Mary (Shepherd) Van Cleave (1742 - 1781)

Born 1742 in Mecklenburg, Orange County, Virginia

Ancestors

Wife of John Van Cleave — married 1760 in , Rowan County, North Carolina

Descendants

Died 13 Sep 1781 at about age 39 in Eastwood, Jefferson County, Virginia (later Kentucky)

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Biography

Mary (Shepherd) Van Cleave performed Patriotic Service in Virginia in the American Revolution.

Mary (Shepherd) Van Cleave is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A209380.

Mary Shepherd (daughter of Thomas Shepherd and Elizabeth Van Meter) was born 1742 in Shepherdtown, WV, and died 13 Sep 1781 in Jefferson County, Kentucky. She married John Van Cleave on 1760 in in Rowan County, NC, son of Aaron O. Van Cleave and Rachel Schenck.

Mary is recognized by the DAR for her service in Defender of a Fort as cited in Draper MMS, Boone Papers, Ser. C Vol 19 PP 1-57. ^[1]

Includes Notes for Mary Shepherd: Mary was killed by Indians while fleeing with the families of Boones Painted Station. Among those fleeing were of the Van Cleaves and Boone Families. Mary's mutilated body was identified only by her rings. She was buried there under branches in the place of the Long Run Massacre.

Mary Shepherd Van Cleave and two of her daughters were killed by Indians in the same attack (Bullskin Creek, KY) at which Gerardus Ryker was killed. Other sources (Lila M. Van Cleave) claim that one of the two daughters, Sally, was later rescued from the Indians

Mary Shephard was killed on Sep 14, 1781 during the Long Run Massacre, while a group of families were trying to go from Squire Boone's Station to Ft. Boonesboro. During the Revolutionary War, the British had Indians attack settlers in the area. The families had been warned, and were trying to make it to safety at Ft. Boonesboro. They were attacked, and a number of them were killed. She was carrying one of her twin daughters, Nancy, who was, according to family legend, carried off by the Indians.

on trail from Bryant's Station to Booesboro, KY by Indians John b abt 1739, mdabt 1760/1, d 5/12/1812 Madison Tp, Jefferson Co, IN, bur Ryker Ridge Cem. md Mary Shepherd b abt 1742 Shepherdtown, WV, killed by Indians under command of Simon Girty, during Rev. War, enroute from Bryant's (Squire Boone's) Station toFt Boonesborough on the 14th of Sep 1781. Mary was a dau of Thomas Shepherd (founder of Shepherdstown, WV) & Elizabeth Van Metre.

Excerpt of: Posting by Richard Lawson, Date: January 25, 2003 at 03:07:40 POST # 491 - Genealogy.com Van Cleave board:

Fellow Van Cleave family researchers & cousins, Although my grandmother, Dulcena Elizabeth "Lizzie" (Van Cleave) Lawson's direct paternal line is: Dulcena-Benjamin Milton-David-Aaron(4-4)-John-AIJ, I will post some of the information that I have about David's wife, Sarah Jane Van Cleave's family first, since "Big John" (4-3) is listed before Aaron (4-4), both being sons of John Van Cleave & Mary Shepherd... ...The following comments/stories about our Van Cleave family, including excerpts from story of attack on Bryant's Station, are from: THE VAN CLEAVE FAMILY THE McMULLEN FAMILY THE TAYLOR FAMILY, compiled by Errett Van Cleave, San Francisco, CA, 1946; from notes left by his Uncle James Wm Van Cleave of Brown's Valley (near Crawfordsville), Montgomery, IN (who apparently relied heavily on "the Elders" Uncle Jonathan & Aunt Betsy Van Cleave & Uncle Matthius Mount Van Cleave).

I have presented these excerpts as they were told by "the Elders", and compiled by Errett Van Cleave, just as they were written, in most instances, even though they contain some expressions of a sensitive nature. I did avoid using some terms which I determined may be considered more offensive than sensitive, and, at the very least, considered politically incorrect in this present day.

Bottom of page 6-page 13: A lengthy description of the siege on Bryant's Station [which must have lasted about a month], including several battles with reinforcements coming into the fort from all directions & how several members of the Van Cleave family, including the women, did whatever was necessary to help defend the fort during that long siege.

