353:
Natives and their victims as a source of motivations behind the massacre. One of the massacre's victims reported the name of his assailant prior to succumbing to his wounds, proving his acquaintance with the attacker. According to historian Lewis Baird, "The Pigeon Roost massacre was not an Native raid as has been so often stated. The
Natives passed through the little hamlet which was the nucleus of Vienna and never harmed a soul, while there. There had been bad blood between the Collins family and the Natives for some time. The Collins boys had stolen a fawn from the Natives and refused to give it up, and from this cause and possibly some other, the whole trouble originated. Those other than Collinses were killed only because they lived in that neighborhood. Neither before nor after the massacre were other white people harmed, showing conclusively that it was only a local fight and giving no cause for alarm to other settlers."
389:
401:
413:
425:
150:
731:
31:
314:
cabin and hid in a nearby cornfield, until they finally were able to escape to
Zebulon Collings's blockhouse. A third account (from a journal of George Heinrich Crist, Jr) states Capt. John Norris was at the home William Collings. "If Captain John Norris had not been at Uncle Williams, him and John and Lydia would most likely been killed."
305:
Some settlers managed to escape to the blockhouse of
Zebulon Collings, but the Collings family lost many members. Henry Collings was killed and his pregnant wife stabbed to death. According to a journal entry by Henry's brother-in-law, George Heinrich Crist, "Henry lived to tell that little Kill Buck
313:
William
Collings' actions during the attack have been the subject of conjecture. One account has him killing four Natives single-handedly and then holding off the remainder of the attackers with broken or unloaded rifles. Another version says Collings and his youngest son sneaked out the back of his
317:
The wife of John Biggs, a sister of
William Collings, heard the war party approach her cabin, and fled with her three children to hide in a thicket. The raiders could tell the cabin had just been evacuated, so they burned it and searched for the family. As one of the Natives approached the thicket,
376:
Recently, new historic markers were placed on US-31 at the entrance to the site and a picnic shelter was built. The state has turned the site over to Scott County. This year a log cabin was built on the site, similar to the ones that would have been built by the early settlers. An annual picnic is
103:
in the area. The settlement consisted of a single line of cabins stretching north and south approximately one mile north of the present town of
Underwood. The nearest Native village was located some 20 miles north near the Muskatatuck River. None of the Natives from this settlement are believed to
297:
The Native
Americans first came across two hunters near Pigeon Roost and attacked them. They then proceeded to the village, where they struck the cabin of Elias Payne. According to hear-say, Payne's wife and seven children were all killed and scalped; Elias was later found by the Natives in the
352:
The massacre was the first Native
American attack against U.S. settlers in Indiana during the War of 1812. It is sometimes stated to be part of the larger conflict between the U.S. and Native Americans in the Northwest Territory, though other historians point to previous interactions between the
318:
the youngest child began to whimper, and Mrs. Biggs stuffed her shawl into the infant's mouth to keep it from betraying their hiding place. When the raiding party moved on, the Biggs family was able to reach
Zebulon Colling's blockhouse, but the infant had died of suffocation.
344:
According to contemporary reports, the leader of the attack was rumored to be a Native named
Missilemotaw. He was captured on September 20, 1813, and under threat of death confessed he had led the raid. He claimed to be a close confidant of the Native chieftain
325:, could react. Over one hundred militiamen, led by Major John McCoy, mustered the next day, and followed the attackers as far as the Muscatatuck River, where the trail was lost. Some militia men believed they would have fared better had they been led by
104:
have taken part in the attack on Pigeon Roost. The closest forts (called "blockhouses") were one to the north in Vienna in present-day Scott County and another built by Zebulon Collings to the south near what is now Henryville in Clark County.
