#9-2020 Disaster. The Meek Cutoff Oregon Trail

#9-2020. Disaster. Terrible Trail: the Meek Cutoff, 1845

The trail that my 3rd Great Grandfather, John Lloyd,  took on the way to Oregon.  The Meek Cutoff was a major disaster for many who traversed that portion of the Oregon Trail.

Stephen Meek, a frontiersman, was hired as a guide in Missouri for wagons trains in 1845 but apparently he was fired when they reached Fort Boise.  Being out of work, led him to convince several captains of trains that he knew a shorter route to the Williamette Valley and they hired him as a guide.  I am sure that the travelers were tired, hot and dusty by the time they reached Fort Boise.  They knew that there was tough passage through the Blue Mountains, a long trail down the Columbia River to the Williamette Valley.  Many were quick to jump at the chance of getting there faster and easier.  But little did they know of the bad fortune that would occur.

The Meek Cutoff wound across the high desert area of Oregon, heading northwest to the Williamette Valley.  Stephen Meek had some idea of where to go, but there were many problems on the trail.  The trail was difficult, water was impossible to find in many areas, many people were sick and it was hot and dry.  Without water, many oxen gave up and died.  There were people upset with the guide, threatening to kill him.  

The wagon train had endured many hardships on the trip, but the lack of water, fatigue and running low on provisions began to take a toll on the pioneers.  It was even reported that in desperation many put salt on grass for food.  

As John Lloyd set out from Missouri, with his 2 wagons and 10 family members, what was he thinking?

Was he thinking of the difficult trails ahead of him, the length of the trip, the hardships endured and the possibility that they might not make it to Oregon?  Was the promise of a better future or opportunity or prosperity so enticing, that one would think only of the end result, not of the trip?

John and family set out in 1845 with the “The Savannah Oregon Emigrating Society” that was also known as the “Tetherow Train”.  Solomon Tetherow was the captain [not a guide] for the main body of wagon for the full distance.  What was his experience and qualifications?

From Captain Tetherow’s journal, a wagon train rule required each outfit to have 100-150 lbs of flour, 75 lbs of meal and 50 lbs of bacon for every person.

John Lloyd was elected to the executive council of the “Savannah Oregon Emigrating Society” at a meeting on the Missouri bottom on 28 April 1845.  Many of the people listed on the wagon train roster were somehow connected to the Lloyd family, mostly by marriage.  Since the number of wagons was large, they were broken down into 4 platoons, each with captains,so a hollow square could be easily formed every night,  

In Lewis A. McArthur, “Mary’s  River,” Oregon Georgraphic Names, Portland, Oregon, Oregon Historical Society, 1952 edition,, p. 389 states that St. Clair and John Lloyd were alternate captains of the last platoons to take the Cutoff.  

John wrote to his brother, Robert, in Rutledge, Grainger County, Tennessee on 25 March 1847 from Polk County, Oregon Territory.

(I assume this is the first letter written from Oregon Territory to his brother.)

He stated that they were 6 months and 3 days from the time they left their old home until we got to Linton on the Williamette.  They had no more bad luck than is common for Oregon immigrants.  They lost 18 head of cattle out of 37 and one horse.  They found the road passable but many bad places.  He went on stating that neither of his wagons got turned over on the trip.  It is without timber most of the way.  He stated that there were about 700 wagons, 10 or 12,000 head of cattle, a good many horses and mules, little rain and dust in abundance.  He also stated that they did not all travel in the same company but in a good many small companies.  He said they were not molested by the Indians but they stole a good many horses.  He continues by saying that they crossed all the waters that we came to without any difficulty except green river and deshoots (Deschutes) and they rafted across the green river but had to take their wagons apart to cross the deshoots.  John stated that their provisions held out well with the exception of “flower” (flour) which got somewhat scare.  He stated that they had bacon, coffee, 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.  

While John endured hardships, his letter indicates that they were on the Meek Cutoff as he wrote they had to take apart the wagons to cross the Deschutes river.  All the members of his family arrived in Oregon so while they watched disasters around them, they were safe.  

If you are interested in the Meek Cutoff of 1845, I have listed the sources that I have used.  They are very interesting ready to understand the hardships that the pioneers endured crossing the Plains to prosperity.

