THE TRUE INDIAN STORY

The story of the last know Cherokee Indian in Wayne County, Lydia Gundy, has been told in several versions that I have transcribed below, Laurie Selpien

The True Indian Story by Mrs. Walter G. Lee

Capture of Indian “Lid” in 1835 by Beulah Reed May

THE TRUE INDIAN STORY

By Mrs. Walter G. Lee (written about 1963)

On Monday July 5, 1954, you published “An Indian Story” from the Wayne County Historical Society Scrapbook. I enjoyed it very much, but it is somewhat different from the story told by my father, the Lawrence P. Burkett, whose mother was a daughter of the Henson’s who helped capture and care for a lone Indian woman. I believe one of the last Indians in Wayne County was named Lydia Gundy. She was captured near my great grandparent’s old home, northeast of Zenith by my great grandfather Henson and others. Several times barefoot tracks had been seen in the light snow and evidence of bonfires were found. As winter was coming on, great grandfather Henson feared the Indian would die of cold and hunger. At the time of the first heavy snowfall a posse was formed under his leadership, and he gave orders that the Indian was not to be harmed in any way, as she had probably been lost from her tribe. The posse consisted of men and boys, some on horseback and some on foot to keep the family dogs under control.

THE BIG CHASE

One of the younger boys caught sight of her fleeing in the heavy timber and yelled “There she is Grandpap,” So the chase was on. She would run in circles, back track, and walk fallen trees to flee from what she thought was certain death. At last they found her, hiding behind a fallen tree under some growing bushes, very tired and scared. Great Grandfather offered his hand, and in some way made her understand they meant no harm. They coaxed her to go with them, where she was given food, clothing and a home. After the passing of great grandfather and great grandmother, Lydia lived with other members of the family. She was so kind and helpful. She cared for the sick, the mothers and their young babies, as well as the older children. She loved to roam alone in the dense forest and would be gone for hours at a time. Often so long that the Hensons and Burkett families would say “Lydia is gone for sure this time,” but just at dark she would return. Where she wandered no one knew, but it was thought she hoped to find some other lost Indians.

TRUSTED AND LOVED

My father learned to love and trust Lydia almost as much as his own mother, and though he was very small boy, she took him on many long trips in the woods and fields with her to search for Gensing and other medical herbs. At the same time she taught him much about the wild animals, birds and uses of plants and the beauty of wild flowers. She also learned to cook and helped with hunting, spinning and weaving of the “linsey” which was worn in those days. When she knew she was going to “The Great White Father” she begged to be taken to the woods. (The Big Woods) to die, but she was cared for by her adopted family. When my father and mother were unable to go to the cemetery they would send my sister Emma and me and many were the beautiful flowers placed on Lydia’s grave by two small girls who felt so proud and honored to be allowed to do this.

VISITS HER GRAVE

I never go to the Henson Cemetery where many members of my family are at rest, without paying a visit to the grave of the lone Indian woman. Her grave is in about the center of the cemetery on the far north side, and is marked by a sandstone with the name “Indian” carved on it. This stone was taken from the little creek just a short distance north and my father helped to put it on the head of her grave. Unless it has been changed the past 3 ½ years, that is the only way to locate her grave. I would be glad to contribute to a fund to provide a better marker for her grave if someone would start action in this matter. I do not recall great grandfather Henson’s given name, but believe it was John. There are other descendants of this family in Wayne and Clay County. John Henson of Xenia is a great grandson, and Sadie Burkett, the widow of Phillip, my fathers youngest brother. She is in her late eighties and still lives near the old Henson home. My father was always proud of the story of Lydia Gundy that he told it over and over to his children and grandchildren. I hope this version of it will be of some help to the historical Society of Wayne County.

CAPTURE OF INDIAN “LID” IN 1835

By Beulah Reed May (1974)

