Jacob and Frederick Stump, two Dutchmen, had selected land and built a cabin on White's Creek, three miles north of Eaton's Station. Pursuant to custom, one of them usually stood on guard while the other worked in the clearing, but on a certain occasion this precaution was neglected. While both were busily engaged some Indians crept up behind a clump of trees at the edge of the field and fired at them, killing Jacob. His brother seeing that it would be folly to stand his ground on a run towards Eaton's, the nearest place of refuge, closely pursued by the enemy. Up hill and down, over ledges of rock, through cane brakes and cedar thickets, the race was one of life and death. After a mile or two the pursuing savages got near enough to hurl a tomahawk at Stump's head with such force as to land it twenty or thirty feet beyond. There the race ended, the supposition being that the Indians stopped to search for the lost hatchet. They probably thought more of the latter than of a prospect of capturing Stump's scalp, especially so in consideration of the rate of speed Stump was making just at that particular time.
