Who led the first wagon train of pioneers?
There was a young man, John Bidwell, a native of New York, who also continued to move westward and new opportunities. Bidwell at age 21 along with Capt. John Bartleson organized the Western Emigration Society and led the first wagon train of pioneers across the Rocky Mountains.
When did the first wagon train reach California?
It would be a few years before masses would travel to California, not until the California Gold Strike of January 1848 which would then bring some 130,000 people over the California Trail. Photo: John Bidwell, wagon train leader in 1841.
Who was the first person to settle in California by wagon?
Walker's party in 1843 also abandoned their wagons and finished getting to California by pack train. In 1844, Caleb Greenwood and the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party became the first settlers to take wagons over the Sierra Nevada and into California over what became the Truckee Trail.
How did the pioneers finish their journey to California?
In addition, their animals were getting in ever poorer condition. After a very hard struggle they finished their trip to California successfully by building pack saddles for their horses, oxen and mules and converting their wagon train into a pack train.
When did the first wagon train arrive in California?
In 1841 the first emigrant wagon train headed for California. It left Independence, Missouri on May 1, 1841 and reached California on November 4. Two years later, wagon trains began branching to the north onto the Oregon Trail leading to the Pacific Northwest. A party of American settlers, led by Dr.
How long did it take a wagon train to go from St Louis to California?
four to six monthsThe length of the wagon trail from the Missouri River to Sacramento, California was about 1,950 miles (3,138 km). It normally took four to six months to traverse the length of the California Trail with covered wagons pulled by oxen.
Who took the first wagon train from Missouri to Oregon?
In what was dubbed "The Great Migration of 1843" or the "Wagon Train of 1843", an estimated 700 to 1,000 emigrants left for Oregon. They were led initially by John Gantt, a former U.S. Army Captain and fur trader who was contracted to guide the train to Fort Hall for $1 per person.
How long did it take for wagon trains to get to the West Coast?
The covered wagon made 8 to 20 miles per day depending upon weather, roadway conditions and the health of the travelers. It could take up to six months or longer to reach their destination.
How much did it cost to join a wagon train?
There was often a musician who traveled with the wagon train to entertain the group at night. When a family decided to join a wagon train, it often had to save money for three to five years before it could even begin the journey. The wagon cost around $400. The cost of the trip with supplies could be as much as $1,000.
How much did it cost to travel with a wagon train?
The overland journey from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon or California meant a six-month trip across 2,000 miles of hard country. It was costly—as much as $1,000 for a family of four. That fee included a wagon at about $100.
Why didn't most pioneers ride in their wagons?
People didn't ride in the wagons often, because they didn't want to wear out their animals. Instead they walked alongside them, getting just as dusty as the animals. The long journey was hard on both people and animals. It was even hard on the wagons, which usually had to be repaired several times during the trip.
How much did a wagon master earn?
Teamsters made good wages. A wagon master could earn $150 a month and teamsters were paid $70-$75 at a time when wages were about $2 a day and a soldier earned $13 a month.
How far did the pioneers typically walk each day for 6 months?
Average distance covered in a day was usually fifteen miles, but on a good day twenty could be traveled. 7:30 am: Men ride ahead on horses with shovels to clear out a path, if needed.
What was the main cause of death on the Oregon Trail?
Emigrants feared death from a variety of causes along the trail: lack of food or water; Indian attacks; accidents, or rattlesnake bites were a few. However, the number one killer, by a wide margin, was disease. The most dangerous diseases were those spread by poor sanitary conditions and personal contact.
What is the leader of a wagon train called?
A wagon master was the person hired to oversee the transportation of a group of wagons. On the American frontier, the term usually applies to the person responsible for assisting groups of immigrants or pioneers from the eastern US to the western US. Wagon masters were also hired to oversee shipments of cargo or mail.
Were there still wagon trains in 1883?
Great wagon trains were mostly a thing of the past by 1883, and if they were taken at all it was likely from one established frontier town to a growing village that was, on a continental scale, pretty close - only dozens or hundreds of miles rather than thousands.
How long did it take pioneers to travel to California?
five to six monthsAt the time, the entire journey took five to six months to complete. Along the route, travelers not only faced the treacherous Rockies, but also the barren deserts of Nevada and the frigid Sierra Nevada Range.
How much did a wagon master earn?
Teamsters made good wages. A wagon master could earn $150 a month and teamsters were paid $70-$75 at a time when wages were about $2 a day and a soldier earned $13 a month.
Were there still wagon trains in 1883?
Great wagon trains were mostly a thing of the past by 1883, and if they were taken at all it was likely from one established frontier town to a growing village that was, on a continental scale, pretty close - only dozens or hundreds of miles rather than thousands.
What were the two main causes of death along the trail?
Wagon accidents were the most prevalent. Both children and adults sometimes fell off or under wagons and were crushed under the wheels. Others died by being kicked, thrown, or dragged by the wagon's draft animals (oxen, mules, or horses).
