Michael was the son of Frederick and Catherine See. Though there is no record of his birth, it is presumed that he was born about 1750. At that point in time, the Sees were living either in the Muddy Creek settlement in what would become Greenbrier Co, WV or on the South Branch of the Potomac in today's Hardy Co. Both were part of Augusta Co, VA in 1750. Most family histories assume that the children of Frederick and Catherine See were born on the South Branch in today's Hardy County but based on land records showing Frederick as a land holder in the Greenbrier in 1751 (and probably there before he filed for a survey,) it is more likely that Michael and his younger siblings were born on Muddy Creek in the Greenbrier Valley.
In 1755, the Greenbrier valley settlements were caught in the struggle between the French and English over the "western territory" along the American frontier, known as the French and Indian War. When Indians attacked the settlements in the Greenbrier, all of the white families, including the Sees and the Yoakums fled eastward, back across the Alleghany mountains. Documents show that the Yoakums ended up in Bedford County, east of the Shenandoah Blue Ridge mountains and it may well be that the Sees were there as well. But about 1761-62 at the end of hostilities, both families returned to their Greenbrier farms. Michael would have been about 12 yrs. old.
Tragically they returned too soon. In July of 1763, another Indian uprising occurred along the American frontier--this called Pontiac's Rebellion or Pontiac's War. Various Indian tribes struck white settlers all along the frontier from NC to PA and NY.
After his father and uncle Felty Yoakum and brother in law were killed, Michael, his mother, his siblings and his Yoakum cousins were made captives by the Shawnee Indians and marched across the mountains of West Virginia, forced into boats to cross the Ohio River and taken to Indian villages in Ohio where they were separated and adopted into various Indian families.
A year later, In November 1764, Col Henry Bouquet, the Swiss commander in charge of the British-American forces, defeated the Shawnee and forced them to surrender their prisoners. Michael, his brother George, sister Mary, sister (or mother) Catherine, his aunt Margaret See Yoakum and her son, George (Michael's cousin) were sent to Fort Pitt under the Command of Capt Lewis and from there taken back to Augusta county "under the Care of Col McNeill, Vollunteers." Michael and the others were listed in Lists D and E of the Captives Lists with the "Necessaries delivered to them at Muskingum & Ft Pitt."
[Note: Other See and Yoakum captives appear on additional lists. I've only listed those with Michael's name here.] [1]
It appears that the Sees were taken back to the South Branch Valley where their uncles, Michael and George See, lived, probably staying with their extended family for about 5 or 6 years. By 1771, most of the Sees had returned to their land near Muddy Creek where Michael appears in the 1771-75 Mathews Trading Post Account Books as an agent of John Hardy, his step-father in Dec 1772.[2]
It wasn't long before troubles with the Indians broke out again in the Greenbrier region. Most of the young men joined the militia and Michael is said to have served under General Andrew Lewis at Battle of Point Pleasant in 1774 though his name is not listed on the roster.[3] He is also said to have served under Capt. Arbuckle and sent to mouth of Kanawha to help build Fort Randolph in 1776. Years later he would die within the shadow of Ft. Randolph.
Once Ft. Randolph had been built, many Greenbrier families decided it would be safe to move to the area around Point Pleasant. But with continuing Indian attacks in the area, most retreated back to their farms in the Greenbrier and remained there throughout the Revolutionary War.
Still it was not much safer in the Greenbrier region where the Indians attacked Donnally's fort -20 m north of Lewisburg in July 1778. The hero of the day was Dick Pointer, whom Irene Brasel claims was a slave belonging to Michael See, though other more reliable sources state he was the slave of Andrew Donnally, owner of the fort. [4] (None of the listings in Greenbrier Personal Property Tax records show that Michael See owned slaves in Greenbrier though his estate records in 1792 show he owned a slave woman and a boy, said to be son of Dick Pointer.)
