Notes for FREDRICK MICHAEL SEE:

[v2t4659.FTW]

Sees got to Philadelphia Sept 1733 (inerval of 12 years where records cannot be found). They always owned land and were farmers, teachers, preachers, and road builders from their first arrival in America, but their name was spelled in a German fashion. They spoke German in their homes and schools for a generation or so, so those who could write did it in that language, so after the massacre during which the Indians burned their farm home, all papers were lost, no records of births, though it was said one of the women, likely Catharine, wife and widow of Frederick See, took her German Bible in her dress bosom through the whole ordeal of the massacre, and visitors to the museum on the Muddy Creek massacre think the German Bible may have been hers. Her father bought land in Greenbrier County and Frederick bought some from him. Had his second crop in but it was destroyed, all animals killed or drive off.

Col. Bouquet took back sevral of the See family but John, about 7, ran back to live with the Indians and was not returned until he was rescued by his Uncle Michael who was subsequently killed in another Indian battle.

According to Nugen Family in USA, Fredrick Michael was oldest child of the Sees, and was born while they were traveling in 1710. Fredrick Michael married Catherine Vanderpool of Wallpack, NJ in 1744, probably while living near his parents at Tulpehocken, Berks Co., PA.

According to Nugen Family in USA, both Fredrick and his son-in-law Littleberry Roach (?) were killed in the Shawnee raid led by Cornstalk and Puksinwah. Family taken to Old town in Ohio country and dispersed among different Indian families. Marker for Muddy Creek Massacre on Hiway 12 about a mile north of Alderson at the intersectio of Blakker's Mill Road and about a quarter of a mile west. Creek flows alongside of old mill. Market in pasture north of the mill about 300 yards and 50 yards west of Muddy Creek.

Account of Muddy Creek Massacre per Nugen Family in USA:

On Saturday, July 16, 1763, a party of 80 or 90 Shawnees, led by Chief Cornstalk (b. 1727 in Shenandoah Valley, d. Oct 10, 1777) and assisted by the great War Chief Puksinwah, having crossed over the Ohio River, swept up the Kanawha on a murderous rampage. Simultaneously they hit the nine member See family, and the six member Filty Yocum family. Suddenly the Indians appeared at the See cabin, wit all of the appearance of friendship, grinning and laughing. The Sees welcomed them, and as it was near to mealtime they offered to share their food with the Indians. The Shawnees agreed, no doubt also building cooking fires out of doors in order to feed such a large number of people. The meal finished, the Indians lounged around for a bit and rested. Suddenly with a whoop the Indians fell upon the whites, killing the father (Fredrick Michael) and the son-in-law (Littleberry Roach), scalping them before the eyes of their families. I don't know why George wasn't aso killed as he was 22 years old at the time. Maybe he offered no resistance. Ohter men and older boys were killed. The family was placed under guard and hurried along the back trail to Old Town (Ohio). . . .

This is the true and recorded story of the incident known as the "The Muddy Creek Massacre." The remaining warriors continued on to the only other white settlement in western VA, or west of the appalachians, namely Big Levels, which ws about 15 miles distant. Here the Indians approached the cabin of the Glendenin family in the same manner as at the Sees, friendly, laughing and grining. Mr. Glendenin had just killed three elk, so proceeded to roast the meal over cooking fires, surmising that it would take a lot for such a large group. In consideration of the number of people mentionedin this incident, there may have been several families located at Big levels, or else a large family group. The feast finally finished, the Indians were milling around old Grandma Glendenin who happened to notice a medicine man among the Indians. She had been bothered frosome time with a sore on her leg. She couldn't get it to head. She went up to the medicine man asking his advice about the sore. His answer ws to pull his tomahawk and crush her skull. During the melee which follows all of the men were supposedly killed. However, one old man, although wounded, managed to pul himself under a large fallen tre to hide, and thus escaped death. Here, as at Muddy Creek, all the women and children were herded back along the trail toward the Scioto country across the Ohio and on to Old Town. Mrs. Glendenin was carrying her baby and trying to e brave. The Indian who had scalped her husband kept coming to her and shaking her husband's scalp in front of her and finally hit her across the face several times with his bloody trophy. Still she wondered if her husband was really dead. After some distance she told one of the young ladies that she was going to try to escape. She gave the baby to the girl to carry as she didn't think she could succeed while encumbered with the baby. When she was certain all Indian eyes were focused elsewhere, she slipped off the trail and into the brush to hurry back toward the settlement. Later the baby started crying and the girl couldn't stop him. One of the Indians noticed and asked where the other was. He took the baby from the girl and said he would wait a bit for the monther. When she didn't appear he said "I will bring the cow to the calf," and so saying took the baby by the heels and dashed its head against a Tree.

