Captain Matthew Arbuckle

Matthew Arbuckle (1740, Botetourt Co. VA - 1781 Jackson River, Bath Co. VA)

Matthew Arbuckle served as a Capt. in the militia during the American Revolution and distinguished himself at Pt. Pleasant. He was a noted frontiersman and Indian fighter of his day. He was killed by a falling tree in 1781.(noted frontiersman???)

Of great interest to the state is captain Mathew Arbuckle, also son of James, and great, great grandfather of today. Of large estate, more notable of large courage, Captain Mathew Arbuckle was the first white man to pass this way (save as a captive among the Indians) exploring the Kanawha valley to the Ohio, "Where the stranger feared to wake the rattle of the vengeful snake." In time of hardy woodsmen and sturdy Indian fighters, he shot the bull's eye: Companioned by Jacob Lockhart and a guide, who had escaped from the Indians, our captain courted capture by entering the Shawnee towns and bringing away two horses. At the battle of Point Pleasant, he commanded a company. Judging by his general reputation, he was one of those who "began at sunrise and continued as long as they could see to shoot." Arbuckle heard the voice of Cornstalk say to his men, "Fight like men; be strong." Never dormant, Mathew Arbuckle marched his company to the Point, spring of 1776, to command Fort Randolph for three years. Kellog, in "Frontier Defense of the Upper Ohio", quotes a letter, rich in lore of early days, from the commanding officer on leave in Greenbrier, to General Hand, Fort Pitt; 
". . . I must therefore beg the garrison may get proper supply in time, otherwise we shall be greatly distressed, Cap McKee dispatched two soldiers to give notice of the approach of the indians on this place which passed them at the Meadows within 20 miles, the people were in the utmost confusion, everyone flying to forts, and no men imbodyed here, on ye 29th May they attacked Col Donnallys for guarded only with 25 men, who made a brave diffence from sunrise until 3 oclock in the evening when Col. Sam Lewis & myself with a party of 66 men, determined to relieve them, marched up fired on the enemy who give way on every side & let us pass in every man unhurt. Seventeen of the Indians were killd dead in the spot, they continued their seige till night when they halld nine of their men away, the rem'd we sculped in the morning. they came well equipped, with pack horses and driving cattle, but the campaign I believe is partly broake up, no mischief has been done since the Battle, three men were killed that day, by their impudence & one shot through a port hole in the fort as their attack was violent & had at first possession of the most of them, but was soon obl(d) to retreat. "Your Exclnt(t) Ob(t) Serv(t) Matthew Arbuckle." 
But calm follows storm. Arbuckle looms in peace as in war. "It will be remembered that Lewisburg was first settled by Captain Mathew Arbuckle, after the town was laid off in the year 1780 and took its name in honor of the familys of the Lewis's. Captain Arbuckle was killed the following year in a storm of wind by the falling of a tree . . . . beside Jackson's river; he was distinguished for his bravery". Memorandum July 15, 1798, By John Stuart.
No. 4931 Samuel Coleman.
Council Chamber
December l9th, 1799.
James Monroe.
"A warrant No. 4931 for 4000 acres issued unto said representative of Mathew Arbuckle on the l9th of December 1799 and delivered to John Hutcheson l9th December 1799.
"Teste.
"1. Wood."

"Va. Land Office-Richmond
"Military Certificate Book No. 2, Page 489. (Note: This land lay in Madison County, Ohio, and a part of it is still occupied by descendants of John Arbuckle.)
Order A, page 29, May 23, 1782
"To Mathew Arbuckle, Patrick Davis, William Smith, James Robinson and John Robinson , for viewing and marking out the nighest and best way from the Warms Springs to this place (Greenbrier Court House) 2400 lbs. of tobacco, at rate of one penny, half penny per lb." Page 121, May 23, 1783. "To Mathew Arbuckle, 18 shillings for 18 diets furnished for the use of militia on duty".


