybterian Church and Highbridge churches. 20 years taught classical school. Tilled using scientific methods. Designed his own home and barn on 600 acres.
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So Captain James Hall hands earing to his brother in law Rev Samuel Houston who hand it to his son, the second Samuel R Houston and eventually this came to the Handley Archives.
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See History of Rockbridge County by Oren F Morten 1920.
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end of notes taken from Winchester Star article
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http://www.heritage-history.com/?c=read&author=sabin&book=warriors&story=cornstalk
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http://publications.ohiohistory.org/ohj/browse/displaypages.php?display%5B%5D=0032&display%5B%5D=613&display%5B%5D=626
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https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Cornstalk
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https://ggwcassar.wordpress.com/our-ancestors/col-benjamin-wilson/
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornstalk
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family tree
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http://en.rodovid.org/wk/Person:591931
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http://www.hmdb.org/Marker.asp?Marker=84057
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Cornstalk, the Shawanee Chief by Rev. William Henry Foote Published in the Southern literary messenger Volume 16, Issue 9, pp. 533-540, Richmond, Virginia. 1850
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http://www.forgottenbooks.com/readbook_text/Chronicles_of_Border_Warfare_or_a_History_of_the_Settlement_By_the_1000503601/205
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reference to Killbuck in here
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https://archive.org/details/historyofhampshi00maxw
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killbuck and Crane and Cornstalk in this link
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http://okielegacy.net/journal/tabloid/?ID=7367&iss=27&vol=16
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Interesting link of lists in Virginia Library
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Wikipedia link on State of Franklin 1784-1789
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Samuel Cole Williams, “History of the Lost State of Franklin”, 362pp, 1924 rev. 1933
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https://vimeo.com/83933864 — falling springs church
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http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=5782 – cornstalk’s
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http://www.wyandot.org/emigrant.htm
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http://www.virginia1774.org/History3.html
A biographical sketch of the life of the late Captain Michael Cresap … By John J. Jacob.
http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/008586610
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http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=loc.ark:/13960/t3qv3n94q;view=1up;seq=7