Captain Johnny

Captain Johnny and his braves are reputed to have lived on the west bank of Pusheta Creek. In his role as a scout, he served honorably with the U.S. Army.

Prior to his army service, he apparently made contact as an enemy against Francis Dunlevy, a soldier in Crawford’s expedition against the Indians, before the War of 1812. During the engagement, Dunlevy a member of Captain Ritchie’s company, relates that he was engaged with an Indian of huge proportions, who that evening, threw a tomahawk at him and fled. Dunlevy was unhurt, but in later years recognized the Indian who attacked him as ‘Big Captain Johnny’ who lived with the friendly Shawnee at Wapakoneta. Dunlevy said, "I frequently saw this Indian; he must have been seven feet in height, and as frightfully ugly as he was unusually large."

In 1812, along with his favorite companions, Captain Logan and Bright Horn, he helped to extricate them from the enemy and secure the dying Logan and wounded Bright Horn to horses prior to directing them back to the American lines.

'Indian' segment written in December, 1997 by David Lodge

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