did swift have 3 groups of mines

Last edited:
KY Hiker said:
Keep in mind, around the same time Swift was supposed to be mining silver, John Finley was trading with the Shawnee at the Old Indian Fields which is about 20 miles West of where the Red River Gorge is today. Not all Indians were hostile to all whites but many were.

John Finley - Huntsburg?s ?Man of Mystery? - Geauga News
https://www.facebook.com/BooneHome/posts/10153080021685255:0
Click to expand...

taking into consideration the fact that Finley was trading with the Shawnee, coming into the Great Sandy by way of the Kanawa would be a smart move to stay out of the Cherokee nation all together according to this map. Bear in mind Munday knew the habits of the Indians.

Map of the United States - Early Native American Tribes
 

Last edited:
KY Hiker said:
I keep catching myself halfway down a rabbit hole, doing research on related topics. Its very easy to get overwhelmed in information or distracted by a related topic. Just the traces alone could take years to figure out. The Shawnee had their own, the Cherokee as well, seems the Delaware got down this way too. It looks like the only trace they all used was the 'warrior's path', all the side traces were used by individual hunting and war parties. Dozens of them that are not documented but became pioneer roads later.
Click to expand...
"Warrior's Path" around here is Rt. 11, near Roanoke, Va.
 

In the Shenandoah Valley (born & raised there) Shawnee had "Hunting Grounds" along the Shenandoah River; as a kid, I found LOTS of arrow-heads, tomahawk heads, certs/cert flake piles; maybe camps, NO villages.
 

Ken S. said:
taking into consideration the fact that Finley was trading with the Shawnee, coming into the Great Sandy by way of the Kanawa would be a smart move to stay out of the Cherokee nation all together according to this map. Bear in mind Munday knew the habits of the Indians.

Map of the United States - Early Native American Tribes
Click to expand...

Interesting map but not that accurate compared to what I have come across before. I think trying to map Indian territory is problematic as they were in constant war with one another and areas of tribal influence changed from decade to decade. The Cumberland river was almost entirely within the Cherokee nations and down into North Georgia, and the Shawnee covered more North and West than shown up into middle Ohio and to Illinois. Delawares came as far SW as down to near the Pound area. Mecca and sometimes called Yucca tribes were dotted around the the present day boarder of KY-WV-VA and some maps show them as Delaware. Odd I don't see the Iroquois tribes? I guess because they were a confederation of tribes....Trading with a peaceful tribe of Shawnee by one white man does not support another group of white men having peaceful passage through an area. Indians were as much individuals in their thinking as the whites, and opportunists as well. They would have raiding/war parties wandering in various areas. By having Mundy 'knowing' their habits probably refers to their hunts and routes during certain times of the year.
 

Can someone send me a message with the gps coordinates or explain to me where the entrance is where Bill Gibson went into the pigeon water cave system?
 

Ken S. said:
Ky Hiker
You said I have even wondered if upper, middle and lower could be a reference to the KY. River's three forks? or the Red River's 3 forks?
Why do you wonder when Way Bills and Maps make reference to the Great Sandy or Big Sandy ???
One of the legends I have seen made reference to an alternate route they used sometimes that stated them coming through the Kanaha river which is in the Charleston W.Va. area. and lays southeasterly toward Beckley.
Click to expand...

I have been to that river crossing. It is north of the 25 mile creek drain into the Kanawha River. I found a triangle on a rock where Swift and Party said they had to hid a pack load of silver due to the Indians shooting their lading or the pack mule. Anyway I made several long trips up there. The WVa State highway Dept. cut a stone below there in half, one on each side of the road. The upper have has HH carved really deep into the stone. Could be Henry Hewitt one of Swift's Party. Across the branch from there and up the hill is carved an Indian Calendar into the cliff face. I always wanted to get back there and look for the cache and more signs but life seems to keep me away. PS Daniel Boone crossed here when he did a survey for Governor Hendericks of North Carolina. Governor Hendericks funded Daniel Boone's expeditions into Kentucky.
 

Governor Hendricks? or Judge Henderson? I have never heard of a Governor Hendricks or Hendrix of NC in the Boone stories.....
 

Sturgill85 said:
Can someone send me a message with the gps coordinates or explain to me where the entrance is where Bill Gibson went into the pigeon water cave system?
Click to expand...

In the video that was removed from YouTube, My Gibson stated he went in the Pigeon Water Cave system at the normal entrance but at that time the water was very shallow or 'not that deep'. A man in the audience asks him in disbelief about a passage in the cave he has never seen but that Mr. Gibson describes as using. He described an 'underground river' and a steep ledge he took also. He deduced that Swift probably used another entrance to get to where he found the kegs, but that he happened upon them 6 or 7 miles in. He thought that the river ran parallel and under Pine Mt. Its a shame this video was taken down!
 

KY Hiker said:
Governor Hendricks? or Judge Henderson? I have never heard of a Governor Hendricks or Hendrix of NC in the Boone stories.....
Click to expand...

You are correct. Failing memory.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Gold in Elliott County Article

⬅️ Previous Thread

Red River Gorge

Next Thread ➡️

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Simplex Metal Detector

Latest Discussions

Back
Top