John Bingaman
Born 1710
Died 1755
John and J Jost Bingaman cannot be the same person, as appears on many Ancestry trees.
John Bingaman owned 200 acres in Philadelphia Co, Pennsylvania by 1734 and settled on New River (Pulaski Co, Virginia) before 1852.
John Jost Bingaman arrived in Phlidelphia in September, 1754 on the ship "Edinburgh".
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Name: John BINGAMAN
Given Name: John
Surname: Bingaman
Sex: M
Birth: 1710 in Germany
Death: 3 Jul 1755 in Drapers Meadow,VA
Change Date: 24 Dec 2001
Note:
Was killed by the Shawnee Indians (along with his wife and son Adam) at the Drapers Meadow Massacre near the New River in Blacksburg, VA. Other sons were Henry, Christian and John Jr.
Killed in1755 with his son Adam - New River (VA) Indian Massacre
soundex B525
census index: Colonial America 1607-1789
Gloucester Twp, Gloucester Co. NJ. 1786 pg. 002 tax list
Deptford Twp., Gloucester Co. NJ. 1789 pg. 001 tax list August
assessment
From Duane Bingaman:
From 1682-1776 Pennsylvania was the central point of emigration from
Germany, France and Switzerland. William Penn's liberal views and the
illiberal course of the government of New York toward the Germans induced
many to come to this Province. Religious persecution and political
oppression drove thousands of Germans from their homeland to Pennsylvania
where Penn himself invited the persecuted of every creed and religious
opinion.
About 1734 John Bingaman (1) owned 200 acres of land in Hanover Township,
Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Peter Bingaman owned 100 acres of land
in Oley Township, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. I have done little
research in Pennsylvania as yet, but hope to get to it eventually. I do
know that when John Bingaman's(1) estate was settled in 1763, John
Bingaman,Jr. (2) received cash from Pennsylvania, probably from sale of
land. John Bingaman (1) came to Virginia in 1744.
The following is taken from "Early Adventures on the Western Waters" by
Mary B. Kegly and F.B. Kegly:
The Bingaman family was on New River before 1752, when John Bingaman
acted
as an appraiser of the estate of Jacob Goldman who resided on Back Creek
in present
Pulaski County. The same year the court reported that Samuel Newgally bit
off part of John Bingaman's ears. (Chalkey, Chronicles, I pp. 53,56).
The following year John Bingaman,Sr. purchased 100 acres on New River
from Humphrey Baker and it was here that Bingaman's Ferry was in
operation in the spring of 1754. This location known as the Buffalo
Pound (sometimes Pond) became the Samuel Pepper crossing in the 1770's.
William Leopard (Lippard) was "overseer of the road from Bingaman's Ferry
to Roan Oke near Tobias Bright's" in 1754.(Chalkey, Chronicles, I;
III,324.)
When the Indians attacked the New River settlement on July 3,1755,
several of the Bingamans were among the victims. These included John
Bingaman, Mrs. Bingaman, Adam Bingaman- all killed. Mrs. Bingaman,Jr.
was wounded and a son and daughter of Bingaman were also
wounded.(Chalkey Chronicles,II,510). It has been suggested by some that a
Mrs. Bingaman from New River was the "old Dutch woman" who accompanied
Mary Draper Ingles on her long journey home from Indian country to New
River.There is no evidence that any Bingaman women were taken prisoners.
In addition, a direct descendant of Mary Draper Ingles met and talked
with a direct descendant of the "old Dutch woman" in recent years
establishing the fact that she was from Pennsylvania, and not from
Virginia.
On May 19, 1756 John Bingaman,Jr. was appointed administrator of the of
his deceased father,John Bingaman, Sr. In 1763, John Jr. and his wife,
Elizabeth, sold his fathers lands at the ferry place to Thomas
Stanton,Jr. The lands on New River in present Wythe County were also
sold to Thomas Stanton. (Chalkey chronicles,III 42, 394). The Bingamans
were then living in Culpepper County.
