A LONG WAY HOME FOR MARY DRAPER INGLES

Since full time retirement has set in, I have found time to enjoy some of the simple pleasures of life. One thing that I have rediscovered is how much I enjoy reading a good book.  I am not a fan of E-Books, I like a book that I can hold in my hand and turn actual pages.

I am a big fan of history and enjoy books that document our past. I am luck to live in an area where I am surrounded by history.  One of the books I have been reading recently was about Mary Draper Ingles and over the past few weeks have kind of taken an interest in her incredible story, much of which occurred right here in my own back yard.

Mary Draper Ingles
(Radford News Journal)

Mary Draper was born in Philadelphia in 1732 where she lived with her parents until 1748. It was then that her and her parent moved to the western frontier and established a settlement that was called Drapers Meadows near present day Blacksburg, Virginia.

Two years later Mary married William Ingles. Their marriage was thought to have been the first one recorded in the frontier west of the Allegheny Mountains. While living at Drapers Meadows the couple had two sons, Thomas born in 1751 and George in 1753.

By all account the couple was quiet happy until the summer of 1755. It was then tragedy struck Drapers Meadows. During the late spring an early summer of 1755 a band of Shawnee Warriors travel from their village on the banks of the Ohio River and arrived in the New River Valley. In July the warriors descended on Drapers Meadows killing four settlers including Mary's mother and niece.

Mary, her two sons and several others were taken captive. Mary's husband was injured but escaped into the near by forest.

The Shawnee and their captives traveled for several weeks back to their village near the confluence of the Ohio and Scioto Rivers. Upon arrival at the village, the Shawnee made captives James Cull and Henry Leonard run the gauntlet. The two were kill during this brutal ritual.

During her captivity, Mary and the other female captives were made to work sewing shirts and preparing meat for the winter.  In October, Mary and some of the other women were taken to a salt lick to harvest salt.

It was while working at the salt lick in late October 1755 that Mary and another older woman made good their escape. Armed with only a tomahawk and a knife and two blankets the two women attempted to retrace their route back to the New River Valley. They followed the Ohio River basically until it intersected with the Kanawha River. Living only on walnuts, grapes, blackberries and pawpaw the two women followed the Kanawha to the New River which they eventually followed by home to Drapers Meadows. It is thought that the two women travel over 600-miles, averaging only 10 to 12 miles a day.

Site of Ingles Ferry

Half starved and a shell of her former self, Mary was reunited with her husband who was still recovering from his injuries. The couple move to the bank of the New River where they operated a tavern and a ferry. It was here at a place called Ingles Ferry that Mary and William had four more children.

Their first two children were taken captive during the 1755 raid. George died in captivity but Thomas was eventually ransomed and returned to Virginia in 1768.  Thomas would marry Eleanore Grills and the couple would settle in Burkes Garden. In 1782, history would repeat itself when Shawnee would raid Burkes Garden taking Eleanore and their three children captive. Two of the children were killed but Eleanore and their youngest child would survive and were rescued by Thomas.

Mary and William Ingles lived the rest of their lives at Ingles Ferry. William died in 1782 and Mary lived on at Ingles Ferry until her death 1815 at the age of 82.

Site of Ingles Ferry

Having read about this incredible story, I wanted to see if any of the sites relating to Mary Draper Ingles still existed. Drapers Meadow which is now the campus of Virginia Tech is long gone. A small plaque located near the Duck Pond commemorates the 1755 attack.

After a little research, I was able to locate the site of Ingles Tavern and Ferry. It is on the west bank of the New River near Radford. Not much is left but you can still make out the actual ferry landing and there are a couple of log building near. The land in now private property and posted so I had to view it from the end of the state road.  I am not sure if the Log building are original to the site or were build later.  Maybe I will go back in the summer and see if I can get permission to access the Property.

Grave of Mary Draper Ingles

The last place I was able to locate was Mary's Grave. She is resting in the West View Cemetery in west Radford just a short distance from the Tavern and Ferry. Visitors will have no trouble locating Mary's grave. It is marked by a large stone obelisk located right at the cemetery entrance.

There is some amazing history right in my back door. Now that I have the time, I hope to explore it.