Clark County
WAGenWeb
John Murray Mickey (1834-1924)
immigrated with his parents from Illinois to Iowa in 1835. His Mickey ancestors
were Scotsmen transplanted to northern Ireland and then to America in 1719 where
they settled first in Delaware and then in Pennsylvania.
The original
diary was hand-written with pen and ink in a ledger-type, clothbound black
volume, about 9' by 13" and 3/4" thick, consisting of 150 pages of which 79 were
used. It seems he compiled the diary in his later years, probably beginning
about 1905. However, it is reasonable to assume there was an earlier diary to
which he referred for the years 1854-1859. This covers the time he left home in
Iowa shortly before his twentieth birthday for the gold fields of the West until
he returned via ship from San Francisco to New York, then by train to Iowa.
The diary is in the possession of Mrs. Harold B. (Edith) Mickey of
McMinnville, Oregon. In making the present copy I left out some lines that were
solely concerned with John's religious views. Spelling, grammar, capitalization
and punctuation are pretty much as he wrote; however, since he made no paragraph
divisions and seldom used periods to end sentences--preferring dashes--I ended
sentences with periods and divided the narrative into paragraphs. The items in
brackets are my additions for clarification.
John submitted many items
for publication in his hometown newspapers and in religious newspapers as
evidenced by the scrapbook of newspaper clippings he kept. Because I believe he
would be gratified to see his work disseminated to a larger audience, I am
making this copy to submit to the internet for the use of historians and
genealogists.
Sharon (Mickey) Norton
Great-granddaughter of John M.
Mickey
3121 SW Evelyn St
Portland, OR 97219
Email: jim3121@aol.com
I was born on the 20th day
of April A.D. 1834. My parents were born in Pennsylvania. My Father's Father
were Irish, my mother was Germatic and Irish. Father's mother was a niece of
Bishop Robert R. Roberts. I am some kin to the Methodist Church...[He expresses
concern about the lack of spirituality in religious sects]
My parents
moved to Iowa the day I was one year old crossed the Mississippi River at
Burlington. The town consisted of five Houses 4 round log and one hewed log
House. A man by the name of Phelps owned the Hewed log House. My parents lived
one year and a half in Desmoines Co then moved to Louisa County at the head of
the Virginia Grove one mile west of Morning Sun now. I drove ox team for Thomson
Brown to brake up the sod in what is now Browns Addision of Morning Sun--that
was in 1840. I was a young ox driver but my Father was an ox driver before me.
There were plenty of Indians camped in the Virginia Grove for three years after
we went there. I have heard my Father and Mother tell about old Blackhawk Chief
being at our House. They said he was a Portly Indian.
Some of you may
think it strange but I have seen wagon tiers riveted on a wheel not knowing that
iron would expand when hot and shrink when cold--I recollect one time a young
man came over to my Fathers after he had built a Hewed log House and covered it
with Clapboards and nailed them on The young man says to me how does them Boards
stay up there without weight poles not knowing they were nailed on.
My schooling consisted of going to school to
annoy the Teacher, log school Houses with the Bark on, subscription schools,
then go three miles to school, our books were few the Elemenary Speller and the
western Calculator: a arithmetic of hard Problems, any one could teach that
could use the Birch. The rudiments or first principals were overlooked. The
first few times I would get over to Baker then the teacher would turn me back
and I wore and tore the front part of my speller out and I finally got beyond
Baker; grammer was not in it. Writing was done with a goose quill whittled down
to a point by the Teacher; my mother had no geese and I had to take a Turkey
quill. Our school furniture consisted of long benches made out of split logs and
Hewn down with some smoothness and sticks inserted for legs. There would be
eight and ten Boys on a Bench--we had greased paper for window lights--and a big
Fireplace in one end of the House. Marys little Lamb was not born then.
I
was well acquainted with the woman that made the Brown jeans for Abe Lincoln. Mr
and Mrs Miller came to Iowa the same year my Parents and I came from
Illinois--Nancy Miller was a relative of Abe Lincolns mother. Their maiden names
were Hanks. I well recollect the drive Mr. And Mrs. Miller had one day. They
were driving two Horses in a wagon through some stumpy ground and the Horses got
frightened at something and began to run and the old Lady thought she would help
the old man hold the Horses and grabed the lines and began to yank back and the
lines broke and the old man went out backward on his head. As he got up on his
knees he looked up and saw his wife still in the wagon and the Horses going at
full speed. He says throw yourself out Nancy. Throw yourself out Nancy yonder
comes a stump.
There are many laughable incidents that happened in the
early days--my head is full of them but I forbear. In early days milling was
quite an object. My Father had a hand mill for grinding corn and Buckwheat. My
uncle H Mickey came to my Fathers one day very hungry He says to my Mother I am
very hungry. She says Harrison there is no meal in the House. Harrison went to
the Buckwheat bin and got some Buckwheat and ground it and my Mother made him
some Buckwheat Pancakes with honey and Butter and to see him relish the Pancakes
I wanted some.
I used to drive oxen with a long whiplash on a long stalk
sometimes four and five yoke to a big Plow Breaking up the Prairie sod--and all
the dress I wore was a Buckskin shirt--and in finishing up a land we ran on to
many big snakes some of them Rattlesnakes and I barefoot--and at last I got bit
on the heel by a ratteler I just thought I would die before Breakfast--for a
little Boy had just been bitten and died. I got a long all Right for a man by
the name of Elie Marshal cut in to my heel and sucked the Poison out.
When a Boy I often wanted to go west. I cried to go to Oregon in forty seven.
One of my neighbors went to Oregon that year by the name of Hackelman and
settled near now Albany. The Indians use to come to my Fathers House and tell of
the big game out west--and I use to play with the Indian boys as Boys and we use
to throw the Tomahalk at stumps and trees and wrestle and jumped and some times
fight. How often I have seen Indians on their Trails all going in a Tandom
form--those old Trails could be seen long after the whites had crowded the
Indians back from the Prairie. One of those Trails ran through my Fathers farm
it ran from Peoria Illinois to Council Bluffs Iowa. Council Bluffs use to be a
great resort for the Indians. When we went to Iowa there were no Roads and if we
wanted to go any place across those Prairies we would stear for some timber or
run by the compass. It was woe unto the man that got lost on those Prairies,
especially in the winter time or in the fall of the year when the grass is dry
and the fires got started. Few generations from now will know nothing of the
early settlement of those Prairies. The first settlers squated near or in the
timber and had rail fences around their farms and sometimes the Prairie grass
would get on fire and the wind would raise and here would come the fire and
clean out fences and all. The fire would run as fast as a Horse could run if the
wind was blowing a good gale.
In 1849 my Father died and I being the
oldest of eight Boys (my sister being older than I) left me with all the care of
the Farm and to see after the younger. My father died with the Typhoid fever and
after he died seven of us took sick with the same disease and our Dr Bill ran up
and our neighbors came near eating us out of grubb and Home. No one knows the
hardships we went through. We had a few sheep and Mother would spin wool and
make clothes for us in the winter--and oh how I wanted to go to California but I
could not leave my Mother and little Brothers. In the year fifty two Mother
married again. Then I counted myself free but I had no money and still I wanted
to go west. My Mothers Brothers said if I would wait one more year they would go
with me. The next year came and I got no one to go west with me. So I went to my
old trade Braking Prairie sod. I had one yoke of cattle and my neighbors let me
have young steers to Brake to the yoke. So the next spring I sold my steers and
expected to run away and go to California. It was the gold mines I was after. I
had been fooled so often. So one Sunday while Mother and the Boys were at Church
I packed up my things. I had a chum he came to Church and found me not there he
came on over to our House and wanted to know what was up. I said nothing he said
he knew there was something up and if I was going to run away he wanted to go
along with me. I told him I was going to California. He wanted me to wait two
weeks for him. We were together almost every day and his Brother older began to
suspect that there was something up with us. He came down to see me and says
John if there is anything up with you and Henry and if you are going to
California I want to go along. I says all right then. He says we must not run
off but come out and let our folks know that we are going. He said he wanted two
weeks to get ready. So it was all fixed up and we were to have the consent of
our parents. The boys Parents never gave their consent for them to go but worked
all sorts of schemes to stop them from going with me. But on the 27th of March
1854 we left the Virginia Grove Louisa County Iowa for California.
We
started out from home with big hearts for the gold fields. We expected to cross
the state of Iowa a foot with thirty five Pounds on our backs. It was a cold
cloudy day. We had made engagements to meet a man by the name Jacob Rhinirson at
Kanesville or Council Bluffs and drive a drove of cattle across the plains for
Him. He was going around by the way of St Louis from Burlington Iowa and bring
us up some gum clothes--for the plains.
The first day we went through
Crofordsville [Crawfordsville] on to Washington. That night we slept in an odd
fellows Hall. We boys were so green and bashful that we had to draw cuts and see
who should ask to stay over night with the people.
March 28 Went on to
Sigourney that evening it snowed about one foot deep. We found the Town a very
rough place. That night we Boys slept with our Revolvers under our heads for
safety.
March 29 Crossed the Skunk River on to our old friend Hartmans at
Rose Hill. The Hartman Boys and I use to be school mates in Louisa County. It
was very wet and muddy all day. We stopped at the middle of the day and staid
with the Boys.
[March] 30 Next morning started for Oskaloosa. One of the
Hartman Boys went with us to Oskaloosa. Oskaloosa is a beautiful town in a
fertile country. Crossed the Demoines River at Bell Fountain fifteen miles below
the forks--thence on to Edward Stones. Henry Owens fell in love with a pretty
young girl.
[March] 31 Next day went on through Knoxville. The afternoon
we crossed a 16 mile prairie rode in a wagon part of the way. Staid all night at
E. Cones.
April 1st Went through Indian oly [Indianola] on to Abraham
Blacks.
[April] 2 Lay over today it being Sunday. Mr Blacks were
Kentuckyan--here we got rid of some Kentucky paper money.
[April] 3 Went
through Winterset. Saw two Buffalo this country is hard to beat for its good
qualities. We eat dinner at a tavern. The landlady was one of those primpers her
Biscuit was as big as small walnuts. Thence on to Adar [Adair] County. This was
Election day. Nine voting men in the County.
[April] 4 The timber is very
scarse in those Counties. Traveled all day without seeing any timber at all till
just at night we came to a small grove of timber called Sargents Grove. Here we
had some fun. The old man was a little good natured old soul. The old woman was
some for scold--she had sore eyes that made it worse. Her oldest son had just
got married the day before and brought home his wife and the young wife
undertook to get Breakfast but before she could get at the meal in the meal
Barrel she run seven cats out of the Barrel. If she had sifted the meal it would
have went down much better. Our appetite had left us.
[April] 5 Crossed
an other Prairie of 17 miles and came to a small grove of timber. Here we took
dinner after the cat meal Breakfast. Crossed an other big Prairie and came to
Nishnabotny [Nishnabotna] River and staid the night.
[April] 6 On through
Indian town. Rode in a wagon the fore part of the day. Took dinner at Owens
grove crossed the Nishnabotny River at some Mills. Thence on to a Peddlers Ranch
staid all night.
[April] 7 Got to Kanesville or Council Bluffs. This is a
rough place. The town stands under a Bluff. It is two miles from the Missouri
River. Everything was very high here in the way of grub--50 cents per meal.
While we were waiting for Rhinerson we cut cord wood on the River Bottom land at
a dollar and a half a day. We were scarse of money. While we were cutting wood
Henry Owings [John sometimes write Owens and sometimes Owings] borrowed ten
dollars of me to go up Town to Buy an ax. He said he lost the money and came
back without the ax.
We waited for Rhinerson to come till the twenty
seventh of April. He was to have been here on the fifteenth of April. We made
arrangements to cross the Plains with an old man and his family by the name of
Charles Miller. He had two sons and three daughters and one son inlaw He had two
young men and one man and wife. He had three wagons and eight yoke of oxen two
cows under yoke. We had to Pay forty dollars a Piece and drive Team one half of
the time and he found everything . We felt sorrow for Jacob Rhinerson but he did
not come to time. Afterwards some of the Boys saw him in Oregon.
April 28
We started from Council Bluffs for California the very same day Rhinerson came
to the Bluffs but it was all too late. He said he had had two horses stolen out
of his heard and that delayed him. We went down the river twelve miles to cross
the Missouri River. We were all in a big glee.
