April 12, 1859

This is my first writing in my journal. My family is leaving, come morning, on the longest journey of my life. We left our home in Jonesville, Virginia a few weeks ago, and have been here in Independence, Missouri the past few days to get ready to leave with the next wagon train. Pa worked all winter to prepare our wagon and other supplies. We all have been preparing for the long trip. Pa sold our land and furniture to pay for it.

I didn't want to leave my home. It is all I've ever known. I was very sad to leave my dearest friend, Gertrude, and all of my other friends and family. I likely will never see them again. Pa is worried about politics and states' rights. He says that the West will have new opportunities for us. I trust that he knows what is right, but I'm so sad.

I caught a look at the map. We have to go a very long way. It could take up to six months, depending on the weather and other things. We will try to go fast for the first bit to make good time. The land is supposed to be very flat and very few trees, so it should be easier to travel.

April 16, 1859

We have been traveling for several days now. My feet feel like they will fall right off of my body. I thought we would travel in the wagon, but we have so many supplies that only the little ones can ride up front. Ma let me sit in the wagon on the second day for a while, but it was so bumpy that I prefer to walk.

I'm glad that we got sturdy shoes for this trip. Some other people have cheaper shoes, and have developed too many blisters. Ma says that if blisters get infected, a person could lose a foot, or worse. I'm glad that I'm only a little sore, and don't have any big blisters. Ma taught all us girls to knit, so I made thick wool socks over the winter. They have helped immensely.

When we traded our horses for oxen in Missouri, I didn't understand why, but now I see that oxen are much better for the road. They are sturdy and obedient, and eat just about anything. The horses are much more delicate. I am glad Pa thought ahead about the horses. Some other people have horses, and have trouble keeping them fed enough.

May 1, 1859

It is May already. Our travels have been slow but steady. We now have a routine. We do most of our traveling in the early hours. During the day, I am in charge of my younger brothers and sisters. We have to carry a bucket and find buffalo chips on the prairie so that we can make a fire later. We have to watch for snakes. Someone got bit by a rattler and died the other day.

When we find a good place to stop for the night, we form a circle with our wagons. The men take turns on lookout duty. My eldest brother, Junior, joins Pa when it's his turn on lookout. Ma and I make a fire and get out the dutch oven. I help Ma with cooking dinner. She says we need to make sure we include some dried fruit each day, so as not to develop scurvy. I cherish the evenings when pa gets out his banjo to play.

My eldest sister, Sarah makes sure we all study our 3 R's each night before dark. She even helps some of the other kids learn, too. She is so smart and kind. She has been teaching me about medicine and healing also. I hope to be like her someday.

May 17, 1859

This was a very bad day for The Jones family. Their horses spooked and ran with the wagon, causing a terrible accident. Many of their supplies are lost, and the wagon tipped. Also, their child fell out and broke his leg. He is lucky it was only a leg. I have heard of children being run over by the wheels.

I am amazed at Sarah's knowledge for splinting a broken leg. She showed me to make sure to keep the leg straight and secure. I learned to tie the knots to bind it. The boy will be okay, but is in pain. We will be staying in this camp a few extra days to repair the wagon. It is lucky that we are close to reaching Fort Kearny. The boy will be able to see a doctor there.

I am so glad that my Pa thought to trade our

horses for oxen! Oxen don't spook for anything.

May 23, 1859

The Jones family decided to stay at Fort Kearny and join the next wagon train once they are able. We are now following the Platt River. It is beautiful, but dangerous to cross. We have crossed at the safest places, but the Anderson family lost their two youngest children and all of their supplies when their wagon was swept away. Mrs. Anderson is very distraught. She says that she has lost everything and feels like she cannot go on without her children. It is so sad. Ma says that Mrs. Anderson needs to think of the baby in her belly. If she doesn't eat, she may lose that baby as well, especially since it's been so rainy.

The rain has been making too much mud, and some wagons have been getting stuck. Because of that, we have been traveling slower than we want. There have been many mosquitoes also, and some people have been getting malaria. One whole family died from it. We had to bury them along the trail. They weren't the first deaths, and Pa says we have a difficult road ahead, as well.

June 16, 1859

We finally arrived to Fort Laramie. The road from Fort Kearny was difficult. We lost a lot of people to Cholera. Sarah insists that we scrub our hands and faces real good before cooking dinner or eating. She says dirty hands will get us sick quicker than anything.

Speaking of Sarah, a young man named Michael has been courting her, and he has asked for her hand in marriage. Ma and Pa think he is a good, hard-working man. They are worried, though, because he's traveling to Sacramento. When we get to Fort Hall, the California travelers will go their separate way. What if I never see her again? I cannot help but feel angry at Michael for wanting to take her away from us, but she seems so happy with him. I only wish her the best.

I hope that I can learn enough from Sarah about healing before we reach Fort Hall, so that I can help those who are sick or injured like she does.

