Friday, May 13, 2011

Wagon Trains 1840-1860

How Did They Get There?

We know there were wagon trains. Extended families packed their belongings, and carried their personal wealth overland to reach the newly opened west lands.  It wasn't just for those panning for gold.  There were the Mormon's escaping persecution, the future vintner wanting rich soil, and those who made a living in transport.  Oh...there were many others.  But how do you find records that verify a date of passage?  Their method of passage?  Your ancestor's experience.

Learn the Trails

What I find interesting, is that many made several trips overland.  We may be able to confirm their one-way trips to California, but how did they return to Missouri?  Did you know that many returned to the Mid-west through Panama - Isthmus!  Be sure to check any ship  records going to Louisiana ports from San Francisco or other west coast ports.  The trip from Louisiana up the Mississippi River was still arduous, but without the protection of a large wagon train, going through hostile territories, was not usually an option.  Plus, the military controlled the trails, and would detain small groups travel due to safety. 

Search for Your Ancestors in Writings
 What did five (5) month travelers do?  They recorded their journeys in diaries and letters back home, detailing the trip.  Ok, not all of them. But you will be surprised where you may find your ancestor's name. Sometimes the diaries are filled with gruesome details as the writer recalls on paper a companion's demise. Sometimes the accounts are so detailed they read like a novel.  Sometimes they just follow a train of thought, or confirm a reader's suspicion. 


Where to Find Diaries?
Following are a few of my favorites: 
2) Be sure to research the Merrill J. Mattes Reseearch Library at the National Frontier Trails Museum. I must say, spending a day with this concentrated selection of wagon train resources, makes me smile.  
3) The California, Pioneer and Immigrant Files, 1790-1950 database holds 10,000 records "with biographical information about pioneers who arrived in California before 1860.

My Ancestor Wasn't Mentioned
Well, not everyone will find Great-Grandpa's passage recorded, or even his name.  But, by narrowing his year, and month of travel, you may find his experience recorded through the eyes of his neighbors and friends.  Analyze the diaries from his hometown. Follow the path and his final settlement to determine his passage. 

African Americans?
The overland journeys were before the Civil War.  But free-coloreds, as many as 3000 by 1850, found their way to California from the onset of the gold rush.  Even though some slaves were carried by their masters, many found the westward journey as an integral step to their escape plan. Well, the trails did have several forks in the roads. If you need to refresh your history of the role African Americans played during this westward movement, you may wish to read Blacks in Gold Rush California, by Rudolph M. Lapp. 
Another great source is the Negro Trail Blazers of California by Delilah L. Beasley; original 1818; reprinted 1969. 
Happy Wagon Trail Researching,

Kathleen Brandt



  1. Thank you, again, Kathleen. Some great reference sources. I was so excited to find my great-grandfather Preston, a 17 year old, traveling alone, listed both in an Omaha newspaper departure list and a Sacramento newspaper arrival list, in 1952. Still a lot of research to do, but he was in the California, Idaho, and Montana gold fields for the following 40 years. ;-)

  2. Frequently I receive correspondence referencing an a3Genealogy blog post. Infrequently do I repost as a comment, but for the purpose of other Keil researchers I thought this was definitely worthy to repost. I have removed the To: email, for protection of the author, but if you need the originator's contact info, I will happily forward a request for you.

    show details 3:22 PM (5 hours ago)

    Hello Kathleen. I'm a descendent of William Keil, thru his son, August Keil. Your blog regarding the Keil/Bethelite wagon train west in 1855 caught my eye. I've been able to read several excerpts from William Keil's letters - they were pretty interesting. My great grandfather, Frederick William Keil, was born in Bethel, Mo. He died at age 97 yrs in 1969. His father, August, was the colony doctor and his mother, Rosina Forstner Keil, was the daughter of George and Julianna Forstner, ex-Rappites. Rosina's brother was Benjamin Forstner, the inventor of the Forstner bit. August Keil is buried in the Hebron Cemetery, on the outskirts of Bethel, where many of the early colony members are buried. Rosina moved to Corvallis, Oregon, to be near her sister, Sophia Forstner Biers, some time after 1900 and is buried in the Crystal Lake Cemetery, near Sophia and Sophia's husband, John Biers. Sophia and her husband were also members of the Bethel Colony and went west on the third wagon train from Bethel to Aurora, Oregon. They eventually left the Aurora Colony to settle in Corvallis with their 5 children. Many of the early homes and buildings are still in use in Bethel. Have you ever visited there? Its worth the trip just to see the interesting architecture and eat some of the great German food served at the Festhall diner on the main street thru town."

  3. Recently I read a paper in a Missouri historical journal because it mentioned my ancestor as a member of a "company" who made a contract to support each other on their trip to the gold fields of California. The article also mentioned an instance where a Missourian joined such a company and sent his Black slave in his place. He specified that his man was not to be required to work any harder than the other members of the group. What an example of the trust a slave owner placed in one of his slaves!

  4. Would love a copy of that! If you get a chance forward it my way, and I will add to the blog.

    1. I had to order a hard copy, which is 20-some pages long. I'd be happy to snail-mail it to you, though. Let me know.