By Charlene Shields
Notes from the White County Historical Society as they appear in "The Carmi Times."
Copyright ©2000 by "The Carmi Times" Permission to reprint granted to Cindy Birk Conley and the ILGenWeb by Tammy Knox, editor, "The Carmi Times."
The Legend of Indian Jack
For years I've tried to claim kin to Tammy Knox, our illustrious publisher of The Carmi Times. My maiden name was Cleveland. Somehow I've never found our connection, and I doubt Barry would be too keen to claim me for a distant cousin!
The 3,000-page Cleveland genealogy which was published in 1899 chronicles the story of Indian Jack as being associated with my line of Clevelands. Strangely, Barry says this same story has been handed down. orally in his family. (See, Barry, there must be a relationship.)
Here's all that is known about Indian Jack. The story of his strange life has been lost in the mists of antiquity.
By surname a Cleveland, he was descended from the English Clevelands who came from County York to the colonies in the mid-1600s. There is disagreement about which Cleveland came, but many believe it was Alexander. This Alexander Cleveland was born about 1620, probably in England. When he came to these shores, he settled in what later became known as Prince William County, Va. We do not have a record of his wife nor his children with the exception of one son, Alexander.
This Alexander was born about 1659 and died on Blue Run, in Orange County, Va., at the age of 111 (so the story goes.) Of his children, the one with which we are concerned is Micajah Cleveland.
Micajah is thought to have been born between 1700 and 1712. We do not know when or to whom he was married, and we do not know when he died.
It is known he had at least three children: Micajah, John and John. Yes, there were two sons named John, and thereby hangs the tale.
Micajah Cleveland and his family lived in Virginia and were troubled by Indians who finally stole his son, John. The child's mother, mourning for her lost little boy and thinking him to be dead, named her next son "John."
After several years, the first son returned home. By that time, he was familiarly known as "Indian Jack." Having been reared by Indians, no doubt he had trouble conforming to his parents' way of life.
After the death of his father, his mother married a John Shaw, and they moved to Tennessee, along with family friends, the Hurlys. Indian Jack accompanied his mother to Tennessee.
One day Indian Jack went with Mr. Hurly to Clinch Mountain (toward Kentucky). There "he shouldered his gun and went away," and was never again heard from.
So his mother lost this son twice. She and her husband moved to Shelby Co., Ky., where they reared at least five children.
And the full story of Indian Jack will never be known!
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16.
Gen LIb typed 1/11/00 barry's mac, cq
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