Indian waybill to Swift Mines (Revisited)

Ki, first the Chief Joseph Brant was a member of the Iroquois League of 6 nations. Part of there territory ran into Kentucky. There were small bands of other tribes that were used as buffers against raids and the league gave them protection.

Chief Joseph was schooled in England and could read and write with the best of the white men.

Curtis,
There seems to be a problem with the swift map and symbols on it. Some say that the famous (101) carving is not swifts. But on map 2 it has it and map 2 is the most famous. Notice the left side of the map, it has nothing there. there should be a 101 and below it an all seeing eye. all are part of the Masonic symbols.
1. map 1: this is the carving that is on a cliff about 1/2 mile down stream from were the 4 barrels of coin were buried. The line of rock was blasted out by the corp of engineers, sad because i was told there were several carvings and names along it. Remember that he says go here look in, climb up, there has to be a reason for this, like the 3 trees in a rockhouse. there must be more carvings or something buried? The shaft of the arrow goes thru a rockhouse. i saw this and in the back is a small opening, never did have a chance to search this. Next to this rockhouse is a cliff that has a seam of coal that goes in a line to the small rockhouse, does the small opening in back of the rockhouse tye in to this? Past the indian is the 45 acres at the mouth of the creek.

     
 

Next, if you will look at the center of swifts map, there are 4 sevens. The sevens and the 101 are on tea kettle rock with directions to get them. The photo below is the location of one set, with 101 and the seven. Where i was standing is where one of the mines is, when i took this photo. If you look close you can see the 2 pillar rocks near the cliff. The next photo is a close up of the rock with the 101 and seven. Notice the line carved into the rock below the 101. The 101 was used by the Masonic Lodge to represent the entrance into King Solamens Temple. The 1's were the 2 pillars on each side and the 0 represented the inner chamber or treasure room. On top of the 101 is a small carving that looks like a 7 but it has a small extension. This cliff runs for a short distance, like the carving. In the center of the 0 is a deep round cut. Nothing along the cliff has been disturbed.
The next photo shows a hand. Most Indian clans used some sort of mark and the hand carved meant something of importance.
The KGC stories tell of 3 hands. White, Yellow, Red, the last meaning danger. But this was a carving use for centuries by the tribes and they were colored. But every carving found had to be KGC or Swifts. On the buffalo rock is a carving of a hand with an X carved into it, palm facing up with the thumb longer than it should be, all this is just above mundays name, there is still some pigment of white left on it. The photo shows were the thumb led to. anyway I've got the bug or bugs. so i guess i rambled on.

Hi Boomer!

Its good to see you are still working on the Way Bill stuff! There is a lot more there than just the locations of the silver mines. I had read a lot about Mathew Bacon Sellers, had even tried to locate his granddaughter in Florida but never connected. Your copy had some great locations/ directions that Henson’s didn't have. Henson had sent me a copy of his Indian Way bill back in 1981 and said “I hope you find a million dollars”. I finally started finding locations and then when I read yours I was able to find the rest and the mines.  I do think there is more to it than just the mine locations. Can you give me a little more info on the location of the Monday and Swift names…..I have been right past them and not seen them. I need to go when the water is down. I have really enjoyed searching the rocks and climbing the cliffs in the area. I know we still miss a lot but I have found most of the things the Indian mentions even the location of the “tree” trees…. believe it or not the rotted stump of one is still there. I also found some steps carved into the rock but not enough to be the Indian stair steps Swift mentions…although there e are sever places where there are the steps of layer s of rock that I think he was really calling the stair steps.
I did however find a Spanish name ELIPE and date carving up Caney creek.  Sellers claimed he found 13 Spanish coins near his place …do you have a good location on his land? I know it was nearby, and sold recently (it was on the national register…how things get off and sold is beyond me). 
In my research I have found things that seem to indicate that maybe the Spanish were in the area first, they may have used the Shawnee as friends or slaves to work the mines. Then when Swift came into the area he may have hooked up with some of the descendants who showed Swift the mines (read that he was part Indian or had married into the Shawnee tribe before his trips in the 1760s) I think the Indians Swift had trouble with were the Cherokees.  The Shawnee and them were  enemies all the time.
I am not going to disagree about who wrote the Way bill, but I could not find where Chief Joseph of the Iroquois was ever in Kentucky. After reading several early books he was almost totally in the New York area.. he did do some traveling down into the Virginia area. I wonder if the chief the waybill talks about is someone related to Cornstalk? He fits the time period and area better…just cannot find who it may be.

Sure do enjoy your maps and posts!

Curtis

Curtis,
Joseph Brant
Joseph Brant (1742-1807) was a Mohawk chief and ally of the British during the American Revolution. He was instrumental in moving the Mohawks to Canada following the winning of American independence.

Joseph Brant was born in the Ohio Valley near Portsmouth, Ohio and was called Thayendanegea ("he who places two bets"). His father was a sachem of the Iroquois Confederacy, to which the Mohawks belonged; however, Brant's mother was Shawnee not a Mohawk, and as descent in the tribe was matrilineal, he never rose to the rank of sachem, although he did become a war chief.

forgot to add this,
At the line of rock, the rockhouse that is the bow on the drawing, next to it is a cliff that goes along the creek south. look up on the cliff and you will see a hand carved there, has a white color. follow the thumb. you will need to go up the carved steps between the rockhouse and where the coins were buried. along the hill south is a small round rock with a vary small hand carved and the date 1762. the thumb points southwest toward a hill on the west shore, past the 45 acers. dam i miss being able to get out.