The estate of John Bingaman, deceased, was appraised by Jacob Miler,
Hance Margret and Francis Kirtley. The items include cattle, horses, a
roan mare and colt, steers, still, a brass still, wagon and gears, ax, a
gun, old "puter" knives, lumber, a pot, a frying pan, a sickle, a lock,
"close" flax, a Bible, "beden," and a mattock. The total appraised value
of the estate was 101.47.2lbs,(Augusta County Will Book 2,p.177).
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Bingaman Family History
by Audrey Bingaman Patterson
From 1682-1776 Pennsylvania was the central point of emigration from
Germany, France and Switzerland. William Penn's liberal views and the
illiberal course of the government of New York toward the Germans
induced many to come to this Province Religious persecution and political
oppression drove thousands of Germans from their homeland to
Pennsylvania where Penn himself invited the persecuted of every creed
and religious opinion. About 1734 John Bingaman (1) owned 200 acres of
land in Hanover Township, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Peter
Bingaman owned 100 acres of land in Oley Township, Philadelphia
County, Pennsylvania. I have done little research in Pennsylvania as yet,
but hope to get to it eventually. I do know that when John Bingaman's(1)
estate was settled in 1763, John Bingaman,Jr. (2) received cash from
Pennsylvania, probably from sale of land. John Bingaman (1) came to
Virginia in 1744.The following is taken from "Early Adventures on the
Western Waters" by Mary B. Kegly and F.B. Kegly:
The Bingaman family was on New River before 1752, when John
Bingaman acted as an appraiser of the estate of Jacob Goldman who
resided on Back Creek in present Pulaski County. The same year the
court reported that Samuel Newgally bit off part of John Bingaman's ears.
(Chalkey, Chronicles, I pp. 53,56).
In 1753 Christian and John Bingaman had a bond dated June 17, listed in
Colonel James Patton's estate.(Chalkey, Chronicles, I, p.75).
Just where the Bingaman's lived at this time seems uncertain. John
Bingaman, Sr. took over the Edmund Pendleton tracts on the south side of
New River and received a grant for 460 acres and 184 acres in 1753. This
latter tract was called Bingaman's Bottom tract and the branch was
named Bingaman's Branch. These lands were located in what is now
Wythe County, just east of the Lead Mines.
The following year John Bingaman,Sr. purchased 100 acres on New River
from Humphrey Baker and it was here that Bingaman's Ferry was in
operation in the spring of 1754. This location known as the Buffalo Pound
(sometimes Pond) became the Samuel Pepper crossing in the 1770's.
William Leopard (Lippard) was "overseer of the road from Bingaman's
Ferry to Roan Oke near Tobias Bright's" in 1754.(Chalkey, Chronicles, I;
III,324.)
When the Indians attacked the New River settlement on July 3,1755,
several of the Bingamans were among the victims. These included John
Bingaman, Mrs. Bingaman, Adam Bingaman- all killed. Mrs. Bingaman,Jr.
was wounded and a son and daughter of Bingaman were also wounded.
(Chalkey Chronicles,II,510).
On May 19, 1756 John Bingaman,Jr. was appointed administrator of the
of his deceased father,John Bingaman, Sr. In 1763, John Jr. and his wife,
Elizabeth, sold his fathers lands at the ferry place to Thomas Stanton,Jr.
The lands on New River in present Wythe County were also sold to
Thomas Stanton. (Chalkey chronicles,III 42, 394).
The Bingamans were then living in Culpepper County. The estate of John
Bingaman, deceased, was appraised by Jacob Miler, Hance Margret and
Francis Kirtley. The items include cattle, horses, a roan mare and colt,
steers, still, a brass still, wagon and gears, ax, a gun, old "puter" knives,
lumber, a pot, a frying pan, a sickle, a lock, "close" flax, a Bible, "beden,"
and a mattock. The total appraised value of the estate was 101.47.2lbs.
(Augusta County Will Book 2,p.177).
