Samuel LUSK JR

1776-?

Father: Samuel LUSK SR (January 29, 1751-August 14, 1792)
Mother: Susannah STEPHENSON (c.1754-?)

Wife: Sarah Ann BAILEY (1775-?)


SAMUEL LUSK, JR. Military Service Record
Indian Wars, Militia, War of 1812 - Virginia-Kentucky.
Researched by James F. Carver, Feb. 1999

Samuel Lusk Jr. was born around 1776 in (then) Wythe County, Virginia, a son of Samuel Lusk Sr. & Susannah Stephenson.
Samuel was born during a very hostile period. When Samuel was born the Revolutionary War for thr Independence of the United Stated erupted and ended when Samuel was but a young lad.

While the war in England was over during Samuel's early years the hostilities around Samuel's homestead didn't stop. The Indians that lived and traveled throughout Southwest Virginia continued their hostile actions against the white settlers and pioneers within the area. In the early 1790's the Indians were raiding the (now) Tazewell County area committing mass murder with massacres of entire families and kidnapping of white settlers. This time period was known as the period of the "Indian Wars".

Samuel Jr.'s father, Samuel Lusk Sr., during the 1790's was serving under Major Robert Crockett (was Captain then) in the Local Militia. Samuel Sr. was involved in at least 26 combat actions against the hostile Indians. Years later in the Reports filed by Major Crockett, Samuel Lusk, Sr. was given credit with much of the successful campaigns against the hostile Indians. It was in 1792 there in (then) Wythe County, Virginia (area now Tazewell Co.) when another hostile raiding party of Indians raided the area where the Lusk Clan lived. During this raid Samuel Lusk Sr. and three of his sons, (names Unknown) were killed by the hostile Indians. Surviving this raid were Samuel Lusk Jr. his brother, David and now-widowed Mother, Susannah (Stephenson) Lusk. Most likely the call went out for additional able-bodied young men to fill the ranks of the local Militia to defend themselves from any additional attacks against their settlement.

Like his father, Samuel Lusk Jr. enlisted in March of 1792 into the Military in (then) Wythe Co. VA. at the age of 16. (this Wythe Co. area became Tazewell Co. VA. in 1800). Samuel was stationed at a Fort located on Bluestone Creek under the command of Major Robert Crockett. Young Samuel was to become an Indian Spy or Scout. (During these times, an Indian Scout/Spy was a soldier who observed nearby Indians and both reported their behavior and actions and served to alert his command of possible hostility).

During the last invasion of the (now) Tazewell County area a band of Shawnee Indians slipped into the settlements on Bluestone on a horse stealing expedition during the summer of 1792. The Shawnee had found it more profitable to steal horses than just simply taking scalps from the white settlers. The Shawnee would take the stolen horses to Canada where there was a growing market for horses. During the Shawnee raids they had stolen over 80 horses and taken many lives. It was while these hostile Indians were beginning their trip out of Tazewell County heading for Canada that they were discovered.

An Indian Scout had spotted the Indians and quickly reported their movements to the garrison in Bluestone. Major Robert Crockett, the commander at Wynn's Fort decided to take immediate action. Major Crockett sent out two companies of mounted riflemen, the company from Bluestone had Samuel Lusk in their ranks.

Due to this rapid deployment, Major Crockett did not have the time to prepare provisions. They traveled down Horse Pen Creek, at the head of Clear Fork and down to the Tug and on the mouth of Four Pole then crossing the dividing ridge between the waters of the Sandy and Guyandotte Rivers. Major Crockett sent young Samuel Lusk and Joseph Gilbert forward to a Buffalo lick on (then) Kettle Creek which flows into the Guyandotte to secure the unit with food/game.

Based upon a report of Major Crockett, found in the Virginia Calendar Papers, that it was on the 24th of July (1792) that Samuel Lusk and Joseph Gilbert had set out and reached the Buffalo lick where they killed a deer and wounded an elk. Leaving the dead deer behind, they tracked the elk, But couldn't catch it, thus they returned to the area where they left the deer. Joseph Gilbert lead the way down the buffalo path with Samuel Lusk just behind him. All of a sudden Gilbert noticed a stone hanging by a pawpaw bark over the path, an Indian sign alerting Gilbert to danger. Gilbert whispered to Samuel Lusk to look out when all of a sudden hidden Indians opened fire upon them. Samuel Lusk was first struck in the right hand when a musket ball penetrated it knocking the gun he carried from his hand. Gilbert and Lusk rapidly began retreating when Samuel Lusk fell down, sick from the rapid loss of blood which was flowing freely from his wounded hand. Samuel begged Joseph Gilbert to leave him and to save himself, but Gilbert refused to leave him behind. As the Indians rushed Gilbert shot and killed one but there were 5 others who reached Gilbert with their tomahawks and knocked him down and scalped him right in from of Samuel Lusk. Young Samuel was taken prisoner.

