A Darker View of George Ash

There have been a number of stories about George Ash, who was captured by Shawnee Indians, lived as an Indian for years, and then left them and later moved into Switzerland County, Ind.

There are several different versions of his life story, as told by George. Most downplay his involvement in attacks on whites. However, a dramatically different account published in the Vevay (Ind.) Reveilles of March 14, 1874 and March 21, 1874. These were published as having come originally from the Madison Progress.

The account of George's capture states that a little boy and girl were killed immediately. These two are not mentioned in other stories. Another girl, mentioned in other accounts, was taken with George, but was finally tomahawked when she wouldn't keep quiet

The first newspaper episode contains a story of George's being a Shawnee by virtue of surviving a gauntlet run and then being adopted by an older warrior and his wife.

At some time after he was 18, the Shawnees camped on low ground just north of the site of Madison, Ind. He detailed how he stood on the shore and hailed a passing flat boat, telling them he had escaped from the Shawnees. The boat eventually landed and its crew members were slaughtered. Shortly after this, he and the Shawnees fought in a battle against Creek Indians, apparently in Indiana.

He then participated in a raid in Kentucky, in which his brother Henry was reportedly killed. He then again surveyed as a decoy to lure a ship to the Ohio River banks, but failed. The Shawnees were then defeated by the Creeks, losing 100 out of 150 men.

They returned to Indiana, hiding their boats on the Indian-Kentuck Creek, just upstream from the site of modern Brooksburg, Ind. They lured four more boats to the shore and killed the crews and seized the goods.

Ash then resolved to return to his family. And here is where the account different dramatically from others, which picture his father as welcoming George, but his second wife as not wanting him. The Progress/Reveille account says the wife (erroneously called Ash's mother) was willing to accept George, but the father was not, because the settlers knew about George's participation in the raid in which Henry was killed.

This account does not mention Ash's Indian wife, She Bear. It does state that his bride (not named, but known to be Hannah Combs) continued to deal with George in spite of her father's opposition and that they ran away to be married.

One final interesting note is that the March 21 installment states George built a shack in Indiana, before he built the brick house that still stands. It states that "Col. Ash was born in the shanty spoken of..."

George's son, George Col. Ash was born in 1812 and this suggests that the house was built a few years after the dates previously claimed.

John Hay Captured by Indians 1790

John Hay’s description here places two Indian and settler confrontations in Indiana across from the mouth of the Kentucky River. The first, given the date of this entry, took place in the spring of 1789, when settlers killed several Indians. The other took place in the fall when the Shawnees captured the prisoner, who Hay saw on this day.

Hay, John Journal from Detroit to the Miami River,

December 9, 1789-April 3, 1790.

Saturday Feb. 13,1790

This morning about 1/2 past 10 oClock a Party of warriors of the Shawanies Nation brought in a Prisoner- They took him on this side of the Ohio at the mouthe of Kentuck.

The Party that took him were out hunting last Spring, during which time some Miamis went to war and returned a different road they went & passed by this hunting party, the Americans pursued them & fell in with the Hunters & killed several of them women & Children &c. one Joseph Sovereigns who had been a Prisoner from his infancy was killed at that place;-

These People went out last fall to revenge themselves & took this Prisoner who was out hunting much about the same place w[h]ere their own people were killed. Mess. Leith, Ironside & myself went down to the Chilicothe village of Shawaneses- They were then in council- that is the young man who took the Prisoner was given a very minute Report of all what passed- which they are obliged to do- This party is not of this village, they belong to the Messessinoue Village. The Reason for bringing him here is, that he's given to a man of this village.

Little Raine & Sleete this afternoon, turned out Snow this Evening. not to hurt him; which they did not. The Chiefe who was out hunting heard of a prisoner being taken sent word immediately that he should not be hurt. Its about fifteen days ago since he was taken.

They have washed his face, but not his boddy, which will be done & also cleanly dressed when the Chiefe Black (Bairde) arrives, a Belt of Wampums is now making which will be thrown over his head when he's adopted & which he'll ware.

