Peter Hackett
Encyclopedia
Peter Hackett was born in approximately 1763 or 1764 in the English colony of Virginia. It is believed that Peter was the son of Thomas Hackett, likely of Montgomery County, Virginia
. As a boy Peter was bonded out to Captain James Estill, in approximately 1771, and was a part of the broad Scotch-Irish migration along the Wilderness Road
through the Cumberland Gap
from Virginia into what later became known as Kentucky
in the late 18th century. In 1779 he was a resident of Boonesborough
, one of the first English-speaking settlements beyond the Appalachian Mountains
, and lived there until 1780. Early residents of Boonesborough included Daniel Boone
, James Estill, Joseph Proctor, Nicholas Proctor, Adam Caperton, David Lynch, John Colefoot, John Moore, George Robertson, Thomas Miller, Reuben Proctor, Thomas Warren, Peter Hackett, and Thomas Watson. In 1780 Hackett helped establish Estill's Station, Kentucky, and lived there until about 1788.
and east of this place in 1779-1780, by Col. Samuel and Captain James Estill. It was noted for land locators, surveyors, horse hunters, travelers, and scouts. It commanded the hunting grounds on Silver Creek, Muddy Creek, and Station Camp. Some prominent inhabitants were James Estill and his slave Monk, Samuel Estill, George Robertson, Joseph and Nicholas Proctor, William Cradlebaugh, David Gass, Peter Hackett, John and Archibald Woods, David Lynch, Adam Caperton, John and Thomas Miller, and Green Clay. A little later Col. Estill established Estill's Station about two miles east of the Fort.
West of the Appalachian Mountains
the American Revolutionary War
was an "Indian War." Most American Indians
supported the British. The British supplied their native allies with muskets and gunpowder and advised raids against civilian settlements. In this context, Fort Estill was attacked by Wyandot Indians in March 1782. Colonel Benjamin Logan
, commanding officer of the region, and stationed at Logan's Station, learned that the Wyandot warriors were in the area on warpath. The Indians, aided by the British in Detroit, had raided from Boonesborough past Estill's Station along the Kentucky River
. Logan dispatched 15 men to Captain Estill at Estill's Station with orders to increase his force by 25 more men and reconnoiter the country to the north and east. Following orders, Captain Estill reached the Kentucky River a few miles below the mouth of Station Camp Creek and camped that night at Sweet Lick, now known as Estill Springs. On the day after they left Estill's Station, a body of Indians appeared there at dawn on the 20th of March, they raided the fort, scalped and killed a Miss Innes in sight of the fortification and took Monk, a slave of Captain Estill, and killed all the cattle.
As soon as the Indians retreated, Samuel South
and Peter Hackett, both young men, were dispatched to take the trail of the men and inform them of the news. The boys found them near the mouth of Drowning Creek and Red River
early on the morning of March 21. Of the 40 men, approximately 20 had left families within the fort. They returned with the boys to Estill's Station. The remainder crossed the Kentucky river and found the Indian trail. Captain Estill organized a company of 25 men, followed the Indians, and suffered what is known as Estill's Defeat, later known as the Battle of Little Mountain
(March 22, 1782) in Montgomery Co. Captain Estill and nine of his men were killed. Peter Hackett, then about 18, was wounded. Both Indians and Whites withdrew, the Indians suffering greater loses. Peter Hackett is believed to have been holding Estill's horse when Estill was mortally wounded. It is said that James was overpowered and killed with a butcher's knife by an Indian chief. James' weakened arm contributed to his inability to defend himself.
. Hackett's descendants, including John Hackett (a contemporary of Abraham Lincoln
), continued moving west, first to Sangamon County, Illinois
in about 1829, and then to Coles County, Illinois
by about 1841. Lincoln's father also settled his family in Coles County in about 1832, though Lincoln soon struck out on his own. A family legend states that Lincoln stayed at the Hackett farm during the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858
, a claim that is unlikely to be far-fetched given their common origins and political leanings. Peter Hackett's grandson, O. C. Hackett
, was the founding Supervisor of Tuscola, Illinois
and was an early participant in the California gold rush
.