{The creek where Gilbert and Lusk made their stand was called Kettle Creek, now renamed Gilbert Creek, in honor of Joseph Gilbert who gave his life for his fellow soldier and friend.}

The Shawnee Indians immediately rushed down the creek to the Guyandotte River with their prisoner, then down the river to the mouth of Island Creek where they camped behind a rocky ridge called Hog Back today. That night Samuel Lusk lay suffering from his wound but was treated by the Indians. An Indian had gone into the woods and gathered some roots and beat the roots into a pulp, made a poultice, and bound Samuel's hand which gave him some relief. Unknown at the time to the Indians, Major Crockett was just two miles away on their search for the Indians debating there at 1:00 a.m., if they should attack during the night's darkness, they decided to wait until morning.

In the early morning hours of July 25th (1792) as the Indians prepared canoes and cooked their breakfast, Major Crockett and his Tazewell men attacked the Indian Camp. With shots blazing the Indians scattered taking only a few stolen horses....and their prisoner, Samuel Lusk. The starving men within Major Crockett's command didn't follow after the Indians, but stopped and ate their bear meat breakfast, took several dozen pairs of moccasins left behind as trophies, and felt they had a victory finally driving the Shawnee Indians from their mist. While in truth this engagement was a victory for Major Crockett.........but not for young Samuel Lusk Jr. who might have been saved if Crockett's men had continued on with their attack of the enemy.

Samuel Lusk was taken west by the Shawnee Indians into the Ohio Territory and on to Sandusky where Samuel remained a prisoner for 11 months. Samuel managed to escape and he traveled to Detroit and crossed over into Canada. Samuel made his way eastward along the southern border of Canada, stopped most likely at the British Fort Erie. [Ft. Erie was established in 1764 on the Niagara River in the French speaking Ontario, Canada located about 20 miles west of Niagara Falls]. At the time of Samuel's arrival in this Canadian area in 1793, the ruling authority was Gov. John Graves Simcoe. Samuel obtained a pass (written permission) from Gov. Simcoe to return safely to the United States. Located a few miles eastward of Fort Erie is a crossing point on the Niagara River between Canada and Buffalo, NY. Most likely Sanuel crossed over by flatboat here, his own testimony states he crossed by Niagara Falls which would have been less than 15 miles away. (The crossing site Samuel probably used became a regular ferry-boat crossing between Canada and U.S. between 1796-1949.) Samuel would continue southward reaching his home in Virginia by Oct. 1793. Samuel's wounds to his right hand both slightly crippled and disabled him for life since he was unable to fully open his right hand ever again.

By the time Samuel returned home, his widowed mother, Susannah (Stephenson) Lusk, had remarried to Thomas Godfrey. Mr Godfrey was a widower with two grown children, Absalom and Burgess Godfrey/ Thomas would treat his step-children fairly as they matured into adulthood.

There in the newly created county of Tazewell, created in 1800 from Wythe&Russell counties, Samuel Lusk would at the age of 28 marry on Jan 5, 1804 to Sarah Bailey. Sarah was the daughter of Richard Bailey and Elizabeth Belcher. Samuel and Sarah would have three children before the War of 1812 with England. These children were: John (b) 1806, Polly {Elizabeth}, (b) 1808, and Martha(b) 1811.

Polly Lusk married on Dec 17, 1824, in Tazewell County, VA. to Isaac Adkins Jr. ..........it is from this child that the author of this story descends. (James F. Carver).

While one might think Samuel had enough of the military duty this wasn't the case. In 1807, we find Samuel Lusk back in the ranks of the Tazewell County Militia. he served in the 112 Regiment serving under Captain Andrew Peery's Company. On June 25, 1807, he was recommended for promotion to Lieutenant and was officially appointed Lt. Samuel Lusk, Jr. on June 29, 1808. Samuel served as a Lieutenant until April 25, 1810 when he was promoted once again to Captain.

