Indian Abby (the story of Abigail Byram and her father, Indian captives) Grades 3-6
Story and links by Bethany Geiger
In the autumn of 1777, as the Byram family gathered into their newly built cabin, they were weary but satisfied. There were seven of them: Pa , Ma, fourteen year old Sarah, thirteen year old Lewis, twelve year old Abigail, five year old Rachel, and four year old Phebe. They had just moved to Pennsylvania from New Jersey, after spending many days traveling by horseback.
Crops were planted and the family settled into their new life. Almost two years went by and in the spring of 1779, Ma Byram had a new baby. One morning just a few days after the baby was born, word came that Indians had been seen so the men of the area went out to find them and confront them!
Then word was sent later that the rest of the family was to go to the block house at the fort. Ma spoke to her older daughters, "Girls, you go on with the little ones and I will stay here with the baby. I am too weak right now to travel."
"Never, Ma." answered the girls together. "We would never leave you here!"
So the older children bundled her and the baby up in a quilt, put them on a horse, and traveled the three-mile distance to the block house. Within a short time, the men returned to the fort and all was quiet.
Nothing was seen nor heard of the Indians and after a few days, Edward Byram decided to return home to check on their cabin. Abby begged and pleaded to go with him and eventually, though he hesitated greatly, Mr. Byram allowed her to go.
The day passed by slowly and they did not return. The next morning came and Mrs. Byram waited again for her loved ones. Day after day went by and no one came. Finally, everyone became certain that Edward and Abby Byram had fallen into the hands of the Indians. The Bryams went back to their home and continued working and living as best they could. The new baby, who had not even been named yet, was called Abby, in memory of her lost sister.
But what had happened to Abby and her father? After they reached the cabin safely, they went about looking after what needed attention. Pa stopped to fix a fence and soon heard a small cry of "Pa!" from Abby. He looked up from his work to see five huge Indians running across the field toward them! They had bright war paint on their faces and carried rifles and tomahawks! Pa knew that if he used his rifle, both he and Abby would probably be killed so he threw his gun on the ground and they were captured! The day was April 7, 1779.
Their captors gave them moccasins and dressed Pa Byram as an Indian, with Indian clothing and war paint. When one of the Indians came to put war paint on Abby, she pleaded and cried to him, "Please, don't make me wear it! Please!" In the end, her tears and begging worked, and the leader, Black Snake, did not have her painted.
They went north and soon were traveling up the Allegheny river to the Seneca villages in New York. On the way, the Indians did not treat them badly. Abby was treated in a special way. They had to have her in good condition so that she and her father would bring them a large reward. Prisoners that looked good would bring more money than scalps. But there was another reason that Abby was treated so well. Black Snake had once had a daughter, who had been the joy of his life, but she had become sick and died. Abby reminded him of his daughter.
One night as Abby and Pa sat by the fire, tied to the Indians, Abby looked at Pa and whispered, "Pa, I'm afraid. What will they do to us once we reach the Indian villages? I don't want to be separated from you, Pa."
Pa looked at his little daughter tenderly and quietly answered her, "Remember when I used to tell you the story about our great ancestor, John Alden, who came over on the Mayflower? He did not know his future either, but he believed that God would care for him, whatever was in his future. Do you think you could be as brave as our long-ago grandfather, Abby?" Click here to find out more about John Alden.
Abby just nodded her head, gave him a small smile, and bent her head to ask God to give her courage like John Alden had. Pa knew that she would be as brave as she could and, inside, Pa felt so proud of her.
The captives reached the villages but then were turned over to Joseph Brant, leader of the Mohawks and commander of all the hostile Indians. So they became prisoners at Ft. Niagara, in Canada, but were soon turned over to British Colonel John Butler, a loyalist or "Tory," whose headquarters were also at Ft. Niagara. Under Colonel Butler, life was difficult for the captives and they were treated unkindly. Pa was a prisoner, and Abby lived in Colonel Butler's house as a servant and almost a slave to his family. They often longed for their little family back home.