April 29 We crossed the
River. Just about twelve oclock the last wagon went over on the west side. Ready
to role out on the Plains. Some of the Boys were very full of old rye. We
traveled 15 miles that afternoon and Past an Indian grave yard. We find no
Ranches or houses west of the Missouri River. Some Omaha Indians camped under
the Bluff opposite Council Bluffs. Plenty of nice country but no one to occupy
it.
April 30 Crossed the Elk Horn River. This is a small River that Puts
into the Platt River on the north side much grass here.
May 1st Camped on
the north bank of the Platt River. The Pawnee Indians were very saucy. Our
Horses ran back to the Elk Horn River. We had some suspicion of the Indians
stampeding them. We formed ourselves into a compy and Elected a Captain and a
Lieutenant Capt. Mr Nash was our Captain. We had forty two able bodied men
besides that many women and Children. When we go into camp we formed our wagons
into a sort of Hollow square. Put a man on gard and sometimes two men--one to
guard the stock that may be off at a distance.
May 2 Crossed Mud Creek on
an old Emigrant Bridge. The Indians made us pay toll. We gave them some bread
but they wanted more and some money. I was driver that day and the Captain
ordered me to take the lead in crossing the Bridge with my team. Some 6 Indians
stood on the Bridge to resist. I had a Revolver in one hand and the whip in the
other besides others had shooting irons--and the Indians Backed down but the
next Emigrant trane came a long the Indians made them give a cow. This Mud Creek
was a long deep miry stream. I was told that the Mormons Built the Bridge. The
timber in the Bridge must have been hauled a hundred miles. This is on the
Plains and no timber in sight.
May 3, 4, 4,6 Lay by part of the day
camped on the Plains no timber. Came Loop Fork--the Ferry was very Poor so we
went up Loop Fork some three days travel. The land up along here is grand level
and nice. We past an old mission that had rotted down it lay on the south side
of a beautiful Hill.
May 7 Crossed the Loop Fork the ford was deep we had
to Prop our wagon Boxes or wagon Beds up on the top of the standards. The River
Bottom was full of quick sand and we had to go with a rush as we would sink in
the quick sand.
May 8 Crossed over some very sandy Hills. It was a very
windy day. The sand Blew in our Eyes and cut like everything. Camped on Prairie
creek here. Here was our first introduction to Buffalo chips. The women and
girls did not like them at first but before two weeks past over you could have
seen them out just before a rain finding Buffalo chips.
May 9 Traveled
six miles before Breakfast to get wood to cook with. It was very cold wet
morning. After Breakfast went a head and camped on mud creek. This is another
mud creek.
May 10 No wood nothing but Prairie and it was the Plains
indeed and truth. Here we could see emigrant wagons as far as the Eye could see
west or East.
May 11 Camped on the Platt. Rained hard half of the night
and no wood and the Buffalo chips wet.
May 12 Traveled half the day rain
the other half and we laid over.
May 13 Pulled up on higher ground and
lay over all day and it just rained till it was a foot deep on the Bottom land
on the Platt.
May 14 Going up Platt and it raining and hailing then more
rain and it Blew--it Blowed it was windy.
May 15 Camped on Platt in a low
spot or place of ground it rained all night thundered and lighning it Blew all
the tents over and upset some wagons.
May 16 We were like drownded rats
and no wood to make a fire we traveled till noon without our Breakfast. Plenty
of Coyotes but few deer. Some antelope no Buffalo as yet.
May 17 Camped
on North Bluff creek. This is the last trace of wild turkeys. It was strange how
the wild turkeys got up the Platt so far.
[May] 18 Going up the Platt the
country is all a like only more so.
[May] 19 Struck camp creek and camped.
More Coyotes and wolf and dead Buffalo.
May 20 Camped on castle creek in
places the sand hills are larger.
[May] 21 It just rains and it rains as
we go up the Platt River.
[May] 22 Past Bluff ruins camped opposite Court
House Rock. Court House Rock is on the south side of the Platt River.
[May] 23 Camped opposite Chimney Rock my but she is a beauty standing out on the
Bluffs hundreds of feet high. Some Fertile land here if the farmer had water on
it.
[May] 24 Past a great many graves--the Cholera in 1852 was very bad
along here. Quite a number of the Morgans from Louisa County slept here. Camped
on spring creek.
[May[25 and still going up Platt.
[May] 26 Camped
4 miles below Fort Larima.
[May] 27 Lay by cattle took a stampeed. There
were quite a number of Indians Buryed up in some big cottonwood trees. They were
wrapped up in blankets and laid away to dry--for the Resurrection morn.
May 28 Came up opposite Fort Laramie two of our men had a fight. One had a
Hatchet the other had a club. Fort Laramie is two miles from the Emigrant Road
up the Laramie River. Camped in the Black hills. Here is the first Pine timber
we came too.
[May] 29 The mountains very rough and much cobble stone hard
on cattles feet camped in the Hills.
[May] 30 Camped on the west side of
the Black Hills.
[May] 31 Camped near an old volcano quite a scenery to us
Boys. We were back from the River in the hills.
June 1st Camped between
sandy hills and the Platt River--a mysterious Country this.
June 2 Camped
near a Cheyenne village two miles east of the village and one mile west of the
village an other train camped called the milk train. They had some twenty five
or thirty cows and there were seven girls in the train. In the evening Henry
Owings a Dutchman and I went up past the Indian village to the milk train to see
the Girls. We staid there till bed time and started back to our camp and as we
were going past the Indian village the Indians got after us. They intended to
run us in to their village but we broke ranks and ran out in to the sand hills.
We were wearing moccasins and we got in to the Cactus and the Cactus got in our
feet but we got away from the Indians. But we did not get to camp till next
morning.
June 3 Our last night on the Platt River--after coming over some
sandy hills and bad Roads.
[June] 4 Past the willow springs. Here is
another grave yard of the unfortunate emigrants Cholera in 1852.
[June] 5
Here we came to Sweetwater--past Independence Rock--a Rock that lays out in the
valley covering some five acres with quite a reservoir on top of it. This is the
real Rockey Mountains.
June 6 Past the Devils Gate. This is a deep cut
through the spur of the mountain. It is four hundred feet deep. Sweetwater runs
through this cut.
[June] 7 Camped on Sweetwater the Boys went fishing.
[June] 8 At times we are crowded back from the River by sand hills and rough
canyons. So we camped on a sand Bank.
[June] 9 Going up Sweetwater--the
mountains very high and no grass. The land is sandy and gravely.
[June] 10
Camped on the head of Sweetwater. Some of our cattle got alkalied. I was chief
Doctor. I put down several sides of fat Bacon to counter act the Poison.
June11 Past over the divide Between the waters of the two great Oceans. Along
the Divide are a great many Red Rubys. The old Rockeys are full of relics.
[June] 12 Camped on little sandy--grass poor.
[June] 13 Camped on Big
Sandy grass no better. This is a Barren Country sandy and sage Brush.
[June] 14 Camped on Green River after crossing it on a Mormon Ferry. We swam the
cattle a cross the current was very swift.
[June] 15 Camped on Hams
Fork--Road very uneven sage Brush.
[June] 16 Camped on Black Fork.
[June] 17 Camped near Fort Bridger. Here we got some grizly Bear meat. Country no
good.
[June] 18 Camped in the utaugh [Utah?] mountains.
[June] 19
Camped near a stone coal Bank.
[June] 20 Camped on Echo Creek.
[June] 21 Going through Echo Canyon this is a narrow pass through the
mountains--and the mountains are very high on either side.
June 22
Crossed weber River. This is a rapped running stream.
[June] 23 Traveled
up a Creek twelve miles. We crossed it fifty three times--and the further up the
deeper it got. We left the Creek and crossed over a high mountain that had snow
on it. We went down the mountain four miles and camped. Part of the mountain was
that steep we had to lock all the wheels then hold down the hind end of the
wagon.
[June] 24 After traveling all day down the mountain we came to the
edge of the great Salt Lake valley and camped.
[June] 25 We went in to the
City of Brigham Young. This is a Beautiful City. It is a Beautiful location for
a City. There is water as clear as Crystal runing on all sides of the streets.
The mountains are very high north and East of the City. There is snow in sight
the year round. The City is some distance from the Lake. Beautiful
landscape--the soil very Prolific wheat and all kind of garden stuff and some
corn.
June 26 We camped in the edge of Town close by some hot springs.
The water was quite hot and it run quite a stream of water. The Boys went to
Church. The wall round the City is not worth mutch. Part of it is of Rock--the
other part is of Doby [adobe]. The City is all Doby Houses except the temple and
it is being made of granite. The walls were up ten feet for the temple.
[June] 27 We left the City. Traveled twenty three miles up the valley--Past near
the Lake. We met a great many people going into the City to a big meeting two
women to one man and Children by the score. I did or we did not see old Brigham
Young he was out of Town down in Jordan.
[June] 28 Past a number of small
Towns walled in to keep the Indians out in hostile times. Crossed the weber
River again this time near its mouth. There was a Ferry.
[June] 29 Past
two small Towns which had stone walls around them. Crossed Ogdon River.
[June] 30 Camped 14 miles from Bear River--out in a nice valley.
July 1st
Lay over and Killed a fat cow we got of the Mormons--eat Beef Potatoes and other
good things. This is the upper end of the valley. We are 80 miles from the City
of Salt Lake.
[July] 2 Crossed Bear River. This is the third River we have
crossed since we left the City---all of which Puts into the great Salt Lake.
There is two more that puts in on the south.
[July] 3 Traveled all day
long. Had but little water. Camped on some salt springs--the water quite
Brakish--some sage Brush.
4th of July We all shot off our guns in the
morning gave a few cheers and went a head. We traveled 28 miles that day without
water the road dry and dusty. This is one of the Fourths I can never forget.
Some of the Boys nearly Famished for water.
July 5th Camped on sink
Creek. This part of the Country has no streams. There is springs start up in the
mountains and sink in the sands.
[July] 6 Camped at a spring 20 miles from
sink Creek. This Country is a kind of a desert.
[July] 7 Camped on
blamsood[?] Creek.
[July] 8 Camped on the side of Goose Creek mountains
[Grouse Creek Mountains?]. Here we had a time about the cattle where we should
heard them. Some wanted them taken down the mountain to graze.
[July] 9 In
the morning we went down a very steep mountain. Some emigrants had to let their
wagons down with Ropes.
[July] 10 Traveled 20 miles and past one spring
and camped on bad water too Bad.
[July] 11 Camped in Thousand Spring
valley. This valley has a thousand or more springs in it. They are deep round
holes from four feet to ten feet a cross and ten feet deep and full of fish.
[July] 12 Camped on the head waters of the Humbolt River. Had a row in camp
about greasing wagons.
[July13 Camped on the Humbolt River.
[July] 14 Crossed the Humbolt River and went down on the south side some two
hundred miles. This River has a great quantity of alkalye in it which makes the
water very unhealthy for man and Beast. The grass is good all the way down.
Every days travel was just a like to me on this River. Our train split up back
at Green River some went by the way of old Fort Hall ten wagons of us went by
Salt Lake. We stood gard every night so far and had no trouble with the Indians.
I got alkalyed on the Humbolt and had bowel complaint--one week. We had no
sickness on the Pl.
July 26 We crossed back over on the north side of the
River. We crossed the River in a wagon Box or Bed. Here we left the River 70
miles from the sink
July 27 I will give you the following description of
the Country and roads from Humbolt River to the Sacramento valley by Honey Lake
valley and Nobles Pass. From the Humbolt to Cold Springs 14 miles--course west
roads level water sufficient for one hundred head of Cattle or stalk [stock?] at
a time good Bunch grass on the hillsides and heads of canyons.
July 28
Thence to Rabbit hole springs 18 miles course north and west--road ascending
about two miles through a low gap of mountain range--then descending slightly
eight miles the rest nearly level to Rabbit hole--Bunch grass south east and
south west for three miles. Here we had very poor water. The cattle lay dead all
round.
July 29 Thence to Granite creek 32 miles. Course West Road for the
first six miles has a few gulches the remainder is then an entire desert and as
smooth as a planed floor--and nearly as hard and not a vestige of vegetation on
it for twenty six miles. Granite creek comes out of a notch in the mountains on
the right hand pretty well at the end. Leave the desert by turning in to this
gap half a mile to camp.
[July] 30 Bunch grass on the foot hills. Lie over
one day. Thence to hot spring point 3 miles course south of south west--road
level distance three miles. Gras good all along on the Boiling springs scattered
all through which makes it dangerous to let stock range out.