David Lusk, Samuel's brother, not only served with Samuel during the Indian Wars in 1792, but also during the War of 1812. While David Lusk is listed in the military in Tazewell County for the War of 1812, Samuel is not. The Adjutant Generals Report of Kentucky during the War of 1812 list Samuel Lusk as a Kentucky soldier. Officially Samuel Lusk serves as a Private in the 3rd Regiment, Kentucky Detached Militia serving in Captain Soloman Brandenburg's Infantry Co. Samuel had enlisted on Sept.1, 1812.

Evidence has proven that Samuel Lusk was not a resident of Kentucky in 1812, but he did relocate to Kentucky in 1828. While Samuel was not listed as serving during the War of 1812 from VA. actually he really did so. Samuel's job during the War of 1812 was simply to transport supply wagons....."to Kentucky". These wagons were transported to Hardinsburg, Breckenridge Co. KY. Once the wagons were delivered Samuel was discharged on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 1812, receiving pay of $25.33 for his 4 months, 24 days service. I'm sure traveling to and from Kentucky encouraged him to resettle there.

After returning home to Tazewell Co. VA., Samuel and Sarah would continue to raise their family. Ten more known children were born in Tazewell County, they were: Harrison (b) 1813; Chole (b) 1814; Russell (b) 1815; James (b) 1817; Andrew (b) 1819; Lydia (b) 1820; Whitten (b) 1821; Susan (b) 1828; Samuel (b) 1827. It appears that some of these children did not survive infancy.

In 1828, Samuel Lusk and Family migrated westward to Lawrence Co. KY., staying there in Kentucky, Samuel and Sarah had another child....Emily (b) 1830. The area where Samuel lived in Greenup Co. KY.,changed "county names" in 1838 and became known as Carter Co. Ky.

At the age of 58 on Oct. 7, 1834, while living in (then) Greenup County Kentucky (area now Carter County Kentucky), Samuel applied for an Invalid Pension from his past involvement during the Indian Wars. With his crippled hand and old age creeping up on him, Samuel sought the pension benefits then made available to those veterans who served their nation. At a time when Samuel needed help from the Nation he helped serve and protect and build, our government simply neglected him. After a period of 8 years had passed, Samuel now 66 years old, he would ask Lewis Fuggett to assist him. Mr Fuggett sent the Pension Office a letter of inquiry on April 19,1842 seeking not only simple acknowledgement, but the results on the Lusk Pension Application. This time the response was quick, on April 30, 1842, results on the Pension Application was made clear.....REJECTED!!!!. It appears that a Mr. Edwards, Commissioner of Pension in Washington DC sent a rejection notice on Dec. 27, 1834 to Mr. Robert D. Stockton in care of the Greenup County Kentucky courthouse but he never notified Samuel Lusk Jr. It appears that our government didn't believe Samuel Lusk Jr. served during the Indian Wars. (History naturally has proven this totally wrong, records do exist to prove Samuel's involvement...but dah....too late now.)

Samuel Lusk spent his finally days living on Rush Creek, off of Williams Creek in Carter County Kentucky on his 187 acre farm which he purchased in 1839. Samuel died between 1845-49 followed by his wife Sarah shortly after 1850.

James F. Carter, researcher and author of this military service record of Samuel Lusk Jr. is a 5th great-grandchild of Samuel Lusk.

Copyright-Feb 1999-James F. Carver: (heritage@zoomnet.net). The material may not be sold or used for profit. Permission is hereby freely granted to reproduce, photocopy, distribute, post on internet, or publish freely in its entirety providing proper credit is given the author and if published a copy of its publication is provided to the author.



Children: *still researching these names
James LUSK (?-?)
John LUSK (?-?)
William LUSK (?-?)
Russell LUSK (?-?)
Samuel LUSK III (?-?)
Martha LUSK (?-?)
Susan LUSK (?-?)
Emily LUSK (?-?)
Harrison LUSK (?-?)
Lydia LUSK (?-?)
Chloe LUSK (?-?)
Pedigree 
                             ____________________|
 Samuel LUSK   |
|                           |____________________|
|
|--Samuel LUSK JR
|
|                            Adam STEPHENSON     |
|Susannah STEPHENSON
                            |____________________|


SOURCE: RootsWeb.com

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