James GREEN¹ {M} = Jean\Jane PORTER {F}

Married ABT 1781

James GREEN:

Born 9 September 1761, VA
Died 31 December 1782, Wise Co, VA
James Green, Sr.
On December 31, 1782, James Green, Sr., husband of Jane Porter, and Robert Kilgore, Sr. left their hunting camp at the mouth of Indian Creek and Pound River and crossed a ridge heading toward Kentucky. They left *a man by the name of McKinney* in the camp. Two gunshots were heard by McKinney, followed by the unearthly yells of Indians. Before McKinney could grab his gun, he saw Robert Kilgore running for his life toward the encampment, shouting, "Run McKinney, leave all, save yourself!"
McKinney didn't wait to be told a second time. As he reached the crest of the ridge, he looked back, to see James Green fall, closely pursued by Mingoes. Green sprang up, grabbed out his hunting knife, but before the Indians reached him he collapsed. As the sun was sinking, McKinney reached Fort Blackmore.
By first light of the following day, the militia was on its way far up Stoney Creek, reaching the hunters encampment long before sunrise on January 1, 1783. No Indians could be found, but the camp had been pillaged. Next morning, they found the scalped remains of James Green, with an Indian arrowhead in his right eye. He was buried in a hollow chestnut tree on the north bank of the Pound River, a short distance above the mouth of Indian Creek.
[Note:* "a man by the name of McKinney" - Martha Hutchinson, sister of Peter Hutchinson, married George McKinney. Peter Hutchinson was married to Nancy Susan Green. Nancy was James Green Sr's sister. I suspect that the McKinney in this story was this George McKinney.]

From Gate City Herald 9-26-1946:
Jean Porter b.1763 Augusta Co., moved to Porters Ft. 1772. The murderous end of Charles Kilgore and her husband, James Green, by Indians out on the Pound River, caused consternation in the little settlement around Fort Blackmore. People living outside the stockade moved inside the fort. The Kilgore family was already there and hither came immediately the young widow, Jean Porter Green. She had her son and named him after his father, James. By nature, Jean Green was cheery; there was a lilt in her voice that radiated joy. She liked company and, as the Kilgore widow needed company, it did not require much discussion on either side to work out an arrangement. She would tell her young son. "Jimmie, you have your daddy's eyes, I want you to grow up to be as good a man as he."
Two years after the death of her husband, Jean Porter Green married the young Robert "Robin" Kilgore. Little James never missed his father, though; early in his life his mother often told him the tragic story of his real father's death. Not long after their marriage, they went to live as man and wife near Nickelsville and on the bank of Copper Creek. The old log blockhouse erected by Kilgore as a defense against intruding Indians is still standing. James Green, Jr had a number of half-brothers and sisters. Their descendants have kept alive some of the incidents of this story. Other parts have been joined to the story of James Green, Sr.'s demise and handed down through the Green descendants. Still other parts are probably presumptions for time and distance both create halos and through these, neither the eye nor memory can penetrate with certainly. One fact is unanimous, Robert and Jean walked loyally and dutifully together down through the years. Jean Porter Green Kilgore was laid to rest in the old Nickelsville Cemetery in the year 1842, near the old Baptist Church in which her second husband often preached. In 1854, Robert Kilgore was laid beside her and thus fulfilled the fateful, even if carelessly spoken words of James Green, to take care of Jean till he should come back


Historical Sketches of Southwest Virginia, Publication 23 - 1989
Historical Society of Southwest Virginia
That James Green was killed by the Indians is proven by two sources. The first of these is a letter written by Colonel Arthur Campbell to the Governor of Virginia, dated January 29, 1783, stating:
"On Christmas day last (1782) the Indians attacked the house of John Ingles (English) on Clinch, in this county, scalped and otherwise grievously wounded a young man of the name of Cox, overtaken in the field. The second day afterward, as the Indians were making off toward the head of Sandy River they came on three hunters, two of whom they killed."
The second proof comes from Russell County, Virginia Court Order Book 3, page 266, dated December 27, 1803, and reads:
Ordered that it be certified to the Registrar of the Land Office that it is proven to this court that James Green is the son and heir at law of James Green, who was killed by the savages on the 31st of December 1782, and that the said James Green was born on the 12th of February 1783.
That James Green, Jr., was born posthumously and the only child of James Green, Sr., proves that his father was a young man, and had been married only a short time when he was killed. In fact, his mother, Jane Porter, was born in 1761, and at the time her husband, James Green, was slain, was twenty-one years old. The son, James Green, Jr., grew to manhood in Scott County, Virginia, and married Dulcena Stallard, and many of their descendants live in Virginia and Kentucky. Not only the Greens, but Stuarts, Todds, Prices, Porters, and many other families of Virginia and Kentucky are descendants of the Walker family.
According to "Dunmore's War Records", pp. 229-230 - James Green was among those paid, in the first pay period during Dunmore's War (1774), Captain William Russell's Company.