The settlement of the estate was presented in court in 1763 with a note
that the administrator had paid Patton's executors "my father's bond with
interest to December 10, 1762." He also paid others including Henry and
Christian Bingaman and William Leppard (Lippard). (Chalkey, Cronicles,
III, 76).
There is no complete list of children for John Bingaman, Sr.but in 1756
there were three Bingamans added to the tithable list: John, Henry, and
Christian. In 1770 Augusta County reported Christian Bingaman "no
inhabitant." (Chalkey Chronicles, I, 74,160).
Perhaps it was about this time that he moved to New River. The
Montgomery County records show that in 1780, Christian Bingaman filed
for 50 acres of land for serving as a soldier in the French and Indian War.
He was entitled to the land under the Proclamation of 1763. (Summers,
Annals, p.735)
Accounts of May 1763 show that John Bingaman provided 861 weight of
beef for the use of John Smith's Company and Cherokee Indians. He was
paid 4.6.31/2 pounds for the beef valued at 10 shillings per pound.
(Chalkey Chronicles, I, p.486).
Other Bingamans mentioned included Henry who lived on Plum Creek,
Thomas who is mentioned in connection with lands on Back Creek in
present Pulaski County, later of North Carolina, and Mary Bingaman who
married Peter Rife. (Summers, Annals, p.936; Marriages of Montgomery
County).
Howe, in his book "Lovely Mount" pictures the house of the Bingaman
family and recounts some stories about the family that have not been fully
documented. John Bingaman's account of his struggles with Indians is
recorded in the Virginia Papers, Draper Mss.,IZZ36,1763 but no location
for these events is given.The name is spelled Bingaman,
Bingeman,Bingamin and sometimes Bingman.
I often wondered why the Court recorded the fact that Samuel Newgally
bit off part of John Bingaman's ears. After some research, I discovered
that some criminals were cut on the ear to mark them as such. In order to
prove that you were not a criminal, you would need Court papers to show
the reason for the damaged ear.
From the "German Sectarians of Pennsylvania " by Julius F. Sachase:
Beside the Eckerlins there was another Ephrata brotherhood whose
earthly career was ended by the tomahawk of the savage. This was
Heinrich Zinn, who left the Kloster shortly after the Eckerlins and went to
the valley of Virginia. He was living at the time with a family named
Bingamann, near the present site of New Market. When the Indians
attacked the house a determined defense was made by Bingamann, who
was both stout and active. He called to Zinn to come to his assistance. the
latter, however, failed to respond. Bingamann laid low two of the savages.
According to another account he killed five. The savages succeeded,
however, in killing his wife and children and the peaceful Zinn. Bingamann
escaped with several wounds, from which he finally recovered.
The most reliable facts I have are from the Augusta County Courthouse,
Staunton, Virginia. The facts are as follows:
BINGEMAN, Adam, killed by Indians on New River , July 3, 1755
(Preston Papers, Draper Mss., IQQ-83). No appraisal or will found.
BINGEMAN, John , killed by Indians on New River , July 3, 1755 (Preston
Papers Draper Mss. IQQ ) Administration granted John Bingeman May
19,1756, surities Jacob Nicholas and Henry Sellers (Book 2, 149).
Appraisal of the estate by Jacob Miler, Hance Margret, and Francis
Kirtley, August 21, 1756, recorded Nov.19, 1756 (Book 2, 177 Final
settlement Feb. 16, (Book 3 223).
BINGEMAN, Mrs., killed by Indians on July 3,1755 on New River
(Preston Papers,Draper Mss., IQQ-83). No will or appraisals found.
ZINN, Henry, killed by Indians on New River on July 3, 1755 ( Preston
Papers,Draper Mss., IQQ-83).No will or appraisal found.
