The following was communicated to the Cincinnati Chronical in the Autumn of 1829 by the gentleman, in substance, as related below. He received it from the mouth of Ash himself. who resided on the Ohio, in Indiana, upon lands first presented to him by the Indians, and afterwards, confirmed, in part, by Congress--he paying for the same. We copy it from the Turner's Traits of Indiana Character:

"My father, John Ash, was one of the earlliest emigrants to Kentucky and settled near Bardstown, Nelson County, many miles from any other white settlement. In the month of March when I was about 10 years of age, we were attatcked by the Shawnee Indians; a part of the family was killed the rest were taken prisoners. We were seperated from each other, and, excepting a younger sister who was taken by the same party that had me in possession, I saw none of my family for seventeen years.

My sister was small; they carried her for 2-3 days but she cried and gave them trouble, so they tomahawked and scalped her and left her lying on the ground. I was, after this, transferred from one family to the another several times and treated harshly and called "white dog" till at length I was domesticated in a family and considered a member of it. After this my treatment was like that of the other children of the tribe. The Shawnees at this time lived on the Big Miami, about 20 miles above Dayton. Here we continued until General Clark came out and attacked us and burnt our town. We then removed to St. Mary"s and continued there for about two years. After this we removed to Fort Wayne, on the Maumee. Here we were attacked by General Harmer. We then removed to the Angalize River and continued there for some years. While there, General St. Clair came out against us. eight hundred and fifty warriors went out to meet him and were joined by about fifty Kickapoos. The two armies met about two hours before sunset. When the Indians were within about half a mile of St. Clair, the spies came running back to inform us, and we stopped. We concluded to encamp. "It was too late", they said, "to begin the play", they would defer the sport unti next morning. General Blue Jacket was our commander. After dark he called all the Chiefs around him to listen to what he had to say. Our Fathers, he said, used to do as we do now; our tribes used to fight the other tribes; they could trust to their own strength and their numbers, but in this conflict we have no such reliance. Our power and our numbers bear no comparison to those of our enemy, and we can do nothing, unless assisted by our Great Father above. I pray now, continued Blue Jacket raising his eyes to heaven, that he will give us tonight and (it was now snowing) that tomorrow he will cause the sun to shine out clear upon us and we will take it as a token of good and we shall conquer. Blue Jacket appears to have been a priest, as well as a warrior. About an hour before day orders were given for every man to be ready to march. On examination, it was found that three fires or camps, consisting of fifty Pottawattomies, had deserted us. We marched till we got within sight of the fires of St. Clair; then General Blue Jacket began to talk and to sing a hymn, as Indians sing Hymns. Here the narrator mentioned some ceremony that I did not well understand. The fight commenced, and continued for an hour or more, when the Indians retreated. As they were leaving the ground, a chief, by the name of Black Fish, ran amond them and in the voice of thunder, asked them what they were doing, where were they going, and who had given the orders to retreat? This called a halt and he proceeded in a strain of most impassioned eloquence, to exort them to courage and to deeds of daring and concluded with saying that whatever the determination of othersmight be, he knew not, but, for himself, his determination was to conquer or die! You who are like-minded, follow me, and they raised a war whoop, which was "we conquer or die".

The attack was nost impetous and carnage for a few moments shocking. Many of the Indians threw away their guns, leaped in among the Americans, and did the butchery with a tomahawk. In a few moments, the Americans gave way; the Indians took possession of the camp and the artillery, spiked the guns, and parites of the Indians followed the retreating army many miles. Eleven hundred Americans were left dead on the field. The number of Indians killed, together with those afterwards died of their wounds amounted to only 35. In this battle, a ball passed through the back of Ash's neck; he fell and says, his recollection returned while an Indian was carrying him away on his back. Many years afterwards, Ash ascertained that he had a brother in the St. Clair army, who was killed in the battle. Who can say that he did not direct the ball that did the fatal work? For all who have seen Ash will allow that he was not a man to be idle in battle.

