John Richard Parker, (1830 – 1915), was the son of Silas and Lucinda Parker in Crawford County, Illinois. His grandfather, John Parker, was recruited to settle his family in north

Speaking of frontiersmen ..   Bland Ballard has been the subject of a number of biographical sketches. This post contains two similar but different accounts of Ballard’s life.  The first

James Harrod was born circa 1745 in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, -one of twelve children born to John and Sarah Harrod. He grew up a frontiersman, and became skilled at hunting

Phebe Tucker Cunningham This story is a fantastic snapshot Phebe Tucker Cunningham’s life on the frontier.  The narrative was taken from the “Chronicles of Border Warfare” by Alexander S. Withers,

Most of us are familiar with William Penn’s Treaty with the Indians. A lesser known treaty, made by Penn’s sons, is known as The Walking Treaty or Walking Purchase of

After the Boston Tea Party in December 1773,  British General Thomas Gage ordered the removal of gunpowder from the Powder Magazine in Massachusetts.  As a response, in September 1774, the

Elizabeth was a patriot that was forced to flee her home during the Revolutionary War after the British put a L200 bounty for capture.  This amount nearly equaled twenty years

Here is a fantastic tale of a once captive girl who became a well respected member of the Miami Tribe.  It is the story of Frances Slocum. In the summer