Greene Artifacts

Greene Artifacts

THE OLD CROW FARM

By Matthew Cumberledge, GCHS Executive Director

Crows Rock Road, a lonely country lane in the far north west of Greene County is the path to one of the most interesting and important places in Greene County. Many remember the old story about Suzie, Betsey, Tina and Catherine Crow and their deaths by the hands of the Indians on Sunday, May 1, 1791. It was one of the last Indian attacks in the region. The Crow girls had gone earlier that day to pay a visit to a sick neighbor a few miles distant. As they returned home, their older brother Michael passed them on horseback. He asked the youngest sister, Catherine, to join him but she thought it best to stay with her sisters. Michael continued home, and as soon as he was out of sight, the girls were overtaken by two Indians and a white man by the name of Spicer. Susie, Betsy, and Catherine were scalped, however sister Tina escaped. She attempted to run but was knocked to the ground with the butt of a gun carried by one of the Indians. Once Tina was down, her attacker left her to rejoin the melee surrounding the rest of the girls. The rest, as they say, is history.

This story isn’t the only thing that makes the Crow farm so interesting. The plot of land has been inhabited for thousands of years and has two of the last remaining Adena Burial Mounds in Greene County. The Adena People were a Native American culture that existed from around 800BC to about 200AD.

The Greene County Historical Society houses a range of artifacts from the Crow Farm that relate to every period of the farm’s occupation. Pictured below, starting clockwise from the top left are four artifacts found on the farm grounds. The first, a Native American stone axe or “Celt.” The next item is called a “Chunkee” stone, or Indian game stone. Both of these items are most likely associated with the Adena Culture and were found on the Crow farm by the Crow family and gifted to GCHS. The next item, below the “Chunkee,” is a small hand carved wooden book. This book was carved by James Carroll of Dallas, WV. It was made of wood taken from a cedar tree planted by the Crow girls prior to the massacre in 1791. And lastly, a small horseshoe, made for a pony that was kept by the Crow family.

All of these items are currently on display at the Greene County Historical Society. Stop by and visit on Opening Day, April 27th to see these items and learn more about the fascinating history of Greene County, Pennsylvania!