Clark, Keith and Lowell Tiller, Terrible Trail:  The Meek Cutoff, 1845.  Caldwell, Idaho: The Caxton Printers LTD, 1967

Wikipedia, (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meek_Cutoff), “Meek Cutoff”, viewed 23 February 2020.

Lockley, Fred.  Captain Sol. Tetherow, Wagon Train Master.  Pamphlet. (Portland, Oregon: Fred Lockley) no date.  

The story was even made into a movie!

#8-2020 Prospertiy. Missouri to Oregon

 

#8-2020 Prosperity. Missouri to Oregon

One of the legacies in my inherited family genealogy collection is a series of original letters written by my 3rd great grandfather to his brother in Tennessee.  These letters have been digitized and donated to the Fort Walla Walla Museum in Walla Walla, Washington.  John writes about the financial struggles in Missouri in 1844.  His letters continue after he moves to Oregon.  He continued to write to his brother and family until his death in 1877. 

In nearly every letter, John writes about the prices of agricultural commodities, his life as well as genealogical information such as who died, married or child was born.  They are true treasures. 

I have often wondered if the reason he decided to relocate in Oregon as due to finding prosperity.  Were prices for ag commodities better in Oregon?  There was land available.

John Lloyd, born in 1796 in Caswell County, North Carolina and died on 6 January 1877 in Colfax, Whitman County, Washington.

He was 80 years old, traveled from North Carolina to Oregon and then to Washington by horse, and oxen and wagon.

Excerpts from his letters:

On 10 June 1844 he wrote to his brother in Tennessee that he had raised corn, wheat, hemp and oats.  He had 8-9000 lbs of tobacco on hand which would not bring more than $2 per hundred.  John wrote that he had a large frame barn, using as a tobacco barn.  It was 29 X 29 1/2 ft square.  He had 120-130 acres under fence and 1/3 of it is in pasture.  He had bought land in Missouri after leaving Tennessee in 1824.

Then in 1845 he and his family (including 8 children) moved to Oregon.  John, his wife Nancy and children used to 2 wagons and oxen to travel the Oregon Trail to Benton County, Oregon. 

Oregon—25 March 1847. John wrote that the Weather is mild, ground not froze more than one inch deep, great deal of rain in the winter.

Good country wheat, oats, barley to grow.  The grass commences growing in the fall season, but dies in July or August.  Great country for horses, cattle and sheep but poor country for hogs.    Fence 43 acres of land, broke up about 30 the first spring, sowed 18 or 19 acres in spring wheat, balance in corn.

On 14 November 1852 John writes that Oregon is a remarkable easy country to live in particularly for those that has many cattle, a man in Oregon with good milch cows can realize more clear money free head from them.  Cows sell here for $75-100, heifers calves at weaning can not be purchased at $50 per head.  Wheat is worth $3 per bushel.  Coffee was 33 13 cents, sugar 12 12 cents, butter 50 cents, cheese 37 1/2 cents.  Beef is worth 8 cents per pound on foot, hogs $8 per hundred.  Grass oats $1.25 per bushel, potatoes $2.  Syrup cost 28 cents, dried fruit 10 cents, salt $2 per hundred.  Boots cost $2-3 per pair.  

His letter on 29 April 1852 he writes that “Horses from $150-200 dollars, sows and calves 50-75 dollars, oxen $100-150 Dollars, bacon 25 cents per pound, sugar 8-12 cents per pound.  Coffee 19-18 cents per pound, labor $2 a day.  Gold is easy obtained in the county.”

Perhaps the best explanation for seeking prosperity in Oregon is in his letter of 

14 November 1852, where he writes “donation Bill which gives 640 acres of land to heads of family who settled on the same prior to the 1st day of December 1851 and remains on the same four years     Said Bill Allso gives 320 acres to heads of families who settles on the same between the 1st day of December 1851 and 1853 at which time the donation Bill (proves) the best of the land is claimed in the section of the country where we live-- ---

John’s letter of 19 January 1866 states that wheat  $1  oats 75 cents per bushel   pork $10  per hundred beef cattle on foot  $5.50 per hundred   good horses from $150 to 200 a piece   our currency is gold   no property sold in this country for greenbacks   yet there has been a great many debts paid off in greenbacks—I had to take over $1400 where I had loaned gold—the only thing the Republicans and Democrats agree in is in abusing the greenbacks.  

