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SIMON KENTON,
whose name will appear frequently in these
pages, was an early settler in Urbana. I
quote from Judge Burnet's letters as
found in Howe's History. In his letters he
says that when the troops were stationed at
Urbana, a mutinous plan was formed by part of
them to attack and destroy a settlement of
friendly Indians, who had removed with their
families within the settlement under assurance
of protection. Kenton remonstrated
against the measure as being not only mutinous
but treacherous and cowardly. He
contrasted his knowledge and experience of the
Indian character with their ignorance of it.
He vindicated them against the charge of
treachery which was alleged against them as a
justification of the act which they were about
to perpetrate, and reminded them of the infamy
they would incur by destroying a defenseless
band of men, women and children, who had placed
themselves in their power relying on a solemn
promise of protection. He appealed to
their humanity, their honor and their duty as
soldiers. Having exhausted all the means
of persuasion in his power, and finding them
resolved to execute their purpose, he took a
rifle and declared with great firmness that he
would accompany them to the Indian encampment
and shoot down the first man that dared to
molest them; that if they entered their camp
they should do it by passing over his corpse.
Knowing that the old veteran would redeem his
pledge they abandoned their purpose and the poor
Indians were saved. Though he was brave as
Caesar and reckless of danger when it was his
duty to expose his person, yet he
was mild, even tempered and had a heart that
could bleed at the distress of others.
General Kenton lived many years in Logan county,
on what was called the old Sandusky road, about
four miles north of Zanesfield on his farm,
where he died April 29th 1836, aged 81 years and
26 days. His remains were removed to
Urbana by a deputation of citizens from that
place I think in 1865, and buried in the
cemetery about three-quarters of a mile east of
the city in a lot of
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ground appropriated by the city for that purpose
containing about seventy-five or one hundred
feet in a circular form with a view of erecting
a monument at some future day. The only
thing that now marks his grave is the same plain
stone slab that stood at the head of his grave
in Logan county, with this inscription:
"In memory of Gen. Simon Kenton who was
born April 3d, 1755, in Culpepper County, Va.,
and died April 29th, 1836, aged 81 years and 26
days."
His fellow citizens of the west will long remember him
as the skillful pioneer of early times, the
brave soldier and honest man.
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