Snyder Family 2016 - Person Sheet
NameJoseph Van Bibber 
Birth1776, Green Co., Virginia
DeathSep 1796, Point Pleasant, Mason Co., (W) Virginia
FatherPeter Van Bibber II (1731-1797)
MotherMajer (Marjory) Bounds (~1740-~1844)
Notes for Joseph Van Bibber
549Personal Incidents
"There lives up Thirteen-mile creek, Mr. Jesse Van Bibber (Mr. Van Bibber died in 1859 or 1860), an aged pioneer in this country, whose life, like his own mountain stream, was rough and turbulent at its commencement; but as it nears its close, calm and peaceful, beautifully reflecting the Christian virtues. From conversations with him, we gathered many interesting anecdotes and incidents, illustrating the early history of this region, some of which here follows:
Anecdotes of the Van Bibbers
"A few years after the close of the Revolution, a daughter of Captain John Van Bibber, named Rhoda, aged 17, and Joseph Van Bibber, a young lad of 13, a brother of our informant, had crossed over in a canoe one morning, to the west side of the Ohio, opposite Point Pleasant, on an errand to Rhoda's father, then living temporarily in a house on that side of the stream, when a party of Indians suddenly made their appearance. Dave, a black man belonging to Captain Van Bibber, gave the alarm, and rushed into the house. The Indians attacked the house, but were driven off by Dave and Captain Van Bibber, with the loss of two or three of their number. Joseph and Rhoda, in their terror, hastened to the canoe, whither the Indians purused them, killed and scalped the young lady, and took Joseph a prisoner to Detroit. Rhoda's scalp the Indians divided into two, and sold them to the Indian traders at Detroit for $30 each; their object in purchasing them was to encourage the savages in their incursions, so as to prevent a settlement of the country by the whites, and thus monopolize the Indian trade. Joseph afterwards stated that the barrel in which the scalps were put was nearly full of the horrid trophies. He remained with the Indians two years, during which time he learned their language, and acted as an interpreter between them and the traders. He at length made his escape, and lived with a trader until after Wayne's victory, when he returned home. While at Detroit, he became acquainted with the notorious Simon Girty, then a British pensioner for services in the Revolution. He said Girty was an affable man, but extremely intemperate. Girty denied to him that he was the instigator of the death of Colonel Crawford; but that he went so far to save him that his own life was in danger.
"There lives up Thirteen-mile creek, Mr. Jesse Van Bibber (Mr. Van Bibber died in 1859 or 1860), an aged pioneer in this country, whose life, like his own mountain stream, was rough and turbulent at its commencement; but as it nears its close, calm and peaceful, beautifully reflecting the Christian virtues. From conversations with him, we gathered many interesting anecdotes and incidents, illustrating the early history of this region, some of which here follows:
Anecdotes of the Van Bibbers
"A few years after the close of the Revolution, a daughter of Captain John Van Bibber, named Rhoda, aged 17, and Joseph Van Bibber, a young lad of 13, a brother of our informant, had crossed over in a canoe one morning, to the west side of the Ohio, opposite Point Pleasant, on an errand to Rhoda's father, then living temporarily in a house on that side of the stream, when a party of Indians suddenly made their appearance. Dave, a black man belonging to Captain Van Bibber, gave the alarm, and rushed into the house. The Indians attacked the house, but were driven off by Dave and Captain Van Bibber, with the loss of two or three of their number. Joseph and Rhoda, in their terror, hastened to the canoe, whither the Indians purused them, killed and scalped the young lady, and took Joseph a prisoner to Detroit. Rhoda's scalp the Indians divided into two, and sold them to the Indian traders at Detroit for $30 each; their object in purchasing them was to encourage the savages in their incursions, so as to prevent a settlement of the country by the whites, and thus monopolize the Indian trade. Joseph afterwards stated that the barrel in which the scalps were put was nearly full of the horrid trophies. He remained with the Indians two years, during which time he learned their language, and acted as an interpreter between them and the traders. He at length made his escape, and lived with a trader until after Wayne's victory, when he returned home. While at Detroit, he became acquainted with the notorious Simon Girty, then a British pensioner for services in the Revolution. He said Girty was an affable man, but extremely intemperate. Girty denied to him that he was the instigator of the death of Colonel Crawford; but that he went so far to save him that his own life was in danger.