[July] 31
Thence to Deep springs 7 miles course north west Road level--grass and water in
abundance of the very Best quality. 4 head of cattle died from the effect of
alkaly here to fore. Thence on to Buffalo springs 10 [or 16] miles course north
west and west--Road level. Directly after leaving the springs you enter a desert
after passing over an arm of it of eight miles. Then eight miles through sage
you come to the Bed of a large dry creek its Banks covered with dry grass for
some distance. One half mile from this and about two hundred paces on the right
hand are the springs.
August 1st Thence to Smoke creek meadows 13 miles
course west six miles level ground. Then four miles over lava hills to the
creek. Thence up the creek along the canyon three miles to camp.
August 2
Here is an extensive valley from three hundred yards to three miles wide its
length is not ascertained. This valley Produces Clover Bunch grass of most
luxurient growth. Thence to Mud springs 9 miles course west. You travel up Smoke
Creek meadows 2 miles then over the point of a low ridge into Rush valley. This
valley is two miles long by half a mile wide. Excellent grass and water. The
Road here is on Table land fifty to seventy feet above the level of the Plains
or Desert and is Perfectly level.
[August] 3-5 Thence to Susan River 9
miles course west six miles. Emigrants should start early from Mud Springs as
the Road is covered with Cobble stone which makes it slow and tedious. It is
nearly level till you decend slightly to the valley of the stream known as Honey
Lake valley. This is a delightful valley. Its soil is of the most Productive
kind and is from five to seven miles wide and a Bout twenty five in length and
covered with clover--Blue joint--Red top--Bunch grass in great abunance. The
stream abounds in mountain trout which are easily taken with hook and line.
[August] 6 Here we lie over one day.
[August] 7-8 Thence to the head of
the valley 14 miles--course west. We cross willow creek two miles after leaving
camp on Susan River. This stream rises in the west runs east out of the Sierra
Nevada mountains into the valley and about twenty five miles down it to Honey
Lake.
August 9-11 Thence to summit 18 miles. Immediately after leaving
the valley we enter open but heavy pine and cedar woods--not unwelcome to the
sun scorched emigrants-- and here we commence ascending the Sierra Nevada
gradually. The Road some what stony in places. The ascent is so gradual it seems
as much down grade as up. In fact a great part is level and enough of timber on
one mile on each side of the Road from the valley to the summit to Build a
double Railway track to the Missouri River. Course west--grass and water. Thence
to Pine Creek course north west to avoid a cluster of Buttes--road level grass
and water good. Thence to Black Butte Creek 12 miles course northwest four miles
then turning west to south west--grass and water--Road level. Here we heard the
California Lion Roar as if they were about to take us in. The Country here and
for twenty miles back must be considered the summit as it is impossible to
ascertain the precise place owing to the flatness of the country. The small
streams that arise on the Buttes and run down their sides and sink or form small
lakes and marshes--their not being slope sufficient to run of[f] the water.
Thence to Black Butte 6 miles course south west road heavy sand. This Butte has
been a live volcano one day. It is a bout one mile high and as round as a tea
cup upside down. It has a hole in top some four hundred feet deep. This Butte is
all composed of loose sand and Burnt cinders. Henry Owens and I went to the top
of this Butte on our all fours--and in coming down we just slid__________.
Thence to Pine meadows 4 miles west--Road level and good. Thence to Hat Creek 4
miles north west. Road gradually sloping only about one hundred feet where a
wagon wheel need be locked. Bears very plenty here.
August 12 We find all
sorts of Berries in those mountains Straw Berries--Rasp Berries--thimble
Berries--Salal Berries--goose Berries--whortle Berries--Grapes--salmon Berries
and munsanuter[?] Berries. Thence to Lost Creek 2 miles course west. Thence to
Deer Flat 14 miles course west. The two first miles slightly up hill. After a
distance of forty miles embracing the entire western slope of the Sierra Nevada
it is almost a perfect grade to the Sacramento River. Deer Flats is quite a
little valley. Here were two Ranches or farms. Emigrants stoped here to Recruit
their stock. Here the old man Miller came to a halt for two weeks. We lie over
eight days. In the meantime Mr. Miller and Bradford Owens went to Shasty City
and Back 52 miles distance. Henry Owens was sick. I put the time in hunting
Deer. I killed a very large Buck the meat was worth 14 cts a pound drest he
weighed two hundred pounds drest a Blacktail Deer. I sold the half for ten
dollars and Barbacued the other half--some call it jurk. Deer Flats here we left
Mr. Miller and family it was a trying time to leave the old man he was so good
to us all the way a cross the Plains. It was more so to leave the girls
especially the oldest one--the one I took all over the Devils Gate. We carved
our names on the highest Rocks at the Devils Mountain--also on Independence
Rock--we left our names one over the other--and now we must part for good A Dieu
poor Kate.
August 20 Brad and Henry Owens and I took a notion to go over
to Humbolt Bay--distance three hundred miles from Deer Flat. We got in with some
emigrants that was going over with loose stock. Brad and Henry Owens made
arrangements to drive stock for the old man Wilson for their Board. I went over
on the same terms with one Mr. Dobyns. I left one day before Brad and Owens. In
the first place Mr. Dobyns put me to driving Cattle. Mr. Dobyns nephew lead an
ox with a Pack on (his the ox) had three hundred and fifty pounds on his Back.
The nephew could not lead the ox to suit the old man so I had to lead him three
hundred miles over mountains of the worst sort. On the 20 day of August I bid
the Miller family a Dieu--thence from Deer Flats to McCumbers Mills 8 miles.
Here I saw a water wheel sixty feet in diamiter overshot. Thence to Shingle Town
3 miles--Charls Ranch 4 miles--Page & Smiths 6 miles Dr. Blacks on Bear Creek 7
miles Fort Reading on Cow Creek 4 miles Sacramento River 3 miles. Then went down
the river to Cotton wood Creek 20 miles. The valley here is very poorly settled
on the account of much sickness. It is very sickly in the fall of the year--Ague
or chills and fever. The land is very level in the valley. It is covered with
large oak trees--but very scattern. It has many small stones that makes it bad
to Farm. The Roads good in the fall of the year but very sticky in the rainy
season. Crossed over thence up Cotton wood Creek 8 miles. Some very good farms
on the this Creek. This Creek Runs East. We went up Cotton wood 20 miles to what
is called the Arbuckle mines. Here is the first mining I saw. Those diggings is
what is called surface digins. There was over five acres of Earth sluiced off
clean to the ledge Rock in one place. It was a great curiosity to me to see the
ditches on the sides of the mountains they took the water out of Cotton wood
Creek to those mines five miles distance. It looked to as though the water run
up hill in those ditches. I longed to try my hand at mining.
Thence on to
Hay Fork of the Trinity River. We went over very high mountain going over to hay
fork.. This is a great place for making hay and packing it on mules to the
Sacramento River distance 35 miles over mountains. There is some mining going on
here but not very extensive. Thence to Trinity River over a large mountain 16
miles. There was no mining on the River where we crossed it but the mines was
very extensive down the River 30 miles below. Thence on to the top of the coast
range of mountains. We started early in the morning and traveled all day and
then we did not get to the summit. We camped in one mile of the summit.
August 28 That night a big grizzly Bear came in to camp and was going to take in
my pack ox for his supper. We all out and after him with fire Brands till he
left camp. Bear is very plenty here. We saw three or four going about camp that
night. Next morning we started on by daylight for we thought it best to get out
of there. We soon came to the summit. We found some snow on top of the mountain.
Here we had a good view of all the Country round for we were on the highest
mountain a round a bout there. It was a nice clear day. Here was the first
glimps I got of the great Pacific Ocean. I could look a way over the mountains
west and see the great waters and you must know we are one hundred and twenty
five miles from the coast--and yet we could see it distinctly. On we went over
some Bald mountains gradually decending toward the coast the Indians very
numerous and very saucy. Brad and Henry Owings came a long here three days after
and the Ingins shot arrows into the camp but did not hit any one but shot a cow.
August 29 Next day we traveled on a decending ridge all day. Saw plenty of
game of all sorts. We came on to some sqaws picking grass seeds. When they saw
us they droped every thing and run for life. We camped in the edge of the big
Redwood timber--that is a very large kind of timber. It looks very much like
cedar timber. It grows very thick on the ground. The avrage size is about ten
feet through and a bout three hundred feet long high. We saw some trees thirty
and forty feet through--four hundred feet high. The Bark is over one foot thick.
The Bark is very hard to chop. It gums up an ax. We traveled 32 miles through
this timber. It was so dence and thick that we only got one glimps of the sun
the whole way through. As we went through the redwoods we had to wind a bout
some on the account of the big logs that lie in the way. The land has a gradual
slope all the way towards the coast. When we got out so that we could see the
sun we found ourselves in the head of Eel River valley. This valley is thickly
settled in 1854. We went down the valley 7 miles. Here we came to the old man
Dobyns Farm. Dobyns crossed the plains in company with Millers and us and now he
had got home to his farm once more. He is keeping Batch. There were near one
hundred farms in this valley and only one that had a white wife. There were a
great many that had Indian women or Squaws for wives even some that had wives in
the states. Eel River valley is a Beautiful Place. Soil is of the most
productive Kind. It lies ten miles from the coast. I saw fifty two Bushels of
wheat to the acre. This valley is 20 miles in length from 4 to 8 miles wide. I
lay over here two days to rest my self after leading an ox three hundred miles
over the worst mountains I ever saw a trail on.
September 1 The ox I lead
Packed three hundred Pounds. The reader ought to have seen me climbing the
mountains and leading an ox after me. Poor old Buck he got fat in this valley
and then went to the Butchers to get his throat cut. Brad and Henry was to land
up on the Humbolt Bay some twenty five miles north of here. I thought I must go
on and see the Boys and see the great ocean. I put my hand into my Pocket and
not a cent was there. So I thought I would try and get work and earn some money.
I started out to hunt work. I hunted up and down the valley two day and not a
lick of work could I get to do for money. All had no money. They were just
living with out money. Now I was getting in a bad fix in debt ten dollars and
had no clothes--only them that was on my Back. They were ragged and very
lousey--lice there was not a stich but what had a louse on. So I struck out for
the Bay 15 miles distance. I went beging my way and going down to the Bay my
shirt naturally crawled off of me. I went a head. The first man I saw I wanted
to know if he wanted to hire any help. He looked at me and then said no Sir. I
told him what sort of a fix I was in. He then wanted to know if I was a farmer.
I told him I was. So we struck up a trade. He was to pay me fifty dollars per
month. I told him I wanted a new suit of clothes. So he took me down to Fort
Buxport and I got a suit of clothes. They cost me nine dollars. That Put me in
debt nineteen dollars. So I went to working on a Farm. This man was an old
Batchelor. He was off on buisness most of the time so I had to Boss the
farm--milk the cows and churn cook and mak e Butter. This farm lay one mile from
the Bay up on a bench of the mountain. Here I had a good view of the Bay and the
inlet or entrance of the Bay--very small amount of farming done here.
September 5th This is a great Lumbering Country--six saw mills on the Bay--one
at Buxport--one at Union Town and four at Eureka. There was one hundred saws
running in one mill at Eureka. The most of them are up and down saws or gang
saws--fifteen Circle saws and a big Plaining machine all under one roof. Humbolt
Bay is 25 miles long and one and a half wide. It is surrounded on two sides with
heavy timber Principally Red wood and spruce and fir timber. I had a beautiful
view of the ocean and Bay where I worked. It was a Beautiful sight to see nine
and ten ships cruising a round the enterance of the Bay waiting for the little
Tug to bring them in to the Bay. It is a great Buck wheat country. I thrashed
Buck wheat with a Flail the biger part of the time I was here. The old man was
very crabbie. He and I would fall out nearly every day. I worked here one month
and a half and all I got for it was nine dollars worth of Clothes and a gun
worth twelve dollars.
While I was at work here Brad and Henry came to see
me. I had not seen or heard of them since I left them at the Camp on Deer Flats.
They came over three days after I came. The man they started over with run out
of provisions so the Boys left him 85 miles Back on the mountains. The old man
was bringing over cattle and they came slow. The Boys got lost in the mountains
and were out three days without eating. When they found them selves they were
close to Union Town on the head of the Bay--35 miles up the coast from Eel
River. As soon as they got to Union Town they came across a man that wanted to
hire some hands to go up to Gold Bluffs with him to mine. The Boys were to get
seventy five dollars per month each. They worked one month and quit the Gold
Bluffs. They came back down to the Bay to where I was working. They were in good
circumstances by this time. They had a good suit of Clothes and fifty dollars
besides. We were happy to see each other for it had been near two months since
we saw each other.
