Anna Marie King

From Covered Wagon Women: Diaries & Letters from the Western Trails, 1840-1849

Letter of Anna Maria King

Luckiamute Valley, Oregon

April 1, 1846

Dear Mother, Brothers and Sisters:

After traveling six months, we arrived at Lynntin on the Willamette, Nov. 1. We had beautiful weather all the way, no rain of any account. We got along finely until we came to Fort Boisien (Boise?) with 3 or 400 miles of Lynnton when along came a man by the name of Meiks (Meeks), who said he could take us a new route across the Cascade Mountains to the Willamette River in 20 days, so a large company of 150 or 200 wagons left the old road to follow the new road and traveled for two months over sand, rocks, hills, and anything else but good roads. Two thirds of the immigrants ran out of provisions and had to live on beef, but as it happened we had plenty of flour and bacon to last us through.

But worse than all this, sickness and death attended us the rest of the way. I wrote to you at Fort Larim (Laramie) that the whooping cough and measles went through our camp and after we took the new route a slow, lingering fever prevailed. Out of Chamber L. Norton's (listed in the 1850 Oregon Federal Census as Lucius Norton, 51, a farmer from Ohio... his wife was Hopestell, also mispelled Hopestill... Donna M. Wojcik in "The Brazen Overlanders" lists him as Lucius Varolus Norton), John's (John and Susan King died on Oct. 26, 1845, of drowning in the Columbia River as a result of a rafting accident... also drowned were their little daughter Electa and their baby son, age 9 months, according to Anna Maria), and our family, none escaped except Solomon and myself.

But listen to the deaths: Sally Chambers (daughter of the Nahum Kings... wife of Rowland or Rolland Chambers according to Wojcik, who says she died in the Malheur Mountains of Oregon), John Kin and his wife, their little daughter Electa and their babe, a son 9 months old, and Dulancy C. Norton's sister are gone (so far, the relationship of Dulancy C. Norton and his sister are not known). Mr. A. Fuller (Wojcik lists him as Arnold Wesley Fuller, whose wife died on Apr. 28, 1845, at the emigrant camp in present-day Kansas... nothing seems to be known about the daughter, Tabitha who died on the way west) lost his wife and daughter Tabitha. Eight of our two families have gone to their long home. Stephen was taken with fever at Fort Boisen; he had not been well since we left Ohio, but was now taken worse. He was sick for three months, we did not expect him to live for a long time, was afraid he had consumption, but he is now well and hearty, getting fatter every day, and he weighs as much as he did when he came over the mountains, and as for myself, I was never heartier in my life since I left Missouri. I have not had even one sick day. The rest of our party are getting well and hardy now, I believe.

Those that went the old road got through six weeks before us, with no sickness at all. Upwards of 50 died on the new route.

The Indians did not disturb us, except stealing our horses. We have made our claim on the Luckiamute, a western branch of the Wllamette, now a day's ride from the ocean and 100 miles south of the Columbia River. It is a beautiful country as far as I have seen. Every person 18 years old holds a section by making improvements and living on it five years. They sow wheat here from October til June, and the best wheat I ever saw and plenty of it at 75 cents and $1.00 per bushel; potatoes 25 c., peas $1.00 per bushel, corn 50 c., beef 6 c. and 8 c., pork 10 c., sugar 12 1/2 c., molasses 50 c., tea 75 c., sheeting from 16 to 25 c., calico from 10 c. to 50 c., and salt is 1 c. a pound, and other things accordingly. The water is all soft as it is in Massachusetts. Soda springs are common and fresh water springs without number. It is now April 1, and not a particle of snow has fallen in the valley. Neither have I seen a bit of ice a half inch thick this winter, but it rains nearly all winter, but this does not hinder them from plowing or sowing wheat. We have the most frost in the spring. They don't make garden until the last of April or the first of May, but it comes good when it does come. There are thousands of strawberries, gooseberries, blackberries, whortleberries, currants, and other wild fruits, but no nuts except filberts and a few chestnuts. The timber is principally fir and oak.

You perhaps wish to know how I like the country. I like it well. It is an easy place to make a living. You can raise as many cattle as you please and not cost you a cent, for the grass is green the whole winter and cattle are as fat as if they had been stall fed the whole year round. Wheat is raised without trouble and will fetch anything, the same as cash. A wagon from $100 to 150, 100 dollars for a yoke of oxen, $50 for a cow. And work will fetch anything you want at from $1 to $1.50 a day, a dollar a hundred for making rails, and so on. And I was much opposed to coming as anyone could be, if I were back there and know what I know now, I should be perfectly willing to come.

The land you get is sufficient to pay for your trouble and if you were here and John and Warren each of them and yourself had a claim, I should like to live there. We have all got claims joining. What winter states will do for us i cannot tell. You know more about that than I do. The Indians appear to be very friendly, like to have the Bostons come, as they call them. you think it is a long road and so it is, but the worst is over when you get started. Be sure and have plenty of flour, that is the main object; start with at least 175 or 200 pound, and 75 pounds of bacon to the person, fetch no more beds than you want to use, start with clothing a plenty to last you one year after that you will raise a plenty to buy with, start with at least four or five yoke of cattle to the wagon, young cattle four or five years old are the best, fetch what coffee, sugar, and such things you like, ifyou should be sick you need them. I write to you as if I expect you to come. I need not do that as i know of, although I wish you were here.

I can't help but believe you would be suited not that it will do my dear mother any good to see her children well-fixed to get a living. That is if Congress ever does anything for Oregon. It is not like any other new country - a farm to pay for - it is already paid for when you get here. You don't know how I want to see you, and if I am never to see you let me hear from you as often as possible. I want to know how you are all getting along and what you are doing. Give my love and respects to all.

We have had two weddings in our family. Rolland Chambers and Livisa King (this was the second King girl who was married to Rolland Chambers... Lovisa King was sister of his first wife, Sally or Sarah, according to Wojcik), and Amos King (son of Nahum and Serepta King) to Melinda Fuller (daughter of Arnold and Sarah Fuller, according to Wojcik). Young men have to pay five dollars a year if they don't live on their claim. The people all look hale and hearty hear. We are all looking for Moses Moon and Herman Hallock this fall.

Write the first opportunity and every one. It has been so long since I have heard from you.

Your affectionate Children, Stephen and Mariah King.