Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1910 edition. Excerpt: ... PREFACE The introductory chapter to the history of most of the early settlements of Kentucky is the story of a tragedy. In many instances this characteristic of their annals is repeated, often deepened and intensified, for a number of years after their beginning. This feature does not apply to the history of one locality more than to that of another. It is the general rule and is found in the story of almost every community. The founding of Harman's Station on the Louisa River l was directly caused by a tragedy as dark and horrible as any ever perpetrated by the savages upon the exposed and dangerous frontier of Virginia. The destruction of the home of Thomas Wiley in the valley of Walker's Creek, the murder of his children, the captivity of his wife by savages and her miraculous escape were the first incidents in a series of events in the history of Kentucky which properly belong to the annals of the Big Sandy Valley. Over them time has cast a tinge of romance, and they have grown in historical importance for more than a century. While they have been treasured by the people in that portion of Eastern Kentucky adjacent to the Virginias for more than a hundred years they are preserved mainly in tradition. Indeed, it is to tradition principally that we must look for the sources of much of the history of all Eastern Kentucky. For the history of Kentucky, so far as it has been written at all, deals almost wholly with events which transpired in the "blue grass region" of the State. 1 The Louisa River was named by Dr. Thomas Walker on Thursday, the 7th day of June, 1750. The entry in Dr. Walker's Journal describing this event is as follows: "June 7th.-- The Creek being fordable, we Crossed it f kept down It miles to a River about 100