Great information Boomer. I live here in Elliott County and have looked for the mines since I was a kid with my dad. Anyways, I would love to find that carving of 1762 that you mentioned. However I am not for sure where the coins were found. I know of a hole in the side of a cliff that is close to the line of rocks that was once masoned up with rock, however I thought it might have been a cellar because of the cabin that once set next to the line of rocks. Anyways, any more information would be helpful. Thanks.

Curtis,
Joseph Brant
Joseph Brant (1742-1807) was a Mohawk chief and ally of the British during the American Revolution. He was instrumental in moving the Mohawks to Canada following the winning of American independence.

Joseph Brant was born in the Ohio Valley near Portsmouth, Ohio and was called Thayendanegea ("he who places two bets"). His father was a sachem of the Iroquois Confederacy, to which the Mohawks belonged; however, Brant's mother was Shawnee not a Mohawk, and as descent in the tribe was matrilineal, he never rose to the rank of sachem, although he did become a war chief.

forgot to add this,
At the line of rock, the rockhouse that is the bow on the drawing, next to it is a cliff that goes along the creek south. look up on the cliff and you will see a hand carved there, has a white color. follow the thumb. you will need to go up the carved steps between the rockhouse and where the coins were buried. along the hill south is a small round rock with a vary small hand carved and the date 1762. the thumb points southwest toward a hill on the west shore, past the 45 acers. dam i miss being able to get out.

The place you found that looks like a cellar was where the four kegs of coins was buried. The steps are further around the hill and are just two/three that go up onto a large rock. Do you know of a guy named Zach he is interested in the same area. We should all get together and share and explore the area better. The more eyes the better.

Sure would like to hear more from Boomer and see if he could go. He knows more about that area and the indian carvings than anyone I have talked to.
 

Hey Curtis, I am Zach. But you are right; you and I do need to head down in Caney when the weather breaks.

The place you found that looks like a cellar was where the four kegs of coins was buried. The steps are further around the hill and are just two/three that go up onto a large rock. Do you know of a guy named Zach he is interested in the same area. We should all get together and share and explore the area better. The more eyes the better.

Sure would like to hear more from Boomer and see if he could go. He knows more about that area and the indian carvings than anyone I have talked to.
 

Boomer here is a picture of some of the carvings I was telling you about that are on Caney. There are many more on this rock. I also used soapstone and didnt know that it was bad for carvings at the time. But oh well; live and learn I guess.

For some reason my picture is cut off about half way. There is actually another hand carved on it as well as many other numbers and symbols.

Boomer here is a picture of some of the carvings I was telling you about that are on Caney. There are many more on this rock. I also used soapstone and didnt know that it was bad for carvings at the time. But oh well; live and learn I guess.

This picture was also taken on Caney. My dad and I used to go down Caney in a boat and we stopped and took this picture. However neither one of us can remember where it is. We know it is on Caney and we had thought that it was on the same rock as the previous picture I attached but we cant find them now. Anyone know where these carvings are?

Sorry everyone, my pictures are only showing about half of what it should. I will try to get this fixed and send them again.

This picture was also taken on Caney. My dad and I used to go down Caney in a boat and we stopped and took this picture. However neither one of us can remember where it is. We know it is on Caney and we had thought that it was on the same rock as the previous picture I attached but we cant find them now. Anyone know where these carvings are?

If you scroll down to the bottom of each of my posts with the pictures, you will find a link where you can open the picture and it will show the whole thing.

EC Mason,

Which Caney Creek were these taken on?
What county?
How long ago?

Thank you for sharing them!

--Chris

Boomer where are ya?

Ive been reading some really good storeys coming from your guys area. Good locations for gold and silver!!!
could these carving connect to Lekain somehow? Great Pics E.C. .......  -Ki-

The pics Mason is talking about is on Caney creek in Elliott County, KY. We were sharing about having the same picture of the word ELIPE  carved on a rock but neither are really sure where it was...I am thinking 1/8 mile from the boat ramp. For sure its on the right side going upstream! Near it is one that has completely different text and says "One to many a day" not sure of the meaning. Can't show you much else right now as its related to some really good finds dealing with Indian silver mines.

Like KI, I wish Boomer would chime in on this. As i mentioned to Mason he is like Mason's father, he knows about all kinds of carvings in the area. Not only that, he has some interpretations for the carvings.

Here is one of the mines on Caney. I think they are Spanish. Do you  want to see a Spanish Death trap? Its hanging right over my head. Let me know if you want to see it, I'll try to post a picture of it. If you can see a rock sitting on a shaft I thinkits the trigger to put that Volkswagen rock on your head. One other thing Mason did you see the small drilled holes near the mine in the picture? Been reading someone Else's posts on those drilled holes meaning something to the Spanyards.

 Curtis, I saw the holes. I have been in that mine before and like you the large rock over my head makes me a little nervous. Like I told you in an email, my great grandfather used to own part of Caney and his father owned another part before they were bought out in the 1960s by the government. My great grandfather said that that rockhouse that you are in, had two mines in it or two different ways into the same mine. The hole you are in is one way, and if you go to the other side of the rockhouse there is supposed to be another way in. However, my great grandfather was roaming in those cliffs as a young boy probally in the 1920s, and I am sure the mine has caved in somewhat since then.

Here is one of the mines on Caney. I think they are Spanish. Do you  want to see a Spanish Death trap? Its hanging right over my head. Let me know if you want to see it, I'll try to post a picture of it. If you can see a rock sitting on a shaft I thinkits the trigger to put that Volkswagen rock on your head. One other thing Mason did you see the small drilled holes near the mine in the picture? Been reading someone Else's posts on those drilled holes meaning something to the Spanyards.