During 1780, they were moved to other prisons in Canada. Then in the spring of 1781, Pa Byram was offered the job of taking a portion of released prisoners to headquarters or another post in the American army. These prisoners were released because they were elderly, sick, or disabled. If he did this, he would be released too. Pa told them, "I will only do this if you release my daughter too." So Pa Byram and Abby were released to lead a group of elderly and sick people to safety and to finally go home themselves!
They were shipped to a place called Crown Point, along the Canadian border, and began their trip there. The journey was long and difficult, through wild, rugged country and finally they reached West Point, New York. Abby's father came to her a few hours after their arrival and spoke to her. "Daughter, if we travel farther on, to New Jersey, we will reach the place where we lived before we moved to Pennsylvania. There will be relatives and friends there and we can send a letter to your mother to tell her we are alive!" Click here to find out more about the journey from Crown Point to West Point.
So Pa and Abby traveled sixty more miles to reach Morristown, New Jersey. They had gone from Crown Point to Morristown, which was about 300 miles! It had taken them months to get there!
A letter was written to Ma Byram and the family back home. Pa and Abby decided that Abby would stay at Morristown with her aunts for some time and Pa would go back to the family. His journey back was not easy but he made it safely and his letter to Ma had only arrived the exact morning of his coming home! As he trudged up the road to his familiar cabin, he began to run and then burst into the cabin with great excitement! His family was all gathered in the cabin and he swept them into his arms, laughing and crying. Ma's face was bright with great joy and she raised her eyes to the heavens and whispered, "Thank you, Lord."
Epilogue: The Byrams had three more children after Pa returned. Abby did not return home until six or seven years later. The baby, Abby, who was named after her older sister, was renamed Elizabeth.
(This story is based upon the real life and family of Abby Byram, the author's great-great-great-great- great grandmother. All names and facts in the story are accurate, except for the scene with Pa and Abby at the fire. Although the Byrams were related to John Alden, this actual scene did not take place. Some details of Pa's homecoming are also imaginary. All dialogue has been added to give interest to the story.)
Review Questions for Indian Abby
1. Who were the main characters in the story?
2. What main events took place throughout the story?
3. What if the children had left Ma at the cabin when they were to go to the block house?
4. What might have happened if Black Snake had not had a daughter?
5. What might have happened if Pa and Abby had been separated? What might they have been feeling?
6. If you were the brother or one of the sisters of Abby, how would you have felt during all these happenings?
Outline:
I. Move to Pennsylvania
II. Settling In
A. Cabin built
B. Crops planted
C. New baby
III. Indians sighted
A. Pa leaves
B. Children take Ma/baby to block house
C. Men return/all quiet
IV. Back to Cabin
A. Pa/Abby go home
B. No one return/Ma worried
C. Ma/children go home
V. Pa/Abby captured
A. Working around house
B. Five Indians come
C. Pa lay rifle down/both captured
VI. Indian Captives
A. Pa dressed as Indian/Abby refuse war paint
B. Travel north
C. Abby treated special/Black Snake had daughter
D Pa/Abby speak of John Alden
VII. Both prisoners
A. Joseph Brant
B. Colonel John Butler
VIII. Released
A. Lead prisoners to West Point
B. Travel to New Jersey
C. Letter to Ma
D. Abby stayed/Pa went
E. Joyous homecoming
Prop suggestions: Indian clothing or just moccasins, colonial clothing such as apron or bonnet, possibly Lincoln logs built as cabin or block house
Answers to story questions:
1. Pa, Abby (rest of family could be main or secondary)
2. Moving, Indians coming, captured, prisoners in Canada, home again
3. Answers may vary...Father may have come back to cabin and taken her to block house, Indians may have come and captured or killed her and baby
4. Answers may vary...not been so gentle, still been gentle, killed her
5. Answers may vary...probably never seen each other again, Pa might have been released and gone to look for her. Feelings--desperate, prayerful, at peace eventually, angry, bitter, lonely, longing
6. Answers may vary...sad, angry, worried, hopeless, hopefully supportive of Ma and others in family
Sources: Book by Rev. John McElroy, Abby Byram, 1898, reprinted 1974.
Lesson Extension: The children can take on the role of Abby and write a journal entry about what life was like during her time in captivity, or they can take the role of one of the other children and write what life was like while she was gone.