GOODS AND CHATTELS


An appraisement of the goods and chattels of Captain Mathew Arbuckle merits entry. Here are a few of the items:
One Negro man named Adam
Nurse Pernal, a hireling for 13 months
One flee bitten gray horse, eight years old 142 hands high Spectators, full vollum
One large looking glass
One clock face with part of the works
One Dikonary 12 - Starks justice 15--
One book the souls exposual 2-3
Standing corn including the Smith's share
17 head of sheep at 6-- per head
One old bell without a clapper
Six pewter dishes and 23 ditto plates
One stampt counterpine
One paid old saddle bags--3--
One Flax rackle --5--
Item: Six children, notably James of Greenbrier fame and General Mathew distinguished in the service of his country as Colonel of 7th Infantry, Florida war, later under Generals Jackson and Gaines in the Seminole campaign. "No officer of the army has probably been trusted with more important and confidential duties, or has more ably discharged them than General Mathew Arbuckle." Fayette Robinson's "Army of the U.S."
The Arbuckle family has not forsworn its inheritance. Today, Arbuckles carry on in letters and in law. Until his recent death, Dr. Julian Arbuckle was health officer in Greenbrier county, friend to those in distress. At Davidson university, Dr.Howard Bell Arbuckle is professor of chemistry. Arbuckles, tilling the land as it was tilled in the beginning, is now and as far as we can see, ever shall be, are developing Greenbrier county from the ground up to mental florescence, even as Captain Mathew Arbuckle who in 1780 came, a stranger, in a strange land. We, last day settlers, enjoying the fruit of their labor, take off our hats at the name of Arbuckle.
"The bare fact that the past is gone forever is one of the innumerable marvels among which we live." But has it gone? Today many generations of force of character and intellect live in the descendants of King Malcolm the Grim, knighted by moderns, Arbuckle.

Capt. Matthew Arbuckle to Gen. Edward Hand.
Greenbrier June 2nd 1778. 

Sr: 

I was unfortunate anaugh after my return from Williamsburg to this place in a persuit after a party of Indians to receive a wound in by [my] Knee occasioned by a fall on some rocks, which disabled me from returning to my post as soon as I expected. I have since my recovery waited the arival of the draughts from Rockbridge county, as I had a considerable quantity of Lead &C. to carry down, & before this Instant have never been informed, them people totally refuses going on the command. I shall now set off in a few days & thought absolutely necessary to acquient you, in this way of the accts recd from Capt McKee ye 27th last month, on the 16th Sd Instant, Lieut Gilmore was wounded by the Indians a little distance from the garrison, but got in, a soldier going to the place where he was shot at soon after, was Kill'd, immediately they found themselves surrounded on all quarters, & a smart fire on the fort insued, - Capt McKee sent out the granadeer squaw to speake to her friends, with a speech from the governor; they made a pretence of makeing peace & scopatha with one more was sent out under cover of the guns, to meet three of them, one of which came into the fort, Capt [McKee] apprehended by him he was only trifleing with them in order to get an advantage, & the only thing they larned was from Ketty she says there was three hundred that they Intended up the Kenawa, & to Keers creek, that a number were to meet them there, on their return and the garrison they would have, after telling the people in the garrison they might as well surrender for they had Killed all their Cattle, (which is actualy so) out of one hundred, one only is left, which came daily to the fort. I must therefor beg the garrison may get proper supply in time, otherwise we shall be greatly distressed Capt McKee dispatched two soldiers to give notice of the approach of the indians on this place, which passed them, at the meadows within 20 miles, the people were in the utmost confusion, every one flying to forst, & no men were imbodyed here, on ye 29th may they attacked Colo Donnallys fort gaured only with 25 men, who made a brave diffense from sunrise till 3 oclock in the evening when Colo Saml Lewis & myself with a party of 66 men, determined to relieve them march'd up, fired on the enemy who gave way on every side & let us pass in every man unhurt. seventeen of the Indians were Kill'd dead in the spot. the[y] continued their siege till night when they hall'd nine of their men away, the rem'd we sculped in the morning, they came well aquipped with pack horses and driveing cattle, but the campaign I believe is partly broake up, no mischief has been done since the Battle, three men were kill'd that day, by their imprudance & one shot through a port hole in the fort. as their first attack was voielent & had at first possession of the most of them, but was soon obld to retreat. 
I am your Exclny Obd Servt
Mathew Arbuckle 

