March
18, 1858
Dear
Diary,
I
am so excited and scared to go out west! We are going very soon. We have to give
$25.00 to the captain or trade him something if we want to go west. We are
giving the captain and his daughter a free education. We are so happy that we
have enough money to go west, and that we can even can go!
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
May
1, 1858
Dear
Diary,
Earlier,
as I was looking around, I started to regret coming here. I am starting to think
that I should not go west, but Robert, Cecelia, and Samuel keep telling me that
I can do it. I can make it. It does make me feel better to hear that my family
believes in me, but I still feel very scared. I also feel very sad about leaving
Ma, Pa, Uncle Arthur, Grandmother Eve, and my great friend Lucy Eva Hall.
Our
family decided to buy water before we started on our journey, but after we
bought it we noticed a sign that said “Contaminated Water! Cholera!” So we
had to dump the water out and boil our water casks, to make sure if we used
those casks again we wouldn’t get sick and get cholera.
We
didn’t buy any oxen because they would just end up getting tired walking
beside the wagons. We are going to trade with somebody on the way, tired oxen
for new oxen.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
May
2, 1858
Dear
Diary,
If
we want to keep on going on the Oregon Trail, we have to cross Blue River. We
have decided that we are going to cross Blue River because we don’t want to
stop or go back.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
July
12, 1858
Dear
Diary,
Our
child (Frank) had to decide if he wanted to go to the top of Register Cliff and
carve his name in the landmark. He had decided that he did not want to go
because something bad could happen to him. He could get hurt, or he could get
lost, or the wagon train might leave without him, and much more could happen to
him. Frank just told us about this. Robert and I think Frank made a very good
choice. He really thought about what could happen. I am very proud of our boy
and I am very happy that he didn’t go because I would have told him that he
couldn’t.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
July
12, 1858
Dear
Diary,
Some
children are missing. I think some of the men should go look for the children,
so if one gets hurt, there is another person to help. If some men stay back and
do not go, they would be able to help keep the women and children safe and
protect us. Well, good luck to us.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
July
20, 1858
Dear
Diary,
We
are at a place with muddy water that has alkali in it. The animals are trying to
drink the muddy water, so we are going to use all our wagons to make a wagon
circle and guard the animals to keep them away from the muddy water at night.
Guess what I just found out? We are staying where there are hostile Indians, and
you know what happened last night? Well, last night four of Mrs. Honeyman’s
blankets were stolen. Since then, I have been scared to stay here. You want to
know what else happened? Well, last night five oxen got out of the wagon circle
and drank the muddy water. We used to have thirty-eight oxen, but now we have
thirty-three.
Yours
Truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
July
21, 1858
Dear
Diary,
A
woman on the wagon train just had a baby! The woman is Louisa Knapp Clapp Smith.
She had a baby girl.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
July
23, 1858
Dear
Diary,
Louisa
just named her baby. The new baby’s name is Madison America Smith.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
July
23, 1858
Dear
Diary,
We
are at Fort Laramie and I just took a bath! It felt so good! I feel so much
better, so clean. My family and I bought some new things. We found out that some
bugs got into our flour, so now we have to buy flour.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
July
23, 1858
Dear
Diary,
Today
we saw a message on the bulletin board that said “Attention! Next spring is
contaminated with cholera! Go north for fresh springs!” We are very happy that
we saw that sign because we might have ended up drinking that water and getting
cholera.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
July
23, 1858
Dear
Diary,
I
miss my family and friends a lot! I wish I could see them right now. I have to
stop writing to you for now because there is a lot of work to be done.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
July
23, 1858
Dear
Diary,
I
am sitting down and thinking about how happy I am that I am going west. I have
thought about it and I think I am happy, excited, and scared because I know bad
things are going to happen to me, a family member, or one of my close friends on
the wagon train. This trip has been exciting and a big adventure so far. Can’t
wait to find what is going to happen next!
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
July
23, 1858
Dear
Diary,
Cecelia
and I have been teaching Abigail, the captain’s daughter, and the captain. We
are starting to teach the Whitman children, Allison and Morgan. They are paying
us 50 cents a child.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
July
28, 1858
Dear
Diary,
The
ground is rumbling and we are going single file on this trail because it is too
narrow. BUFFALOS!!! They are coming near the wagon. Oh no, a buffalo stampede! I
am very afraid. George Whitman just sprained his ankle. Some men on horses are
riding in front of the buffaloes. The buffaloes are turning around! I am very
happy that we are safe, but when we were trying to get away from the buffalo
stampede some of our thing fell out. It took one whole day to pick up all our
things. I have to go. I can see someone’s pillow on the ground and I should go
pick it up.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
July
30, 1858
Dear
Diary,
We
are at Sweetwater Station. There is a legend that in the summer there is ice, if
you dig for it. Captain Daniel has decided that Daniel, Robert, and himself are
going to go to try and dig up the ice. If they find ice we can put the buffalos
that we shot during the stampede. Good luck to them and us! I hope Robert stays
safe. Write to you later.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
July
30, 1858
Dear
Diary,
Good
news! Captain Daniel, Daniel, and my husband Robert found the ice!
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
July
31, 1858
Dear
Diary,
We
made it half way and we are in the Rockies. We see some water going down very
fast and there are currents! I am very afraid that something bad is going to
happen! I can see the water rapidly going down the mountain side. I do not know
what we are going to do!!! Our wagon just got caught on some rocks and the wagon
wheel is broken in half! Some loose supplies fell out of our wagon, like the
locket my mother gave to me when I was young. Our water cask fell out and we
don’t have much water left! We have two extra wheels. To get water we have
decided that we might get some water from the springs, but we also might be
getting some water from the Honeyman’s because they offered us some.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
July
31, 1858
Dear
Diary,
We
got two cattle and a yoke of oxen because we met some people on the trail while
we were celebrating and they liked the entertainment. I have got to go because I
can hear them singing “Oh Susanna”!
