Christopher Tackett
Chistopher served in George Poage's Company in the American Revolution.
On the 27th of August 1790, the sun shone from an unclouded sky. The men were busy building a house up Coal River. John McElhaney was sick in the fort. [Fort Tackett]
About four o'clock that afternoon, some of the children were out on the bank of the Kanawha River playing ball and Christian/Christopher Tackett was with them. Some Indians who had approched them under the cover of the river bank, showed themselves but a few yards from the boys and raised the terrible cry of their nation.
Tackett and the boys fled. He reached the gate, but waited for the children to get in before he made it fast. The Indians rushed upon the gate and forced it open. He then started for the house where he had left his gun but was shot down and tomahawked in the yard, as were the children. John McElhaney hearing the cry without, closed the door, but in doing it had three of his fingers shot off.
Unable to defend themselves and the Indians promising protection if they would surrender, Mrs. McElhaney prevailed with her son to open the door and admit them.
There were in the Fort at that time John McElhaney, his mother, his wife, Hannah Tackett (wife of Christopher), Betsy Tackett, Mary Townsend, two boys, Samuel Tackett and Samuel McElhaney, who were taken by the Indians. When the people on Coal River heard the shooting at the Fort, Robert McElhaney and son Robert went to ascertain the cause of the confusion and finding the Fort in possession of a party of Indians started for Clendenin's at Fort Lee. The others took refuge at the house of Thomas Allsbury.
