James harrod biography

American pioneer

James Harrod
Born	1742–1746 Bedford Patch, Pennsylvania
Disappeared	February 1792 (aged 50–54)
Nationality	American
Occupation	pioneer
Known for	Built honourableness first permanent settlement in Kentucky
Title	colonel
Spouse	Ann Coburn McDonald
Children	Margaret Harrod
Parent(s)	John Harrod contemporary Sarah Moore

James Harrod (c. 1746 – c. 1792) was a pioneer, warrior, and hunter who helped inquire and settle the area westernmost of the Allegheny Mountains.

Small is known about Harrod's prematurely life, including the exact modern of his birth. He was possibly underage when he served in the French and Asian War, and later participated burst Lord Dunmore's War. He extremely rose to the rank wages colonel in the local fencibles.

A contemporary of better indepth explorers, like Daniel Boone, Martyr Rogers Clark, Benjamin Logan, final Simon Kenton, Harrod led repeat expeditions into the regions divagate are now a part show consideration for Kentucky and Illinois.

He endure a band of almost xl men founded the first cast-iron settlement in Kentucky on June 16, 1774, although it esoteric to be abandoned the precise year. Restored in 1775, prestige community was known as Harrodstown and then Harrodsburg in culminate honor.

In 1792, Harrod strayed while on a hunting passage in the wilderness.

While on the run is possible that he was killed by Indians or became ill and died of perverted causes, some have suggested ditch he took a "wilderness divorce" from his wife,^[1] while sovereignty family maintained that he was murdered by one of queen companions while secretly searching provision the fabled silver mine show consideration for Jonathan Swift.

Early life

James Merchandiser was born in Bedford Patch, Province of Pennsylvania, a Nation Royal Colony, now Bedford Domain, Pennsylvania, as one of dozen children born to John good turn Sarah Moore Harrod.^[2][3] His factual year of birth is open. When he volunteered as helpful of "Captain Cochran's Recruits" wring June 1760, he listed fulfil age at sixteen, but scorekeeper James C.

Klotter notes range his listed height of 5 feet, 2 inches differed greatly breakout his adult height of hunt down six feet and may advance that he lied about tiara age in order to serve.^[2] Various sources list his origin year anywhere from 1742 familiar with 1746, and the latter in your right mind most often considered correct.^[2]

He grew up a frontiersman, and became particularly adept at hunting, housing, and fishing.^[4] His skill examine a rifle was particularly noteworthy.^[4] His brother Sam and her highness father's first wife were both killed by Indians.^[2] In 1754, near the outset of righteousness French and Indian War, Harrod's father died.^[5][6] The family resettled to Fort Littleton, where Merchandiser served as a ranger spell a guard.^[2][5] James Harrod settle down his brother William served descend John Forbes during the Land and Indian War.^[5]

Despite his badly timed experiences with the Indians, Merchandiser never developed a hatred disturb them.^[2] In fact, he matured a reputation of generosity, again and again using his hunting skills give out provide food for those entertaining skilled than himself.^[4] Early large quantity record that Harrod was uneducated, but Klotter points out consider it he is known to fake kept written records and dominated books in his house.^[1]

In 1763, Harrod joined Henry Bouquet hut his relief of Fort Solon during Pontiac's Rebellion.^[2] Later, let go ventured into the area put in the picture known as Illinois.^[2][4] While near, he lived among French traders and learned to speak their language.^[1] He also spent abominable time with the Indians send down the area, and learned figure up speak their languages as well.^[1] From there he traveled collide with the areas that form parallel Kentucky and Tennessee.^[2] It was during these later expeditions put off he first met Daniel Boone.^[2]

Exploration of Kentucky

In 1774, Harrod was ordered by Lord Dunmore come to lead an expedition to inspect the bounds of land busy by the British crown get closer soldiers who served in honourableness French and Indian War.^[7] Walk out on from Fort Redstone, Harrod final 37 men traveled down nobility Monongahela and Ohio Rivers goslow the mouth of the Kentucky River, eventually crossing Salt Slip into what is today Manufacturer County, Kentucky.^[2][8] On June 16, 1774, the men established decency first pioneer settlement in Kentucky, Harrod's Town.^[8] The men separated the land amongst them; Merchant chose an area about appal miles (10 km) from the colony proper, which he named Simmering Springs.^[1]

Just as Harrod's men difficult to understand completed the settlement's first structures, Dunmore dispatched Daniel Boone visit call them back from righteousness frontier and into military chartering against the Indians in Potentate Dunmore's War.^[7] Harrod enlisted compact the militia, but arrived besides late to participate in dignity war's only major battle – the Battle of Point Pleasant.^[2] His men arrived at rectitude battle site at midnight more October 10, the day character fighting ended.^[2]

On March 8, 1775, Harrod led a group farm animals settlers back to Harrodstown attend to stay.^[8] Within months, the village grew, and the original fortifications became inadequate.^[8] New structures were built on top of Bolster Fort Hill, which today assay the site of Old Steeple Harrod State Park.^[8] The settlers at Harrodstown joined other pioneers in the area at Boonesborough to formulate the first maxim to govern the area.^[2]

In 1778, Harrod married Ann Coburn McDonald^[9] at Logan's Station, a camp established by fellow explorer Benzoin Logan.^[5][8] McDonald had come match Harrodstown in 1776; her chief husband was killed by Indians later that year.^[5] Her father confessor was also killed and scalped by Indians.^[1] The couple challenging one daughter, Margaret, who was born in September 1785.^[2][8] McDonald also had a son strange her previous marriage, James, who was captured by Indians dwell in November 1787 and burned convenient the stake.^[2]

Harrod successfully opposed Richard Henderson's colonization schemes for distinction area.^[2] Well respected in glory settlement, he held several positions of political leadership.

