AKA Jared Sluss /Schlosser (b. 1740, d. 1785)- death in dispute as to whether he died or lived from the incident of the Sluss Family Massacre. Children listed in Family Search online record that are born after the massacre date of 1774 and the death date of his wife Christina (also disputed). Married a second time to UNK?
Sluss Family Massacre - Indian Massacre in Ceres- History of Ceres - https://www.ceresva.org/History/Sluss/SlussMscr.html
**Several sources tell a story of this family being massacred by Shawnee Indians. August 2, 1774- it was reported that Ellinipsco, son of the famous Cornstalk Shawnee Chief was on the warpath again. Jared believed this to be another wild rumor and decided to remain at home. As time passed, he was assured this was just a rumor and let down his guard.. Soon after, he was working far from sight of his home. The raiding party knew and attacked. Sources conflict on who was actually murdered and even when it took place. Most agree that it took place in Ceres, Bland, Virginia.
Sluss Family Massacre - From Frank Repass Brown's records: http://www.deanscorner.net/slussmassacreaccts.htm
As to where the bodies of the victims were buried, the traditions do not agree. According to most, they were buried in the cemetery at the Sharon Lutheran Church, just across the hill from the scene of the massacre. But this church was not organized until a number of years after the tragic event. It is hardly likely that there was a cemetery here before the church was organized. There are no grave markers with inscriptions on them of this early date in this cemetery. However, there are two grave markers bearing the Sluss name, both to boys in their teens. One was to Joel, who died in 1825 and the other to David who died in 1827. This is a whole generation after the massacre. There are a number of graves just east of these and just west of the church that are not marked. Whose they are, no one knows. Another tradition gives the place of burial as near where they were killed. There is a knoll near there where the land slopes three ways about 200 or 300 yards north of the house that seems to be a suitable place for the burial. It is about 20 or more feet wide and 75 or more feet long. There are several large boulders and numerous field rocks scattered over it. There is a large old locust stump...[but] no plants such as you often find where there are graves out in a field. The rotten remains of a rail fence are scattered over the place, showing that it has been enclosed for some purpose, otherwise most of it could have been cultivated with the adjoining land. This, it seems to me, is the most probable burying ground of the victims of the massacre.In regard to the number and names of the persons killed and escaped the accounts do not agree. My mother's account is as follows: Those killed were Christina the second wife of John [Jared?] Sluss, their daughters Katy and Hazel, and their crippled son David. Those who escaped were John, the two sons James and Joel, and four daughters. The daughter Polly married Daniel Sharitz. She was my great grandmother. She was eleven years old at the time of the tragedy. It was she who, when the Indians were seen, ran from the house to give the alarm to the father and brothers. Elizabeth married Peter Groseclose Jr., who lived in the neighborhood just west of the Sluss house. I think she was married and living in her own home at the time. Mary was a baby in the cradle. She in her cradle had been pushed back under the bed and was not discovered by the Indians. She married Michael Crigger. The fourth daughter to escape, Susan, must have been married and away from the old home at the time of the massacre. She married a Mr. Katron and moved to Tennessee, northeast of Kingsport. Years ago I visited in the homes of some of her descendants and the cemetery where she was buried. There were no markers with inscriptions to give any information. Her descendants knew little of the story, except that she was from the Sluss family. The year and the time of year of the massacre varies with the various sources of traditions. Some would set the date early in the 1760s, some in the late 1790s. According to the tradition in our family, our great grandmother Polly Sharitz was eleven years old at the time. She was born in 1775. That would make the date of the massacre 1786. But Aunt Mary Creggar was believed to have been 103 or 104 years old when she died in 1880. As she was a baby at the time of the massacre that would indicate 1776 or 17 77. As to the time of year the traditions vary from late spring to late summer. The date I believe most probable is April of May 1778 or 1779.
Betty Bishop Willoughby -WikiTree online entry:
Susannah Sluss, one of the daughters of the massacred family, married Henry Kettenring/Ketron and they eventually settled in Sullivan Co., TN. Some of the other descendants settled in Scott Co., VA., some stayed in the Bland Co. area, some went to Indiana and some went to W.VA., as well as other places.