July 3, 1859

Today is an exciting day. We have reached South Pass. That means that we will be traveling downhill from here. Lately, we have been traveling uphill. This is the safest and easiest place to cross the Rocky Mountains. Everywhere else is full of steep mountains and is nearly impossible to bring wagons through.

According to the map, we are now officially in Washington Territory. Until only a few months past, this used to be part of the Oregon Territory, but when Oregon became a state, the rest of the land became known as the Washington Territory. It's very exciting to think that we have finally reached the territory where my family will soon live.

I have been sewing a new hankie for Sarah to wear tucked into her dress for luck when she marries Michael. She will be able to keep it as a token of remembrance. They will be married when we arrive at Fort Hall. I do dread her leaving our family. Perhaps someday, we will meet again, though. Pa says that maybe in the future, there will be railroads to connect us like there are in the East.

July 28, 1859

We reached Fort Hall yesterday. It has been abandoned for about three years now, but it is a point of reference for us, and a good place to lay over for a bit. We have been taking a break from traveling to wash up and rest some.

Sarah and Michael were wed today. They were so happy that it made me happy, even though they are leaving us tomorrow. Sarah looked beautiful. She wore her best dress and we fashioned her hair with flowers. If we were back home in Virginia, she would have been able to buy a new dress for the occasion, but she says that what matters is that she and Michael can be together and build a new family. I think I may have seen a tear in Pa's eye. He would never admit it, but he is sad also.

The adults are out there at their wagon causing a ruckus now as I write this. They are having a Shivaree, which is when they all bring their pots and ladles and bang them around, trying to interrupt the couple. I don't understand why people would want to do that, but it's all in good-nature for fun. Ma says they will find it funny.

September 1, 1859

We have been following the Snake River since Fort Hall. It is a very long river. It was not that wide at first, but as we head westward, more tributaries add to its size.

It has been very hot traveling, and it's a welcome respite when we are allowed to swim in the calm parts of the river after a long day of traveling. I am in charge of watching my younger brothers and sisters in the water. Daniel and Amanda, being a little older, can be overconfident in their swimming abilities at times. Catherine clings to me as though if she lets go she will sink to the bottom. Ma doesn't allow William to go to the river without her. She says that two years old is too young for me to have to watch when I have the older ones to care for.

I do look forward to the cooler temperatures of autumn. Pa says that we shouldn't wish for cold yet. We don't want to be stuck in a snowstorm as we cross the mountains. We have made good time on our trip, so we have been fortunate and will likely arrive before the cold sets in.

September 24, 1859

We reached the Columbia river a few weeks ago and are now following it westward. The landscape is breathtaking as you look across the river to the north. It is so romantic to view the gorge in the early morning when the air is misty and fog is set over the water. I am happy to have a landscape full of trees again. Until now, most of our journey has been relatively barren.

October 1, 1859

We reached The Dalles in Oregon a couple days ago. We are very close to finding our new home. This land is truly majestic, and I now know why so many people have come. I have never seen such a tall and pointed peak as Mount Hood. It is covered in snow even in summer! All of the mountains back home are more rounded, like the surrounding mountains here. Many from our group decided to take the land route around the mountain. My family is bringing our supplies by raft to Fort Vancouver in the morning.

October 5, 1859

We made it to Fort Vancouver. At The Dalles, our wagon was loaded onto a large raft with several other wagons to be transported downriver. Pa, Junior and Daniel went with the other men over land with the horses, mules and oxen while Ma, the girls, WIlliam and I stayed with the wagon. We were glad that we went on the first raft of the day. The next raft after ours overturned and some people drowned. They lost everything on their wagons, as well. I cannot imagine the hardship of that after making it so far.

We are now heading north to find our land. Our next stop is a place called Cowlitz Landing. It's named after the Cowlitz river, which flows south into the Columbia. The journey will soon be over and we will be able to begin our new life. It is hard to imagine that we traveled over 2,000 miles. This place feels like home, though. These mountains with the abundant trees have a similar feel to that of the Appalachians. It is simply beautiful. There is another large peaked mountain east of us as we travel called Mount Saint Helens. It's not quite as pointed as Mount Hood. The peak is more rounded.

November 23, 1859

We finally arrived at our new land. It is located east of Cowlitz Landing and is near the Cowlitz river. Pa and Junior have been clearing our land the past few weeks. We used lumber from the trees they felled to begin work on our home. It's not as nice as our home in Virginia, but it sure is better than sleeping in the wagon. The smell of the fresh wood is wonderful also. It reminds me of the smell of Pa's workshop back home when he was a carpenter. Pa says that once we have our place established, we can start working on a bigger home. For now, we have a cozy little place where we can all stay together.

I can feel winter coming on. It has been

raining most days. It's cold. We have been waking

up to thin ice in the buckets some mornings and

there was even a dusting of snow this morning. Food

is plentiful here, so Ma and Pa aren't worried about

that. They feel like we are ready for the cold weather.