Submitted by Lynn Greene
Cow Creek- Sturgeon Creek and Tea Table Rock
Boone Kills Pompey-1778- Ross's Creek
Estill County, KY., Feb 7, 1885
Mr. Draper:
The mouth of Cow Creek is as described by Mr. Herndon. I understood in an early day, some one escaped from Indians by jumping over the slate cliff there; but until recently supposed it was a man named Miller- but others who have as good a chance to know as I have, say it was Col. Danl Boone. So goes tradition.
Boone's history mentions Boone's jump over the cliff at Boonesboro and escape from the Indians.
There is one incident that occurred at the siege of Boonesboro. A Mulatto fought with the Indians climbed up a sycamore tree, and from thence shot into the fort doing injury; when Boone shot at this sharpshooter in the tree. When inquires of what had become of Pompey, the Mulatto; some of the Indians in front of the fort replied "Pompey gone to sleep"- that was the Mulatto's name. There is no mistake about the Pompey story.
Feb. 13, 1885
I have seen the State House Rock, near the old Estill Furnace many times, but never was on it.
The two Brandenburgs, James and Jack, are citizens of Lee County, and are reliable and would be apt to recollect the dates cut on the tree at the mouth of Sturgeon Creek.
I am sorry that my brother M. R. Benton has not answered you; he might settle the question as to who it was- Boone or some of his comrades that shot the Indian in Red Lick. My sister is not clear about it.
D. A. Daniel thinks or has understood that there was a camp near the mouth of Station Camp, that took its name from the fact of Boone and party camping there; but about this, my mind is unsettled.
I am cutting some pine timber near the mouth of the War Fork of Station Camp, on the head waters of Ross's Creek, some 8 or 10 miles from James and Jack Brandenburg's. I saw an item from the Beattyville Enterprise (same as given Owsley Co. letters) about a former tree at the mouth of Sturgeon Creek with date 1770. I saw the tree and date and names- don't recollect the date but give it is right.
I lived in 1866 in less than half a mile from Tea Table Rock and have seen what the old settlers said was Boone's name- it was too dim for me to make out. The Tea Table Rock is about 9 miles up the North Fork from Beattyville.
E. P. Benton
P. 53, 54 Draper Manuscripts, Boone Papers, E. P. Benton
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