The first picture was taken about four years ago, and the second picture was taken when I was a boy probally around 1991 or so. Both pictures were taken on the main Caney Creek.

EC Mason,

Which Caney Creek were these taken on?
What county?
How long ago?

Thank you for sharing them!

--Chris

Its funny that you mentioned another entrance, I would have swore when I first found that huge rockhouse (bakc in 1981/2 we came at the entrance to the mine from a different way. The other entrance must be caved in or buried. I kept looking for the places we tought the miners laid on, they were like benches cut into the rock and were very well worn. They are not there now...there were some fallen rocks ...several dumptruck loads...they may have fell right on the benches and other entrance! I kept thinking I know we were at a diffident angle entering that mine! Your relative sure helped out on that puzzle! There was a lot of locust posts in it too. When we first found it we got pretty excited because Swift mentions the locust posts. The one i am in only has two now.

Sorry guys, i remember the carving now "ELIPE"... Is that a Spanish carving? Mike Steely if i remember correctly has a great story about this carving in his book, i'll have to pull the book out and read that part again.....

Ki, I looked in Steely's book but I cant find where he talks about ELIPE. However, he does have a picture of the same carvings that I posted a picture of that has the name ELIPE. If you find the story let me know, I would love to read it. Thanks.

Sorry guys, i remember the carving now "ELIPE"... Is that a Spanish carving? Mike Steely if i remember correctly has a great story about this carving in his book, i'll have to pull the book out and read that part again.....

Ki,


If you cannot find the story can you sort of paraphrase it for us. Mason and I and maybe his cousin are looking in the same area for some clues that are possible Spanish ties to the area.

Well.... E.C your right there was no story, but there was a picture.. This must have been what i seen, its in page 106 of steely's book. Steely reports the carvings are spanish.....   I think i remember reading about this carving somewhere other than Tnet, if i come across it i'll let you all know.....    -Ki-

thanks to masons photo of the hand and with the other carvings of hands, i was able to connect the dots. we got it. there are 2 burial sites maybe 3. you need all 4 hands to find the locations and you need all 4 to find the snake. the 3rd is the snake pointing to a cliff at the head of the stream. the creek matches the snake perfect, the aerial photo shows a rockhouse or depression. maybe its where they camped? now, what to do? when to go? it needs to be dry.       

I only knew of one set of hands, the ones you had sent about a year ago, what do you think they represent?  Is there something (burials) related to them?

curtis, yes they are related to sites. whats buried? i don't know. but it has to do with the fingers of the little sandy river. each hand has its own markings on where to go to. the key is the hands carved on top of the large rock in the middle of the river, at the line of rock. whats so funny, we never new that those hands where there. we shimmed up on top to take pictures in a 360 degree sweep of the area and there they were. what ever is buried is still there. it just needs to be dry to get this done.       

If I am not mistaken the dry season is only when the Army Corps of Engineers lets the water down for the winter pool. They will be letting it fill back soon! I was there last February (2009)and was excited to find some of the things we had talked about before. You have solved the main question I had about the natural bridge/arch.

Do you know of a natural rock bridge in Elliott or Carter Counties being 196 feet tall? Someone said it  that may have fell  in the 1930s?

there are 3 i knew about, i think. the 196' was at carter caves.  maybe the other was big or little sinking creek. i'll look in my stuff. 

ELIPE could be a last name. if that's an F instead of an E, you have Spanish name FELIPE, means lover of horses or Phillip in english. last the, Banner of arms of the King of Spain, House of Bourbon (1700-1761).

Boomer,
I wonder how close we are to the place where the coin molds fell out of the rocks when the lightning hit. The site of the coin molds may help a lot (I posted on another thread that a friend found some molds back in the 1970s but they were on a ledge near the line of rocks). They were tested at the UK and they were w covered with bear tallow and rapped in bearskin.  This other set may be a very handy clue to start some locations from! 
Mason, does anyone you know remember the discovery? Boomer posted a story about Swift or maybe a different Swift but in it the writer tells of the coin molds falling out of the cliff on the Little Sandy.  He also mentions how that Swift may have traveled from the fork of the Big Sandy to the Little Sandy! This is what we (Boomer and I and others) have been looking into for over a 25 years—Boomer a lot longer. I will say once again I feel the Indian mines and Swifts are connected in that area! The Indian mentions 4 kegs of silver …so does swift.  They both gave direction on travel form the Big Kanawha. They both had more than one mine(the five Indian mines are all within a 2 mile radius I have located all of them but one and thanks to boomer and Mason will locate the last one this spring/summer). The Indian tells of a lot of signs right around the line of rocks…the one rock house looks like it could have been a smelter but torn down. Boomer indicates there are things the rock map indicates.

Just found the pics I was going to post for Mason about ELIPE, I am sure I can find it again. Here they are. There are two that have been turned into a negative on another thread that show some of the other carvings better.

The area where lightning hit the cliff, if any ore were exposed it would be very black by now....

Boomer,

Did you find anything on the lightning strike and where it really was?

Any more likely treasure stuff around the Carter/Elliott/Lewis/Green up Counties?  The stuff on the guy from Portsmouth newspaper was some of the best I've read on Tnet or any other site...it rang true and was very much appreciated!

below shows location of the rock that has the carvings on them. the crane was easy to figure out, head, neck, body and feet. the indian took a little longer. there is a + plus carving halfway up the side of the cliff on the side drain. someone had to go down on a rope while others held him in place to cut this, the cliff is shear, up and down. the + really stands out, cut deep. it had to be a special marker. i wonder? near the head of this small drain on top, this area is all flat land. i had an old corp of engineers aerial photo of this area and it had to have been taken when the leaves were all down. it showed what looked like a worn area shaped like a + with maybe rocks on each point. it was hard to tell. guessing on this part. new aerials were done in summer, the trees cover anything up there.








