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November 23, 2007

For almost a dozen years, I have been pushed by unknown forces to write this book. I do not believe in ghosts or spirits that come back to this world to get things done, but I have experienced unexplainable coincidences. I have come to understand that it is my destiny to write the amazing story of my great, great, great, great grandmother, Mary Neely Spears. She was born in South Carolina in 1761 to William and Margaret (Patterson) Neely. She died in Illinois in 1852, 104 years before I was born. Throughout her long life of 91 years, she explored new lands, survived being captured by the Indians, served as a midwife, raised eight children, made an impression on a young man named Abraham Lincoln, and delivered babies until one month before her death. Lincoln told her grandson, John Q. Spears, that she was the most remarkable woman he had ever met. It is my hope that when you finish this book you will agree with the great words of Abraham Lincoln. Following is the ancestral line from Mary to me: Mary Neely Spears & George Spears, Jr. George Spears, III Henrietta Spears Reding Ralph Spears Reding Patricia Reding Baker Debra Baker Wellman, author I will tell the story through Mary’s eyes and my own. The diary pages are for the reader to understand the process of learning about an ancestor by digging through historical documents, reading accounts from the time period, and creating a story based on the facts. As the story of this remarkable woman unfolded, uncanny experiences drove me to believe that I was being led by the spirit of this great woman. I cannot remember the first time I heard the story of Mary, who had been captured by the Indians; watched as her father was slain and scalped; lived among the Indians for two years; and escaped and made her way back to Kentucky to her family. My mother had eleven newspapers from a small town where she grew up, Tallula, Illinois. Tallula once vied to be the capital of Illinois but now is a sleepy town of six hundred people about 20 miles northwest of Springfield. Tallula’s newspaper, “The Express” printed the story of Mary Neely in 1895. Her Grandson, John Q. Spears, wrote the story based on an article in the Putnam’s Journal and from listening to her tell the stories of her life when he was a young boy. For eleven weeks, the people of Tallula read a column titled, “Mary Neely, A Romance in Real Life.” Each week the author left the reader at a cliff-hanger with the words I hated, “To be continued next week.” Fortunately for me, I could gently refold the newspaper, place it back in the old bread sack and take out the next week’s paper. I loved these old newspapers. I would read all the gossip columns of who had traveled to where to visit a long lost relative. I read about the introduction of a new product called a “hook and eye” and felt a part of the world in 1895. After I was married and moved from the Springfield area, I wanted to return to the newspapers, but my mom would not let them leave her sight. She promised to sit down at her new (and first) computer and retype the stories so I could read them over and over without worry of my ruining or “wearing out” the old newspapers. Sometime between 1998 and 2001, the newspapers disappeared. After many searches through every box and drawer, we guessed that they landed in a wrong pile during one of the moves my parents made and were inadvertently thrown away. In 2001, I contacted a librarian at Rollins College to seek her help finding copies of the old papers I had loved. After a thorough search, she called to tell me the Tallula Express had never existed. According to the “anthology of all newspapers” there was no record of this paper ever being printed. I was devastated. The world would have to take my word for it that I had held, on hundreds of occasions, the actual eleven newspapers that contained the story of my Grandmother. I was so thankful that my mother had typed the story for me years ago. Which brings us to the week of November 19, 2007. That week I was determined to bring all my notes together; to review the chapters I had previously written, to add the diary parts of my adventures learning about Mary and to complete the book: The Most Remarkable Woman. It has been a push that I just can’t describe other that to say it is what I was thinking about every moment that week. I was serving as the Associate Dean of the Faculty at Rollins College, which did not leave me much time to write. On Monday, November 19, I scratched out a plan to complete the book. This was the first Thanksgiving I had ever spent without my family. My parents were not coming to Florida for a visit, neither of my children could get off work or afford to fly from Ohio or Nevada to Orlando, so I dedicated myself to getting the book done. My husband promised to help by giving me plenty of encouragement. The next week I planned to be at a conference in Austin, Texas. The last time I was there, attending the same conference, I had written two of the chapters, so there might be some extra time the following week--if I needed it. I often have conversations with Mary. You will understand why as you read the book. I had an ongoing promise with her to finish this book. She’s been patient with me. I had a Ph.D. dissertation to complete, landed a new job in a new state, and then moved to an administrative job. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to write her story; it was that I was too busy to write her story. But I would make it a priority and find a way to complete it. Wednesday morning, November 21 at 8:10 am, my sister Luan called my office phone. We talked about Christmas travel plans; everyone is flying to Springfield for a family Christmas. We also discussed gift ideas when she said, “Oh, I almost forgot. Last night Dad asked me to make oatmeal raisin cookies. I decided to make them in their kitchen so I could visit with mom while I cooked. Mom was sitting at her desk in the kitchen and I was mixing the ingredients when mom reached in a drawer and pulled out the Mary Neely Spears newspapers.” “What? The newspapers that have been missing for 8 years?” I exclaimed. “Yes” she laughed. “Those newspapers. She pulled them right out of the desk.” “I now understood where the “push” to get the book done had come from and realized I had better keep my promise this time; Mary was teasing me with seeing the newspapers again.” So, dear reader, (as they used to say in 1895) enjoy the story.

