Frances Dickenson Scott Johnson.
Image Credit: French and Indian War. Albert McGinnis, Pinterest. Don Troiani Official Website.dontroiani.com
The second wife of my sixth great grandfather was somewhat of a celebrity in her day. Whether or not she is my sixth great grandmother is currently open to debate as I meticulously sort through what seems like mountains of vital records in an attempt to sort out this particular maternal bloodline. One of my hobbies is genealogy, and I devote a great deal of time to the perfection of pedigrees - mine and others'.
My great grandmother always claimed descent from this woman, who was comprised of such great fortitude that she made national headlines in every major city, and Gran would recite minor details of the story when the subject of the "family tree" came up: she gained notoriety by being captured by a tribe of Indigenous People, and then escaping.
Her name is Frances Dickenson Scott Johnson, and she was badass.
My great grandmother always claimed descent from this woman, who was comprised of such great fortitude that she made national headlines in every major city, and Gran would recite minor details of the story when the subject of the "family tree" came up: she gained notoriety by being captured by a tribe of Indigenous People, and then escaping.
Her name is Frances Dickenson Scott Johnson, and she was badass.
Wilderness Road of Wallen's Creek. Photo Credit: Lawrence J. Fleenor, Jr., Dale Carter. Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail Association.
It was June of 1785, and Fannie, as she was called, was on her homestead in Lee County, Virginia, with her first husband Archibald, and their children, doing what frontiersmen did in the eighteenth century. Archibald was a pioneer of the Wallen's Creek area, which was a "quiet and beautiful little valley that nestles between Powell's mountain and Wallen's ridge in Lee County."¹ Part of the Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail,² the area is one in which "a significant amount of history has occurred." The Scotts were the first settlers in this area, but Fannie, who hailed from a family of pioneers, was accustomed to frontier life with all of its challenges. Skirmishes with local Native American tribes like the Shawnee and the Cherokee, were commonplace; and, Fannie's sister Mary "of the bright red hair" had once chased off a gang of attacking tribesmen with her musket. ³
"Home of Robert and Mary Duff. Scott's Station was on the hill to the right." Photo Credit: Lawrence J. Fleenor, Jr., Dale Carter.
On the twentieth day of June, as Archibald worked out in the cornfields, a group of Shawneese passed through the area. Noticing the smoke rising from the cabin of the Scotts’ homestead, they changed course and observed at a distance from Wallen’s ridge, eventually making their way down and crossing the creek. Having spotted them, Mr. Scott returned to home to inform Fannie. Since an attempt at travel was too risky, the family decided to stay at home. The Shawnee warriors, for reasons unknown, changed direction again and backtracked, deciding to wait until nightfall to attack the homestead.
The events of that which transpired after this point vary between historical accounts but do remain somewhat consistent in their detail.
After nightfall, the Shawnee attacked, killing Archibald Scott first. In one account, Mr. Scott was killed in his bed as he slept. In another, the door to the cabin had been left unlocked and was slightly ajar. With a blood-curdling shriek that would send chills down ones spine, the gang of Shawnee burst through crossing the threshold, and Mr. Scott leapt from his bed and sprang towards the door at the tribesman. He was killed, with a swift cast of a tomahawk, and he stumbled out of the cabin, falling to the ground a few feet from the door. ⁴
After nightfall, the Shawnee attacked, killing Archibald Scott first. In one account, Mr. Scott was killed in his bed as he slept. In another, the door to the cabin had been left unlocked and was slightly ajar. With a blood-curdling shriek that would send chills down ones spine, the gang of Shawnee burst through crossing the threshold, and Mr. Scott leapt from his bed and sprang towards the door at the tribesman. He was killed, with a swift cast of a tomahawk, and he stumbled out of the cabin, falling to the ground a few feet from the door. ⁴
Simultaneously, Fannie, who was nearly undressed, was seized and restrained. Watching in horror as the throats of her youngest children, all under the age of seven, were sliced with such force that they were nearly decapitated, and then picked up and hurled onto the floor in front of her, she wept aloud "in anguish of spirit" ⁵ and pleaded for her oldest child, who was about eight years of age, to be spared, as the young child ran towards her mother crying, "Mama, save me!" With another quick thrust of a tomahawk, the little girl was killed in her mother's arms.
Fannie was then forcibly drug from the cabin as her dead children and husband were scalped⁶ - a common practice among several Plains Indian tribes - and her homestead was plundered and set ablaze. She was now a prisoner of war.
