Journey in a Prairie Schooner, 1878

Lucy Ide

INTRODUCTION

Nowhere in the literature of the overland trail is the contrast of the diaries of the 1840s and the late 1870s better shown than in this record of a journey in 1878. We counted her references to towns along the way and find the names of thirty-five settlements between Omaha, Nebraska, and Dayton in eastern Washington. Nowhere were they stranded for lack of the possibility of buying wagon parts, other supplies, and feed for the teams.

Although the Union and Central Pacific Railroads after 1869 made travel much more rapid and easier on the overlanders, many still preferred to travel by wagons. J. Orin Oliphant, in his introduction to the printed version of Lucy Ide’s diary points out that Walla Walla newspapers of the 1870s contain numerous references to overland parties of emigrants who passed through Walla Walla on the way to localities farther north in eastern Washington.

We choose to call the party with which the Ides were associated the Mondovi train because they and their fellow travelers were from that town in western Wisconsin. Chester and Lucy Ide gave that name to what is now a cross-roads some thirty miles west of Spokane in Lincoln County, Washington.

The family was made up in 1878 of the father, Chester Dean Ide, age 47 years, and the mother and the writer of this daily diary, Lucy Allen Ide, age 39 years. There were three children: Clarence W., age 18; Earnest W., age 11; and George LaVergne, age 7. There was another much loved person, their maid: Lucinda Hessler, age 27. It has been noted by several other travelers that Lucinda kept a diary, but we have not been able to find it. The family settled in eastern Washington, living over the years in several communities, but they eventually moved to Spokane, where they lived out their later years.

Lucy Ide was quite interested in social welfare. She was for several years president of the board of the Spokane Home for Friendless Children. Her husband, Chester, became active in the life of what was then called Spokane Falls. His first work was as a carpenter, then as a builder of new homes, finally as a real estate developer. The Ides were active Baptists and supported the First Baptist Church of Spokane both with their presence and with their money.

There are numerous typewritten copies of Lucy Ide’s diary and one printed copy. All of them are inaccurate, some slightly so, others in the extreme. We have gone directly to the original, which is in the Eastern Washington State Historical Society Library in Spokane. We are grateful to the Society and to its archivist, Edward W. Nolan, for giving us access to the original.

Several other persons have been most helpful in our pursuit of this very special resource: Barbara Veltrie of Oregon City directed our attention to the Lucy Ide document. She introduced us to R.L. Olson of Lodi, California, who has published in typescript a number of primary documents relating to the Ide family. His book entitled In a Prairie Schooner is a rich source and indispensible to the scholar. He has searched out newspaper stories, letters before and after the journey, and other persons’ reminiscences of the overland trip. Especially helpful is his publication of “George Baker’s Recollections.” Baker was a member of the Mondovi wagon train. Mr. Olson has been a great help and enriched our understanding of Lucy Ide’s diary beyond measure.

THE DIARY OF LUCY A. IDE, 1878

May 1st Our company start today from Mondovi [Wisconsin] I am at my fathers at Gilmanton Shall start tomorrow and meet them at Mr Bailey’s where they camped tonight

May 2nd Commenced my journey to the far far west. The hardest of all is bidding farewell to my near & dear friends many of whom I fear I have seen for the last time on earth. We stopped to Mrs. Baileys to bid her good bye she gave me some butter and a cheese God bless her We went as far as Robert Henrys and stop in front of his house beside a small stream and strike our tents for the first time everything new and strange but little sleep visit our eyes this night. N.K. Fisher and wife came as far as this with [illegible] here they turn back.

May 3rd We start as early as we can get under way but as everything is new to us it takes some time Here we part with Mr. & Mrs. Fisher also Mr. Claflin comes out to bid us good bye and I sincerely hope it is all the old friends I shall have to part with It is almost more than I can bear. May the Lord spare them to meet again but who can tell. We go as far as Winona and cross the Ferry over the Mississippi River went through town. While passing through Winona the people thought it was a circus and we occupants of the wagon the wild animals I guess for we do not feel very tame as it is very cold and snowing We camp on the fair grounds and make qute a display. some of our company show the white feather by going to a hotel but not I I have no idea of stopping at hotels all the way through Lucinda1 & I get our supper as well as we can with half frozen fingers and tumble ourselves into the wagon and cover up and then we are warm

May 4th It snows it blows but we make the best of it and comfort ourselves with thinking over the old adage “a bad beginning makes a good ending” our tents are very comfortable & so are our wagons we start as early as we can get together and only travel five miles we camp tonight in a gentlemans pasture got our horses into the barn and a nice spring of water near us

May 5th, Sunday morning it has cleared off very pleasant indeed but we stop over Sunday here to get a good fresh start tomorrow

May 6th We start this morning in the rain did not rain long we went as far as Enterprise 12 miles from where we started this morning stopped for dinner Chet picked dandelions greens and Lucinda and I looked them over as we rode along and we cooked them for dinner they were good We start again and travel about 10 miles to stop to a farm house owned by a man named Hevath a beautiful place and a very nice grounds we pitch our tent by the side of the road and get our supper & go very tired to bed. we have passed some beautiful farms but very bad roads on account of the recent rain

May 7th Started this morning at 7 oclock rode over some very rough roads & passed some nice farms stopped at Chatfield and got our dinner A little town set between two rows of hills but very nice when you get to it had beefsteak & all the accessories bread potatoes & etc We started after dinner went out about 12 miles and camped for the night

May 8th Started at seven oclock went 12 miles over about the same looking country as yesterday some good looking country and some not so good and stop to get our dinner. Started at half past one and traveled 14 miles and camped for the night

May 9th We traveled until we came to Mr. Eager’s a brother of L. Eager. We stop here overnight and wash start at noon and travel 14 miles and camp on the bank of Cedar river

May 10th start 7 oclock & travel 29 1/2 miles today We are now in Iowa two of our teams got stuck in mud Eager & Hunter but got out with very little trouble have not seen a hill for two days a perfect dead level it is very cold has been for two night a heavy frost almost every farm in Iowa is advertised for sale

May 11th Just got our breakfast and started travelled as far as Mason City and camp within about a mile of the city the crops through Iowa look very backward

