Somewhat Safer

Battle Of Point Pleasant (West Virginia)

The land that was to be Kentucky and Tennessee grew somewhat safer after the Point Pleasant Campaign of 1774* that marked the end of Dunmore’s War and the defeat of the Shawnee.

Fort Harrod (Reconstruction) In Kentucky

"Harrodsburg, Kentucky, was founded in that *year."

Sign At Fort Harrod, Kentucky

Also came the surveyors, locating boundaries for the land warrants Virginia had used to pay her soldiers in the French and Indian War. Some of these, including several hundred acres for George Rogers Clark, were located on the Middle Cumberland in the neighborhood of French Lick, for at this time most thought all the Cumberland was due west of Virginia instead of North Carolina. [Source: Flowering Of The Cumberland, Arnow, 1963]

George Rogers Clark Contacted Spanish Officials

Portrait - Fort Massac, Illinois, Museum

"Because of the vulnerability of the westernmost part of the United States, George Rogers Clark had also contacted Spanish officials, offering to bring settlers into Spanish territory in return for land."

Sign In New Madrid, Missouri

"Gradually Kentuckians began to cross into Spanish Missouri, quite unaware of the dark and devious schemes that had helped to clear the way."

Daniel Boone's Grave In Frankfort, Kentucky
"...emigrated to Missouri 1799..."

"The confluence of events, including land title disputes...the lure of Missouri (not only [General James] Wilkinson's "whisper" campaign, but the personal attention that the Spanish gave to persuading the Boone family to move there for the prestige of having an American icon in their midst) and the "push" of New Englanders and others crowding Kentucky spaces found members of Daniel Boone's family, including Daniel himself, moving to Missouri." (From Daniel Boone by John Bakeless, 1939).

The South Blockhouse

From The Kentuckians:

Fort (Reproduction) In Kentucky

"My post was in the south blockhouse [at Logan's fort] along side of Billy Whitley."

"...Major Clark kept a diary, like most soldiers I ever saw do, but that what he had to write in it nowadays was little more than a roll call of the hurt and dying."

"Major [George Rogers] Clark said....Dave, it's my opinion that we should strike at the source of this trouble."

Bryan's Station

"[Bryan's Station] was founded by four Bryan brothers from North Carolina,William, Morgan, James and Joseph....". [Note: My niece and nephew's ancestress, Mary (Bryan) Bush, was related to the Bryans of Bryan Station.] 

"How little did these rich acres cost in gold; how much did they cost in suffering and in blood."

"Thanks to the blow inflicted by the genius of Clarke in his Vincennes campaign, the Indians halted for a little season in their work of murder... ."

"...in December 1779 and January 1780...the Commissioners appointed by Virginia [arrived] to settle land claims. ...pioneers gathered in to get the certificates that meant so much to them... ."

"It was while this court was in session that the Bryans, who had rested secure in the belief that they were the owners of the station land by right of settlement, met the first of a series of discouragements that caused them to abandon the place."

The Bryans were determined to return to North Carolina, which they did in August of 1780.

"Clark's expedition against the Piqua Indians...restored confidence [and] immigrants began again to pour into the country...[many] settled at Bryan's making the station stronger than ever."

The above information from The Story of Bryan's Station: As Told in the Historical Address 

General Clark And The Sanscraintes

What did Eugenia J. "Jackie" Soncrant have to do with George Rogers Clark and the Sanscraintes mentioned in Henry Hamilton's Journal?  Jackie, of Oscoda, who passed away October 10, 2012 (age 84), was the person who first schooled me on the saga of George Rogers Clark and his quest to wrest the west from British control.   The story she told me was fascinating.  It is summed up here in Hamilton's Journal:

When the prisoners were brought in, Bosseron the Villain...levelld his piece at Serjeant Sanscrainte, whose father (who had come with Clarke from the Illinois) at that instant stepping up raised the muzzle and obtained his son's life by applying to Col. Clarke 

The senior Sanscrainte (Jackie knew this story because her husband was a descendant of these Sanscraintes) was with the Americans and G.R. Clark; his (Sanscrainte's) son was with the British and saved his son's life.  Talk about being in the right place at the right time!


Other entries from Hamilton's Journal that mention the Soncrainte's:


23. Lieutt. F. de Quindre, Mr: McBeth the Surgeon, and Serjt. Sanscrainte joind from Detroit --”We lay this night en bas des prairies--”


February 1st. The two Ottawa Chiefs Egushewai & Chamintawa with the Peoria chief came with 10 Warriors, designing to go to the falls of Ohio, & begged to have Serjeants Robert and Sanscrainte of Captain La Mothe's Company to go with them  Note: Jean Baptiste Romain dit Sanscrainte was probably the younger man of that name. J. Robert was listed as belonging to La Mothe's Volunteers. James, Clark Papers, I, 111. 

Jackie Soncrant was the best genealogy buddy one could have.  The drive from Oscoda to the Family History Center in West Branch started with a stop at the Mickey D's in Tawas for breakfast and then  it was an hour (plus) drive filled with anticipation, theories, new found knowledge, helpful hints, triumphs and disappointments.  I moved from Oscoda several years ago and lost contact with Jackie, but am grateful to this day for the time spent with her.

Note: Lochry's Defeat, which involved one of my ancestor's, threw a wrench into General George Rogers Clark's plans for Detroit and the "west."  Both of our families were affected by Clark's decisions.