Just at the time the Boys came down to see me the
People of Humbolt County held an Election for the County Seat. They had a great
time of it. Union Town wanted it. Eureka wanted it and so did Buxport. Each Town
had called in all the men they could rake up and the thing was hot every thing
free for all hands--eat and drink as you pleased. We got a little too full of
Liquors such as brandy and wine. I did not know that Brandy and wine would cause
drunkenness so easy. I must confess I got drunk and as I began to loose my
Eqilebrium I started for home. I got home but I hardly know how. Some of the
Boys said I went three Roads for home. A sicker Child never was. This is the
first time and I hope it will be the last time.
After I got sobered up
the Boys and I left. The Boys went up the coast to Trinidad Bay. There is a
great deal of goods Packed from this Town to the mines on Trinity and Salmon
Rivers. The Boys and I got in to work here getting out lath timber for a mill
Company . We could make sixty five dollars per month. I worked here two months
in the Red woods. The largest tree we cut down was eight feet through. There
were only three farms near Trinidad and one of them was made from one
tree--House Barn and fences and half the tree left. It was twelve foot through
and two hundred feet to the first limb and it split like a ribbin. I got lost in
the red wood timber fell over a Precipice into an alder tree top 30 feet and if
I had went any further I would have fell two hundred feet. Here Brad Owens found
me. My fall was on account of a big loose Rock I steped on and it slid down the
mountain.
The Boys and I and an old Salor went out on the Ocean one day
in a little Roe Boat as a pleasure trip and while we were out we run on to a
whale and the whale began to play with us. He would stand on its head and try to
lash us with its tail. Then it would dive down under the Boat and come up on the
other side and a little closer. The old Salor turned white and he said Boys we
must get out of here. We all got to the oars and began to pull for the shore. If
Mr. Whale had hit our Boat it would have been all day with us.
While we
were at Trinidad there was a big whale came a shore and died. The mill man sent
the Boys and I down with Kettles and Barrels to render up the Blubber but by the
time we got ready to render the Indians came on to us and claimed the whale.
They said the Great Spirit had sent that whale to them and they were ready to
fight for it. In less than 24 hours there were 75 Indians around that whale. So
we gave it up to them but before we gave it up they had their knives out ready
to fight. The whale was a big one about sixty feet long and eight or nine feet
through.
After this I left Trinidad. It was the 23 of December I started
for Jacksonville O.T. I left the Boys at Trinidad. They stayed there till the
next spring and then went up on the Klamath River to mine.
When I left
Trinidad I had one hundred and thirty dollars. I got on a steamship at Trinidad
and went up to Crescent City distance 60 miles. This was the first ship I was
ever on. The name of it was The Southerner. She was a large ship but very old
and shaky. They run her on a sand Bar and left her. It cost me17 dollars to
Crescent City and 13 to Jacksonville. I was seasick all night for we were out
all night on the old tug or tub.
Crescent City is quite a Town. It sits
on the Beach just in the edge of the Redwood timber. She is in California close
to the Oregon line. It is one hundred fifteen miles from here to Jacksonville
Oregon over very bad mountains--only a Pack trail when I came out, but in 1857
they made a wagon Road. I left Crescent City the day I landed. I had two Pair of
Blankets and a sachel of clothes on my back. I got out of Town three or four
miles and got stuck in the mud. Good luck would have it a pack train came along
and took me in. They packed my Blankets and I helped drive the mules. On
Christmas day of 1854 I can always remember we were crossing over Smiths River
mountain. This is a very long and high mountain. It rained it snowed it hailed
and froze. There was not a dry stick on me at night. There houses were far a
part from five to ten miles one strech twenty miles. We came over to Illinois
valley every little Creek was up and full of water. We lie over at one two days
waiting for the water to fall. It was raining all the time and it got higher all
the time. We fell a tree across and Packed our cargo over on a foot log and swam
the mules over. This was working my passage. I got to Jacksonville the last day
of December 1854 and that night it snowed.
January 1st Jacksonville is
quite a Town. There are seven stores two fire proof Buildings. She is in the
edge of Rogue River valley. The mines is just in the edge of Town or from Town
Back two and three miles. On new years day I went hunting with my uncle H K
Wasson. The snow on the mountains was four feet deep. We had very poor luck saw
no deer or Bear. My uncle has been mining here two years. He came here in the
fall of 1852. I went to work with him in the gold mines about one mile from
Jacksonville on what is called Jackson Flats. I worked twenty two days for an
interest with him in some old claims and I bought out his old Pardner gave him
ten dollars. So I came in full Pardner with my uncle in his mines. The first
thing I done was to lay in plenty of provisions for the rest of the
winter--flour was eight dollars per hundred--Bacon forty--Beef twenty
five--coffee 331/3 a pound sugar the same--mining Boots eight and ten dollars
per pair. Every thing in proportion.
I thought this were some for high
Prices. It took the last cent I had to Buy my winters Provisions. I went to work
on the 25 of January 1855. When I first set in to mining we used a long tom.
This is a machine that takes a great deal of work to tend it. The long tom and
the Cradle was the go. But I claim to be the first man to start sluices in the
Jackson mines. I saw some sluices as I went through California and took
particular notice of them how they were made and how they were set. I got some
lumber sawed to order and made some sluices and went using them. We could make
pay with sluices where we would starve with a long tom.
The gold lay in
pockets around Jacksonville mines. Some days we would make [more] and some we
would make less. Rogue River valley is hard to beat for Beauty and fertility.
June 1st Jacksonville is in the southwest corner of the valley. There is
Sterlingville nine miles south Jacksonville. In the fall and winter of 1855
there were over six hundred miners in Sterlingville. One day I went over to
Sterlingville to see the mines and as I was looking around I came on to F.F.
Curran. He was mining down the Creek four miles from Sterlingville at a little
Town called Bunkamville. I staid all night with him then went back to
Jacksonville. I mined here with my uncle H K Wasson till the first of June. The
water run down in the ditches that we could not work for the lack of water. Up
to this time I had cleared two hundred and fifty dollars so I had three hundred
and fifty dollars clear of expenses.
5th of June W.D. Wasson came over
from Yreka to see us. He took sick and had to stay. So I took his Horse Back to
Yreka for him. Yreka is 55 miles from Jacksonville south. I started on the 7th
went up Bear Creek valley 18 miles from Jackson. There I found my old friends
the Grubbs living on a nice and beautiful farm. I was happy to see them. From
Samuel Grubbs I went on to Yreka. I crossed the Syskyou mountains on through
Cottonwood Town. This is quite a mining place. Next crossed the Klamath River on
through Shasta valley a cross Shasta River three miles further on I came to
Yreka. This is a large mining Town. The mines are very extensive about Yreka.
I was at Yreka on Sunday. This is a day miners do all their trading. I saw
over five thousand people in Town that day. From here I went over to Humbug
Creek ten miles from Yreka. Here I Found my old Friend Wm K Dryden. He was
mining on this Creek. He was drest in miners clothes out and out. He had on a
Pair of Buckskin Pants some what worn an old wool Hat and a woolen shirt off up
at the elbows--a pair of moccasins and he was all Kar Dryden. Humbug Creek is a
very rich mining Creek. It is a bout twelve miles long and mining all a long.
From here I went back to Jacksonville. Wm D had got well. So we three went to
work together Prospecting after gold up in the mountains four miles west from
Jackson. We Prospected together till the fourth of July. Wm D went out to the
valley to harvest. All this time we had not made a dollar. We were spending
money all the time. On the 6th of July uncle and I struck it rich as a Pocket.
We called it the mountain diggins. Wm came back to us in the mountains. We made
some money here. Uncle Hiram left us on the 25 August. He went to the Willamette
Valley. Wm and I worked two weeks by ourselves then F F Curran came over from
Bunkamville and went to work with us. We made three and four dollars per day for
a bout a month. In August 1855 some of the Rogue River Indians went over on the
Klamath River and killed some of the whites. So that raised the California
People to arms. There was five hundred armed men came over to Rogue River valley
from the Klamath and Yreka and Humbug Creek to kill the ingins that done the
murdering. Those Indians that done the murdering ran back to Table Rock Fort.
When the Californians came over here to the Fort the Head officer would not let
them do anything to the Ingins. He said he was put there to protect the Indians.
So they all went back home like mad men. So when the Indians found out that they
were protected by the Fort (or Uncle Sam) they broke out hostile all over Oregon
and Washington killing People where ever they could get a chance. They Burned
houses women and Children and this is while we were up in the mountains not
knowing anything of the affair.
One Sunday morning the Boys and I went
down to Jacksonville to see what was going on for we had heard a great deal of
shooting off in the valley. The first thing we saw was the gard around the Town.
The cry was Ingins all over Town. The Indians had killed a man in a half a mile
of us and we did not know any thing of it. We thought best to move down out of
the mountains. The next day we moved down on the flats a bove town one mile.
Three days after F F Curran and two other men were out hunting deer up close by
where we had been all summer. One of the men got shot by the Indians. Curran and
the other came in safe. The People out in the valley all Forted up--put up Forts
by sitting up logs on end in the ground. Each Fort kept a gard out. F F Curran
and I went out in the valley to see our old friend Grubbs. We found them all
Forted up. There were four or five familys that had gathered together and Built
a Fort--Grubbs with the rest. We were out here ten days--having a good time.
Sometimes the Children were fighting--sometimes the dogs were fighting. Then
there were two girls that appeared very sociable. They wanted us to stay close
by them to keep the Indians of[f]. By the by the youngest one got married while
we were there. She was a few months over twelve years old. So you see it was not
all Ingins after all. We went back to Jacksonville and went to work on the flats
again. We were drifting and throwing up dirt for the rainy season. We worked on
this way till water came to wash up. It was not very safe to mine. Someone had
to be on the out look for Ingins.
December 1855 It was at this time Kar
Dryden came over to see us. He staid two days then went back to Humbug Creek. I
went over with him to Yreka to Check some money home to my mother. I sent 200
dollars back to the States. When we started out it was nice and clear but before
we got ten miles out it commenced to rain. We went over the Siskyous Mountains
that day and it rained and snowed all day. At night I was almost ded. Kar Dryden
only would laff at me. Next morning we went on to Yreka. It was that cold I
could not keep warm walking. I was sick all day. We staid all night in Yreka.
The next day we went over to Humbug Creek. Here I lie over for one week with
chills and fever. As soon as I got better I went back to Jacksonville. When I
got back I had one hundred and thirty dollars left . From June 1855 to the first
of January 1856 I just held my own on the money line. I would make some thirty
or forty dollars then I would Prospect and run a bout till it was all gone.
On Christmas day we Boys Played Cards all day then at night there were some
thirty miners I amonst the rest--we all Belted on our revolvers and went down to
Jacksonville to a big Ball. There were over seventy couple. Some of the women
and girls wore very low necked dresses. We miners stood and looked on till near
midnight. Some of the Ladys turned up their noses at our miner suit of Cloths.
Between Christmas and new years we were playing cards. At the end of the week I
was five dollars looser. That was my last playing cards for money.
After
new years day we went to work ground sluicing. We made some little money before
the water gave out. We three worked on till the first of March. Then Wm Wasson
left and went out to fight Ingins. He inlisted during the war. The war lasted
two months after he inlisted. F F and I worked on till the last of March. I
Bought a mule gave eighty dollars for it and four dollars for a Packsaddle. F F
Curran and I packed up and left Jacksonville for California. After I Bought the
mule and Pack saddle I had one hundred and fifty eight dollars. We went from
Jackson over to Cotton wood Town. Here I left FF Curran to make his pile. Here I
bought a Riding Saddle gave thirty five dollars for it. Then I went on to Yreka.
Here I got my mule shod. That cost me four dollars--thence on to Dead wood Town.
Here I found Isaac Shaver a relative of my mother. He was mining on McAdams
Creek. From there I went to Scotts River on Scotts Bar thence down Scotts to the
mouth where it puts into the Klamath River. Went down the Klamath through Happy
Camp thence down eight miles to clear Creek. Here I found Brad and Henry Owens.
They were mining on woods[?] Bar on the Klamath. When I got here I had one
hundred and three dollars left. So I went to work with the Boys on the Bar. The
first thing we did was to cut through some bed Rock. We were one month cutting
Bed Rock. We had to Blast the most of it. After we got through in to the old
channel we made sixty five dollars a peace. Then the Boys sold out for one
hundred each. Here I Bought a gun. Gave twenty five dollars for it.