Montgomery County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 83,629 people, 30,997 households, and 17,203 families residing in the county. The population density was 215 people per square mile . There were 32,527 housing units at an average density of 84 per square mile...
. As a boy Peter was bonded out to Captain James Estill, in approximately 1771, and was a part of the broad Scotch-Irish migration along the Wilderness Road
Wilderness Road
The Wilderness Road was the principal route used by settlers for more than fifty years to reach Kentucky from the East. In 1775, Daniel Boone blazed a trail for the Transylvania Company from Fort Chiswell in Virginia through the Cumberland Gap into central Kentucky. It was later lengthened,...
through the Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap is a pass through the Cumberland Mountains region of the Appalachian Mountains, also known as the Cumberland Water Gap, at the juncture of the U.S. states of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia...
from Virginia into what later became known as Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
in the late 18th century. In 1779 he was a resident of Boonesborough
Boonesborough, Kentucky
Boonesborough is an unincorporated community in Madison County, Kentucky, United States. It lies in the central part of the state along the Kentucky River. Boonesborough is part of the Richmond–Berea Micropolitan Statistical Area....
, one of the first English-speaking settlements beyond the Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
, and lived there until 1780. Early residents of Boonesborough included Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman whose frontier exploits mad']'e him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which was then beyond the western borders of...
, James Estill, Joseph Proctor, Nicholas Proctor, Adam Caperton, David Lynch, John Colefoot, John Moore, George Robertson, Thomas Miller, Reuben Proctor, Thomas Warren, Peter Hackett, and Thomas Watson. In 1780 Hackett helped establish Estill's Station, Kentucky, and lived there until about 1788.
Estill's Station and the Battle of Little Mountain
In 1779, James Estill was named one of the trustees to the incorporated town of Boonesborough, but he, along Peter Hackett, refused to serve. Around March of 1779, James moved out of Boonesborough and built his own fort. It was one of the best known forts of Kentucky. Many old journals and logs mention meetings and transactions at the station. It was a gathering place for hunters, surveyors, scouts, and adventurers. Fort Estill was established about four miles Southeast of RichmondRichmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
and east of this place in 1779-1780, by Col. Samuel and Captain James Estill. It was noted for land locators, surveyors, horse hunters, travelers, and scouts. It commanded the hunting grounds on Silver Creek, Muddy Creek, and Station Camp. Some prominent inhabitants were James Estill and his slave Monk, Samuel Estill, George Robertson, Joseph and Nicholas Proctor, William Cradlebaugh, David Gass, Peter Hackett, John and Archibald Woods, David Lynch, Adam Caperton, John and Thomas Miller, and Green Clay. A little later Col. Estill established Estill's Station about two miles east of the Fort.
West of the Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
was an "Indian War." Most American Indians
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
supported the British. The British supplied their native allies with muskets and gunpowder and advised raids against civilian settlements. In this context, Fort Estill was attacked by Wyandot Indians in March 1782. Colonel Benjamin Logan
Benjamin Logan
Benjamin Logan was an American pioneer, soldier, and politician from Shelby County, Kentucky. As colonel of the Kentucky County militia of Virginia during the American Revolutionary War, he was second-in-command of militia in Kentucky. Logan was a leader in Kentucky's efforts to become a state...
, commanding officer of the region, and stationed at Logan's Station, learned that the Wyandot warriors were in the area on warpath. The Indians, aided by the British in Detroit, had raided from Boonesborough past Estill's Station along the Kentucky River
Kentucky River
The Kentucky River is a tributary of the Ohio River, long, in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The river and its tributaries drain much of the central region of the state, with its upper course passing through the coal-mining regions of the Cumberland Mountains, and its lower course passing through the...
. Logan dispatched 15 men to Captain Estill at Estill's Station with orders to increase his force by 25 more men and reconnoiter the country to the north and east. Following orders, Captain Estill reached the Kentucky River a few miles below the mouth of Station Camp Creek and camped that night at Sweet Lick, now known as Estill Springs. On the day after they left Estill's Station, a body of Indians appeared there at dawn on the 20th of March, they raided the fort, scalped and killed a Miss Innes in sight of the fortification and took Monk, a slave of Captain Estill, and killed all the cattle.
