Good explanation of Jonathan Swift

Curtis said:
I have posted this too many times. It not the same Swift, and its not logical to carry the stuff into KY all that way with a good chance of it being taken by Indians or French, even Spanish. Again they could melt down the booty on a deserted island, or even on board a ship, many had a forge on board to repair iron items...I respect Prather's research and his ideas since the book ...but I also think he is mistaken about the pirate/hiding loot idea.
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I agree, he was not a pirate. If he was from Alexandria and came to KY in the 1780s he was the merchant and gentleman of stature in that community that Prather found research on. This Swift could have been working for the newly founded government. After all he had family working for the U.S. Treasury. If he was from N. Carolina, he was obscure and either a long hunter/farmer or a fur trader with the Indians and lived near the Yadkin River in the 1760s. We won't ever know details related to him other than here say. I will say this, I find it highly unlikely that there would have been two John Swifts in the KY region within 25 years of each other that were NOT related to each other . Statistically having two men of the same name, in the same region, within a generation of one another when the area was just beginning to be settled. The estimated population by 1780 was less than 50,000 and estimates are 200,000 by 1800. Families then were very large, couples would have 6-10 children. Take those numbers and think about 60-75% of the population were children. It just doesn't add up that there were two J.S. unless they were Smiths and not Swifts.
 

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KY Hiker said:
I agree, he was not a pirate. If he was from Alexandria and came to KY in the 1780s he was the merchant and gentleman of stature in that community that Prather found research on. This Swift could have been working for the newly founded government. After all he had family working for the U.S. Treasury. If he was from N. Carolina, he was obscure and either a long hunter/farmer or a fur trader with the Indians and lived near the Yadkin River in the 1760s. We won't ever know details related to him other than here say. I will say this, I find it highly unlikely that there would have been two John Swifts in the KY region within 25 years of each other that were NOT related to each other . Statistically having two men of the same name, in the same region, within a generation of one another when the area was just beginning to be settled. The estimated population by 1780 was less than 50,000 and estimates are 200,000 by 1800. Families then were very large, couples would have 6-10 children. Take those numbers and think about 60-75% of the population were children. It just doesn't add up that there were two J.S. unless they were Smiths and not Swifts.
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I'm inclined to agree with the thought that his name wasn't Swift at all, and that he had read the story of Gullivers Travels and picked up on the name Swift and used it or Maybe his Name was Smith. Maybe Swift was an alias ?? If his name was Smith in real life that could change the light on the legend a bunch. The author Swift Died in 1745 in Ireland . A simple serach on the net will tell ya that. He was born in 1667 which would have made him 90+year old when the fable of the Silver mine was to have taken place. Something just isn't adding up about it all for me. More deception in the legend than anyone wants to admit ???
 

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I have no problem believing there was a man that mined silver in Ky./ Formerly part of Va. BUT !!! Was his Name Jonothan Swift ??? Was it Johnathan Smith ??? or might it have been John P. Hoehandle ??? There has been many mines dug throughout E. .Ky. for one reason or another ,Iron ore ,Limestone , coal and the likes. Yes the silver story would sell land. Yes from the geological aspect there is a chance there is silver here. maybe not in the metal form that most looks for while out prowling through the woods looking for who ever the legend is about . There has been to many instances of silver being found in to many places for there not to be silver in E.Ky. There has Probably been millions of tons of silver ore push into hollow fills by the coal mining industry. If/When the truth comes out, people in E. Ky. will have something to scratch their head about.
 

As a comparison to Swift consider John Finley, friend of Daniel Boon. A historical person of interest and a very early trader with the Indians. A very early version of a mountain man (before the Western ones). His 'records' are no where to be found, nothing of substance can be found on him. Several places claim he lived there, died there or hunted there but he just disappears similar to Swift. Many things have been printed of him but there is no trace, grave site, birthplace or homestead that can claim him. About the only record of him is from Boon himself, to my knowledge. This is evidence of just how sparsely populated the Kentucky frontier was 1750-1780. There were no courthouses, the towns were collections of farms with a Station(fort) nearby to run to if the Indians were out for scalps. Finley probably died alone or by the work of the Indians and decayed where he fell. Sounds somewhat similar to how John Filson disappeared, assumed he died on his return from the area that would become Cinci. Even Col. James Harrod 'disappeared' while out searching for the mines of one Swift. Although there is evidence he was murdered by the man who lead him out to the forks of the Kentucky River (Beattyville area). His body was never found either.
 

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Ken S. said:
There is history of Mound Builders in the area here. Particularly in the Johns Creek area before Dewey lake was made. My most concerning thought would be Why did they only use the letter Y in a carving ??? Unless it meant the end by it being the last letter of their alphabet .
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I have a copy of a map of Johns creek with names and dates back to the late 1700’s. There is some interesting information on it. It does mention mounds..
 

swiftfan said:
I have a copy of a map of Johns creek with names and dates back to the late 1700’s. There is some interesting information on it. It does mention mounds..
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. I'm sure that my 7th grade teacher mentioned the mound builders in this area some where and was thinking it was Johns Creek. That has been many years ago though. Guess the gray matter is still working..
 

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So if Swift came in and out of North Carolina (Yadkin Valley), why would he come to KY for Silver? Seems ironic with all the gold and gems that ended up being found in NC and GA at a later date.

 

Maybe he was going where an Indian/captive of the Inians told him there was silver to be had. at least that's the way the story goes. It would give validity to the legend. The finds in N.C. and Ga. wasn't till a later date.
 

Too bad Mundy was taken by Shawnee for Swift's sake, if the Cherokee would have got him the legend would be about gold and gems not silver.
 

I figure there is gold to be found in the Northern part of Ky. The Glaciers came down into that part of Ky.. Probably wouldn't be like panning out west or Alaska but I bet there is some to be had if a person was so inclined to pan for it. Probably small flakes, I figure along the Ohio River south for 40-50 miles Maybe 75 miles in places.
 

The last ice age glacier halted basically where the Ohio river is today. There are very few glacier erratics South of the river. Most everything flowing South of the Ohio river flows Northward toward it. I think you would be more likely to find gold in the Mississippi mud and the Gulf of Mexico than in Northern KY !
 

Botetourt County, Va. back then went all the way to the Mississippi River; RRG was in Va., I think... MAYBE, Swift & Associates were simply looking from land, leaving from Alexandria County, back then... dunno.
 

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