IAFREMON-L Archives

From: Walter Farwell <>
Subject: Plum Creek Massacre-A second mention.
Date: Sun, 13 May 2001 15:09:12 -0600

Posted on: Fremont Co. Ia Queries
Reply Here: http://genconnect.rootsweb.com/gc/USA/Ia/Fremont/10272

Surname: Stevens, Moomaw, Curran, Fletcher
-------------------------

THE FREMONT COUNTY HERALD. December 28, l899. "Truth Stranger Than Fiction".--Mrs.
Nancy J. Stevens, from Jefferson, Green county, Iowa, is now in Sidney
on a visit to her family friends here, consisting of Mrs. John Moomaw and
Mrs. J. D. Curran, sisters, and James and H.D. Fletcher, brothers.

Mrs. Stevens has passed through an experience that falls to the lot of
few and from which all would pray to be exempted. She was married in 1860
to a man named Morton and accompanied him on one occasion on a freighting
trip, with Denver as their destination. They had fallen in with a number
of teams that traveled together, taking precaution in camping each night
for fear of an attack by Indians. They had encamped one night on what was
called Plum Creek, near the Platt river, when just at day-break on the
following morning a party of sixty Indians, together with four white men,
rode down over the bluff at the foot of which they were encamped and made
an onset upon the party, killing eleven of the men and one boy, destroying
such property as they could not carry off and capturing Mrs. Morton, whose
husband was among the killed. She was kept a prisoner among the Indians
from the time of the capture August, 1864, until the February following,
when her ransom was purchased by the government. But so treacherous were
these red rascals that the purchase had to be repeated four times before
the prisoner secured her liberty, the Indians turning upon the rescuing
party each time and thus recapturing the prisoner for a fresh ransom. Plans
were laid at the last purchase for a rapid trip on horseback that should
be too swift for successful pursuit, stations being established at convenient
distances with fresh horses in waiting, so that 100 miles were cleared
on the first day. The sum of $1600 was paid at the last purchase and a
faithful half-breed was intrusted with the plans whereby the escape was
successfully made. Mrs. Stevens reached her friends in safety, who received
her as one risen from the dead. She passed through some dreadful experiences
that only nerve and courage could enable her to endure and maintain an
existence. She was witness to the burning of one female prisoner and was
led to expect the same experience for herself. At one time the fire was
kindled for her cremation and only the admiration of the savages for the
coolness and courage with which she witnessed these preparations saved
her from this terrible fate. She affected great joy that she was about
to relieve them of the burden of her maintenance and that she would so
soon pass to the happpy hunting grounds beyond. The braves rode around
the fire in a threatening manner and suffered it to burn entirely away
with the laudatory exclamation of "white squaw heap brave, white squaw
heap brave!" While with the Indians Mrs. Stevens endured great privations,
at one time traveling four days with nothing on which to subsist except
a few berries. She married her present husband some time after her return
from captivity, with whom she is now enjoying a home near Jefferson, Iowa,
and in the midst of the blessings of Christian civilization.

This thread:

• Plum Creek Massacre-A second mention. by Walter Farwell <>