 

Hi Boomer,

These are great pictures. I wonder what they were trying to say was hidden or you were being directed to? Do you think its the campgrounds, treasure, or salt? Or something else? I am willing to check the places out that you think are significant.

this place was known well by the indian people. had no need for trail markers. notice on each side of the lake, how the cliff walls or straight up and down. before the dam was put in, the sandy flowed along a flat floor. easy traveling to sandy hook and on south to west liberty and remember, during the civil war the union troops were being chased by morgans raiders and they took the best route to get to grayson and on to greenup and across the ohio river. the union troops had cannon and wagons. the carvings were done by outsiders. this is treasure for sure. 

I have a month to go before the shoulder is good enought to do some exploring...sure am looking forward to checking out some of these things you have brought to light!

Hi Boomer,

I place this on another post too but it may not get to you...let me know what you think...

The Waybill's history can be traced back someone famous, his family had it. What if the way the ancestors obtained it was by murder?  What if the Waybill was the information that Cornstalks grandson obtained from Bluejacket's son? Using it he found some of the hidden silver left behind by the Shawnee. He was murdered for the coins and the waybill he had had when he was leaving. If this is the same waybill, the person suspicioned and his family had left the area. Well, this famous person’s mother's people owned land in Elliot County and years later returned to repurchase surrounding property. The sudden appearance of the Waybill is remarkable. It coincides with the loss of the information from the young brave. If we could ascertain the original means that the family obtained the Waybill it could clear the family name. I have tried to contact the family but all attempts have been met with silence. They live in Florida which is where one copy (there are at least two-my copy came from M.P. Henson) came from. However, I believe the Insertion of Chief Joseph as the writer is false. I wonder if it was cover for the way someone obtained the Waybill (the murder). Joseph left the Shawnee area when young and lived in the New York State area then Canada. I cannot find any information that says he lived in the Shawnee territories after he left. Again I question his being the author. I maybe wrong and may have to apologize at some time so I am not naming the family.
What I do not question is the correctness of the Indian's Waybill. I have found all of the mines but one by following the directions. As I have mentioned before in other posts it took a year to do it but was one of the biggest adventures of my life. I confirmed the locations with the new state of the art device purchased just for that purpose. What do you think? Please do not take this as “gospel” and do not be angry at me for the theory. All those concerned are long gone and I still do not want to harm anyone’s family name. Do you think this is possible Boomer?

Curtis,
     When your shoulder heals up and you can make it down this way I would love to meet up with you for sure..  I have been doing loads of research and with the stuff you and boomer have been posting I would love to be part of this adventure..  I have a lil info of my own regarding Lekain that I would love to get your input on as well..  I live close to your search area and can be out there anytime, anyday - you name it..  Ill send you a P.M. with my phone number so you can give me a call..  I would love to get together even before the "Meeting of the Minds" - so the first chance you get to come down make sure and call me..
     I had a chance to get out a few weeks back and located several of the carvings that you and boomer have mentioned..  I am heading out that way next weekend to snap off a few pics and to visit the Stamper Farm..  We have actually done a bit of work for them recently and have sub-contracted several concrete jobs to their son..  He had some interesting information that I would love to share with you and boomer..  Make sure you give me a call when you can make it and I'll load up the boat and we'll do some exploring.. 

                                                                                                Casey

Good luck with the Stamper farm, I have always wondered if the guys that blew the cave shut were actually in the right place. Then, where did LeKane get the gold and silver? There must be a nice mine around there someplace!

Hey All,

I am looking for a metal detector.  Any advice or ideas on a good beginners detector would be appreciated.
Or, if anyone has one they want to sell let me know.
Thanks.KW

walmart has this, but you have to order it, ether on line or at the store. simple to use. i always use one in all metal mode, more depth that way. it picked up an iron sewer pipe at 4 feet, but it all depends on the type soil your working in. more iron less penetration. plus you get a free pinpointer. pinpointer is good to have for checking rock samples in caves and rockhouses.
i think its $180.00 for both.
 
Bounty Hunter Lone Star Hobby Metal Detector with Free Pinpointer,

Hi boomer,

Yes this is the same information I had but was not able to find the bridge...I think Swingles branch may have been near Carter Caves but not sure. Will have to try to get to the county engineers or library to find information..maybe oldest post office would know. Notice the description.... that the bridge, waterfall and Indian stairsteps...hmmm this is what has me so set on the Swift mines being very near the grayson/carter county area....and it is west from the forks of the Big Sandy...even a "considerable distance" of 58 miles. The Indian trace from Kenny (at the Ohio) also went right to a spot very close to Carter and probably past the Cave area...haven't found anything that shows that for sure yet--my speculation as its too close not to work for Swift/Mundays IndianTrace. So if the trace went past carter caves area, and there is a Natural rock bridge (that has fallen?) Indian Stair steps, and a waterfall, well its just too much of the right landmarks in the same area to be coincidence. If I lived near the area I would have already located the natural bridge (collapsed or not)...to me that is the key--finding the natural bridge mentioned in the book..if i remember right the book was printed in 1928 so the bridge was there then...but I had read somewhere that some guy said it had collapsed....can't find that reference now. So if Swindles is the right Cane Creek (there are two creeks named the same less tan 30 miles apart) then I 'll be searching further down stream..already checked out the four natural bridges in Carter Caves Park...they seem to short to be the one in the book you posted on, and I did not see the Indian stair steps. Now when we consider that there were counterfeiters in that area (even in the caves) and that silver bars have been found...and its not too far form where LeKane hid his stash...its too many thing to be just chance. Then as you mentioned about the mines on Kenny  this is either a rich silver area or several people used the same mines...but did anyone find the Swift main mine and Cache? 

