Anne Bailey
Encyclopedia
"Mad" Anne Bailey was a famous story teller and frontier scout who served in the fights of the American Revolutionary War
and Northwest Indian War
. Her single person ride in search of an urgently needed powder supply for the endangered Clendenin's Settlement (present-day Charleston
, West Virginia
) was used as the template for Charles Robb's 1861 poem Anne Bailey's Ride. She is known as the Heroine of the Kanawha Valley.
"Mad Anne" was born Anne Hennis in Liverpool, England. She first arrived in Shenandoah Valley
of Virginia at about the age of 19. In 1765, she married a settler named Richard Trotter. He served in Lord Dunmore's War and was killed on October 10, 1774 in an encounter with the Shawnee
forces led by Cornstalk
at the Battle of Point Pleasant
. His death was a turning point in Anne's life. She left her son William with a neighbor named Mrs. Moses Mann, then joined the militia. Anne wore buckskins while carrying rifles and similar equipment for engaging in scout services, hunting, courier work and story telling.
In 1785, Anne married John Bailey, a frontiersman and ranger. The couple moved to Clendenin's Settlement in the Great Kanawha Valley. It was here in 1791 that local Fort Lee
was under heavy threat that Anne made her legendary 100 mile ride to Fort Savannah at Lewisburg
for much needed ammunition. Her path was through wilderness, and she rode both directions successfully and is credited with saving Fort Lee. She remained on duty until 1795 where the Treaty of Greenville
ended the Northwest Indian War
.
In 1794, John Bailey was murdered near Point Pleasant, Virginia (now WV), and his will was filed in the county court that same year. After that she lived with her son but still traveled and visited friends. A few years after John Bailey's death, she traveled to Alabama, apparently to visit her stepson, Abram Bailey. When her son and his family left Virginia for Gallia County, Ohio
she left with them. Until her death she continued to travel. Her remains were later moved to Tu-Endie-Wei State Park
. The museum there shows several of her memorabilia with special mention of a design made from her hair.
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
and Northwest Indian War
Northwest Indian War
The Northwest Indian War , also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names, was a war fought between the United States and a confederation of numerous American Indian tribes for control of the Northwest Territory...
. Her single person ride in search of an urgently needed powder supply for the endangered Clendenin's Settlement (present-day Charleston
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
) was used as the template for Charles Robb's 1861 poem Anne Bailey's Ride. She is known as the Heroine of the Kanawha Valley.
"Mad Anne" was born Anne Hennis in Liverpool, England. She first arrived in Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
of Virginia at about the age of 19. In 1765, she married a settler named Richard Trotter. He served in Lord Dunmore's War and was killed on October 10, 1774 in an encounter with the Shawnee
Shawnee
The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
forces led by Cornstalk
Cornstalk
Cornstalk was a prominent leader of the Shawnee nation just prior to the American Revolution. His name, Hokoleskwa, translates loosely into "stalk of corn" in English, and is spelled Colesqua in some accounts...
at the Battle of Point Pleasant
Battle of Point Pleasant
The Battle of Point Pleasant, known as the Battle of Kanawha in some older accounts, was the only major battle of Dunmore's War. It was fought on October 10, 1774, primarily between Virginia militia and American Indians from the Shawnee and Mingo tribes...
. His death was a turning point in Anne's life. She left her son William with a neighbor named Mrs. Moses Mann, then joined the militia. Anne wore buckskins while carrying rifles and similar equipment for engaging in scout services, hunting, courier work and story telling.
In 1785, Anne married John Bailey, a frontiersman and ranger. The couple moved to Clendenin's Settlement in the Great Kanawha Valley. It was here in 1791 that local Fort Lee
Fort Lee
Fort Lee may refer to:* Fort Lee, New Jersey* Battle of Fort Lee was fought on November 19, 1776 between American and British forces.* Fort Lee , a United States Army post...
was under heavy threat that Anne made her legendary 100 mile ride to Fort Savannah at Lewisburg
Lewisburg, West Virginia
Lewisburg is a city in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 3,830 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Greenbrier County.-Geography:Lewisburg is located at ....
for much needed ammunition. Her path was through wilderness, and she rode both directions successfully and is credited with saving Fort Lee. She remained on duty until 1795 where the Treaty of Greenville
Treaty of Greenville
The Treaty of Greenville was signed at Fort Greenville , on August 3, 1795, between a coalition of Native Americans & Frontiers men, known as the Western Confederacy, and the United States following the Native American loss at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. It put an end to the Northwest Indian War...
ended the Northwest Indian War
Northwest Indian War
The Northwest Indian War , also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names, was a war fought between the United States and a confederation of numerous American Indian tribes for control of the Northwest Territory...
.
In 1794, John Bailey was murdered near Point Pleasant, Virginia (now WV), and his will was filed in the county court that same year. After that she lived with her son but still traveled and visited friends. A few years after John Bailey's death, she traveled to Alabama, apparently to visit her stepson, Abram Bailey. When her son and his family left Virginia for Gallia County, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
she left with them. Until her death she continued to travel. Her remains were later moved to Tu-Endie-Wei State Park
Tu-Endie-Wei State Park
Tu-Endie-Wei State Park is located at the confluence of the Kanawha River and the Ohio River in downtown Point Pleasant, West Virginia. The park commemorates the Battle of Point Pleasant, fought between the settler militia of Virginia and the forces of Shawnee Chief Cornstalk on October 10, 1774...
. The museum there shows several of her memorabilia with special mention of a design made from her hair.
Legacy
- Henry HoweHenry HoweHenry Howe was an author who wrote histories of several states in the United States. His most celebrated work is the three volume Historical Collections of Ohio....
wrote a history of Ohio in 1840, but he did not know of Anne Bailey. In 1888, he corrected this omission by retelling several of her stories.
- Anne Bailey Elementary School in St. Albans, West VirginiaSt. Albans, West VirginiaSt. Albans is a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States, at the confluence of the Kanawha and Coal Rivers. The population was 11,044 at the 2010 census.St. Albans was laid out in 1816...
, is named for "Mad Anne" Bailey.
- A Daughters of the American RevolutionDaughters of the American RevolutionThe Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence....
chapter in Charleston, West Virginia is named in honor of Anne Bailey.
- A lookout tower in Watoga State ParkWatoga State ParkWatoga State Park is the largest of West Virginia’s state parks, covering slightly over . It is located near Seebert in Pocahontas County, West Virginia.-History:...
is named for Anne Bailey.
Literature
- Crook, Valerie F. Historic Ride of "Mad" Anne Bailey, extracted from The History of West Virginia, Old and New, Vol. I, pg. 99-100, by James Morton Callahan, 1923.
- Hill, Frank. The True Life of Anne Bailey. 1979. Reprinted by The Gallia County Historical Society, Gallipolis, OH.
- Hollis, Suzanne. "Anne Bailey" in Women Soldiers in the American Revolutionary War (http://userpages.aug.com/captbarb/femvets.html). 1996. ed. by Captain Barbara A. Wilson, USAF (Ret.).
- Howe, Henry. Historical Collections of Ohio. Norwalk, O.: State of Ohio, Laning Printing Co., 1888.
- Laidley, W. S. History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia. Chicago, IL: Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co., 1911. pg. 81-85.
- Lautenschlager, Hedda. In American National Biography, Vol. 1, pg. 874-5. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. [bibliography]
- Lewis, Virgil A. Life and Times of Anne Bailey, the Pioneer Heroine of the Great Kanawha Valley. Charleston, WV: The Butler Printing Company, 1891.
External links
- Anne Bailey at AmericanRevolution.com