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
August
1, 1858
Dear
Diary,
Mr.
Whitman got bitten by a snake, but luckily Doctor Daniel Honeyman brought whisky
and gave it to George. It helped Mr. Whitman a lot and took away a lot of the
pain.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
August
1, 1858
Dear
Diary,
We
have come to a two-way route. We can go on Fort Bridger or Sublet Cutoff. We
picked the right route, Fort Bridger. I am so happy. We came to water at last! I
took a bath and restocked everything. The oxen and the animals ate the greens
and everyone had water.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
August
8, 1858
Dear
Diary,
We
are at Fort Bridger. Now is our chance to buy new oxen, supplies, flour, and a
horse. We have to get a new horse because our other horse, Billy, is tired and
hungry. We are getting a female horse and naming her Betty. We are loading up on
water too.
Robert
and I earned $10.00 for mending a fence.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
September
8, 1858
Dear
Diary,
We
just saw a sign on the bulletin board that said “There have been hostile
Indian attacks at Massacre Rock."
I
am very worried because we are going to be at Massacre Rock in one or two days.
Two of the men are going to check out Massacre Rock to find out if it is safe to
cross. I am sooo afraid because Robert and Captain Daniel are the two men going.
I can not even think about what I would do if I did not have Robert as my
husband, and Captain Daniel as our captain. They are great men and I wouldn’t
ever want something to happen to ether of them!
I
keep on thinking about what could happen if Robert and Captain Daniel go. Like,
what if they never come back?! What if they or one of them gets hurt?! Will
something bad happen to them?! What if the Indians aren’t there when they go,
but are there when the wagon train goes! Then what will happen?!
Good
luck to everyone.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
September
8, 1858
Dear
Diary,
I
just found out that when Robert and Captain Daniel leave, the men and women will
have guns, shotguns, and more! Oh no, it cannot be. The Captain has just found
out that the hostile Indians are the Crow tribe! The Crow are a very dangerous
tribe, very hostile. I am so afraid!
I
have to go say good bye and good luck to Robert and Captain Daniel. As I said
before, good bye and GOOD LUCK to us, especially the scouts.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
September
8, 1858
Dear
Diary,
We
just earned $25.00.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
October
12, 1858
Dear
Diary,
We
can get to Willamette Valley in three different ways. We have decided to get
there on a canoe. An Indian is going to lead us down the river for $45.00, and
let us rent a canoe for $40.00. I hope we made a good choice.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
October
12, 1858
Dear
Diary,
Some
emigrants came to the mission with a tattered wagon, two almost broken wheels,
and a broken axel. We saw them and asked them if they wanted to buy our wagon,
extra wheels, and axel for $96.00. They said yes, and soon said they would be
on their way through the Barlow Toll Road.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
October
12, 1858
Dear
Diary,
Three
families from a wagon train had to kill two of their oxen because they were lame
from the long journey. Each family had only had four oxen. We had nine oxen, so
we decided to sell three oxen to each family, for a total of $60.00.
We
will donate the two cattle and rest of our supplies to the mission except for 5 lbs of cornmeal, 6 lbs dried apples, 4 lbs dried peaches, 10 lbs of salt, 3 lbs
of sugar, 1 loaf of bread, 2 blankets, 1 rifle, 2 wool shirts/pants.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
October
12, 1858
Dear
Diary,
Two
scouts had to be sent out. The volunteers were Daniel Honeyman, Jon Honeyman,
and Samuel McMillen, my brother in law. Jon Honeyman and Samuel McMillen were
chosen to be the scouts. I just hope that no one gets hurt.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
October
12, 1858
Dear
Diary,
The
Honeyman’s canoes crashed and there was not enough room for everyone to fit in
the canoes, so the two scouts had to be left at a camp site. The Indians were
going to go back to the campsite where we left the scouts, in about a week.
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
October
28, 1858
Dear
Diary,
When
the Indians went back to the camp, the scouts were gone and all the Indians saw
were bear foot prints. Samuel and Jon never came back. They are probably dead.
I just can’t believe they are gone. I have to stop writing before my whole
paper gets covered with tears. Oh dear, poor Cecelia. I just hope Samuel and Jon
rest in peace (R.I.P.).
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
Summer
O ‘59
Dear
Diary,
We
have finally made it to Oregon! The big journey is over and a new adventure has
begun. We are creating a new life.
We
just found a plot of land to build our house on. Robert will start building as
soon as possible. While he is doing that, Cecelia and I will get to know the area
and the people in it. We will teach in the future when we are all settled in.
So, for now we are focusing on gathering materials, food, and anything else we need
to create our new home and establish our new lives. Some of these materials
include building supplies, cooking supplies, and weapons.
I
am so excited to be here! I can’t believe I made it through the Oregon Trail!
However I am a little nervous to be in such an unfamiliar place, and miss the
comforts of home. I hope to see my friends and family again.
I
look forward to seeing the families from the wagon train. I can’t wait to see
how much the children have grown. It’s been quiet without the other families.
We
are staying in Willamette Valley. Willamette Valley is a beautiful and wonderful
place! It is everything that we dreamed it would be!
I
am very happy with my new life and excited for all the new experiences to come!
Yours
truly,
Christine
Maria Adams McMillen
To the People
and Projects
Comments? Email Mrs. Gurwicz
Last Updated: 08/28/04