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SAMUEL VANCLEAVE, was the first preacher raised up in Fox-Run church. Introductory to a very brief sketch of his life, it may be allowable to direct the reader's attention to the romance of Indian warfare at the period of Mr. Vancleave's settlement in Kentucky.
Daniel Boone made the first permanent settlement on the soil of Kentucky, in the summer of 1775, at Boonesborough in Madison county. In January, 1778, he and 27 others were captured by the Indians, while making salt at Bluelick, and carried to Detroit. He remained a prisoner till the following June, when he escaped, and reached Boonesboro' on the 10th of that month. When he got back to the fort, he found that his wife, supposing him to have been killed by the Indians, had taken all their plunder, on pack-horses, and returned to her father's in [p. 288]
North Carolina. Col. Boone was too much occupied in defending his little colony, to go after her immediately. But when the Indian troubles were temporarily allayed, he went to North Carolina after his family, in the summer of 1780. On his return to Kentucky, in the fall of the same year, he conducted a company of emigrants. Among these were his brother, Squire Boone, and two of his (S. Boone�s) wife�s brothers, named William and Benjamin Vancleave, and their families. These three families settled at Lynn�s station on Little Beargrass, a few miles from the Falls of Ohio. The Vancleaves were Presbyterians, and were in the habit of attending preaching near the fort, on Sundays. On one of these occasions, they were surprised by a company of hostile Indians. Those who had horses mounted them with all speed. Sally, a daughter of William Vancleave, attempted to get up behind a young man to whom she was engaged to be married. Just as she had gotten her breast across the horse, an Indian warrior seized her, dragged her from the horse, and split her head open with his tomahawk. The rest of the party reached the fort in safety.
After remaining at Lynn�s station about 18 months, Benjamin Vancleave moved to what is now Shelby county, and settled on Bullskin creek, where he spent the rest of his days.
Samuel Vancleave, son of the last named, was born in N. Carolina, on the Yadkin river, about the year 1765. He came with his parents to Kentucky, in 1780. He was married to Elizabeth, daughter of Ahijah Woods, and settled near his parents. About three years after his marriage, while assisting his father in building a house, he and a young man by the name of Huron went to the woods to cut some poles for rafters. Idly knocking on a large tree with the pole of an ax, they attracted the attention of some Indians, who soon surrounded them. Huron had said he would die before he would be captured. As soon as he saw the situation, he flew to a sappling, locked his hands around it, and awaited his fate. The Indians attempted to pull him loose, but failing to do so, they killed him with their tomahawks. Vancleave attempted to escape by running, but was soon captured.
The Indians carried him to the shore of Lake Michigan. Here he met with a young man of the name of Scott, who had [p. 289]
been captured in Ohio. They spent about eight months together in the Indian camp. When they had so far gained the confidence of the Indians as to be allowed to hunt, unattended, they made their escape. After traveling several days and nights, they reached the Ohio river near the present site of Cincinnati. Scott turned eastward in search of his home, and Vancleave crossed the river and traveled westward in search of his family, whom he found at his father's.
Mr. Vancleave was an industrious, energetic man, and accumulated some property. But he was excessively fond of revelry, and openly professed to be a Deist. This greatly grieved his pious parents. He continued his wild career till about the year 1809. While engaged in building a brick residence for himself, he talked much about a big ball, which he intended to have as soon as his house should be finished. One day, while talking with his workmen on his favorite subject -- the ball -- he laid a course of brick, and started to dance back to the other end of the scaffold. When he got about the middle of the scaffold, he seemed to hear a voice repeating distinctly in his ear the words: "Thou fool! this night shall thy soul be required of thee!" He came down from the scaffold and walked into his house, trembling like Belshazzar. He sent for his parents and friends, expecting to die that night. For several days he was so overwhelmed with a sense of his great wickedness, that he could not eat or drink. His friends became greatly alarmed about him. But finally he found great peace and joy in a vivid sense of pardon through Jesus Christ. In April, 1810, he was baptized into the fellowship of Fox Run church by Alan McGuire. In the following December, he was licensed to exercise his gifts.
After a short probation, he was ordained to the fall work of the ministry, and, after preaching a few years in Shelby, and the adjoining counties, moved to Putnam county, Ia. Here he spent the remainder of his days in zealous and efficient labor in the gospel.
It was probably not far from the year 1840, when, on his return from a preaching appointment, he was overtaken by a violent storm. He was riding a spirited young horse. The animal became frightened and dashed suddenly under a tree that had fallen and lodged just over the road. Mr. Vancleave [p. 290]
was hurled violently to the ground. Some friends hurried to him and raised him up. But his neck was disjointed, and his spirit had already flown.3
