A letter from Oregon in 1847 from my 3rd Great Grandfather.
The letter gives information was to where he was at on the 25th of March, 1847.
We know that he traveled on the Oregon Trail in 1846 and it took them 6 months and 3 days to get to Linton on the Willamette.
They lost 18 head of cattle but started with 37 head. And 1 horse died.
Although the letter is hard to read, I think that they traveled 1200 miles rather than 200.
An interesting fact was that 700 wagons and 10-12,000 head of cattle trailed to Oregon and I am assuming in 1846. He states that dust was in abundance. I can imagine!
Although they were not attacked by Indians, they had horses stolen by the Indians.
The wagons crossed the Green River and the Deschutes River. Other information states they were on the Meeks Terrible Trail.
I like the statement that the trip from the states to Oregon is a journey that can be performed with very little ease.
And it took planning to get the letters to Oregon; they had to be in Elm Grove, Clay County, Missouri by March as no emigration after late April to Oregon!
John and family were busy farmers! I bet his cows liked the green grass of Oregon after a dusty trail.
He let his brother know that his oldest daughter, Jane, married to George Murphy, did come west as planned. His daughters Mary Ann and Nancy were married the same day.
Postmark: St
Joseph MO JUL
Address: Mr. Robert
Lloyd
Tennessee
Granger County Rutledge
Polk County Oregon
Territory March the 25th 1847
Dear Brother and Sister Father & Mother and all the
family connection the time is drawing
nigh that we expect to have the oportunely of sending you a few lines to let
you know that we are all well at time through the mercies of god so far as
health ______hoping those _____ may find
you all enjoying the same blessed.
Dear relationz I have but little of deep interest to relate
but will try to give all the satisfactions I can as to our travels and country
climate & production. We was 6
months and 3 days from the time we left our old home untill we got to linton on
the Wallumette___ river we had no bad luck more than is common for Oregon
imegrants we lost 18 head of cattle out
of 37 and one horse we found the road
____able (passable) good nataral one but many bad places _____ wagons to travel
and had to drive teams at times neither
of my wagons got turned over on the trip
the distance from the states to the Wallumette valey is at the lowest
calculation 200 miles and is almost
without timber the most part of the way—fire __at ________in man ______we
always made out to get something too ____ water and grass is tolerble plenty in _______________in places we got to water ___________________but
two their was something__________in our emegrution about 700 waggons 10 or 12,000 head of cattle a good many
horses and mules but little rain and dust in abudance We did not travel all the same company but
was in a good many small companyes we
was not molested by the Indians on the way
onley they stole a good many horses we crossed all the waters that we
came to without any difficulty expect green river and deshouts river we rafted
across green river had to take our wagons to peaces to get across deshoots
our provisions held out well with the expection of flower which got some
what scarce we had bacon coffe sugar
tea rice and dried fruit after we got to
our Journeys end The trip from the
states to Oregon is a Journey that can be performed with very little ease I made an arangement before I left Missouri
respecting letter Dear Brother if you
want to write to me and direct your letters to Missouri Clay County Elm Grove
as heretofore and they will be sent on to me
write in time for the letters to reach Missouri in March as there is no
mail from the states to Oregon and the emegration states about the last of
April from the states to this country which is the case every spring the climate of Oregon is very mild I do not know what the ground has been frose
more than one inch deep since we came to the country no more the first winter we came to is Jeneraly
a great deal of rain in the winter time ____ _____ low___lu jeneraly speaking but some time
_______________ hard but the rains never lats_____________in this country as it
does in _______________a warm wet country in _______ and two cool in the summer
for corn to grow _________ it is a good
country for wheat oats barley but as wheat timothy clover ___ hemp fields I ___
potatoes turnups cabbge parinips beets
__C. the grass commences growing
in the fall season grass on until Apriil
or May dies in July or August this is
great country for horses cattle and sheep but a poor country for hogs without
feed there is no cattle feed in this country that I know of the cattle that we broght to this country
with us there was many of them good beef in March though they was poor when we
got here I will say something about my
own affairs we have settled on as
sightey place as any I have seen in Oregon
fenced in 43 acres of land broke
up about 30 the first spring sowed 18 or 19 in spring wheat planted the balance
in corn and other thingz made a sorry
crop I was two late getting my crop in the ground we wrote to North carolina and Tennessee last
spring George Murphey that married Jane
did not come to this country last fall as they expected I got my knee hurt last fall and it is not
well at this time it was hurt in the
joint I can walk about but can not plow
though I think I shall be able to plow in a month or two my family appears to be satisfied with their
move as to myself I can not say that I am
very well pleased with Oregon but expect to die here Mary Ann was married the day of last June to
John Foster and Nancey the same day to Thomas Reeves they both have settled in a mile or two of
us Abner our oldest son is gone to do
for himself so we have but five childrain with us we have but little preach in this country only
by m_________ and they care not for the flock ____________ them well as it is
common for the ____ing to leave the
sheep when the walumette owing to the great distance that I have
wandered from my connection I never expect to see any of them again in this
life and may god grant that it may be all our happy lots to meet on Canaans
happy shore where parting will be feared
and felt no more may god almighty bless you all
John
Lloyd
Nancy
Lloyd
As to the health of the country it is not seveprass ed I do
not think by any parts of the world
Mr. Williams your old neighbor is in this country