May 12th Attended church today at the Baptist church an excellent sermon was preached by one of Spurgeon’s2 scholar the church was nice and the town looks very pretty as we pass through it it has about 3000 inhabitants. we have today had a great many callers from the city

May 13th Traveled from Mason City to Clear Lake a very nice small town with a lake one side of it covered with sail boats came 18 miles from Clear Lake and camped a little warmer traveling today

May 14 Mr. Eagers mules left last night and we are waiting for them to be found We wash a little and along comes a peddler bought some dried peaches. The mules were found back toward Clear Lake 12 miles and now at noon we are ready to start we went 4 miles past a little town called Belmond and camped near a little lake a very pleasant place

May 15th Started this morning at 7 oclock passed through a little village called Clarion One of our teams & one of Eager are down axle deep in the mud got out with little trouble We travelled 23 miles today & tonight camp in a nice place good wood water & grass

May 16 Rains this morning and makes it rather hard travelling but we are ready to start and are going rain or no rain our wagons do not leak to trouble us. hard time today in marshes had bridges to make some fun considerable hard work but many hands make quick work so bridges are built and we move on are now 10 miles from Fort Dodge get our dinner & on we go camp at Fort Dodge across the Des Moines river on the bank in a very pleasant place coal mine near by the boys amuse themselves with collecting it and burning it in our stoves it burns nicely but makes a very hot fire and burnt biscuit is the result of that experiment Ford Dodge is a nice city of 6000 inhabitants and some as elegent buildings as you ever saw

May 17th Staid here until noon some washed some baked and now we are ready for a start 12 oclock sharp well we made a wrong start went about a mile out of our way but turned about and come only about six miles and camped about 4 oclock obliged to camp here on account of wood & water rained all night the hardest thunder shower I ever saw I think all night it wet us through & through beds bedding children and grown folks. well well this is not so romantic thoughts will stray back (in spite of all our attempts to the contrary) to the comfortable house that we left and the question arises in my mind is this a good move but echo answers now a word—but still we move breathe & have a being and we are most truly thankful for that

May 18th Faces rather long this morning found other wagons had leaked and other people look blue so that cheers me up and I am now ready to laugh at the rest feel more like it than I did about 12 oclock when Ernest & Varney were crying because the water was running down their beds, but now we proceed to strip our wagon dry our beds & bedding for this purpose we stop here until afternoon This is Lizzard creek The worst travelling that ever was I guess mud mud Stop at about 6 miles from Lizzard creek

May 19th A Beautiful Sabbath morning but we are obliged to travel on account of want of wood and water we are almost six miles from Camped at 5 o’clock 7 1/2 miles from Lake City rained a little today

May 20 Pleasant again this morning start at the usual time a little better road but we have seen a hill and felt like kissing it give me a few hills, stop at Lake City to bait our horses

May 21st a little better roads & pleasant weather

May 22nd Rain again but we start about 11 oclock went 15 miles and camp rained thunder & lightened all night again but did not wet into our wagons so bad

May 23rd Started at eight oclock it cleared off pleasant we have travelled through a very beautiful country today passed through Dennison & Dowville stopped at Dowville had a horse shod camped a short distance out of town in a pasture near the R.R in a pleasant grove

May 24th Started out this morning at 1/2 past 7 it is a most glorious morning everything looks pleasant and so of course we all feel pleasant 2 1/2 miles are quickly passed and we arrive at a quite a nice little town called Dunlap, a nice little church and some very handsome residences. stopped had another horse shod bought a few supplies such as oats codfish pickles & etc started on again through nice looking country and passed through a town called Woodbine stopped just outside of the town for dinner near a farm house a Lady kindly offered us all the mustard we was a mind to pick for greens we thankfully accepted the offer and had a most excellent dinner

May 25th Camp on the banks of the Boyer river we follow this river all the way to Omaha a few ripe strawberries but not many a very nice day

May 26th Come out 11 miles passed a little south of the village of Logan, looked nice as we saw it at a distance. another nice day and we are passing some nice looking country we are now only 25 miles from Omaha camp for noon start again and go ten miles go into camp for Saturday night

May 27th Sunday a nice day here we rest ourselves and teams and think of our distant friends at this time attending church—

May 28 Start at 7 oclock for Omaha stopped 1 1/2 miles east of Council Bluffs to get our dinner we have passed through part of the state of Iowa that has the appearances of being and old settled country nice large shade trees but only through the western part does it look as nice. now we start we cross the great muddy looking Missouri river in box transfer cars into Neb. and here we are at Omaha now for our mail—it is received and eagerly read the first news from home I rec’d letters from mother sister—Alice Cochrone Mrs. N.K. Fisher Mrs. Adams also lots of papers—it almost seems that we have been back on a short visit but all pleasant things must end so does our letter reading so now we must get our supplies and westward go we bought oysters3 (a case) lobsters flour sugar crackers horsefeed & etc and start out five miles & camp for night We have plenty to talk about as all have had more or less mail and the news one hears is soon imparted to the rest for we all have a common interest in dear Mondovi—

May 29 rained last night but it has cleared off and we are busy getting ready to start travel 13 miles and camped on the banks of the Elkhorn for night a cheese factory is in good working order here with only one house in sight but the workmen told us he had the milk from 160 cows but we wondered where they were

May 30th Start at 7 oclock go as far as Fremont and camp on the common at one end of town at eleven oclock for dinner here we done a little shopping bought wollen stocking yarn for 80 cts a lb, and from here Cushman Hunter takes the cars for Cheyenne he was bleeding at the lungs and it was thought best for him to go by rail—start at two oclock and go out 13 miles and camp near the Platte River thunder and lightening & rain all night not a moment cessation it seemed if this is the style in Neb I do not care to stop here long

May 31 clear this morning start at eight oclock passed a little town called North Bend and on we go to camp on the Banks of the Wonderful Platte River it is a large muddy looking river as you look at it as it flows along through such a dead level as Neb is you almost seem to look up to see it all along we follow the river