After their defeat at Donally's Fort, the Indians attacked twice more in Greenbrier County, both attacks on Muddy Creek, where the Sees lived. In one attack, they wounded Capt. Samuel McClung and killed Mr. Munday and his wife, and in the last (1780) they killed Thomas Griffith. Fortunately, the See families on Muddy Creek had nearby Ft. Arbuckle to retreat to in times of peril.
Michael See is among the names on a 1782 "List of people paid for supplies furnished the government. [5] [6] Michael furnished 74 rations to the army. Others on the same list included his brother George, his step-father, John Hardy, brother-in-law Peter Shoemaker and others. For supporting the army, he is also mentioned in the DAR Patriot Index. [7]
Toward the end of the War, Michael--then about 30 yrs. old-- decided it was time to marry and chose a young widow, Elizabeth Morris Shull, daughter of William Morris and Elizabeth Stipp. The Morrises were close neighbors of the Sees and Michael and Elizabeth had grown up together. On Sept 8, 1780, Michael and his step-father, paid for a marriage bond for Michael to marry widow Elizabeth Morris Shell/Schull. [8] Her first husband was John Shull, about whom little is known. [9] They were said to have had a son John but no evidence has come to light. Years later, one of Elizabeth's grandsons was named Shull See.
The Greenbrier Marriage Bond for Michael See and Elizabeth “Shell” reads as follows:
"Know all men by these Presents that We John Hardy & Michael See are held and firmly Bound unto the the (sic) Commonwealth of Virginia in fifty pounds Current Money to Be paid to Sd Commonwealth to the Which payment Well and truly to be made We Bind ourselves our heirs Exectr and Adms Joint(l)y and Severaly firmly By these presents Sealed with our Seal and Dated this 8th Day of Septr 1780.
The Condition of the above Obligation is Such that If there be no Lawfull Cause to obstruct a Mariage Intended to Be had and Solemnized Between the Above Bound Michael See and Elizabeth Shell then the above obligation to Void or Else to Remain in ful force and virtue. (signed) John Hardy H (his mark) and Michael See H (his mark)
With the war winding down, those families who had earlier retreated from their farms near Ft. Randolph were eager to return. On Sept 19, 1781, Michael See and several of his friends and neighbors wrote a petition to the Governor of Virginia to build a fort at the mouth of the Elk River so they could return to their farms:
"Petition of sundry Inhabitants of the County of Green Brier" who had taken up and settled on plantations on the Great Kanawa (River) when a garrison was stationed at Fort Randolph and had to abandon their farms due to Indian trouble state that they are determined to return to their habitations and propose to erect a station on the mouth of Elk River for their protection. They requested the government of VA to station a Lieutenant and 30 militia of Greenbrier Co there for their assistance. Signatories include:, Peter Shoemaker, Leonard Morris, Michl: See. [10]
According to Greenbrier Personal Property Tax records, Michael and Elizabeth stayed on their Muddy Creek farm (with 5 horses and 9 cows but no slaves!) until 1783, after which they apparently moved west closer to Point Pleasant to settle while their land surveys and grants were established. (1785 Greenbrier Land records show Michael with 290 acres on Muddy Creek which he sold to brother in law, Leonard Morris.)
Michael and Elizabeth had 5 children: George, William, Frederick, Michael and daughter, Frances. (See more under their profiles.) George and Frances appear to have been born in Greenbrier Co, the others at Point Pleasant (depending on when they actually moved.)
On Dec 30, 1789, Dec 30, Michael was granted 400 acres adjoining land of John Morris on the Kenhawa in Campbell's Bottom-Certificate in Right of Settlement. [11] and on March 24, 1792, he is granted another 150 acres between the Ten and Twelve Mile Creeks of the Great Kanawha. [12]
But like his father before him, Michael unfortunately moved to the edge of the frontier before it was entirely safe. For on May 14th or 21st, 1792 (see below for confirmed date), Michael was killed by Indians at his Pleasant Point farm. Again there are several, much later family accounts (Brasel and TJJ See--see below) that give more detail (though they disagree with each other) and neither give references.