This is interesting in this book, Originally published in 1848 by Lewis Collins, history of Kentucky Vol. 2. It tells the story of a Natural Bridge on the right fork of Caney Creek, known as Little Caney and before that as Swingles Branch and that it goes into the Little Sandy river. Tells of a stairway or steps near the bridge that you can use to go down to the floor at the creek, also tells of two other smaller bridges in the neighborhood. Next it tells of cascades or water fall 100 feet below the Natural Bridge and another 2 miles away. Tells of two sinking creeks, Big Sinkey and Little Sinkey. all three flow into the little sandy at Grayson Lake.
If one could find the Artesian Well. I Think the Indians would look at it in a holy way and with the explorer's they would both leave there mark or carvings and something buried, you never know?   The problem?? It tells of the caves in the neighborhood. Now it talks about Carter Caves? Collins is so precise in the location of the Natural Bridge. Could it be that there are two sets of arches?
  Just a note here. In front of bat cave in the dry creek bed i found burnt rock, reheated it and a few drops of silver came out.
Anyway, below is the Carter County story.

[Greenup]

This is an add on to the Natural Bridge story above. Sometimes things click. We have this from a newspaper from Greenup, Ky.
 Telling of a petrified arm and then we have the story of Simon Kenton making salt on Tygert Creek. Then the Indians making arrow heads And SEVERAL CAVES near the kenton salt works and the Indians loved there salt. It could be that all three stories
are of the same location for where the gold nuggets were found. Now the arm, if it was in one of those salt caves, the salt would cure or has they say petrified the arm. I'm guessing? if you know where the salt works are then one could find that cave. No telling what else is around there.

11/1/1932
Greenup: Enthusiasm for a treasure hunt stirred this town today following the discovery in a cave of 12 nuggets which apparently are gold. The cave discovered by two boys,  John and Troy Holbrook also contained Indian relics and a petrified human arm.
the cave is in an obscure place 18 miles south west of here near the Carter County line. The nuggets have withstood acid tests for gold.

Kenton Salt Well
The Kenton Salt Well is situated in the bed of Tygert creek, on the farm of Mr. Jacobs, so named "because Simon Kenton manufactured salt here on the first settlement of the country." There were other salt works a short distance southeast of Grayson.

Quarry of Indian Arrow Heads
On the east side of the Tygert creek, about a quarter of a mile from the Kenton Salt Well, are several caves which are formed in a local bed of coarse grindstone grit. The bedding faces of this rock in some places are thickly studded with angular fragments of horn-stone or flint. Extensive diggings are observed in this neighborhood only about 6 or 7 feet deep, and often extending over half an acre or more of ground. Professor Sidney S. Lyon, of the Kentucky Geological Survey, was satisfied that "these diggings were made by the aborigines of the country for the purpose of procuring the material from which they made their arrow-heads."

boomer, its always good to see your posts...you can find the greatest stuff! This is very encouraging...I am almost certain Swingles branch is the creek that comes down the edge of Carter Caves park(you go over it if you come from Carter). I think it enters into Tygarts right there close by. I like the gold stories, it makes sense, lots of people overlook that Swift also mined gold. LeKane did too. So that area is seeming to match up more and more...just wish I could pin point the natural rock bridge...if it has fallen down it might just be a pile of rocks across a small hollow.

Owingsville, Ky. September 25, 1889.
Silver Mine found
An old silver mine has been found in Carter County Ky.
The specimens of ore seem to be of silver with some trace
gold. The location has been confirmed has John's Run
or John's creek in that county. The pirate John Swift
supposedly smelted silver on our near this creek.

Boomer, you never cease to amaze us with your remarkable research. I agree with Curtis, we always look forward to anything you post, i know you have helped me a bunch in the past with research you find and share. I'm really looking forward meeting you at our little get together.
Dose anyone know what happened to that rock bridge, or is it still standing?

Curtis, you bring up a very good thought with the way bill. The way it is wrote, seems like a white person has used the information the Indians recorded, and added their information, then wrote it out so it could be understood from a non Indian perspective, the white men could never understand the ways of the Indian, so you idea about the way bill makes perfect sense to me. Sounds like you guys are on to something good in that area, keep up the good work. Wish you guys the best!
             HH   -Ki-

It is to be noted that Joseph Brandt was schooled in the white man's ways even all the way up to a university level.. So it is possible that Brandt was educated well enough to read and write identical to any of the white man standards of the day..  I know that there is no proof of him returning to the Shawnee towns, but I do know that many a huntin foray into the Canelands of Kentucky was not uncommon even for even a Mohawk Indian, such as Brandt, from New York..  But I'm like Curtis and he probably has nothing to do with this waybill at all.. Anyways, just a thought....

                                                Casey

Sorry I havnt messaged in awhile Curtis. I have never heard that story. The only story I have heard about pertaining to any silver or molds being found on Caney, is when Matthew Sellars found some coins on the bank of the Little Sandy. I have heard that he found them near the line of rocks, and I heard that he found them in another part of the Little Sandy River in Carter County.