Killed by Chief Benge near what is now Pound, Wise Co., VA. on Dec. 31, 1782. Married Jane Porter, dau. of Patrick Porter & Susannah Ann Walker. He was a bosom friend of Daniel Boone. James Green, Sr. sprang from an illustrious race. His fore fathers came of the same stock as the great seekings of Norway, Sweden and Denmark. The Greens on coming to Va. were cavaliers. Robert Green (great-grandfather) landed in Culpepper County, VA in 1712 direct from England. Robert Green and his wife, Eleanor Duff, had 7 children.

On the authority of Prof. A. J. Wolfe, Big Stone Gap, James Green, Sr. was a close relative of Nathaniel Green who gave Cornwallis his greatest lesson of the Revolutionary War. (Nathaniel was the brother of Robert Green )
By tradition, James Green, Sr. was a great hunter, a dead rifle shot and greatly feared by the Indians. James and Jane lived on Stoney Creek in Scott Co., Va. He was one of the very first settlers in the area.
In September, 1782, James Green, Sr., Charles Kilgore and a man named McKinney were to hunt in the Pound County area, well known for it's abundance of game, for venison and bear meat for the coming winter. The hunting party was to be away for a period of ten days to two weeks. Robert Kilgore, 18 year old son of Charles Kilgore, was to remain to help care of Jane Porter Green, expecting the couples first child.
Shortly before time to leave, while awaiting the arrival of the other hunters, James asked Jean, "Jean, are you afraid for me to leave you?" To this unusual question, Jane replied, "No, James, I am not afraid and I want you to go." After a time, James said: "I feel queer this morning, I had a dream last night, but then, you know I don't believe in dreams....I dreamed a green fly "blowed" me in the right eye. It hurt and work me up. I fell asleep again and had the same dream, and again the third time; which so excited me that I called to you. I was happy it was only a dream."
The three hunters started off northward up the pathless windings of Stony Creek five miles to Hunter's Valley and then began the long wearisome climb up the southern slope of Stone Mountain. As late as noon, they reached the spring in the notch of the foot of the High Knob. Here the party halted for rest, a drink of cooling water, a bit of refreshing food. On the way they had seen a few deer tracks, had heard the characteristic "put-put" of the wild turkey hen and the "gobble-gobble" of the proudly strutting mate, on a far away ridge the chatter of countless wild pigeons, the muffled "bleating" of the pheasant, and in the high tops of numerous chestnut trees call of the gray squirrel. But no trace of Indians, or "Injuns" as they were want to call them, came to their notice. They did not risk firing a gun all day for they knew that this month was also the season for hunting for the Indians. As they rested, they made their plans....... two guns would be kept loaded and "primed", they would walk in Indian file (that is one behind another, stepping as nearly as possible in each others tracks), do no talking while on the move, carefully avoid breaking twigs or doing anything to indicate probable numbers or directions. They would only build campfires at night in a secluded hollow; previously noting possible ways of escape. Only two would sleep or hunt at any one time and have weapons ready and in reach. "For we must be always ready", said Green. The third would keep guard at camp and prepare the food. After procedures had all been worked out, there were a few moments of silence. Normally a man of action and little words, James Green was the first to break the silence. He wanted to talk. He told of his reluctance to leave Jean and his need to be available for her soon as time for the baby drew nearer. He also related his dream and said that Jean has told him "dreams mean nothing", but every moment the recollection of the fly blow in my eye comes back to haunt me, for it stung and hurt. "I want us to hurry on to the pound, get our meat and hasten back home. I know Robin will take good care of Jean 'till I come, for I have asked him to and he always does what he says, but let's be going" James said.
