Cattermole - Girty

Famous frontiersmen, pioneers and scouts; the vanguards of American civilization. Including Boone, Crawford, Girty, Molly Finney, the McCulloughs. Captain Jack, Buffalo Bill, General Custer with his last campaign against Sitting Bull, and General Crook with his recent campaign against the Apaches ([188-?])

Author: Cattermole, E. G
Subject: Frontier and pioneer life -- United States; Indians of North America; West (U.S.) -- Biography
Publisher: Chicago, Donohue, Henneberry & Co.
Possible copyright status: NOT_IN_COPYRIGHT
Language: English
Call number: ucb_banc:GLAD-84143907
Digitizing sponsor: MSN
Book contributor: University of California Libraries
Collection: cdl; americana
Full catalog record: MARCXML

This book has an editable web page on Open Library.

https://archive.org/details/famousfrontiersm00cattrich

"... LIFE OF SIMON GIRTY.

CHAPTER I;

EARLY INFLUENCES DEMORALIZING SURROUNDINGS FAMILY—

LIFE IN CAPTIVITY DURING BOYHOOD EFFECTS OF SAVAGE

TRAINING RETURN HOME GIRTY AND KENTON AS SPIES

FAITHFUL SERVICE ESPOUSES THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM

DISSATISFACTION BECOMES A TRAITOR ALLIES HIMSELF

WITH BRITISH AND SAVAGES.

The name of Simon Girty was a synonym for terror one hundred years ago. Then there was a ring in the tones which carried it, that caused the housewife to involuntarily blanch with fear, and the American scout to seize his gun with a firmer grip.

Children shuddered when they heard it spoken; officers of the army appeared anxious to catch the least information regarding it, while savage cruelty gloated over its prominence.

" Some men are born to lead." Yes, and frequently they seem

to care not under what circumstances, or championing what cause.

If the defense of virtue, of freedom, of innocent humanity offers

not an opportunity for the gratification of such an ambition, then

repute must be gained by ignoring virtue, placing the shackles upon

liberty, and crushing the helpless.

89 MXtf,  PIONBBRS, AND SCOUTS.

Simon Girty was by nature a leader; by acquirements an

inhuman monster; by birth an Irish- American ; by habit a savage.

Naturally endowed with an impetuous,  fiery disposition, his life in

the wilderness, for the most part estranged from all that was good

and noble, made him a very demon.

Some have endeavored to palliate his wrong doings; others

have said that liquor drinking developed his savage propensities,

while freedom from that habit would have made an entirely differ

ent character. No doubt the addition of this fiery stimulant aug

mented that bloodthirsty nature, which he possessed; but within

the bosom was ever lurking, whether intoxicated or sober, an

insatiate love of cruelty and vengeance, which were ready at any

moment to burst forth in unquenchable fury.

He was born somewhere in the neighborhood of Fort Pitt,

(Pittsburgh) in the State of Pennsylvania, about the year 1 750. His

father was a disreputable trader among the Indians, dealing out to

them more liquor, perhaps, than any other article, in exchange for

furs and skins. Inheriting that love for stimulants, which too

frequently characterizes the natives of the Emerald Isle, old Simon

Girty gratified his appetite to an unlimited degree,  finally bringing

premature death to himself, and great suffering upon his entire

family. -Thomas, his oldest son, was the most respectable of all the

boys, having lived on the Allegheny, at Girty's Run, the greater

part of his life, in comparative quiet. Simon, James, and George,

however, naturally followed in the wake of their father, only

becoming much more notorious, because of superior courage and

opportunities. The two latter possessed natures equally fiendish

with that of Simon, though they did not become so notorious.

When quite young, these three boys were earned into captivity

by the Indians. Thomas, it seems, escaped from their savage

clutches ;  just how, we are not informed.

For several years Simon lived in the wilderness with his red

KENTON AND GIRTY.

brothers, to whom he soon became attached. As he was but five

or six years of age, when captured, the instructions given by the

Indians* as well as the experiences connected with their rude life,

made an indelible impression upon his tender mind. Although

rescued by Col. Bouquet, the lad could not be kept with the

whites, except by force.

After being compelled to remain among his own kindred for a

year or more, Simon became contented with his lot, and grew to

manhood under the influences of border civilization.

At the age of twenty-four we find him acting as spy with

Kenton, in Dunmore's war. During this exciting period his cour..."