Ann [surname unknown]1,2,3,4,5

Family Chart
ID# 13685, (1738 - abt 1817)
MotherMargaret Sergeant6,8 (1702 - say 1802)
FatherDavid McSwain6,7 (abt 1700 - Sep 1740)

Key Events:

Birth: 30 Nov 1738, Virginia9,10
Marriage: before 1756, Archibald Clendenin Jr. (about 1730 - 15 Jul 1763)11,12,13
Marriage: 1767, John Rodgers 11,14,15,16,17,18
Death: about 1817, Greenbrier Co., Virginia19,20
Burial: Old Welch Cemetery, Greenbrier Co., Virginia6

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     Ann [surname unknown] was born on 30 Nov 1738 in Virginia.9,10 She was also known as Nancy [surname unknown].3
     Ann married first Archibald Clendenin Jr., son of Archibald Clendenning and Nancy Ann Ewing, before 1756.11,12,13

Cornstalk's Raid --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---


     Exactly what happened at the Clendenin farm on 15 Jul 1763 is lost to history, but the various accounts agree on the major points. The Shawnee chief Cornstalk, and a band of perhaps sixty tribesmen, had attacked the settlers at Muddy Creek. The next day twenty or so proceeded to the Clendenin farm. They initially posed as friendly, asking for something to eat, and were offered some of the elk that Archibald, a noted hunter, had just brought home. Indians had visited with the Whites before, so this was not suspicious. Some accounts suggest as many as 100 settlers joined in the feast, but the more reliable sources suggest that only the Clendenins, Ann's half-brother John Ewing, and two slaves were there. At some point the Indians attacked, killing and scalping Archibald, and by some accounts also killing their infant son in the process, though this seems doubtful. While some accounts report others killed, none have actually been named. Two slaves working in the field escaped without being noticed. The buildings were burned, and the Ann and the children, including young John Ewing, were taken captive and marched off to join the captives from Muddy Creek.21,22,23

Escape from the Indians --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---


     Ann, her daughter Jane, and her two young sons were left in charge of an old Indian with the other women and children, while the rest of the band left for several days, taking Ann's half-brother John Ewing with them. Ann decided after he didn't respond to conversation that their guard did not understand English. So she attempted, without success, to convince the other women to plot an escape. When she then learned that their guard did indeed understand the conversation, she was convinced she would be killed if she didn't escape. When the party of Indians returned with more captives the group started their march northward, toward Ohio. While her infant son in the care of another woman, Ann found opportunity to escape. By some accounts she slipped off the trail down a steep precipice, hiding under a large rock as the group moved forward. Another says a packhorse fell as they crossed Sewell Mountain, and she escaped in the confusion. When the Indians realized that she was missing, they made her infant child cry in an unsuccessful attempt to lure her back. Most accounts agree child was then killed, some offering gruesome versions of the story.24,25
     She made her way back to her ruined home, arriving a week after the attack. Several accounts include an encounter with a bear, which either surprised her as she hid beside the trail, or by other accounts, left its den as she approached, and led the trailing Indians off while she hid in it's den. Once home, she attempted to bury her husband, then started off to find help, traveling only at night. On the way she finally encountered a group which included one of her husband's relatives, who by most accounts were unhappy to find her alive, as they were on their way to collect for themselves any livestock and anything else of value left by the Indians. After nine days she arrived at the Dickinson's place on the Cowpasture River.26,27
     Ann was qualified as administratrix for her husband Archibald Clendenin Jr. on 16 Aug 1763 in Augusta Co., Virginia.28

The Children Returned --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---


     After a treaty was signed with the Indians, her daughter Jane and half-brother John Ewing were released on 10 May 1765 in Fort Pitt. Several accounts agree that when Jane was returned to her mother, the mother at first said it was not her daughter. But after finding a mark on the girl's heel, she was convinced that it was indeed her child.29,30,31,32,33,34,35
     Ann married second John Rodgers in 1767.11,14,15,16,17,18
     Ann and John Rodgers moved to Greenbrier Co. in 1772.36,37
     Ann died about 1817 in Greenbrier Co., Virginia.19,20 She was buried in Old Welch Cemetery, Greenbrier Co., Virginia, where there is a stone set by her great, great-grandson, the humorist Will Rodgers. The cemetery is just outside present Lewisburg, West Virginia.6
     
Research Note, 11 Dec 2003:
Carole Marlow's 23 Oct 2001 ancestry report shows Ann with Alexander Welsh as a second husband, before marrying John Rodgers. No other source mentions him, nor does her current file on Rootsweb. Until further information surfaces, I'll consider that an error.38,39


Research Note, 14 Dec 2003:
Sources are mixed in attributing a father to Ann (Nancy) McSwain/Ewing Clendennin. Carole shows him to be David McSwain, and does not mention a second marriage of Margaret. William T. Price, in Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County, West Virginia, shows her as the daughter of James Ewing, and doesn't acknowledge that Margaret married more than once.6,8

Children:
     Children with Archibald Clendenin Jr.:

  • John Clendenin6 (abt 1758 - abt 1764)
  • Jane Clendenin40,41,42 (Jan 1758 or Feb 1758 - abt Aug 1824)
  • James Clendenin6,42 (abt 1763 - abt 20 Jul 1763)

Children:
     Child with John Rodgers:

  • Nancy Rodgers43 (Sep 1770 - )

Citations

  1. [S402] Marlow, "Linah Mims," e-mail to author, 20 Oct 2001, shows name as Ann McSwain.
  2. [S656] Price, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County, pg 611, shows name as Jennie (perhaps confused with her daughter?) Ewing.
  3. [S657] Matthews, "Captive of The Shawnee", shows name as (Mrs.) Nancy Clendenin, sister of John Ewing.
  4. [S661] Moses, "The Clendenin Massacre", citing Ruth Woods Dayton, Greenbrier Pioneers and Their Homes (Charleston, West Virginia: West Virginia Publishing Company, 1942) pp. 225-235, shows name as Anne McSwain.
  5. [S745] Norman, "Descendants Of Adam Clendenin", shows name as Ann McSwain.
  6. [S652] Marlow, "Ancestors of Rebecca Davis", pg 3.
  7. [S656] Price, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County, pg 611, shows Ann's father as James Ewing, rather than David McSwain.
  8. [S656] Price, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County, pg 611.
  9. [S652] Marlow, "Ancestors of Rebecca Davis", pg 3, shows date, with year as 1738.
  10. [S661] Moses, "The Clendenin Massacre", citing Ruth Woods Dayton, Greenbrier Pioneers and Their Homes (Charleston, West Virginia: West Virginia Publishing Company, 1942) pp. 225-235, shows year, as 1732.
  11. [S402] Marlow, "Linah Mims," e-mail to author, 20 Oct 2001, shows married.
  12. [S661] Moses, "The Clendenin Massacre", citing Ruth Woods Dayton, Greenbrier Pioneers and Their Homes (Charleston, West Virginia: West Virginia Publishing Company, 1942) pp. 225-235, shows married prior to moving to Greenbrier, c. 1756.
  13. [S745] Norman, "Descendants Of Adam Clendenin", shows married c. 1754.
  14. [S652] Marlow, "Ancestors of Rebecca Davis", pg 4, shows as her third marriage.
  15. [S655] Chalkley, Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish, vol II pg 93, citing Circuit Court Judgments and Causes Ended (O. S. 56; N. S. 19), shows "Archibald's widow Ann married John Rogers" and year.
  16. [S685] Royall, Sketches of History, Life, and Manners, pg 65 shows that after arriving safe in her old neighborhood, "within a few days" she married a Mr. Rodgers, father of Mrs. Maiz."
  17. [S745] Norman, "Descendants Of Adam Clendenin", shows year, as 1767.
  18. [S225] Ann Royall relates, based on a family tale then 60 years old that Ann married Rodgers within a few days of arriving at safety. This seems unlikely, and Chalkley provides a year, based on court records, which seems more reasonable.
  19. [S402] Marlow, "Linah Mims," e-mail to author, 20 Oct 2001, shows year, as c., and Greenbriar Co. West Virginia.
  20. [S685] Royall, Sketches of History, Life, and Manners, pg 66, shows it was seven years since Ann died, apparently in 1824 when the author traveled to the area.
  21. [S655] Chalkley, Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish, vol II pg 93, citing Circuit Court Judgments and Causes Ended (O. S. 56; N. S. 19), shows John Ewing was deposed in c. 1804 he was captured 15th July, 1763.
  22. [S657] Matthews, "Captive of The Shawnee", shows date as June 1763, describes 17 (another place 19) Indians seemingly friendly arrival, then killing and scalping Archibald and setting fire to the cabin, and taking Ann, John, and the children off. There is no mention of any settlers other than the family and two slaves. In describing Ann's return to the homestead, mentions she buried her husband's body, with no reference to a child's body there.
