d not suffer much by their hostilities in 1781, as in
the preceding years; yet were they not exempt from aggression.

Early in March a party of Indians invaded the settlements on the upper
branches of Monongahela river; and on the night of the 5th of that
month, came to the house of Capt. John Thomas, near Booth's creek.
Unapprehensive of danger, with his wife and seven children around him,
and with thoughts devotedly turned upon the realities of another
world, this gentleman was engaging in his accustomed devotions when
the savages approached his door; and as he was repeating the first
lines of the hymn, "Go worship at Emanuel's feet," a gun was fired at
him, and he fell. The Indians [226] immediately forced open the door,
and, entering the house, commenced the dreadful work of death. Mrs.
Thomas raised her hands and implored their mercy for herself and her
dear children. It was in vain. The tomahawk was uplifted, and stroke
followed stroke in quick succession, till the mother and six children
lay weltering in blood, by the side of her husband and their father--a
soul-chilling spectacle to any but heartless savages. When all were
down, they proceeded to scalp the fallen, and plundering the house of
what they could readily remove, threw the other things into the fire
and departed--taking with them one little boy a prisoner.

Elizabeth Juggins, (the daughter of John Juggins who had been murdered
in that neighborhood, the preceding year) was at the house of Capt.
Thomas, when the Indians came to it; but as soon as she heard the
report of the gun and saw Capt. Thomas fall, she threw herself under
the bed, and escaped the observation of the savages. After they had
completed the work of blood and left the house, fearing that they
might be lingering near, she remained in that situation until she
observed the house to be in flames. When she crawled forth from her
asylum, Mrs. Thomas was still alive, though unable to move; and
casting a pitying glance towards her murdered infant, asked that it
might be handed to her. Upon seeing Miss Juggins about to leave the
house, she exclaimed, "Oh Betsy! do not leave us." Still anxious for
her own safety, the girl rushed out, and taking refuge for the night
between two logs, in the morning early spread the alarm.

When the scene of those enormities was visited, Mrs. Thomas was found
in the yard, much mangled by the tomahawk and considerably torn by
hogs--she had, perhaps in the struggle