Fannie was then forcibly drug from the cabin as her dead children and husband were scalped⁶ - a common practice among several Plains Indian tribes - and her homestead was plundered and set ablaze. She was now a prisoner of war.
William F. Fowler, Women on the American Frontier. Hartford, S.S. Scranton, 1878
Leaving the area in haste,* they traveled throughout the night until daybreak. Whether Fannie was initially forced to walk is unclear, but the assumption is that due to the urgency with which the Shawnee had to withdraw from the area, since they had attacked more than one homestead that night and unintentionally left survivors who escaped, she was thrown onto the back of a horse of one of her captors, until they were a safe distance away from any potential retaliation by frontiersmen.
After sunrise, the group split, with nine being sent to “steal horses from the inhabitants of Clinch” ⁷ and the remaining four were left to make their way back to the Ohio Valley with their plunder, including Fannie. Covered in the blood of her daughter, and with bare, blistered feet, she was forced to walk the remainder of the distance. If she began to slow down and couldn’t keep the pace, she was slapped in the face with the bloody scalps of her dead husband and children. ⁸
Eleven days and two hundred miles later, the group of Shawnee made a pit stop in the Kentucky wilderness in order to “rest and hunt.” Three of the men went off in search of food, leaving one – who had made the decision while en route to the reservation that Fannie would be his new wife – to keep watch over her. It has been stated that this particular tribesman was the Chief, however it is an established fact that Bob Benge, referred to as the “half-breed” due to his mixed race of Scottish-Cherokee and known for his ill temperament and his red hair, was the leader of multiple raids on the homesteads of frontiersmen in Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. He has been credited with the raid on the Scott homestead. Whether or not the “Chief” in reference is Benge is subject to debate, since the group of Shawnee that attacked the Scotts and their neighbours were a group of a mere thirteen to twenty men, and the group had separated in order to pillage the town of Clinch. However, it remains a plausible theory since in several accounts the Chief spoke to Fannie in English.
After enduring nearly two weeks of agonizing emotional torture and unnecessary humiliation, in addition to tremendous physical suffering, Fannie escapes. There is a slight disagreement in the details of the story at this point also. One account states that Fannie requested permission from her captor to go down to the river and bathe in order to wash the blood from her clothing “which had remained besmeared since the fatal night and the murder of her little daughter.” ⁹ Another account states, that after several hours, her captor fell into a deep sleep. Seeing his tomahawk on the ground, she raised it above his head with murderous intent as retribution for her suffering and the cruel deaths of her husband and children, but then changed her mind because she feared that due to her present state of fatigue, she could not deliver a blow forceful enough to kill him.
After sunrise, the group split, with nine being sent to “steal horses from the inhabitants of Clinch” ⁷ and the remaining four were left to make their way back to the Ohio Valley with their plunder, including Fannie. Covered in the blood of her daughter, and with bare, blistered feet, she was forced to walk the remainder of the distance. If she began to slow down and couldn’t keep the pace, she was slapped in the face with the bloody scalps of her dead husband and children. ⁸
Eleven days and two hundred miles later, the group of Shawnee made a pit stop in the Kentucky wilderness in order to “rest and hunt.” Three of the men went off in search of food, leaving one – who had made the decision while en route to the reservation that Fannie would be his new wife – to keep watch over her. It has been stated that this particular tribesman was the Chief, however it is an established fact that Bob Benge, referred to as the “half-breed” due to his mixed race of Scottish-Cherokee and known for his ill temperament and his red hair, was the leader of multiple raids on the homesteads of frontiersmen in Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. He has been credited with the raid on the Scott homestead. Whether or not the “Chief” in reference is Benge is subject to debate, since the group of Shawnee that attacked the Scotts and their neighbours were a group of a mere thirteen to twenty men, and the group had separated in order to pillage the town of Clinch. However, it remains a plausible theory since in several accounts the Chief spoke to Fannie in English.
L - ClinchRiver (for visual effect) M - Canebreakes on the Cumberland L-Cumberland River
The subsequent details would impress survivalists and seasoned outdoors-men.
