=== GEDCOM Note ===
NOTE: Dr. Wilgus Bach was a Breathitt County, Kentucky physician. He had a special interest in Breathitt County's feuds because he treated many of the victims. During his years of medical practice, he recorded the stories, tales, and genealogies of those he treated. His passing left behind a great collection of historical facts for those of us who dabble in family histories today. In 1943, Mrs. Wilgus Bach donated her husband's papers to the University of Kentucky, Special Archives and Collections located at the King Library North, filed under number 46M155. The following was written by Dr. Bach:
THE CALHOUN FAMILY IN KENTUCKY
Among the first settlers coming into Eastern Kentucky, we find Old Tommy Calhoun one of the first. In fact, he came so early that he did not accomapny his friends and neighbors, but came with the Indians.
His home was in South Carolina in 1780, possibly ten years earlier. A roving band of Indians passed thru and found a mother and two small children in their unprotected home. The fate of the father is not known, but the mother and two children were taken captive. The older was able to travel only a short distance before he began to cry. An Indian killed the child with his tomahawk. The smaller child was carried in his mother's arms into the far North country. There they were guarded and kept captive until time erased all hope of ever returning to their native home.
The mother mourned the loss of her child and husband, whom she felt was killed before the Indians attacked her home. She grew weak and frail and was confined to her wigwam most of the day.
One day, Thomas, who was about 6 years old, disappeared, together with many little Indian boys. The Hunters and Warriors were away, so the mother, along with many squaws, left the camp to search for the lost children. On the outskirts of the Village was a deserted teepee. Within was great merriment. They found Thomas undressed, stuck all over with rich pine splinters, bound hand and foot, with a torch applied in true Indian fashion. The squaws extinguished the burning splinters and extracted them from his flesh. For months he suffered from the infected wounds. Until his dying day, he could exhibit the scars and tell the story of his boyhood experience.
The mother recovered and lived until the boy was about 18. After her death, he escaped to the South, crossing the Ohio River. He entered the Indian's Dark and Bloody Ground and into the mountains. He reached a white settlement on Troublesome Creek about 1798.
Two years later, the Davis family arrived from Virginia and he took Nancy Davis as his wife. They settled on Quicksand just below the mouth of Hunting Creek. Their only child, James Calhoun was born May 5, 1802. He was reared on the farm his father had settled that extended for miles around Calhoun Branch. Thomas and his wife, Nancy, are buried on this farm.
James Calhoun married Mary "Polly" Hogg and the became the foundation of the Calhoun family of Breathitt County, Kentucky.
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According to Patrick J. Calhoun, son of Robert , grandson of Evens Calhoun: "Aunt Grace" King Williams, married Sewell B. Williams, grandson of Coleman "Colby" Williams and Cynthia (Davis) Williams. Cynthia was a sister to Nancy Davis, wife of Thomas Calhoun. "Aunt Grace" obtained some of this information from the Hogg Family Bible.
"Thomas Calhoun was born about 1780 in Virginia and taken captive by the Indians when he was approximately nine years of age. The circumstances and location of his capture are not known. As young Thomas grew, he was taken into the forest by the Indians, where he learned to hunt and trap game. As time passed, he eventually became an accomplished hunter and after awhile, the Indians would allow him to go alone into the woods to search for game. To win the confidence of the Indians, he would return after the day's hunt with his kill. As Thomas continued to mature, he devised a plan for escape. Each time he went into the forest to hunt, he would venture a little farther from camp and stay a little longer. Finally, on one such hunting trip, he made his break for freedom. Thomas ran solid for two days and nights for fear that the Indians had sent a war party in his pursuit. After the first two days, he would sleep during the daylight hours and walk at night, until he finally reached a white settlement and safety. It was after this ordeal that he met and married Nancy Davis, who was also born in Virginia. Their only son, James, was born in Virginia around 1802-03 and shortly thereafter moved to Kentucky and settled first near Stevenson."
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South of Green River Series of Kentucky Land Grants
On November 15, 1808, Thomas Calhoun received 2 tracts of land in Wayne County, Kentucky (Deed Book B) from Henry Miller, his friend. Thomas was to pay all remaining amounts on these 2 tracts of land: One being 152 acres in which Henry Miller was an assignee of John Hammons, Jr. (granted to Hammons in May, 1803 and surveyed June 1807). This 152 acres was on the waters of Beaver Creek in the Grassy Valley on Doublehead Spring Branch. The other being a survey made to Henry Miller in his own name on Nov. 14, 1807, granted June court 1801 for 175 acres of land on the waters of Beaver Creek at the head of Grassy Valley.
Note: August 1993 "Kentucky Explorer", pg. 61: Possible reference to Henry Miller captured by Indians in 1783, escaped from Indians 1785. He lived in an area that later became Hardin County, Kentucky.
On May 7, 1816, Thomas sold the 175 acre tract for $200.00 to his nephew, John Calhoun (who married Sally "Polly" Edwards in 1818), son of his Uncle William Calhoun. On November 28, 1816, he sold the 152 acre tract to same John Calhoun for $350.00.
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1810 Census: Wayne County, Kentucky
Thomas Calhoon: males 1-0-0-1-0 females 0-1-1-0-0
(Who is the female in second column (age 10 and under 16)?
1820 Census: Clay County, Kentucky
Thomas Calhoun: males 1-0-0-1-1-0 females 2-1-0-1-0
(Who is the male age 0-10 and who are the females age 0-10 and age 10-16?)
1830 Census: Perry County, Kentucky
Thomas Calhoun: males 2-0-0-0-0-0-1-0-0-0-0-0-0 females 0-0-0-2-0-0-1-0-0-0-0-0
(Who are males under age 5 and who are females age 15 and under 20?)
1840 Census: Breathitt County, Kentucky
Thomas Calhoun: males 0-1-1-0-0-0-0-1-0-0-0-0-0 females 0-1-0-0-0-0-1-0-0-0-0-0
(Who are males age 5 and under 10 and age 10 and under 15? Who is female age 5 and under 10?)
1850 Census: Breathitt County, Kentucky
Thomas Calhoun: age 65 born in Virginia
Nancy Calhoun: age 60 born in Virginia
Delila: age 14 (Angela Warman wrote Davis after Delila's name. So these extra people on the previous census years may be family of Nancy (Davis) Calhoun).
1860 Census: Breathitt County, Kentucky
Thomas Calhoun: age 79 born in Virginia
Nancy Calhoun: age 76 born in Virginia
Delila Davis: age 24
Macajah: age 6 (Is this a son of Delila's?)
Facts about this person:
Settled Bet. 1830 - 1840
Calhoun Branch, Rousseau (Breathitt County), Kentucky