Finally on 10 January 1869, perhaps prosperity has finally come as he writes; “money moderately plenty~ we had very good crops las year wheat 55 cents per bushel oats 40 cents  hay $10 and 12 per ton.  We have not had any cold weather as yet  the grass has been growing slowly all fall and winter.”

The letter of 3 June 1869 he gives prices “Flower is selling at $3 per barrel  dull sale at that—money are not as plenty as it had been-cattle are quite high   good large horses are selling high    sheep a fair price    bacon low---taxes very high   my tax for the last year was $80—I have an income in the way of interest of $270 and some little groath in stock. 

Although John never traveled back to Missouri or Tennessee, he was granted his donation land, helped his children obtain their donation land and helped raise grandchildren.  Despite all the struggles to emigrate to Oregon Territory in 1845, he found prosperity.  

#7-2020. Favorite Discovery

#7-2020 Favorite Discovery.   52 Ancestors in a Year

I think my all time favorite was the discovery of the passenger record for my 2nd great grandfather, Peter Paul Deewall.  From years of research, I knew the story by heart of when he came to the United States,  as well the story of why he came to America and who he had traveled with.  

But I could never find a passenger manifest with his name.  And believe me,  I looked,  using all the tricks I knew about genealogy research. 

One day I decided I was going to find Peter.  Deciding that I WAS going to find Peter, meant I had to go back to the basics.  There were several stories passed down by various family members, but I found the one written by his daughter, Mary Etta Deewall Kurtz.  

Peter was born in 1820 and died in 1890.  Mary Etta, the oldest child, was born in 1849 and died in 1940.   She would have been 41 years old when her father died, so I assumed she knew his story that she wrote.  

I took that story and read it line by line looking for clues; probably using my finger on each line; slowly reading and thinking of clues.  I referred back to the 1850’s census and examined who was in the household and his neighbors.  (in the genealogy world it is called a FAN Club; Friends, Associates and Neighbors).  Sure enough, the people, according to the family story, that he traveled with were his neighbors.  But two differences; the spelling of the names.  The family story said that he traveled with his best friend, Ludwig Odom and his mother and her son Peter.  Peter’s neighbors in 1850 were Mary Otto, Peter Otto and Lewis Otto.  I had never caught the spelling variation when looking at the census before.

Was Mary Etta's story correct?  Odom vs Otto.   Ludwig vs Lewis.

Realizing that spelling difference occur and that Lewis could be an English name for Ludwig; I started a new search.  And within minutes I had found the passenger list!  I had looked for Mary Odom for years, but never Mary Odom Widow!  Mary was indexed as "widow" for her last name!

How could I be sure that this was Peter Paul that I was looking for?  Especially since Peter Paul’s last name was Duval?  And not Deewall.

The family story said that Ludwig and Peter Paul were best friends and when the Odom’s decided to go to America, they encouraged Peter to go to posing as the driver of the team and wagons as he apparently had problems with his stepfather.  

A month before my search for Peter Paul, I had found Ludwig Odom’s confirmation record at a church in Ludweiler, Germany.  Sure enough, in the same database was Peter Paul Duval confirmed in the same church in Ludweiler Germany as his best friend Ludwig Oden.  Again birth dates matched.

With the help of a friend, originally from Germany, we examined microfilm from the community of Ludweiler.  There was actually a stammlisten or originating list, which is a genealogy list of everyone in the community.  There was MY Peter Paul with the exact birth date that he used in America!  The same birth date used in the family history that I inherited.  But even better, was the Odom’s history stating that they left for Amerika in 1842!  There is no mention of Peter Paul leaving, but the family story is that he left in the middle of the night!  

In Germany  Ludwig Odom, was Ludwig Oden.  A spelling mistake, perhaps; a pronunciation difference, perhaps.  But I think I found the correct people and verified a family story.

Ancestry.com. New York, Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

Original data: 

Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897. Microfilm Publication M237, 675 rolls. NAI: 6256867. Records of the U.S. Customs Service, Record Group 36. National Archives at Washington, D.C.

#6-2020 Same name 52 Ancestors in a Year

#6. Same Name

It seems that the Germans from Russia used the same names, over and over again, sometimes in the same generations!  And it seems every family used the same names.  