Sluss Family Massacre - Indian Massacre in Ceres- History of Ceres - https://www.ceresva.org/History/Sluss/SlussMscr.html
**Several sources tell a story of this family being massacred by Shawnee Indians. August 2, 1774- it was reported that Ellinipsco, son of the famous Cornstalk Shawnee Chief was on the warpath again. Jared believed this to be another wild rumor and decided to remain at home. As time passed, he was assured this was just a rumor and let down his guard.. Soon after, he was working far from sight of his home. The raiding party knew and attacked. Sources conflict on who was actually murdered and even when it took place. Most agree that it took place in Ceres, Bland, Virginia.
Sluss Family Massacre - From Frank Repass Brown's records: http://www.deanscorner.net/slussmassacreaccts.htm
As to where the bodies of the victims were buried, the traditions do not agree. According to most, they were buried in the cemetery at the Sharon Lutheran Church, just across the hill from the scene of the massacre. But this church was not organized until a number of years after the tragic event. It is hardly likely that there was a cemetery here before the church was organized. There are no grave markers with inscriptions on them of this early date in this cemetery. However, there are two grave markers bearing the Sluss name, both to boys in their teens. One was to Joel, who died in 1825 and the other to David who died in 1827. This is a whole generation after the massacre. There are a number of graves just east of these and just west of the church that are not marked. Whose they are, no one knows. Another tradition gives the place of burial as near where they were killed. There is a knoll near there where the land slopes three ways about 200 or 300 yards north of the house that seems to be a suitable place for the burial. It is about 20 or more feet wide and 75 or more feet long. There are several large boulders and numerous field rocks scattered over it. There is a large old locust stump...[but] no plants such as you often find where there are graves out in a field. The rotten remains of a rail fence are scattered over the place, showing that it has been enclosed for some purpose, otherwise most of it could have been cultivated with the adjoining land. This, it seems to me, is the most probable burying ground of the victims of the massacre.In regard to the number and names of the persons killed and escaped the accounts do not agree. My mother's account is as follows: Those killed were Christina the second wife of John [Jared?] Sluss, their daughters Katy and Hazel, and their crippled son David. Those who escaped were John, the two sons James and Joel, and four daughters. The daughter Polly married Daniel Sharitz. She was my great grandmother. She was eleven years old at the time of the tragedy. It was she who, when the Indians were seen, ran from the house to give the alarm to the father and brothers. Elizabeth married Peter Groseclose Jr., who lived in the neighborhood just west of the Sluss house. I think she was married and living in her own home at the time. Mary was a baby in the cradle. She in her cradle had been pushed back under the bed and was not discovered by the Indians. She married Michael Crigger. The fourth daughter to escape, Susan, must have been married and away from the old home at the time of the massacre. She married a Mr. Katron and moved to Tennessee, northeast of Kingsport. Years ago I visited in the homes of some of her descendants and the cemetery where she was buried. There were no markers with inscriptions to give any information. Her descendants knew little of the story, except that she was from the Sluss family. The year and the time of year of the massacre varies with the various sources of traditions. Some would set the date early in the 1760s, some in the late 1790s. According to the tradition in our family, our great grandmother Polly Sharitz was eleven years old at the time. She was born in 1775. That would make the date of the massacre 1786. But Aunt Mary Creggar was believed to have been 103 or 104 years old when she died in 1880. As she was a baby at the time of the massacre that would indicate 1776 or 17 77. As to the time of year the traditions vary from late spring to late summer. The date I believe most probable is April of May 1778 or 1779.
Betty Bishop Willoughby -WikiTree online entry:
Susannah Sluss, one of the daughters of the massacred family, married Henry Kettenring/Ketron and they eventually settled in Sullivan Co., TN. Some of the other descendants settled in Scott Co., VA., some stayed in the Bland Co. area, some went to Indiana and some went to W.VA., as well as other places.
