Joe Treanor/Trainor was my great great uncle. Maybe some of you will recognize a relative of yours. Dubuque Herald, Friday Marcy 30, 1877 page?, col 2: The Black Hills - A letter from Chas. Henion, who is with Joe Trainor's Party: Fort Pierre, D.T. March 14, 1877 We got here yesterday morning. It took us until late at night to get all of our wagons over the river. The ice was very unsafe. We got two of our wagons into the river, and came near loosing them and all of our goods. Every one of us got wet to our necks. We never took our clothes off until we got everything over. It started to snow about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and I tell you when it snows here, it snows and no fooling. Our clothes froze stiff on us. I expected to be sick to-day, but we are not. It started to snow when we were at Fort Thompson, and we came from Fort Thompson to Fort Pierre in snow about eight inches deep We have had a very hard trip so far. It just took us 18 days to make the trip from Yankton to Fort Pierre. We ought to have made it in 14 days, but we are here now and across the river all right. There are 20 wagons here now, and about 30 men. They say the reds are very bad along the road. We will wait until we get about fifty men, then we will make a start. They are afraid to start without a very good crowd. The reds are all on the warpath now. Sitting Bull has 1,000 lodges read to start just as soon as it gets a little warmer. He commands about 2,500 reds, and when they get started they will make things hot. We expect to make Deadwood City in about sixteen days if we have good luck. We are all well and stout. Joe Trainer has been snow blind for the last two or three days. He is a very good man, and works like everything - never says a word but what he means. We have got along first-rate. Gus Wood, an old Dubuque boy, is here. He has four wagons and is going to open a store in Deadwood. Dubuque Herald, April 11, 1877 page?, col 2: Deadwood Described - With a Full Account of a Trip from Rapid City - special correspondence to the Dubuque Herald. Deadwood, March 30, 1877 Hitching up our strongest team which consisted of an Indian pony and a mule, and throwing off our rifles into the wagon, Messrs. Palmer and Wyman, the commissioners, accompanied by L Deming, the scout and myself took our departure from Rapids City, bound for Deadwood, the principal city of the Black Hills. Were we to return to the Missouri river without visiting this noted place, why people would say we were never were to the Hills. Deadwood City is 46 miles from Rapids and people when traveling to Deadwood are always very cautious, as the Indians are very hostile along this road. It is always necessary to examine all the deep ravines, before entering them with your teams as the Indians generally await their victims in these deep recesses of the Hills. The road is adorned in several places with the graves of those who did not use the necessary precaution to examine the hillsides where the Indians are expected to meet their white foe. We reached Crook City late in the evening, and took quarters at the Merchant's hotel, the best house in the city. I had the pleasure of gazing at the stars the entire night, as the roof of the house was not yet completed, but still they accommodated boarders at the low rate of $18 per week. We left the next morning, and after a short drive over the Centennial Park at last reached Montana City. This little village is situated about one mile from Deadwood, and as the tourist reaches the top of the hill and gazes down 800 feet and beholds this little village deep down in the gulch he begins to contemplate how he is to get his team into the valley below; but his wagon is launched safe and sound below by the use of ropes and rough locks. This little place contains some of the richest mines, and were you to remain at Montana and see the miner take the gold dust from his mine you would soon begin to think that the Black Hills no farce but that they do contain rich gold lodes. Here we are, landed at Deadwood, and the Custer House bell announces that dinner is ready for the hungry travelers. Stabling our horses we are now ready to wade into the victuals prepared by Old Tom, the Custer hotel cool You must recollect that we had not dined at a hotel for over a month, consequently it was natural for us to call the latest delicacies of the season several times, the proprietor of the house, was made aware of our visit, and had prepared for the emergency. The Custer is situated on the main street and as the visitor stands in front of the hotel and gazes down street, upon the new buildings which has sprung into life within the last then months, he begins to ponder, and ask himself if it can be possible that these houses have taken the place of the miners tents. But such is the fact, and I would not be surprised, if Deadwood's population should reach 20,000 souls by the last of June. Deadwood at night is again as lively as it is in the day time. Passing along the street you can hear the music coming from the dance houses. Once glance into one of these hell holes will suffice. Here the miners can be found weighing out their hard day's earnings, and paying heavy prices for intoxicating liquors. The demi monde generally accompanying them to the bar, and indulging, perhaps, a glass of ale, or taking a cigar. The fee concert halls are also in full blast, all kinds of games are continually going on, and quiet frequently the ensnare a tenderfoot. WE will now wind our way to the Belle Union theater. Here can be found people of all descriptions listening to the jokes cracked by men and women, whom they would shun back east, but as they are now far way from civilization, they wander into these places of resort to pass away the time. A large number of our young men will remember a boy, nicknamed Fatty Brown. He is now a noted gambler in Deadwood, and reaps quite a harvest. Deadwood, without any exception, can be classed as one of the fastest towns in the west. Had I the time, and your paper the space, I could give you an account of the Black Hills, god and silver leads, which would surprise your any readers. I have visited gold claims in Deadwood gulch which can not be bought. I will now draw my letter to a close, after stating that Langrishe, the actor is now employed on the Deadwood Pioneer. We leave for Bad River, to-morrow. Jo Trainor's cattle have entirely played out, and he is in a bad fix. My regards &c. F Kretchmer Dubuque Herald, Friday May 18, 1877 page 4 col 2: John Duggan, partner of Joe Treanor in the Black Hills country, arrived yesterday from Deadwood. After purchasing a stock of goods, he returns, departing next Monday. He says a few adventurers are doing well, but the mass of emigrants are poorly off. Researching Surnames: Iowa:Beachler, Beear, Brennan, Cooligan, Frey/Frye, Gartner/Gardner, Gloden, Hansen, Henkel, Holmes, Jackson, Lenihan/Linehan Loughlin/Laughlin, Majerus, Nipp, Rastatter, Schenker, Seeman/Seeman, Specht, Theis/Tice, Treanor/Trenor, Vogel, Weitz, Zahina Canada: Arden, Gill, Thorley King & Queen/Essex Cty VA: Elliott, Marshall, Langford/Lankford