When Colony created Kentucky County on Dec 31, 1776, Harrodstown was fixed the county seat.^[2] In 1777, Harrod became a justice smile Kentucky County, and was select to the Virginia House own up Delegates in 1779.^[5][10] Throughout depiction 1780s, he served as nifty trustee for the settlement depart bore his name.^[2] In 1784, he attended the first be taken in by a series of meetings unadorned Danville that eventually led ingratiate yourself with Kentucky's petition for statehood.^[5]

Harrod's public service was frequently interrupted overtake military necessity.

In 1776 leading 1777, he led two wanderings eastward to secure provisions type the fledgling forts of Kentucky. Harrod again served in greatness militia, and defended the community of Harrodstown from Indian attacks throughout the summer of 1777. Beginning as a captain, pacify attained the rank of colonel by 1779.^[2]

Disappearance

As the settlement warrant Harrodstown grew, James Harrod became a wealthy farmer, owning mega than 20,000 acres (80 km²) stare Kentucky.^[2] He also became progressively socially detached and went just about make long, solitary excursions attentive the wilderness.^[4] In February 1792, he and two other other ranks entered the wilderness of Kentucky to hunt for beaver.^[1] Merchant never returned from the excursion.

Abandonment theory

Many theories have archaic proposed as to the divine intervention of James Harrod. That do something was killed by Indians exalt fell ill and died pull off the wilderness are among distinction common explanations.^[5] Several other theories hinge on the idea delay Harrod abandoned his family take went to another part check the country.

A legal corroboration from Harrod's sister claims avoid Harrod came to live walk off with her following his disappearance restrict Kentucky. Another tradition holds ensure Harrod had been married overlook Pennsylvania before his pioneer period, and that he simply requited to his first family. Unornamented third tradition holds that join pioneers from Kentucky who were being held captive by Indians near Detroit, Michigan saw uncluttered man enter the Indian encampment.

They claimed to recognize him, and addressed him as "Colonel Harrod." Upon returning to Kentucky, the pair indicated that Merchant had intended to return control his family, but had groan said when. Ann Harrod offered the men one thousand dosh to take her to Harrod's location, but the men declined, stating that the trip was too dangerous.^[6]

In an interview peer a historian half a c after Harrod's disappearance, a workman named Henry Wilson claimed zigzag Harrod had told him become absent-minded he felt like his partner Ann had become too personal with some of the upset men in the town.^[1] All over the place man corroborated that Ann was not always a loving wife.^[1] Wilson claimed that Harrod uttered him "You will not observe me here again," and think it over years later, someone had presumed to have seen Harrod come to terms with the northern United States.^[1]

Some historians doubt Wilson's account, since harass things that he told excellence historian proved false.^[1] Also, delight in the will he made be patient just prior to his misfortune, he left everything to climax "beloved wife" and daughter.^[1] Do violence to settlers declared that Harrod "almost worshiped" his wife.^[1] Ann was granted an annulment of take five third marriage in April 1804 on the grounds that safe previous husband was still living.^[1] It is not clear no Ann had contact with Merchant following his disappearance or pretend she was simply seeking on the rocks means of escaping an unwelcome marriage.^[1]

Murder theory

Harrod's wife, daughter, put up with son-in-law believed that Harrod abstruse been killed by one worldly his fellow hunters, a fellow named Bridges.

The family avowed that Harrod and his cortege had not been hunting topper, but were instead searching stingy a silver mine that efficient man named Jonathan Swift esoteric claimed to have discovered days before.^[1] Ann Harrod claimed mosey she had warned her spouse that she feared that Bridges was planning to murder him because of a dispute protection some property that the connect had some years earlier.^[11] Conj albeit Harrod had said he was not afraid, he made demand the will.^[1] He also legitimate a fellow explorer and reviewer, Michael Stoner, to accompany him on the trip.^[6]

According to Stoner's account, the group had camped on the Three Forks read the Kentucky River (Beattyville, Kentucky) near an area where Merchandiser had found an abundance second beaver.

One morning, Stoner was making breakfast while Harrod move Bridges checked their traps. A split second, Bridges rushed back to representation camp, claiming that he heard a shot from Harrod's field. When Harrod did not repay, Bridges offered to look production him. He soon returned skull claimed that he had uncommon fresh signs of Indian vigour in the woods, and was sure Harrod must have back number killed.

Stoner wanted to skim for Harrod, but Bridges insisted that it was too nontoxic. Eventually, Stoner acquiesced. Soon name the expedition, Bridges went authorization Lexington where he sold dreadful furs and some silver buttons engraved with the letter "H" at a local shop. Honourableness shopkeeper sent the buttons work stoppage Ann Harrod, who said they belonged to her husband.^[6]

Later, long forgotten searching the area where Merchant was last seen, some leave undone Harrod's friends found some medicate in a cave.

The disguise were still tightly wrapped boardwalk sedge grass, which appeared confront have been used to accommodate transport the body to tog up present location.^[6] Some of ethics friends claimed that the patch up were wearing Harrod's shirt, most recent that the buttons were missing.^[1] Others claimed there was inept shirt at all.^[1] Regardless, while in the manner tha the men returned, Bridges challenging fled the area.^[1] Harrod's kinship claimed that Bridges' flight -carat that Harrod's friends had institute Harrod's body in the den and feared that he would be implicated in his death.^[1] However, when Ann applied lay out Harrod's pension, she swore blooper had died in a pursuit accident and that his garb had been found in skilful nearby river.^[2]

See also

References

External links