June 1st Start at 7 oclock sun shines very hot today passed through a town called Schulyer it is a nice little town Came on as far as Columbus a large dirty foreign looking place we stop and buy what is needed and while we stand here a few minutes saw two men taken to the lockup I should judge by just glancing around that about 4/5 of the people ought to go there they tell us here that we cannot go any farther on account of Indians but the story is not credited so we shall proceed to pass through this interesting town and camp on the banks of the Loup river clouding up again for another Southwester—and at sundown it has opened on us its batteries hail thunder & lightening rain and wind a regular gale blew H. Hunter tent down but there were but few in it the ladies being in the wagon it rained a little all night

June 2 pleasant this morning cool and nice it is a feature of this state we are told the storms are mostly in the night Laid over for to-day is the Sabbath we have many callers they are urging us very hard to settle here it is a nice looking country but oh those thunder showers I think we will pass on

June 3rd Start at 1/2 past 7 it is pleasant and cool—

June 4 travel 22 miles passed Silver Creek & Jackson small RR towns saw a man from Wis named Fox camp three miles from Silver Creek

June 5 pleasant travel 22 miles and go into camp at Grand Island at 1/2 past 3 oclock rained a little

June 6th Laid over to wash this is quite a large place clouding up again we may look for another Neb thunder shower some of our company are talking about looking land up in the Loup river valley I hope they will not stop for we have been so long together it will be hard parting with anyone of our train

June 7 All are going on and last night where you saw sad and tearful faces all are fresh and smiling and happy. we do a little trading and start on we go 20 miles and go into camp here we have plenty of room the whole broad prairie

June 8th Start at 1/2 past 7 pass through the same looking country and about the same distance and took dinner in a little grove with a house and mill attached dignified with the title Scapauppville [Schauppsville] Mills (pronounce it to suit yourself) we proceed to within 20 miles of Kearney and camp for night

June 9 start 1/2 past 7 rained all day a little saw 6 elk today they were tame ones did not stop for dinner on account of rain now we are at Kearney arrived at 3 oclock We are going to stop for tomorrow is the Sabbath

June 10 pleasant day attended church with Elder Morse a brother of our old pastor and strongly resembles him we think we heard a good sermon it does us good for it has been 4 weeks since we heard the last one before 14 of us went today and some went this evening

June 11 started 1/2 past 7 a pleasant morning went 28 miles today and camp at night at Overton the place Flora Hollister used to live a very small town—Mr. Gifford accidentally shot a steer in the leg while out hunting Jack rabbits, as is likely to have some trouble about it while we are having fun with him.

June 12 another nice morning and we are all ready to start go as far as Plum Creek [Nebraska] and go into camp for noon Mr Gifford is arrested4 and the Sheriff happens to be a brother of Roll Smith of Durand we had a first rate visit with him told him all I could about his brother—he is a nice appearing gentlemen he showed us the jail and Court house a lady confined in jail for the murder of her husband and two men in for murder the lady looked very sad did not look as though she was guilty had her little girl with her. Mr. Gifford paid 12 1/2 dollars settled up the affair and at two we start on went 8 miles and camped two wagon have joined our train from Kansas bound for W.T.

June 13 all ready for a start 1/2 past 7 looks like rain Stop at stop at noon. Mr Gifford has a sick horse but it grows worse and worse and as it looks like rain we hitch up and start on for in the distance we can see a house we go as far as that and corral for night as there is a terrific storm coming up we just get in order our wagons chained together and tent firmly staked down and Mr Gifford comes with the news his horse is dead. but the terrible storm is overhead and such thunder & lightening and wind I never never saw before we go to bed without our supper only a bite of cracker and dried beef and here let me say I shall always remember with grateful feelings Jacob Bond and his present of a good generous piece of dried Beef and I shall never forget where we ate a portion of it and under what circumstances. It stormed all night the horses stamped and snorted and but little sleep visited our eyes I venture to say

June 14 well we are all alive and that is about all the people all look rather blue I guess that Mr G——feels as well as any of us. We are going to lay over and let the water dry up We have heard that the RR track is all washed away no trains have passed today where we took dinner yesterday noon a cloud burst and we were just in the edge of the storm if we had staid there we should have been washed away I guess I have not a very good opinion of Neb. so far—

June 15 started pleasant this morning as we pass along we count 25 telegraph poles struck by lightening one after the other not one skipped farther on 4 horses side by side dead struck by lightening camp by the railroad 5 miles from North Platte could go [no] farther for a bridge is washed away across a creek

June 16 a stray pony came along proved to be Buffalo Bills5 Verney rode it and had a nice time Sunday layover 10 wagons come up today from Missouri a rather hard looking sett too

June 17 Start fix the bridge so the horses can get across put chains on the end of wagon tongue and draw over the wagon and it took some time 22 wagons all together Came 5 miles to the village of North Platte here we saw the celebrated Buffalo Bill he owns a ranche near here passed through the town 12 miles on and passed 7 head of cattle run over and killed by cars Camped near a section house

June 18 pleasant & cool travelled over clear prairie nothing but herds of cattle & the Platte river for your eye to rest upon such a sameness, here let me say that the grass here is very nutricious for cattle there is 149 different varieties of grass along the Platte6 and a great many different kinds of cactus they look very beautiful the blossom is as large as a dahlia and fully as handsome. of all colors beside a great variety of other beautiful flowers

June 19 We have today seen vast herds of cattle such as I have read about but never expected to see as we pass through a town called Ogallala they tell us there is 75, 000 head of cattle been driven in from Texas and I should not dispute it for the broad Prairie is one moving mass of cattle driven by the Mexican herder on his pony with his broad rimmed hat on and a bowie knife and two revolvers in his belt he looks quite formidable he carries in his hand a short handled whip with a very long lash sometimes 20 feet and some longer even than that and wo be to the unlucky cow that strays out of line for he is sure to hit her with that terrible whip—The Mexican & Texas herders are a very rough class of men they think nothing of shooting each other on the least provocation they just had a little shooting scrape as we passed through

June 20 still nothing but cattle & ponies as far as you can see in any direction

June 21 Went fishing caught enough for supper they were good splendid roads like pavement

June 22 start at the usual hour very pleasant good roads and the same dead level prairie

June 23, Sunday stopover a nice day to read and rest and we enjoy it

June 24 Cushman came out to meet us this morning and brought out our mail

June 25 start 1/2 past 7 it was pleasant till toward noon it thundered & rained some not hard took dinner at Point of Rocks on these rocks Kit Carson carved his name we see it very plainly and a great many other names and we also with the memorable Kit Carson leave our names beside his on this Rocky monument.

