of her. The widow of John Hawk became the mother of Patent George's
son, Patent Junior.

"The tradition of the family states that in spite of these irregular
occurrences the people at the George's southern plantation were
prosperous, happy, and lived in peace each with the others. Patent
George wearied of the Southern climate and brought his slaves into
Kentucky where their ability and strength would amass a fortune for the
master in the iron ore regions of Kentucky.

"With the wagon trains of Patent and Ford George came Rachel Hawk and
her daughters, Courtney, Lucy and Rachel. Rachel died on the journey
from Alabama but the remaining full blooded Indians entered Kentucky as
slaves.

"The slave men soon became skilled workers in the Hillman Rolling Mills.
Mr. Trigg was owner of the vast iron works called the "Chimneys" in the
region, but listed as the Hillman, Dixon, Boyer, Kelley and Lyons
Furnaces. For more than a half century these chimneys smoked as the most
valuable development in the western area of Kentucky. Operated in 1810,
these furnaces had refined iron ore to supply the United States Navy
with cannon balls and grape shot, and the iron smelting industry
continued until after the close of the Civil War.

"No slaves were beaten at the George's plantation and old Mistress
Hester Lam allowed no slave to be sold. She was a devoted friend to all.

"As Eliza George, daughter of Ford George and Courtney Hawk, grew into
young womanhood the young master Ford George went oftener and oftener to
social functions. He was admired for his skill with firearms and for
his horsemanship. While Courtney and his child remained at the
plantation Ford enjoyed the companship of the beautiful women of the
vicinity. At last he brought home the beautiful Loraine, his young
bride. Courtney was stoical as only an Indian can be. She showed no hurt
but helped Mistress Hester and Mistress Loraine with the house work."

Here George Fortman paused to let his blinded eyes look back into the
long ago. Then he again continued with his story of the dark trail.

"Mistress Loraine became mother of two sons and a daughter and the big
white two-story house facing the Cumberland River at Smith Landing,
Kentucky, became a place of laughter and happy occasions, so my mother
told me many times.

"Suddenly sorrow settled down over the home and the laughter turned into
wailing, for Ford George's body was found pierced through the heart and
the half