Chapter 1 - Tennessee Years Early Spring, 1779

“Let me go with you, Pa!” sixteen-year-old Mary exclaimed. William Neely had called his family together two weeks ago to announce that he and six other men were heading west to newly opened territory. Capt. James Roberston was leading the party over the mountains through the Cumberland Gap and into the valley along the Cumberland River. George Freeland, Edward Swanson, James Henley, Zacharia Wells, William Overhall and Mark Robertson, James’ brother, planned to find an area suitable for a pioneer settlement. There the men would build a few log cabins and plant corn and other crops so when all the families joined them in the fall, there would be plenty to eat. If all went as planned, the men would return in the summer to help pack and prepare for their families’ Westward move. Mary desperately wanted to go with the men on this adventure. Although William thought she would be an asset to the group, he knew his wife, Margaret, would never allow it. “Please, Pa,” Mary whined. “I can cook as good as Ma!” The men were loading provisions on each of the horses. William glanced over to Margaret to see if there was any chance he could bring his daughter with him. “Mary,” Margaret said. “Please, Ma, let me go with them. I can shoot better than any of them. They’ll need me to hunt game for their supper!” “Mary,” Margaret continued. “You can go. You will be more help to William and we’ll do just fine here without you. Get your bed roll and pack up another bag of flour for making biscuits.” Mary threw her arms around her mother’s neck. “Thank you, thank you!” And she gave her mother a quick kiss on the cheek and took off toward the house. William walked over to Margaret and put his arms around his wife’s waist. On several occasions he had mentioned bringing Mary with him, but did not want to push his wife because he knew the dangers the group would be facing. “Thank you,” he said. “She’ll have a great adventure and will be good company. I am not sure who will take better care of who?” he chuckled. “Well, she can cook as good as I can cook” and she elevated her voice for all to hear, “I know she handles a gun better than most of you!” said Margaret. The men grumbled to each other that they were “better at shooting than any sixteen-year-old girl” but they all knew better. Robertson, also eager to have a strong, able hunter that could also cook, jumped in, “Quiet down boys, you know she can shoot a tick off a dog.” Mary was a natural hunter. The men often joked that they were convinced rabbits came out of their holes and walked up to her so she could shoot them for supper. Overall added, “It’ll be nice havin’ Mary cooking for us. Sure beats your ‘rock hard biscuits’ William.” Mary came bouncing out of the house with her arms full and ran toward the barn. “Samuel, come help me with Big Red. I need to saddle him up and find some extra rope to tie down my provisions.” Margaret went into the kitchen to load an extra sack of flour. She tucked in a hand-full of beef jerky and wrapped a six eggs in a soft cloth. “Samuel!” Mary belted at the top of her lungs. “Come give me a hand!” Samuel was already at the side of the barn with Big Red saddled. “I’m here. Big Red’s ready. Where is your blanket?” said Samuel. Samuel threw the rolled bedding to the back of the saddle and secured it with a couple of leather straps. Outside the barn the local families were gathering for the send-off. The laughing and cajoling of the adults intermingled with the screams of children chasing other children, dogs, and chickens, filled the air. “You ready to get on?” Samuel asked Mary. Mary gave Samuel a big hug and a kiss squarely in the middle of his forehead. Even thought they were eight years apart, Mary and Samuel were very close. The horn on Mary’s saddle had broken off but when Mary reached up for the saddle, the horn was intact. Samuel had saddled Big Red with his saddle instead. 
“I can get along fine around here with your broken saddle. You should have mine for the long trip,” said Samuel. Mary gave Samuel another big hug and promised to take good care of the saddle. She grabbed the reins and led Big Red out to where all the commotion was happening. The men were ready to leave. Final instructions mixed with crying from the younger children and created a chaotic scene. Mary made her way over to her mother for one more hug and squeal of delight. She could barely wipe the smile from her face to kiss each of her brothers and sisters good-bye. “Let’s go!” commanded Col. Robertson. All the men quickly said their good-byes and mounted their horses. Mary ran to her mother for one last, long hug. “I’ll take good care of Pa.” Mary whispered in her mother’s ear. “I know, I know. I’ll truly worry about him less knowing you are with him” replied her mother. The four men made it obvious that Mary would not be coddled on this long trip west. They were already 100 yards down the road and on their way. Mary grabbed the saddle, put her left foot in the stirrup and swung her right leg over the back of Big Red. She prodded Big Red in the ribs and quickly caught up with the company of men. An hour ago her life had changed. She was off on the biggest adventure of her life, or so she thought. She turned around for one final wave to her family, nudged Big Red forward, and caught up to her Pa.