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DUNKARDS BOTTOM (MAHANIAM)
One of the early settlements in the valley along the west bank of New River was Mahaniam, meaning "two camps", in what is now Pulaski County and now lies beneath the waters of Claytor Lake. The settlement was founded about 1745 by three Germans from a group, which had crossed the Atlantic seeking religious freedom and were called Sabbatarians and later became known as Dunkards. From this latter name came the identification of the settlement as Dunkards Bottom. It is reported that 900 acres of rich river bottomland was chosen and surveyed for the colony, which later had the only mill west of New River. However, many of the Dunkards became unhappy with their lot in the wilderness on the frontier of a new nation. They were said to be "odd" people who were very clannish and shunned by other settlers.
In 1749 the Moravian missionaries noted that in the region of Dunkard's Bottom they found a "kind of white people who wore deer skins, lived by hunting, associated with the Indians and acted like savages." Once the Dunkard's got to America they changed their ways to fit the lifestyle of the American Frontier.
John BUCHANAN, agent for Colonel PATTON's Wood's River Company and assistant surveyor of Augusta County, made his exploratory trip to the region in the fall of 1745. He found inhabitants already in the New River area. These inhabitants were German eccentrics of German Seventh Day Baptists from the Ephrata Society of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and were called Dunkers Dunkard's. (Many people incorrectly refer to this sect of the Anabaptists as Dunkard's. The word "Dunker" was actually a anglicized corruption of the German Word "Tunker", which means "dipper" or immerserer referring to the mode of baptism practiced by this group.)
Being pacificists, the Dunkards became discontented and fearful, realizing their helplessness if attacked by Indians. So just five years after being established, Mahaniam disappeared as a budding settlement. Some of the settlers returned to Pennsylvania and other parts of Virginia with a few remaining in the immediate area.
To fully understand the "Dunkard's" we must trace back to the place where they came from, Pennsylvania and neighboring regions. Before they came to Pennsylvania they traveled from Germany. Going to Germany for a start, researchers found a little group of serious-minded citizens situated about Strasburg chafing under the Catholic rule of the Province. Alexander MACK, reader of the bible, Conrad BIESEL, a salesman, and Michael ECKERLING, a member of the city council, made up the group of independent worshippers, then called "Pietists", and held secret services at private homes until they were hounded out of the country to become citizens of America.
In Germany, the Dunkard's wore long beards and were highly skilled in many trades as well as agriculture. The Dunkard's were also pacifists. They were ill suited for life on Virginia's wild frontier. Thomas Walker describes the Dunkard's as:
"A Sect of People who call themselves of the Brotherhood of Euphrates, and are commonly called the Dunkard's, who are the upper Inhabitants of the New River....The Dunkard's are an odd set of people, who make it a matter of Religion not to Shave their Beards, ly on beds, or eat flesh, though at present, in the last, they transgress, being constrained to it, they say, by the want of a sufficiency of Grain and Roots, they have not long been seated here. I doubt the plenty and deliciousness of the venison and turkeys has contributed not a little to this. The unmarried have no property but live on a common stock. They don't baptize either Young or Old, they keep the Sabbath on Saturday, and hold that all men shall be happy hereafter, but first must pass through punishment according to their Sins. They are very hospitable."
When John BUCHANAN made his trip to the New River, he noted the individuals here. These people were; Israel LORTON and Adam HARMAN of Tom's Creek, Jacob HARMAN at the Horseshoe, Charles HART on Back Creek, William MACK on Reed Creek and a group of German eccentrics on the Dunkard's Bottom. Three more Dunkard's also came to the New River area: Alexander MACK, Conrad BIESEL, and Michael ECKERLING.
Conrad BIESEL came first in 1720 joining the congregation at Germantown. In 1725 the ECKERLINGs, four sons and mother, came after the death of their father Michael. Alexander MACK followed in 1729.
BIESEL of the new congregation held out for the observance of the seventh day as the Lord's Day and established a monastic society with buildings suitable for the solitary life the members desired to live. With the help of the ECKERLING brothers, Israel, Emanuel, Samuel, and Gabriel, the colony prospered until it became the well-known institution at Ephrata. In the year 1740 there were 36 single brethren in the cloister, and 35 sisters. At one time the society numbered nearly 300.