  23. [S685] Royall, Sketches of History, Life, and Manners, pg 61-62, describes the Shawanese killing Yokum and others at Muddy Creek, then coming to the Clendenings; asking for food, Ann getting meat from the kettle, scalping of Archibald, plundering and burning the house, and the capture of Ann, her three children, and John Ewing. There is no mention of any other settlers.
  24. [S657] Matthews, "Captive of The Shawnee", shows Nancy [Ann], her children, and John were marched toward the Ohio River, and she escaped when a pack horse fell while crossing Sewell Mountian; of holding the child by the legs to make it cry and then killing it.
  25. [S685] Royall, Sketches of History, Life, and Manners, pg 62-64, describes the march to join the other captives, Ann's attempt to convince the other women to escape and being overheard by the guard while John and the rest of the Indians were gone, starting northward, Ann's jumping off the trial and hiding, making the child cry, and that they killed it and went on.
  26. [S657] Matthews, "Captive of The Shawnee", shows she returned to her home, taking exactly a week, finding the corpse of her husband, burying it, then walking to the nearest settlement.
  27. [S685] Royall, Sketches of History, Life, and Manners, pg 63-65 describes a bear approaching her as she hid near the trail, taking two days to return to her home, finding her husband's body and trying to bury it but failing from exhaustion, traveling at night, encountering several white men including an "heir in-law" who was "much displeased that she had escaped" who were coming to gather the cattle and other valuables, and arriving at Dickenson's.
  28. [S655] Chalkley, Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish, vol I pg 108, citing Augusta County Court Records, Order Book No. VIII, pg 213, showing she qualified, and vol III, pg 80, citing Will Book 3, pg 275, shows sureties.
  29. [S655] Chalkley, Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish, vol II pg 93, citing Circuit Court Judgments and Causes Ended (O. S. 56; N. S. 19), shows John Ewing was deposed he and Jane were released together in Pittsburg on 14th May, 1765.
  30. [S656] Price, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County, pg 612, shows John was released after a treaty with the Indians, probably in 1764, and was delivered to Fort Pitt.
  31. [S657] Matthews, "Captive of The Shawnee", shows John was freed by a treaty between the British and the Shawnee and walked through the wilderness to Fort Pitt, the nearest white settlement.
  32. [S660] Gallipolis Journal, 21 Apr 1870, shows John was releases as a result of one of the many treaties, and reaching Pittsburg.
  33. [S684] List of prisoners delivered by the Shawanese at Fort Pitt, Thomas Gage Papers, 10 May 1765, William L. Clements Library, shows both John Ewing and Jean Clandinnon released 10 May 1765 at Ft. Pitt.
  34. [S685] Royall, Sketches of History, Life, and Manners, pg 65, shows John returned "by some means, before the general ransom of the prisoners," pg 66, shows Jane was held for seven years, and when she returned her mother failed to recognize her, until finding a mark on the girl's body she recalled.
  35. [S745] Norman, "Descendants Of Adam Clendenin", shows she was released at Pittsburgh 14 May 1765.
  36. [S655] Chalkley, Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish, vol II pg 93, citing Circuit Court Judgments and Causes Ended (O. S. 56; N. S. 19), shows he moved to Greenbrier in 1775.
  37. [S685] Royall, Sketches of History, Life, and Manners, pg 65 shows she returned with her new husband to the place were her first husband was killed, apparently shortly after the event.
  38. [S652] Marlow, "Ancestors of Rebecca Davis", pg 4, shows as Alexander Welsh her second husband.
  39. [S655] Chalkley, Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish, vol II pg 93, citing Circuit Court Judgments and Causes Ended (O. S. 56; N. S. 19), shows "Archibald's widow Ann married John Rogers."
  40. [S402] Marlow, "Linah Mims," e-mail to author, 20 Oct 2001.
  41. [S661] Moses, "The Clendenin Massacre", citing Ruth Woods Dayton, Greenbrier Pioneers and Their Homes (Charleston, West Virginia: West Virginia Publishing Company, 1942) pp. 225-235.
  42. [S745] Norman, "Descendants Of Adam Clendenin."
  43. [S685] Royall, Sketches of History, Life, and Manners, pg 61, show "Mrs. Maiz," the source of the story, was Ann's daughter, and pg 65, shows Rodgers was her father.