PART 5 of Information on Socrates H Tryon ****************************************************************************** 10 Subject: S.H. Tryon Crossing Missouri River at Council Bluffs 1849 Date: Tue, 07 Apr 1998 11:03:21 -0500 From: Larry Bradshaw <llbradsh@iastate.edu> To: dbrevik@IX.netcom.com This is on the way west. The Travels of S. H. Tryon Council Bluffs May 29, 1849 heading for the Oregon Trail Dean Franny, According to promises I can take this opportunity to write and inform you where I am. What has transpired on our way and as far as possible make you acquainted with our (prospects). since I wrote last nothing of importance has transpired to discourage us hinder on our journey (impractical). In my last, I informed you that we were with the City Company and that Charlie Dallas had overtaken us and after waiting on him near three days he left us the first slough hole we got into and as his teams were empty or nearly so he (passed) us and took the south road but after all his meanness we took a better road and got here two days ago ahead of him. Now his provisions are not here and he has to go down to St. Joseph for his loading (for) with his teams which will take him two weeks. There has been 50 deaths at a point 16 miles below us from Cholera but no travelers have come across by land have taken it above St. Joseph. We have all been well and are still the same with the exception of Wells who has had an attack if inflammatory rheumatism but is now altogether well. The Iowa City company differ about their own matters and split up into four companies we left them about four days ago. Abbe crossed at this place near two weeks ago. We have joined a company called the Badger Company of 40 to 50 wagons made up from Wisconsin and Iowa. Charles (Doran) is here and he is all that is here now that you have any knowledge of. I have written to Isbel and directed him to assist you in going down east and I hope there will be no Cholera. On the Lakes I shall expect you to go as soon as you can and I hope Captain Rodgers be giving his time to accompany you. As I expect this letter will find you at Captain Rodgers you will all be as good as to consider it written for you all. I shall expect Captain Rodgers will write me at San Francisco in time for me to meet it there which will be about 25 weeks from the first of June and preventing providence. Our teams are at this time crossing the (Missouri) river so that you see I have waited until the last moment before I write. Warren Marks a first rate fellow, on the road, as near as I can ascertain there was about 500 teams cross the Missouri and about to cross at this place. One company was stopped by the Indians but no injury done. We are in the center of the Mormon settlement and I can assure you that they are the poorest, ragged and debilitated creatures I ever saw more (s**) take them together than the Indians. However they are very kind and to all appearances strictly pious. I hope that you will take every measure to improve your health and little Socrates you must take every pains with . I am anxious to hear from you and also from Captain Rodgers whole family in fact (******) our (people). Please remember me to all. You will hear from me again when at the Salt Lake and possibly before. Frances Tryon Your affectionate husband S.H.Tryon ******************************************************************** 11 Subject: Date: Tue, 07 Apr 1998 11:04:29 -0500 From: Larry Bradshaw <llbradsh@iastate.edu> To: dbrevik@IX.netcom.com Tryons in Oregon November 1849 Milwaukee Oregon November 12, 1848 No 8 Dearest Frances, I have written one letter to you since I arrived in August. I think about as weeks ago and directed the same to the care of Mr. Isbel as I did not know where it would find you but I hope that you are in Connecticut or some other healthy part of New England. I also wrote to Captain Rodgers about the same time. I had not time to make up my miond fully in relation to this county when I wrote but make haste to let you know that we had all got over the mountains alive which is almost a miracle and what hardly any other company can say in truth. We are all living in the town of Milwaukee, all well and doing well and would be in good spirits had we our families to take care of us. I hardly know what to say as I have had no news from home as yet. we expect there are letters the the Bay (San Francisco) for us and have taaken steps to obtain them but do not know how long first and when we do we very much fear that the news may be unwelcome there is so much sickness in the States if newspaper accounts are to be relied upon. Now Franny my earnest request is that you take every precaution to take good care of your health and spare no pain with little Socrates. Do not be afraid expense as I have plenty of mnoney and have a propect of making a sufficintcy in two years at the longest. Do not let it supprise you when I tell you that I have made $5,000 in less than one month. Money is as plentiful as dirt and easily obtained by an enterprising person of good business habits. But no more upon this angle. So