Catharine See and her seven children were taken to Old Town and kept there by the Shawnees until there was a treaty and an exchange of prisoners ab out a year later. The family must have been separated during this stay, because the youngest child, John, was adopted by an Indian family who had lost their son. He was brainwashed by the couple's repeatedly telling him he would be burned alive if retaken by the whites. John became very fond of his ew parents, and the year with the Shawnees did much to erase from his mind the memory of his family and his former life. It is possible during this time he had no contact or even sight of any member of his family. When the time arrived for the prisoners to be released, all of the family except the twin, nine-year-old Elizabeth, were freed. Cornstalk would not agree to let her go, but kept her for nine more years during which time he took her as his squaw. Later she escaped or was ransomed, because she left the Indians, and married a white man named Peter Shoemaker. The freedom arrangements for the See family was a ransom deal negotiated by Adam See, Fredrick's brother. After being released from the Indians the party traveled about nine miles before darkness overtook them, and made camp for the night. Young John made his bed between two of his sisters, but he did not sleep. He lay awaken until he was certain everyone else was asleep, then crept out of camp and hurried back to his adopted family. Here he stayed for some time. One versions one year, while another says four years. Adam See finally ransomed hsi nephew John and took him back to Hampshire Co. where the rest of the family were now living. [v2t5069.FTW]

!MARRIAGE: "Tulpehocken-VA Notes" by J M Kellog 1945, P-17 states "The

eldest son of George ZEH was probably Frederick ZEH who married on May

22, 1744, to Maria Ottilia STEMPEL, there at Swatara by the Rev Stoever"

!ESTATE

ADM listed in Augusta Co for Fredk. SEA in 1764 in "VA Wills and Adm" p377.

!MUDDY CREEK MASSACRE: Numerous articles report that on Sat 16 Jul 1763 this

settlement on Muddy Creek in present

day Greenbrier Co, WV was over-run by Shawnee Indians led by Chief Hakalesqua

(aka Cornstalk) from Old Town (now Chilicothe), OH. Michael Frederick SEE,

son-in-law Greenberry ROACH, neighbor Felty YOACHUM and the other men were

scalped. The women and children (including wife Catherine VANDERLPOOL SEE

and 7 children) were herded by the indians back to OH. Over the next 2 years

all the

SEEs were released/exchanged/bartered except for John who was "brainwashed" into

staying and Elizabeth who later became squaw of Cornstalk. John stayed 2 more

years with Elizabeth returning after 9 years. George, Michael and Mary

SEE along with Margaret Yokeham were on a list of 60 prisoners dated 15 Nov

1764 camped at Muskingum while being returned to Fort Pitt by the US Army.

Uncle Adam and/or

Uncle Michael Adam SEE was credited for Negotiations/treaty/ransom resulting in

their return. Wife Catherine and most children were returned to SEE Family in

Hampshire Co, WV and ultimately returned to the old Muddy Creek homestead.

More About FREDRICK MICHAEL SEE:

BAPL: Cleared¹⁷⁶

Comment 1: Killed at home by Shawnee Indians¹⁷⁷

ENDL: Cleared¹⁷⁸

Fact 8: VA¹⁷⁹

Occupation: Farmer¹⁷⁹