Samuel Stalnaker | |
|---|---|
| Born | Samuel Stalnaker 1715 Westphalia, Germany |
| Died | 1769 (aged 53–54) |
| Occupation(s) | Guide, Indian trader, tavern owner/proprietor |
| Known for | He somehow managed to Escape from captivity among the Shawnees, and then managed to journey 460 miles to warn of imminent attacks by the French on English settlements; Among the first Europeans to cross the Cumberland Gap |
| Spouses | Susanna (d. 18 June 1755); Margaret |
| Children | Jacob, Adam, Maria Barbara, Samuel, and George Christian |
Samuel Stalnaker (1682 or 1715 – 1769) was an explorer, trapper, guide and one of the first settlers on the Virginia frontier. He established a trading post, hotel and tavern in 1752 near what is now Chilhowie, Virginia. He was held captive by Shawnee Indians at Lower Shawneetown in Kentucky for almost a year, before escaping and traveling over 460 miles to Williamsburg, Virginia, to report on French preparations to attack English settlements in Virginia and Pennsylvania. He later served as a guide under George Washington during the French and Indian War.[1]