Boomer,
I wonder how close we are to the place where the coin molds fell out of the rocks when the lightning hit. The site of the coin molds may help a lot (I posted on another thread that a friend found some molds back in the 1970s but they were on a ledge near the line of rocks). They were tested at the UK and they were w covered with bear tallow and rapped in bearskin.  This other set may be a very handy clue to start some locations from! 
Mason, does anyone you know remember the discovery? Boomer posted a story about Swift or maybe a different Swift but in it the writer tells of the coin molds falling out of the cliff on the Little Sandy.  He also mentions how that Swift may have traveled from the fork of the Big Sandy to the Little Sandy! This is what we (Boomer and I and others) have been looking into for over a 25 years—Boomer a lot longer. I will say once again I feel the Indian mines and Swifts are connected in that area! The Indian mentions 4 kegs of silver …so does swift.  They both gave direction on travel form the Big Kanawha. They both had more than one mine(the five Indian mines are all within a 2 mile radius I have located all of them but one and thanks to boomer and Mason will locate the last one this spring/summer). The Indian tells of a lot of signs right around the line of rocks…the one rock house looks like it could have been a smelter but torn down. Boomer indicates there are things the rock map indicates.

E.C. Good to hear from you again..I only have the info Henson wrote that the coins were Spanish and there were 13 of them?  Found something that it was a National Historical site but the building burnt down and then the land was sold...still don't know where it was, they were found on his property near Newfoundland...tried to spend the time in the CH at Sandy hook to find his property but ran out of time....anyone have an idea of where the properly of Mathew Bacon Sellers was? 

this was an old family site, sellers land was named blackmore. its located next to big sinking creek. now, in some of the stories, sellers land was known as cranes nest, at or near the mouth of caney creek. he may have owned land there, but i can find no record of it. the story goes that he found the 4 powder kegs of coins at the line of rocks and built a brick house. problem? he was already wealthy and an aeronautical engineer with a degree from harvard. i can't see him treasure hunting, unless someone else found the location and asked for help in searching or helping with the recovery. one we never hear of is his son, same name. who knows, maybe he found it and dad helped?? we will never know the real story.
his home was located two miles due south of Grahn on State Route 1644 and 1400 feet southeast on a private dirt road.

below are some pictures of things that have to do with the little sandy story. has for sellers finding the coins behind the rock and the locations of money molds. we need some proof. we know the story of the indian mine is fact and the carvings on the large slanted rock next to the river are there. money molds: this is from memory ( the molds looked like they fell from above, seems like part of the ledge broke off. ) i can't remember if it was in one of hensons books are not. he had several books, i keep leaning to one of his books. also i keep thinking about smoky valley west of carter caves. the money molds, cinders, furnace and the silver bars and don't forget the indian that made a solid silver peace pipe/tomahawk. this was found there and was on display at grayson.
has for the 2 color photos, i never checked the locations out. the story i got was that several carvings are around the turtle heads and at low pool you can see the rest of the furnace. has for the cave opening, during the civil war skeletons were found and a pile of ore with mining tools. check the indian/crane drawing against the photos. there is part of an old furnace at the line of rocks. but it may be an old iron furnace. one more thing, all this area was dry land and the little sandy was just about 10 to 20 feet wide at the line of rock. i guess 1, 2 maybe 3 feet deep.

Boomer,

The skeletons and ore thing is new to me...what was the story?

Also, can you pinpoint the crane itself on one of the aerial views?

I am just about healed up and next week or two will see me out there again.

Thanks once again Boomer, Looking forward to the get together!

The skeletons and ore were found by a man named hobbs. i was given this photo and told that i could find the place. it stands out like a sore thumb. go up river past bruin creek about a mile and you will see the opening. he said it was vary odd, he said he never saw an opening like that before. square?
below at bottom is the location of the rock and cliff face. you can just see the rock. but its off a little. the rock has the snake on it and just to the left on the cliff is the indian and crane and that + carved halfway up the cliff.
Little sandy River:
i found some odd things looking around the maps and its interesting that some of the things on swifts map match the little sandy river. 1. look at the bell, than look at the bell on swifts map. on top of the bell its round and has a stem. the photo of the bell has the same thing. but, i wonder if there could be a cave sealed up there and its just across the hill from the line of rock. or something hidden on the bell itself. 2. this really stood out, look at the part of swifts map that shows this. a section of the river that has an X to one side. in the photo notice the hill to one side and what maybe large rocks on top. same turns in river/creek. swift would have called little sandy a creek. the 2 drains match. if this a swift location, what would be on top of that hill or around the base??  

Boomer you are tearing me up! This is great stuff once again! You are the most helpful person! I am so anxious to get back out there it isn't funny! You and the information you have provided are going to prove my theory that the Swift mines and the Indian mines are at least related even if they are not the same ones.

One of the hand carvings i never figured out. it was just a partial hand carving vary faded with a cross on it. i came across this today and its identical to the carving and the cross matches the hill in this photo. i can just see those guys standing on top of that hill and saying, hmmm john, look the creek makes the form of a hand, yea! it does, we need to copy this, of course today we just pull out are gps locator. this is just north of sandy hook and on the old buffalo trail that a lot of route 7 is built on.      

Hi Boomer, Is the area I am painting in red the thumb of the hand? Wasn't sure.

I am sure you know the area not far from the line of rocks that is the gap with a lid on it...inside the gap on the north wall is a cross too! Seems like they mean something along that creek/river! Wonder what...You mentioned the one above the Crane carving and the one near Sandy Hook, then there is the one i just mentioned and it seems like you mentoned another one not far form the line of rocks north(but not as far as the Crane Carving). This maybe another clue we need to decipher.

