[This is the story of three brothers of my great-great grandmother who went to California for the Gold Rush and back again. It was published in the Weldon (Illinois) Record in 1905. It is an amalgam of reminiscences of all three brothers, not of any particular one. The copy I have was typed by someone, probably my grandmother, from the original – there are some obvious transcription mistakes, others could have been in the original. I have made some comments and obvious corrections in square brackets. Part 1. Part 2.]
Arriving in California
We came to [Humboldt] river. We had not seen any signs of buffalo since we left Salt Lake City. The Indians said [there] had been a sleet ten years before, which stayed on two weeks and all the buffalo had starved. We saw plenty of old horns and bones. We believed this story true. [Humboldt] river runs west. We followed it the whole length to where it spreads out and evaporates. Here we came to the sandy desert, Mark lost a half pound of weight a day. Jonathan contracted mountain fever, and was very sick for two days and lay on the mules.
The last three days we traveled along the river, which seemed to grow smaller, and to sink into the ground and evaporate. All the rain that falls into the great Basin has to evaporate to get away. About forty miles before we came to the sink, John stayed behind to hunt a mule [that] had dropped out. After we had gone ten miles Mark stopped to wait for him. [The next line went off the bottom of the page and is illegible.]
We found the mule late in the evening. We passed their camp without seeing them. We picketed the mules out and slept until morning. We had nothing to eat since the morning before. Still thinking they were ahead we pushed on to the sink. This was a hot place. There were campers there. We tried to buy something to eat, but they would not sell anything as they were scarce, but gave us something. We had but four dollars and a half in money.
Not finding our company here, we packed a bunch of grass on each mule and when night came we started across the Great American desert which was 65 miles across. When we were out about forty miles the road forked. Each one looked plain. We didn’t know which one to take, but thought they came together later on. We took to the right which led into the Truckee river route about 25 miles to the river. We traveled that night and the next day at dark we were within two miles of the river. About twelve o’clock at night we went to sleep walking, and would stumble against each other. We laid down and took a nap fastening the mules to the sagebrush.
About ten o’clock the next day we came to a boiling spring or geyser, with numerous opening[s] eighteen inches in diameter and about 100 feet in depth. We could hear the water boiling which came to the top, and boiled over every twenty minutes. The water was blue and said to be poisonous.
The company had taken the left hand road which led to Carson river. They crossed the mountains more [than] fifty miles south of the Truckee route. There were four of them, Jonathan and the three men from St. Louis. We finally came to a hot spring, the first good water we had seen. John found some ginger in one of his pockets and we found a can and made some tea which we drank. One mule had a light load and the other no load, but we could walk better [than] he could carry us as he was almost worn out. John got the sore eyes from the alkali dust. We stayed at the spring over night. There was plenty of grass.
Next morning when we started a man from New York got on hisparel [?] to bother him. Then he got [a] horse and started with us and stayed with us all the rest of the journey. He was a disagreeable [cowardly] man and seemed to be afraid all the time. We traveled up the Truckee river [canyon] which in most places is half a mile wide. The river is small and very crooked, running from one bluff to another. The trail crossed it thirty times.
When we reached the summit of the Sierra Nevada mountains we had passed all the immigrant trains except a company of fur traders with about a dozen mules. One day we were not far from the summit and lost the trail. There were mule tracks all around but not on the trail. It was brushy and looked wild. The old man stayed with the mules, while we were trying to find the trail. After a while he became scared and started to come to us without seeing us and hallowing quite loud. We could not answer for laughing. He then yelled very loud and let off a few [of] the most doleful yells I ever heard. He thought he was lost in a wild country.
When we were half way through the canyon, we saw tracks which were made by a band of Indians. We had just fallen in with a small party. They thought we had better travel together until after dark, so the Indians could not locate our camp. We came upon a company of twelve men, and camped with them and we were not molested.
Our youngest mule in crossing the country would pick up stones, and work them around in his mouth and drop them out. The oldest mule could stand more. The younger mule finally gave out so we tied him to a sage brush and went on.
