Fort Seybert Massacre

[coalfire]

I posted this in the West Virginia section and am reprinting it here because it deals with Native Americans.

I had read in a book that a "Indian" Treasure was supposed to have been buried in Hardy County. Now I have done a bit of research and found that the incident happened in Pendleton County. The story said in effect...A settlement was burned down in Hardy County and the Indians took the valuables and buried them in the area of South Fork Mountain. Well I was told that in Pendleton County (south of Hardy Co.) is where it happened. The place is called Fort Seybert. Now back then about 1755 Pendleton Co. WAS Hardy County. That is the reason for the mistake. Indians burned the fort during a massacre and buried the "treasure" along South Fork Mountain which still runs north into Hardy Co.
In the area of Fort Seybert is a town called "Upper Tract" where they have a small festival called appropriately enough "Treasure Mountain Festival" named for this historic massacre.
Supposedly the Indians took some of the people that survived north, while a few Indians split off from the main group and buried the treasure they were carrying. Later the small group joined the main group again. This is the story. You can find a small article written about this at:
http://www.wvculture.org/hiStory/settlement/fortseybert01.html

Good Hunting!
~Z~

 

[fossis]

Good Story, Thanks for sharing,

Fossis.................

 

[Johnny X]

Good read!



xstevenx

 

[coalfire]

Yes, the Hardy Co. VA became Hardy Co. WVA. I also want to make one change to article. The "Treasure Mountain Festival" is held in Pendleton Co. Seat at a town called Franklin, not Upper Tract. The county is very small in population.
~Z~

 

[pickaway]

Nice read.The gears of war still grind...