After this battle, I started, with eight others, on an embassy to the Creek Nation. Our object was to renew the friendly relations between that nation and our own tribe, and two of our number were regularly accredited ambassadors for that purpose. We made a visit for a year and were successful in the objects of our mission. The nations north of the Ohio were desirous of strengthing themselves against the whites, by foreign alliances.

While we were absent our tribe had a battle with the whites near Fort Hamilton. The American army was commanded, I think, by General Bradley.

After our return, Wayne came out against us with eight thousand men. We sent our runners to all the nations, to collect together warriors, and soon an army of fifteen hundred men were in the field. We marched to meet Wayne, who then lay at Fort Recovery. We took one of Wayn's spies in our march--a Chickaswa. He was taken to the Indian army that he might give us some account of Wayne's movements. But the Indians were so enraged at him, for his treachery, that they fell upon him, and killed him. Our Army was then in great want of provisions- The Chippewa Indians cut him up, roasted, and ate him.

Near Fort Recovery, we met a party of the American Army, and fought them, without much success, and returned home. Wayne marched on the towns, and only three hundred warriors could be mustered to meet him. We went out, however, and fought him in two battles within three days of each other. These battles were fought near Fort Wayne and the place where they fought are not more than five miles from each other. The Indians were, in fact conquered and the war ended. General Blue Jacket that winter hoisted the flag of truce and marched into Greenville to treaty with Wayne.

We are all familiar acquainted with the history of the Indian wars--of the gallant, but unfortunate St. Clair--and of the chivalrous and successful Wayne. This, for aught I know, is the first Indian account of these transactions that has appeared; and, if it is correct, and I have abundant reason to think itis--it must go at least, to diminish our censure of St. Clair, if it does not detract from the credit of Wayne. St. Clair suffered himself to be surprised by the Indians in their own territory, a fault which Washington thought admitted of no excuse; besides, his army exceeded the enemy's in numbers. But when we take into consideration his ignorance of Indian warfare, and that he had to fight them in their own wilds, we must acknowledge the disparity was not very great. By their own showing, likewise, their army consisted of nearly a thousand men-- and such men as are not easily conquered by any force, for their motto was "We Conquer, or Die".

Ash had now been with the savages seventeen years, He had long identified himself with them, spoke their language perfectly, and had almost forgotten his own; and had adopted their dress, and all their modes of life. His right ear is fixed in a peculiar manner for the purpose of wearng jewels. teh edge of the ear, about a third of an inch deep is cut off, excepting at the ends where the ear joins the head. This rim hangs down on the face, and serves as a kind of loop. The parting gristle of the nose is perforated; there is likewise a hole in his left ear. I made some inquiries as to his painting. He said he painted, and wore about a hundfed dollars worth of silver in ornaments, when he visited the ladies. In his nose he wore three silver crosses and seven half moons, valued from five to six hundred dollars; and as he proceeded to describe his decorations for these excursions of gallantry, and reception he met with, I could not but reflect upon the effect which ornament has with the fair in all ages and among all nations.

After peace, proceeded he, "I told the Indians I wanted to go to the white settlements and see if any of my family were living. They at first, made objections, but finally consented; and, in full dress, with a good horse, a good gun, and a good hunting dog, I started for Fort Pitt. Having traveled alone fourteen days in the wilderness, I arrived at my place of destination. I found a brother and found that my father was still living in Kentucky. After staying some time at Fort Pitt, I was employed by a gentleman as a guide through the wilderness to Detroit. When we arrived in the neighborhood of Detroit. I told my employer that he might go on, and that I would spend the winter among the Indians with my wife, for I had taken a wife before I left them. He called for me in the spring and we returned to Fort Pitt together. I sold my horse, there, and proceeded down the Ohio river in a boat, with the intention of visiting my father. I arrived at his house in the night, called him up, and requested entertainment for the night. He denied such a request to no man, whoever he might be, but evidently was not much pleased with my appearance, for I was still in my Indian costume, and could speak but a few words of English. He paid me but little attention, gave a servent some orders about my lodging and was about retiring to bed, when I drew him into a conversation by asking some questions about his family. I asked him he had not a son George (many years before) taken by the Indians. He replied that he had--that he had heard he was in St. Clairs defeat and was killed. I assured him that the report was incorrect, and that I knew something of his son. He asked with eagerness where he was. I replied "He now stands before you". He looked at me with searching scrutiny for a few moments, and commenced pacing the room. He walked up and down the room for two hours, before he uttered another syllable. Would you know your brother Henry, he said at last, if you should see him? I told him no, for he was a mere infant when I went away. He thought I should and, though late in the evening, rode several miles to bring him.

