James Richard Callaway (1783 - 1815)

Born 13 Sep 1783 in Fayette County, Kentucky

Ancestors

Husband of Nancy (Howell) Castlio — married 9 May 1805 in , Saint Charles County, Missouri, USA

Descendants

Died 7 Mar 1815 at age 31 in Loutre Creek, Montgomery County, Missouri

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Biography

Taken from an original news release to newspapers from March 1930 regarding the story of the killing of Captain Callaway for new article "This Week in Missouri History", compiled by the Historical Society, Floyd C Shoemaker, secretary.

"INDIANS KILL CAPTAIN CALLAWAY"

Captain James Callaway, the man for whom Callaway County was named when it was organized November 25, 1820, met his death at the hands of Indians near the confluence of Prairie Fork and Loutre Creek, Montgomery County, 115 years ago the seventh of this month. Captain Callaway, son of Flanders and Jemima Boone Callaway, and grandson of Daniel Boone, lived in St Charles district, where in 1805 he married Nancy Howell. Of ordinary education, but good natural talents, he interested himself in public affairs, serving as deputy sheriff, tax collector, cavalry cornet, administrator, and in other local and military positions. As early as 1810, it is said, he was captain of a cavalry company in the militia. At any rate, the War of 1812 found him on the frontier fighting Indians, and the fatal March 7, 1815, found him stationed at Fort Clemson, on Loutre Creek, whence he set out on his last expedition.

Assisted by Lieutenant Jonathan Riggs, Captain Callaway took a party of some fifteen men to search for a band of Indians who had stolen some horses from neighboring settlers. After swimming Loutre slough, they came upon their camp about twelve miles above Prairie Fork. There were the horses, guarded only by squaws. The animals were recovered without resistance, but Lt Riggs, it is recorded, expressed suspician of an ambuscade if they returned to the fort by the same route they came. Captain Callaway insisted, however, so they started back.

As they approached Prairie Fork again, Lt Riggs renewed his warning to his superior officer, but the latter was determined to go on. Some accounts say that Captain Callaway lost his temper and called his Lt a coward. At any rate, they pushed forward and were attacked just as they were crossing Prairie Fork. The stream was high at that time, and the Indians, hidden along the bank, fired on thre first three horsemen just after they plunged into the water. Captain Callaway rushed forward and was nearly across the creek when he was shot at. His horse was killed and he was wounded in his left arm, escaping immediate death when a ball lodged against his watch, which was shattered. Springing to the bank, Captain Callaway cast his rifle, which he did not have time to reload, into the creek, muzzle first, and started running down the edge of the stream.

After a short distance, he plunged into the creek, but as he swam a shot struck him in the back of the head, and he sank from sight. Lt Riggs and the remaining men were hotly engaged, but fighting as they retreated, they escaped without loss of life, although several were wounded. The three in advance, who Captain Callaway rushed forward to help, however, had been killed. Four or five of the whites, in all, lost their lives in the fight. It is not known how many casualties the Indians suffered. A burying party, returning the next day, found the bodies of three of the rangers mutilated by the Indians, according to the more detailed accounts. Captain Callaway's body, when found severaldays after the fight, was untouched, it having been in the stream and concealed. His father, Flanders Callaway, had arrived from St Charles County in time to attend the recovery of the corpse. Captain Callaway's widow, who had endured all the hardships of the frontier wife and mother but this one, was attending school near her home in St Charles County when she heard of her husband's death. It is probable that she was trying to remove that handicap, which she later did. On arrival of the bad news, she left without a word and stoically walked home, but fainted as she reached her house.

Marriage

Husband: James Richard Callaway

Wife: Nancy Howell

Marriage:

Date: 9 May 1805

Place: , Saint Charles County, Missouri, USA^[1]

Child: William Callahan

Death

Death:

Date: 7 Mar 1815

Place: Loutre Creek, Montgomery County, Missouri^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ Source: #S40 Page: page 154 Quality or Certainty of Data: 3
2. ↑ Source: #S40 Page: page 154 Quality or Certainty of Data: 3 Note: killed by Indians on Loutre Creek, Montgomery Co., MO.

• Source: S40 Media: Book Abbreviation: Some Boone Descendants & Kindred of the St. Charles District Title: Some Boone Descendants & Kindred of the St. Charles District Author: Lillian Hays Oliver Publication: Dean Publications, 2204 El Canto Circle, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670; Pub. 1984 Repository: #R2 Italicized: Y Paranthetical: N Repository: R2 Name: Library of Marilyn Cardwell Larson Address: 5041 Green Grove Lane CONT Roseville, CA 95747 Name: Library of Marilyn Cardwell Larson Address 1: 5041 Green Grove Lane Address 2: Roseville, CA 95747 Phone Number: 916 771-8435

• Gerald Wayne Shollmier, Brøderbund Software, Inc., World Family Tree Vol. 1, Ed. 1, (Release date: November 29, 1995), "CD-ROM," Tree #2484, Date of Import: Jan 16, 1999. (1995), "Electronic," Date of Import: May 5, 1999.

Acknowledgments

• WikiTree profile Callaway-110 created through the import of MarilynCardwellGedcomJuly2011.ged on Jul 10, 2011 by Marilyn Cardwell. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Marilyn and others.