June 26 All well this morning & feeling fine—but this afternoon Mrs. Christian was taken sick & we were obliged to stop early—and we saw for the first time those cloud capped snow covered ever to be remembered Rocky Mts.

June 27 Nettie better we start at 8 oclock at noon as we stop for dinner we see a covered carriage coming. the cry goes around Mr. Hunter is coming and sure enough we soon see his pleasant face & right glad are we all to see him and he to see his children he ttakes the girls and Anna and goes back and we follow on and at an early hour we arrive at Cheyenne—a nice bright lively western city

June 28 Laying over here a few days went down to Jims and Franks place saw some of the most elegant horses & carriages I ever saw Mrs. J. Hunter looks better than I expected to see her she seem in good spirits and anxious to start her journy thinks it will benefit her health still more

June 29 Still at C waiting for Mr. H —— folks to get ready

June 30 Sunday rained so we could not attend church

July 1 washed & baked & getting ready to start in the morning

July 2 Started about nine oclock as soon as they could ready at Jims—Franks folks & the Chaplin at Fort Russel7 (we passed the fort and it looked very nice & clean as all of Uncle Sams domains do) went out with us five miles took dinner with their friends the chaplin made a prayer and we bade adieu to friends and started on our way over the Rockies went to the foot of the Cheyenne Pass and stopped for night

July 3 started up the mts. and as for giving a description of the beauty and grandeur & wildness rugged rocks beautiful flowers &c it is beyond my poor powers to tell suffice it to say I feel repaid for all the hardships we have as yet undergone. we camped on the top for dinner here we found strawberry blossoms growing within arms length of banks of snow that have doubtless been there for ages as canyons many hundred feet deep were filled even full so hard that we walked over it. had a game of snowball had a hard drive in the afternoon came as far as Laramie City about 50 miles from Cheyenne Mrs. H. Very tired indeed as we all are but feel for her more as she is not strong yet she is all courage

July 4 Well this seems very little to us like the Nations birthday—although the cannon at Ft. Laramie8 wakened us this morning telling us that such is really the case—Laying over here this forenoon to ascertain the best route get an early dinner all ready to start at one oclock hear cannonading all the time at Fort Sander9 just across the river went 22 miles and camped near little Laramie river near a ranche commenced raining before we got our tent up had a hard shower as they often do at the base of the Mts. it cleared off so we could get our supper and went to bed tired as usual

July 5 started half past 7 got down to the river and crossed all right although the RR Ties are running like mad the river is full and looks & is dangerous but we are all safely over stop just the other side get breakfast as we did not wait for it as we wanted to cross before the ties got so thick we could not We did not stop for dinner as we had such a late breakfast but camped for night at 3 oclock

July 6 went over a spur of the mountains today the worst road we have had in the whole trip so far took 5 & 6 men to keep the wagon right side up and things got a good deal mixed you can judge we all walked of course as we always do when we have bad roads we passed an abondoned mine.— did not pay to work came across Rock Creek a toll bridge had to pay 31 cts a team to cross these streams are all made up from snows from the Mts and are very wild & rapid have seen snow every day since June 26

July 7 Today is Sunday we are laying over camped at the base of Elk Mt. it is covered with snow it looks to be a mile from here to the snow and it is about six

July 8th started this morning over the Mts and came to a toll bridge they ask .50 a team to cross the bridge we would not give it so we forded it all right not withstanding the ties were coming down very fast and we had to use great caution so to not break the horses legs and the wagon wheel well when we got safe over gave three cheers & went on our way

July 9 started another beautiful morning over the plains and far away come to the Platte and stopped to wash, don’t know how we are going to cross.

July 10 Here we are yet are to start at noon we started at noon some of the teams forded & some crossed on the Ferry it took until night to get them all across and a storm came just as the last team landed we went into camp immediately one of the teams that forded lost off a tire & could not find it at all

July 11 Going to stop burn coal and sett the tire this forenoon so we will not start till noon it is a beautiful morning after the shower Started after dinner went about 14 miles stopped for night

July 12 Are passing through Bridgers Pass magnificent scenery one thing I would mention it is a sand mountain standing between two that are covered with green grass no trees all about the same height the sand a leather color it looks like a picture it is splendid we came through the Pass camped at another toll Bridge the usual rates .50 a team but after threatening to tear up the Bridge & cross in the old Ford which they had built the Bridge over they decided to let us pass of .10 a team so over we go and camp we found here a tent pitched a family living there they had ploughed up a little patch had potatoes growing peas &c I can assure you we looked with wondering eyes upon that garden the first of the kind we had seen weeks & weeks there used to be a fort there used also to be stage station in the old days before RR crossed these barren wilds & it was called Sulphur springs & they were truly named for the water in the springs was poure sulphur could put your hand in reach the bottom take large pieces of clear sulphur they used to come a great distance to these springs and drink the water & bathe and many sick people cured so they tell us here—Here also is a little graveyard near the ruined fort and as I looked at the faded tombstones thought someone mourns their buried dead likely never knew where they rest and in this lonely place among the Rockies looking & the ruined fort & the tumbling tombstones I think I rather be laid to rest nearer the friends of my youth and nearer to Civilization

July 13 start at the usual time our Dakota friends started on the lead have given us French leave I guess—we camped for dinner at a place called Muddy Creek start at 2 oclock and now we take the hardest trip we have yet had travelled all night came to Bitter Creek a poison stream we dared not stop or use the water ourselves or let the horses have it so on we go the whole night long a beautiful moonlight night but a gloomy mountain road with large rocks standing guard through deep passes and over little valleys but nothing to be seen but the great beds of alkali—-it gives one food for thought I can assure you We stop at 12 oclock midnight and rest the weary horses and eat a lunch and as we gather around a little fire some making tea others making a little oyster soup some looking very sad some quite merry I can say it is a scene that once seen will never be forgotten for as we do not know how long and how far we shall have to go before we reach water & grass for the horses—& to add to the list one of our horses taken very lame poor Dolly she can hardly go but must Got to fresh water this morning