Perhaps the most memorable episode in the lives of Phillip G. Henson and his family was the capture of Lydia Gundia, in 1835. Stories about her still live on in this present day. Among the tombstones in the Henson Cemetery there are 3 of a Cherokee Indian. The Henson Cemetery is near Zenith, Illinois, about a mile west and ¼ mile north of Zenith. It is located on the top of a small hill and circling part of the hill on the north and east is a stream, called Rattlesnake Creek. The cemetery is about 130 years old (as of 1961). It hasn’t been kept up like large modern cemetery are today-it is small, a family cemetery, and even the waving of uncut grass lends charm to its smallness, oldness and thoughts of our ancestors who lie there. Mr. A. L. Henson, in his article My Ancestry and Indian “LID” which was published in the Mt. Vernon Register News in 1961, writes: “I came to another grave, which had 3 stones at its head. The first one, a sandstone old and weather beaten, had been stuck into the ground. Scratched on the sandstone were the words: “December 1866, Indian Lydia” The second stone was manmade and it bears this inscription “Lydia Gundia of the Cherokee Indian Tribe-born Tenn. 1805 died 1866 after the Harvest had passed and Sumer Ended.” This stone, I was told was donated and installed by a wealthy man of a nearby county, who was impressed by her grave and life story. The third was an aluminum sign that reads “Indian LID-Lydia Gundia, Wayne County’s last Indian. A vanishing tribe, befriended and lived in the home of Phillip Henson and John Brown for 35 years-Lydia possessed a will to work-allure of the forest.” The story of Indian “LID” as to dates cannot be pinned down to exactness. Just when she entered Illinois is not known, although it is thought she roamed around for about three years in southern Illinois before Phillip G. Henson captured her in 1835. Phillip was about 46 at the time. Matilda was an invalid by now and kept to her room a great deal. What was wrong with her is not known, but speculation among the women of today is that she ailed from bearing many children, or the change of life.

Perhaps the truest story of Lydia Gundia is that by R. B. Evans who talked personally to two sons of John Brown: and perhaps their memory and facts were more accurate than those given by other members of the family much later. Note that in 1911, when Mr. Evans wrote the article there were no headstones for Lydia. Also note that Mr. Evans calls her “Lydia Gundy”

Mr. R. B. Evans article is given here in its entirety:

(Taken from the journal of the Illinois Historical Society (1911) Volume IV pages 343-346, Springfield Illinois, Public Library.)

LYDIA GUNDY

The facts about the last Indian resident of Wayne County, Illinois. Communicated by R. B. Evans of Jeffersonville, Illinois, the writer having been familiar for years with the most important facts in the following narrative, has of late, interested himself in the story and obtained details of interest from J. B. Brown mentioned in this narrative.

In the winter of 1835 some hunters in the vicinity of Mill Shoals, White County, found in a cave or cavern an Indian squaw in a starved and frozen condition. She had hidden herself away for protection against the frost and snow, but in vain. She was badly frozen. Her feet in particular, and in her starved condition she presented a pitiful sight to the hunters, who in their uncultured manner, were kindhearted and soon brought relief to the distressed woman. The good people of the community came as good Samaritan They fed and clothed her until spring, when her feet having healed sufficiently for walking, she disappeared from the Mill Shoals neighborhood; wandering up Skillet Fork River she was next seen in Wayne County in the region of the juncture of Nichole Creek and Paddy Creek with Skillet Fork. This Indian woman was wild and avoided meeting any of the settlers, but occasionally seen running away to hide when anyone approached near her camp. The campfire was found, but the Indian would not be seen. This Indian women lived in the forest as best she could, with only her hands to obtain her food. She made frequent invasions of the settlers’ truck gardens and helped herself to any kind of food that suited her fancy. This locality seemed to appeal to her more than any other and not knowing the way to her tribe she lingered here until winter approaching. No one ever succeeded in getting speech with her, and fearing she would starve and freeze during the winter Phillip Henson, being of a romantic disposition, organized a searching party and prevailed upon her to adopt one of their homes and be cared for in a civilized way. The men searched the forest in vain for days and all but Phillip Henson gave up the search. He continued to ride through the forest day after day with his gun and finally came upon the woman secreted in a clump of bushes. She started to run away, but was soon overtaken by Mr. Henson on horseback, who leveled his gun at her and called “Halt” The woman ceased running and faced her pursuer with both arms extended upward expecting to be shot. Mr. Henson explained his motive to her and insisted that she mount the horse behind him and go home. This she did and always seemed grateful for a home. This forlorn woman told her benefactor in broken English that she was a Cherokee Indian; that her name was Lydia Gundy and that she, in company with a younger squaw, had been enticed away from her people in the south by a white man who had promised “to wife her”, but instead he had deserted her in the neighborhood of Mill Shoals, disappeared with the younger squaw. Lydia Gundy lived in the Henson family as one of the household. She was kind hearted and industous, always ready to perform any duty assigned her. After the Henson children had all married and had homes of their own, Phillip Henson deserted his invalid wife and migrated to Missouri, leaving her and Lydia Gundy alone in possession of the farm. Mrs. Henson was confined to her room all the time so all the labor fell upon Lydia, which she did without a murmur. There was but a few men who could wield an ax or hoe better than she could.

