The_Frontiersman
Jr. Member
Found some of this from a copy of some of the Draper Manuscripts (Frontier Memories III)
Swift was a man that had been at Fort Pitt when it was in posession of the French. He had fled from Virginia on account of something. The whole of this is in conformity of Swift's own statement. The French knew that the Indians knew where there was a silver mine and sent two Indians with Swift to the place. The Indians took him down the river to about oppposite Maysville, traveled two days over a level country and part of the way very rich; they then entered a mountainous region where they came into a cave where they found the silver ore. They brought down what they could carry and brought it back to the river and then to Fort Pitt. After this Swift returned to western Virginia and there got companies and was gone for three years, when they returned with three horse loads of silver dollars, but one of the horses gave out as they crossed the Moccasin Gap they hid this portion till another time.
After Swift had gotten into Ky. He had sent on to Va. and gotten tesstimonials certifying the truth of these statements and after this accident he entered into writing with several others, giving them the particular direction to enable them to find these gums of money when they lit on the cave. For these directions, which he had never given before, he recieved in consideration the promise of the treansportation of his family to Ky. and their support during his life. To this paper he was sworn by Major. hood, Dr. Hs'g f. (Shanes abbreviations) Hitherto the men had only accompanied him. I never knew but two of the Swift children and then not until after Swift's death. Bush was the principal one to get out Swift's family, and that was after Swift had gone blind, he with Young, Bridges and Stover, were the original party, each to share equally. (There is some additional on Swift, but the text is so small and it is very difficult to read, with an enlarged copy it would be legible, should someone desire more on Swift and the silver mine.)
(John Dabney Shane Notes) After a few years Swift thought that he could return in safety, ventured to go home and got two other men to go with him. One of them was one Monday and was the hunter for the party. They built them a furnace on the bank of the creek, opposite the cave and there lived and worked for three years. At this time they hid three bushels of silver dollars in about 1/2 mile of the place in three suitable gums sunken in the ground and covered over with flat rock. They still had enough to load three packhorses, was as much as they could pack. At the Moccasin Gap one of the horses died, they hid his load of money and then went on home. In the course of a year or two I think both the other men died. At the lapse of some years Swift's money all gave out. He now went to the gap and obtained the hidden load. Knowing no better use of the life he spent this supply also and in nno time it too was exhausted. He now gained two fresh companions and they set out for the cave of silver ore. This adventure was full of misfortune. They were out nearly, or quite three months, they had gotten out of all supplies and been compelled to eat their dog. The two men went down and staid at or about Boonesboro, till they should recruit and then went back to Virginia\, giving up all Swift's projects. They showed by their appearance, others that saw them said, that they had been pretty near starved to death.
Swift still went out with parties from Kentucky. One day he had started out with a party of 10 or 15 and was going down a steep bank where the Greenbrier Trace crosses Stoner when his horse fell back up on him and hurt him so bad that he went blind. He was too old a man to walk.
Swift was a man that had been at Fort Pitt when it was in posession of the French. He had fled from Virginia on account of something. The whole of this is in conformity of Swift's own statement. The French knew that the Indians knew where there was a silver mine and sent two Indians with Swift to the place. The Indians took him down the river to about oppposite Maysville, traveled two days over a level country and part of the way very rich; they then entered a mountainous region where they came into a cave where they found the silver ore. They brought down what they could carry and brought it back to the river and then to Fort Pitt. After this Swift returned to western Virginia and there got companies and was gone for three years, when they returned with three horse loads of silver dollars, but one of the horses gave out as they crossed the Moccasin Gap they hid this portion till another time.
After Swift had gotten into Ky. He had sent on to Va. and gotten tesstimonials certifying the truth of these statements and after this accident he entered into writing with several others, giving them the particular direction to enable them to find these gums of money when they lit on the cave. For these directions, which he had never given before, he recieved in consideration the promise of the treansportation of his family to Ky. and their support during his life. To this paper he was sworn by Major. hood, Dr. Hs'g f. (Shanes abbreviations) Hitherto the men had only accompanied him. I never knew but two of the Swift children and then not until after Swift's death. Bush was the principal one to get out Swift's family, and that was after Swift had gone blind, he with Young, Bridges and Stover, were the original party, each to share equally. (There is some additional on Swift, but the text is so small and it is very difficult to read, with an enlarged copy it would be legible, should someone desire more on Swift and the silver mine.)
(John Dabney Shane Notes) After a few years Swift thought that he could return in safety, ventured to go home and got two other men to go with him. One of them was one Monday and was the hunter for the party. They built them a furnace on the bank of the creek, opposite the cave and there lived and worked for three years. At this time they hid three bushels of silver dollars in about 1/2 mile of the place in three suitable gums sunken in the ground and covered over with flat rock. They still had enough to load three packhorses, was as much as they could pack. At the Moccasin Gap one of the horses died, they hid his load of money and then went on home. In the course of a year or two I think both the other men died. At the lapse of some years Swift's money all gave out. He now went to the gap and obtained the hidden load. Knowing no better use of the life he spent this supply also and in nno time it too was exhausted. He now gained two fresh companions and they set out for the cave of silver ore. This adventure was full of misfortune. They were out nearly, or quite three months, they had gotten out of all supplies and been compelled to eat their dog. The two men went down and staid at or about Boonesboro, till they should recruit and then went back to Virginia\, giving up all Swift's projects. They showed by their appearance, others that saw them said, that they had been pretty near starved to death.
Swift still went out with parties from Kentucky. One day he had started out with a party of 10 or 15 and was going down a steep bank where the Greenbrier Trace crosses Stoner when his horse fell back up on him and hurt him so bad that he went blind. He was too old a man to walk.