Henry
and I left here. Brad went to work out by the mouth a few miles blow [below?] at
eighty dollars a month. Henry and I went up to Yreka thence on to Cotton wood
thence Back to Jacksonville Oregon.
July 1856 We found Wm D Wasson in the
hospitle at Jackson. I had left him to take care of my mining Claims but he had
got sick and some men jumped my mountain Claims so I had arbitration before I
could get them to leave. This cost me twenty five dollars to treat the crowd.
Uncle Hiram Wasson got back from the Willamette Valley the day after I got back
to Jacksonville so uncle and Henry and I went to work on the mountain Claim. We
worked three weeks and made fifteen dollars each. Henry went to work in the
valley harvesting. This was the first of July. Uncle and I went to prospecting.
Prospected two weeks and could not strike it so we went down to Town to see what
was going on there.
There was a great talk a bout good diggings down
Rogue River--the meadows is the place where the soldiers had a fight with the
Indians and the volunteers came in and saved the U.S. army. Wm Wasson was in the
fight on hungry hill. I was on hungry hill after the war was over. It was a poor
place to fight Ingins. Our men were on open ground and the Indians had timber
for shelter. As we went by the way of Leland we came on down grave Creek. Then
we left it and over a very high mountain called Mt. Rubin--thence down to Whisky
Creek and camped. We saw no white mans sign--nothing but Indian tracks. We
thought the best thing we could do was to go back for there was too much Indian
sign for us. So Back we went next morning as fast as we could and near night we
met 18 more Prospectors. We all camped together that night. Next day we all
started for the big meadows again. There was 21 of us. The Indians were the last
of our fear now. We got to the meadows in three days travel. After we met the 18
when we came to the meadows we expected to see quite a Town of miners but to our
great surprise there was not a man a bout not even a track--Town or anything. We
Prospected some but could not find any gold so you see the meadows as a mining
place was a Humbug
Back we went to Whisky Creek. Here we met some sixty
more Prospectors going to the meadows. We told our tale they went no further. We
thought we would stop and Prospect Whisky Creek. We found some gold but not
Plenty. We were camped at the mouth of Whisky Creek on the Banks of Rogue River.
So one day we built a raft and crossed the River on the south side. We
Prospected and found some gold on a Bar just opposite Whisk[y] Creek. We thought
it would pay to work. We moved over and went to work.
August 1856 The
first thing we done were to get a whipsaw and saw out some sluices. We got a saw
by paying 2 dollars a day for the use of it. There were two men by names of R S
Vickery and Wm Millard. They had taken up the water privilege that we were going
to use--so we all went in full Partner. R S Vickery and I went to sawing. Henry
Owing--Millard and uncle went to cutting out troughs for to put some water on a
Bar. We had 6 hundred feet to take the water on the Bar. We got to sluicing in
side of three weeks from the time we commenced sawing it being 12 day of August
1856. About the time we got the water on the Bar our Provisions run out. Henry
Owings got the ague. The Devil was to pay. Henry thought he would go over to the
Klamath after his Brother Brad. I took him out to Jacksonville. He got better
and went on after Brad. I got some Provisions and came Back with Wm Wasson. By
this time I had not a cent of mone[y] left. I was just one week gone. The Boys
had not made anything as yet and the ditch was all the time breaking and letting
the water out. We worked on for three weeks and did not make wages. Henry and
Brad got back. Now there were 7 in company. We all went to work the harder. The
mine got to paying better. Brad Owings and I went out to Rose Burg after mining
tools and Provisions--distance 75 miles. Our Pack train were three Indian Ponys
and one mule. We had an awful time. Two of our horses got sick. They got some
poison weeds I think for they never were well afterwards but they would eat as
good as ever. The mule stood it very well. We left the horses on the Road. We
had them loaded with Bacon and a grind stone. We got back with one horse and the
mule. The Boys made fun of us.
By this time the mine was paying from ten
to twenty dollars per day to the hand. My uncle struck a new lead of gold. He
got 80 dollars to the Pan. This was on the Bar that we all had put water on.
When he found this gold he was not willing to let the Boys work on the Bar. All
this time we were in full Partners on the claim--and partners in all we could
find. Just when we wanted money he wanted to act the Hog--and so he did--but not
as much as he thought he could. The Boys had went to Building houses. We all had
come to the conclusion to stop here for the winter.
They sent me out to
get some winters Provision. I went to the valley and Chartered a Pack train to
Pack in Provisions. The first load I brought in was 18 hundred lbs of flour a
hundred of Potatoes--2 hundred of onions. The next time I went to Rose Burg
after grocerys I got six hundred dollars worth of grocerys. Two hundred of
Potatoes--one of onions--2 hundred of Bacon--one hundred of Butter--22 dz of
eggs--mining boots and clothes--axes saw augurs and Plains--draw knife--Picks
and shovels all came to 1,400 dollars. The merchants thought I was a store
keeper. All the money the Boys made in a bout two months time besides Building
three log houses.
December 23, 1856 We all had ten months Provisions laid
in--and out of Debt--happy miners we were. We had been Prospecting a Bar down
the River just one mile from the other Bar that we worked on. We thought it
would pay to put water on. This we call Tyee Bar. The upper Bar was not large
enough for us all. So on the 24 of December we commenced our work on the Tyee
Bar ditch or flume one mile long. None of us had made any flumes. We seven in
company went in to it blind as it were--not one of us had a cent of money to go
on only as we diged it out of the ground. We Bought a whipsaw and two went to
sawing lumber for the flume. We cut our logs 16 feet long. Our flume was
eighteen inches on the Bottom and fourteen inches high. There you see our Bottom
Plank was 18 inches wide and sixteen feet long. The side planks were 14 inches
wide and 16 feet long. Brad and Wm Wasson tried the sawing the first--then Henry
and Brad--then Brad and R.S. Vickery went to work and sawed 8 months without
doing any thing else. The Boys put me on the flume as head man. I had to over
see it all. Two kept on mining. It paid them very well for a time.
April
Then the pay got less every day so they quit on the first of April. From this
[time] out we were getting into Debt. Up to this time we had taken out 2,200 two
thousand two hundred dollars. We were ten months Building the flume and getting
ready to mine on Tyee Bar. We had two and three hands hired the most of the
time. Henry Owings and John Brown were sawing and the saw pit fell down and
broke John Browns Back. We had to Pack him down the mountain on a litter. He was
three months before he got well. We run two saws Part of the time. Uncle Hiram
and Wm Millard run one. Times has been very good so far with us. We all work
hard. The mountain side slid and took off part of our flume. This cost us three
hundred dollars to repair the damage. F F Curran came over from Cotton wood to
Tyee Bar. He went to work for us packing lumber or flume planks. It was quite a
trick to carry a green plank 18 inches Broad and sixteen feet long around the
mountain. We carried them a half mile some places. The flume crossed canyons and
stuck up on poles twenty five feet high and part of the way it was on the
mountainside and it was that steep we had to lash ourselves to a tree by a rope
to keep us from falling down the mountain. We had to contend with yellow jacket
and Snakes. Our flume was a quarter of an inch fall to the Rod and at the lower
end it was 40 feet above the water in the River. Tyee Bar is a half mile long by
three hundred feet across--from five to thirty feet deep and mostly round
Bolders from a hens egg up to a ton. The ledge rock runs back level and the gold
on the Bed Rock.
July 2 We got the water on the Bar today after a great
deal of hard work. We had an offer for our claim or mine. The man was going to
buy it for the Chinamen. We all set our prices that was eighteen hundred dollars
each--twelve thousand six hundred dollars in all. This was Judge Snerling from
Yreka California. He was to give it in twelve days but he never came back. Some
of the old Indian fighters said the Chinaman should not come into these parts.
There were two men that let the Chinaman know all about the matters so they
backed out on fear of the Indian fighters.
We all went to work again. We
all had been living in the three Houses on the upper Bar. We sold the Houses on
the upper Bar and built a new house on Tyee Bar. Then we all moved in together
and all eat from the same table. We had a very good miners House. We had a good
floor and glass windows--the first Best of Bunks--a good kitchen and fireplace.
We have a Cook hired at fifty dollars per month. We have a hydraulic--it cost us
one hundred fifty dollars. After we got to mining on Tyee Bar the Indians broke
out here and Robed two miners houses. The miners went out after the Indians over
the worst of mountains but could not catch them. Henry Owings R S Vickery went.
They were almost wore out when they got back. To our great surprise the mines
did not pay as well as we expected it to. By this time we had got in Debt some
seventy five dollar a pease. After we could not make our Piles on the Bar we
thought we would go into the River so at it we went. Some of us worked on the
Bar. The rest went to work turning the River. We got it turned but found very
little pay. We worked in the River Bed till the 15 of November. Then we had to
get our winters supplys in. We went on credit. It was nothing to get credit in
the mines. I will give you some of our supplys of Provisions--
Thirty
four hundred pounds of flour--at ten cents a pound--four hundred of sugar at 30
cents a pound--one hundred of coffee at 28 cents a pound--Beans seventy five lbs
at 20 cents a pound--Bacon three hundred lbs at 30 cents a pound--Butter one
hundred lbs at 62 1/2 cents a pound--Dried apples 50 lbs at 25 cents a
pound--Dried peaches 50 lbs at 30 cents a pound--tea 24 lbs 80 cents a
pound--candles 40 lbs at 60 cents a pound--Potatoes 800 lbs 8 cents a
pound--lard 50 lbs 30 cents a pound--soap 20 lbs 80 cents a pound--onions 300
lbs 10 cents a pound.
We have many little things too tedious to
mention--Paper--salt--salaratus--alspice--ginger--and nutmeggs. All these things
we got on credit besides our own private things such as
Boots--shoes--gumboots--gumcoats. We are not making any thing just now. There
are nine of us staying in one house. We all mess together. We have a stag dance
once and a while. Isaac Shaver is our Fiddler. I play the Bones--all hands round
Bill go down the middle.
R S Vickery lies out on the mountain all night.
He was packing a Jackass over the mountains. The snow was too deep for him to
make it over in one day. He lie on the snow all night in the morning came on
down. Wm Wasson fell in a shaft 35 feet deep. It was half full of water--he came
out all wet.
November We bought out one of our Pardners. We gave him
eight hundred dollars. He got to drinking too much. He got behind on his time
(we had a law if one of us did not work he had to pay into the companys purse
three dollars per day unless he was sick) one hundred fifty dollars and got in
debt to the company two hundred besides. We bought him out to get rid of him. I
have no use for a drunk man.
The daming of the River did not pay
wages--about two dollars per day 420 dollars in all. Now all hands at work on
the Bar. We are Prospecting in the Back part of the Bar. We are running a large
cut from the River back to the mountain. This cut is forty feet wide on the
top--thirty feet on the bottom-- it is thirty feet deep--three hundred feet
long. We were three months running this cut. We got six hundred dollars out of
it. That was the small sum of two dollars a day. Our Board and expenses were one
dollar a day.
December the 25th 1857 The Boys had a jolly time of it.
There were 18 of us. We had two fiddlers and danced till twelve oclock at night.
We had no women to dance with. Half of the Boys got tight. Next day they were
heaving up [Jonah?] all over the House and sick Oh--they felt bad. I know from
experience. We done no work for a week. That was after new years--new years
night was dull.
January 2, 1858 We all went to work as hard as ever for
time was getting pretty tight with us. The storekeepers were coming on to us for
Pay. We just got to making money when the River raised and the water came over
our diggings so we could not work for two weeks. The River was up very high. It
was up within three feet of our house. It raised fifteen feet one night. We
could not get out to the Post Office and it was a long time that we Boys did not
get any letters. We went to the Post Office once every month. It was 22 miles to
the office. It was a joy to get a letter from home.
May 1858 Time Rolls
on. We are still in Debt. My uncle H K Wasson [dropped?] out of the company and
went to work by his self on the head of the Bar. He could not agree with the
Company. On the 18th of May Henry Owings and W D Wasson got discouraged and left
for the Willamette Valley. The company were in debt two hundred and forty
dollars when they left. Brad Owings R S Vickery and myself was all that was left
of the Co. So we went to work. We made eight dollars a day from the time they
left to the last of August. We Paid up all the Companys Debts and our own Debts.