The sand went right to the river. The water was two feet deep and cool from the mountains. We bathed our faces, drank, and bathed our faces again and were refreshed. We crossed over and when we came to the other bank the grass was [waist] high. As fine a grass as you ever saw grow. We turned the mules in. Next morning we went around to the people who were there and tried to buy provisions. I bought four pounds of flour and a piece of [bacon]. We had a frying pan tied on the pack. I mixed up some dough and we had some [grub].
We went back to see about the other mule. We met Whitesides, an old acquaintance, and he had one of his men bring the mule and tied it to that I could find it near, which I did. I took him across and turned him loose. We knew that as the boys were not here that they had [gone] the Carson [river] route. We stayed here a day. Then we started to [Sacramento] on one half pound [of] provisions a day. We went up the Truckee river and [crossed] 27 times in one day.
Charley, a friend and two fellows from Michigan wanted us to stay until the mules were recruited; so we could go straight up the mountain, but we had no provisions and it was too steep a mountain for any mule to climb. We passed them in the afternoon. About thirty Indians came down in front of us. We saw them first and got our mules under brush. They went to the camp, looked around and left. Charley Miller came up and we told him about the Indians. They looked terribly frightened and traveled on as fast as possible. We overtook them just at dark, and camped 200 yards away in the deep grass and held the lariats of our mules so they could not get them.
When we were near the source of the Truckee river, we saw [where] the Dorner family and company had started. They started overland in “49” from McLean Co., Illinois. (I knew some of their folks.) [They] were overtaken by a snowstorm in the mountains in the fall; there were a great many of them. The Indians discovered them and carried the news to Sutter’s fort, the whites made up a company and went after them. Those who were alive had lived on human flesh. One woman when the discovering party came after them hid her [husband’s] heart to eat on the road. [As you might suspect, I think this must be referring to the Donner party, which in fact started off from Sangamon county in Illinois, albeit in 18946, not 1849. McLean county was adjacent to Sangamon, and also had Donner relatives there, although as far as I can tell no Donners from McLean county were in the Donner party.]
Donner Summit today
The depth of the snow was shown where the party had cut the trees off, and left stumps ten and twelve feet high, when the snow was gone. At one place they had made a camp by a fallen redwood, by taking the bark which is 15 inches thick and leaning It up against a 12 foot log. This would make a fine camp. We went down this slope. Nothing of importance happened.
Photo by Lawrence and Houseworth/Library of Congress
One day we saw a bear track which measured twelve inches in diameter. We saw but one wild Indian. He was running and had no wearing apparel. Down where the Bear river runs into the [Sacramento] valley, we found good grazing. We stopped to let our mules rest and graze. This was the fifth of [August]. Here was the Johnson ranch. There were several old adobe buildings look as if it had been settled a long time. A man by the name of Nicholas kept the store. I recollect he sold flour sugar and bacon, etc., at the same price.
There was a camp of civilized Indians here. We were out of money. Charley Miller had just fifty cents, and some beans. He told me to take the money and buy all the meat I could with it. I bought one pound. We cooked the beans and meat and made a pot of bean soup. We ate our soup and rested until the cool of the evening.
As tough as crossing the plains must’ve been, that desert is a whole ‘nother thing. And then the Sierras.
Thats why we Nords stopped mid-country. F’ that other nonsense. Flat land? No angry sea? Fertile land? Sold.
And that is why the Jewish part of the family sailed around the cape, landed in SF, and opened a store to sell things to miners!
+1 Hebrews
Dammit, just caught a typo, 1846, not 18946.
Time is a circle.
I love this series. (It’s Tuesday already?) There were a few hard to follow spots in this one but not too bad. So cool that they keep brushing up against major people in history.
There were a few hard to follow spots in this one
I agree, it was a challenge sometimes to interpret some of the writings. I don’t know if the issue was with in the original (which I don’t have) or the copy.
Thanks, Whiz. Interesting and I find myself wondering how I would have measured up. I’d have made the trip as long as I could get a hot shower every night. Broke and hungry are two things I wouldn’t have liked.
About 100 years later the Okies and Arkies were making that same journey, only by motor vehicle. My step father and first wife made the trip from MN to CA on a belt driven motorcycle in the 1930s.
