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Virginia Papers - 8ZZ17
Jonesville, Va Thursday 21 Aug. 1845
Dear Sir,
Your letter of the 8th Inst was received this morning, and it grieves me to see that you have been led to expect much information from me on the subject of the work you have in progress as in reality I possess but little none that I fear can be ______able to you. Had I possessed such information I should without solicitation have communicated it [inserted above the line: as Gov. Campbell spoke to me of your _________________]
of my fathers family. I know scarce any thing. He died when I was too young to remember him, having previously removed to the new county of Russell, then Washington where I have been ____ and spent most of my time. My mother married a second husband Samuel Edmondson, the brother of Col. William Edmondson, whom history you desire to know. Col. Edmondson has left descendants one of whom Capt. Andrew Edmondson, his son lives in Tazewell county, and a grandson Col. Robert Edmondson in Washington either of whom if applied to would doubtless furnish the desired information, which I cannot. I knew Col. Wm Edmondson most intimately; and can say that from all I have ____ of his history as well as from my knowledge of him, that few more gallant __ and honorable men ever lived in any country and that to such gallant spirits this country is indebted for its independence and to few more than to him. To such men statutes have been erected in other countries, yet his name & service are likely to pass away without other notice or recollection, than that bestowed by his________ aquaintenances. Of the battle of Kings Mountain in which he bore a distinguished part, I have often heard ___ speak, but you have doubtless much fuller information of that battle through Gov. Campbell than any I can give. all___ I deem necessary to say on that subject is that of four
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brothers and a brother-in-law who participated in the battle, three were killed. My stepfather & Col. Edmondson escaped unhurt. I have heard my stepfather say that Col. Edmondson being the eldest of the family and he next and their father owning but 2 or 300 acres in Rockbridge County he and his brother determined to explore SW Virginia to procure homes; and that part of the country being then much infested by the Indians, they enlisted for 3 months in a British regiment then moving west for the protection of the frontier. This they did to obtain the protection of the troops, not otherwise to be had. Not understanding the great difference made in the army between officers and soldiers Col. Edmondson addressed one of the officers without taking off his hat, which gave great offense, and for which he was severely rebuked and threatened with ignominious punishment. Col. E retreated to his comrades in great wrath, loaded his rifle & swore he would shoot the officer who had insulted him. My stepfather, a much milder man, though a brave soldier had great difficulty in preventing him from executing his threat. A Col. Christian, an officer in the corps who knew Col. E. wrote to Gov Dunmore that he had a high spirited soldier in his corp, who unless he was made an officer was likely to do mischief. A commission was consequently sent and the Col. thereafter relieved from the necessity of submitting to an etiquette which he considered degrading to a free man. When their tour was over they procured lands in Washington on which they lived and died & from which they went to Kings Mountain. I think too they were frequently engaged in battle with the Cherokees their neighbors. I am truly sorry thus to disappoint you but this is about the sum of any information possessed by me in relation to Col. E except that he died at a very advanced age, honored and beloved by all who knew him. I have seen the farm on which I suppose he was born. It lies on Wardlaws [?] Creek in Rockbridge County & is probably now possessed by the descendants of his brother-in-law, Samuel Steel, into whose hands it fell at the death of the Col's father. It may be that the Col. was born in Pennsylvania.
As to my father's family, I know scarcely anything. I have understood that my grandfather lived in Greenbriar County where probably Capt. James and Col. Samuel his sons were born. I have seen my uncle Samuel a few times only. He lived in Madison county Ky & I in Washington Va so that we had little intercourse. My uncle James I never saw, tho well acquainted with some of his sons. I think all my grandfather's family (except his youngest son Isaac) moved to Ky and settled in Madison County. My uncle Samuel left a numerous family of children who removed to Middle Tennessee, where probably they yet live. Col Sam weighed 500 before his death. All the old stock of my name are dead, but my uncle Isaac has a son in law in Green briar or Monroe named Erskine who probably knows more of the family than I do.
I have often heard my mother speak of her captivity together with that of her half brother James Trimble though in what year I know not. They were rescued after 4 days detention. I am unable to say who led the rescuing party but feel pretty confident that her brother Col. Geo Moffett was not of the party; Col. Patrick Lockhart I think was, & probably led it. She has often told me that her brother-in-law Robert Trimble, who shot the only Indian killed on that occasion, except a little Indian boy, shot him while pursuing her with up lifted tomahawk, and shot between her arm & body as she ran towards the whites with extended arms. She was then a young married woman without children. She died, I think, at about the age of 65 of disease of the liver. I believe she was born in Augusta County.
being respectively your able servt
B. Estill
[additional note]
I think my mother died in 1805. That would fix her birth in 1740. Her maiden name was Moffett.
Col. Geo Moffett was a distinguished Indian fighter of Augusta County, and commanded a regiment of Militia at the battle of Guildford who were much cut up by the enemy.
B.E.
[A James Wardlow owned land on what is labeled Moffetts Creek on the Borden Grant map dp]
The Lyman C. Draper Manuscript Collection
transcribed by Diana Powell; Family History microfilm #889,242