Old Swift story and pics (linK)

KY Hiker said:
Just need to draw an arc in the NE quadrant 70 miles from Martin's Station VA (wilderness road state park). That puts Pikeville, Prestonsburg and Salyersville in that range.

That quote above is a land title entry and probably the best lead on one of the mines location.
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Good thing I live in Pikeville...
 

Yea, from Campton over to Pikeville and down to Elkhorn City would be the arc approximately 70 miles as the crow flys. Sounds like you live in prime hunting area for one of the mines. I have a 2 hour drive to get to the Red River Gorge area, more like 3 to Pikeville on the Mt Parkway.
 

The geology around Pikeville doesn't have a lot of the markers in any of the Swift journals. I grew up on Shelby creek, mentioned in one of the accounts. I know these hills all along there. There seem to be more markers as you move north towards Paintsville. This year will probably see me in that area..
 

swiftfan said:
The geology around Pikeville doesn't have a lot of the markers in any of the Swift journals. I grew up on Shelby creek, mentioned in one of the accounts. I know these hills all along there. There seem to be more markers as you move north towards Paintsville. This year will probably see me in that area..
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I have been to the Paintsville area several long trips. There is one of Swift's Caches near the mouth of one of those branches. Also Mudlick is where the woman cook was held by James Watts and the Swift Party. I believe the fork at Shelby's Fork is where the Swift Party separated and one group went along Pine Mountain to the lower mines and Swift and his men went a considerable distance west. I believe if you go up by the Indian Paint on the cliffs and cross over towards Little Sandy River you will find the mines. I would have loved to live down there and search those mountains. There is several big caves along the branches. Problem though there has been a lot of core drilling in this area. If there were any silver they would have found it. I believe you need to go west of Paintsville towards Little Sandy River. That would be near where John Filson was killed. Also the Indian Chief, James Watts that kidnapped the cook lived not to far from the Little Sandy River.
 

swiftfan said:
The cook. Are you referring to Mary Cartwright?
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Yes, the one Chief Watts kidnapped in North Carolina. I believe her name was Jenny?
 

franklin said:
Yes, the one Chief Watts kidnapped in North Carolina. I believe her name was Jenny?
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Please tell me what account talks about a cook that is kidnapped? I remember a different story, that had nothing to do with the Swift legend, Jenny Wiley was taken by indians but she escaped. Also, Boone's daughter and another are kidnapped by indians, but they are retrieved soon after. I don't recall a cook in any version of the Swift legend I have read. Please retell or link to it!
 

The cooks name I recall was Mary Cartwright. But she was in Tennessee. I just read something that mentions her the other day. Jenny Wiley's last name was Sellards when she was taken. She remarried years after she escaped. I don't remember any of the captors names.
 

swiftfan said:
The cooks name I recall was Mary Cartwright. But she was in Tennessee. I just read something that mentions her the other day. Jenny Wiley's last name was Sellards when she was taken. She remarried years after she escaped. I don't remember any of the captors names.
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Mary Cartwright a cook in Tennessee is abducted by Indians, I must have missed this version of the Swift Journal completely! Where can I find a text of it?
 

KY Hiker said:
Mary Cartwright a cook in Tennessee is abducted by Indians, I must have missed this version of the Swift Journal completely! Where can I find a text of it?
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There is a Jenny's Creek near the Devil's Backbone and both lie West of Lexington, Ky. Adam Stephens and others deeded land in this area. Another thing about Adam Stephens, he made a statement during the Continental Congress meetings after Patrick Henry was worried about separation from England and forming our own country. Patrick Henry was worried about our country having enough gold and silver to get our country running after separation from England. Adam Stephens then took the floor and said, "I know where there are several rich gold and silver mines in the Western Country (Kentuck) were we can get all the gold and silver needed for separation from England." Kind of makes you wonder if he knew where the rich gold and silver mines were located and he knew they were rich gold and silver mines then he must have been in an area such as Jonathan Swift's and he would have gotten land patents on this land before making the statement at the Continental Congress meetings.

Also a Devil's Backbone means there was an uphevel in the ground below due to volcanic activity and that is where you will find gold and silver.
 

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Where is this Devil's backbone? I know of several ridges that are called that, but that is because they are long thin escarpments with undulations resembling a spine from above. They look to have been caused by ions of erosion rather than upheaval. One of those ridges is in the Red River Gorge, a section of Auxier ridge just before you get to Haystack Rock is called the Devil's backbone or Wizard's Backbone. Shear 100ft drops off each side.

Here is another and related to the Welsh topic

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil's_Backbone_(rock_formation)

Still others near Carter caves, and Clark county and other locations South of Louisville......

https://www.topoquest.com/find/place.php?state=KY&search_type=start&name=Devils+backbone&class=any
 

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It was Bluejacket that was supposed to lead some "investors" to the mine....but he had a vision from the Sprit who told him not to--or so he said.

The Article that Coonhunter provided has been referred to here sometime past-or so it seems....my questions was -if that was the place with all of the signs why didn't they have the coins and mine after something like 30 years? Others swear they find the same signs in different areas....once you get out and walk the areas you find out fast if the signs all line up....or not....it takes the boots on the ground to determine if a area really fits...If that is the Swift arch then you should find buried coins, and the mine from its location to the other locations...if you don't its not it.
 

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