IndianLydiaGundi

After the Henson children had grown, married and moved away from the home, and the death of Phillip, Matilda and Lydia stayed on the farm and lived alone. Mrs. Henson became ill and was confined to her room all the time, all the work had to be done by Lydia, who did it without any complaints. Neighbors reported, there were few men who could wield an axe or hoe better than, that woman.

A son in law of Mrs. Henson, John Brown, who was married to Sis (Narcissa) Henson, attended the two women and helped with the hauling of wood or work that Lydia could not do alone. As John lived several miles from them, this labor became burdensome. He requested that Mrs. Henson move to his home, where he could care for her better. His wife, Sis cared for her mother, thus freeing Lydia to help with the field work which she loved. She thought that a crop could not be planted with out her aid. The Brown boys knew they would have no easy task, when they were pitted against Lydia in any kind of out door labor.

Labor saving machines were unheard of those days and it was custom for the women to work in the fields. The soil was productive and yielded in abundance. The pioneers of Wayne County were like the Arcadian peasants whom Longfellow described as "the richest were poor and the poor lived in abundance".

The habits and customs of people could not be changed in a generation. Lydia's love for the forest clung to her all her life. On the days when there was no necessary work, and on Sundays, Lydia would appear restless and would soon disappear and be gone the rest of the day, and on her return she would tell about her trip, which often extended over several miles.

Lydia called all the Henson's relatives "our folks" and she would visit them and was very talkative, but their was one stranger who succeeded in gaining her friendship, and that was Uncle Billie Harrison, a Baptist minister who often preached at Mr. Brown's Lydia Gundy had seen the trees drop their leaves many times before she came to Wayne County, yet during the thirty two years of her life here, she always enjoyed good health. One day in the winter of 1866, she complained of being sick and was given some of the home remedies that were kept in the house. That night, she left her own room and made her way to the setting room where Mr. Brown and other members of the family were sleeping. She set down by the fire and seemed in great agony when Mr. Brown asked, "What is the trouble, Lydia?"She explained, "Oh, John me die." Before anyone could reach her, her spirit had flown to the happy hunting grounds of her fore fathers. She was buried in the Old Henson Cemetery near Zenith, where a marker identifies her resting place, Lydia Gundy spent thirty two years with the Henson's.

Herein this little cemetery are the bones of one, who knew the terror of being completely alone in the wild land of this country over a hundred years ago. Every beast and every human, all were her enemies for she was an Indian and the white man had come. Some say she was an outcast, banished from her tribe. History does not tell, and Lydia would not. Her story has no rays of happiness. She was cut off from all those things she knew and understood, custom and language, a prisoner in a free land, a peace without hope.

This was sent to me by Yvonne Polk, with a few minor changes.

Part two

This article appeared in one of the newspapers as I have had it for about twenty years.

HISTORIC MARKER TO HONOR LAST WAYNE COUNTY INDIAN

ORCHARDVILLE--- Wayne County's last Indian , "Indian Lydia" will be commemorated Sept. 12 when a historical marker is dedicated at the Old Henson Cemetery near Orchardville, about 25 miles east of Centralia.

Started around 1830, the little cemetery is one of the oldest in the county. Henson family relatives and friends have raised $2,300 for the historical marker, which tells the story of the family, the cemetery and Indian Lydia, who lived with the Henson family for more than 30 years after her capture in 1835.

The front of the historical marker, which is almost six fee high, six feet wide, and one foot thick, tells the story of the early settlers who arrived in Wayne County before 1830.

Most of the rest of the article is a repeat of the above

As you drive by the Henson Cemetery, located about five miles southeast of the Marion County line, in Wayne County, Illinois. You can view the monument that the Henson relatives put at the entrance in the honor of Lydia Gundy, born about 1805 in Tennessee and died in the fall of 1866. She was from the tribe, of the Cherokee Indians.

Congress passed an act in 1834, to move the Cherokee Indians and other tribes, from the southern states to the northern states, where land had been set aside for them. They were escorted by the soldiers and later some of the soldiers settled in Wayne County and the surrounding areas. It would be very hard to imagine the hardships they had to go through to reach their new lands.

The legend of Lydia is, in the middle 1830'S, Lydia was traveling with her family and had the misfortune of being involved in an incident that, caused the death of another Indian lady, of her tribe. She had been sentenced to death by her Cherokee Tribe. Her brave and another brave helped her to escape across the Mississippi River. She was to wait for her brave and two small sons to come and join her, She waited for weeks and they didn't come. She roamed around the wilderness, and probably lived off, the berries and nuts that she could find. When she heard the white man coming near her, she would hide. She traveled through the country and counties all the way across to, Wayne County, Illinois.

Some hunters were hunting, near Mills Shoals in White County and found the Indian lady in a cavern. She was hungry and half frozen, as she had tried to conceal herself, from the snow and frost in vain.The Henson family' records stated that the hunters, told the community about the Indian lady and her condition and they came to help her. They fed and clothed her until spring, by then her feet had healed from the frost bite. It was spring and Lydia disappeared.

The legend said that Lydia wandered up Skillet Fork River. The next time she was seen, in Wayne County in the area of Nicholas Creek and Poddy Creek with Skillet Fork. This Indian woman was wild and avoided all of the settlers and was occasionally seen running away to hide, when anyone approached near her camp. Often the campfire was seen, but the Indian could not be found. She lived in the woods, by the way she knew, and survived by invading the settlers truck gardens and helping herself to any food she wanted. This area seemed to please her more than others had, So she stayed there until winter was coming. No one had ever succeeded in talking with her. Phillip Henson feared that she would starve during the winter. He organized a search party, so that she could be cared for in a civilized way. The men searched the are for days, and gave up the hunt, except Phillip. He continued to ride through the forest day after day with his gun. One day he came upon the Indian hiding in a clump of bushes. She started to run away, but was soon overtaken by Phillip on horseback. He leveled his gun at her and called "HALT!" The Indian stopped running and faced him with both arms extended in the air, expecting to be shot. Phillip explained his motive to her and insisted that she mount the horse, behind him and go to his home. This woman was able to tell him in very broken English, her name and that she was Cherokee.

In Appearance, Lydia Gundy was a typical Cherokee Indian. She had the lower part of the lobe on both ears cut off, but whether it was done for ornament or punishment, it could not be ascertained.

Lydia lived with Phillip Henson and his wife Matilda and their several small children and adapted good as one in their household. She was kind hearted and industrious and always ready to perform any duty that was assigned to her.