Fated to Grow Tall: The Chaotic Tale of Simon Kenton
By: Lisa Timmerman, Executive Director
Tall tales stick like glue to Simon Kenton, a man famed for his exploits and activities in West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky during the late 18th century. From saving Daniel Boone to fighting against American Indians and the British, Kenton’s life was tumultuous and embroiled in conflict. Born in Bull Run Mountains, his parents purportedly built a cabin near Dumfries at Devil’s Bed and local PWC residents recalled various tales about his early years and character when interviewed by Susan R. Morton, Virginia Writers Project worker, in 1941.While none of his exploits, except for assault, took place in Virginia, PWC residents attributed both magic and fate as reasons for his famed reputation.
According to Aunt Fannie Beale, an older midwife predicted Kenton’s life when he was an infant. After acknowledging the midwife’s ability with herbs and drugs, Ms. Beale noted the midwife’s unusual talent regarding infants.
“One o’ her trickers were t’ tek a bit o’ the baby’s hair, ‘fore ever it were washed, an’ as soon as she could git it to a young tree, she’d cut a slit in th’ tree an put in th’ hair an’ chink it up ag’in. An’ as th’ tree grew, so’d the child.”
Something harming the tree was a serious cause for concern for the person’s life, so the midwife usually favored poplar trees for their apparent growth speed.
“But fer some reason, th’ ole woman chosen a gum tree, what ev’ry one knows grows slow an’ sometimes gits crooked. But this here tree stood fer years, an’ lightning tore off a part o’ it, an’ somebody took off’n a limb t’ make gun stocks out’n, An’ t’ cut mos’ trees like that woulda stunned ‘em, but not this a one. Storm an’ man both tortured hit, but it stood right on, which were jes’ what Simon did. He were near kilt a heap o’ times, but he stood up straight, which were likely what thet ole woman meant he would do when she picked out the gum tree fer a growin’ tree.”
Linking one’s life to the growth of a tree twists both fate and human agency as trees served as powerful symbols in folklore and any damage to the tree, human or otherwise, directly impacted the linked individual. Across America, folklorists recorded stories of people “plugging” hair into trees to help cure diseases, such as asthma, magically transforming the tree into the surrogate of the disease. Clearly this is not the case in Aunt Beale’s story, but it is another interesting lore that explores relationships between plants and people in America.
Other stories focused more on Kenton’s physical appearance, such as how Mrs. Rebecca Ashby attributed Kenton’s life of crime via blemishes.
“’Twas most likely th’ talk of an old woman what made Simon Kenton th’ great man he turned out t’ be. When he was borned there was a big dark mole on his neck an’ that was a sure sign he would be hung. His mammy tried all th’ things she ever heard of t’ get shet of it – she made poultices of herbs an’ soaked a coin in vinegar, an’ made him wear it over th’ mole. But nothin’ ever did any good.”
Mrs. Ashby specifically tied this story with Kenton’s attack and assault of William Leachman, noting that Kenton was only a teenager at the time and ran away thinking Leachman died. Notably, Kenton entangled Leachman in a tree during the fight, striking Leachman numerously. Mrs. Flora Smith explained that Kenton later returned to Devil’s Bed to connect with relatives and Ellen Cummins, the woman Kenton had fought Leachman for in his youth. Miss Smith focused on Kenton’s supposed “fetching” appearance, shaming both Cummins and Leachman for their weight with Kenton remarking that Kentucky women were far prettier than women in Virginia (Timmerman note: Rude!).
(Source: Kenton’s Escape, Kelsey, D. M. History of Our Wild West and Stories of Pioneer Life. Chicago: Thomas & Thomas, 1902)
Susan R. Morton’s other interviewees consistently focused on Kenton in PWC, whether he was accidentally trapping a “granpappy” in a bear trap, disguising himself as an American Indian, or looking for his American Indian family. These narratives provide interesting insights into the community. Certainly, the interviewees wanted to claim Kenton’s fame as originating locally, focusing on his birth and the women’s role in influencing his early life. The interviewees also emphasized Kenton’s knowledge and friendly relations with American Indians at odds with his military and vigilante career. As with everything, life is more complicated than the growth of the tree, but local residents imparted the significance of our locale to shaping his entire life.
Note on transcribed interviews: A subsidiary of the WPA Federal Writers’ Project, Virginia field workers collected over 3,850 folklore across sixty-two counties from 1937 – 1942. Curious to learn what made Simon Kenton so famous? Check out this blog from the Emerging Revolutionary War team!
Note: After the 01/03/22 snowstorm interrupted our ability to post (can’t stop a determined historian…unless you trap them in a house without power and internet), we could use some extra good luck and will be virtually delving into common superstitions this Saturday at 10am! Feel like blaming snow yokai instead? Join us on Saturday, 01/29 as we study the fascinating Japanese lore that commonly appear in manga and anime.
(Sources: Barton, Thomas E., ed. Virginia Folk Legends. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1991; Hand, Wayland. Magical Medicine: The Folkloric Component of Medicine in the Folk Belief, Custom, and Ritual of the Peoples of Europe and America: Selected Essays. London: University of California Press, 1980)