| Show bradie morgan morean vernal oil driller discloses exciting indian incident brodle brodie morgan vernal oil well driller has had find a varied and exciting life since he left home at the ille age aeo of 0 I 1 11 it but not afi 04 exciting as david morgan his grandfather who was wag a frontier indian fighter bindle came to vernal from elk basin wyoming in lr the spring of 1045 1945 when he left lef ilia hla parents home lie he was living in Sisters sistersville ville W vol va where hla his grandfather has fought land hand to hand to the death with indians dradie brodie began his career as circus advance publicity man putting up bill posters in 1005 1905 he began in the oil business at bridgeport ill and saw t the he first carload of oil shipped out of that area ile he has a son callen in phil idelphia who is head of a federal psychiatry division to return to david morgan his history can be found in the morgantown Morgan town post of morgan town west virginia dated saturday nov 21 1889 welshman Wl hman col morgan davids father was born in wales and was educated in london during william ills reign ile he moved with his family to the valley of virginia ile he and morgan jr were pastors of a church of england at winchester for many years david was born at christiana delaware may 12 1721 in 1771 he moved to marion county six miles north of fairmont at that time the indians were at peace with the white settlers but two years later war broke out highlighted by deeds of ferocity cunning bravery and cruelty on april 1 1779 shortly after an indian scare david morgan sent his two youngest children stephen 16 and sarah 14 to the farm on the opposite osite side of of the river to do the chores unknown to their father who thought they would return at once they decided to work all day at one period the children were startled by footsteps but failed to see eee the savages that were watching them intently while the youngsters were working the indians entered the house and ate enormous quantities of bacon stale bread and sour cream and then started for the children dut but upon ascending a slight rise in the ground they came upon morgan with his gun dream warning immediately before his encounter with the indians morgan who had been III fell asleep and dreamed lie saw stephen and sarah running to the fort scalped scalded not being superstitious he gave the dream no further thought until lie he fell asleep and dreamed the same thing again when he awoke lie inquired about the children found they were going to remain on the lite farm oil all day and grew very alarmed lie ile seized his rifle and headed for the farm ire he felt great joy at seeing hi his children alive and well and while lie was talking to them lie spied two indians the indians started to make fun of the children and morgan quietly told the children to return to the fort while lie he stayed to fight them while the children left for the fort morgan crossed a fence and hid fild behind it for a delaying action to safeguard the children while lie he and the indians plan plait tied ned their attack and defense fight rot for life morgan knew the odds against lihn him that lie could not waste a shot and that the stakes were life itself morgan and the hie indians indiana moved around each other until morgan could see that soon one savage would be on each side of him film ile he ran f from roin a small sapling that was too small to protect him to the safety of a large oak one indian was wai compelled to take the he smaller tree the sav age left one shoulder exposed at al which morgan fired and the ball bail went through ilia indians body to hn his hip flip the indian knowing ike he was finis hedi rolled over on his b buck back ack and stabbed himself twice iwic 1 through lie bicart As soon aa morgan fired lie spun around to find the other indian taking sini aim at him morgan ran rad zag zag and stumbled into n dogwood bu bush which sprang back and threw him film just a ax the indian fired and the ball whined past lils his head bead clos clo combat tacit each now had bh ah empty gun but the savage had find a tomahawk and rid scalping knife the two toes fees advanced slowly an tacit each other morgan swung bid hl gun elid and the indian threw tits his mie tomahawk bounced off hf the g gurt butt tut cut oi off A finger finck r of mor gang left hand and mp aly sever ed two others and ard atit a deep continued on page 10 DRADIE MORGAN 2 24 PO continued from page 0 gash in the iron gun barrel morgan advanced on the in dian who seized A 6 dry ash pole and hit morgan on the head head three violent blows which finally broke the pole morgan hit the savage so hard he knocked him off his feet but broke the gun off at the breech the indian sprang for mor gans gano eye and tried to gouge it out but the pioneer grabbed his right thumb between his teeth and held it fast all the time until the end of the fight the two mortal enemies fought up and down over logs against trees and bushes until the aged morgan found his strength beginning to fall and knew that his time was running out turns turin tables he pretended to give up to conserve the last dregs of his strength but still kept the in diana thumb in his teeth fortunately tuna tely while in the house the indian had seen a womans comans apron and fascinated by the bright colors had fastened it around his waist the garment prevented him from getting at his ahli knife and he had to work it slowly out of the rawhide scabbard As tile the handle passed through his hand morgan jerked tits his arm from under the indians knee and grabbed tile the handle As the indian was holding li tightly to tile the blade his hand was cut to the bone lie tried to get away but morgan grabbed him by tile the neck and the savage pulled morgan to his feet the indian was greatly alarmed and made a noise which meant lie he would quit it morgan would do the same lame morgan was in no mood to let him go and crying ill woof you bowl now thrust the knife in the indians tilde side roe fo collapses Colla pc when morgan let the indian go he was able to take a few steps and then collapsed morgan loaded the indians In dlana gun and the powder made anade hla his hand smart and jor for tile the f first time he saw his lacerated handa by tile the time morgan had find returned to the fort lie he was exhausted upon telling ills his story all the mien men except morgan himself took look aher after the indian in a state elate ol of great excitement they had dad visions ot of scalped scalded relatives and wh whole le families massacred at the scene of the fight the settlers found the indian was missing but followed a blood trail As they approached the savage he greeted them how do bruder they were in no mood for compassion after five years of war and atrocities and they tied the indian and took him captive spalt skull at ohp th end of the trip the savage was in such pain he asked his captors by signs to tomahawk him A nian nan whose brother had been killed and scalped scalded was only too happy to oblige early west virginia historians report on david morgan as a man of great energy C character and sterling worth |
