Dr. John J. Dickey Diary, Fleming County, Ky.  Recorded in the 1870's and
beyond.  Reprinted in Kentucky Explorer, Volume 10, No 3 - August, 1995,
pp. 84-85.  By permission.  Henry County.

MADISON HUGHES SCHOOLCRAFT - 1898
    I was named for Hughes, the man who captured John A. Merrill, the great
land pirate.  He joined John A. Merrill for the purpose of capturing him,
either in Arkansas or Louisiana.  He took notes on his boot legs, as
Merrill would tell him his plans, riding along the road.  My father had
Merrrill's (Murrell) life story and was reading it about the time of my
birth, he named me for the hero.  I was born in Lee Co., Ky. where my
father was born.  My father was Nudrael Schoolcraft.  His father was a
Pennsylvanian and moved to Henry Co., Ky. where my father was born.  My
grandfather was John Schoolcraft.  His father, Isaac Schoolcraft, came from
Germany.  My mother was Martha Ann Fener.  She was born in Virginia near
Richmond, Hawkins County, I believe.  She was the daughter of Gabriel Fener
and a Miss Arnold, his wife whose given name I do not remember.  She was a
descendant of Benedict Armold, his granddaughter.  This is what my mother
told me.  Her mother died when she was an infant.  Col. Staples raised my
mother.  He was a very wealthy man, had a great many slaves.  My mother had
a brother, Richard Fener, who was living in Virginia when the war broke
out.  He was a rich owner of slaves and a Rebel.  I have never heard of him
since.
    The Arnolds of Lee County, Ky. are descended from my grandmother's
brother.  My grandfather, Gabriel Fener was in the Revolutionary War.  When
he was discharged he came and the night of his arrival several Tories
undertook to capture him.  He was 6 ft., 3 in., high.  He killed all of
them in his own house.  When he washed the paint from their faces it became
evident that some of them were his near neighbors.  They were in his house
when he reached him home and his family did not know who their savior was
till after he had dispatched them.  They had come to pillage his house.  He
drank occasionally.  He was in a saloon with a man named Philpot.  The
latter said in his drunken folly, "God Almighty is a horse thief and Jesus
Christ is a b----." Fener hit him with his fist on the nose and cut half of
it off, striking him from the side.
    I was a soldier in the Civil War in the 7th. Kentucky Volunteers, Co. A.
Elisha B. Treadway of Owsley, Capt. Col. Garrard Col. of 1st. regiment
afterward, Col. John Lucas.  At the siege of Vicksburg I was in the charge
of Col. Lucas' regiment May 22, 1863.  I was under the fire of the Rebel
Forts and Infantry from 10 o'clock a.m. till after dark.  I slept a nap
during the time.  The Rebels kept up fire on me all day.  I was in 17
battles and skirmishes and never got a scratch.  At Clempton Hill, Miss. I
was in an engagement.  After being exposed to the fire of the enemy for
some time, Capt. Treadway ordered a retreat to save ourselves as best we
could.  Col. Lucas had ordered a retreat but Treadway did not hear it. 
This left our company alone and when the Rebels had almost surrounded us
our Capt. gave the above order.  Up a long slope we ran, under fire, as I
crossed the ridge and got out of danger I met General Sherman.  His command
was then for reinforcements.  Grant was in command. I was walking leisurely
along.  Sherman said, "You are running."  "You are a liar," I replied, "You
would have run if you had been where I was, no doubt."  I cocked my gun and
would have killed him if he had said another word.  I did not know at that
time who it was that spoke to me.

Schoolcraft Hughes Merrill Murrell Fener Arnold Staples Philpot Treadway
Garrard Lucas Sherman Grant
=
AR LA Lee-VA PA Germany Hawkins-VA Lee-KY Owsley-KY MS

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/henry/schoolcraft.mh.txt