Our private Debts were one hundred and forty six dollars a peace. After paying
up all then we bought out Henry and Wm Wasson at one hundred a peace for all
their [intrusts?] in Tyee Bar. On we worked till the October 16th. We made three
and four dollars a day till Oct 16. Bradford Owings left us to day. F F Curran
bought him out for one hundred dollars. Bradford went down in the valley where
Henry was. He had four hundred and fifty dollars when he left here. After Curran
came in to the company we [drifted?] in the Bar two weeks and made two hundred
dollars. Then we went to getting in our winters provisions. We had to get a new
Hydraulic. The old one is wore out. Then we went to ground sluicing. We
calculate to sluice all winter and clean up in the summer. We are not making any
money when we are ground sluicing.
December Our neighbors are twelve
miles distance. The last of December very cold down to zero. Christmas was dull
with us. [I was [alone?] all day. Fred Curran went to the Post office on
Christmas. He was gone five days. He brought home five letters for me --two from
Joshua Mickey one from Cunniham Dryden--one from Brad one from Wm Wasson. Next
day we all went hunting. I killed two Deer. Deer and Bear are very plenty--some
Elk--wild cats are very Plentiful. New years has come and it find us all well
and harty. The year 1858 I wrote over forty letters. I wrote thirty five back to
old Iowa. I have received 27 from the Virginia Grove Post Office. I redgister
all my letters that I write and get and there is quite a diference.
On
new years day I went hunting. Killed one very large Buck Deer. We have no white
tail Deer here. We call them the Black tail Deer. Every now and then there is
some excitement raised a bout new diggings but it all turns out a failure. There
was a man got lost in these mountains and froze to death and the next spring
they found him. He was out hunting and fell over dead from some cause or other.
Bradford Owings writes that he and Henry has taken two hundred cows to keep.
They get one third the increase. They have to take them for five years. Uncle
Hiram is working on the Head of Tyee Bar mining. He has not made any thing yet.
A miner is always looking a head for a strike.
January 23 I came out to
the Post office to day. I got one letter from Joshua M. Mickey. I get to go out
to the Post office every three months. We have got considerable ground sluiced
off to clean up next summer.
January 24, 1859 We intend to ground sluice
two months yet then clean up. It will take till the fourth of July to clean up
what we will have sluiced off. The Hydraulic is a great invention in getting off
dirt and gravel. It will do the work of twenty men. Then it is not half the
danger with Hydraulic as with pick and shovel. You can stand back and play the
water under the Bank till she caves in. Then you can play the water on it from
the pipe till you wash all off--then play the water under the Bank again and
down she comes. If one watches the Bank he can always get out of the way of the
rocks and gravel. I was the one that held the nuzzle and uncle Hiram said I
would get killed. At that very instant the Bank came down and caught him but did
not cover him up. I came out all right. It is wonderful what a power there is in
water confined. If the Rogue River had fall enough we could run it through a
cannon--that is if the cannon was big enough.
February The high waters
delayed us some. The River did not have to raise very much till it would be up
on the Bar but we got off piles of dirt and gravel. As we sluiced it into the
River the River water would carry it off. Black sand was very plentiful. It
would fill the sluice Riffles and cause the fine gold to slip over and we would
loose it. And we wasted Platinum by the pounds not knowing it was any account.
Rogue River was full of salmon at times and we had no way of catching them.
A man could starve and have tons of eatables in sight. One day the Panthers ran
a big Buck Deer down the mountain opposite of us. The Deer jumped into the River
and swam over toward us as we were eating our dinner and uncle Hiram shot the
Deer and wounded it and the Deer started back but some Irishmen scared the Deer
back to our side of the River and while they were doing that the Panther came
down till he saw the Irishman then he ran back up the mountain. Panthers will
take turns in running a Deer down but if a Deer can get in some River he is all
right. He is a good swimmer.
My uncle traded my mule off for a Bear
Dog--at least that was all I got for the mule. So one Saturday we Boys all went
up on the mountain to hunt and gather Berries and I took my dog along but the
Boys said I should not go with them and take the dog. I told them I would go
alone and keep the dog with me and we would go up the canyon. So up the canyon I
and the dog started. I had the dog chained to my Belt and after I had gone up
the canyon two or more miles I saw a Bear and the dog saw him at the same time.
I just onsnaped my dog and he ran the Bear up a tree but as I would come up so I
could see it the Bear would come down and run. But finly the dog got Mr Bear up
a leaning tree and I got up near enough to shoot the Bear through the Heart. And
still it lived long enough to have quite a fight with the dog. The noise brought
the Boys down off of the mountain. So we drest the Bear and took him on up to
camp--for we camped out in the Raspberry Patch. Next morning I was out very
early with my dog for I knew there were lots of Bears round and like a fool I
let my dog get after a Grizly Bear and the Bear soon cleaned the dog out. He
came back to me with his head cut to the Bone by the Bears claws--and that
ruined my dog as far as hunting Bears goes.
That is only one Bear story.
I have seen men all chewed up with Grizzly Bears--disfigured for life--but I
Forbear to tell any more Bear stories and come back to the mines.
We got
a long very nice in ground sluicing and went to cleaning up the Bed Rock for
there we found the gold. We cleaned up all that we had ground sluiced off and we
cleared near one thousand a Piece or three thousand dollars--Curran--Vickery and
I. Uncle Hiram was still working on the upper end of the Bar and after we got
our work done we went up and helped him out for I had got the notion in my head
of going back to the states. Uncle said he wanted to go along. F F Curran--he
took the notion of going so we all sold out to some Germans at two hundred
dollars--fifty dollars a Piece.
Vickery and I kept Book of all the Gold
we took out of Tyee Bar. It was eleven thousand six hundred seventy seven
dollars. Besides we took out over two thousand from the upper Bar. Vickery and I
had over fourteen hundred dollars a Piece. Curran and Uncle did not have as
much. We were there three years. The experience was great--every thing high even
the mountains were high. Curran--uncle and I left the last of August. We went
out by the way of Rose Burg down the Umpquaw and at the mouth of the Umpquaw we
took ship for Sanfrancisco and were three days going down to frisco. I was sea
sick all the way to Sanfrancisco. The ship ran on a Rock near Crescent City and
uncle Hiram Wasson came runing down where I was on my bunk and said the ship was
sinking. I says let her sink--I did not move. Uncle looked at me with a
sorrowful eye and ran up on Deck a gain--and the Ship got off of the Rock some
how without damage and went a head. I did not care for gold or anything else. I
had my gold in a Buckskin belt around me. Curran and uncle got along without
much sickness.
We were in Sanfrancisco ten days and I was seasick in my
sleep. I thought I was on the ship and I rolled out of Bed. We put up at the
Watcheer House. We left Vickery on the Bar. He staid five days and went down to
Sanfrancisco by land on the stage. He got in to Frisco the day after we left for
Panima. At the time we started back to the states there were opposition with two
lines of ships. We went back to New York for 38 dollars second Cabin--the very
best of grub. We took Passage on the Cortese ship and our rival ship was the
Golden Gate. The two ships left the Docks at the same time--at three o clock in
the evening but the ship Golden Gate run right away from the Cortese and Beat us
to Panama but on the other side from Panama to New York our Northern Light Beat
the other ship two days--that is got two of the lost days back. She was only one
day a head of us in to New York. As we were on the Cortese we run in to Acapulco
Mexico to take in water. The water was taken into the ship by barrels. The
Barrels were filled on shore and rolled in the Bay and a native one to each
barrel and swam with it out to the ship. Then the Barrel was hoisted up by
Tackle and the water emtied into the ship and the Barrel thrown back in to the
Bay and the natives then took them back to shore--100 Barrels and 100 natives.
While we were in Sanfrancisco we run wild. There were a great deal to be
seen. We were ten days in Frisco. We made it count while we were there. We went
all through the U.S. Mint--saw gold by the tons both in Bars and coin--all
through the Wells Fargos Establish-ment--Theatres and Parks--the Bay--the sea
shore--the Seal Rock--and ship yards.
As we ran in to Panama Bay the
Inglish and the natives were having trouble so we were escorted by Soldiers to
the Cars and put on train and run out of Town and up the mountain. Then our
baggage was brought out of the ship and put on another train. We fooled along
till the Baggage train caught up with us which was six or seven hours. Then we
all went over to Aspinwall together seven hundred in number. At Aspinwall there
were a ship in waiting for us to take us down to New York. I say Down for the
Ocean Stream runs that way. We were nine days from Aspinwall to New York. Oh my
what sea swells we had passing by Cape Hateras--how sick I got as the ship would
rise and fall over these great swells. Then as we were coming around Sandy Hook
how our hearts did throb to see the great City of New York. Then as we came into
the City and see the amount of people and the many ships--and when we struck
Broadway it seemed as though all the Churches had just dismist. Barnums museum
was the first place--then to see the City its self and to see all the pomp and
splender--and all the misery down trodden of humanity was before our Eyes. Lord
will it be Possible that those great Citys will be swallowed up by Earthquakes
when God shall shake up this wicked world for their many sins.
As we got
on the train in Jersey City we took the New York and Erie R Road and run up to
Dunkirk and laid over all day Sunday and what a day Sunday was to us Boys.
Dunkirk appeared to dead in the shell. Sunday evening our train pulled out for
Chicago by the way of Cleveland Ohio. It was in the night when we past through
Cleveland. My what a Depo[t]. Then as we ran down through the Prairie into
Chicago it began to look like old Iowa in landscape. We did not see much of
Chicago. We left as soon as we got our breakfast. From Chicago to Burlington
Iowa some nice scenery came up to our view such as these rolling Prairies after
being in the mountains five years. We landed in Burlington after dark and we
landed wrong side too. At Burlington the Cars only run to the East side of the
Mississippi. There were no Bridge and no Cars on the Iowa side. But the next
morning we got writed up. Went down the old Sunderland House and found some of
our old Virginia Grove friends and relatives there. F F Curran met his Brother
David there.
From Burlington we came out to the Virginia Grove. Friends
on all sides greeted us. And as we came over the low Hills we came to Mothers my
Sister and many Brothers--two Brothers I had never seen--David and Hiram--Half
Brothers, then my whole Brothers Isaac--Joshua--Robert--Peter--Crammer--Joseph &
James Mickey. The Virginia Grove Iowa was the land I played in when a Boy. It
was there I had sorrow and pleasure--myrth and gladness--labor and rest--hard
times and no money--youth and manhood. As I came up to the gate Mother says John
you are welcome home money or no money and put her arm around my neck and kissed
me.
We know not what a mothers Love is--a Love next to Christs love--love
and charity is with a true Mother and if she is regenerated and filled with the
Holy Ghost she loves other Mothers Boys.
The fall and winter of 1859 I
spent in running round. I bought me a horse and sleigh and had what the world
would call a good time. But a long in the spring I got under conviction for Sin.
I bought 80 acre farm and put my horse in as part pay--the Horse that I was
riding when converted to my Saviour Christ my redeemer. There was a work rought
in me by reaching out to Jesus by faith--a faith that brings this Body up to
Divinity--a faith that takes Christ as a gift unmerited favor grace--a faith
that Purifieth the heart by love--a faith that brings Salvation now--a faith
that lets Christ and the Holy Ghost do the work in us--a faith that takes out
the swear and puts in Praises to his God. The devil and all Hell can not stand
up and say I was not Regenerated. Hallelujah.
In the spring of 1860 I
started back to California. Went a foot down to Burlington Iowa. There I took
the Boat for Hannibal Mo. From there I took the Cars for Saint Joseph Mo. From
there I got in with a man by the name of Dodson for Denver City Colorado. He
took me out for 20 dollars and I walked. I fell in with a Southern Methodist
Preacher by the name of Dodson and we had a good time on the Road. He would
Preach on Sundays as we lay over--but La I did not know that the two Factions
were at outs so. Well sir they hated each other like snakes--all going to heaven
(not so as my Bible reads). He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. He
that saith he is in the light and hateth his Brother is in darkness even until
now. Hell is full of sectarian hates. It is no use of talking. Sect is of the
Devil.
From Denver I went into the mountains Prospecting for gold. I
found myself up in and round Gregorys Diggins from there up near Longs Peak.
