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From: "Faith Keahey" <>
Subject: Edgington Narrative #13
Date: Wed, 19 May 1999 18:48:08 -0600


The Death of John Wetzel, Sr.

The old man, Lewis Wetzel, and Miller, went down the river on a hunt, Lewis
was on shore under the hill, shaking with ague, some distance below the
Muskingum. As old John Wetzel and Miller were paddling along, some Indians
on the other side shot into the canoe, and shot olf Wetzel dead. Miller
jumped out, swam over the river, and escaped in Wheeling. As soon as Lewis
Wetzel heard the report of the guns, he ran, and found the tin cup on the
shore which he knew belonged to the canoe.

Not seeing the canoe (which the Indians had quickly taken away to aid them
in swimming over the river), he thought his father and Miller had been
captured; and he soon discovered where the horses had stamped, etc. Lewis
swam the Ohio with his rifle over his shoulder and covered it dry, and went
nine miles up the trail, and then in his weakened condition from the ague
returned to the river, and went a mile below Belleville Station. Next day
with a party, Lewis found his father's body, in the river, and buried it
near the river bank, and subsequently Martin, Lewis and Jacob paled it in.

Miller was a good hunter, a small man, and was much with the Wetzels. It is
not known what become of him.
cont

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