Fannie rapidly made her way to the stream, and then, waded in the water along the riverbank in order to prevent herself from being tracked. She crossed the stream, and then concealed herself in a canebrake. Straining to hear the muffled sounds of her captors traveling in the opposite direction, she remained there for quite some time, until she was certain that they were a good distance away. The Shawnee searched for her throughout the night, mimicking the hoot of an owl, and other wildlife, when communicating with one another. Recognizing this common hunter's ploy, Fannie remained hidden in the thicket until daybreak. Traumatized, alone, hungry, and in fear for her life, she "poured out her complaint in fervent prayer that God would not forsake her in this distressing circumstance."¹⁰
She then made her way through the thickets to the Cumberland Mountains.
Fannie rapidly made her way to the stream, and then, waded in the water along the riverbank in order to prevent herself from being tracked. She crossed the stream, and then concealed herself in a canebrake. Straining to hear the muffled sounds of her captors traveling in the opposite direction, she remained there for quite some time, until she was certain that they were a good distance away. The Shawnee searched for her throughout the night, mimicking the hoot of an owl, and other wildlife, when communicating with one another. Recognizing this common hunter's ploy, Fannie remained hidden in the thicket until daybreak. Traumatized, alone, hungry, and in fear for her life, she "poured out her complaint in fervent prayer that God would not forsake her in this distressing circumstance."¹⁰
She then made her way through the thickets to the Cumberland Mountains.
Over the course of several weeks, she vigilantly kept watch for signs of her Shawnee captors, taking evasive action when necessary, hiding among the thickets, or inside of hollow trees and logs, surviving by eating cane stalks, sassafras leaves, berries, and whatever she could find that was edible.¹¹
At some point after she reached the eastern branch of the Kentucky River, she noticed footprints in the sand along the embankment, and being certain that it was a Shawnee search party that had not spotted her, she was overcome with a flood of emotions grateful for the Divine Providence that had covered her under His feathers, cloaked her in the shadow of His wings, extending to her His mighty hand of deliverance.¹² She “addressed Heaven for protection and taking courage, proceeded onward.”¹³
At one point, before reaching “the headwaters of the stream” she avoided recapture by hiding in a hollow log that had fallen to the ground. The Shawnee hunting party, equipped with dogs, passed by her, and some of the Shawnee tribesmen even “jumped their ponies” over the log in which she was concealed.¹⁴
At some point after she reached the eastern branch of the Kentucky River, she noticed footprints in the sand along the embankment, and being certain that it was a Shawnee search party that had not spotted her, she was overcome with a flood of emotions grateful for the Divine Providence that had covered her under His feathers, cloaked her in the shadow of His wings, extending to her His mighty hand of deliverance.¹² She “addressed Heaven for protection and taking courage, proceeded onward.”¹³
At one point, before reaching “the headwaters of the stream” she avoided recapture by hiding in a hollow log that had fallen to the ground. The Shawnee hunting party, equipped with dogs, passed by her, and some of the Shawnee tribesmen even “jumped their ponies” over the log in which she was concealed.¹⁴
L - dead tree . M - Clinch River (for visual effect) R - Stock Image
She persevered, for several more weeks. Although she was extremely malnourished and battling fatigue and extreme physical pain, she continued on her journey because she had resolved that “certain death, either by hunger or by wild beasts, seemed preferable rather than to be in the power of beings, who had excited in her mind such horror.” ¹⁵
She had no food, no weapons or tools that would enable her to hunt or to defend herself should she be discovered by a search party. Her clothing, which was still stained with the blood of her eight-year-old daughter, was so tattered that she was nearly “destitute of any clothing” ¹⁶ and her feet so blistered and bruised, as she had been without shoes since the night of her capture, that some days she could only walk a mile before having to find a safe place to hide. She, at times, wrestled with confusion in which she lost her sense of direction and walked in circles.
She had no food, no weapons or tools that would enable her to hunt or to defend herself should she be discovered by a search party. Her clothing, which was still stained with the blood of her eight-year-old daughter, was so tattered that she was nearly “destitute of any clothing” ¹⁶ and her feet so blistered and bruised, as she had been without shoes since the night of her capture, that some days she could only walk a mile before having to find a safe place to hide. She, at times, wrestled with confusion in which she lost her sense of direction and walked in circles.