As soon as the Indians retreated, Samuel South
Samuel South
Samuel South was born circa 1770 in Maryland. He was the second son of John South. The South family moved to Boonesborough when Samuel was still young. At the time, Boonesborough was in Fayette County in the District of Kentucky, a part of the state of Virginia...
and Peter Hackett, both young men, were dispatched to take the trail of the men and inform them of the news. The boys found them near the mouth of Drowning Creek and Red River
Red River (Kentucky)
The Red River is a tributary of the Kentucky River in east-central Kentucky in the United States. Via the Kentucky and Ohio rivers, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed....
early on the morning of March 21. Of the 40 men, approximately 20 had left families within the fort. They returned with the boys to Estill's Station. The remainder crossed the Kentucky river and found the Indian trail. Captain Estill organized a company of 25 men, followed the Indians, and suffered what is known as Estill's Defeat, later known as the Battle of Little Mountain
Battle of Little Mountain
The Battle of Little Mountain, also known as Estill's Defeat, was fought on March 22, 1782, near Mount Sterling in what is now Montgomery County, Kentucky...
(March 22, 1782) in Montgomery Co. Captain Estill and nine of his men were killed. Peter Hackett, then about 18, was wounded. Both Indians and Whites withdrew, the Indians suffering greater loses. Peter Hackett is believed to have been holding Estill's horse when Estill was mortally wounded. It is said that James was overpowered and killed with a butcher's knife by an Indian chief. James' weakened arm contributed to his inability to defend himself.
Frontiersman
Hackett was a hunter for James Estill. Later Hackett worked as a surveyor for Madison County, KentuckyMadison County, Kentucky
Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2008, the population was 82,192. Its county seat is Richmond. The county is named for Virginia statesman James Madison, who later became the fourth President of the United States. This is also where famous pioneer Daniel...
. Hackett's descendants, including John Hackett (a contemporary of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
), continued moving west, first to Sangamon County, Illinois
Sangamon County, Illinois
Sangamon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 197,465, which is an increase of 4.5% from 188,951 in 2000...
in about 1829, and then to Coles County, Illinois
Coles County, Illinois
Coles County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 53,873, which is an increase of 1.3% from 53,196 in 2000. Its county seat is Charleston, which is also the home of Eastern Illinois University....
by about 1841. Lincoln's father also settled his family in Coles County in about 1832, though Lincoln soon struck out on his own. A family legend states that Lincoln stayed at the Hackett farm during the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858
Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858
The Lincoln–Douglas Debates of 1858 were a series of seven debates between Abraham Lincoln, the Republican candidate for Senate in Illinois, and the incumbent Senator Stephen Douglas, the Democratic Party candidate. At the time, U.S. senators were elected by state legislatures; thus Lincoln and...
, a claim that is unlikely to be far-fetched given their common origins and political leanings. Peter Hackett's grandson, O. C. Hackett
O. C. Hackett
- Vital Statistics :Oliver Cromwell Hackett was born March 29, 1822 in Scott County Kentucky. His father was John Hackett, and his grandfather was noted Kentucky frontiersman and militiaman of the American Revolution, Peter Hackett. John Hackett moved the family, including young O. C., from...
, was the founding Supervisor of Tuscola, Illinois
Tuscola, Illinois
Tuscola is a city in Douglas County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,480 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Douglas County.-Geography:Tuscola is located at ....
and was an early participant in the California gold rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
.
Sources and external links
- Fort Boonesborough Foundation
- Fort Boonesborough State Park official web site.
- Western Kentucky Archives http://gesswhoto.com/olden-daze/index31.html
- Madison County, Kentucky Circuit CourtKentucky Circuit CourtsThe Kentucky Circuit Courts are the state courts of general jurisdiction in the U.S. state of Kentucky.The Circuit Courts are trial courts with original jurisdiction in cases involving capital offenses, felonies, land disputes, contested probates of wills, and civil lawsuits in disputes with an...
, Deposition of Peter Hackett, taken Wednesday the 8th of May 1811 - Hackett (surname)
- Western theater of the American Revolutionary WarWestern theater of the American Revolutionary WarThe Western theater of the American Revolutionary War was the area of conflict west of the Appalachian Mountains, the region which became the Northwest Territory of the United States as well as the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri...