MyIndianaHome.net

The following petition is owned by the Lily Library at Indiana University. It is in the William H. Harrison collection. The petition was transcribed for Robert W. Scott by a student in April 2003. The library will not allow the document to be photocopied because it does not own the original and does not know who does. Any corrections are welcomed. Spellings are given as in the petition.

To the Honorable Members of Congress the Petition of sundry Inhabitants of the Indiana territory and the State of Kentucky in Port William on both sides of the River Ohio the number of which will appear from the underneath subscriber Most Humbly Sheweth that wheras George Ash was taken Prison when about nine years old by a Party of the Shawnee Indians and was kept by them about eighteen years and after the Treaty was liberated at which time the two Nations Namely Shawnee and Lilloways did give and Entail Unto him the Said George Ash his Heirs and assigned A Certain tract of Land laying on the bank of the Ohio beginning oposit the Mouth of big Kaintucky and with the Meanders of said River four miles down and then cut out one mile with the same Course of Said River up to the Line then with Said line to the beginning which land agreeable to their Grant Said George Ash is now Living on ans has made considerable of an Improvement and has been a Residenter about four or five years and has Married in a very Respectable Family and hath ever since shewed himself to be a good citizen keeping a good Union and Peace between the Indians and he white people and has Ever and Never has suffered any fraud to be imposed on them in trading with the White People and is a Much esteamed both by them and as this we certify our Humble petition therefore is that your Honorable House will take the Premises into Consideration and give him a further conformation of said land as he was taken Prisoner and all his fathers formerly and by that it was not in his nor his fathers power to promise land as if they had not been maid Prisoners your complyence to our Petition will Thankfully acknowledged and your comply Petition in duty bound will ever pray.

Jonathan McCarty
William Hall
John Hall
Sam Wilson
Michel Ciger
George Ciger
Grify Dicason
John Ciger
Gersham Lee
Joha Tucker
William Parkeer
Ruben Guant
(Jofinh ?) Guant
Richard Guant Richard Starford
Alex Parker
Bernard McClain
William Booney
Simond Crosaly
Augustus Miller
John Glen
Hosea Young
Brooks Bennet
John Brown
John Parker
David Owens
Samuel Coultor
Robert Plumer
Nathan Lee
Arford William
John Shield
Willaim Morton
(Jno. ?) Fuller
W.M. Logan
(Johnh ?) Kelly Samuel Grund
Maj. John Cliford
Benjamin Coombe
(Jofinh ?) Bell
John Walker

[RWS Notes, May 26 2003. Most of these men were probably residents of Kentucky. The following are most likely Indiana residents: Jonathan McCarty probably moved to Lamb by 1799. In that year, he was named a justice of the peace for Hamilton County, Northwestern Territory, which then extended to the Greenville Treaty line, covering most of modern Switzerland County. The Lee family lived at the mouth of the Kentucky River from 1790 on and Gershom had crossed by 1802, and probably by 1800 when he married McCarty’s daughter Lydia.

Benjamin Combs/Coombe was probably Ash’s brother-in-law (Ash married Hannah Combs). Gersham/Gershom Lee was appointed a lieutenant in the Dearborn County militia on August 15, 1803. Dearborn County included modern Switzerland and Jefferson County. Capt. William Hall was named a major in the Dearborn militia on Aug. 15, 1803. He is probably the Rev. War soldier who settled in Madison in 1807, along with his son John Hall, likely the man who signed this petition. Grify Dicason is certainly Griffeth Dickerson, who settled in Switzerland County before 1800.]