Person:Michael Cresap (1)

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

Captain Michael Cresap (April 17, 1742 – October 18, 1775) was a noted frontiersman born in Maryland, in what is now the United States.

The Irvin Allen/Michael Cresap Museum is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and is one of only 100 structures listed in Colonial and Historical Homes of Maryland. The original fieldstone structure was built by Michael Cresap in 1764 and the brick addition built in 1781 by Rev. John Jacobs, who married Captain Michael Cresap's widow. Michael Cresap died in New York in 1775 on his way home from Boston. Michael Cresap had mobilized over 140 of the first southern volunteers to report for duty in the Continental Army. The many intricate links between the Cresaps, General George Washington and others involved in the Revolutionary cause establish the house as a centerpiece for historic Oldtown, Maryland. [1]

Early Land Acquisition in Virginia

Acquisition of Land from Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants:

• N-327: Michael Cresap of Maryland, 54 acres on Potowmack River below mouth of South Branch adj. John Hopkins, Col. Cresap in Hampshire Co. Surv. John Moffett. 9 Dec. 1766. [Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, 1742-1775, Vol. 2, Gertrude E. Gray, pg. 186].

• N-328: Michael Cresap of Maryland, 184 acres on Road from Frenche's to Little Cacapehon on South Branch [of Potomack River] in Hampshire Co. Surv. John Moffett. 10 Dec. 1766. [Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, 1742-1775, Vol. 2, Gertrude E. Gray, pg. 186].

Records in Hampshire County, VA

• O-131: James Miller of Maryland, 184 acres on Potowmack River in Hampshire Co. Surv. John Moffett. Adj. Michael Cresap. 7 Mar. 1768. [Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, 1742-1775, Vol. 2, Gertrude E. Gray, pg. 195].

• 9 Nov 1772, Hampshire Co., [W]VA Deed: John Smith of Hampshire Co. to Michael Cresap of Frederick Co., Md., lease and release, 40 acres on North Branch of Potomac; rec. 11-12-1772. Wit: Michael Cresap, Jr., Joseph Stibbs, Thomas Humpres, B. Ashby. [Source: Early records, Hampshire County, Virginia, now West Virginia, including at the start most of known Va. aside from Augusta district : synopisis of wills from originals up to 1860, pg. 54].

• P-308: Mr. John Hough of Loudoun Co., 200 acres on South Branch [of Potomack River] in Hampshire Co. Surv. John Moffett. Adj. Michael Cresap, Deakins. 7 Dec. 1774. [Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, 1742-1775, Vol. 2, Gertrude E. Gray, pg. 227].

Records in Augusta County, VA

From Chalkley’s Augusta County Records:

• Vol. 2 - Henderson vs. Cresaps' heirs--O. S. 252; N. S. 88--Bill, 5th August, 1805. Orator Alexander Henderson in 1801 made entries in Monongalia (now Wood County), viz: 10th April, 1781, 1,000 acres on Ohio 3 miles below Middle Island Creek, extending below mouth of French Creek on treasury warrant, dated 8th May, 1780. Also 1,000 acres adjoining above. Surveys were made 1785 and received patents 4th June, 1787. Act May, 1779, ch. 12, section 4, provides that all persons actually settling before 1st January, 1778, on Western waters should be allowed for every family settled, 400 acres; but they must have raised a crop of corn or lived thereon one year. But on 17th April, 1785, Luther Martin and Mary, his wife; Elizabeth and Sarah Cresap, devisees of Michael Cresap, obtained a certificate from the Commissioners in Michael's name for 400 acres on Ohio River above Ball Creek to include his settlement, made 1775, by putting a tenant there, and another certificate for 400 acres at mouth of French Creek, on which 2d certificate was made 25th December, 1783, and a grant obtained 20th June, 1785, also on the other certificate. These surveys interfere with orator's surveys. (There was also a 3d certificate to Michael as above.) Michael, before or in year 1775, came from Maryland, where he always resided, with several men in his service and marked out several tracts, some by cutting chops in trees, some by cutting timber, some by laying foundation of a cabin, but not one of them lived on the lands, they only travelled up and down the river marking off all the best bottoms. Mary Martin has died, leaving Luther, her husband; Maria Martin and Eleanora Kean, wife of Richard R. Kean, her daughters, and Richard has died since commencement of this suit. Elizabeth Cresap has married Lenox Martin. Sarah Cresap has married Osbourne Sprigg and is dead, leaving Michael, Joseph, Osbourne, James, her sons. John G. Henderson of Wood County, aged 33, deposes, in Hampshire County, 5th November, 1807, Osbourne Sprigg married Sarah in 1790. Surveys in 1783 by Robert Crow, assistant to Saml. Hanway, S. M. C. Certificate to heirs of Michael Cresap dated 17th April, 1781, by James Neal, Charles Martin. Wm. Raymond, Commissioners. Will of Michael Cresap of Frederick County, Maryland. Son, James, infant; wife, Mary; daughters, Mary, Elizabeth and Sarah. Dated 28th June, 1774. Codicil dated 26th June, 1774. Recorded. Will of Alexander Henderson of Dumfries. Sons, Archibald, John Glassford, Alexander, Richard; sons, Henry, James, Thomas; daughter, Ann (?). Dated 24th February, 1815. Recorded in Prince William, 4th December, 1815. John Caldwell deposes, in Wheeling, 9th June, 1809, he became acquainted with Capt. Michael Cresap in 1772 and occasionally saw him from that time until 1776. Michael lived in Old Town, Md, during 1773, 74, 75, 76. Michael was several times down the Ohio and in the Western Country. In 1774, deponent saw Patrick McElroy and some hands improving the lands. McElroy was also employed to make settlements for Col. George Stricker, who settled 1,400 acres at mouth of McElroy's fork of Middle Island Creek. Ebenezer Zane deposes, in Wheeling, 6th December, 1808, he settled at his present place of residence at Wheeling in 1770 or 1771. In 1774, Michael Cresap was at his house; never heard of his, either before or after. In 1774, deponent descended the Ohio as far as Sandy Creek. There were no settlements below mouth of Little Kenawha, there were several between that and Muskingum. These were supposed to belong to the Briscoes. Below mouth of Bull Creek was an improvement called Otin's (?) about mile below mouth of French Creek. At mouth of McElroy's Run was Cresap's. There were no more until he came to mouth of Middle Island Creek, near which was another belonging to Cresap. Michael Cresap, Sr., had a son, Michael, Jr. Thomas Hallam deposes, 6th October, 1814, in Wood County, in March or April, 1775, he and several others came with Michael Cresap to the Western Country to make settlements on Ohio. They made one below mouth of Cow Creek. The custom was to cut the timber and pile the brush for burning and raise a cabin and cover it. The war came on and deponent went with Cresap to join the Revolutionary Army before Boston, but Cresap died on his way home from the army in the same year. George Baker deposes, same time and place, that when a boy, 17 years of age, about 30 years ago, he came into Cow Creek in a canoe with Martin Whitzell. Isaac Williams deposes, in Wood County, 3d December, 1808, in 1775, he lived on Grove Creek and no settlements were made below him in that year. Martin Wetzell deposes, in Ohio County, 10th October, 1814, he came to Western Country to live two years before Dunmore's war; has resided on Wheeling Creek ever since, except two years when he was prisoner among the Indians. His business was hunting up and down Ohio River; knew Cresap's improvement at Cow Creek; he frequently lodged there before Harman's (Harmar's?) defeat. John Caldwell deposes, same time and place, he came to Western Country in 1772 or 1773. In 1775 he saw hands at work on Cresap's improvement at mouth of French Creek. Joseph Tomlinson deposes, same time and place, he came to the Western County in spring 1771 and settled on Falls of Grove Creek and has lived there ever since.