Wow this is some great information. I would love to visit the cave where the skeletons were found. You say it is close to the carving of the indian and crane? Boomer, you and Curtis have more information about the Little Sandy treasure then anyone I have ever met; and I live here in Sandy Hook! Every time one of you posts I get excited and want to leave work and head down Caney!

below are some pictures of things that have to do with the little sandy story. has for sellers finding the coins behind the rock and the locations of money molds. we need some proof. we know the story of the indian mine is fact and the carvings on the large slanted rock next to the river are there. money Boomer do you have any more information about the skeletons being found during the Civil War? Where they supposenly white man or indian skeletons? molds: this is from memory ( the molds looked like they fell from above, seems like part of the ledge broke off. ) i can't remember if it was in one of hensons books are not. he had several books, i keep leaning to one of his books. also i keep thinking about smoky valley west of carter caves. the money molds, cinders, furnace and the silver bars and don't forget the indian that made a solid silver peace pipe/tomahawk. this was found there and was on display at grayson.
has for the 2 color photos, i never checked the locations out. the story i got was that several carvings are around the turtle heads and at low pool you can see the rest of the furnace. has for the cave opening, during the civil war skeletons were found and a pile of ore with mining tools. check the indian/crane drawing against the photos. there is part of an old furnace at the line of rocks. but it may be an old iron furnace. one more thing, all this area was dry land and the little sandy was just about 10 to 20 feet wide at the line of rock. i guess 1, 2 maybe 3 feet deep.

It seems we have another bell and another snake head. on the carving of the crane, everything matches except the legs of the crane. on the carving the legs run at an angle to the knee, than make a sharp turn toward the feet. on the aerial photos the drains run straight. there are no other drains that match. (why)? the carvings are vary accurate. this one change? they had a vary good reason for doing this. what if you had to run compass headings from the mouth of the two drains to certain points and then take another compass heading from the ankles of the feet and where the two lines cross is where you need to dig?? remember this was wild country with heavy under brush and bumper to bumper trees. anyway, this is all i can come up with right now. below on the carving see how the legs are set. Bell and snake head. this is odd, there is another bell and its at the ankle of the right leg and between the toes is a hill shaped like a snakes head. the point of the head seems to point at the small hill across from the bell. they may have had marker trees or rocks to show where something is buried. at the point of the snake head or on top. same with the bell and small hill and also the knees of the legs. on the top left of the photo is where a hill forms a left hand, palm up. just like the hands carved at the line of rock.   

Good to see you back Mason. I am like you really wanting to get back out there ASAP. I need to find a small HP gas motor for my john boat, the trolling motor battery barely gets us back to the ramp!

Boomer is the expert in the area...I kind of bug him with questions for things I  have found or am pondering. When I want to see if something ties together he is the first one I go to for information. I was in the area the first time back in 82 or so, then didn't go back but 3 times in 30 years or so...trying to make up for lost time! Boomer has been in the area for a long time, and is  store of knowledge about a lot more than Swift and the Indian treasures.

Yeah I am ready to head out as well. Last night I read through my research for a few hours and got the bug to head down Caney this Saturday. However, we are in the middle of building a house and I don't know if my wife would understand me giving up a days work on the house to head to the cliffs. However, I do plan to spend a lot of time this summer. Curtis, my dad has a boat that I can use anytime, so if we got together this summer we could use his, or he could go along. He is a Swift buff as well and knows much more then I do. Boomer, do you live around the Sandy Hook area? Just wondering because I do and figured maybe we know one another.
As I was reading through Michael Steelys book last night I noticed in the back that he has descriptions of different people that were involved with Swift. One man, James Stewart, who was from Virginia and was actually an indian fighter is listed as having been with Swift. This James Stewart  actually survived an indian massacre (I cant remember the name of it) and is also a great grandfather of mine. I thought that was interesting and maybe that is where I get my treasure hunting urges from.
One more thing I noticed in Steelys book is that he lists several of the signs that are associated with the Swift legend. He mentions a crane that is included in one of the many Swift journals. I was wondering if it had any connection with the carving of the crane and indian on the Little Sandy. I don't know which journal it came from so I don't know any other details about the crane in the Swift journal, but just wondering if you all think there may be a connection. God bless. 

Good to see you back Mason. I am like you really wanting to get back out there ASAP. I need to find a small HP gas motor for my john boat, the trolling motor battery barely gets us back to the ramp!

Boomer is the expert in the area...I kind of bug him with questions for things I  have found or am pondering. When I want to see if something ties together he is the first one I go to for information. I was in the area the first time back in 82 or so, then didn't go back but 3 times in 30 years or so...trying to make up for lost time! Boomer has been in the area for a long time, and is  store of knowledge about a lot more than Swift and the Indian treasures.

I haven't read the book yet, but if there is a reference to the Crane in anything I am interested. Especially a journal of Swifts with the Crane in it. Does anyone know how to contact Steely? 

I would like to find out the information source on that one! The Indian and Swift just keep coming up with some of the same landmarks. As soon as I am about to give up on that idea, something new comes up. Boomer has a special interest in the Crane too, he has a lot figured out with the idea that the Crane represents on the shape of the river.

Steely mentions it in his John Swift Silver Mines book that he wrote many years ago. Again, I just wonder which journal it came from, and would like to see if it is connected to the Indian waybill in any way.

I haven't read the book yet, but if there is a reference to the Crane in anything I am interested. Especially a journal of Swifts with the Crane in it. Does anyone know how to contact Steely? 

