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Greathouse Point > Library > Biographies > The Greathouse/Tanner Connection

The Greathouse/Tanner Connection
Memories compiled by Emory Morland Greathouse.

(Note: Subsequent research has not been able to support all of what he wrote.)

Emory Morland Greathouse
Ola Jean "Boggs" Greathouse

1640-Albert Tanner of VA was captured by Black Hawk Indians, somewhere on Big Sandy river, now WV.  He was scalped and burned at the stake.  He left two sons three daughters.

Later at Boons Landing in Kentucky, a band of Indians came down on the little settlement, killing all the whites except one boy.  Sam Tanner, eleven years of age, saw his father die from arrows of the Indians bows.  He managed to get the old musket, and began firing from the dead body of his father.  With his ammunition expended, he ran into the woods, but was soon caught by Indians, who took him somewhere in the north.  He lived as an Indian for seven years.  After learning about his contemplated murder from a young squaw, who gave him food and his fathers gun, he started his long journey back South.  Traveling only at night and sleeping at day with out food, except berries and nuts for almost a month, he came to a white settlement, the first he had seen since his capture seven years before.  Dressed as an Indian and crawling on his hands and knees toward the cabin, a woman appeared at the door to throw out dish water.  Accustomed to looking around, she saw what she thought was an Indian.  Calling to her husband, who came to the door with rifle in hand and aimed at the Indian.  Tanner raised his hand and waved not to shoot and he was unarmed.  Hungry and cold, they took him in gave him food and then he told the story of his capture by the Black Hawks and his getting away.  The old gun had been left in the woods several miles away, as he was unable to carry it.  A few days later, Tanner and Sid Witsel went into the woods and brought the gun  home.  Witsel's mother was a sister to Tanner's mother.  Tanner married and had one daughter, who married a Greathouse, who was a preacher or missionary in the settlement.

Sam Tanner lived 115 years, and was third great grandfather to the present Ervin Greathouse.

 
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