July 14 at 7 oclock got some breakfast the first thing then took a nap all are very tired so are teams it is Sunday we came yesterday afternoon and night over 50 miles this is what tries mens souls & womens too but now we are resting— Near us are camped a company of Princeton N Jersey college students hunting minerals & fossil petrified woods &c and having a good time generally we are going down to see their collection this afternoon went down they seem very nice refined young men they have some very nice petrified woods & other specimens of the bones of animal that are now extinct one gave me some choice specimens of petrified wood and beautiful Moss Agate they related some their adventures to us and we told them of some of our hardships altogether it passed the day quite pleasantly and seemed so strange to meet refined & cultured people here hundreds of miles in the wildness of the Rockies and likely shall never meet them again but shall always remember the day passed in the moutnain on the Bitter Creek I think Sabbath evening the student came up to H Hunter tent it being the largest and had a sing they singing their old college songs & all joined in singing some of the songs sung by Sankey & Moody and I thought it would probably never happen that so large a company of good singers would make the Rocky Mts echo the music of Sankey & Moody10 songs hundreds of miles from any human habitation

July 15 Started at 8 this morning our horse very lame and stiff got one from Mr. Gifford to use went as far as Pine Buttes camped near a spring just a triffle better than the Bitter Creek water went up on the top of the highest point was 2 hours going up got some mossy stone to remmember the place found at the top great piles of stone laid up like a wall to mark the spot likely for some purpose

July 16 started on time went out the first water we came to camped we don’t pass by good water now for in this alkali country it is hard to find both boys sick—beautiful scenery high mountain deep gorges and scenery to suit the most romantic

July 17 Started at the usual time all in good spirits our horse is better both boys better and all right pass through deep canyons by high rocks and rugged roads go into camp at 4 oclock here we get our dinner & supper together and did not stop at noon as we could only make 18 miles thought best to make one drive—we visited a cave11 large enough to hold 200 people. carved our names on the side beside the names of hundreds of others that came by this cave raining a little quite cool have not seen a doz mosquitoes since we started and only one very warm night—

July 18 very pleast morning travelled over very rough roads up & down over mts through deep canyons on & on and at last come in sight of the RR again it looks like an old friend we reach Green River after passing the Devils teapot12 and other noted rocks about 6 oclock this is the first town we have seen since coming from Laramie near 300 miles away this day closed sadly for us we came in company two teams they were from Utah travelling for the Lady’s health father brother & husband & little boy going to Colorado but as she came up the mountain she began to fail and as we met them advised them to get her back home if possible as she was scarcely able to breathe the light air of the mts so today at noon they overtook us on their return they crossing Green River we camping the east side as we wanted to get supplies before going on they had crossed just turned the horses loose when they perceived the lady was dying she only breathed a few times & was gone they came over telling us she was dead we advised them to hitch up their wagon come over to us & we would do all we could for them they did so she had no Lady friend with her but her friends did all they could & seemed almost heart broken the little child was only 8 months old but the men cared for it as nicely as a woman it was afraid of us so we could not do much for it Lucinda & Mrs H Hunter washed & dressed the corpse she was a nice looking lady very poor and looked as though she had been sick a long time—I went to her trunks and got out her clothes she had everyting very nice had suit after suit of underclothing & one suit beautifully made & laid by itself I thought especially for just this occasion it so impressed that I took it we put it on her & the men went to town and got a coffin we put her in you can scarcely imagine how sad we felt as we lay camped there by the river with this strange lady lying dead dressed for burial in a covered wagon a few steps away Lucinda Lena & Nellie Eager sat up by the wagon (occasionally wetting her face) all night

July 19 staid here with these people to help them bury their dead a good many come from town we buried in the cemetery which lies at the base of the Mts the Green River rushing by in the distance

July 20 got our supplies started on our way forded green River which is rightly named as the water is a beautiful Green color quite deep nearly up to the wagon box and quite wide but all got safely over had good luck all day

July 21, Sunday obliged to travel all day as no feed for horses to lay over we do not like it

July 22 travelled 18 miles went into camp early as it rained we rather enjoyed the rain as it something unusual for this section to have rain in the summer

July 23 travelled all day another shower tonight

July 24 Pleasant we are now travelling in a very nice looking country

July 25 reached Evanston [Wyoming] today saw more Chinese here than any place yet old young & middle aged— we stopped to get supplies before going out to camp while here another shower hail & rain it seem to be a nice place and much business done here went out 1 1/2 miles camped

July 26 come 20 miles out into Echo canyon13 the scenery here is beautiful it is 29 miles through this canyon one continuous down down—high mountains either side and the RR track side by side with us sometime not six feet away

July 27 come down within 5 miles of the mouth of the canyon to camp & spend the Sabbath arrived about 1 oclock

July 28, Sunday it is very nice & we are all resting this is a perfect glen an old saw mill is here all ready to fall down was built likely while they were building the RR we can not see the sun here only two or three hours in the middle of the day as it is rather warm I do not miss it a little accident occurred today to stir us up a little one of the horses got entangled in Jim Hunter tent rope got frightened started and took one half the tent with it tore it right in to in the middle Mrs H being inside was badly frightened and Jim did not know what to do for a tent I told him it could be fixed Never said he saw such a rent as that be fixed but I told Elma to get her needle & I took mine and in about two hours the tent was up all just as good as ever it happened to tear very good to sew up again—

July 29, Monday all ready to start early this morning an eclipse today Mrs. Gifford and myself went out before breakfast to catch us a trout I had the luck to get two nice ones—We arrived at the mouth of the canyon at a little town called Echo City stopped in town got a little fruit went on

July 30 came into Weber Canyon the scenery here throws every other place in the shade it is the wildest place one can imagine the Devils Gate is here one solid rock one side up hundreds of feet the other side down hundreds of feet runs the Weber River rushing madly along over great rocks one solid mass of foam and you can scarcely hear yourself speak such rumbling down n such a deep canyon the road is just wide enough for a wagon barely that in some places you rest assured we all walked & I for one kept just as near the middle of the road as I could then my head swam so I could scarcely walk I think it is a half mile through this gate but I must say it seemed hours we were passing it but it looks very grand indeed after all

July 31 arrived at Ogden about noon or near there we camped about 3 miles out so to get a place for the horses to go in a pasture