AKA Jared Sluss /Schlosser (b. 1740, d. 1785)- death in dispute as to whether he died or lived from the incident of the Sluss Family Massacre. Children listed in Family Search online record that are born after the massacre date of 1774 and the death date of his wife Christina (also disputed). Married a second time to UNK?
Sluss Family Massacre - Indian Massacre in Ceres- History of Ceres - https://www.ceresva.org/History/Sluss/SlussMscr.html
**Several sources tell a story of this family being massacred by Shawnee Indians. August 2, 1774- it was reported that Ellinipsco, son of the famous Cornstalk Shawnee Chief was on the warpath again. Jared believed this to be another wild rumor and decided to remain at home. As time passed, he was assured this was just a rumor and let down his guard.. Soon after, he was working far from sight of his home. The raiding party knew and attacked. Sources conflict on who was actually murdered and even when it took place. Most agree that it took place in Ceres, Bland, Virginia.
Sluss Family Massacre - From Frank Repass Brown's records: http://www.deanscorner.net/slussmassacreaccts.htm
As to where the bodies of the victims were buried, the traditions do not agree. According to most, they were buried in the cemetery at the Sharon Lutheran Church, just across the hill from the scene of the massacre. But this church was not organized until a number of years after the tragic event. It is hardly likely that there was a cemetery here before the church was organized. There are no grave markers with inscriptions on them of this early date in this cemetery. However, there are two grave markers bearing the Sluss name, both to boys in their teens. One was to Joel, who died in 1825 and the other to David who died in 1827. This is a whole generation after the massacre. There are a number of graves just east of these and just west of the church that are not marked. Whose they are, no one knows. Another tradition gives the place of burial as near where they were killed. There is a knoll near there where the land slopes three ways about 200 or 300 yards north of the house that seems to be a suitable place for the burial. It is about 20 or more feet wide and 75 or more feet long. There are several large boulders and numerous field rocks scattered over it. There is a large old locust stump...[but] no plants such as you often find where there are graves out in a field. The rotten remains of a rail fence are scattered over the place, showing that it has been enclosed for some purpose, otherwise most of it could have been cultivated with the adjoining land. This, it seems to me, is the most probable burying ground of the victims of the massacre.In regard to the number and names of the persons killed and escaped the accounts do not agree. My mother's account is as follows: Those killed were Christina the second wife of John [Jared?] Sluss, their daughters Katy and Hazel, and their crippled son David. Those who escaped were John, the two sons James and Joel, and four daughters. The daughter Polly married Daniel Sharitz. She was my great grandmother. She was eleven years old at the time of the tragedy. It was she who, when the Indians were seen, ran from the house to give the alarm to the father and brothers. Elizabeth married Peter Groseclose Jr., who lived in the neighborhood just west of the Sluss house. I think she was married and living in her own home at the time. Mary was a baby in the cradle. She in her cradle had been pushed back under the bed and was not discovered by the Indians. She married Michael Crigger. The fourth daughter to escape, Susan, must have been married and away from the old home at the time of the massacre. She married a Mr. Katron and moved to Tennessee, northeast of Kingsport. Years ago I visited in the homes of some of her descendants and the cemetery where she was buried. There were no markers with inscriptions to give any information. Her descendants knew little of the story, except that she was from the Sluss family. The year and the time of year of the massacre varies with the various sources of traditions. Some would set the date early in the 1760s, some in the late 1790s. According to the tradition in our family, our great grandmother Polly Sharitz was eleven years old at the time. She was born in 1775. That would make the date of the massacre 1786. But Aunt Mary Creggar was believed to have been 103 or 104 years old when she died in 1880. As she was a baby at the time of the massacre that would indicate 1776 or 17 77. As to the time of year the traditions vary from late spring to late summer. The date I believe most probable is April of May 1778 or 1779.
Betty Bishop Willoughby -WikiTree online entry:
Susannah Sluss, one of the daughters of the massacred family, married Henry Kettenring/Ketron and they eventually settled in Sullivan Co., TN. Some of the other descendants settled in Scott Co., VA., some stayed in the Bland Co. area, some went to Indiana and some went to W.VA., as well as other places.
