Beaver River (Pennsylvania) - The General Vs. The River

The General Vs. The River

Samuel Holden Parsons, (1737–1789) a former brigadier general in the Continental Army, died from unknown causes on the Beaver River on November 17, 1789 as he was visiting the Connecticut Western Reserve lands.

A letter written by Richard Butler, dated November 25, 1789, relates the circumstances of Parsons' death:

“I am sorry to inform you that I have every reason to fear that our old friend, General Parsons, is no more. He left this place in company with Captain Heart, (who is sent to explore the communication by way of the Beaver to Cuyahoga and the Lake), on the 5th instant, he had sent a man with his horses from the place where he had encamped the night before, and directed him to tell Lieut. McDowell, who commanded the Block House below the falls of Beaver, that he (General Parsons) would be there to dinner. A snow had fallen in the night which had retarded the progress of the man with the horses. At one place on the Beaver shore he saw where a canoe had landed, and a person got out to warm his feet by walking about, as he saw he had kicked against the trees and his tracks to the canoe again. The man did not get down till evening, but about noon the canoe, broken in pieces, came by the Block House, and some articles known to belong to General Parsons were taken up and others seen to pass. Lieut. McDowell has diligent search made for the body of the General, but made no discovery.”

His body was recovered the next May, then temporarily buried on the banks of the river. But through a series of mishaps the site of the grave was lost. It has never been found.