Aug 1st very warm indeed here we are resting our horses & washing &c

Aug 2 today we have had an addition to our company Edith Gifford has a little boy to-day born in Utah at the foot of the Washatch Mts —— 3 miles from Ogden

Aug 3 have been out to Ogden it is quite a pleasant place but entirely Mormon beautiful fruit & shade trees but oh the dejected degraded looking women is enough to condemn the Mormon doctrine leave all else out—

Aug 4 Today is the Sabbath we are still here had an invitation to attend church at the Tabernacle but declined on account of the excessive heat Edith quite smart

Aug 5 started this morning at 7 oclock Stopped in Ogden and got our supplies and went out 15 miles & camped in a very nice place

Aug 6 started at 7 oclock went out to Boiling spring here there are two springs side by side one is so hot you cannot bear your hand in it and close beside it is one very cold it is salt and salt lies all around on top of the ground we washed in the spring drank of it and went on and stopped at Corinne this is a Gentile town and looks very delapidated and poor as all Gentile towns do through this Mormon country

Aug 7 We are waiting here & trying to ascertain whether we are going to be troubled with Indians they tell us we can go no farther and some of the train want to turn back & some go on the decision is to start at noon Started at 1 oclock travelled 12 miles

Aug 8 travelled in the dust oh so dusty

Aug 9 travelled 12 miles stopped at a Mormon ranche man by the name of Dilly he has two wives one seems to be a very smart & intelligent woman The other a very ordinary ignorant German woman and the contrast between the two is enough to convince anyone of the evils of Mormonism

Aug 10 we will stop here this forenoon and sett tires started at noon went 15 miles & camped at a ranche at a place called the Sink

Aug 11 it is Sunday & some want to travel and some do not but those that do prevail so we start & here we are at night still travelling we have at Last arrived at a ranche I rather think we shall rest another Sabbath day

Aug 12 Beautiful day one of Mr. Eagers horses tired out yesterday they feel very bad indeed as we all do for them they have just traded off the horse & got two ponies and left some of their load to the ranche

Aug. 13 started as usual and come to a creek at early night & camped

Aug 14 come to Marsh Basin [Idaho]14 stop some had tires sett The Landlord offered the girls 7 dollars a week to stop and work some have quite a mind to stop but after a time decide to go on and we start after noon and travel 15 miles

Aug 15 Nice weather but very dusty & over nothing but plains

Aug 16 Here we go again over nothing but sagebrush plains—here we are at night at Rock Creek a very pretty stream and had a little shower hope it will lay the dust

Aug 17 come 18 miles to Mud Creek right in the Indian Country had a smart shower tonight with a little hail

Aug 18 Stop over Sunday at a Stage station, we are now on the stage road and have good roads

Aug 19 went down to the Ferry crossed the snake river and at this Stage Station we find they have built a ditch thrown up Breast works boarded up the windows and are prepared for Indians still we see none Elma & I see in the distance a beautiful waterfall and start to explore it we went to the foot first and then had an idea we would like to see the source so we start alone as it looks like rather hard work to climb the mtn but we persevere and after many slips & falls and stops to rest &c we get to the top over 100 feet and as we look at the little fountains at the top feel amply repaid for our climb I think there is at least a dozen fountains that throw water up 3 & four feet we have a curiosity to examine them so we take off our shoes & stockings and wade into the water it seems like a little shallow Lake not over six inches deep but as we near the falls we are somewhat afraid although they are small but fall a distance of 100 feet perhaps more it is not more than three ft in width and these little fountains seem to be holes in the bottom of the pond we run our hands down as far as we can but find no bottom they are a curiosity sure but the teams are going on and we must go or be left so we take a last view of the Beautiful Bridal Vail Falls & go on as far as the Miladd River this River is a great curiosity it runs in a deep dark Gorge and at a depth of 300 feet in some places the Rocks come up perpendicular it sounds almost improble [improbable] but it is so for here I sit on a rock writing this down and Lucinda sits the other side and we could reach each others hand if we dared to go near it but it is an ugly looking place I can assure you in one place a few feet from us the water falls quite a distance out of sight then comes up over the rocks and down again it is a natural curiosity to look at this stream we camp here at Miladd River at a stage station and here we see Mr Buck from Winona came in on the Stage

Aug 20 start at the usual hour this morning met a wagon train of Soldiers one of them threw us a hard tack they are Indian fighters & Scouts we come out 18 miles and camp at another stage station

Aug 21 Start at eight this morning went 11 miles & camp at the foot of King’s Hill for dinner—well this is a hill sure four miles in length and the most of us walk the whole distance pass a freighter he seems to be having bad luck ten mules and he wants the boys to help drive them up the hill they help a while but soon give up and go on & leave him swearing at the mules oh but it is hot but we are up at last and go as far as Cold Spring camp for night. they tell us here there is a band of Indians camped about a mile from us and a company of calvalry about a mile from the Indians so here we are in the midst of Indians well if we are to be killed by Indians we shall not be hung so we have a little consolation

Aug 22 went as far as Rattlesnake Creek & camp see no Indians

Aug 23 went out 22 miles and did not get to camp till after dark and camp on an old camp the soldiers have occupied rather long faces tonight as it is dark and we get a little supper and lay down to wonder what will come next

Aug 24 well this morning finds all pleasant again faces bright and they have almost forgotten the trials of the night before.

Aug 24 over stones & hills to within 2 miles of Boise City at a Ranche the mans name is J.P Walling15 come there 31 years ago with oxen sold some of his oxen for Beef to Fremonts perishing Soldiers and saved their lives we are well treated indeed and enjoy it.