Photo Credit: www.explorekentucywildlands.com
After several weeks, she arrived again at a river and noted the direction of flow. Believing it to be the Sandy River, which met with the settlement at Clinch, she made the decision to follow it to its source, hoping to reach safety. She spent several days following the river and finally reached the place where it meets with the Laurel Mountains, and a formidable waterfall. She “ascended for some time, but coming to a range of inaccessible rocks” she changed the direction of her climb, “towards the foot of the mountain and the river side” and finding “a perpendicular rock, or rather one that hung over 15 or 20 feet high, formed the bank” ¹⁷ she paused, and with great consternation, mentally reviewed her options … and then jumped.** Although she was fortunate to have not broken any bones, despite landing on jagged and uneven rocks, she was considerably stunned and remained immobile for a good length of time.
She eventually musters the strength to stand up and continue on her journey, which was now the duration of almost a months’ time since she had been taken captive by the Shawnee during the raid. She made the decision to continue to follow the path of the river, by walking in the shallow water, to continue to hide her tracks and mask her scent. A venomous snake bit her on the ankle. She killed it; and, although she was now in further pain and presuming herself soon to be dead from the venom, she continued on her journey, determined to reach the settlement that she believed was close-by.
At this point the Shawnee warriors may have abandoned the search for Fannie, but being reasonably fearful that they were still tracking her, she pressed onward, and eventually arrived at Clinch on the 11th of August.
She spent the duration of a month wandering in the wilderness, climbing mountains, and crossing streams, successfully avoiding and evading the experienced Shawnee tribesmens' search parties more familiar with the mountain territory than she. She was barely clothed and barefoot, for the entire journey. She was emaciated due to malnourishment, infected with deadly venom, and still emotionally dealing with the massacre of her husband and children that she had helplessly witnessed only six weeks prior to her arrival at the settlement. She had been presumed dead, so the land on which her homestead had been was granted through probate to her brother-in-law, James.¹⁸ After enduring all of that, she had no place to call home, so she removed to Castle Woods.¹⁹
She eventually musters the strength to stand up and continue on her journey, which was now the duration of almost a months’ time since she had been taken captive by the Shawnee during the raid. She made the decision to continue to follow the path of the river, by walking in the shallow water, to continue to hide her tracks and mask her scent. A venomous snake bit her on the ankle. She killed it; and, although she was now in further pain and presuming herself soon to be dead from the venom, she continued on her journey, determined to reach the settlement that she believed was close-by.
At this point the Shawnee warriors may have abandoned the search for Fannie, but being reasonably fearful that they were still tracking her, she pressed onward, and eventually arrived at Clinch on the 11th of August.
She spent the duration of a month wandering in the wilderness, climbing mountains, and crossing streams, successfully avoiding and evading the experienced Shawnee tribesmens' search parties more familiar with the mountain territory than she. She was barely clothed and barefoot, for the entire journey. She was emaciated due to malnourishment, infected with deadly venom, and still emotionally dealing with the massacre of her husband and children that she had helplessly witnessed only six weeks prior to her arrival at the settlement. She had been presumed dead, so the land on which her homestead had been was granted through probate to her brother-in-law, James.¹⁸ After enduring all of that, she had no place to call home, so she removed to Castle Woods.¹⁹
Charleston Morning Post. Thursday, 19 Jan., 1786. newspapers.com
Fannie recovered, and a few years later, married my sixth great grandfather, Thomas Johnson. They raised a family together. Fannie died in 1796, and is buried near Elk Garden in Russell County, Virginia. In 1986, the Department of Conservation and Historic Resources, granted her a historical marker near her grave-site.
Photo Credit: J.J. Prats, 18 Oct, 2015. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=91048
After Fannie’s death, Thomas Johnson removed to Tennessee. He was a well-respected member of society, and so much so, that a year subsequent his death in 1835, he became the namesake of Johnson County, Tennessee. The Tomahawk, the local newspaper of Mountain City, Tennessee, still occasionally writes about Thomas, and his “wife’s ordeal” which still fascinates people nearly two-hundred and forty years after it transpired.
Like I said, she was badass.
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¹ Lewis Preston Summers. History of southwest Virginia, 1746-1786, Washington County, 1777-1870. (Richmond, Va., : J.L. Hill printing company 1903; Sloan Foundation 2008 ), pp. 376-379.
² Lawrence J. Fleenor, Dale Carter. The locations of the home of Archibald and Fannie Scott, Scott’s Station, The Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail within the basin formed by the head of Wallen’s Creek. (Big Stone Gap, Va: 2001, 2019).
³ Lena Dickinson Outlaw, Dickenson Genealogy: Circa 750 to 1977. (1977). pp. 111-112.
