Five Washburn Brothers and the Indian Wars

In the month of June, 1782, there lived in the village of Clarksburg, a man named Charles Washburn, who, while chopping wood in his yard, was shot by a party of Indians lurking in the vicinity. One fellow more venturesome than the others,rushed up to the dying man, cleft his skull with an axe, and, quickly scalpingthe body, made his escape with the bloody trophy. (From "The Pioneers of Jackson County" by John A House). His widow (Nancy) then married William Henry Carder. In 1785 in Harrison Co., VA William Lowther (brother of Nancy Lowther) became guardian of Isaac Washburn (son of Charles Washburn & Nancy Lowther)

Three other Washburn brothers were killed by Indians: Isaac,who was shot on Hacker’s Creek in 1778, and James and Stephen, who were waylaid, while hunting for pine knots for making shoe wax, near their home on West Fork. Stephen was shot and scalped, and James was carried off to their town, where he was put to death by cruel torture. (From "The Pioneers of Jackson County"by John A House)

Of the five brothers, at least three of them were granted land from fighting in the Indian Wars. One of these brothers is most likely Thomas's father--James, Stephen or Isaac Sr. Although three of the five were killed during subsequent attacks, they are considered part of the group that succeeded in winning the land. Also Elizabeth Carder's mother (Thomas's wife) is Rebecca Lowther Washburn Carder and her brother Colonel William Lowther is famous in West Virginia for winning the fight against the Indians. There is a Historical Maker with Colonel William Lowther's name and that of the Washburns near Jane Lew WV.

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