The ECKERLING brothers, (Israel and Samuel), and Alexander MACK chose a site on the banks of the New River. Soon a third ECKERLING brother, Gabriel, joined them. Other Dunkard's of the Mahanaim settlement included: William MACK, Gerhart ZINN and his wife, George HOOPAUGH, Henry ZINN, Peter SHAVER, Jacob HOHNLY, John NEGLEY and others.
The ECKERLINGS were interested in expanding the activities of the group to include more industries along with religious practices and in building an institution of some reputation. When they were caught in unauthorized transactions, it became clear to them that they should leave the area. In September of 1745 Israel and Samuel ECKERLING and Alexander MACK Jr. set out for the wilderness. They traveled by way of York until they were beyond all settlements and arrived on the west side of the New River. In October, Buchanan found them with a cabin which they had built.
Several of the known leaders left Mahanaim to a new settlement on the New River. They found John MILLER in possession of parts of the bottom land, and a roadside store site of 37 acres, which he had purchased from Peter SHAVER, located on the Sinking Spring or Mill Creek, now called Dublin Branch; Garrett ZINN who purchased the ECKERLING land; John NEGLEY and John STROUPE, probably associates on a branch of Peak Creek; William MACK on Reed Creek; and John Bingaman on the New River. Sometime in 1746 Gabriel ECKERLING and Jacob HOHNLY joined the others at their new settlement in the New River.
In 1750 the ECKERLINGs returned to Ephrata and the land holdings were transferred to Garrett ZINN who obtained the patent.
In 1754 George HOOPAUGH, one of the Dunkard's, said that the previous May 60 "Norward Indians" came to his house and burned it and the stable. Before that, the Indians had threatened him, burned his corn and killed his best dogs. In May of 1755 Henry ZINN was killed on the New River by the Indians. This was probably one of the reasons for the sudden and premature dispersal of the remaining Dunkard's. To keep from being murdered by the Indians, Garrett ZINN moved to Carolina, where he died in 1765. Recorded in the chronicles of the Cloisters: "They fled as if they were chased by someone, for justice persecuted them for the spiritual debts which they had contracted in the Cloisters, until they reached a water which is running toward the Mississippi, called New River, beyond all Christian government. There they made their home among riffraff, the dregs of human society who spend their time murdering wild creatures. With such people they had communion instead of their Brethren whom they left." Eventually, the Dunkard's moved back to their settlement in the New River. In a letter written by Annie CHRISTIAN, William CHRISTIAN's wife, to Ann FLEMING, her sister-in-law, dated Dec. 3, 1770, we learn that the CHRISTIAN family had moved back to the "new location" on the New River. It stated that the Christians were delighted with Mahaniam. In 1772, the Christians had built a new home in the Dunkard's Bottom community.
In 1774 William CHRISTIAN and friend James McCORKLE agreed on an operation of a store at New Dublin. This partnership was to last until 1776. In the spring and summer of 1774, William was a colonel of the Fincastle County troops and prepared for action against the Indians.
In the summer of 1784 William CHRISTIAN and his wife Annie moved to Kentucky where he received a military grant and where his father had claimed lands. William sold 400 acres of the Dunkard's Bottomland to James McCORKLE that year
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[This is from a Wall and Shell family webpage, "FamilyThenAndNow." On the web at: familythenandnow.com/wall/jshell.html]
The following is a sketch of the SHELL Family. Sent to me by email from CRAIG S. from a document in the VA Tech Library.
SKETCH OF THE SHELL FAMILY -- DECEMBER 1871
"Jacob Shell came from Pennsylvania, a place by the name of Canico Gee, to Shenandoah County, Va. He came then from the above county to this, Montgomery County then Augusta County.' but owing to the hostility of the Indians went book to Shenandoah and remained fourteen years before coming back to Augusta. But after this return he found the Indians still hostile and went back and remained two years longer after which time he collected force enough to aid him in partly driving the Indians away from the section where he wished to settle with his family. This was some years previous to the Revolutionary War. At the place where Jacob Shell settled was also the location of a fort for the protection of the early settlers of this County (Montgomery). Some of the remains of this fort were still visible In the early life of J.H. Shell now living on the old farm or a part of the original tract owned by Jacob Shell.