The most used male names seem to be (at least in my husband’s family) are Henry (or Heinrich), Conrad (Konrad), August or Jacob.

The female common names are Katherine, Katharina, Maria or Anna.  (Catherina too)

Leroy’s grandfather’s name was Henry.  But I have yet to discover his birth certificate with his “real name” because I think when he came into the United States at age 7, his name was listed as Philip.  Philip was his father’s name, or the name he used in the United States, but on the passenger list he is listed as Henry.  (  Research from a census record in Warenburg, Russia indicates Philip's name was Heinrich Philip Gabel.)

It is possible that first names were confused on the passenger list, but it is also possible that they went by those names in Russia.  German males were often given the first name of Johann, and then 2 “middle names” that they used in order to lessen the confusion.  So a male often used either one of the middle names.  Females were often named Maria for the first name and again they might have 2 middle names.  

Henry (Heinrich) is a common Gabel name.  When Philip came into the United States, his passenger record states that he is going to his brother Henry, in Lincoln, Nebraska.  But there were 2 Henry Gabel’s in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1907.  And which Henry was his brother?  And there is possibly other Henry Gabel’s in Nebraska in 1907.  (currently working with DNA to separate out the Henry's!)

And Philip had a brother Henry.  He was actually in the Hardin area at one time.  He died in 1951 and is buried in Hardin, Montana.

And then there is this Henry Gabel buried at the Huntley, Montana cemetery.  I found his grave by grave dowsing, and find the headstone by using a sharp metal stick.  (the headstone is concrete and was buried under about 6 inches of sod).  The information was confirmed by cemetery records, but there is no birth or death date listed.  

Another Henry Gabel

#5-2020. So Far Away. 52 Ancestors in a Year

5-2020. So Far Away.  

My husband paternal side of his family came to the United States from Russia.  They were classified as “Germans from Russia”.  It is an interesting culture and heritage to learn more about since it isn’t taught in history classes.  Germans were invited to Russia, promised a land of “milk and honey” by Catherine the Great in the 1760’s.  They were also promised that they would not have to serve in the Russian military.  Upon arriving in Russia, things that were promised were not, but the Germans worked to survive—although many died the first few years.  Survival was tough and because of a work ethic; they survived and prospered.   Their first homes might have been a cave dug into the side of the hill.  Manufacturing their own equipment to farm created a legacy of farming, thriftiness, and survival.  Their life began to change after Catherine the Great died and the new rulers began to conscript the German men into the military.    There were many factors that caused the Germans to leave their families and the homeland that they knew, to emigrate to a “better place”.  Many came to the United States but many also left for other countries.

Leroy’s grandmother’s family, the Grosskopf’s came from Frank, Russia; or known as  Medeveditskii Krestovyi Buyerak.  Frank was located on the east bank of the Medveditsa River, on the western edge of the Saratov Province of the Lower Volga area.

The Gabel’s came from Warenburg, Russia, or known as Privalnaja, Privalnaya.  Warenburg was on the east side of the Volga River.

(You can Google the locations!)

Leroy’s great grandparents came in 1907 and 1911.  One family came through New York and one family through Philadelphia.  The Gabel’s came through Nebraska but apparently the Grosskopf’s came right to the Billings, Montana area. Leroy’s grandparents married in Huntley in 1920.

As was common with many Germans from Russia families, little knowledge of the life in Russia was passed down to their children or grandchildren.  It seemed like they never wanted to talk about the life they left.  Since the younger people of the German colonies were the ones that left, few traveled with family bibles or documentation of their history.  It is known that they had to have paperwork to leave  Russia as well as paperwork to enter the United States,  but I have yet to discover that type of paperwork in the family.

Researching the families in Russian, So Far Away, is definitely a challenge.  As one might expect, records are difficult to find; if they survived.  Many records have been filmed but are limited to certain areas of Russia.  Working with the Germans from Russia organization; “American Historical Society of Germans from Russia”, I have received great information.  Finding census records to trace a family have been helpful and even a baptism record confirming a birth date was located.  But those records are difficult to obtain.  And read or translate.  Some are in Russian, some in German. 

If only I could find original records in the possession of family…..