Catherine Vanderpool

Female 1725 - 1808  (82 years)


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  • Name Catherine Vanderpool 
    Born 30 Jun 1725  Albany, Albany Co. NY Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    Died 1808  Chillicothe, Ross Co. OH Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • Catherine Vanderpool was involved in one of the worst Indian Massacres in early Virginia history, known as "The Muddy Creek Massacre", which occurred in Greenbrier County, Virginia on July 16, 1763. Her husband, Frederick See was killed and scalped, and she was taken captive by the Shawnee Indians with several of her children.

      Several accounts of this incident show that she showed incredible bravery during her captivity, which no doubt saved the lives of Catherine and her children ["A Chronicle of the See family and their Kindred", written and compiled by Irene See Brasel (1892-1963)]

      On the way to Ohio, those women and children who were unable to keep up were killed. Her grandson, the child of Margaret (See) Roach was killed. Her youngest son, John, was quite weak and Catherine feared for his life. Seeing a warrior riding their horse, Catherine indicated to him that she wanted it. When he refused, she picked up a club and attempted to knock him off the horse. About to kill her, the amused Indians prevented the warrior from doing so.

      Once they reached the Shawnee settlement in what is now Ross County, OH, Catherine was called upon to run the gauntlet. Grabbing a stick she began making whirling moves
      swinging the stick which pleased all the warriors greatly.

      When cold weather came, there was not enough room inside for all the prisoners, so one of Catherine's sons had to sleep outside with the dogs to keep warm.

      She became the 5th wife of her captor, Chief Cornstalk.

      A document written by Colonel Henry Bouquet to William Penn, Governor of Pennsylvania, on November 15, 1764, stated all tribes led by Chief Cornstalk had at last agreed to release the prisoners, not only from the incident at the See home but a number of other similar incidents at other family homes on the South Branch.

      Catherine and at least some of her children must have been separated during their captivity, because her youngest child, John, was adopted by a Shawnee family who had lost their son. John became very fond of his new family. When the time arrived for the Shawnee to release their prisoners, all of the See family except nine-year-old Elizabeth, were freed. Cornstalk would not agree to let her go, but kept her for nine more years during which time his son married her.

      The return prisoner list included Catherine See and her children Michael, George, John, Mary, Margaret and Lois...along with Margaret, George, Elizabeth and Sally Yocum (Yoakum). John returned to the Shawnee settlement to his new family, and eventually his uncle, Michael Adam See (brother of Frederick Michael and husband of Barbara Rebecca Harness). ransomed and took him back to Hampshire County, Virginia where the rest of the See family was then living.

    Person ID I9987  Master File
    Last Modified 10 Dec 2011 

    Family 1 Frederick Michael See,   b. ca 1720, Silesia, Germany Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 15 Jul 1763, Greenbrier Co. VA (now WV) Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 43 years) 
    Married 1744  possibly Augusta Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. Margaret "Peggy" See,   b. 1744, Augusta Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. adt 1784  (Age 40 years)
     2. Lois Sarah See,   b. 1746, Augusta Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft 1786  (Age 41 years)
     3. Catherine Elizabeth See,   b. 26 Feb 1754, Hampshire Co. VA (now WV) Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1807, Adams Co. OH Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 52 years)
     4. John See,   b. 1758, Augusta Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1837, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 79 years)
    +5. Mary See,   b. ca 1748, Augusta Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1823, Clear Creek Township, Warren Co. OH Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 75 years)
    Last Modified 10 Dec 2011 
    Family ID F6506  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Hokoleskwa Peter Cornstalk,   b. 1709, Wynepuechisika Village,Western Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 10 Nov 1777, Fort Randolph,Point Pleasant, WV Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 68 years) 
    Married 1763 
    Last Modified 10 Dec 2011 
    Family ID F6509  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart