John James Trabue was appointed by Gov. Dinsmore to survey the Western Wilderness now known as Kentucky. While in this work, they were attacked by Indians. They sent out runners for help and threw up “breastworks” at the Bryant’s (Bryan’s) Station Settlement, near what later became Lexington, Kentucky. The entire party was massacred except for John James Trabue, whose silver watch saved his life. The Indians evidently regarded it as “big medicine” and carried Trabue off towards the Kentucky River and to Canada. Daniel Boone arrived a few days later with a party of men, and rescued John James Trabue. His old brass compass was resurrected 80 years later at the very spot where his private papers indicated he had buried it.

Like the Trabues, Olympia Du Puy’s family were also Huguenots and had fled from France at he time of the bloody persecution against the dissenters of the Roman Catholics (13 p.217-221)

John James and Olympia Dupuy Trabue built a large limestone home on Griers Creek in Woodford County near Tyrone, KY. The house has a long history and is still standing. It is on the National Registry of Historical Houses. John and Mary O’Rear’s family live in the house today (2005) at 640 Griers Creek Road.