Kay , I can't figure how they could use the hams etc. For fuel.I mean it's not like wood .But I don't know the workings of such things. But ya no profit and have to use the meat for fuel too.I would have been devastated. Linda,still out here with the happy cows Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T -----Original Message----- From: jkaywojack <[email protected]> Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:06:20 To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [SOUTHERN-CHAT] Crossing The Plains Your ancestors sure led adventurous lives. Can't you imagine their dismay when they had to use the hams and bacon for fuel? I love reading reprints of diaries, old letters, etc., gives such a great insight into history. Kay In a message dated 01/27/10 19:36:31 Central Standard Time, [email protected] writes: More from the Lost Wagon Train series: In 1835 Peter and his wife Susannah (another susannah ) had made the long trip overland with their small children from Davidson County,North Carolina,so they could be of tremendous help in organizing the new move of the younger generation .Now they were established in Logan township , near Smithfield ,Pike County , Indiana .Peter was a blacksmith , and there was much to do on the farm as well . The Rickard children went to the little log cabin schoolhouse nearby , where they met the children of Dr. Michael Kime , who had come to Indiana from North Carolina before 1820 . He had donated land for the school and had served on the first board of trustees .In fact , he, along with Rev.C R Johnson and Joseph Woodry,had built the schoolhouse . Enumeration of school children for the year 1842 showed four Kimes, and by 1845 four Rickards had made their appearence. The three oldest sons had worked with their father until it was time for them to go on their own.Casper already had a farm and milling interests before his marriage in 1847 to Catherine Maloy Kime. John Rickard "made two trips... as a pilot on a pork boat" carrying hams and bacon to sell in New Orleans. On the first trip,all went well,and they were back home in two months,but the second one was the last as far as John was concerned.He felt lucky after three months just to get ,even with no profit from the venture .First ,"they were caught in a tornado and almost perished."one very stormy night on their way downstream, "the boat ran into a tree that had been uprooted and fell into the river ." All hands worked frantically to repair the damage and stop the leaks. So much of their firewood was lost overboard that they later had to use many of their hams and sides of bacon as fuel . The ferment of news of the california gold rush had died down somewhat by 1853, but now there was free land to be had in Oregon, just for settling and improving it.The Oregon Donation Land Act offered every man 160 acres,with a additional 160 for his wife.Many of the of the younger men and couples wanted desperately to own their land,but it took some capital for the long journey overland.Single men could hire out to help stock and drive extra wagons, but families had to equip themselves.Household goods ,surplus stock and farming implements,as well as farms,were offered for sale as the excitement to go west grew . Linda,todays installment 0 -- Linda Rogers ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message