A Narrative of the Life of Mrs. Mary JemisonSeaver, James E. (James Everett)
History
A Narrative of the Life of Mrs. Mary Jemison
Seaver, James E. (James Everett)
Jemison, Mary, 1743-1833; Seneca Indians
They all concluded to go with Mr. Whaley, and made ready as soon as
possible. But before they set out I charged them not to drink any
whiskey; for I was confident that if they did, they would surely have
a quarrel in consequence of it. They went and worked till almost night,
when a quarrel ensued between Chongo and Jesse, in consequence of the
whiskey that they had drank through the day, which terminated in a
battle, and Chongo got whipped.
When Jesse had got through with Chongo, he told Mr. Whaley that he would
go home, and directly went off. He, however, went but a few rods before
he stopped and lay down by the side of a log to wait, (as was supposed,)
for company. John, as soon as Jesse was gone, went to Mr. Whaley with
his knife in his hand and bade him jogo (i. e. be gone,) at the same
time telling him that Jesse was a bad man. Mr. Whaley, seeing that
his countenance was changed, and that he was determined upon something
desperate, was alarmed for his own safety, and turned towards home,
leaving Chongo on the ground drunk, near to where Jesse had lain, who
by this time had got up, and was advancing towards John. Mr. Whaley was
soon out of hearing of them; but some of his workmen staid till it was
dark. Jesse came up to John, and said to him, you want more whiskey, and
more fighting, and after a few words went at him, to try in the first
place to get away his knife. In this he did not succeed, and they
parted. By this time the night had come on, and it was dark. Again they
clenched and at length in their struggle they both fell. John, having
his knife in his hand, came under, and in that situation gave Jesse a
fatal stab with his knife, and repeated the blows till Jesse cried out,
brother, you have killed me, quit his hold and settled back upon the
ground. Upon hearing this, John left him and came to Thomas' widow's
house, told them that he had been fighting with their uncle, whom he had
killed, and showed them his knife.
Next morning as soon as it was light, Thomas' and John's children came
and told me that Jesse was dead in the woods, and also informed me how
he came by his death. John soon followed them and informed me himself of
all that had taken place between him and his brother, and seemed to
be somewhat sorrowful for his conduct. You can better imagine what my
feelings were than I can describe them. My darling son, my youngest
child, him on whom I depended, was dead; and I in my old age left
destitute of a helping hand!
As soon as it was consistent for me, I got Mr. George Jemison, (of whom
I shall have occasion to speak,) to go with his sleigh to where Jesse
was, and bring him home, a distance of 3 or 4 miles. My daughter Polly
arrived at the fatal spot first: we got there soon after her; though I
went the whole distance on foot. By this time, Chongo, (who was left on
the ground drunk the night before,) had become sober and sensible of the
great misfortune which had happened to our family.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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