Re: Lydia Russell Bean- DAR Patriot
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In reply to:
Lydia Russell Bean- DAR Patriot
Jan Keller 8/22/99
In the book... Notable Southern Families Vol 2 as well as the bookWilliam Bean "pioneer of Tenness and his descendents" it has Lydia Russell and her brother George (my line) as the children of James Russell of Virginia. The family was famous for it's Frontier soldiers and statesmen.
Lydia was the mother of the folowing children .William,Robert,George,Sarah, Jane,Jesse,John, Edmund and Russell.
Jane was killed by indians when she went to a nearby spring to do some washing, some indians were hiding in the thickets and came out,killed and scalped her 12 Nov,1799
Russell was famed for being the first white child born in TN. The cabin in which William Bean built and that Russell was born in is off of Hwy 23 on the outskirts of Johnson City TN. there is a Historical marker on the road. the marker itself is hard to get to if you don't have a guide. but it is described like this.....
7ft tall 5 ft square at the bas and reads....
Site if Cabin
erected by William Bean
Russell Bean
first white child born on Tennessee soil
Born here.
Lydia Russell Bean was captured 1776 as she rode her horse tword Ft Lee at Watauga. she was taken to the Cherokee camp on the Nolichucky River.she was questioned and told she was going to be killed.They asked her where the forst were, how many men were there,and if they could be starved out.
Lydia told her captors that there were many men and they were well supplied to last any kind of attack.Lydia was then taken to Toquo and tied to a stake at the top of a large mound.the fire was then lighted around her when a women names Nancy Ward arrived.she scattered the fire to put it out and then cut Lydia free.
Lydia taught Nancy and the other Cherokee women the art of making butter and cheese. Due to Lydia's training Nancy Ward became the first feamle owner of a herd of cattle. The idians up untill them showed a great dislike for the "white man's Buffalo"
This is information is taken from William Bean Pioneer of Tennessee and his descendents page 19
If I can help you more please feel free to email me at....
[email protected]
Michelle