Logan's Lament, or Logan's Speech

• Logan, however, disdained to be seen among the suppliants. But lest the sincerity of a treaty should be disturbed, from which so distinguished a chief

"I appeal to any white man to say, if ever he entered Logan's cabin hungry, and he gave him not meat; if ever he came cold and naked, and he clothed him not. During the course of the last long and bloody war Logan remained idle in his cabin, an advocate for peace. Such was my love for the whites, that my countrymen pointed as they passed, and said, 'Logan is the friend of white men.' I had even thought to have lived with you, but for the injuries of one man. Colonel Cresap, the last spring, in cold blood, and unprovoked, murdered all the relations of Logan, not even sparing my women and children. There runs not a drop of my blood in the veins of any living creature. This called on me for revenge. I have sought it : I have killed many : I have fully glutted my vengeance: for my country I rejoice at the beams of peace. But do not harbor a, thought that mine is the joy of fear. Logan never felt fear. He will not turn on his heel to save his life. Who is there to mourn for Logan?-Not one."

Letter from Thomas Jefferson to John Gibson

TRANSCRIPT OF ORIGINAL LETTER FROM THOMAS JEFFERSON TO GENERAL JOHN GIBSON. PRESENTED BY GEN. GIBSON'S DAUGHTER TO WM. ROBINSON.

Philadelphia, Dec. 31, 1797.

Sir

I took the liberty the last summer of writing to you from hence, making some enquiries on the subject of Logan's Speech, and the murder of his family, and you were kind enough in your answer among other things, to correct the title of Cresap who is said to have headed the party, by observing that he was a Capt and not a Col. I trouble you with a second letter asking if you could explain to me how Logan came to call him Col. If you have favored me with an answer to this it has miscarried, I therefore trouble you again on the subject, and as the transaction must have been familiar to you, I will ask the favor of you to give me the names and residence, of any persons now living who you think were of Cresap's party, or who can prove his participation in this transaction either by direct evidence or from circumstances, or who can otherwise throw light on the fact. A Mr. Martin (Luther Martin, Attorney-General of Maryland, married a daughter Captain Cresap.) of Baltimore has questioned the whole transaction, suggesting Logan's Speech to be not genuine, and denying that either Col or Capt Cresap had any hand in the murder of his family. I do not intend to enter into any newspaper contest with Mr Martin; but in the first republication of the notes on Virginia to correct the Statement where it is wrong and support it where it is right. My distance from the place where witnesses of the transactions reside is so great, that it will be a lengthy and imperfect operation in my hands. Any aid you can give me in it will be most thankfully received. I avail myself with great pleasure of every occasion of recalling myself to your recollection, and of assuring you of the sentiments of esteem and attachment with which I am dear

Sir, your most obedt and

humble Servt

TH. JEFFERSON.

1.   Michael Cresap, in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.