... Samuel McMahan, was born in Clark county, Kentucky, in 1774, and was married in Madison county, Kentucky, to Sarah Clark, daughter of Benjamin Clark, and a native of Albemarlecounty, Virginia. They had five children, three of them now living: Jesse, Thomas A., and John W. In 1810, he moved west, and with others, made a settlement in Cooper county, six miles south of Arrow Rock, and about four miles south of Arrow Rock, built a block house, or fort, called Anderson’s fort. They brought their families west in 1811. His immediate neighbors were Wm. Anderson, Andreas Anderson, George Anderson, David Jones, J. Wolfskill, Wm. Ried, and Stephen Turley. In 1813, the Indians drove them away, to Cooper’s fort, and burned Anderson’s fort, and while there, he was killed during the Christmas week. He had recrossed the river to get his cattle, and while driving them to the river, the Indians (who were on the lookout for a man named Mukchax) saw him, and opened fire on him. His horse fell, shot under him. He started to run, but hearing the voice of the chief, whom he knew, and supposed to be friendly, he halted and turned around. As he faced them the Indians shot him dead. His body, cut into several pieces and scalped, was recovered, and buried at Booneville. His widow survived him until 1872, and was buried six miles below Arrow Rock. ...