I know I wouldn’t have measured up very well — I’m a city boy.
That is what you are today, what you were yesteryear is what allowed you to be that. So that grit and determination is somewhere in you.
Great family history. Mahalo again.
Seconded. Fantastic story.
Great tale! Off topic truth for Y’all – https://youtu.be/UNgrH8u-IIc
Festus! Good to see you.
from MSN
Taiwan Acknowledges Presence of U.S. Troops on Outlying Islands
***
As tensions rise with China, Taiwan’s defense minister has hinted that U.S. troops have been training the Taiwanese military on outlying islands that would be on the front lines of a conflict with its neighbor.
The defense minister, Chiu Kuo-cheng, didn’t offer details of the U.S. deployment, but the outlying islands include Kinmen, which sits 3 miles east of the Chinese coastal city of Xiamen and more than 100 miles from Taiwan’s main island.
***
We’re on track to have simultaneous proxy wars with Russia and China, and we’ll lose both.
[anguished Zoidberg groan]
Given the current political class, do you think its really a loss? Or rather a bloody opportunity?
It’s not as though this is new. We’ve historically had training partnerships with Taiwan (on their own territory), and nearly every other Pacific rim nation.
On this date in 2020, I bought 24 double-size rolls of toilet paper and four ounces of cannabis. I’m not a hoarder — this was just for shits and giggles.
In a similar vein, I decided to start a Glibs NCAA bracket challenge. No entry fee or prize money involved — this is just for bragging rights.
Contest is at https://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/mens-basketball-bracket/group/104582/invitation?key=4ddf351751ad53b5 Password: Glibertarians
Entries close at 12:15 EDT on Thursday 3/21, so don’t lollygag.
Raiders by a field goal that went to shoot outs on a controversial red card.
Lol
I just watched my current-town college team get beat in what I guess is some sort of demonstration tournament.
That’s probably the only b-ball I’ll get around to this year but thanks!
Very cool, whiz. Thanks.
My highlight on Twitter is Swissy laying down the likes. I am crushing it.
?
I bought 6 Beilfelder chicks this weekend. They seemed like the greatest thing ever: Cold hardy, good natured, easily sexed (I bought only females as I’m interested in eggs), they lay a LOT of eggs. Three of the six have died in the past few days. What have I done?!?!
That’s a good question. What have you done?
I hope he’s not choking his chickens.
A wiley old man once told me there’s Firsts up in them there mountains.
When you were born the doctor told your mother, “I did everything I could. Im sorry but he pulled through.”
Your mother taught you how to give you the best gum job West of Kentucky.
Just kiss already.
Surprised not to see this in PM links:
https://www.nationalreview.com/news/supreme-court-allows-texas-to-enforce-law-authorizing-local-state-police-to-arrest-illegal-immigrants/
“The Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted its freeze of a Texas immigration law which allows state and local law enforcement to arrest illegal immigrants and empowers state judges to deport them.
The Court’s six conservative justices dismissed the Biden administration’s emergency appeal, allowing the law to remain in effect while the issue is adjudicated by lower courts. The majority did not explain its reasoning, as is typical, but Justice Amy Coney Barrett, joined by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, issued a concurring opinion explaining that Texas should be allowed to enforce its law until a lower court definitively strikes it down.
“If a decision does not issue soon,” Barrett wrote, “the applicants may return to this court.”
On X Tuesday, Texas Governor Abbott acknowledged that litigation over the law will continue in lower courts.
“BREAKING: In a 6-3 decision SCOTUS allows Texas to begin enforcing SB4 that allows the arrest of illegal immigrants,” he wrote. “We still have to have hearings in the 5th circuit federal court of appeals. But this is clearly a positive development.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton celebrated the ruling on X.
“HUGE WIN: Texas has defeated the Biden Administration’s and ACLU’s emergency motions at the Supreme Court,” he said. “Our immigration law, SB 4, is now in effect. As always, it’s my honor to defend Texas and its sovereignty, and to lead us to victory in court.”
In court papers, Paxton said the Texas law does not undermine federal law but complements it regarding immigration enforcement, which the federal government is supposed to be fulfilling. The Biden administration for many months has been flouting federal immigration law by paroling illegal immigrants into the U.S. instead of detaining them.