Chapter 2 Over the Mountains and Through the Woods

The path to Tennessee was one that had been followed by many frontiersemen. Daniel Boone had left the Wautaga Settlements a month earlier and the men knew he used this old trail that had been formed partly by Native Americans, partly by buffalo going from one watering hole to another, and partly by nature. The Cumberland Pass was easily seen in the distance shortly after their ride began. William pointed out to Mary that even though it looked like they would be there shortly, the mountains were so large that they were about a two-day’s ride away from actually entering the Pass. Mary listened quietly as the men shared stories from many of their latest adventures going to the new lands on the other side of the Pass. Some had gone on hunting trips with Daniel Boone and told of his ability to hear movement as good as the Indians. He shared some of his techniques and the men laughed at a grown man with an ear to the ground listening for footsteps. Yet, they all knew that it worked and they had all tried it. The first night came quickly for Mary. When the sun began to set they looked for a good camp sight. The Wilderness Trail had been used for a dozen or so years and old campsites dotted the path. A few large logs around an old campfire were the distinct signs of past travelers. Four of the men took the horses down the short embankment to the creek for water. William and Zacharia began scouring the nearby woods for firewood. Mark helped Mary unload the items she would need for cooking. This would be one of the few nights they would feel safe starting a fire; the Indians in this area were friendly and new most of the men by name. Indian traders showed up at the Watauga Settlements often to trade animal pelts for food or clothing. In fact, many of the Indians settled in this area showed the men how to walk quietly in the woods, make bird or animal calls as signals to each other, and to listen to the sounds around them. It did not take long for Zacharia and William to find enough wood for cooking. Mary’s dad was loaded with two armfuls of firewood and Zacharia was dragging a good-sized log behind him. “We thought we’d bring a slow burning log to take the chill of the night air,” said William. “Might even be able to get Robertson to tell about some of his adventures with Daniel Boone around a fire tonight,” replied Zacharia. William organized the logs, added some dried leaves and small sticks and began to start the fire with a flint. Within a minute he had the fire started. Mary cracked all six of the eggs into the pan, mixed it with flour, a bit of water and a pinch of salt. Once they formed the right consistency, she through a small scoop of fat in the bottom of the pan and rolled the biscuits into 20 balls and gently placed them on top of the fat. She secured the tightly fitted lid on the pan and set it at the edge of the fire. Mary was looking forward to a supper of jerky and biscuits when the men came back from the creek. George Freeland was excited to show the two large fish he had pierced with a hand-made spear. “There was a whole school of these bass around a dead tree. It must have toppled over in the last big storm ‘cause it still had plenty of green leaves poking out of the water” said George. Edward added, “He kept starin’ at the fish talking about how slow and lazy they were. There was a sapling right next to me so I cut off a 4 foot piece, quickly whittled a point and handed it over to George. Damn, if he didn’t actually fling that spear into a fish on his first try!” “I think that woke ‘em up. They weren’t as easy to catch after that first one! It took me a dozen tries to get the second fish! Figured splitting these two big fish would make for a good supper. What you think, Mary?” replied George. Mary turned the pan around in the fire to bring heat to the other side. 