The following is a letter written to unknown by Charles Arbuckle, son of Matthew. This copy was found in the Wisconsin Historical Society, 8ZZ15 "Lewisburg Greenbrier county, Virginia. Aug. 15th, 1845. Dear Sir: I read yours of the 30th Ult. and would be truly gratifying to me if I could more fully answer in enquiries but time has removed all living witness to establish facts. Information was handed down to me that my Father in company with Jacob Lockhart & one other, whose name I do not know who had been prisoner with the Indians & was Thier guide to the Shawnee Towns. each of them brought away two horses but for some cause they separated and come in at different times. I was born in the year 1769 on the 24th of February presuming the trip to Indian Towns was before my Father Marriage it is altogether probable it was in 1767 I have no record of my Father's birth or native place. My Grandfather Arbuckle lived some years on James River a short distance below the Junction of Jackson' river and cowpasture; but wheter my Father was born there or in some other part of Augusta county. I don't know as to his age I will have to say he was about 25 or 26 when he made the trip to the Indian Towns, I can say with certainty say where and when his life terminate; he in company with Archer Mathews Esqr. were on their return from Staunton and on the 27th of June in the year 1781 overtaken in a storm about two miles west of Jackson' River on the road leading to Anthonys Creek, was killed by the fall of a tree top; we will therefore set his age to 39 or 40 - He commanded & was in the battle at the Point in 1774 but do not know what part of the line of Battle he occupied, all accounts that I have heard about the Battle state that it began at sun rise and continued as long as they see to shoot. I have heard men that were in the Battle say that the voice of Cornstalk the Indian chief was heard different times to say to his men "Fight like men; be strong." and that he was seen driving up to the line of Battle a Chief by the name of Blue Jacket - my father marched his company to the Point in the spring of 1776 to take command of Fort Randolph and continued there about three years, having command of the fort his business lead him to Williamsburg the seat of government of Virginia and brought with him two Indians John Hollis and Kewton, while at home they found there was a connection between the family of Lockhart and Arbuckle they formed an acquaintance with the former which produced friendly feeling on the part of Hollins which I will mention hereafter - In the year 1778 it was discovered by some Spies from the fort that a large party of Indians had passed on towards the settlement (now Greenbrier). Two men were painted and fitted out in Indian stile to notify the inhabitants, but returned sevelal (sic) days after, when two others, Philip Manumon & John Pryar fitted out in like manner proved faithful to the trust reposed in them, passed the Indians within ten miles of Donnally's fort which was about eight miles from a fort where Lewisburg now is. They arrived at Donnally's the evening they passed the Indians, the second morning thereafter they made an attach on the fort and killed a servant man of Donnally's and two neighbouring men on their way to the fort, who were not surprised of their danger, a reinforcement marched from other forts of the settlement and entered the fort without the loss of a man notwithstanding the Indians were round in full view. My Father had no other Military command after he left Fort Randolph. I regret to say I have no papers that authorizes me to say whether he filled any civil office or not. Some time after the troops were withdrawn from Point Pleasant Jacob Lockhart, Col. Thomas Lewis and perhaps some others were on their way towards the Indian towns and were discovered by a party of Indians who killed Lockhart and took Lewis prisoner and after they arrive at their Town Lewis was found by John Hollis who had formed an acquaintance with him when on his way to Williamsburg and accosted him in a friendly manner. "Ha! Tom is this you," and when informed of the death of Lockhart he lament his death as if he had been a friend. His friendship for Lewis was so great that he protected him with a guard of men to the Ohio band and liberated him. I will now mention the last murder committed by the Indians in this part of the country, which was the year 1788. Thomas Griffith was killed at his own door about fifteen miles from Lewisburg and his son who was about twelve or fourteen years old was taken prisoner and when a short distance from the House asked the boy how many men are in the house and fortunately he had the presents of mind to tell them four or five. when in fact there was no one but Mrs. Griffith and four or five children -- they were pursued but could not be overtaken. They entered on the waggon road that lead to Kanhaws and continued on it six or seven mile until they corss'd gauly river they then turned towards Elk river until their trail was discovered by a party of ranging Militia stationed on Kanawha and pursued until they discovered their camp but being too late to see to shoot lay on their arms until next morning, they divided and took aim at the boy and five at the supposed Indian (who was a savage whiteman) and strange to tell the boy was not touched, sprang to his feet and called to them not to shoot again as he was prisoner the savage had four or five balls in his body. The Indian was absent from his companion and made his escape. Thus I have endeavored to answer enquires but no having any of my Fathers letters cannot give you a more satisfactory account than I have done wishing you success in collecting such information as will enable you to farm a correct history. I am respectfully your friend and Hub serv't, Charles Arbuckle." --Lymand C. Draper Esqr Baltimore and Endorses: Ch. Arbuckle, 15th Aug. '45, Capt. M. Arbuckle.

 http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=camarlow&id=I0168