Shawnee Chief Cornstalk’s Curse
Red Hawk tried to escape by climbing up a chimney. He was killed. Ellinipsico was killed as he sat on a stool. The other Native American was strangled to death. Cornstalk was shot eight times.
Before he died, he said that he had tried to make peace and help the white men. He had refused to join the British in the war. He had saved the white man from harm. His son was murdered.
Then, he spoke with vengeance. He said the curse of the Great Spirit would fall upon the land. It would be blighted in its hopes.
The three bodies were dumped in the Kanawha River. Cornstalk's was buried in a grave near the fort on Point Pleasant. The town of Point Pleasant was founded in 1794. In 1840, Cornstalk's body was moved to the Mason County Outhouse grounds. In 1899, a monument for him was built. In the 1950s, a new courthouse was erected. The chief's remains were re-interred in the Tu-Endie-Wei Park. The DAR built a twelve foot monument to Cornstalk.
1880, an entire city block in Point Pleasant was destroyed by fire.
In 1908, an 86 foot tall monument was built in memory of the men who died in the Battle of Point Pleasant where the confederacy was defeated. It was supposed to be dedicated on July 22nd, but lightning came out of a clear sky and badly damaged a derrick that was supposed to put the monument in place. The monument was dedicated on August 22nd.
On July 4th, 1941, another bolt of lightning hit the monument. It was repaired. People wondered if this was because of Cornstalk's curse.
There have been other disasters on the land that the chief cursed.
December 6th, 1907, 361 coal miners were killed in a mining disaster at Monongha, West Virginia, 110 miles from Point Pleasant.
1913, floods destroyed Point Pleasant.
April 21st 1930, 320 people died in a prison fire at the Columbus, Ohio State Penitentiary which is 80 miles from Point Pleasant.
1937, floods destroyed Point Pleasant.
June 23, 1944, 150 people died when a tornado scurried though the junction of Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
December 1953, six men were killed in a barge explosion.
December 1967, 46 people were killed when the Silver Bridge which was over the Ohio River collapsed.
August 1968, a Piedmont Airplane crashed near the Kanawha Airport killing 35 people.
November 14th, 1970, 75 people were killed when a Southern Airways
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