How many miles did the Conestoga wagons travel?
As this group, traveling roughly 12 to 15 miles a day in their Conestoga wagons with their oxen, horses and mules made it to Soda Springs, Idaho, the group broke into two groups. Half wanted to travel to Williamette Valley, Oregon, the other half to California.
How many people did Bidwell have to abandon his wagons?
With Bidwell were only 33 people and they all suffered desperate hardship after having to abandon their wagons to cover the rough terrain, lack of clear water and near starvation, crossing the Sierra Nevada Mountains before arriving in the area of Tuolumne County on November 4, 1841. It was estimated that only 100 white Americans even lived in California before the wagon train led by Bidwell arrived. Most of the new settlers lived along Sullivan Creek.
Who was the first person to bring wagons to the Sierra Nevada?
By some accounts the so-called Stevens-Murphy-Townsend party of some fifty persons was the first group to bring wagons all the way from Missouri and through the Sierra Nevada by the California Trail, Donner Lake, and Truckee Pass, from October to December of 1844. William Becknell, a Missouri merchant, took the first wagon train, of three wagons, ...
When did the wagon train arrive in Oregon?
It was not until 1843 that the celebrated "cow column" Oregon emigrant party of about one thousand persons brought most of its 120 wagons over the trail to arrive near the Columbia River on 10 October, the first wagon train to reach Oregon Country.
How many miles a day did wagons make?
Horse-or mule-drawn wagons could make from ten to fifteen miles a day. Even after the completion of the Union Pacific-Central Pacific tramontane railway line in May 1869, caravan trade and travel persisted for a decade. However, the wagon trains and caravans decreased in size, except in the case of freighting lines.
What was the purpose of the wagon train?
WAGON TRAINS. For purposes of protection and efficiency, traders and emigrants of the trans-Mississippi West before 1880 customarily gathered their wagons into more or less organized caravans or trains. William L. Sublette, a partner in the reorganized Rocky Mountain Fur Company, conducted a ten-wagon, mule-drawn train over the Oregon Trail from St. Louis, Missouri, as far as the company's Wind River rendezvous (in present-day Wyoming) between 10 April and 16 July 1830, returning to St. Louis on 10 October. Captain Benjamin L. E. Bonneville is usually credited with the distinction of having taken the first wagons through South Pass; in July 1832 his twenty- wagon train reached the Green River by that route.
Why were wagons drawn up in a circle?
At night the wagons were commonly drawn up in a circle or a square, end to end, so as to form a corral for at least the more valuable horses, mules, and cattle, as well as a fortress for the passengers . Indian thefts, buffalo herds, storms, and animal stampedes made life in the wagon camps treacherous.
How much did the wagons cost in 1824?
Caravans of twenty-five wagons or more were used largely to transport trade goods over the Santa Fe Trail valued at $35,000 in 1824, $90,000 in 1826, and $150,000 in 1828. The number of wagons making the overland journey annually from 1843 to 1848 is difficult to determine with accuracy.
What was the Santa Fe Trail?
The Santa Fe Trail . Independence for Mexico meant the legal opening of New Mexican markets to outsiders. In 1821 William Becknell, a Missouri merchant, reached Santa Fe with American goods. By the end of the year two other wagon trains owned by American merchants entered the city. The famous Santa Fe Trail was born.
Who led the first wagon train to California?
John Bartleson was the leader of the first wagon train of pioneers. There were 69 adults, with 5 woman and a couple children. None of them had ever seen a white man before. Bidwell was the youngest of the group. He was only 14 years old at the time of his arrival in the United States.
Who traveled the California Trail first?
The first person to use the trail was John Bidwell, who made his way to Utah in 1847. Bidwell and his men traveled by horse and wagon across the plains, crossing the Colorado River on the way.
Why was the Oregon Trail created?
Marcus Whitman, a doctor and Protestant missionary, set out on horseback from the Northeast in 1835 to prove that Native Americans could be converted to Christianity. Whitman ‘s mission was a success, and he returned to the U.S. with more than 1,000 Native American converts. But Whitman ‘s success was short-lived.
Who used the Mormon Trail?
The route taken by Mormons from Illinois to the Great Salt Lake became known as the Mormon Trail. The first Mormon colony in the territory was established after church members fled to Utah after Joseph Smith was murdered by a mob.
When did the wagon train reach California?
May 1, 1841 - The first wagon train to California, with sixty-nine adults and several children, leave from Independence, Missouri. The journey would take until November 4. Within two years, it would be considered a small excursion, when wagon trains would reach one thousand people in settlement of the west, but this wagon train, ...
When did the first settlement of California occur?
After six months we had now arrived at the first settlement in California, November 4, 1841.
How long did it take to travel on the Oregon Trail?