The Constitution “recognizes that Texas has the sovereign right to defend itself from violent transnational cartels that flood the state with fentanyl, weapons, and all manner of brutality,” Paxton said in filings, according to NBC News.
Texas is “the nation’s first-line defense against transnational violence and has been forced to deal with the deadly consequences of the federal government’s inability or unwillingness to protect the border,” he added.
The Court’s three liberals — Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor — issued a blistering dissent to the Tuesday decision.
“Today, the court invites further chaos and crisis in immigration enforcement,” Sotomayor wrote. “Texas passed a law that directly regulates the entry and removal of noncitizens and explicitly instructs its state courts to disregard any ongoing federal immigration proceedings. That law upends the federal-state balance of power that has existed for over a century, in which the national government has had exclusive authority over entry and removal of noncitizens.”
The decision comes after Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito issued an administrative stay on the law followed by two extensions of the pause, the most recent coming down on Monday.
The law’s defenders and Texas officials have resisted the Department of Justice’s claims that the law usurps federal power, arguing that the recent record surge in illegal immigration constitutes an “invasion” which the state is empowered to repel under the State War Clause of the Constitution. After the DOJ sued Texas over the law in January, an Abbott spokesperson said that the governor anticipated taking the legal dispute all the way to the Supreme Court.
Heading into 2024, 371,000 illegal aliens were “encountered” by border agents in December 2023, hitting a new record and marking a 23.5 percent increase over the levels from November.”
is there a single other federal law where the feds would object to enforcement from the states?
And these people try to sell the American people on the idea that they are actively trying to secure the border.
It’ll be anarchy! Nothing like the orderly and fair process we have now.
They must be living in a bubble if they wrote it with a straight face.
Stop calling them immigrants, fuckstick. You’re conceding the premise. They’re illegal aliens with no right to be present in this country.
Court date for future proceedings of the case to be sometime in 2031, right? Isn’t that how it works? Until then Texas gets a permission slip and a prepaid Visa card to do whatever the fuck it wants.
Texas doesn’t get the pre-paid Visa card if New York is any indication. Its citizens get to furnish it themselves IIRC.
This isn’t as big a win as Texas would like.
It IS shocking thought because Sotomayor is correct here: “That law upends the federal-state balance of power that has existed for over a century, in which the national government has had exclusive authority over entry and removal of noncitizens.”
Curious question though. If we take the general welfare clause at it’s stupid liberal/Hamiltonian interpretation, and combine it with the theory that if the Fed’s have power over it, the states aren’t allowed to do anything… does that mean the general welfare is also the exclusive realm of the federal government? What, if anything is left for the states to do?
And when the government refuses to enforce the law on the books?
One thing not mentioned is that everybody knows the influx of illegals is causing severe disruptions, and that the Beltway Class isn’t doing anything because the disruptions have been affecting TEAM RED areas and our worses in Washington are vindictive little shits who actively want to punish the uppity TEAM RED aresa. That’s part of why they were so pissed when Gov. Abbott finally sent a bunch of the illegals on their way to the TEAM BLUE “sanctuary” cities as a way of saying, “Now do you see the problem we’re having?”
‘And when the government refuses to enforce the law on the books?’
According to precedence, there’s nothing anyone can do about that, we just have to vote in different people.
To be clear I don’t agree with any of that, but that is the official interpretation up until today of the constitution and law.
As well as they did the founders just could not resist tossing in shit like the ‘general welfare’. What the fuck does that even mean? It means ‘Fuck you we will do anything we please’. It essentially nullifies the basic premise of the constitution itself, that power should be limited.
They knew fucking well the kinds of people that seek office they would stretch and twist any syllable to further their power. Why enumerate powers if you are going to toss in shit like the commerce clause and the general welfare clause? What the fuck guys?
Madison is one of my favorite founder but even he couldn’t foresee the evolution of language and meaning. His logic on the term general welfare is solid for the day, just not today.
I know, best laid plans and all of that. I have the advantage of hindsight but good Lord, it does seem to stand out rather starkly. They couldn’t see that?
