Pioneer Graves ~ Lee County, Virginia. - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

"The site of the 1773 massacre of the son of Daniel Boone and of the son of William Russell - James Boone and Henry Russell - is the subject of a long and continuing controversy in Lee County. The state historical road side marker commemorating this event was originally placed along side US 58 in Eller’s Gap on Powell Mountain between Pattonsville and Stickleyville. A rival claimant later developed in western Lee County, and roadside marker was dug up in the middle of the night and replanted near Kaylor. In recent years a new road side marker was erected by the State in the center of Sticklyville.

Local traditions still abound, especially near the various springs that head up Wallen's Creek north of Duffield and east of Stickleyville, and down Wallen’s Creek all the way to its mouth. The following is a review of the murders, and of the evidence on the location of the site."

Source: (visit link)


Here in the Wheeler community is a marker erected in 1951 by M. Wheeler Westerson, a descendant of Mary Russell. The cemetery on the hill behind this marker contains the remains of some early pioneers in Lee County. As far as the graves of the Boone - Russell party, I believe history has recorded otherwise, and the massacre took place near present day Stickleyville at the base of Powell's mountain on Wallen's creek.

Marker text:

"This marks the burial place of a party of white settlers who were surprised in camp and slain by Indians at daybreak October 10, 1773. Those killed were James Boone, son of Daniel Boone, Henry Russell, son of Capt. William Russell. Robert and Richard Mendenhall brothers, and another unnamed white man. Two escaped. Isaac Crabtree, a white man, and Adam, a negro slave of Russell. Boone and Russell buried their sons and others at the scene of the tragady and gave up temporarily the first effort of white men to settle Kentucky.
Erected July 10, 1951 by M. Wheeler Westerson a native of Lee county Virginia. Age 59 years and a descendant of Mary Russell."

Group that erected the marker: M. Wheeler Westerson, Russell family descendant. URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: Route 684 Wheeler community Ewing, Virginia Lee 24248

Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the marker, preferably including yourself or your GPSr in the photo. A very detailed description of your visit may be substituted for a photo. In any case please provide a description of your visit. A description of only "Visited" or "Saw it while on vacation" by anyone other than the person creating the waymark may be deleted by the waymark owner or the category officers.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log   12/30/2019 Manville Possum visited it