Jacob Shell was born in Pennsylvania in 1720 and died In 1803, aged eighty three years. He raised a family of eleven children, eight girls and three boys, - Elizabeth, Catharine, Catrout, Nancy, Mollie, Peggy, Barbara and Fannie -- Jacob Shell, Jr, John and Christian. Elizabeth and Catharine remained unmarried. Catrout married Phillip Williams; Nancy, Archibald Tabor; Mollie, James Haven; Peggy, James Solace; Barbara, W.C. Haven; Fanny, Conrad Wall; Jacob Shell, Jr. married Polly Burk; John Margret Haven, Christian, Sallie Haven. These all reared families numbering about eleven each. Jacob Shell, Jr reared eight children five daughters and three sons. Polly, Jacob (III), John H., Christian B., Betsy, Fannie, Peggy and Katy.
All of these married except Christian B.
Polly married David Price;
Jacob (III), Catherine Price,
John H., Hannah Linkous;
Betsy, Jacob Tabor;
Fannie, Henry Linkous;
Peggy, "Little" Henry Linkous;
and Katy, Peter Kiester.
All of the above children of the Shell family have died but two, John H. Shell and Peggy Linkous.
Jacob Shell Jr. was born in 1752 In Montgomery County Virginia and died of consumption at his own residence In the fall of 1811, aged fifty nine years.
The first settlers were the Bingamans, Shells -- originally "Schulls" -- Prices, Walls, and Harlesses - These settled the section known as the Northwest part of Montgomery County as now located, beginning at Peppers Ferry and extending beyond Price's Fork in the direction of Blacksburg.
Just across flew New River at Pepper's Ferry resided Samuel Pepper, one of the first settlers of the old original Montgomery County a part now included In Pulaski County, Va.
Henry Bingaman came from Pennsylvania and settled near Pepper's Ferry where he encountered many severe trials and hardships caused by the Indians. These savages made a raid in this section of' Virginia, coming from Illinois at which time several of the members or his family were killed while his wife was taken a prisoner with old Mrs. English and others and carried back to Illinois. Henry Bingaman, two sons, John and Christian and one daughter escaped.
Christian Bingaman took refuge at the time of the raid In a house on the old Taylor farm now owned by Mr. Yancy. Christian Bingaman barred up the door in this old house supposing himself Safe, but after a short time they, the Indians, five in number, proceeded to this building, where they broke in but were killed by Mr. Bingaman. The first he shot and then killed the other four with the gunstock and barrel as they came in at the door. Two other Indians then came up who had been in pursuit of the two other white men whom they killed - but seeing the fate with which their comrades had met they fled in great haste. A Young white maiden jumped out at the door over these dead Indians and waded New River in her night clothes in order to represent the state of affairs concerning Mr. Bingaman and the Indians to the whites of the other side of the river.
After many years Imprisonment and much trouble Mrs. Bingaman and Mrs. English succeeded In escaping from the Indians and returned to their friends in Virginia, but came near starving on the way, so much that they talked about eating each other, but finding a horse they rode on until trying to cross the river, they lost the horse in a drift, as they were so ravenous one escaped from the other by getting in a canoe and pushing across the Kanawa. They then traveled on opposite sides until they reached home. In after years the Bingaman family moved to Natchez, Miss."
Craig states;
"The above sketch of the Shell family was made about December 1871 near Christmas, as dictated by John H. Shell and written by his grandson, John William Shell.
Royal Pines, Arden, North Carolina.
May 12,1959
I Certify that the above is a true copy of the family sketch made by my father, Rev. John William Shell (1853-1935) and turned over to me during. his lifetime.