John Brown, who married Sis (Narcissa) Henson, was a generous hearted man and responded to the call of duty when there was wood to haul or other work which Lydia could not do. This labor finally became burdensome to john Brown, as he lived several miles from Mrs. Henson. He then requested that Mrs. Henson be moved to his home where he could better care for her; but she declined the generous offer unless he take Lydia Gundy also. This he readily consented to do and the two women were moved to John Brown’s home. And Sis (Narcissa) Brown cared for her mother and Lydia, being relieved of that duty, assisted in the fields with her hoe. She thought a crop couldn’t be planted without her aid. She did her work well and the Brown boys knew they would have no easy task when they were pitted against Lydia in any kind of outdoor labor. Labor saving machinery was unheard of in those days and it was a custom that the woman assisted in the fields. The soils was productive and yielded in abundance. The pioneers of Wayne County were like the Acadian peasants whom Longfellow describes as “ The richest were poor and the poorest lived in abundance”. In personal appearance Lydia Gundy was a typical Cherokee Indian. She had the upper of the lobe of each ear cut off, but weather for ornamentation or as punishment could not be ascertained. The habits and customs of a people cannot be changed in a generation. Lydia Gundy’s love for the forest clung to her all her life. On days when there was no necessary work and on Sundays she would appear restless and would soon disappear and be gone for most of the day and upon her return would tell of her trip which extended over several miles. Lydia called all the Henson relatives “Our Folk” and would visit them and was talkative, but there was only one stranger who ever succeeded in gaining her friendship. That was Uncle Billy Harrison, a Baptist Minister, who often preached at Mr. Brown’s. Lydia Gundy had seen the trees drop their leaves many times before she came to Wayne County, yet the thirty-two years of her life here she always enjoyed good health. But one day in the winter of 1866, she complained of being sick and was given some of the home remedies kept in the house. That night she left her own room and came into the sitting room where Mr. Brown and other members of the family were sleeping. She sat down by the fire and seemed in great agony. When Mr. Brown asked “what is the trouble, Lydia?” she explained “O John I die!” Before anyone could reach her, her spirit had flown to the Happy Hunting Grounds of her forefathers. The Henson Cemetery in the northwestern part of Wayne County contains an unmarked mound and only a few of the older people know that Lydia Gundy sleeps beneath its sod.

There are several versions of the story of how Indian Lid happened to wander into the Sillett Fork Bottom. One version was told by Phillip G. Henson (1879-1964) of Zenia, Illinois in 1960 in which Indian Lid killed another Indian woman. Phillip C. Henson was the great grandson of Phillip G. Henson. In his version, Indian Lid was camped across the Mississippi in Missouri. She got into a fight with another Indian woman and killed her. As was the custom “An eye for an eye.” She was to be killed the next day. So her man and another brought her across the river to Illinois. She left two small sons on the other side.

Another version of this romantic story given this writer by her aunt, Mrs. Earl Hoyt (Ida Bell Keen Hoyt) sometime before her death in 1971. Mrs. Hoyt was a direct descendant of Phillip G. Henson, being a great great-granddaughter. She remembered stories her father, Phillip C. Keen, told her about when he was a very small boy, and he knew Indian Lid. Mrs. Hoyt said Indian Lid had been in the Skillet Fork Bottom for 3 or 4 months before Phillip G. Henson captured her. She had a coffee maker and a skillet. She would catch and trap little game and cook them. She ate berries and she used “Sassafras” and other roots to make “coffee”. The first thing Lydia did when she arrived at Phillip’s home was to look for a comb. She grabbed it and ran behind a door and combed the cockleburs out of her hair. She had lots of black hair. She would try to run away for quite a while, but they would catch her. Then she went to work and came to love Phillip’s family. Mrs. Hoyt said the story about Lid that she remembered was that Indian Lid and her brave and another couple were out camping. The men went out hunting and Indian Lid and the other women got into a fight and Indian Lid killed the other women. The others left her behind because as was the custom an eye for an eye-Indian lid would have been killed by the other Indians.

Do you have information you would like to add? Contact me and I will add them!

lselpien@msn.com

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