298:
woods with his brother-in-law Isaac Coffman, and they, too, were killed. Elias Payne had been only wounded, but with no one to tend his wounds, he bled to death. Payne's grave was later destroyed during construction of
356:
The Pigeon Roost settlement was rebuilt, but was eventually abandoned. Most of the victims were buried in a mass grave, to include members of the Collings and Richey families. Indiana Ranger John Zink was buried in
96:
and occupied Shawnee lands in southern Indiana. Families living in what is today Scott, Clark, Jefferson and Washington Counties still can often trace their ancestry back to these early settlers.
400:
412:
122:
282:, but possibly including some Delawares and Potawatomis) led by Missilimetaw (or Missilemotaw), made a surprise attack on the village, which appeared to be coordinated with attacks on
321:
As news of the massacre spread, the other Pigeon Roost settlers fled and assembled at Zebulon Colling's blockhouse. The Native war party left before the local militia, based in
672:
388:
863:
838:
294:
the same month. In all, twenty-four settlers, including fifteen children, were killed, and two children were taken. Only four of the Native American party were killed.
424:
868:
665:
369:
In 1904 the state of Indiana authorized $ 2,000 to build a memorial to the victims of the Pigeon Roost Massacre. It is a 44-foot-tall (13 m)
858:
176:
168:
853:
848:
57:
621:
191:
843:
658:
326:
448:
See "The Collings, Richeys and The Pigeon Roost Massacre" Preservation Alliance (2003), Library of Congress Card Catalog No. 80-50632
590:
117:
609:
310:, but his wife and seven children were among the dead. There is little documented evidence for most of the accounts offered.
341:). One of the rangers, John Zink, was shot and later died, but the war party was able to escape with only a few casualties.
349:
and told his captors the British had been supplying the Natives with arms and equipment since 1809 in preparation for war.
801:
755:
184:
750:
338:
791:
681:
334:
534:
745:
299:
72:
Pigeon Roost was established in 1809 by William E. Collings (1758–1828), and consisted mainly of settlers from
53:
715:
77:
781:
695:
307:
730:
818:
322:
287:
141:
786:
172:
164:
89:
45:
41:
406:
40 ft tall Memorial made of Bedford limestone, raised in 1903 and dedicated October 1, 1904
27:
Site of an 1812 massacre of settlers by Native Americans in County Scott, Indiana, United States
814:
605:
586:
149:
796:
100:
720:
330:
337:
under Captain Henry Dawalt intercepted the Pigeon Roost raiders at Sand Creek (in modern
418:
Memorial to the families of the Pigeon Roost attack, located next to the Sassafras tree.
700:
650:
358:
832:
760:
283:
113:
85:
17:
306:
shot him". Henry Collings's brother, Richard, was serving in the army under General
710:
270:
237:
137:
61:
291:
93:
636:
623:
206:
193:
76:. Collings and his large family held the original land grants in what is now
266:
30:
705:
346:
262:
81:
73:
370:
279:
250:
49:
551:(2003 ed.). Preservation Alliance Inc. 1980. pp. 12–13, 15.
394:
Historical marker for the Pigeon Roost settlement on IN state Hwy 31.
566:. Indianapolis, IN: B.F. Bowen and Company, Publishers. p. 147.
88:. These land grants were deemed illegal. After the passage of the
654:
99:
The town was named Pigeon Roost because of the great number of
515:
Pence, George (December 1918). "General Joseph Bartholomew".
430:
Marker located next to memorial, with massacre information.
278:
On September 3, 1812, a small party of Natives (mostly
373:
and the area was made a state historic site in 1929.
549:
The Collings, Richeys, and the Pigeon Roost Massacre
774:
738:
688:
257:
243:
231:
222:
183:
159:
130:
377:held on the site, the second Sunday in September.
604:. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press.
56:takes the visitor to the site of a village where
666:
8:
673:
659:
651:
127:
864:Protected areas of Scott County, Indiana
839:Protected areas of Clark County, Indiana
564:Baird's History of Clark County, Indiana
60:massacred 24 settlers shortly after the
29:
441:
384:
585:. Turner Publishing Company, Paducah.
