William Calk

William Calk’s journal makes a stark contrast to that of Mary Coburn Dewees. Calk set off for Kentucky in March of 1775 with a party that included Abraham Hanks, Philip Drake, Enoch Smith, and Robert Whitledge. According to Ellen Eslinger in Running Mad for Kentucky (Univ Press of Ky, 2004), the men took

several slaves . . . to perform such services as starting the morning fire, preparing meals, and similar mundane or domestic duties.

Abraham Hanks (ca. 1745 – 1861) was a reportedly blacksmith and who served as farrier to the Calk party. Eslinger reports him to be an uncle to that Nancy Hanks who was Abraham Lincoln’s mother, but other sources say that he was her father.

I will try to transcribe this exactly as Eslinger prints it. The spelling and grammar eccentricities are fascinating to a wordsmith like me.

1775 March 13th mond I set out from prince wm. To travel to Caintuck. on tuesday Night our company all Got together at Mr Prises on Rapadam Which was ABraham hanks philip Drake Eanock Smith Robert Whitledge & my Self. then abrams Dogs leg got broke by Drake’s Dog—

This incident would seem a bad start and one that might cause a certain tension amongst the exploring party but, typically, Calk makes little explanation and no follow up. Take, for example, this entry from March 24, when the party had reached the Holston River.

fryday ye 24th we Start early & turn out of the wagon Road to go acorss the mountains to go by Danil Smiths. we lose Drive. Come to a turabel mountain that tried us all almost to death to git over it & we lodge this night on the Lawrel fork of holston under a grait mountain & Roast a fine fat turkey for our Suppers & Eat it without aney Bread.

This entry just makes me itch. A bracketed editorial comment from Eslinger identifies Drive as “a negro slave belonging to Calk,” and this is all we ever hear of the unfortunate man. Apparently the breadless turkey for supper is just as, if not more, important than this lost human being. Did Drive die? Did he run away? Did he literally get lost and no one bothered to find him?

The party is pretty much flying by the seat of its pants in unexplored country:

Satrd 25 we Start Early, tavel over Some more very Bad mountains one that is caled Clinch mountain & we git this night to Danil Smiths on clinch and there we Staid till thursday morning. on tuesday night & wednesday morning it Snowed Very hard and was very colad & we hunted a good deal there while we staid in Rough mountains & Kild three Deer & one turkey. Eanock, ABram & I got lost Tuesday night & it asnowing & Should a lain in the mountains had not I a pocket Compas By which I Got in a little in the night and fired guns and they heard them and caim in By the Repoart.

A pattern of ill luck seems to be developing here and Abraham Hanks in particular can’t catch a break.

thurds 30th we Set out again & went down to Elk gardin and there Suplid our Selves With Seed Corn & irish tators. then we went on alittel way. I turned my hors to drive afore me & he got Scard Ran away threw Down the Saddel Bags & Broke three of our powder goards & ABrams flask Burst open a walet of corn & lost a good Deal & made aturrebel flustration amongst the Reast of the horses. Drakes mair ran against a sapling & noct it down. We catcht them all again & went on & lodged at John Duncans.

. . .

wednesday ye 5th [April]. Breaks away fair & we go on down the valey & camp on indian Creek. We had this creek to cross maney times & very Bad Banks. ABrams Saddel turned & the load all fell in. we go out this Eavening & Kill two Deer.

Eslinger points out that one way to claim land in Kentucky was to plant a crop on it. Corn was usually preferred but potatoes were also used, as a crop that needed little tending.

On April 6, Calk’s party joins that of Richard Henderson bound for Boonesborough over the Wilderness Road, which Boon is cutting ahead of them.

fryday ye 7th this morning avery hard Snowey morning & we Still continue at camp Being in number about 40 men & Some Negroes. the Eavening Comes aletter from Capt Boon at caintuck of the indians doing mischief and Some turns back.

Satrd 8th We all pact up & Started. Crost Cumberland Gap about one oclock this day. we Met a great maney people turnd Back for fear of the indians but our Company goes on Still with good courage. we come to a very ugly Creek With Steep Banks & have it to Cross Several times. on this Creek we camp this night.

. . .

tuesday 11th this is a very loury morning & like for Rain. But we all agree to Start Early. we Cross Cumberland River & travel down it about 10 miles through Some turrabel Cainbrakes. as we went down abrams mair Ran into the River with her load & Swam over. he followd her & got on her & made her Swim back again. it is a very Raney Eavening. we take up camp near Richland Creek. they Kill a Beef. Mr Drake Bakes Bread with out Washing his hands. we Keep Sentry this night for fear of the indiand—

Wednesday 12th this is a Raney morning But we pack up & go on. we come to Richland creek it is high. we toat our packs on a tree & swim our horses over & there We meet another Company going Back. they tell Such News ABram & Drake is afraid to go aney further. there we camp this night —

And in fact on the 13th, Abraham Hanks and Philip Drake turn back. Calk says they were afraid but I wonder whether they were just tired of misadventure.

Calk and the Henderson party continue on without significant mishap, reaching Boonesborough on April 20. Meanwhile, Hanks and Drake join another party crossing the mountains, perhaps one of Henderson’s work crews, and arrived in Boonesborough only shortly after Calk.

Calk settled in Madison County, clearing land with slave labor, and became a prosperous citizen of Kentucky. He died in 1823 at age 82. Abraham Hanks returned to Virginia and didn’t settle in Kentucky.