“They look delicious. Give them here, I’ll skin them and throw them in the pan as soon as the biscuits are done,” Said Mary. The men joked back and forth with George about his fishing exploits, shared some of their own boyhood stories about catching fish “bare-handed” and the pain of getting barbed by a catfish. Mary dusted the fish with flour and rested them in another scoop of fat her mother had sent with her pa. The smells penetrated the woods and all of a sudden the men were starving. Everyone grabbed their own wooden bowl from their saddle and found a seat on the logs facing the fire. William started a pot of coffee, which always tasted better when they were out in the wilderness. All of a sudden, the sound of a quail penetrated the air. James smiled to himself and echoed the exact same noise. It was followed by a repeat of the bird whistle and the voice of a man a short distance away, “Sure hope you got enough of that fine smelling food for a hungry traveler!” Zacharia laughed and said, “Guess we won’t have to listen to Robertson telling us about his adventures with Daniel, looks like we’ll get to hear from the great hunter himself. Moments later, Daniel sauntered into the camp greeting each man by name. When he turned and saw Mary, he went over to give her a welcome hug. “How’d they talk you into coming into the wilderness and cooking for them?” asked Daniel. “It was my idea. Jemimah and I were talking last week how we wanted to have some of the adventures you men always get!” said Mary. “Looks like I better keep my daughter away from you. You might give her ideas.” Replied Daniel. “I prefer to be out here alone.” The fish was done and each person grabbed two biscuits and a piece of fish. All of a sudden the talking stopped and you could only hear the sound of chewing and swallowing. When supper was finished, each man cleaned out his own bowl and Mary scrubbed the pan with dead leaves she found around her. The only light came from the fire and Mary located her bedding and her fathers and laid them side-by-side. William was still talking with the men and Mary was listening to every word. She brushed her hair and pulled it back with a ribbon and climbed into her bedding. She had to move a few bumps of the earth until she found a comfortable position for a night’s sleep. As she stared at the stars, she heard Daniel talking about the some of the uprisings between the settlers and the Indians. He told of Indian friends he had made and gave them advice for their travels west. They talked about finding a place on the Cumberland and relocating with their families. Daniel added, “It is beautiful country! The Cumberland River is the twistiest river I’ve ever seen. The hunting is great! There are plenty of coons, beavers, and game birds. You won’t go hungry. If I make it back that way, I’ll see if I can find you. There’s a man named Bledsoe that set up a fort. He’s looking for more White’s to settle that area.” The shadows from the fire danced around the nods of approval as Mary’s eyes closed.

Chapter 3 An Uneventful Adventure

The trip was not the exciting trip Mary had envisioned. It was made up of riding horses single-file along a narrow path that had been worn down by buffalo, stopping for supper and to camp at sunset, and repeating the same the next day. Mary found the earth much harder than her feather stuffed rope bed back home but she was determined to never complain. “How did you sleep last night?” her father would ask. “Wonderful,” was her standard reply. And for the most part it was true. If she fell asleep before the men she could not hear the snoring. If one of them fell asleep before her, she had a hard time falling asleep. Instead she would count the number or seconds someone inhaled, or how many seconds before she heard the next breath was drawn in. Overhall didn’t exactly snore. Instead, he made odd noises and at times seemed to quit breathing. This drove Mary absolutely crazy. She wanted to get out of her warm cover and go shake him to make sure he was still breathing. William and Robertson told the men they needed to practice not snoring. Once they entered Indian territory, this would be a dead give away at night. And they were now in Indian territory. Mary was disappointed that she had not seen one Indian the entire trip. The group had uncovered signs of Indians in the area but none of the prints were fresh. They had come through the Cumberland Pass several two days ago and were following the Cumberland Valley. William guessed they were just about two or three more days riding from their destination. Mary hoped she would have some adventures to share when she returned home. The men were quite happy to have an uneventful trip. On the eighth day of riding, they came upon a trapper. His English was hard to understand but he seemed to understand each of the questions posed by the men. He explained that Bledsoe’s Station was only 20 miles further. He also warned the men about Indians. He added that he hadn’t seen any this week but they traveled through these wooded areas often on their hunt for food. The men shared handshakes and Mary couldn’t help but feel a little creeped-out by the way the trapper stared at her when the others didn’t seem to be looking. She rode a little closer to her Pa. The sun was beginning to show signs of setting before the group came upon Bledsoe. They were deciding to make camp now or try to ride another 30 minutes until the sun had set. Robertson thought they should push on since the trapper had told them they were that close. Mark was the first to spot a fire that looked as though it were coming from a chimney. Everyone prodded the horses to move to a cantor and they reached the house just as the sun quit providing light. Bledsoe was excited to see the group. He had created a small fort with a tall fence that wrapped around the back of his home and one other unoccupied residence. He offered the other place to the men and told Mary and William he had room in his loft for them. Mary offered to cook up some food and Bledsoe was pleased to show her the two rabbits he had killed that day. Mary went to a bench outside of the cabin and gutted and skinned the two rabbits. She cut the meet into small sections and prepared them for frying. Bledsoe had some corn meal and offered Mary to use it to make cornbread. When dinner was over, the men all gathered outside