Forewarned by Isaac Thomas, a trader, to whom Nancy Ward had confided the plans of the coming uprising, the families
surrounding Watauga had taken refuge in the fort, but although her
husband was on military duty, Mrs. Bean had for some reason failed to do
so, and was taken captive by Indians under the Cherokee chief, Old Abraham. The Indians, on retreating, carried Mrs. Bean with them to their camp on the Nollichucky River. Here, at the point of a gun, she was forced to witness the torture and death of a neighbor. Mrs. Bean was questioned concerning the strength and provisions of the garrison at the fort. Although facing death, she retained her composure and answered in a manner that would lead her questioners to conclude that the fort was well defended and possessed of provisions sufficient to withstand a long siege.
Later Mrs. Bean was told "she would not be put to death but be taken to the the Indian towns, where she should teach the Indian squaws how to make butter". Subquently she did accompany them to their town, where she remained some time in captivity before being ransomed.
It is said she was saved by Nancy Ward who said that the Magic Powers had revealed to her that the Nation would be destroyed if they burned Mrs. Bean.
William Bean was one of the first patentees of the land leased from the Indians by Charles Robertson as trustee for the settlers and later secured by treaty. His name is found to the petition for annexation to North Carolina, which is in the archives at Raleigh, and was received by messenger August 22, 1776. He was one of the earliest captains of militia, and his name is given as one of the captains when in response to Governor Rutherford's requisition the commissioned officers met for the purpose of dispatching troops for the relief of South Carolina.
From the beginning, the Watauga and Holston settlements had been troubled with a few undesirable citizens, who, with the idea of obtaining more license, openly avowed their Tory sentiments. In reality they were but the renegades such as are found in all isolated settlements.
Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/58612708/lydia-bean
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