I would like to find out the information source on that one! The Indian and Swift just keep coming up with some of the same landmarks. As soon as I am about to give up on that idea, something new comes up. Boomer has a special interest in the Crane too, he has a lot figured out with the idea that the Crane represents on the shape of the river.

Curtis,
     I have contacted Steely many times and would be glad to give his e-mail address..  He is pretty good about replying too..  I had many questions regarding his book and he was able to give me "some" information, but alot of it he had a hard time remembering exactly..                        Here it is :    mikesteely@yahoo.com     
     Let me know what he has to say..   Have you or Boomer been able to make it to town any lately??  Remember to get ahold of me when you do..  Sorry it's been awhile since I was able to PM you.. I'm in the process of uploading alot of info on the Little Sandy area and would love your guys' input...  Thanx for all the info and Keep it coming..  Much appreciated..

     Boomer - where is it that you live exactly??  Just wondering if you are close to me or not... Thanx..

                 Casey - The_Frontiersman
                                                                           

I haven't made it down there yet, looking at this weekend if the weather will cooperate. Will call you if I can make it. With at least you, me, Mason, and Boomer we should be able to get some things explored even before the big round up. Thanks for the email address! Will get in touch with him to day.

I was wrong about James Stewart beging my great grandfather. Looked it up; wrong James Stewart. Oh well thought  I would clear that up before people thought I was crazy.

Yeah I am ready to head out as well. Last night I read through my research for a few hours and got the bug to head down Caney this Saturday. However, we are in the middle of building a house and I don't know if my wife would understand me giving up a days work on the house to head to the cliffs. However, I do plan to spend a lot of time this summer. Curtis, my dad has a boat that I can use anytime, so if we got together this summer we could use his, or he could go along. He is a Swift buff as well and knows much more then I do. Boomer, do you live around the Sandy Hook area? Just wondering because I do and figured maybe we know one another.
As I was reading through Michael Steelys book last night I noticed in the back that he has descriptions of different people that were involved with Swift. One man, James Stewart, who was from Virginia and was actually an indian fighter is listed as having been with Swift. This James Stewart  actually survived an indian massacre (I cant remember the name of it) and is also a great grandfather of mine. I thought that was interesting and maybe that is where I get my treasure hunting urges from.
One more thing I noticed in Steelys book is that he lists several of the signs that are associated with the Swift legend. He mentions a crane that is included in one of the many Swift journals. I was wondering if it had any connection with the carving of the crane and indian on the Little Sandy. I don't know which journal it came from so I don't know any other details about the crane in the Swift journal, but just wondering if you all think there may be a connection. God bless. 

Good to see you back Mason. I am like you really wanting to get back out there ASAP. I need to find a small HP gas motor for my john boat, the trolling motor battery barely gets us back to the ramp!

Boomer is the expert in the area...I kind of bug him with questions for things I  have found or am pondering. When I want to see if something ties together he is the first one I go to for information. I was in the area the first time back in 82 or so, then didn't go back but 3 times in 30 years or so...trying to make up for lost time! Boomer has been in the area for a long time, and is  store of knowledge about a lot more than Swift and the Indian treasures.

I didn't think you were crazy...was happy for you...its an intersting thing that genealogy. Met a lady at a hospital 30 years ago that said my last name was unusuall and that one of my ancestors was the first white woman to mary an Indian in the Carolina's, plus other stuff...now I wish I has got her name, the sources, etc. to use to look things up. I am having to start from scratch.

Could there be more to the crane story and we only have part of it. Odd that this article says white men being with Brant?

Curtis; its been awhile since I have been on here. Have been pretty busy building a house and coaching basketball. Hope everything is going ok for you. Hate I missed the meeting at Grayson Lake, but I am going to be able to spend a lot of times in the cliffs and woods this summer. I would love to pick up on the Little Sandy search that we discussed in the past. I actually found something interesting that may have something to do with the story of the skeletons you were telling me about that were found in a rock house on the Little Sandy during the time of the Civil War. That area is also known as Crackers Neck; and during the Civil War both sides had recruitment camps on the banks of the Little Sandy. The Souths camp was called camp Dixie, but it was taken over by the North, then took back by the South. There are several stories of Civil War activity along the Little Sandy. Anyways, there were several skirmishes around Crackers Neck and I was wondering if maybe the skeletons found were those of soldiars from the war or had a connection somehow. I know the story goes that they were found during the time of the Civil War, but perhaps it was meant to be that the bodies were from the time. Another thing I got thinking about was the fact that a lot of these Civil War soldiers from both sides spent a lot of time in that area. Wonder if they ever found anything or played a bigger role in the area concerning treasure then we think. Anyways I will touch base more often. God bless.

Boomer, I know of a area where there are supposed to be Crane carvings. It's on the South side of pine mountain towards the head of Pound River.. Where'd you get the article? And do you know the date? The people that live around the place have Cranes painted on their gate...Coincidence, or is that the village area? Argggghhh!!! Dang This Weather!!!

Great article Boomer. When was this article published?

This weekend I went out into the cliffs here in Elliott County and found these carvings in a large rockhouse. One carving is an X and right beside it is a straight line with a head on top. ( possibly a snake?) There is also several rock walls that were built up by someone. Rumor has it that this rockhouse was used by one of the first families to move into the Elliott County area; and it is also to rumored that it was used by either the Union or Confederacy during the Civil War. Its in a very remote place and is close to the river. It is the largest rockhouse I have ever seen. Any thoughts?

Heres a picture of one of the rock walls.

Sorry the pictures are so big; I cant figure out how to make them smaller.