Bottom of page 7: "In the meanwhile the men in the garrison were kept busy defending the fort against the ...[Indians], and the women were not idle. They assisted the men as much as they were able. Ruth [Munson Van Cleave]'s daughters, Mary [15] and Rachel [9] [Eunice was not quite 2], assisted the men by molding bullets for them as they were needed. Mention is made of John [Van Cleave], Mary [Shepherd Van Cleave], his wife and daughters [Rachel 19, Leah 17 & Elizabeth 8] helping to carry from the spring and to run bullets and to [page 8:] carry them to the men at the walls of the fort. John [15/16] and Aaron [12], sons of John were not idle. They were lads but could handle a rifle as could most boys of that day. Aaron [12], son of Benjamin, also took part in the affray and stood at the walls with rifle in hand and sent forth death dealing loads among the ...[Indians].

"It was now near sundown and the fire on both sides had slackened. The Indians had become discouraged. Their loss in the morning had been heavy and the country was evidently arming and would soon be upon them. They had made no impression upon the fort and without artillery could hope to make none. The chief spoke of raising the siege and decamping, but [Simon] Girty determined since his arms had been unavailing, to try the efficacy of negotiating. Near one of the basins there was a large stump to which he kept on his hands and knees and from which he hailed the garrison. He highly commended their courage but assured them that further resistance would be madness, as he had six hundred warriors with him, and was in hourly expectation of reinforcements with artillery which would instantly blow their cabins into the air; that if the fort were taken by storm, as it certainly would be when their cannon arrived, it would be impossible for him to save their lives; but if they surrendered at once, he gave them his word of honor that not a hair on their heads would be injured. He told them his name, inquired whether they knew him, and assured them that they might safely trust in his honor. The garrison listened in silence to his speech, and many of them looked very troubled at the mention of artillery, as the Indians had, on at least one occasion, brought cannons with them and destroyed two stations. A young man by the name of Reynalds [Reynolds?]; highly distinguished for courage and energy, took it upon himself to reply to Girty's speech. To the inquiry if the garrison knew him, Reynalds replied that Girty was very well known, that he, himself, had a very worthless dog to which he had given the name of Simon Girty, because of his striking resemblance to a man of that name; that if he had either artillery or reinforcements, he might bring them up and be damned; that if he and any of his naked rascals with him found their way into the fort, they would disdain to use their guns against them, but would drive them out with switches, of which they had collected a great number for that very purpose alone. And finally he declared that they were expecting reinforcements, that the whole country was marching to their assistance, and that if Girty and his gang of murderers remained twenty-four hours longer before the fort, their scalps would be found drying in the sun upon the roofs of their cabins.

"Girty took great offense at the tone and language of Reynalds remarks, and retired with an expression of sorrow for the inevitable destruction which awaited the garrison on the following morning. He quickly rejoined the other chiefs in instant preparations for raising the siege.

"While these ... war like scenes were transpiring about the fort, [Big] John Van Cleave, son of John [AIJ], distinguished himself. It was sometime during the latter part of the day and shortly before Girty's speech and Reynald's intrepid reply that John Van Cleave, standing at his post near the wall where he had been all day, saw an Indian standing on a stump, a tall stump, trying to look over into the fort. John, who was a lad of fifteen years, called the attention of the others, who were standing nearby, to the Indian on the tall stump. John thought of shooting at the Indian, but it was at very long range, and the other men thought it too far for their guns, but 'Big John' Van Cleave, as he was called, concluded that he could hit him. His rifle was a small boar gun, but of long range, and he said to those near him, 'Boys, I intend to shoot at that Indian and see if I can make him get off of the stump.' The men made no objections. John saw something bright and shiny on the Indian's breast, but could not make out what it was at that great distance. So he took aim upon the object on the Indian's breast, up near the chin and fired. At the report of his rifle the Indian disappeared from the stump. It was a long shot, but John knew the strength of his rifle, for he had often tried it at long range on turkey and deer in the forest. He was a good hunter as well as a dead shot. Soon after he fired, there were soon many Indians gathered about the stump keeping up a great commotion. After [page 9:] yelling about for some time they all went away."

Page 14: "Now that the battle was over and the Indians had fled, 'Big John' Van Cleave [son of John-AIJ] went out to the stump where he shot at the Indian standing upon it to see the result of his long shot. John found no Indian at the stump where he had seen him fall, for the Indians had borne the body away and tried to hide the evidence of his death by killing a hog and dragging it around the stump to obliterate all trace of the dead Indian. Indian tracks were thick about the stump. John searched down around the roots and found a silver half-moon with a short buckstring attached to it. The upper end had been cut off with a rifle ball, for the color of lead was still upon it. He knew then that this was what had glittered on the Indian's breast. John kept the silver [half-]moon the rest of his life but it is not known what became of it. John said that during the siege of the fort they became very hungry for the garrison had not enough time to gather provisions before the siege. He was so hungry that he gathered up grains of corn from the cow dung, washed, parched and ate them with relish [pleasure].