The trip would take five months at fifteen miles per day ; it would cover over two thousand miles, traversing the Oregon Trail and crossing the Great Salt Lake and Sierra Nevada Mountains.
What were the problems with the arrival of the United States in Alta California?
However, there were problems with an arrival of United States immigrants in Alta California. Mexican generals had orders to evict any Americans who tried to colonize Mexican territory. When a portion of the Bartleson-Bidwell company arrived at Mission San Jose, they were detained, but eventually allowed to stay if they became Mexican citizens.
When did Bidwell reach Sapling Grove?
Bidwell Account of the Journey - The Start. When we reached Sapling Grove, the place of rendezvous, in May, 1841, there was but one wagon ahead of us. For the next few days one or two wagons would come each day, and among the recruits were three families from Arkansas.
Where did the Western Emigration Society travel?
Marsh was the second owner. It began in Sapling Grove in Westport, Missouri, west of Independence, and travel over the Oregon Trail.
Where did the savage party start?
It began in Sapling Grove in Westport, Missouri, west of Independence , and travel over the Oregon Trail. There is some disagreement over the date the party started, with May 1 and May 9 suggested.
Where was the wagon train in 1836?
By 1836, when the first Oregon migrant wagon train was organized in Independence, Missouri, a wagon trail had been scouted and roughed out to Fort Hall, Idaho.
Who was the first person to use the California Trail?
The first recorded party to use part of the California Trail to get to California was the Bartleson–Bidwell Party in 1841. They left Missouri with 69 people and reasonably easily reached the future site of Soda Springs, Idaho on the Bear River by following experienced trapper Thomas "Broken-hand" Fitzpatrick on his way to Fort Hall. Near Soda Springs the Bear River swung southwest towards the Great Salt Lake and the regular Oregon Trail headed northwest out of the Big Basin drainage and into the Portneuf River (Idaho) drainage to Fort Hall on the Snake River .
What was the purpose of the Lander Road?
Lander by federal contractors in 1858—one of the first federally sponsored roads in the west. Lander's Road officially was called the Fort Kearney, South Pass and Honey Lake Road and was a federally funded attempt to improve the Oregon and California trails. The little used Honey Lake part of the proposed route near the present states of Nevada and California border was improved in 1859 under Lander's direction but did not go much beyond improving some watering holes—work ceased in 1860. The "Lander Road" was the first section of the federally funded road through the future states of Wyoming and Idaho. Expeditions under the command of Frederick W. Lander surveyed a new route starting at Burnt Ranch following the last crossing of the Sweetwater River before it turned west over South Pass. The Lander Road followed the Sweetwater River further north, skirting the Wind River Range before turning west and crossing the continental divide north of South Pass. The road crossed the Green River near the present town of Big Piney, Wyoming; then it passes over 8,800 feet (2,700 m) Thompson Pass in the Wyoming Range near the head of the Grey's River; and then it crosses another high pass across the Salt River Range before descending into Star Valley (Wyoming). The trail entered Star Valley about 6 miles (9.7 km) south of the present town of Smoot, Wyoming. From Smoot, the road then continued north about 20 miles (32 km) down Star Valley west of the Salt River before turning almost due west at Stump Creek near the present town of Auburn, Wyoming and passing into the present state of Idaho and following the Stump Creek valley about ten miles (16 km) northwest over the Caribou Mountains (Idaho) (this section of the trail is now accessible only by US Forest Service path as the main road ( Wyoming Highway 34) now goes through Tincup canyon to get across the Caribous.) After crossing the Caribou Range the road split, turning almost ninety degrees and progressing southwest to Soda Springs, Idaho, or alternately heading almost due west and passing south of Grays Lake (now part of the Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge) to Fort Hall Idaho. The Lander Road had good grass, fishing, water and wood but was high, rough and steep in many places. Later, after 1869, it was mostly used by ranchers moving their stock to and from summer grazing or markets.
How many people were on the California Trail?
The traffic was so heavy that in two years the new settlers added so many people to California that by 1850 it qualified for admission as the 31st state with 120,000 residents.
What was the Humboldt River Valley?
The Humboldt River Valley was key to forming a usable California Trail. The Humboldt River with its water and grass needed by the livestock (oxen, mules horses and later cattle) and emigrants provided a key link west to northern California.
Where did the Mormon Trail start?
Introduction. By 1847, two former fur trading frontier forts marked trailheads for major alternative routes through Utah and Wyoming to Northern California. The first was Jim Bridger 's Fort Bridger (est. 1842) in present-day Wyoming on the Green River, where the Mormon Trail turned southwest over the Wasatch Range to the newly established Salt ...
Which trail followed the Oregon Trail?
After it was established, the first half of the California Trail followed the same corridor of networked river valley trails as the Oregon Trail and the Mormon Trail, namely the valleys of the Platte, North Platte, and Sweetwater rivers to Wyoming.