⁴ A Narrative of the Captivity and escape of Mrs. Frances Scott, an inhabitant of Washington County, Virginia. Charleston Morning Post. Thursday, 19 Jan., 1786.
⁵ The Freeman's Journal, or the North American Intelligencer. 14 Dec 1785.
⁶ Summers. History of Southwest Virginia.
⁷ A Narrative of the Captivity and escape of Mrs. Frances Scott, an inhabitant of Washington County, Virginia. Spooner's Vermont Journal. 28 Feb 1786.
⁸ Summers. History of Southwest Virginia.
⁹ Freeman's Journal.
¹⁰ Rev. Reverend Francis Asbury. The Journal of the Rev. Frances Asbury, Bishop of The Methodist Episcopal Church, from August 7, 1771, To December 7, 1815. In Three Volumes. Vol. II. From July 15 1786 to November 6 1800. (New York: Published by N. Bangs and T. Mason For The Methodist Episcopal Church 1821), pp 251-253.
¹¹ Charleston Morning Post.
¹² Freeman's Journal.
¹³ Charleston Morning Post.
¹⁴ Summers. History of Southwest Virginia.
¹⁵ Freeman's Journal.
¹⁶ Ibid.
¹⁷ Ibid.
¹⁸ Fleenor. The home of Archibald and Fannie Scott.
¹⁹ James W. Hagy. The Frontier at Castle's Woods, 1769-1786. The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 75,
Like I said, she was badass.
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¹ Lewis Preston Summers. History of southwest Virginia, 1746-1786, Washington County, 1777-1870. (Richmond, Va., : J.L. Hill printing company 1903; Sloan Foundation 2008 ), pp. 376-379.
² Lawrence J. Fleenor, Dale Carter. The locations of the home of Archibald and Fannie Scott, Scott’s Station, The Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail within the basin formed by the head of Wallen’s Creek. (Big Stone Gap, Va: 2001, 2019).
³ Lena Dickinson Outlaw, Dickenson Genealogy: Circa 750 to 1977. (1977). pp. 111-112.
⁴ A Narrative of the Captivity and escape of Mrs. Frances Scott, an inhabitant of Washington County, Virginia. Charleston Morning Post. Thursday, 19 Jan., 1786.
⁵ The Freeman's Journal, or the North American Intelligencer. 14 Dec 1785.
⁶ Summers. History of Southwest Virginia.
⁷ A Narrative of the Captivity and escape of Mrs. Frances Scott, an inhabitant of Washington County, Virginia. Spooner's Vermont Journal. 28 Feb 1786.
⁸ Summers. History of Southwest Virginia.
⁹ Freeman's Journal.
¹⁰ Rev. Reverend Francis Asbury. The Journal of the Rev. Frances Asbury, Bishop of The Methodist Episcopal Church, from August 7, 1771, To December 7, 1815. In Three Volumes. Vol. II. From July 15 1786 to November 6 1800. (New York: Published by N. Bangs and T. Mason For The Methodist Episcopal Church 1821), pp 251-253.
¹¹ Charleston Morning Post.
¹² Freeman's Journal.
¹³ Charleston Morning Post.
¹⁴ Summers. History of Southwest Virginia.
¹⁵ Freeman's Journal.
¹⁶ Ibid.
¹⁷ Ibid.
¹⁸ Fleenor. The home of Archibald and Fannie Scott.
¹⁹ James W. Hagy. The Frontier at Castle's Woods, 1769-1786. The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 75,
no. 4 (1967) : 410-28. JSTOR
* In the account written in Rev. Asbury's journal, p.251, it is stated "the remainder of the night they spent around a fire in the woods, drinking, shouting, and dancing." p.251. However, other accounts indicate that the Shawnee did not remain in the area of the Scott homestead long after the initial raid.
** Ibid. pp.251-252. Asbury's account states that Fannie "took hold of the top little bush, and for half an hour prayed fervently to God for assistance; I then let myself down by the little bush until it broke, and I went with great violence down to the bottom." This differs from other accounts in which she jumped down onto the rocks below.
** Ibid. pp.251-252. Asbury's account states that Fannie "took hold of the top little bush, and for half an hour prayed fervently to God for assistance; I then let myself down by the little bush until it broke, and I went with great violence down to the bottom." This differs from other accounts in which she jumped down onto the rocks below.