583:The Tragic Saga of the Indiana Indians
501:
499:
497:
460:
458:
456:
454:
177:Monroe Township, Clark County, Indiana
169:Vienna Township, Scott County, Indiana
329:, who was away from home. A force of
52:, United States. A one-lane road off
7:
682:Indiana Territory in the War of 1812
602:The War of 1812 in the Old Northwest
869:Monuments and memorials in Indiana
92:, many squatters moved across the
25:
729:
423:
411:
399:
387:
148:
38:Pigeon Roost State Historic Site
1:
859:Massacres by Native Americans
854:Indiana State Historic Sites
849:Landmarks of the War of 1812
80:, signed by the Governor of
517:Indiana Magazine of History
339:Bartholomew County, Indiana
885:
844:Indiana in the War of 1812
812:
335:Washington County, Indiana
327:General Joseph Bartholomew
810:
727:
154:Indiana historical marker
147:
135:
581:Allison, Harold (1986).
562:Baird, Lewis C. (1909).
227:September 3, 1812 –
637:38.617181°N 85.773709°W
600:Gilpin, Alec R (1958).
207:38.617181°N 85.773709°W
118:Infobox civilian attack
78:Nelson County, Kentucky
696:William Henry Harrison
308:William Henry Harrison
123:considered for merging
34:
642:38.617181; -85.773709
247:24 christian settlers
212:38.617181; -85.773709
131:Pigeon Roost Massacre
108:Pigeon Roost massacre
33:
18:Pigeon Roost Massacre
819:Battle of Tippecanoe
288:Terre Haute, Indiana
142:American Indian Wars
68:Pigeon Roost Village
633: /
361:'s Brock Cemetery.
292:Siege of Fort Wayne
203: /
90:Northwest Ordinance
40:is located between
537:. 7 December 2020.
35:
826:
825:
276:
275:
101:passenger pigeons
16:(Redirected from
876:
733:
675:
668:
661:
652:
648:
647:
645:
644:
643:
638:
634:
631:
630:
629:
626:
615:
596:
568:
567:
559:
553:
552:
545:
539:
538:
531:
525:
524:
512:
506:
503:
492:
489:
483:
480:
474:
471:
465:
464:Gilpin, 137, 139
462:
449:
446:
427:
415:
403:
391:
218:
217:
215:
214:
213:
208:
204:
201:
200:
199:
196:
152:
128:
58:Native Americans
21:
884:
883:
879:
878:
877:
875:
874:
873:
829:
828:
827:
822:
821:
806:
802:Tipton's Island
770:
734:
725:
721:Indiana Rangers
684:
679:
641:
639:
635:
632:
627:
624:
622:
620:
619:
612:
599:
593:
580:
577:
572:
571:
561:
560:
556:
547:
546:
542:
533:
532:
528:
514:
513:
509:
504:
495:
490:
486:
481:
477:
472:
468:
463:
452:
447:
443:
438:
431:
428:
419:
416:
407:
404:
395:
392:
383:
367:
331:Indiana Rangers
248:
234:
226:
211:
209:
205:
202:
197:
194:
192:
190:
189:
155:
126:
110:
70:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
882:
880:
872:
871:
866:
861:
856:
851:
846:
841:
831:
830:
824:
823:
815:Tecumseh's War
811:
808:
807:
805:
804:
799:
794:
789:
784:
778:
776:
772:
771:
769:
768:
763:
758:
753:
748:
742:
740:
736:
735:
728:
726:
724:
723:
718:
713:
708:
703:
701:Zachary Taylor
698:
692:
690:
686:
685:
680:
678:
677:
670:
663:
655:
617:
616:
610:
597:
591:
576:
573:
570:
569:
554:
540:
