WagonGirl


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Like thousands of other families in the 1800s, Sallie Hester and her family traveled the Oregon-California Trail in a covered wagon during our nation's Westward Expansion. It was a long and dangerous journey. Sallie was 14 years old as her family traveled west from Indiana. They reached California after nearly six months of travel.
 * Background: **

Our family, consisting of father, mother, two brothers and one sister, left this morning for that far and much talked of country, California. My father started our wagons one month in advance, to St. Joseph, Missouri, our starting point… Our train numbered 50 wagons. The last hours were spent in bidding goodbye to old friends. My mother is heartbroken over this separation of relatives and friends. The last goodbye has been said – the last glimpse of our old home on the hill, and a wave of the hand at the old Academy with a goodbye to kind teachers and schoolmates, and we are off. We have been several days reaching New Albany on account of the terrible conditions of the roads.
 * ENTRY ONE **
 * // March 20, 1849 //**

Camped on the beautiful Blue River 215 miles from Saint Joe, with plenty of wood and water and good grazing for our cattle. Our family all in good health. We had two deaths in our wagon train within the past week of cholera – young men going west to seek their fortunes. We buried them on the banks of the Blue River, far from home and friends. This is a beautiful spot. The plains are covered with flowers…
 * ENTRY TWO **
 * // May 21, 1849 //**

… we have a cooking stove made of sheet iron, a portable table, tin plates and cups, cheap knives and forks, camp stools, etc. We sleep in our wagons on featherbeds; the men who drive for us sleep in the tent. We live on bacon, ham, rice, dried fruits, molasses, packed butter, bread, coffee, tea, and milk as we have our own cows. Occasionally some of the men killed an antelope and then we have a feast; and sometimes we have fish on Sunday.
 * ENTRY THREE **
 * //May 21, 1849//**

Made 18 miles. Crossed Truckee River 10 times. Came near being drowned at one of the crossings. Got frightened and jumped out of the carriage into the water. The current was very swift and carried me some distance down the stream.
 * ENTRY FOUR **
 * // September 11, 1849 //**

We crossed the summit of the Sierra Nevada. It was night when we reached the top, and I shall never forget our descent to the place where we are now encamped – our tedious march with torches blazing in the darkness and the tall, majestic pines towering above our heads. The scene with grand and gloomy beyond description. We could not ride – roads too narrow and rocky – so we trudged along, keeping pace with the wagons as best we could.
 * ENTRY FIVE **
 * // September 14, 1849 //**

More about Sallie Hester Timelines.TV: Wagon Trails to the West