Trying to Sort Things Out

Over the river and through the woods...oh...no...down the river and through the woods would be more like it.  They were the only ways to get to this new, western settlement area that was to become Kentucky.

Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina all wanted to get their fur traders and land speculators into this western territory.  These colonies' geographic relationship to "the river" (Ohio), and "the woods" (mountains) are shown in the drawing to the right. 

Pennsylvania was essentially located at the head waters of the Ohio.  Virginia and North Carolina competed for the land access (gaps) to this territory, and were soon to run into folks from Pennsylvania coming down that Shenandoah Valley.  Virginia also had some of the earliest explorers to find this "New River" that was to open the door to western expansion.  Each colony was determined to settle this area to the advantage of the merchants and money backers who on the most part were living the good life back along the coast.

Who would have known that this little place that was to become Danvillle would find all these folks in 63 acres of land in a small square trying to sort things out.

Face to Face

Geography will often define the boundaries for settlement.  Where to go and how to get there will be directed by water, hills, mountains, fertile land and the like.  Figuring things out will often take time and adjustments.

Now, who occupied the land was always a problem for those who wanted to occupy the land.  The geography of the mountains had separated a land grabbing group of folks [on the east] who wanted it all, from a number of ethic groups [on the west] who had been fighting one another for a good long while.  These ethic groups had settled their own differences following a warfare that had lasted until around 1700.  Wyandot, Delaware, Shawnee, Cherokee, and Miami had generally laid claim to their homeland on the western side of this Cumberland-Allegheny mountain ridge.  You can see on the drawing above the general areas occupied by these groups.  The Shawnee and Cherokee were to have the most say about coming into this Ohio Valley after the Wyandot got things rolling with those folks on the eastern side of the mountains.  Anyway you went, down the water (Ohio) or around the mountains (to become the Cumberland Gap) you would have to face the Shawnee or Cherokee.  Face to face was yet to come.

Coming Round The Mountains

Getting to this new land [what was to become Kentucky] was some kind of chore.  The New River (Wood's River) offered a pathway to the west, but gave all kinds of trouble to those who were on the other side of the mountains.  All these mountains stood in the way.  For many years, the Blue Ridge Mountains seem to be the greatest barrier.  Once over these, there were the Shenandoah Mountains separated by a valley area that gave a little brake to the mountains.  Then came the Allegheny Highlands  that seemed to go on forever into the distance.  What were these poor folks along the coast to do?

The drawing to the right shows the general idea about these mountains.  The "Blue Ridge" in blue, the "Shenandoah" in purple, and the Cumberland-Allegheny Highlands in green are outlined.    The river road is again shown in orange, and one can get a sense of why those folks above the mountains [PA, NY, etc.]would find the river route a much better avenue.  The folks from VA, NC, and MD would have to figure out another way perhaps...coming round the mountains.

Yet to Come

Abraham Wood and his crew were the first to record a "New River" that flowed to the "West" instead of back to the "East".  This "English" discovery opened the doors to a potential route to China.  No one knew what was really out there, but Abraham and his associates were determined to find out.  At 37 degree parallel, they had some idea that China would lay to the south.  This New River [at first called Wood's River], seemed to flow north, and this would have put some damper on the exploration.   But, who was to know that this river flowed to a larger, and then larger River which was to run southwest.

The drawing to the right shows roughly the 37 degree parallel as it runs though Virginia and Kentucky.   Abraham Wood started somewhere past Roanoke [most likely near Blacksburg], and the record begins.  Following the orange colored line, the flow of the river formed a u-shaped pattern, up to the Ohio River, down to the Kentucky, and off to the Dix River, meeting the land that would become Danville, Kentucky.  The colonies of PA, MD, VA, and NC are shown to place their settlement along this new river.  All certainly wanted to get there, and the story of Danville, connects these dots.  Being at the head waters of the Ohio, PA would certainly have an advantage to this water way.   Of course the mountains lying between would play a mayor roll in the settlement pattern, but that is yet to come.

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Jerry E. Jones, MD, MS, The Jones Genealogist. Library of Congress No. 6192-01064476.

Go "West" to End Up "East"

After returning to Venice, 1294, Marco Polo made a name for himself writing a book about his travels to Cathay.  A new world, and all kinds of opportunities for trade and wealth.  How to get there was the problem.  It was "East" of Europe [particularly the trade centers of northern Italy], and a very long way by land.  What if you could go "West" by water, and get there?  Who would have thought... go "West" to end up "East"!

All those merchant folks in Europe wanted to get there first.  They understood that Cathy [China] was on the 32 degree parallel [latitude] and in theory, all one would have to do is sail western along this latitude, and bingo...you would hit it.  They certainly did not count on this huge land mass in between them and all those riches.  The picture above shows "China" as it was drawn on a very early map.  The compass is drawn "east - west" along the 32 degree latitude, with China to the right.  Simple, yes.

Well the English folks had to squeeze between the French to the north, and the Spanish to the south, seeking their door to this land of riches.  The mouth of the James River is along the 37 degree parallel.  All one had to do is find a water way flowing northwest to the 32 degree parallel.  The James River, or one of those other rivers along this tidewater would certainly lead to China.  Let's go and see.

It took a little while, but the first folks to find a new river which flowed to the west was 1650.  Edward Bland and his fellows describe the "...firft River in New Brittaine, which runneth Weft; being 120. Mile South-west, between 35. & 37. degrees, (a pleafant Country,)...".  This would be just 2 degree below China!  Little did they know that this little town of Danville would be built along this 37 degree parallel, a little further along this river road to China.

[I do not know the origin of the map pictured above.  It is copied from a wall hanging I have.  Any one know the source?  Bland and his account can be found: Alvord, C.W., Bidgood, L. The First Explorations of the Trans-Allegheny Regions by the Virginians 1650 - 1674. Clearfield Company, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, 1912.  The context and story can be found: Jones, J.E., "KEN-TAH-THE" The Life and Times of Walker Daniel, Founder of the Town Lands of Danville, Kentucky, 18th Day of June 1784.]

Who's The First

"The City of Firsts" is what it is called...this town of Danville, Kentucky.  But before there was ever this town, or state, or country, the French, Spanish, and English were all trying to get here first.

However, the first to occupy this land that was to become Kentucky, were ethnic groups called the Shawnee and Cherokee.  As early as 1673 [When the French were roaming the land.] the Shawnee had defeated the Cherokee and occupied a major settlement and ceremonial grounds called "Eskippakithiki".  This was along one of the earliest recorded trails west of the Appalachian mountains called "The Warriors Path".  North to south, it ran along the length of the eastern side of this land that was to become Kentucky and my own family's home at Clark County, Kentucky.

What the Shawnee and the Cherokee were yet to face were the arrival from the north, of the powerful Iroquois.  The warfare which resulted between these ethic groups was felt to have been a cruel and devastating struggle leading to the defeat of the Shawnee and the Cherokee.   The last battle in this struggle is believed to have been fought near the Falls of the Ohio before the year 1700.  The Iroquois were left the victors and claimed the right by combat to the title of the valley of the Ohio.  Therefore, they were actually the first to name this area "Ken-tah-teh" which means "tomorrow", or "coming day".  How about that!  The Iroquois were the first to name this land.

Documentation is taken from: Wallis, F.A., Tapp, H.(eds.) A Sesqu-Centennial History of Kentucky. Vol.I - III, The Historical Record Association, Hopkinsville, KY, 1945.