Submitted by Lynn Greene
Estill County, KY. (Draper Manuscripts, Boone
August 29, 1885 Papers)
Mr. L. C. Draper
My Dear Sir: You must have mis-read mine of the 20th inst. I said it was half a mile from the mouth of Miller's Creek to the Boone tree by the Creek, and between 1/4 and 1/2 mile to the river, the nearest point.
Sketch here…..
Here is a rough sketch of the road, the river, and Miller's Creek. The had is pointing to the "Boone Tree" "A" is at the mouth of Miller's Creek N. B. East on your left- west on your right- with South from you. The Bullalo Lick at * star (N)--
Over
p. 42
Read what I have said about the "D. B. 1780" Tree, and you have got the turn.
(another map here)
p. 43
"A" is at the mouth of Red Lick Creek. "B" at the mouth of Crooked Creek "C" is at the mouth of Station Camp Creek. The church and spring are at the large dot (?). This star * represents the Old Beaver Pond and "o" the rock where the Indian was killed. By examining and studying this rough diagram, you will get an idea of the geography of the country. I don't think that it is quite a mile from the mouth of Red Lick to the Spring at the Church. Brother Dick's old farm covered the mouth of Hoy's Fork. There there is a spring of much the same size. Either of them affords enough water to supply a full regiment of calvary. It is pretty generally known in the county of the correspondence between us- and the subject that we are on and without inquiry, I gather
p 43 (1)
a good many reports on traditions one how Station Camp took its name- to wit: That the first settlers of Kentucky on route up Station Camp and War Fork, where the fighting was done-that they camped at the church and Br. Dick's spring: This cannot be true, as the first settlers of KY knew the stream by its present name, and before Boonesboro was settled. Many of the surveys were made in 1787, and surveyes I believe in 1782, which appears of record. Then Station Camp was known; the Indian WarFork alluded to was the wrong direction, and too close to the Virginia borders and settlements. However, in this I may be wrong. I know that my parents understood that the creek took its name from Boone's having camped on it. Whether it was as claimed by some, the stopping place en route to the War Fork, or a hunting camp- the latter I believe to be the most reliable tradition.
p. 43 (2)
"Stand Around" and Hiram Bicknell are both well known in Estill and Madison Counties. There is or has been ----- a Post Office there in by gone days. Someone said that it was removed to Drip Rock; Never the less Bicknell will get your letter--if he will answer. If I go up there this fall surveying, I will attend to the matter
myself.
Now for the Cow Creek Leap. Captain Blackwell is my nighest neighbor. I will let him speak for himself. Captain Blackwell says that he is 54 years old, and was raised at the mouth of Cow Creek; and sys his father---- settled at the mouth of that creek as early
p. 43 (3)
as there was any settlement in the county; and that his grandmother was in the fort at Boonesborough and -----bullets at the celebrated battle of Boonesborough. His best recollection now is that his grand mother's maiden name was Vesser; and says that his mother pointed out the place where Lackey made the leap over the cliff, which is about halfway up the cliff, which is near 300 or 400 yards long- which would make it 150 or 200 yds from the mouth of the creek to the place leaped by Lackey; and always understood that it
p. 43 (4)
was Lackey, and never understood that it was anyone else. And sayes that he never did hear Boone's name mentioned in reference to the Cow Creek Leap until Benton told me someone had wrote you such information. He says the cliff is 15 or 20 feet high at that point. Any other information that I can give you, I will forward you, as this a leisure time with me- and pitching horse shoes is the go now.
Yours faithfully, E. P. Benton
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