The Story of the Painted Tree

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Indian Troubles

The Story of the Painted Tree

Henry Weidner (Whitener) was one of the first settlers in present day Catawba County, arriving there about 1750. The Warlick and Moll (Mull) families arrived soon after. At first, the Indians were very friendly, but during the French and Indian War, they became hostile.

Around 1760 Abraham Mull and one or two of his children were scalped and massacred by the Cherokee. Mary Mull was out on the farm and escaped to Henry Weidner's home to warn him of the attack. The families on the West bank of the Catawba quickly fled the area for safety - some say to South Carolina, others say to Cabarrus County, NC

Before the white families left, the friendly Catawba Indians painted a tree trunk red and agreed to keep it that way until it was safe for the settlers to return. This tree would be a sign of warning for the white settlers.

One night, while checking on the safety of returning home, Henry Weidner and Daniel Warlick, Jr. were camping under a tree when Indians attacked them. Weidner and Warlick made a run for their horses. Weidner was in the lead shouting for Warlick to follow him. When they reached a swamp area, Warlick took a short cut and his horse became mired in quicksand. The last Weidner saw of his friend was Warlick trying to fight off the Indians using his gun as a club. The Indians killed young Daniel.

A few days later, a party of men returned to the scene. They came upon the tree where Weidner and Warlick had camped. It had been painted red.