"The boys made their escape following the horsemen. [Big] John was a fleshy boy and couldn't run as fast as Aaron and Benjamin, so he was left behind. He made his escape by hiding in a hollow log and stayed there all night. He was found the next morning by scouts that went out to look for the dead and missing. John came out of the hollow log rejoicing to find friends. Aaron and Benjamin were slim and fleet of foot so they ran after the horsemen and kept up pretty well. When they came to the river the horsemen could not take them up, so they caught the horses by the tail and swam across in that manner. After crossing the river they hurried along on foot as fast as they could, encumbered as they were with wet buckskin garments."Fellow Van Cleef-Van Cleve-Van Cleave family researchers & cousins,

The following comments/stories about our Van Cleave family, including excerpts from story of attack on Bryant's Station, are from: THE VAN CLEAVE FAMILY THE McMULLEN FAMILY THE TAYLOR FAMILY, compiled by Errett Van Cleave, San Francisco, CA, 1946; from notes left by his Uncle James Wm Van Cleave of Brown's Valley (near Crawfordsville), Montgomery, IN (who apparently relied heavily on "the Elders" Uncle Jonathan & Aunt Betsy Van Cleave & Uncle Matthius Mount Van Cleave).

I have presented these excerpts as they were told by "the Elders", and compiled by Errett Van Cleave, just as they were written, in most instances, even though they contain some expressions of a sensitive nature. I did avoid using some terms which I determined may be considered more offensive than sensitive, and, at the very least, considered politically incorrect in this present day.

Page 1: "The early history of the Van Cleave family lies in much obscurity. From the traditions of the Elders we learn that the progenitor of the family in America came from Holland some six or seven generations ago. His name was Aaron, and from him sprang all the families of Van Cleave in America. Aaron seems to have come to America some two or three generations before the Revolutionary War."

"Aaron, the elder, and a brother probably named John [Jan] came over. The rest of the family remained in Holland where the older brother would inherit the estate of their father. The younger sons, seeing that they would be left penniless, concluded to emigrate to the New World, then much talked of. We know not whether the elder brother set his younger brothers adrift or not; but it seems that way,at least they seem to have had a falling out and left the country never to return. It is said that the elder brother never married, so the estate is there yet, the family never claiming it. The occupation of the younger brothers seem to have been sailors and fishermen. Younger brothers often followed those occupations. Those were a stout, hardy race of people. They first came to Monmouth, New Jersey where they settled."

Page 17: APPENDIX by Errett; "Uncle James starts his narrative with Aaron Van Cleave, Sr. as the original emigrant and seems to be confused by others of the same name which he cannot identify. As a matter of fact old Aaron, Sr. was the son of Isabrant Van Cleef and the grandson of Jan (John) Van Cleef who came to the New World from Holland. Aaron Sr. left his brothers and cousins in Long Island and the coast of New Jersey and moved to Rowen [sic] County, North Carolina, at the forks of the Yadkin River, about 1750.He became a neighbor of Squire Boone, Sr., the father of Daniel Boone and Squire Boone, Jr., and Aaron's daughter Jane, married Squire Boone, Jr. There are records in the Court House at Salisbury, North Carolina of the family in that County."

Page 3: "Sometime during the first half of the Revolutionary War [1776-1779] the five Van Cleave brothers, Aaron, Benjamin, John, Billy, Ralph and their sister Jane emigrated to the territory of Kentucky. This was a vast wilderness inhabited by ... Indians and wild beasts, the prowling panther, the wild cat and the catamount, huge buffaloe, deer and elk, as well as bear. It was the perfect paradise for the hunter and those fond of adventure. ... Their mode [of] travel is not given but it is evident that they traveled on horseback, carrying their bedding on pack horses, probably some road [sic] and some walked part of the time. It was a long journey, crossing the mountains into the territory of Kentucky. They camped at night along the trail. There is but one incident given during the entire trip. One morning as the women were getting breakfast by the campfire, a deer dashed up and stood near the fire, so, Aaron, son of Benjamin snatched up his brother's (Sammy) 'little shot gun' and taking a rest between the forks of a small tree, shot the deer.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed Feb 15, 2020), "Record of Mary Shepherd", Ancestor # A209380.Meehan-411
2. ↑ http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/v/e/n/Adriana-Venegas/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0154.html

• This person was created on 14 September 2010 through the import of 124-DeCoursey.ged.
• This person was created through the import of LaBach Family TreeApril28_2011.ged on 05 May 2011.