Diaries of Women Traveling the Western Trails

Diaries of Women Traveling The Western Trails

Edited & Compiled By Kenneth L. Holmes

Mr. Holmes has gathered with permission from historical societies and libraries diaries, mainly ones that that were never before published. Plus he also received from grandchildren, who heard about his project, diaries or journals of their grandmother's travels.

He has 10 volumes that are full of surnames. Also the diaries help the genealogist understand the hardships of their ancester's travels to the West.

1850-1852

The following is quoted from one of his books. Volume VI.

The numbers of emigrants to all destinations West was at its lowest level. The direct opposite is true for 1852.

It was reported that up to late May, 8,174 men, 1,286 women, 1776 children, 3,533 horses, 2,316 mules, 26,269 oxen and cows, 2,654 wagons, 500 sheep --"together with a hog and a hand cart" --were on their way.

A more accurate estimate, that of a John D. Unruh Jr., in the The Plains Across, indicates that the number of those going to California increased from 1,100 in 1851 to 50,000 in 1852. Those going to Oregon rose from 3,600 to about 10,000. The number to Salt Lake City rose from 1.500 to about 10,000.

There were also turn-arounds in 1852. For one reason or another some families turned back from the tedious and dangerous (approximately 4 month) journey.

Asiatic Cholera

At this time the presence of the Asiatic cholera was overwhelming. Entire families would die and have to be buried along the trail. This is true for both the California and Oregon travelers. A poet by the name of Joaquin Miller who crossed the plains as a teenager with his parents in 1852 said "It is a sad story. There was but one graveyard that hot, dusty, dreadful year of 1852, and that graveyard reached from the Missouri to the Columbia."

Bloomer Costume

This was invented in 1850 by Elizabeth Smith Miller. She was quoted as saying that she had gotten tired of "years of annoyance in wearing the long, heavy skirt," so she thought up a combination of a short skirt to be worn with "Turkish trousers." This new costume made it possible for women to stride a horse rather that ride side-saddle on the long overland journey.

There are several references to the bloomers in the collected diaries for that year.

Passing Each Other

It is interesting to note that some of the women who wrote their diaries when later compared to another woman's diary actually passed each other while on their journey without knowing of the other. There were times the trains would come along side another train heading in the same direction. Other times one train would pass another heading in the opposite direction.

My Review
I think that these volumes are very interesting. Some of the women are very short in their journal entries while others describe the people, country, and their life more vividly.

While reading the words of the women themselves, I got a better view of just how hard it was for them. The journey was lengthy, there was fear of indians, struggles to keep their horses and cattle watered and finding ample grass. Struggles and sometimes loss due to dysentary, mountain fevers, etc. and still having to continue on.

In a few cases some of the people who emigrated to the West Coast, tried to make a go of their new life but because of missing their family and friends left behind and also not being happy for one reason or another they decided to take the long trek back to their home that they came West from.

One woman, Ruth Shackleford and her family, traveled from Missouri to Iowa then through to Utah into California. Their trip was tedious and hard. They lost family and friends, but after 3 years in California they decided to go back to Missouri. This time via the route through Arizona and Texas.

Look in your library for Mr. Holmes books, you will enjoy all ten volumes.

Genealogy Links

These sites below will get you going on your long search across the web looking for ancesters. There is vast information becoming available everyday on the internet dealing with genealogy.

Cyndi's List of Genealogy sites on Internet
Top Genealogy Sites
Sharkey's Links to Genealogy Sites"

Trail West Links

Independence Rock
Chimney Rock to Devil's Gate
Names Along The Trail
The Great Platte River Road