There I took the mountain fever and came down to Denver City the 2 of July 1860
and lay sick for one month in Denver. Then I went back up in the mountains and
took a relaps and came back to Denver City and run a dray in Denver for six
weeks. By this time I had spent all my money and got homesick. So I got in with
a family that were going to Mo. I got wood and water and helped Cook for my
Board--but the woman and I fell out and I told the old Man to set my trunk out
and leave me. This was 40 miles East and south of old Fort Carny [Kearney] on
the head waters of the Blue River. It was all a Desert then. There was a man
came along with two yoke of Cattle to one wagon and took me and my trunk in. His
name was Edwards. He took me to Nebraska City and from there I took it a foot a
cross Iowa for home. The houses were very scattering and some times it was very
late before I could find or get a place to stay all night. My money was runing
very short and I could not find a place to hire out. I went in to one house to
hire and get my dinner. There were two big girls and their mother. I told the
old lady I wanted to hire for a while. She said they wanted a hand but they were
afraid of a stranger. She said her man was out with the sheriff after one hired
hand that had stolen the old mans money. I said I was from Pikes Peak. The thief
said he was from Pikes Peak so I was out. No work could I get.
But
finally I got back home with ten cents in my Pocket. Then to hard work I went
cutting cordwood out of oak timber in the snow and the cold. Worked all winter
in the cord wood business but little pay in it. In the spring I was in need of
money to buy lumber to fence my south 40 acres. To get the money I hired out to
Meyrs Jarvis for 6 months 12 dollars per month 78 dollars paid in advance. My
Brother Joshua put up the fence. My Brother Robert worked for Jarvis the same
summer and two other men. Them days we farmed in the old Primitive style. One
Horse to one corn Plow--plant our corn by hand--sow our wheat by hand whether
the wind blew or not. The summer went through with a drag. After my time was out
I worked on for the same man at same price and while I was there Mrs Jarvis
Hired a girl by the name of Susan E. Ashbaugh. She took my eye and heart but
there was another Fellow--a friend of mine that had the inside track of me as I
thought and I did not want to interfere with my Friend for I thought he had a
dead hold on the Girl. As it happened one day as I were at work she looked out.
I threw a kiss at her and she threw it back. My how my cheek burnt. I began to
think my friends hold on the girl was slim. So I ask her one day if she and Mr
were under obligation to each other. She says nothing binding. And still I did
not want to interfere with my friend. So I laid low for two or three months to
see if there were any progress with the two.
At this time her Father
lived up on a hill and a spring down below the house near the roadside. I was on
my way to a camp meeting a foot and as she saw me coming down the road she
grabed a water Bucket and came down the hill to meet me at the spring (see) and
as I saw her coming down the hill I began to sing in my mind there comes my
Susanna down the hill. Well we met like Jacob and Rachel--Genesis 29-11--but not
like Jacob in many things. Jacob had four wives and one was enough for me. Well
She got me to stay all night that her Brother Simeon was going up to camp
meeting in the morning with Big wagon and we would all go up together. I have no
recollection of the Preaching that day. The Camp meeting is all a dream to me. I
guess my Susanna had me hypnotized. Well to cut it short we got married on 13 of
February 1862. Rev Joseph Paschal tied the Knot.
At this time the
Rebellion was in its rage between north and south. I felt that I was exemp from
war. So wife and I went on our little farm February 25-1862 with many thoughts
in the future. The war brought on hard times. I had got married on Borrowed
money and was to pay it back in one year. I raised corn at ten cts per Bushel to
pay off my debts--five hundred and fifty Bushels of corn for fifty dollars and
intrust--wheat at 35 cts per Bushel and haul it 30 miles. I got my wife a calico
dress for 20 Bushels of corn. The south had cut the cotton off and Calico went
up. The first year we got out of debt. The next year we began to get things
around--pigs and chickens and plenty of corn. I always could raise corn if my
neighbors had any.
May the 4th 1863 our first Born came a girl Dora May.
With her came the Cares of a family ties. And at the same time the war was
runing hot and uncle Sam began to Draft for men in the army. I expected my name
would be called at any time but it was not. If I had wanted get rid of my wife
and Baby I had lots of chances. Go to the army you see--the war helped out many
a Divorce case. The men went to war and to Hell. General Sherman said war was
Hell. War is hatched in Hell.
Time ran on and we made money and stuff was
accumulating around us. The more we got the less salvation we had. We were
tending the Methodist Church House but few of them had salvation--more Methodist
than Christ or Salvation--Masonry kept creeping in on all sides and as masonry
come in Christ went out.
March 7th 1865 our second Child was Born Edward
Nelson a Boy. Then I began to look ahead for a happy time with my little
family--and still getting further away from God. Run on up to the 19 of April
1867 and we lost Edward Nelson. His decease was Spinal Meningitis. It was an
awful decease to die with. When we lost him we lost all. It just appeared as
though I would go into the ground at every step. No Boy--no Christ--no
Salvation--no hope--all gone--what an awful place to be in. I could not say I
can meet my Boy up yonder. For weeks after his death I was in a dark dispair.
But as I began to look up the light began to come back to me and I begin to see
my self in a diferant light. The Lord givith and the Lord taketh away--of such
is the Kingdom of heaven. I got back to my Redeemer and I was a new man. The
love of Jesus begin to flow into my Soul as I would Consecrate my all to Him.
We had many doctor Bills to pay not know the doctor was a humbug. Next Born
a girl Addie Leona July 9-1867--a sweet little Child. She was with us one year
one month 9 days--died August 18-1868--an other plant in heaven. Next came to us
was James Warren. I did not know how it would go with him. I just consecrated
him to the Lord. He never was very robust. Next Born Mary Mina October 19-1870.
My affection went after this child more than any other. She appeared to be my
angel. Her love for me was great. She huged me when dieing. She was only with us
one year eight month and eight days. I believe the child knew she was going to
die. I have faith she is in the upper school and when I see her I will know her.
Next Born John Alexander named after his Grand Father Ashbaugh--Born April
10-1874. He was a Boy Religiously inclined--ah me that is the kind the devil
wants. The devil is only after those that are after Christ. All that I can do is
to consecrate him to God.
Next Born Dowd Branwell June 27-1878--one that
takes after his mothers side of the House. He is his mothers Boy.
Next
Born Eldred E Oh so small never was well. He was with us two months and 13 days.
Born December 2 and died February 15th 1883. These four that have died are lain
in the Iowa Winfield cemetery--on the sunny slope. I often wish I could be there
of the morning of the Resurrection and go up with my little ones to meet the
Lord in the air. My children are no better than other Children--all are Christs
and it is our Privilege to live to meet them in Heaven.
1874 9th day of
July 1874 was a grand day to me. The Holy Ghost came and cleaned up the soul. A
soul without spot is grand to have. I came to the Lord and we reasoned together
and He made me white as snow--Isaiah 1-18. By faith I saw the stream. I Plunge
and oh it Cleanseth me. Hallelujah. Some say Feeling is not in Christs Religion.
It is all Feeling. You take hold of the Battery by faith and you wont know that
you are in connection with the battery if you did not get the shock. It is faith
that brings us up to a point that God can use the Holy Ghost on us and when he
comes he lets us know the trials of a religious life are wonderfull.
Satan is only after those that are after Christ. He comes in many
forms--sometimes as an angel of light. Hell is full of make believe--full of
sects and Divisions. The work of the Beast is on all sides. Sect is Beastly. Man
wants to rule even those that claim to be saved. The devil has his men all ready
to rule so called Religious Bodies--or Political--all the same. How men love to
Rule instead of letting Christ rule in their hearts. It is hard to find out the
ways of God with the devil and all his Imps working right the reverse to Gods
words and Precepts.
When first converted to Christ and his religion I
went in to a sect called Methodist. I soon saw there were two Powers at work in
that sect. Then wife and I drifted into the Free Methodist sect and the Beast
was there all the same. Beastly power to rule. Then I began to study the New
testament and to my amazement I never found where one man was to rule over
another man in religious matters. They all admit that Christ is the head of his
Church and that is so for he is the head of his Church. Has Christ a chance to
rule in this sectarian araingment. No, no, no. Is it Christ that places his
members in his Church. Yes. The devil has upset many. He tried his hand on
Christ and Christ came off more than conquer. Praise his name. And if we are in
Christ we are safe and we are not safe without--even if we are one of a sect.
The point with me for a long time how are we Baptized into Christ. No other
way but by the Holy Ghost. Jesus said John truly Baptized with water, but ye
shall be Baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. A new dispensation
was to set in--Pentecost. We hear of Peter trying to make an apostle for to fill
Judases Place before Pentecost. The Ruling power was visible even in Peters
days. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations and in them the names of
the twelve apostles of the Lamb. I would like to know their names. Question was
Paul one of them. It will not do to do business for God without the Holy Ghost
Acts 1st-15. The question comes to me are we to give up and take Johns Baptism
or shall we take the one that comes after John and let him Baptise us with the
Holy Ghost and with fire. The word is too plain for me to give it up as Johns
Baptism. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body--1st
Corinthians-12-13. Why should I throw away my experience and his word and why
not have an Experience in divine things.
Wife and I use to think that
secret societies were of the devil and I think so as yet. It is strange to think
how some folks mind do change. Masonry and Oddfellows are now all right even
with ministers and that to usurp Jesus Christ. Take away his Baptism. Jesus
Christ in his own Church He does his own Baptizing.
Every plant which my
heavenly Father hath not Planted shall be Rooted up. Let them alone. They be
blind leaders of the Blind. Both shall fall into the ditch. Ephraim is joined to
Idols. Let him alone. Mason Preachers have their Idols. How can I love
Masonry--and still I must love a mason--poor deluded man--I will love him for
Jesus sake. Jesus died for all and he may save a mason.
Oh how my family
is Divided. Who is to blame. May the Lord help my poor soul. I will say to my
Children Jesus and him only can save. Jesus and Him crucified. He was striped
and nailed to the Cross. Died on the cross--rose a gain by the power of
God--then he will raise us up by the same Power. I will not doubt. I love the
way. [John continues to decry sectarianism]
[1890] We sold out in old
Henry County Iowa in 1890. Chartered a car for Portland Oregon. Took on three
Horses two cows--two sows and one male Hog--three dozen chickens besides kitchen
and House hold Furniture. John went with me in this car. Ma and Dowd went by
rail by the way of Alliance Nebraska to Portland Oregon. There we met and on
loaded our car and moved out to Battle Ground. Bought 160 acres of timber and
stumps and went in to clearing up land. Had two hired hands besides John and
Dowd Mickey for two years. And the fires never went out in that time--winter and
summer. What a fool a man is. I had not been there one year before I saw I was
sold and badly sold. Those fir stumps are a Tiresomeness even to look at. It is
just awful to think of clearing up a farm out here in the West Coast. Mud up to
the knees three or four months in the year. The lack of good Roads are a
detriment to this Country. The frost runs in streaks. It is according to the way
the wind is Blowing. It makes it uncertain about fruit bearing.
In 1908
we sold out our Battle Ground farm to McRunels and moved to Vancouver Wash.
Bought out J.W. Studer all of lot eleven (11) in Block four (4) in Prospect Park
and also lot twelve (12) Block [illegible]. We live on lot 12. The lot eleven
(11) is vacant as yet.
Vancouver lacks being an Ideal town. The
Commercial Club is a detriorate to Vancouver. They work to their own interest
and not to the Peoples. The same is the City Council. They are all in on the
same grab for self. It is too Bad. Eminant Domain is another graft of the devil.
50 dollars for higher ground. If I was living on a low peace of ground and I
would raise my house and fill in around with dirt the City would charge me up
with a benefit of 50 dollars (see). If I pay out my own money for the raising of
my house and filling in around I be a fool to pay the city extry. Such is life
in a city. One man was not made to rule over an other--nor a set of men.
1912
Shut shut the door good John: fatigued I said
Tie up the Knocker.
Say I'm sick I'm dead
Not so my good Susan: say I'm weak in the flesh.
Paul said when I am weak: then am I strong: He comes with a flash.
Jesus is
coming. He comes to make us strong.
Let not your hearts be troubled.
Ye
believe in God. Believe also in me.
I am come to receive you unto myself.
Jesus said to Martha
Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.
Praise God for the resurrection Power and that is
Jesus shall never die no
never.
Don't say Shut the door John--nor tie up the Knocker.
He is coming.
It won't be long. I hear his footstep.
Don't you see his star--the light is
shining.
The Earth is sinking and I am rising.
Open the door John and let
the good Angels come in.
I see his chariot wheels. He's coming Hallelujah.
Swing wide the gates John. I have left the Fatique
Sickness and death behind.
Justified I--my soul mounts higher with the moon under my feet.
My Jesus I
see and the mansions in sight.
The world is on fire and I am going higher.
There is the Father and Jesus--Abraham--Isaac and Jacob on his right hand.
The 4 Gates are wide open. The River is past.