Aug 25 the Sabbath shall stop over the day here have enjoyed the day very much have had the privilege of sitting once more in a house in a Rocking chair—Mr. Chase formerly from Eau Claire but now the Marshall of Idaho Ter gave us a call had a sing

Aug 26 Start for the City bright & early this Monday morning quite a nice place—

Aug 27 Here we are laying over till night we could [find] a good deal of work here if we wanted to stay we talk of staying can get work in a shop at 2.00 a day and Chet can get 5.00 per day as we are out of money we think best to stop the train started and we bid them goodbye and left crying Mr Eagers folks will stop to & Lena Hunter But back comes Gifford & says you are not going to stop come along in the store and get your supplies & come on we were only too willing to go and we follow along and they all seem glad to see us as we stop they rush up and shake hands as though we had been gone weeks instead of about 15 minutes well it would have been lonesome to have stopped I guess it is all for the best perhaps Mr. Eagers folks & Lena have stopped here while stopping in front of the store we hear music and find that Bernard’s16 troop of Calvalry have just come in from fighting Indians and they look as though they had seen hard work to dirty & ragged but feeling fine a large pack train follows them with their baggage looks quite grand

Aug 28 here we are travelling through a beautiful country good Ranches good gardens fruit &c &c all around looks prosperous

Aug 29 we are on our way at 7 this morning nice day but warm we have been 12 miles today at noon came across the Ferry across the Snake River paid 1.50 we are now in Oregon

Aug 30 went about 20 miles and camp

Aug 31 went as far as McDowells ranche & camp at noon we have a nice place here they killed a beef here & we bought some they branded some cattle here the first we ever saw branded we think it rather cruel Verney not very well

Sept 1 Sunday and we are laying over we are exactly where the Indians have raided & stolen horses & cattle

Sept 2, Monday started all well rested for a good days drive & went down Willow Creek & camp in a canyon Vernie very sick all night it rained the wind blew and lonesome I sat up the most of the nigth with Vernie

Sept 3 crossed the Willow Creek mts passed a mining camp have very bad roads come down where there has been a waterspout & tore up the road and trees by the roots but we pass without any great trouble we camp at the foot of the mountain at a ranche called Smith’s Ranche here we hear of Mr. Gilkey’s sister she lvies a mile off the road Will Allen went out to see her she was well and very glad to see him

Sept 4 it is cold & windy has been for two days so we have to wear wraps and are cold at that we are in sight of Eagle Creek Mts very high and covered with snow it is a nice looking country

Sept 5 we past a quaint mill today come only 18 miles today

Sept 6 come over the mts today come 18 miles to a town called Union nice clean little town

Sept 7 come on 22 miles to a town called Somerville a most desolate run down place at the base of the Blue Mts we are now camped for night just out of the village

Sept 8 It is Sunday and we are laying over & resting for it is the Sabbath a minister is stopping here he & his wife are on their way over the Mts to Walla walla he came up Sunday eve & gave us a little sermon seems nice to hear one once more we are now 40 miles from Wallawalla

Sept 9 we are going up up up but the scenery is grand nice timber pine fir Hemlock we camped near the summit overnight we made bonfires and told stories and passed the evening very pleasant Mrs Hunter is quite sick

Sept 10 Mrs Hunter no better we think she is very low indeed she thinks she will not live through the night we all fear she will not she cannot speak aloud I think best to wring out cloths in hot water and lay on her lungs it seems to give relief I do believe she is better. I sat up with her all night

Sept 11 she is a little better but very low but wants to go on we have made her a bed in her wagon as comfortable as possible and try it we stop at the first house get her a cup of Tea she is refreshed and we go on camp for noon on the bank of the Wallawalla river bought a bushel of apples for 25. Sallie is no worse ate a very little but is very tired

Sept 12 went 14 miles Sally very tired we stop at a farm house had all the watermelons we could eat

Sept 13 Arrived at Wallawalla at noon camped in a yard to get our dinner Indian camped in the same place white men with squaw wives Sallie improving slowly she is up and feels better shall stop overnight

Sept 14 are waiting for some to buy stores ready to start at noon Jim got his wife some medicine and she is certainly better start at noon go out 10 & camp

Sept 15 start at usual hour go 10 miles camp for noon on the Touchet river saw a great many Indians The Snake Indians are giving themselves up and are coming in in great No’s are dressed in new blankets and look & seem to feel very nice arrived at Dayton about 5 oclock and were welcomed by Dr Day17 he gave us a good hand shaking and ordered beef & flour for us as we were nearly out of money & provision to and went into camp for perhaps the last time we expect to stay over Sunday and see what next will be done we expect to stop here some others will some will go on into the Palouse so this is the end of our trials and pleasures for this four months & half

L A Ide

EPILOGUE

PERSONS MAKING UP THE MONDOVI WAGON TRAIN

(Information supplied by R.L. Olson, Lodi, California)

	Age in 1878
Chester Dean Ide (Brother of Sarah/Sally Ide)	47
Lucy Allen Ide (nee Loomis) Children:	39
Clarence W.	18
Earnest W.	11
George LaVergne	7
James G. Hunter18	50
Sarah or Sally Ide Hunter Children:	50
Cushman19	26
George	21
Lena (Rombeau)	18
Elma (Robbins)	16
Luella (Robinson)	14
James Mason	8
Henry Hunter (Brother of James G Hunter)	43
Susan Hunter(nee Holmes Senter) Children:	43
Anna (Baker)	21
Frank	19
Earle	7
Lelia (Mickle)	5
Luther Eager	50
Abigail Holden Eager Children:	52
James	24
Nellie (Robinson)	19
Everett	17
William	16
Harriet (Stafford)	13
Edger	11
Elihu B. Gifford	47
Catherine S. (Barrows) Gitford Children:	42
Charles	18
Catherine (Sisson)	10
Chester	9
John Gifford (Son of Elihu and Catherine Gifford)	21
Edith Lewis Gifford Child:	17
Homer (Born in Utah enroute)
Albertus L. Christian	26
Julia Etta Christian (Daughter of Elihu and Catherine Gifford)	22
Child: Gifford	1

SINGLE PERSONS

Lucinda Hessler(the Ides maid)	27
D.C. (Clint) Gardner (Wagon train captain)	38
Frank Mathewson	?
William F. Allen	23

1 Lucinda Hessler was the Ide family’s maid. She continued to live with the Chester D. Ide family after their arrival in Washington.

2 Charles Hadden Spurgeon was a famous Baptist preacher, pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London. His sermons and autobiography were published and were read and quoted from by every aspiring evangelical preacher of his day.

3 George Baker, in his “Recollections, ” says “According to Aunt Lucy Ide, it was there [i.e. in Omaha] we had oysters, lobsters, etc., on our menu, giving quite an ‘Oscar-of-the-Waldorf’ effect which must not be taken as an indication of our daily fare, but which made a real ‘Bat’ of our Omaha stay.” p. 22.

