Lietch's Journey

By Gen. James Taylor for Dr. Dl. Drake Dec. 1838 – Newport, Ky.
“Mrs. Taylor [his wife] was born about 16 miles from Richmond Va, came to this country inn the fall of 1784, through the wilderness. Her step-father, Capt. J.R. Farrar, settled in about 4 miles of Lexington, where he died. All their goods were brought on pack-horses; they were about one month on the road.
“About the middle of the wilderness they were overtaken by a party of 12 or 15 persons after they had taken up camp. This party appeared to be determined to go on further and encamp. They were advised to encamp with the large party, on account of safety. They, however, pressed on and camped about one mile in advance. The Indians that night rushed on them, killed and scalped the greater part of the party. There was a man & wife who had two children. The woman came to the camp they had passed, in the course of the night with an infant in her arms. The other child was killed. The husband took that end of the road leading to Kentucky, and each thought the other & children were killed. The wife with the infant came with the party & found her husband. Mrs. T. was horror-struck the next day when they came to the up to the massacred camp. The dead were buried as well as they could under the circumstances of the case. Mrs. Taylor with her then husband, Maj. David Leitch, visited Cini. In 1791, & her intended home on Licking – returned to the mouth of Kentucky, & passed through the woods to Frankfort, when it was considered very dangerous. Major Leitch removed to Leitch’s Station in May, 1792, where he resided till his death in Novr. 1794.”

from the Draper Papers, 9CC71a.