They themselves did it – Hamilton with chartering the Bank of the U.S. and Jefferson with the Louisiana Purchase. Necessary and proper indeed.
The line between idiocy and bravery is success. The entire Donner Party story is a fascinating dive into where humans will (and won’t) go. I cannot imagine trekking nearby with those stories and deciding to keep on plugging.
“Nothing of importance happened.” Legit LOL. I frequently use this as AN answer to questions when I don’t care to divulge anything. Concise. (Mostly) truthful.
And here I squandered my GI Bill money taking classes in sciences, math or something I felt would be useful.
The Nightlife Industry Takes Another Step Towards Excellence by Creating the World’s First Faculty of Nightlife Studies
Leave it to the EU to bureaucratize running a night club.
…and today we’re studying running a train. Who wants to volunteer?
Fun atmosphere, reasonable drinks but not too cheap so some air of exclusivity is retained, and something that will attract young but legal girls with tight poopers which will in turn attract the boozehound guys…can I just have my degree sent in the mail or do I have to show up in person?
You mean academia has fallen so far they can’t even cover it up with a euphemism like “Nocturnal Anthropology”?
Willie Nelson must be the the Dean of Studies
Happy hump day mornng!
*looks around for camels*
😋☕🍖
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxRG7uoFDo4
A band that should have been much bigger. 🎶🎶
Sorry, this is Bactrian Week, the hump days at Tuesday and thursday.
Good morning, Sean, U, Lack, and Ted’S.!
Morning.
How goes?
Well, thanks! I should have a little more to do at work today, assuming last night’s Board meeting was recorded on Zoom, but the meeting was likely short because my boss wasn’t there. How about you?
I have made it to the office without too much stress, despite waking up slightly behind schedule. I’ve gotten caffiene in me, and I’m getting ready for the workday (mostly by eating breakfast)
I wish you a day with no meetings.
Or, if you must have them, short ones.
Calendar says – just the team meeting, which is a fairly low key low-stress one to make sure my direct supervisor is up to date with what’s going on.
👍
2 Guitars, bass, and drums. No need for more.
Keys! Backup singers! Horn section! Percussionist!
Of course, that’s a lot of folks with whom to split the tips…
“Scottish Police Trained To Target Actors And Comedians Under Hate Crime Laws; Report”
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/scottish-police-trained-target-actors-and-comedians-under-hate-crime-laws-report
Ach, what a fookin’ bad joke. Mel Gibson must be spinning in his grave.
LOL I don’t think that flies even under what’s left of American supreme court thought.
Enh, Scotland is lost anyway.
“First Minister Humza Yousaf’s new law”
Yep, lost…
Well are you saying that is no true Scotsman?
What the hell is that??
Huh. Guess it’s actually a thing.
In the fucked up british system, The Ministers are members of the party/coalition in power. The Shadow Ministers are members of the opposition who basically get the same information but can’t issue directives. They’re there just in case the ruling party/coalition shifts and they then become Ministers.
Thanks. I think I’m glad our Founding Fathers did NOT establish a parliamentary government.
One of the takeaways I’ve gathered from American history is that while George III was an easy personification of Colonial woes, the grievences were pretty much all with actions of Parliment.
So it’s like I’m the Shadow Minister of my household.
*raises finger….hangs head in agreement*
Yep. Shadow minister. Here too. I am stealing that.
I go to the store to get dog treats cuz it is nearly bedtime and we have none. There will be riots around this house if there are no dog treats at bedtime.
I put the outrageously over priced treats on the checkout. I said to the flirty girl running the register “Buying these treats is killing me.”
Flirty girl “Well, you spoiled them.”
Me “You make it sound like I make the list and the rules. Look, I just do as I am told.”
Flirty girl “Hey you could make a lot of money like that.”
Me “Oh, how do you mean.”
Flirty girl “Giving other men lessons.”
“Shadow Cabinet ministers have a responsibility to shadow an individual government minister or a specific area of government.”
I learn something every day.
The West is collapsing.
Including the USA.
Central time seems to be lagging this morning.
What a piece of historical family lore gold.