to talk about the area and the possibility of new settlements. Bledsoe offered to take them on a tour the next day and introduce him to a man named Kasper Mansker. Mansker had picked out a parcel of land on the next bend of the river and was wanting to recruit others to join him. Over the next week, the men explored a 20-mile stretch of the Cumberland River. Mansker and Neely hit it off the second they met. Even though they did not know each other, they both knew many of the same people from Pennsylvania where he had met Margaret years before. The group decided to help Mansker build his fort, plant crops and prepare the area for their families. Mark Robertson, James Henley, and Edward Swanson set off for a trading post near the Ohio River to find seed for corn, beans, peas, and carrots. They expected to return within two weeks. Everyone worked from sun-up to sun-down chopping trees, and building a six foot cedar fence and a pine cabin with a second floor. William thought the children would be safer on a second floor. The second week was spent tilling the soil and getting it ready for seedlings. Mary and William collected manure from a couple of cows near Bledsoe’s place. They mixed it with straw and decaying leaves and mixed it with the soil. The men returned before the end of the second week. They had a couple of encounters with Indians but no danger seemed present. The entire group worked for a solid week planting the seeds. This was a job Mary loved. She even offered to stay and watch the plant grow when the others returned to Watauga. Leaving Mary was out of the question but it did seem like a good idea to leave someone back to protect the fort and the crops. After a long discussion, Edward Swanson, Zacharia Wells, and William Overall volunteered to remain at the fort. Mansker decided with all the help around he could go retrieve his family and return within the month. Col. Robertson decided to take his son, Mark, to Illinois to purchase cabin rights from General George Rogers Clark. Once the rights were secured he and Mark would head back to Wautaga. George Freeland, and James Hanly would return to Watauga with William and Mary. They would get their families and the families of those remaining ready for the trip. The group decided to plan to return to Manker’s Station with their families in the fall. The crops would be ready and there would be plenty of food to get them through their first winter.

The ride back to Watauga seemed to go more quickly than the long ride to the Cumberland Valley. Perhaps the fact that they recognized places they had been, moved time along. Mary had become much more comfortable with all the men so she did not stick close to her Pa’s side as she had when they started. As they came out of the Cumberland Pass, George began teasing Mary about Edward Swanson’s son. “I think young Edward has his heart set on you.” George joked. “I don’t think I’ve ever even talked to Edward,” replied Mary. “I’m sure you haven’t. As we were leaving Wautaga, he was following every step you took and not once did you even acknowledge him.” Said George. Mary was shocked to think that she hadn’t noticed this. Edward wasn’t exactly handsome, or tall and strong like her father but he was one of the young men from the settlement that was known to be a hard worker. She’d have to give some thought to this idea. Mary was already seventeen and many of her friends had already been betrothed. It all sounded a bit exciting to have a husband to care for. She imagined herself at Mansker’s Station with her and Edward’s own cabin in the fort. They would build on right next to her parent’s house. She had a sly smile on her face when George again interrupted her thoughts. “Going to give poor Eddie a chance?” he asked. Mary quickly snapped out of her daydream and retorted, “Probably not.” On what was expected to be their last night under the stars, Mary could hardly contain herself. She was excited to see her Ma and all her siblings. She would also try to pay attention the next time Eddie was around. As she settled into her bedroll; she overhead the men whispering, “Did you see the markings on the tree before we entered the Gap?” asked James. “The Indians must have been watching us from a distance,” replied George. “No,” said William. “There wasn’t much distance between us. I don’t think Mary noticed that I had her in front of me where I could keep an eye on her. There was a group of five, if I counted right, following us for two days. They didn’t seem to want any trouble and I expected they would show themselves if we shot a deer or a large bear.” James seemed astonished. “Why didn’t you say anything?” he demanded. George looked over at William and chuckled, “We thought you knew. William and I were watching them as they hid up in trees or along the canebrake. I had my gun ready, but there never showed any signs of aggression.” Mary was straining to hear the whispers, she knew they had been near Indians but could not make out if it was tonight or in the past. She started straining her eyes to make out shapes in the trees. What would happen to her ma, if something happened to her. She was the fourth of eight children but her ma relied on her to do a little bit of everything. Her mind wandered to Samuel. No matter who she married or where she settled, she would always be a short distance from him. After her ma and pa, he was the most important person to her in the whole world. Her attention turned back to the men. “I think they were just checking out what we were up to. If it’s just hunting, they seem content to share the woods with us. However, if they thought we were going to settle and build in an area we just passed through, it would be different story.” James was still shocked that he had been clueless. “You should have warned me so I had my hand on my gun!” “As you spend more time in the woods, you’ll begin to hear the small signs of others lurking near us. We certainly don’t want to alarm the Indians if we have no intent to cause trouble” said George. “All the same,” said James “I should have been ready.” William drew the conversation to an end. “Just so you know James, I think we’re free of observers tonight. Get a good night’s sleep. We’ll be home tomorrow. George you stay on alert with me, sleep with one eye open.” All three chuckled lightly and made their way to their bedrolls under the stars.