Vernon McT. Shell
Major, U.S. Army, Ret'd.
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The following is from the Book BINGAMAN FAMILY HISTORY by Audrey Bingaman Patterson;
To see more of her notes on this family, please see notes under JOHN BINGAMAN SR., HENRY BINGAMAN and MARY BINGAMAN.
There are many different stories about the French and Indian War and many of the Bingaman encounters with the Indians have been told and retold until one wonders what really happened. Here are a few that I have found:
Charles W. Crush, in his Montgomery County Story says of the Pepper's Ferry raid of July 3, 1755: "HENRY BINGAMAN's two sons, JOHN and CHRISTIAN, and one daughter escaped. CHRISTIAN BINGAMAN crossed the river and took up refuge in the old Taylor farm, later owned by Mr. Yancy. CHRISTIAN BINGAMAN barred the door to the old house, thinking himself safe. After a short time, five Indians came to the building and broke in but were killed by Bingaman. The first he shoot, and then killed the other four with the stock and barrel of his gun. Two other Indians came up who had been in pursuit of two white men, whom they killed, but seeing the fate which their comrades had met, they fled in great haste. A young white maid jumped out of the door over the dead Indians and waded New River in her night clothes in order to represent the state of affairs concerning Mr. Bingaman and the Indians on the other side of the river."
The narrative of JOHN BINGAMAN (1763) from the State Historical Society of Wisconsin - Draper Manuscript Collection (It was very difficult to transcribe this narrative. I have left blank the words I could not make out. I am copying this article word for word. There was no punctuations.)
This------- highway -- the south fork of the south branch the time 1763. The Indian came into the house in the mourn One came in first and attempted to shoot him but shot over him and shot his wife in one of her breasts He jumped up caught his rifle and shot the the Indian down Four more came in succussion whom he knocked down as fast as they came The fifth with his tomahawk in his hand walked in and would have killed him but for a young woman who by this time had jumped out of bed She caught the Indian in her arms and held him fast She fall back (still holding on to him and he lay on her) and held himon her as she laying on her back while he killed him with tomahawk The seventh Indian ran off B caught up one of the Indians guns and shot at him but missed His wife wounded of wound Bingaman was made a captive he now made a shout to the ____ Both _____ _____ not the ______ in ______ both shots were missed B in ______ ______ _______ _____ ____ Indian made at him throwed his tomahawk and missed him B caught the tomahawk throwed at the Indian missed missed while the Indian was stooping to pick up the tomahawk B struck him in side knocked him down and ____ caught up the tomahawk B_____ ____ ____ the Indians
From "Our Western Border" by Charles McKnight:
A "PERFECT DEVIL" KILLS SEVEN INDIANS
In 1758 an incident occured near the present village of Petersburg, Va., which stands without parallel in modern history. A man named Bingaman lived with his family in a cabin remote from any neighbor. He had been cautioned against the Indians; but, being a man of most determined resolution and herculean strength, he laughed at the idea of fear and said no cut-throat savages should ever drive him from his home. In the fall of this year a party of eight Indians made a desent upon his cabin, late at night, while all of his family were asleep. The house consisted of Bingaman, his wife, child and parents, who slept downstairs, and a hired man who slept above. Before Bingaman was aware of his danager the savages had forced the door and were in the house. Mrs. Bingaman, the younger, was shot through the left breast, but not dangerously wounded. Bingaman got his parents, wife and child beneath the bed, and then prepared for battle. The hired man was called down, but refused to come. The room was dark, and having discharged his gun, he commenced beating about at random with his heavy rifle. In this manner he fought with the desperation of a hero, and terribly did his blows tell upon the enemy. One afternoon another he beat down before him, until finally, of the eight but one remained, and he, terrorstricken, made from the house and escaped to tell his tribe that he had met a man who was a "perfect devil".