In this part of the narration I perceived that Ash's eyes grew moist, and that his voice was husky. He rose to depart, but, by some entreaty, he was induced to return, and continue his tale. My father, said he, had become wealthy, possessing negros and fine horses in abundance. But my mother was dead, and my father had married a second wife, who was not backward in letting me know that there was no place for me.

I started again for the Indian country, crossed the Ohio, and pitched my camp on the spot where my house now stands, on the bank of the Ohio, exactly opposite the mouth of the Kentucky.

After hunting for some time, I determined to make another visit to my red brethern, and a friend gave me a horse to ride. I found them preparing a deputation for their great father, the President, and nothing would do but that I should make one of the party. With a number of chiefs I set out for Philadelphia, and after visiting the President and all the great people there, and by them, no doubt, thought a very good Indian, I returned to my old camp where I now live.

As compensation for my services on this mission, the Indians granted me a tract of land, opposite the mouth of the Kentucky, four miles in length on the river and one mile back. When the territory was ceded to the United States, the Indians neglected to reserve my grant. I had cultivated some parts of my land, and it was worth more than the government price. It was offered for sale, and I petitioned Congress to secure for me what was in fact my own. They denied me the request, but permitted me to purchase as much as I could at the governments price. I had considered myself rich in lands, but I was poor in cash, and my domain was reduced to about two hundred acres. On this I have lived ever since; and this completes the history of George Ash!!


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Excerpt from A Saga of the Ohio by Betty Cull published in the Indianapolis Star Magazine February 12, 1967.

Rejected by his father, George still determined to live as a white man. Turning to the only business he knew, he became a guide. During one trip, a significant meeting occurred as George saw a woman (Hanna Coombs) to whom he was attracted. To her astonishment, this "Indian' informed her that someday she would be his bride.

Now settled, he shed his Indian garments (hopefully, also the facial jewelry) and donned the rough clothes of the frontiersman, before seeking and winning the hand of Hanna Coombs, as he had predicted.

From the Indians, George had learned the art of making brick and, with his own hands, built his wife a slender two-story home on his campsite. New settlers were arriving and needed a way to cross the Ohio to Fort William, George fashioned a dugout canoe, which he poled from Ashland to Fort William, and the Ash family's first ferry service was begun.

In 1815, a town of Erin was platted adjacent to the Ash acres. (the town never materialized and the current settlement of Lamb marks the site,) George Ash was granted a liscense to operate a ferry between Lamb and Carrolton in 1816. The dugout canoe was replaced by a flatboat but was still propelled by poles.

Hanna bore her husband two children, George Colonel and Eliza Norman, who was drowned around 1817.

As his father grew older, George Colonel assumed operation of the ferry and added a horse, walking a treadmill, to power the boat's new side wheels.

George Colonel wed Nancy Kate (Caroline) Munn in November of 1837. The marriage proved fruitful as 13 children arrived to bless the union.

At first the babble of small voices resounded pleasantly from the home's brick walls, but soon, the family outgrew the house. Colonel built a log cabin beside th house and he lived there with the boys, while his wife and girls occupied the old building.

On October 3, 1850, elderly George Ash died, ending a life begun as a savage and concluded as a member of a pioneer community-a life possible only on the new nation's frontier.