#37 Mistake I should have paid attention 52 Ancestors in a Year

#37 Mistake  52 Ancestors in a Year

A mistake not to listen, write down or pay attention.

My mother, Helen Lloyd Shaffner, was interested in her family history for as long as I can remember.  There was a trip to a cemetery in Oregon in an effort to find a headstone.  I vaguely remember, as I was young, but I do remember a hill, trees, grass and probably rolling my eyes at the thought of this stop.  I think my Dad probably led the way of “wasting time doing this" attitude.  

Helen Lloyd
She graduated from high school in 1942

1938

What I would give to know where and what she found in that cemetery.  If only she had taken pictures or written a story down.  So far I have not discovered those 2 pieces of information in her genealogy collection. 

It was normal that we went to Mom's hometown of Waitsburg, Washington for Memorial Day festivities, which included a class reunion.   We took flowers and toured the cemeteries and decorated graves including my great great grandparents.

Mom never called herself a genealogist. Nor did anyone else.  But she was.  I have files, pictures and scraps of paper written on them.  Mom created family group sheets.  I have duplicates of many of them.  She shared her information with others too.  My mother, Helen Lloyd Shaffner, inherited a collection from her great aunt, so those letters and scraps of paper are also included.  

One of the many Family Group Sheets in her collection.

Many of her family group sheets have notes written on the back

Mom also created scrapbooks.  I think the earliest one I have is 1930.  Many include newspaper clippings of obituaries or other family information.

Mom had paid attention to her grandparents and knew many stories.  She did write a few down, but I want more!  But I wish I had written her recollections down or recorded them.

What a mistake I made by not spending more time learning the family history!

Mom was most proud of her heritage, especially the ancestors who came across on the Oregon Trail.

1847 letter from Oregon-169 years old

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 25^th  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