Sluss Family Massacre - Indian Massacre in Ceres- History of Ceres - https://www.ceresva.org/History/Sluss/SlussMscr.html
**Several sources tell a story of this family being massacred by Shawnee Indians. August 2, 1774- it was reported that Ellinipsco, son of the famous Cornstalk Shawnee Chief was on the warpath again. Jared believed this to be another wild rumor and decided to remain at home. As time passed, he was assured this was just a rumor and let down his guard.. Soon after, he was working far from sight of his home. The raiding party knew and attacked. Sources conflict on who was actually murdered and even when it took place. Most agree that it took place in Ceres, Bland, Virginia.
Sluss Family Massacre - From Frank Repass Brown's records: http://www.deanscorner.net/slussmassacreaccts.htm
As to where the bodies of the victims were buried, the traditions do not agree. According to most, they were buried in the cemetery at the Sharon Lutheran Church, just across the hill from the scene of the massacre. But this church was not organized until a number of years after the tragic event. It is hardly likely that there was a cemetery here before the church was organized. There are no grave markers with inscriptions on them of this early date in this cemetery. However, there are two grave markers bearing the Sluss name, both to boys in their teens. One was to Joel, who died in 1825 and the other to David who died in 1827. This is a whole generation after the massacre. There are a number of graves just east of these and just west of the church that are not marked. Whose they are, no one knows. Another tradition gives the place of burial as near where they were killed. There is a knoll near there where the land slopes three ways about 200 or 300 yards north of the house that seems to be a suitable place for the burial. It is about 20 or more feet wide and 75 or more feet long. There are several large boulders and numerous field rocks scattered over it. There is a large old locust stump...[but] no plants such as you often find where there are graves out in a field. The rotten remains of a rail fence are scattered over the place, showing that it has been enclosed for some purpose, otherwise most of it could have been cultivated with the adjoining land. This, it seems to me, is the most probable burying ground of the victims of the massacre.In regard to the number and names of the persons killed and escaped the accounts do not agree. My mother's account is as follows: Those killed were Christina the second wife of John [Jared?] Sluss, their daughters Katy and Hazel, and their crippled son David. Those who escaped were John, the two sons James and Joel, and four daughters. The daughter Polly married Daniel Sharitz. She was my great grandmother. She was eleven years old at the time of the tragedy. It was she who, when the Indians were seen, ran from the house to give the alarm to the father and brothers. Elizabeth married Peter Groseclose Jr., who lived in the neighborhood just west of the Sluss house. I think she was married and living in her own home at the time. Mary was a baby in the cradle. She in her cradle had been pushed back under the bed and was not discovered by the Indians. She married Michael Crigger. The fourth daughter to escape, Susan, must have been married and away from the old home at the time of the massacre. She married a Mr. Katron and moved to Tennessee, northeast of Kingsport. Years ago I visited in the homes of some of her descendants and the cemetery where she was buried. There were no markers with inscriptions to give any information. Her descendants knew little of the story, except that she was from the Sluss family. The year and the time of year of the massacre varies with the various sources of traditions. Some would set the date early in the 1760s, some in the late 1790s. According to the tradition in our family, our great grandmother Polly Sharitz was eleven years old at the time. She was born in 1775. That would make the date of the massacre 1786. But Aunt Mary Creggar was believed to have been 103 or 104 years old when she died in 1880. As she was a baby at the time of the massacre that would indicate 1776 or 17 77. As to the time of year the traditions vary from late spring to late summer. The date I believe most probable is April of May 1778 or 1779.
Betty Bishop Willoughby -WikiTree online entry:
Susannah Sluss, one of the daughters of the massacred family, married Henry Kettenring/Ketron and they eventually settled in Sullivan Co., TN. Some of the other descendants settled in Scott Co., VA., some stayed in the Bland Co. area, some went to Indiana and some went to W.VA., as well as other places.
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