Pages That Mention Mr. Nourse
Letter from John May to Samuel Beall, 15 April 1780.
Page 1
Kentuckey County Kentucky County the 15th April 1780
I got here the 4th Inst. after a Journey of ten Days through a uninhabited Country the most rugged and dismal I ever passed through, there being thousands of dead Horses & Cattle on the Road side [which] occasioned a continual Stench; and one Half the way there were no Springs [which] compelled us to make use of the water from the Streams in [which] many of these dead animals lay; and what made the Journey still more disagreeable was, the continual apprehension we were under, of an attack from the Indians, there not being one Day after we left Holston Holston, but news was brought us of some Murders being committed by those Savages, and the vast numbers met, [returning?] on that acct, contributed not a Little to alarm us; especially as we were to pass by [very?] narrow Precipices & places behind [which] they, in Times of war have constantly [struck: way] laid; but three of us pushed on and were fortunate enough to escape. There have few Days passed since I came here without some mischief being done in this County, and we have just now heard of one Mr Nourse Mr. Nourse who was killed & scalped two Days ago. The Country has been very little explored since the passing of the Land - Law, the Indian War, the Business before the Comissioners and the severity of the winters having prevented it. I find that the Comissioners here have granted certificates for Settlements & Pre Emptions for all the prime Land in this Country some of them having entered largely into the Land Business by purchasing claims then sitting in [Judg?] upon them, and granting certificates to themselves; and in order to procure Land have admitted hundreds of Claims entirely out of the Letter & meaning of the Law. My Brother George Georgehas been very industrious in procuring Locations & has enabled me to enter all our military warrants, I believe very well; and I hope I shall procure Locations enough for the others