My Genealogy Home Page:Information about John Van Cleave
John Van Cleave (b. 1739, d. May 1812)
Notes for John Van Cleave:
[Drake, Schirmer, Freed.FTW]
Source: copied from manuscript loaned by E. S. Harvey to H. S. Van Cleave
John Van Cleave, son of Aaron and Rachel (Schenck), was born in Monmouth
County, New Jersey, in 1739 and died in Jefferson County, Indiana, May 1812.
He went from New Jersey to North Carolina with his parents in 1751 and to
Shelby County, Kentucky with the Boones in 1775 and finally to Indiana in 1811.
He married, first, Mary Shepard, time and place unknown, second in
Kentucky, time unknown, to Rachel Ryker, nee Demaree, widow of Geradus Ryker,
Sr.
He was at Boonesborough during the Indian siege of that station and he and
his family were at Bryant's Station at the time it was attacked by more than
500 Indians under Simon Girty and some British officers on August 15th and
16th, 1782.It was during the attack on Bryant's Station that John Van Cleave,
the son of John (then about 15 years old) distinguished himself by shooting and
Indian who was standing on a high stump overlooking the fort.
About a year previous to the attack on Bryant's Station, John Van Cleave
and his family had been living at the station of his brother-in-law, Squire
Boone.The inhabitants of this station becoming alarmed about the presence of
Indians in the country, decided to move to Boonesborough for greater safety.
They started to move on 14 September 1781.Squire Boone was suffering from a
gun-shot wound made by an Indian bullet, and he (with his son, Isaiah, and a
few others) remained behind to look after the stock.The party had proceeded
about ten miles and were in the neighborhood of Long Run when they were
attacked by the Indians.Mary Van Cleave was carrying one of the twins and her
daughter, Polly (Rachel?) was carrying the other twin, Sally.The boys were
trudging along on foot.When in the maze of the great forest they were
attacked by the Indians, hidden in ambush.Mary, the wife of John, was killed
and the child carried away.The other girls were taken prisoners.Polly was
carrying the other twin, Sally, and although she was taken prisoner, she still
cared for the child.It began to cry and fret.The Indians made signs for her
to quiet the child, but she did not understand them, so they opened her bosom,
making signs for her to give it suck, but not succeeding, they were about
ready to kill it.The rest of the family, it seems, had fled for their lives,
pursued by Indians.Just at this time, a party of horsemen from Boonesborough
made a dash on the Indians, drove them away, and rescued the prisoners,
retaking Polly and her sister.Nancy, the favorite sister of Aaron, was
carried away by the Indians.Her family never saw her again, nor ever learned
of her fate.
This Indian attack has since been known as the "Battle of Boone's Defeat"
although Squire Boone was not present at the time.
The Van Cleave boys made their escape by following the horsemen.John, a
fleshy boy, could not run as fast as Aaron and Benjamin, so he was left behind.
He made his escape by crawling into a hollow tree and remaining there all
night.He was found there the next morning by scouts that went out to look for
the dead and John heard them and came out of the hollow log, not a little
rejoicing to find friends, and went with them to the station.Aaron and
Benjamin were slim and active and fleet of foot, so they ran after the
horsemen and kept up pretty well.When they came to a river, the horsemen
would not take them up, so they caught the horse's tails and swam across this
way and made their escape across the river, from the Indians.After they
crossed the river they hurried along on foot as fast as they could encumbered
by their wet buckskin garments.Their pantaloons were water soaked and heavy
and began to drag underfoot, retarding their progress.One of the boys rolled
his pants up, and they were alright when they dried out, but the other boy cut
his pants off at the bottom as they gave down and began to drag under foot.
When they got dry they were too short and nearly ruined.He took them offand
threw them away and never found them.The pants had gold buttons on them
(probably brass).
What was left of the family was gotten together at Boonesborough.Mary,
the wife of John, was found and buried beneath the branches of the forest
trees, and where her grave is we do not know.
Next we hear of the Van Cleaves they had settled on a small creek called
"Bullskin" in Shelby County, Kentucky, not all of them, for Aaron settled on
Salt Creek, near Bearstown, but John, Benjamin, Ralph and Billy all settled in
one neighborhood.
!MILITARY RECORD: Page 365 Indiana Military Records show John Van Cleave as born
in New Jersey. Service record-served as a private in Captain Chenoweth's CO. of
Jefferson County, Kentucky, Militia on tour of duty at building of Fort Nelson,
April 20 to May 12, 1782.Served in Kentucky Militia in 1780.Received
military grant from Virginia in 1790 for 300 acres of Muddy River.PROOF:
Illinois Papers have name on payroll of Captain. Chenoweth's CO.; Will in
Jefferson County, Indiana.Died May, 1812, in Jefferson County, Indiana.
Married-first wife, Mary Shepard, D. 1781. Ch. Rachel; John; Elizabeth; Aaron;
Benjamin; Nancy and Sally (twins).Second wife, Mrs. Rachel Ryker. Soldier's
Will also names sons, Peter and David.Collected by John Paul Chapter D. A. R.
!WILL: Jefferson County, Indiana Book 4 Page 3.
I, John Van Cleave, of Jefferson County, Indiana Territory, being advanced
in years, but of sound mind and perfect memory, known that it is appointed unto
men once to die, and that from causes of nature the time of my departing cannot
be far distant, do in order to prevent any confusion after by decease and a
distribution of my worldly estate, make the following will:
(1)All of my lawful debts be paid.
(2)I bequeath to my wife Rachel, my dwelling house and household
furniture, farming utensils, likewise as much of the stock as she may
think proper for her.At my wife's decease (this) to be equally
divided between my two sons, Peter and David.All of my wife's
clothes, at her death to be divided between her four daughters, Leah,
Rachel, Charity and Deborah, and my clothes to be divided between my
two sons, Peter and David.
(3)I give and bequeath to my son Peter Van Cleave, two thirds and my son
David Van Cleave, one third of the property bequeathed to my wife.
(4)I give to my son, David Van Cleave, $80, out of the bond of John Van
Cleave, due May 1, 1813.
As to my other children, they have already been provided for, they are not
to come in on the property aforesaid.
I constitute and appoint Peter Van Cleave and David Van Cleave and Samuel
Ryker, executors to carry out this my last will and testament.
May 11, 1812/signed/John Van Cleave
Witnesses-Geradus Ryker; Leah Ryker; James Storm; Sarah Storm
Filed at Madison, Indiana, May 28, 1812.
More About John Van Cleave and Rachel Demaree:
Marriage: KY, USA.45
Children of John Van Cleave and Mary Shepard are:
- Elizabeth Van Cleave, d. date not given45.
- Rachel Van Cleave, b. October 25, 176345, d. April 26, 184245.
- Leah Van Cleave, b. Abt. 176545, d. date unknown.
- +John Van Cleave, b. Abt. 176745, d. date not given45.
- Aaron Van Cleave, b. March 04, 176945, d. February 24, 184645.
- Benjamin Van Cleave, b. Abt. 177145, d. Abt. 185045.
- Nancy Van Cleave, b. Abt. 178145, d. date not given45.
- Sally Van Cleave, b. Abt. 178145, d. date unknown.
Children of John Van Cleave and Rachel Demaree are:
- Peter Van Cleave, d. date unknown.
- David Van Cleave, b. March 14, 178745, d. November 18, 185245.