The fruits are Ripe and River
of life with its Pure waters flow.
Father is Rich and I am a joint heir with
Christ.
Well Hallelujah. I am in a sea of Bliss with all my kin Folks--we are
all one in Christ.
[John continues describing his own Resurrection Day]
Oct 1st 1912 Vancouver Wash. At this time there is great Preparation being
made to down the saloons and Catholicism. The so called Churches have
consolidated and have Built a big Tabernacle on 13 st of Vancouver and got some
Big calibre guns to Bombard the whole shebang. If they done anything toward the
will of God I failed to see it. Sect Churches cannot unite in God. It is
possible for Christians to unite in God Because Jesus praid that his People
might be one. 17 of John 21 verse that they may be one: as Thou Father art in me
and I in thee that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that
thou has sent me. I claim that real Holy Ghost people are already united in God
if they have been Baptized by the Holy Ghost they are all one in Christ. [more
of the same]
Sold my farm in Iowa Henry County mid prairie. Moved to
Battle Ground Washington. Bought 160 acres of tim[ber] land and went into hard
work. What a fool I was. Battle Ground is 16 miles North East of Vancouver. I
found the place over run by grange Halls and they ran into dance Halls with a
very little work of the devil. [more about the problems of sects versus the true
God].
I can't see as I ever done any good in around Battle Ground. It was
hard work and no pay. And still my heart runs out to many around that Place. I
have Boys there. I have friends there--the Lord Bless them is my Prayer.
To get here from Iowa I chartered a car and loaded it in Morning Sun Ioway. Took
out three Brood mares, 2 Cows three hogs one male hog 2 dosen chickens 1 dog and
my Boy John A Mickey with all the old furniture the car would hold. Wife said to
me she would not go without I took her Furniture. So we have some of our old
Furniture as yet. When my car got to Portland I wanted it run on up in Medford
Oregon. The south line would not take a northern car without I would on load and
put my stuff in a southern car. If I had stayed in Portland it might have been
Better.
Our trip out--1890 As I said we started from Morning Sun Iowa.
Had a Northern Pacific Car ran up through Minneapolis. There we were side tract
till the company could put on some red tape. There I had to get a ticket for
John and him have permission to ride in the car with me with the cows and horses
(see). Next time we stopped over at Bismark lay over for some cause. Thence on
to Cordelane [Coeur d'Alene] Lake. There we were side tract for two days thence
on to Spokane. There we were side tract and the tramps almost got posesion of
us. I called on the Police and they scattered on. Keep your Eye on Pasco was all
the go. Thence on through north Yackama thence on to a station in the woods.
Then we got in a train reck. Nine cars ahead of mine were recked. The car next
to mine was loaded with Hops that let my car off lightly. My crazy bone was
dislocated. It was sore for a long time. Thence on through the Big Tunnel in the
mountains. Thence down to [Pasco?]. There we lay over one day. Thence on to the
Big Columbia River. There our cars were run on to a Big ferry Boat and crossed
the River thence on to Portland, Oregon. What a time we had. The reason I sold
out in Iowa I had the Grip and it settled in my head and my head was out of
Balance and I cant tell if I am righted up as yet. There has been a ringing in
my head ever since the 1899 La Gripp.
1912 Oct 1st My trip Back to Iowa.
James and I got our tickets for Chicago $72.50 round trip. From Vancouver to
Spokane north Bank Rail Road. Visited the city five hours. Saw the greator part
of the city. The falls on the River quite a scenery. We took the street car and
ran south upon the hight. The air was pure and we could see a way north. Took
the Great Northern up to Rexford thence on to Shelby thence Great Falls--thence
Billings--Edgemont--Alliance Nebraska--Grand
Island--Lincoln--Plattsmouth--Burlington and Chicago. Burlington looked quite
natural the same old Jefferson street and the Hawkey[e] [crest?] up where the
Hodges were hung [Rands?] lumber yard. I was helping my Father hauling oats. We
had two Wagons and as we were going down Jefferson street I ran onto a stump
that was in 1842. Oats were worth eight cents per Bushel then.
We found
Chicago away up twenty stories high. When I was there in fifty nine she ran from
a story to five stories high and the Lake was part of the town. We were up there
on the thirteenth of October 1912 and that night the wind came up with Rain and
thunder. I expected to hear of them tall Buildings Lying on top of some of those
lesser Buildings and the wind a howling and the thunder Roaring and it seemed
something would happen. Just in the worst of it here comes the voice of Clyde B.
Hayes from a way up in the Balcony calling off train departures. What a mixture
of sounds. It would make a man think some menagerie had broken loose. Oh my what
a hay seed man gets into. All that noise just upset me and I came away. Took the
cars back to Burlington Iowa. Next morning the Hawkey[e] paper showed up
thirteen accidents in Chicago four deaths and some with legs and arms broken.
Such is life.
Next morning I ran up to Morning Sun. Morning Sun has come
to a stand still the weeds and rubbish are taking the town. The old Schenk Block
Burnt down ashes to ashes. Parts of the old Virginia Grove look natural. The old
timber all cut off and the brush Burnt up. Sowed in Blue Grass. The squirrels
have left the timber and gone out on the Farms and farm houses. They have gone
into small towns and knawed into Church houses. I took a look over my Father's
old home place. The Meadow Brook the Spring Branch with its many crooks the old
oak tree where it used to be. The Elm the maple the walnut the best of all the
Sugar tree. The sugar camp Oh my that was when I was a Boy. Then there were the
Wild turkeys the [quails?] the Prairie Chickens--the Deer and the Rabbits--the
Raccoon and the Opossum--the skunk with his beautiful tail--all these were on my
Father's farm when I was a Boy.
From there I went out to see my only
sister Eighty years old. We found her very sick not able to get up out of bed.
The Doctors are very skillful now a days. My sister had a nice big farm and
there the Doctor was holding my sister down at three Dollars per day by his
narcotics. The same with a nephew of mine. The Doctor Doctored him twelve years
before he died. From my sisters I went over to my old Prairie farm. I had
planted out all kinds of trees fir spruce pine walnut cedar and maple and [usage
or a sage?] hedge. But when we were back there they were pulling up the hedge
with a big Donkey Engine and putting in platted wire fence. Old hedges came too
expensive to keep up. The corn crop was immense. For all that Iowa has no charms
for me. Winfield Town has growen nicely. Things looked as though people were a
live. Plenty of money. The almighty Dollar is their god as it looked. If I would
say it was their idol it would be too bad. The Book says without are idolaters.
The love of money is the Root of all Evil.
I was somewhat disappointed in
my visit some plases as I swung round from place to place and still I met many
dear friends--warm and full of love--those had the Holy Ghost and a love for
their fellow creatures--love for God and his cause. The next day after we landed
at my sisters her son-in-law died. He married my sisters oldest Daughter Alice
Dryden. When I got to my nephews he was past knowing me. But as I was trying to
console his wife and showing up the plan of salvation and the love of God
towards us and so on Ed looked up to me and said uncle John them are the very
words I heard you say three days a go. And he began to praise the Lord. Then he
called for his wife and bid her goodby--then his Children. But one of the Boys
refused to take his Fathers hand. I saw a cloud pass over the Fathers Brow. I
said to Ed don’t let this cheat you out of the Kingdom. You just give the Boy
over to God. Then I turned to the Boy and said you are in Gods hands just now. I
said to my nephew goodby then he died without a struggle and all was over. But
as the funereal came round this same Boy was all broken up. And when the last
look came the Boy fell on his knees by the side of the Coffin and implored for
forgiveness. What a sight. The Boy had to be pulled away for the funereal to
move on to Ed Munshowers resting spot. And as it is appointed unto men once to
die--but after this the Judgment.
At Eds funereal it was a high day for
me. All or nearly all of my old Sunday School Children were there but they were
22 years older and all had growen beyond my knowledge but they all seemed to
know me. I praise God for the sight. Lots of times I wonder if I gave them the
pure word of life. All my work shall be tried with fire--glory to God my faith
takes hold of God that I will have some fruit that will stand the fire.
James and I ran up to Fredonia Past through Wapello the County seat of Louisa
Co. Found my Brother Isaac Mickeys family at his wifes with all her family
except Bamford. Isaac Mickey Grand sons were running a Button factory in
Fredonia. Jess Mickey Isaacs younges Boy Superintendent the factory. They make
buttons out of muscle shells found down the Mississippi River Below New Orleans
in Beds from 10 to 20 feet deep and 70 miles long 50 feet wide or more. Ship
loads are shipped out of there. Fredonia is an old town. I was there in 1840
with three head of horses. My Father and Samuel Grubb were building a flat Boat
there in the forkes of the River at that time for a man by the name of Smith. He
loaded her with corn for New Orleans. The Iowa and the Cedar Rivers Fork at
Fredonia.
Isaacs Wife Children and grand Children were there for dinner.
They spred it on heavy Beef--fish--fowl and many good things. Then we came back
to my sisters and from there we went to Winfield Iowa our old home town. Met
many of our old friends. John Chrisinger and his Father. Casper Schenk and part
of his family. Casper married a cousin of mine. Ed Hinkle the Beacon man Jerome
Mullen Wm Miller played together when very small Boys--Fred Lyman and
family--Robert Davidson--John Anderson--Dan [Moosly?]--the Crawfords and many
more. Mrs Good Spead and some of her Gran Children. The old Church where I use
to worship sold out and made in to a Theater--a Church dedicated to God yes yes
so so. Paul says there will be a falling a way yes. They have built a new so
called Church but the squirrels has taken possesion of it--knawed through the
gable. There they lay up for the winter. The Church hibernates more or less.
I hired an automobile and ran down into Des Moines County where my
grandfather Wasson use to live. He moved out there in 1833--my mothers Father
and Mother. I went to the old Miller grave yard. There I saw many graves but
something seemed to say to me my mother was not there. Then I got up and began
to think my Mother was a strong Believer in the Son of the living God. She had
certainly wended her way to heaven and Jesus had gone on to Prepare a Place for
her. [a discussion of the promise of the Resurrection] No Mother is not in the
grave. She has been Resurrected.
I visited some of my Cousins. They seem
to be uninterested in the next world and they don’t seem to know they have a
soul and that there is a God or saviour Jesus. Then we came on out to my
Brothers T.C.Mickey. He lives in Macedonia Iowa. As it were I had no visit with
him. He said there is no God and that Jesus was a snide[?] and an impostor. How
could I enjoy such talk. He got mad and could not sit still. It was just
awful--when Jesus is so real to me and the Holy Ghost was causing the love of
God to be Burning in my soul. I know yes I know I hear his voice in my heart.
The world is getting awful for wickedness. James and I saw theft happen in
Lincoln of Nebraska. The trap was a Burlington car. We changed cars in Lincoln.
After night the thieves jammed the Passage or hallway of the car and then
climbed over the Passengers and the Passengers came out minus of watch and money
or any valuable. One man lost all his money his watch and a ticket back to new
Boston. And it was all done up in three minutes time. And no one to call to.
Rail Road hands were all in it no doubt with them. Too bad to be led into such
traps. Those thieves got on the cars at Billings--three men and two women--so I
was told by a Rail Road detective. Now when a Rail Rode detective sees those
thieves on his train he goes to them and tells them they must behave themselves
while he is on all right. Oh how rotten. So the detective is in with the thieves
also (see). I believe God gives me Power and grace to read the Character of some
men--for as soon as those thieves came in the car I said to my Boy James keep
your Eye open on them chaps they are no good. Then two women could be read by
the same rule. They came in and set down just behind us and let on to be
strangers. They commenced getting aquainted. One said she would have to change
cars at Lincon. The other was on her way to St. Louis. One asked the other if
she was married. She said no. Then the other said what kind of a man would you
want--O a medium size dark hair describing James exactly. James never looked
around. It is singular what Men and Women will do. Beings Created after Gods own
Being. There is a place where such People don’t inhabit. Christ says lay up for
yourselves treasure in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where
thieves do not Break through nor steal.
1917 April 20 Today is the 83rd
year of my Pilgrimage. It seems but a short time since I was a Boy around my
Mothers Door and in the garden of the Eden of my life. But as I grow older and
the outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day. I am coming
back to my Childhood Days.
[This final entry continues for another two
pages in which John describes his joyful faith in God.]
Contributed by Sharon (Mickey) Norton, Great-granddaughter of John M. Mickey
Copyright © 1996 - The USGenWeb® Project, WAGenWeb, Clark County
This page was last updated
07/28/2026