4 George Baker says of this episode, “ E.B. Gifford went out hunting jack rabbits, and in taking a shot at a rabbit, the bullet struck the ground, ricocheted, and struck a beef steer, breaking his leg, —and maybe he wasn’t joshed by the crowd. We went into camp that forenoon at Plum Creek. Gifford was arrested by the sheriff who turned out to be a brother of Roll Smith of Durand, Wisconsin, an old acquaintance of Gifford’s. He took us all thru the jail and courthouse. Gifford finally paid a fine of $ 12.50, and we had lots of beef instead of jack-rabbit—maybe.” ibid., p. 23.

5 William Frederick Cody, “Buffalo Bill, ” lived in several localities in Wyoming. Seven years later, a town farther north would be named for him in 1895. Today there is a Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, 50 miles east of Yellowstone National Park. Mac Urbanek, Wyoming Place Names (Missoula, Montana, 1988), p. 41.

6 Where Lucy Ide got this figure we don’t know. The usual number of grasses for the United States and Canada is generally estimated at 1, 000.

7 Fort D. A. Russell had been established on July 21, 1867. The site is three miles west of Cheyenne. It was given the name, “D.A. Russell” in honor of Brigadier General David A. Russell, who had been killed in 1864 in Virginia. It was a central supply depot for the area. It is still a viable military establishment, now named the Francis E. Warren Air Force Base. Robert W. Frazer, Forts of the West (Norman, OK, 1965), pp. 184–85.

8 Fort Laramie had been a military establishment since 1849. The laying of track for the Union Pacific 70 miles south and the Chicago & Northwestern 50 miles to the north placed the old fort off the lines of communication east and west and marked the beginning of the end. The army abandoned it in 1889. It is now a national monument. Frazer, op. cit., pp. 181–82.

9 Fort Sanders had been established on July 10, 1866, about three miles south of Laramie. It was named in honor of Brigadier General P. Sanders, who-had died in Tennessee in the Civil War. It would be abandoned in 1882. Frazer, op. cit., p. 185.

10 Ira David Sankey and Dwight Lyman Moody were prominent American evangelists, who had published two hymn collections, Songs and Solos (1873), and Gospel Hymns (1875–1891).

11 This “cave” is really more of an amphitheater than a cavern, about two miles east of Point of Rocks. Randy Brown, a knowledgable friend, who lives in Douglas, Wyoming, checked this out for us. This country is aptly described by the W.P.A. writers in Wyoming, A Guide to its History; Highways, and People (New York, 1952), p. 244:

“Gray cliffs form a mile-long wall beside the road. They have a strange moth-eaten appearance… Holes and small caves in the stone have apparently been scoured out by wind and rain. Farther west are rusty brown, grayish-yellow rim rocks. West of these the buttes are less spectacular. The distant hills look like monstrous sand piles, their sides ribbed with light-gray material and dented with darker hollows.”

12 It would seem that she refers here to Castle Rock, Sweetwater County, which stands guard to the town of Green River. If rises 1, 000 above the town. Mae Urbanek writes of it as ”a great beetling rock.” op. cit., p. 35.

13 Echo Canyon, Summit County, is a defile into the Wasatch Range from over the summit just west of the Utah-Wyoming boundary. The north fork of the Weber River flows through it. There is a railroad station at Echo. There is a trappers’ yarn about Jim Bridger’s experience with the echo which was with sharply reflecting stone walls. The old trapper would tell tenderfeet how he would call our “Wake up, Jim, ” and eight hours later the sound would resound back with those words, “Wake up, Jim, ” just at the proper time for his arousal. Rufus Wood Leigh, Five Hundred Utah Place Names (Salt Lake City, 1961), p. 2 1.

14 Marsh Basin, now dubbed Marsh Valley, is in Bannock County, Idaho. It was established in the late 1870s by Mormon pioneers, Lalia Boone, Idaho Place Names (Moscow, Idaho, 1988), p. 243.

15 J.B. Walling was a pioneer settler in the Boise area. He became noted for the contribution he made in setting up an irrigatin system. The “Walling ditch” was named for him. Annie L. Bird, Boise the Peace Valley (Caldwell, Idaho, 1934), pp. 201–202.

16 Captain Reuben F. Bernard, Captain of the First Cavalry during the Bannock Indian War. This entry into Boie marked essentially the end of that conflict, which George Francis Brimlow described as “the last major uprising of hostile Indians in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.” The Bannock Indian War of 1878 (Caldwell, Idaho, 1938), p. 7 See also George F. Brimlow, Editor, “Two Cavalrymen’s Diaries of the Bannock War, 1878, ” Oregon Historical Quarterly, LXVIII, No. 3, (Sept., 1967), pp. 221–258; No. 4 (Dec., 1967), pp. 293–316) For a portrait of this colorful soldier see the December reference above, p. 300.

17 At first we thought this was Jesse N. Day, who with his wife, Elizabeth, founded the town of Dayton, Washington. That was not the case, however; the “Dr Day” she wrote of was a homeopathic physician named W.W. Day, whom they had known when he lived in Eau Claire. There is in the Ide papers a letter written by him from Dayton, Washington, on January 23, 1878, to the Hunters. He encouraged them to migrate to the Pacific Northwest and gave that area high praise for the countless variety of crops that could be raised there. Whether it was coincidence that the two families became associated with Dayton or because they were related. Dr. Day had traveled overland in 1871. Good references to place names in Washington are Edmund S. Meany, Origin of Washington Geographic Names (Seattle, 1923), and James W. Phillips, Washington State Place Names (Seattle, 1971).

18 Mr. and Mrs. James Hunter and their daughter, l.uella, left Mondovi by train in 1877 and traveled to Cheyenne, where Jim Hunter’s brother, Frank, was living. They rented a house in Cheyenne and Jim went on to Washington, purchased land, then returned to Cheyenne to await the arrival of the wagon train with the rest of his family.

19 As seen by Mrs. Ide’s diary, Cushman Hunter did not make the entire trip by wagon. He became ill in Fremont, Nebraska, and went by train from Fremont to Cheyenne, where he stayed with his parents until the wagon train arrived in Cheyenne.