The earliest published account is found in Henry Howe's 1845 "Historical Collections of Virginia" and is repeated in later histories of Kanawha County by Atkinson and Lewis. "In May, 1791, a party of eighteen whites were attacked by about thirty Indians, about one mile north of the fort at Point Pleasant, near the field now belonging to David Long. The whites were defeated. Michael See and Robert Sinclair were killed. Hampton and Thomas Northrop, and a black boy, belonging to See, were taken prisoners. This boy was a son of Dick Pointer, who acted so bravely a few years before at the. attack on Donnally's fort, in Greenbrier. He became an Indian chief, and in the late war with Great Britain took part- with the friendly Indians against the enemy."
More details were added in JP Hale's History of the Great Kanawha Valley: "These (Indian) incursions continued up to 1791, the last attack occurring in May of that year, when Indians to the number of thirty attacked a party of eighteen white men one mile north of the fort on the banks of the Ohio. The whites suffered defeat, two of their number were killed, one was taken prisoner with his black slave accompanying him, and the rest made good their escape. The name of the black boy taken prisoner was not given in the original account of the battle, but he afterward became a chief among the Indians and took part among the friendly tribes in behalf of the Americans, in the war of 1812.
"William See, a son of one of the whites who was killed in the encounter, and who was born within the fort in the evening of the very day on which his father was killed, was a volunteer in the Mason County Riflemen, who also took part in that war. In 1813, during this war, by a strange coincidence he met and became acquainted 'with this colored chief, who informed him that the Indian who shot his father, Michael See, was still living, but was very aged, helpless and blind. Young See besought the chief to tell him of the whereabouts of the Indian, but fearing the young man would undertake to avenge the murder of his father, the chief declined to give the information."[13]
CONFIRMED DEATH DATE 1792, May 26, : George Clendenin writes to Gov of VA "The Indians are daily committing depradations within this county. On Monday week last, they killed two very Reputable Men to sit a cetain Mich'l See Esquire, and Mr. Roland St. Clair. At the the same time they took a white boy and a negro." (VA State papers Vol 5:561) May 26, 1792 was a Saturday, the "Monday week last" from that date was either May 14 or 21, depending on how one interprets "week last.
It has also been claimed that the very night that Michael was killed, Elizabeth gave birth to their youngest child, William while staying in the nearby Fort.
According to Irene Brasel, writing between 1940-1960, Michael and Elizabeth "had moved down the Kanawha Valley and settled on Crooked Creek about a mile above the mouth of the Kanawha River. Michael See and his wife, Elizabeth, and their four children, George, Michael, Frances and Frederick were living at the Fort with other settlers near Point Pleasant.
"On May 23, 1792 (note: this date is after the confirmed date), Michael See was supervising the cultivation of the crops for the settlers at Fort Randolph. A squad of ten soldiers had been sent from the Fort to guard the men while they worked. The day was warm and the soldiers retired to the shade of a tree and engaged in a game of cards to while away the time. A band of Wyandottes slipped up and under their very noses, killed Michael See and Robert St. Clair and took Thomas Northup and a negro boy, Jonathon Pointer, who belonged to Michael, prisoners."[14][15]
According to TJJ See, writing in 1913, Michael and Elizabeth "settled at the mouth of Crooked Creek, about a mile above the mouth of the Kanawha River, where he owned a farm. About the year 1787 [note; 4 years before his actual death), he was at work on the farm cultivating corn, when a small band of Shawnee and Mingo warriors (Noah See’s account says Potowattomies) crossed the Ohio. At an unguarded moment, when all supposed themselves safe, the Indians suddenly shot and scalped Michael and captured his Negro boy, Jonathan, and at the same time killed and scalped a Miss Morris, a niece who was with him. Her father and one of Michael’s Negro men got to the house from which they repulsed the Indians. So far as known this was the last Indian invasion of Virginia Territory.
