Person:Thomas Urie (4)

Line in Record @I0053@ (RIN 1377) from GEDCOM file not recognized: ASSO @I0051@

Line in Record @I0053@ (RIN 1377) from GEDCOM file not recognized: ASSO @I0200@

THE MURDER OF THOMAS URIE Written by Georgia Rietz Parker In 1816, Mr. Solomon Urie and his brother Thomas were on a hunting excursion through eastern Ohio and established their camp between New Philadelphia and Cadiz. (I am sure the author had the wrong date!! GP) The brothers,in pursuit of their game, had become separated during the day, Thomas had succeeded in killing a bear, the skin of which he was conveying toward evening to the camp which he had nearly reached. Solomon was also making his way in the direction of the camp, driving before him his horses, which had been belled and spancelled. When within hearing distance of the camp, his ears were greeted with a sound similar to that of a double crack of rifles or of the falling of 2 trees. Knowing that hostile Indians were in the neighborhood, as they had unmistaken evidence during the night before, he considered it prudent to lead his horses and reach his camp by another route. On approaching, he discovered 2 Indians in his camp plundering it of its contents, while a third stood nearby as a sentinel. He raised his rifle with the intention of shooting the Indian sentinel, but before he could fire, his brother's dog started to bark and his position and attitude were discovered by the enemy. In the rear of Solomon was swamp, and comprehending that it would be an unsafe to retreat he boldly pushed forward to the assault of the sentinel. The latter ran dodging behind trees with the view of protecting himself and gaining an opportunity for shooting his antagonist. Mr. Urie pressed forward and in his course discovered the dead body of his brother. The three Indians chased him 3 miles to the brink of a precipice, down which without a moments hesitation,he descended. On reaching solid ground Solomon discovered that the breech of is rifle was broken, the trigger of the lock however being uninjured. The Indians, on reaching the margin of the precipice, were so appalled at the height of the jump that they gave up the chase. Mr. Urie continued on his flight in the direction of the Ohio River5 more miles when he came to the encampment which, much to his delighted surprise, contained several of the Bradys and other Pennsylvania friends.He stayed during the night with these friends and on the following morning the entire party returned with him to the late camp of him and his brother and there found the body of Thomas covered with the skin of a bear he had killed on the previous day. One of his legs was stripped of its leggin and moccasin, he was scalped, and on the back of his neck was cross indicating that this type of warfare against the whites would be continued. His body had been pierced by 2 bullets,doubtless fired by the rifles the sound of which Solomon had heard the afternoon before. The body was deposited in a grave made with wooden shovels and in a coffin made of puncheons. The Indians had taken their horses, 40 deer, 10 bear and 10 beaver skins, together with their entire stock of provisions and traps. Mr. Solomon Urie offered his friends the full property of which he had been despoiled and an equal amount in addition if they would aid him in the pursuit and infliction of summary punishment upon the murderers of his brother.They regarded the undertaking however as to hazardous and declined the offer of Mr. Urie. Note by G.P. I am sure that date above is incorrect as Thomas had to be dead already by 1791 when there is a death settlement in the courts of Washington Co. Pa. and this mentions his wife and3 minor children by all the correct names. Of note also is the fact that the wife of this Thomas Urie was the sister of the wife of his brother Solomon. They were both daughters of Arthur McConnell.

1.   Irish Genealogy - Craig, in Website.