Col. Crawford burned at stake 222 years ago
The week marks the 222nd anniversary of the American Indians' burning at the stake of Col. William Crawford, pioneer Connellsville-area settler and first presiding judge of the Westmoreland County courts, at the Indian village at Sandusky, Ohio.
A Virginia native born in 1732, Crawford settled in 1767 along the bank of the Youghiogheny River near what became Connellsville. His log cabin is restored at the site by the Connellsville Area Historical Society.
As a result of some Indian events in the area of Gnadenhutten, Ohio, and Washington County, Pa., of some questionable circumstances, Crawford and an expedition of 480 horsemen set out to investigate the Indian settlements and activity in the area of Sandusky. Crawford's forces battled the Indians, June 5-7, 1782, but the colonel was among prisoners taken by the Indians. On June 10, 17 Indians took Crawford and 10 other prisoners to old Sandusky Indian Town. All but Crawford and a doctor were tomahawked and scalped, after which Crawford was stripped, severely beaten, tied, tortured and burned at the stake; then finally scalped, June 11.
The doctor ultimately escaped and after 22 days of hardship and subsistence in the forest, made his way to Fort McIntosh at Beaver, to relate the tragic fate of Crawford.
Nearby Gibbon Glade was started in 1847 by Samuel Morton, who built a sawmill there. Originally called Sanborn, it was renamed in 1875 for nearby Gibbon Run. The post office at Farmington, opened in 1830, was called Bryant's until 1841.
One of the railroaders, from Youngwood, took the lead with some other help in capturing the snake. It was believed to have escaped from a circus or carnival. The railroader and his companions took the snake in a box to the Youngwood Moose Club for exhibition.
It was then under the auspices of the Western Pennsylvania Historical Society and its Fayette-Westmoreland branch. That branch evolved into the West Overton Museums organization of today.
Although Miss Frick attended the event, she did not participate in the program. Her letter of designation of the restored Overholt mansion as "West Overton history house" was read. In it, she expressed hope that the gift would stimulate interest in local history.
A series of talks by prominent historians formed the program for the event.
From then until he died in 1878, his hotel was a favorite stopping place for many notable people, among them Henry Clay, President James K. Polk, and singer Jenny Lind. A favorite bit of Rush sales promotion was to honor selected guests by assigning them to the room once occupied by the famed Miss Lind.
Excerpted from Robert B. Van Atta's "Vignettes" columns of June 6, 1982 and 1993.