"This negro boy Jonathan afterwards became a famous preacher among the Indians, under the name of “Jonathan Pointer”, and an account of his capture and magnificent career is contained in Findlay’s “Missions to the Indians”. Michael See’s son William, who volunteered in Captain Bryan’s Company of Virginia’s Troops, and Robert Prewitt, Sr. both state that during their military service under General William Henry Harrison in 1812, they often saw Jonathan Pointer and that he acted as General Harrison’s interpreter, speaking English and the different Indian dialects fluently. At the time of Michael’s death, William See had sworn to avenge his Father’s murder. While serving under General Harrison, Jonathan Pointer told William See that the Indian who slew his father was yet alive, but he was very old, and he refused to show him the Indian."[16]
Michael See was said to be buried inside the old fort, not far from the burial of Chief Cornstalk, the very leader of the Shawnee who killed Michael's father and took the See family captive. Today they rest together under the northeast corner of the Court House in the Public Square at Point Pleasant.
The June 1792 Kanawha Co, VA/WV Personal Property Tax listed Michael See's estate, indicating he had died by then. The following year his widow and her brother gave bond to administer his estate which included a male and female slaves but was quite small otherwise.[17]
April 1, 1793 Court appointed Thos. Lewis, Leonard Cooper and John VanBebber to appraise Michael See estate
Some family histories state that after his death, Michael's widow remarried a third time though the name of her 3rd husband varies from John Van Bebber or Thomas Cobb. (Actually Thomas Cobb married a different Elizabeth See, the daughter of George See and niece of Michael.)
One interesting tale is told in the TJJ See manuscript mentioned above. "Telepathic Premonition of the Death of Michael See It was stated by Mrs. Shoemaker [Elizabeth See Shoemaker] that her brother (Michael) had sent her word that as soon as his crop of that year was cultivated he would visit her in Kentucky and with a view of moving. Land in Virginia had become valuable, especially along the river, and it was his plan to sell land for cash and take up larger tracts of land from the Government in Kentucky. Elizabeth and her family were rejoicing in the belief that he would come, but her family states that one day she called them and told them that their uncle Michael would never come: for she had seen him coming toward her house bareheaded and scalped. She had run to meet him and he had vanished. It was the day he was killed : as events afterward proved." [SSP Note: I'm not sure how this story came to be. Official records show that Michael See was killed by Indians in May 1792. Greenbrier Co, WV court records show that Elizabeth See Shoemaker, Michael's sister, lived on Muddy Creek in Greenbrier Co. until 1795 when the Shoemakers moved to Ohio.]
The Legislature of WV on March 1, 1935, added Michael See's name to the authorized roster of those officers and men who fought at the Battle of Pt Pleasant and had his name inscribed on the monument at Tu-Endie-Wei State Park commemorating the battle. He is not listed on the militia pay records. Ironically, his brother George, whose military pay records prove his participation, was not included. [18]
Died Y. 26 MAY 1792. Point Pleasant, Mason, West Virginia, United States. Age: 41-42.
The following 13 paragraphs are from A CHRONICLE OF THE SEE FAMILY by Irene See Brasel (Note: this manuscript is only sparsely documented. Much of the information is taken from the TJJ See sketch and therefore prone to error. Use with caution.)
The lives of the two brothers, George & Michael See, ran parallel. Together they had experienced the Muddy Creek Massacre, Indian captivity, participated in the battle of Point Pleasant, served under Capt. Arbuckle in border warfare, established their homes in Greenbrier and later moved on down the Kanawha Valley.
"Michael See, born about 1751 in Hampshire County, Virginia, married Elizabeth Morris in 1776. She was the daughter of William Morris, pioneer of Kanawha who settled about 20 miles above the present site of Charleston, West Virginia.
"In 1777, the Ohio Indians, agitated by British agents, again became troublesome. Chief Cornstalk came to the garrison at Point Pleasant to give warning that the tribes planned to join the British as allies. Capt. Arbuckle thought it best to detain the chief, his son Elinipisco, Redhawk, a Delaware Chief, and another Indian as hostages. Here in November 1777 all were murdered by soldiers of the garrison to avenge the death of a Virginia soldier. The Governor of Virginia offered a reward for the arrest of the murderers; but, they went unpunished; and, for this act of treachery, Chief Cornstalk's followers took to the warpath to avenge his death.
"In July 1778, an Indian Band of 200 warriors crossed the Ohio River and failing in their attack on the garrison at Point Pleasant, set off up the valley toward the Greenbrier Region. Capt. McKee, in command of the garrison, noting the route taken by the Indians, sent two scouts disguised as Indians, at the risk of their lives, to warn the settlement in Greenbrier. Although the Indians had a two day start, the scouts, Phillip Hammond and John Prior, overtook the band about 20 miles north of Lewisburg. Passing on with great speed to Col. Donnally's, they gave the alarm of the approaching raiders. The aroused settlement fled to Donnally's Fort. Dick Pointer, the Negro servant of Michael See[note: Dick Pointer was slave belonging to Andrew Donnally, owner of the fort. His son Jonathon would later become slave of Michael See}, was one of the 60 men, women & children gathered in the stockade.
"The two young scouts warned Col. Donnally to store a supply of water. they told of the suffering for water at Point Pleasant in the same emergency. A hogshead of water was secured and placed against the kitchen door. Early next morning, John Pritchard, a white servant of Donnally's, left the fort, leaving the gate ajar. He was tomahawked. The sentinel, William Hughart, saw Indians and spread the alarm. The gate still open, the outer yard was soon full of Indians who began cutting down the kitchen door. Dick Pointer, jumping about with a gun in his hand called "Massa, what must I do?" "Shoot, and quick at the bunch, damn you!" Dick obeyed, killing nine Indians with his Blunderbuss loaded with a variety of missiles. The recoil laid the Negro flat. Hammond fired another shot and the door was closed. The sleeping refugees were now aroused and soon opened fire through the port holes. The battle continued throughout the day. The Indians tried every conceivable way to take the fort. Meanwhile, a relief party of 67 from Lewisburg under Capt. Johnson started for the fort and though the Indians opened fire, managed to enter without casualties. By nightfall, the Indians withdrew, having lost 17, while the whites had 4 killed. For this heroic act, Pointer was given his freedom and the public built a cabin for him on land given by one John Davis. Dick died in 1827 and was buried in Lewisburg Cemetery.
"In 1776, Capt. Mathew Arbuckle built a fort at the mouth of the Kanawha River. It was called Fort Randolph. Prior to July 12, 1779, Fort Randolph was evacuated, after which it was burned by the Indians. New Fort Randolph was commanded by Col. Thomas Lewis and from that time on, the white man has never ceased to reside at Point Pleasant.
"Ten years after the Revolution, Indian hostility on the frontier of the young nation still made life for the settlers unsafe. By this time, the Sees had joined the tide of westward land seekers and had moved down the Kanawha Valley and settled on Crooked Creek about a mile above the mouth of the Kanawha River. Michael See, his wife Elizabeth and their four children, George, Michael, Frances and Frederick were living at the fort with the other settlers near Point Pleasant.
"For several years these pioneers were forced to spend more time in the forts than at their homes. Michael See was a signer of the petition to the Governor of Virginia, Sept. 19, 1791(note: date was 1781), asking protection for citizens of Greenbrier County against the Indians. In Virginia State Papers, Oct. 3, 1791, John Morris, John Hansford, John Jones, Reuben Slaughter, and Michael See were recommended as fit persons to execute the office of Magistrates in Kanawha County.
"On May 23, 1792 (note: should be May 21), Michael See was supervising the cultivation of the crops for the settlers at Fort Randolph. A squad of 10 soldiers had been sent from the fort to guard the men while they worked. The day was warm and the soldiers retired to the shade of a tree and engaged in a game of cards. A band of Wyandottes slipped up and under their very noses, killed Michael See and Robert St. Clair and took Thomas Northup and a Negro boy, Jonathan Pointer, who belonged to Michael, prisoners.
"That night at the Fort, Elizabeth See gave birth to William, from whom are descended the Sees of Mason County, West Virginia. Michael See was buried near the fort. The story told in later years is that the Mason County Court House was built with one corner over Michael's grave and another over the grave of Chief Cornstalk. Today a two acre state park, Tu-Endie Wei marks the site of the famous battleground.''