The intrepid Virginian had actually killed seven of his foes, which certainly, is unexampled in the history of single-handed combat. During the fight the Indians frequetly grappled their powerful antagonist, but were unable to keep him down, as early in the engagement he had pulled off his shirt. In the morning, when he found that his wife was wounded, he became so exasperated at the cowardice of the hired man that he would have killed him, had not Mrs. Bingaman interposed to save his life.
Bingaman afterwards moved to Natchez, where his son, ADAM, who was a lad at the time of the fight, had previously moved, and there he (the elder) died.
Kerchieval gives another incident illustrative of the energy and courage of this man, which we give. A party of whites (of whom Bingaman was one) had started in pursuit of some retreating Indians. They were overtaken late at night, and the pursuing party dismounting, the captain ordered Bingaman to remain with the horses whilst the rest made the attack. This he refused to do, and followed after the company. To make the destruction of the enemy more certain, it was deemed advisable to wait until daylight before they began the attack; but a young man, whose zeal overcame his discretion, Fired into the group, upon which the Indians sprang to their feet and fled. Bingaman singled out a fellow of giant-like size, whom he pursued, throwing aside his rifle that his might not be restarted, passed several smaller Indians in the chase-came up with him, and with a single blow of his hatchet, cleft his skull. When Bingaman returned to his battle ground, the captain sternly observed, "I ordered you to stay and guard the horses!" Bingaman as sternly replied, "You are a rascal, sir; you intended to disgrace me; and one more insolent word, and you will share the fate of that Indian!" pointing toward the Indian he had just slain. The captain quaied under this stern menace and held his peace. He and Bingaman, a few days before, had a falling out. Several Indians fell in this affair while the whites lost none of their party.
From the "German Sectarians of Pennsylvania" by Julius F. Sachase:
Beside the ECKERLINS there was another Ephrata brotherhood whose earthly career was ended by the tomahawk of the savage. This was HEINRICH ZINN, who left the Kloster shortly after the ECKERLINS and went to the valley of Virginia. He was living at the time with a family named BINGAMANN, near the present site of New Market. When the Indians attacked the house a determined defense was made by BINGAMANN, who was both stout and active. He called to ZINN to come to his assistance, the latter, however, failed to respond. BINGAMANN laid low two of the savages. According to another account he killed five. The savages succeeded, however, in killing his wife and children and the peaceful ZINN. BINGAMANN escaped with several wounds, from which he finally recovered.
One more notation about this tragedy was from "Lovely Mount Tavern" by Daniel Dunbar Howe:
The BINGAMINS at Pepper's Ferry was another of the German families along the river who up to this time had carried on friendly relations with the Indians. From the beginning of the uprisings of 1755 the mood of the Indians drastically changed, due to the conniving of the French. (The French encouraged the Indians by offering a bounty for the scalps of their enemies. Those Indians friendly with the French wore a brass tag attached to their nose or ear.)
As you can see from the preceding stories, they all have the same theme, but all have different years, spellings, and locations. The most reliable facts I have are from the Augusta County Courthouse, Staunton, Virginia. The facts are as follows:
BINGAMAN, Adam, Killed by Indians on New River, July 3, 1755 ( Preston Papers, Draper Mss.,IQQ-83). No appraisal or will found.
BINGAMAN, John (Sr.) ,Killed by Indians on New River, July 3, 1755 (Preston Papers Mss. IQQ) Administration granted JOHN
BINGAMAN (Jr.) May 19, 1756, surities JACOB NICHOLAS AND HENRY SELLER (book 2, 149). Appraisal of the estate by JACOB MILER,
HANCE MARGRET, and FRANCIS KIRTLEY, August 21, 1756, recorded Nov. 19, 1756 (Book 2, 177) Final Settlement Feb 16, 1757 (Book 3,223)
BINGAMAN, Mrs., Killed by Indians On July 3,1755 on New River
(Preston Papers, Draper Mss. IQQ-83). No will or appraisal found.
ZINN, Henry, killed by Indians on July 3, 1755 (Preston Papers, Draper Mss. IQQ- 83). No will or appraisal found.