535:"Pigeon Roost"
526:
507:
493:
484:
475:
466:
450:
440:
439:
437:
434:
433:
432:
429:
422:
420:
417:
410:
408:
405:
398:
396:
393:
386:
382:
379:
366:
363:
359:Salem, Indiana
274:
273:
265:possibly some
259:
255:
254:
245:
241:
240:
235:
232:
229:
228:
224:
220:
219:
187:
181:
180:
161:
157:
156:
153:
145:
144:
133:
132:
111:
109:
106:
69:
66:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
881:
870:
867:
865:
862:
860:
857:
855:
852:
850:
847:
845:
842:
840:
837:
836:
834:
820:
816:
809:
803:
800:
798:
797:Spur's Defeat
795:
793:
790:
788:
785:
783:
782:Fort Harrison
780:
779:
777:
775:Battles/raids
773:
767:
764:
762:
761:Fort Vallonia
759:
757:
754:
752:
749:
747:
744:
743:
741:
737:
732:
722:
719:
717:
716:William Wells
714:
712:
709:
707:
704:
702:
699:
697:
694:
693:
691:
687:
683:
676:
671:
669:
664:
662:
657:
656:
653:
649:
646:
613:
607:
603:
598:
594:
592:0-938021-07-9
588:
584:
579:
578:
574:
565:
558:
555:
550:
544:
541:
536:
530:
527:
523:(4): 293–294.
522:
518:
511:
508:
502:
500:
498:
494:
488:
485:
479:
476:
470:
467:
461:
459:
457:
455:
451:
445:
442:
435:
426:
421:
414:
409:
402:
397:
390:
385:
380:
378:
374:
372:
364:
362:
360:
354:
350:
348:
342:
340:
336:
332:
328:
324:
319:
315:
311:
309:
303:
301:
300:Interstate 65
295:
293:
289:
285:
284:Fort Harrison
281:
272:
268:
264:
260:
256:
252:
246:
242:
239:
236:
230:
225:
221:
216:
188:
186:
182:
178:
174:
170:
166:
162:
158:
151:
146:
143:
139:
134:
129:
124:
120:
119:
115:
107:
105:
102:
97:
95:
91:
87:
86:Patrick Henry
83:
79:
75:
67:
65:
63:
59:
55:
54:U.S. Route 31
51:
47:
43:
39:
32:
19:
792:Mississinewa
766:Pigeon Roost
765:
618:
601:
582:
563:
557:
548:
543:
529:
520:
516:
510:
505:Allison, 180
491:Allison, 178
487:
482:Allison, 177
478:
473:Allison, 176
469:
444:
375:
368:
355:
351:
343:
320:
316:
312:
304:
296:
277:
258:Perpetrators
136:Part of the
116:
98:
71:
37:
36:
711:John Tipton
640: /
323:Charlestown
271:Potawatomis
238:Mass murder
233:Attack type
210: /
185:Coordinates
138:War of 1812
112:‹ The
62:War of 1812
833:Categories
813:See also:
787:Fort Wayne
756:Fort Wayne
628:85°46′25″W
625:38°37′02″N
611:1611860385
436:References
198:85°46′25″W
195:38°37′02″N
173:Henryville
165:Scottsburg
94:Ohio River
46:Henryville
42:Scottsburg
751:Fort Knox
746:Eel River
365:Memorials
267:Delawares
121:is being
706:Tecumseh
347:Tecumseh
263:Shawnees
253:warriors
163:Between
160:Location
140:and the
125:. ›
114:template
82:Virginia
74:Kentucky
575:Sources
381:Gallery
371:obelisk
280:Shawnee
261:Mostly
251:Shawnee
64:began.
50:Indiana
739:Places
689:People
608:
589:
290:) and
286:(near
244:Deaths
333:from
817:and
606:ISBN
587:ISBN
269:and
223:Date
179:, US
171:and
44:and
175:,
835::
521:14
519:.
496:^
453:^
302:.
249:4
167:,
84:,
48:,
674:e
667:t
660:v
614:.
595:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
