This letter was written in 1850--it mentions Alfred Slover--I believe. He is the first husband of our Grandmother and Patsy's namesake, Ann Tate Maples.
Pawnee nation, little blue river, June the 2nd , 1850
Dear Wife and little ones,
I am now over 475 miles from home in the midst of the Savage indians have not seen one yet they are afraid to come near the road the trains are from Independence to the rocky mts. thick as pigeons on the mast 7,000 Waggons are a head of us all kinds of people under the sun from the man of money down to the beggar from the man of honor down to the lowest thief on earth all kinds of ways of going some in carts. some afoot three large stout men with a wheel barrow, no joke I [k]new but little of a trip of this kind while at home when I last wrote you we had seen but little, at the forks of the Independence road and the road we traveled a man was shot, 17 years old from [Ark] by the name of William - Wilkerson, for going materal [material-carnal] to lay with a girl, his Company deny having killed him, a half breed Indian give us some information on the subject, We hav passed many graves, fresh are perhaps some 4 or 5 pr, day union town on the Kansas river is surrounded by the best land I ever have seen in [my] life 4 Stores, licensed traders 2 doct, one saw mill horse power plank worth 5,00 pr, hundred oak at that and cottonwood several other shop under the controle of the government of the U,S, this is in the Pottewatteme nation- these Indians are some what sivelized the Catholic clergy have had mishions among them for some years we passed the old harmony mishion deserted three years a go a large village good fruitrees hundreds are here Sleeping under the Cross to a wake at the great day the Kansas river is a considerable stream 300 yds wide here we had to ferry [End of 1st page]
$1 , pr. Waggon, We traveled up the bottom of the river some 30 miles here is the most delightful [country] perhaps in the west or north the bottoms from 4 to 6 miles wide of the best quality, here the catholic clergy have a missionary school, they have 65 girls and some 30 boys under the age of 20 years, in their Cathedril is many Pictures such as are common in their churches. our course of travel has been N of W , ever since we started big blue river was up vary high from the heavy rains that had fallen here we had to raft a cross one man drowned lift a little boy and mule team others near being drowned some mules one jack and ginny drowned and severl waggon got out, never in my life did I see such a rush to cross mem on men cattle on cattle not less than 3000 cattle on the ground mules in great number here one man died 52 years old he died of diareer as many others have done none of the Ark. Folks sick yet at least our crew A.,and J. Fancher , Willmoth and
Stover
from white river constitutes our crew. They all get a long well the prairies are vary extensive we have had a plenty of water and wood, such as it is, the water is vary bad, but few good springs, the grass has been good all the Way our teams are mending no loss among us yet of any kind, the boys gardenhire Hulseys and others have joined a nother train they are in sight of us to day lying by we are on little blue heads up against the Platt river When we get there we travel up 150 miles before crossing - on yesterday morning three of our steers and two of A Fanchier ware missing the waggons rooled on A, Fanchier and [End of 2nd page]
myself turnout to hunt for them after examing the plains we turnout to the creek it is skirted with some cotton wood and under brush in passing up discovered our cattle brushed in a thickett hearded by a White man the fact is more than one is ingaged in this way of doing Stealing and selling to back trains I rallied some a number of men to Shoot him he could not be found When serch was made for him. had we found him poor fellow he would have been no more but feede for Wolvs I would here remark near all the Stealing and killing is done by the Wites following the Trains the number thus ingaged is vary great not a day but Ponies or cattle is missing not [indecipherable] of these mean white men, will shoot a man for his pony some are traveling with nothing on earth I am led to believe this stealing is done by many who ride fine horses and mix with the crowd from day to day I think I am not mistaken , While in serch of our steers yesterday I saw a bufflow chase, they ware some three miles off 8 men persued them they appeared to me like a drove of Pigeons flying low I could hear, the sound of their feet like a thundering noise what they did I know not one man Shot an antelope I did not see it. I have seen but little game yet, except those aluded to , Children, I saw a little Wild dog it was a puppy I would like to see you all vary much my health is better than it was when at home my back is much better my stomach is some better not much last night a considerable thunder storm the dust is laid the grass much refreshed Walker ,rigs and my [End of 3rd page]
myself is joined a nother company Fanchier Wilmoth and Stover are gone we will fall over the way in to a nother company we now are in Capt Pages company old Mr Majors gardenhire hulseys Harrisses and others 13 waggons in all I must now close you and children must not weep for me do all you can to promote your happiness I see many sights Joseph Morres is up with us in our train this is Sabath evening, Patterson from Ceder county will return in the morning so a short fare well to all our friends Wm Temple
***This letter as well as the May 11, 1850 letter written by William from Bates Co., Mo. are the surviving letters of at least 3 letters and maybe 4 that was written to Matilda and children during William's wagon train journey which ended with his death and burial at Chimney Rock, Nebraska on June 24, 1850.***
****Both letters were donated to the Oregon Historical Society by Mr. & Mrs. Walter Daniels in 1979/80.****
Researcher: Willie Gail Riddles-Rotzoll