He's being lately from Virginia shews very plainly that he was not in the action last Spring, and that some evil minded people who wanted to hurt him in the mind of the Indians. He's quite a young man, his name is McMullen.

Indiana Historical Society

Publications, vol. 18.

1811 Switzerland County and Vevay. Niles Register

Dated Oct. 9, 1811, this account of Vevay is among the earliest accounts published about the Swiss Settlement. It is also one of the most detailed accounts available that covers a wide range of activities before 1820.

Niles Weekly Register, Baltimore, Vol. 1, No. 8.

By the politeness of a Swiss gentleman, residing at Vevay, Indiana territory, we have been favoured with the following sketch of the Swiss settlement; New Swisserland is situate on the right bank of the Ohio river, in Jefferson county, Indiana territory, about seven miles above tire mouth of the Kentucky.

This settlement was began in the spring of the year 1803 by some Swiss of the canton of Váud, formerly a part of the canton of Bern, their principal object is the introduction of the culture of the grape vine in this country. This settlement, or rather the place down the river to the mouth of the Venoge Creek, known by the name of Indian creek, about four miles and a half fronting the river, and extends back for the quantity of about 3700 acres of land—2500 of which they have purchased under a law in favor of J. James Dufour and his associates, allowing them twelve years to pay for it from 1802, the time of the purchase; the remainder they have bought as other purchasers, and paid for it.

The lower end, about two miles along the river, is occupied by thirteen Swiss families, containing sixty-six individuals, of every age—10 of those families have successively come to join the three first who had began the settlement. Had it not been for the difficulties in crossing the ocean, it is believed the whole distance of four and a half miles would have been filled up with as many more of those indubious people.

The improvements of the of the Swiss are considerable, Considering the time when they began, the few hands employed in them and their inexperience in the way of improving lands in this country. They have now about 140 acres in cultivation, about 8 or 9 acres more planted in vines, which are not yet bearing; and they continue planting more every year. The crop of wine of 1810 has exceeded the quantity of 2400 gallons, the quality of which has been thought, by judges of wine, superior to that of the claret of Bordeaux.

Out of the quantity about 120 gallons was white or yellow wine made out of Madeira grapes. These two kinds of wine are the only two which have hitherto succeeded, but others are going to be tried and it is very probable that some of them will also produce good wine.

When the vines are older and the vine dressers are able to let their wine acquire age before they sell it, the quality will certainly will be greatly superior to what it is now, and there is no doubt that, in the course of the number of years, the United States will be able to do without imported wine. The precious culture of the vine will be tried in different parts of the union and will undoubtedly multiply with rapidity. The Swiss will encourage it with all their power. They give vine slips gratis to whoever will plant them with instructions and directions for their cultivation

The Swiss also cultivate Indian corn, wheat, potatoes, hemp, flax and other articles necessary farmers, although in small quantities. Some of their women make straw hats, which they sell in Cincinnati and on the river to trading boats, which usually stop there to purchase them to carry to the Mississippi country where they are very ready for sale.

They are made quite different from the other straw-hats, by tying the straws together, instead of plaiting and sewing the plaits. One of Mr. J.F. Dufour's sisters first brought the art to this country, from Swisserland. As the Swiss, enlarge their vineyards every year more and more, their settlement will of greater consequence to the United States, not only in producing good and wholesome wine, but also in being a model for those who may establish new vineyards in other parts of this comment which may be found suitable for their culture.

New Swisserland has the advantage of two roads —one is a fork from the road leading from Lawrenceburg to Port William, taking off to the right, about one mile and half before arriving at Venoge, or Indian creek, and leads to Dufour's ferry. The other leads from the upper end of Jefferson County, down to Madison, all along the river. There is a post office, by the name of Vevey, which is the name of the town intended to be shortly laid off, for the accommodation of mechanics.

* On account of the great number of creeks in the United States called by the name of Indian the Swiss, who own its mouth, have thought proper to alter its name to that of Venoge, a small river in the Pays de Vaud, on the banks of which some of the Swiss spoken of here were raised.

John Woods Visits Vevay 1821

John Woods was on his way to the English settlement inn Albion, Ill. His was one of several accounts of the town that touched upon the Ohio River Valley. Besides giving a brief, first-hand account of Madison, he repeated hearsay about the quality of wine in Switzerland County.

Wood's Two years' residence in the settlement on the English Prairie--June 25, 1820-July 3, 1821

27th. At dusk we passed the Kentucky, a river of the state of the same name, and navigable some distance up the country. After dark we passed Vevay and New Switzerland, and soon after got stuck on a sand bank; some of us got into the water and turned the ark

around, and then we floated off again, and about midnight anchored. This day, twenty-five miles. I regretted passing Vevay after it was dark, as I much wished to land to inspect the vineyards belonging to a Swiss colony settled there, who cultivate the vine on a considerable scale, in the manner of their native country. In the twilight we had a glimpse of their vineyards, but too far off to see much of them.

I have since learnt that a few Swiss emigrants settled at New Switzerland in 1805, and in 1810 they had eight acres planted with vines, and in full bearing, and from which they made two thousand four hundred gallons of wine, then said to be very good. Since that time their vineyards are considerably extended, but their wine of an inferior quality. They also cultivate wheat, Indian corn, hemp, and flax. They are represented to be a sober, industrious people, and much respected in the country. They speak the French language, most of them having come from the frontiers adjoining France.

28th. We landed at Port William, Kentucky, a small place, and procured some very excellent bread. As we proceeded slowly I landed on the Indiana side, and went to two or three cottages; at one of them I got a peck of fine peaches, for which the inhabitants would not take any money. They were hardly ripe, but made very good puddings; as the settlements were new, none of the trees were six years old. At one cabin a man showed me a tree on which there was then growing at least a bushel of peaches; he had planted the stone from which this tree sprung in the spring of 1816. We landed at a cabin in Indiana, where there were a few vines cultivated after the [Note Port William, now Carrollton, is situated at the mouth of the Kentucky River. In 1789-90, General Scott built a blockhouse at that point, which was occupied until 1792, when the town of Port William was laid out.--Ed.] [RWS note: This editor's note is from the 1904 publication, apparently. The narrative was first published in 1822.]

29th. Early in the morning we reached the town of Madison in Indiana, capital of the county of Jefferson, of sixty or seventy houses, a mixture of brick, frame, and log; it has a steam-mill, &c. The country less settled, and on the banks a much less number of horses, cows, sheep, pigs, geese, &c. to be seen.

Presbyterian Church 1826

This letter, requesting a French-speaking minister for Vevay, contains details about early Vevay, and commentary about the use of French in the city. There is a question as to whether the date is 1826, as shown on the title page, or 1829, as shown in three places in the printed letter.

Minutes of the Presbyterian Church of the United States With A. D. 1826. Vol. Vi. Philadelphia: Printed by Jesper Harding.1829

LETTER IV.
To the Reverend St. Pilot Joly, Pastor of the French Walloon Church of Frankfort en the Maine, and the Committee appointed to promote the preaching of the Gospel in Vevay, tic.

Dear Brethren in Christ,
The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, in the United States of America, received your kind letter, dated Morges, Feb. 3d, 1829, with great satisfaction; and we now hasten to inform you, that Vevay is a post-town in Switzerland county, in the state of Indiana, and is pleasantly situated on the river Ohio. The town contains about two hundred dwelling houses, a court-house, a jail, a printing-office, a library of three hundred volumes, a Sabbath school, and the means of affording the rising generation a common education. The inhabitants, in general were, as you know, emigrants from Switzerland; and their vineyards, which are the chief source of their wealth, lie at the distance of half a mile from the town.

In our country, the civil law neither licenses nor restrains any one from preaching to all who are willing to hear him. The religion of Jesus Christ is supported only by the power of the truth, and the omnipotent grace of its divine author. This will account to you for the fact, that some religious meetings give occasion for, "ridiculous details" of occurrences; for some travelling preachers of some denominations, are both ignorant and extravagant; and until the people of Vevay have some well-informed, pious, stated preacher, it may be expected that they will not unfrequently hear declaimers of little worth. In the town of Vevay, during the past winter, a Presbyterian Church was organized; which is under the care of the Presbytery of Cincinnati. The church, however, has no Pastor, but is visited at intervals by regularly ordained Presbyterian Ministers, who preach in purity the Gospel of the great God our Saviour, Jesus Christ. On these Ministers of the Gospel, during their temporary visits, the inhabitants generally attend; but until they enjoy the stated ministrations of some able and faithful pastor, we cannot expect the young people to be instructed in the truths of the Bible; nor the vicious to be converted from their evil ways; nor the few truly pious people in the place to shine as lights in the world, with a divine brilliancy.

A large portion of the Swiss inhabitants of Vevay can understand the English language, in which the Gospel is preached by the members of the Presbytery of Cincinnati ; but it would be of immense service for the pastor who may be settled with them, at some future time, to be able to speak French ; and such a pastor we think it probable that the Presbyterian Church will be able to furnish them with in less than a year. The inhabitants of Vevay would be able and willing, we think, to contribute in money and provisions, about two hundred and fifty dollars a year, towards the support of a pastor; and he would be obliged for his maintenance to receive an equal sum from some other source.

The pious, influential laymen in Vevay and its vicinity are few. Dear Brethren of the Committee, we rejoice that God has put it into your hearts to seek the salvation of your countrymen, our fellow-citizens, on the banks of the Ohio and we will strive together with you for their everlasting good.

Any communication which you may make to us, through our Stated Clerk, at Philadelphia, will be received with fraternal love.We wish you, and the people of God in Switzerland whom you represent, the richest blessing of our common Lord and Redeemer.

In the name, and by order of the General Assembly,

B. H Rice, Moderator.
John M'Dowell, Permanent Clerk.
Philadelphia, June lst, 1829.

William Cobbet 1818

William Cobbet’s 1818 trip down the Ohio River produce one of the highest praises for the wine of Switzerland County. He went on to Louisville without stopping in Jefferson County.

A year's residence, in the United States of America. Treating of the face of the country, the climate, the soil, the products, the mode of cultivating the land, the prices of land, of labour, of food, of raiment; of the expenses of house-keeping, and of the usual manner of living; of the manners and customs of the people; and of the institutions of the country, civil, political, and religious... By William Cobbet. 1828. First edition. New York, 1818.

June 16th.--Left Cincinnati for Louisville with seven other persons, in a skiff about 20 feet long and 5 feet wide.

492. June 17th.--Stopped at Vevay, a very neat and beautiful place, about 70 miles above the falls of the Ohio. Our visit here was principally to see the mode used, as well as what progress was made, in the cultivation of the vine, and I had a double curiosity, never having as yet seen a vineyard. These vineyards are cultivated entirely by a small settlement of Swiss, of about a dozen families, who have been here about ten years. They first settled on the Kentucky river, but did not succeed there. They plant the vines in rows, attached to stakes like espaliers, and they plough between with a one-horse plough.

The grapes, which are of the sorts of Claret and Madeira, look very fine and luxuriant, and will be ripe in about the middle of September. The soil and climate both appear to be quite congenial to the growth of the vine: the former rich and the latter warm. The north west wind, when it blows, is very cold, but the south, south east, and south west winds, which are always warm, are prevalent. The heat, in the middle of the summer, I understand, is very great, being generally above 85 degrees, and sometimes above 100 degrees.

Each of these families has a farm as well as a vineyard, so that they supply themselves with almost every necessary and have their wine all clear profit. Their produce will this year be probably not less than 5000 gallons; we bought 2 gallons of it at a dollar each, as good as I would wish to drink. Thus it is that the tyrants of Europe create vineyards in this new country!