"The Revolutionary Service Record of Michael See, Jr. was accepted by the Daughters of the American Revolution June 6, 1940. Anne Weller Ready lists the name of Michael See on page 70 in West Virginia Revolutionary Ancestry. At the Virginia State Library at Richmond is an original document, Public Service Claims. It states (in part): "At a court held for Greenbrier County, June 10, 1782, the following claims were allowed and ordered to be certified: To George See 74 Rations State 3 14 G To Michael See 74 Do State 3 14 From "History of the Great Kanawha Valley Vol II" by J. P. Hale, Page 278: "Before the founding of Marietta and win, and Lumin Gibbs were dwelling their cabin homes around the walls of old Fort Randolph at Point Pleasant." DAR Listing: See, Michael, Jr. Birth: VA 1751 Service: VA Rank: Sol Death: VA Aug 1791 Spouse (1) Elizabeth Morris "Michael See was issued two certificates for equipment and/or supplies impressed by the American Army during the Revolutionary War. His place of residence at this time (1781-1783) was listed as Hampshire County, Virginia. References are Court Booklet pages, 1, 2, 6, and 16, Commissioner's book III, pages 124, 125, and Lists: page 16, housed in the Library of Virginia.
"Administrators of the estates of James Hale, MICHAEL SEE. Edward McClung, Roland Wheeler and Shadrack Harriman were appointed by the courts. These men were killed by the Indians...."
Michael See's Estate settlement includes his children.[19]
Find A Grave: Memorial #63012696
Original records-deeds, marriage records, personal property tax records, estate records etc, in Greenbrier and Kanawha County, WV
VA State papers Vol 5:561
VA Calendar of State Papers V2:468
Land Office Grants No. 44, 1799-1800, p. 450 (Reel 110). Virginia State Land Office. Grants A-Z, 1-124, reels 42-190; Virginia State Land Office. Land Office Grants No. 22, 1789-1791, p. 3 (Reel 88). Grants 125- , reels 369; VA Grants 7, p. 688-689 [Land Office Grants No. 24, 1791-1792, p. 591 (Reel 90). Virginia State Land Office.]
1764, Nov 15: List E List of Prisoners going to Fort Pitt under the Command of Captn Lewis Nov. ye 15, 1764; 1764, Nov 30: List D "List of Captives taken by Indians in Augusta County, Virginia going home under the Care of Col McNeill, Vollunteers (sic). with a Return of the Necessaries delivered to them at Muskingum & Ft Pitt."
1771-75 Mathews Trading Post Account Books in Greenbrier Historical Society.
The Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia: 1745 to 1800 by Lyman Chalkley (on-line) Augusta Co Records, Chalkley Vol 2:486-487
Larry Shuck: Greenbrier COURT MINUTES BOOK A, Vol 1: 109-11]
DAR Patriot Index, P. 602. To view D.A.R. Certificate: Family Revolutionary War Veterans
W.S. Laidley, History of Charleston and Kanawha Co, WV, p. 43, 52.
Anne Waller Reddy, comp. WV REVOLUTIONARY ANCESTORS (Baltimore GPub Co. Inc. 1979)
Biographical Sketch of the See, Sailor and Cobb Families (aka Records of the See Family of Virginia) by Thomas Jefferson Jackson See, 1913. (Based on oral histories, correspondence. and undocumented assumptions. When compared to actual records, the errors are rampant--particularly dealing with earliest generations.)
A Chronicle of the See Family and their Kindred by Irene See Brasel sparsely documented. Much came from TJJ See.
"History of the Great Kanawha Valley Vol 2" by J. P. Hale, (Madison, WI: Brant, Fuller & Co., 1891) pp 281-82:
Battle of Point Pleasant, Copies of Reports of the Pt Pleasant Battle Monument Commission to the WV State Board of Control, 1927, and from Acts of the Congress of the US, Feb 17, 1908 and WV State Legislature, 1931-1935. Ninth Edition
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