The three hunters arose and walked rapidly and silently down the step mountainside northward past the modern town of Norton, past Wise courthouse, arriving at night fall in the edge of Pound Co., on Indian Creek. The whole day they had not seen a human being or the abode of one. Jim Green went always in front and was ever on the alert. They pitched camp in a quiet cove and Jim took first watch. His thoughts surely back in his cabin home and to his brave cherry Jean, whose voice, tradition says, was liquid clear as the bobwhite and whose pleasing presence was a beam of sunshine after a storm. He recalled that this was the first time in their married life, almost two years, that they had spent a night's separation and vowed it should be the last. He related to his companions the next morning his thoughts that he had heard a whip-poor-will chanting to his mate his nightly dirge. And Green said, with a glint in his eye, "The whip-poor-will seemed to say -- Injuns-Jim, Injuns-Jim", but later said "whip-her-well, whip-her-well". The friends merely laughed and dismissed every unlucky foreboding, just as Jim.
The plans for the hunt were quickly made, one of the party was to stay back and make temporary shelter that would serve as an invisible hiding place from intruding Indians and as a protection against meddlesome wild varmints. The others would look around, reconnoiter for game and "Injun" signs. The first day passed uneventfully and satisfactorily, for no trace of a "Redskin" was observed, but the feeding places of numerous deer and the well-known bear marks were noted.
The second day, Green and Kilgore started out early together. An hour later, two gun shots rang down from the crest of a ridge several hundred yards away; succeeded a moment later by the unearthly yells of the terrible and dreaded Indian war-hoop. Before McKinney could grab his gun and collect himself, he looked out and saw Kilgore running toward the encampment. As he ran for dear life, he shrieked out, "Run, McKinney, leave all! Save yourself!" Not having to be told a second time, McKinney ran and as he reached the crest of a near ridge which would afford momentary protection, he looked around in time to see Green fall, closely pursued by yelling Mingoes. Green sprang up, grabbing out his hunting but before the Indian got to him, collapsed. Know defense was in vain and delay fatal, the young man dashed down the eastern slope, hoping now to out-distance the numerous foe and get word to the fort on the Cinch. As the sun was sinking behind the western hills he arrived at Fort Blackmore.
A posse was formed and by daylight it was far up Stony Creek, reaching the encampment long before sundown. No Indian foe could be found, but the camp had been pillaged. Net morning a reconnoitering party found the scalped remains of Kilgore and a few hundred yards away the boy of James Green with an arrowhead in his right eye. There were marks of a hand-to-struggle. The body lay prone on the groun, his face turned away from camp as if toward the point of danger. Thus, all knew Jim Green had looked death in the face just as every morning he met the rising sun. The bodies were placed in the hollow of a fallen giant chestnut and the opening closed.
There was no press and little exchange of letter during these early times. Gruesome and tragic as the ending was, there were many others of like kind. Memory of these events has been kept alive only in the descendants of those two early South West Virginia families.
In John Preston McConnell's book "Who am I", He states: "The question has been asked time and time again about the big chestnut tree that James Green Jr and Charlie Kilgore were buried in. John Preston McConnell said he saw the tree. He is the only person known to have said he saw that tree." John Preston McConnell was the President of Radfors State Teacher's College. Native of Fort Blackmore, VA
Posted by Delores Willey
"Ancestry of Richard S. & Delores Sue Green Willey" Ancestry .com


1782 Land Tax List of Washington Co., VA
Quantities & value thereof as assertained by the commissioners of the land tax for the second batallion in the county of Washington 1782
Proprieters name Qty. of Land L T D
Rolly Duncan 400 12 10 8
Peter Hutchason 450 6 10 10
James Green 400 16 -10
John Walker 1200 56 -11
John Teate attorney for Christopher Huston 100 6 - 1/32
Commissioners: Henry Smith and Patrick Porter


Jean\Jane PORTER:

Born 9 September 1761²
Died 1842
Death: Jean Porter Green Kilgore was laid to rest in the old Nickelsville Cemetery in the year 1842, near the old Baptist Church in which her second husband often preached. In 1854, Robert Kilgore was laid beside her and thus fulfilled the fateful, even if carelessly spoken words of James Green, to take care of Jean till he should come back.

James GREEN {M}

Born February 1783, Culpepper Co, VA

1 : "Down Home Kentucky Roots at MyFamily.com"
2 : "http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/w/i/l/Delores-S-W"