far, I am much better pleased with Oregon than I expected to be and have better pecuniary prospects than I expected when I started for California. The climate is mild, similar to England, soil is good and the finest timber in the world. I have been trying to devise some plan by which to get you mother and Huldah out here but cannot act decidedly until I hear from you which I hope will be soon as our brig come in from the Bay and we expect her daily. Her name is the Forest. We are about purchasing another as one vessel cannot take away our lumber shingles and framed houses as fast as we manufacture them. (Dusmout) is working for us at $5.00 per day. Wells the same. Dorlon and Jesse at $15,000, Walla and Devillo we give three, father is butchering and we all board with Violet. Judge MItchell lives within 60 feet of us and has plenty of money. I wish you make preparations to come as soon as you receive this and should Captain Rodgers come out you will come with him. I have written to him and should you be there you will have seen the letter, whereas I request him if he comes, bring you But you must not come any other way, without letting me know as I might return to the States and you come here. I am anxious to learn where you are so that I can direct to you and should you be in Connecticut you had better remain there, if in Iowa I have writtten to Isbel and he will show you the letter so good bye. Frances Tryon Your affectionate husband S.H.Tryon **************************************************************************** 12 Subject: Date: Tue, 07 Apr 1998 11:05:44 -0500 From: Larry Bradshaw <llbradsh@iastate.edu> To: dbrevik@IX.netcom.com S.H.Tryon in San Francisco April 1850 Dear Wife, I take this opportunity to inform you that I have finally received two letters from you upon my arrival at San Francisco from Oregon. Your last was November 8th (1849) after you arrived in Connecticut and I must say that your safe arrival is the excellent health of little Socrates and an improvement in your own health has afforded me more satisfaction than any information ever heretofore transmitted tome. Since I became acquainted personally with the Cholera and its ravages upon the road to California I expected nothing but to hear that some ofmy relatives had be swept away by its (pestilential) influences during its ravages in the valley of the Mississippi. You say that at that time you last letters were from Fort Laramie. I wrote from Fort Hall about the first of August last(1849), that I was going to Oregon and asigning my reasons for not changing my course and as yet I have not regreted my change. Upon my arrival in August I wrote and continued to write every mail until I left for California which was about the 16 th of March last. I have been in California two weeks during which time I have had serious notions of returning to the States for you mother and Huldah. Dummont, Jesse, and Devillo came down to California with me. Dummont goes to the States by the steamer Tennissee the vessel that is to convey this. I am sorry to be complied to inform you that father Jesse(II) departed this life on the 9th of February last (1850), after a severe illness of two months from a disease of the head. He was as well as usual two hours before we discovered his illness. Jesse and Devillo have gone to the mines and I expect to return to Oregon in a few days or weeks but shall write you every steamer until I do go back to Oregon In my previous letters I have stated as nearly as possible what we have accomplished and Dummont who promised to call upon you can give you more information than I can write upon a quire. Dennnis and myself and Dorlan have done well, better than anyone from our section of country except (Judge)Hastings,who has made $25, 000 already and now has a salary of $10,000 as chief justice of California. Mrs. Hastings arrived here by the Steamer Tennissee and I have the pleasure to inform you that I dined with her yesterday by special invitation. She is in good health, much better than when she started and says that if she was situated as you are, she would regard it as a vey great pleasue trip to come out by way of the Isthmus and advises me to send for you and save the expense of going home. Your advice to me in relation to the selection of Company and associates is very excellent but I trust altogether unnecessary and I pledge you have my honor as soon as I cannot keep the best in most exemplary society in the country I will return by the first steamer so that I may be under your restraining influence. Write every steamer and do not fail to give good advice. Dear Fanny Allow me to ask that you take avery precaution to restore your health and I trust that you will remain in Connecticut unitl I make further arrangements to bring you, mother and Huldah out to Oregon or I come home. I may be home to Connecticut as soon as this or in forty days as I may not come at all but send for you. Isthmus in Ia. The mines some place as I found a letter from him to San Francisco I took immediate steps to ascetain his whereabouts but as yet have not found him out...Mrs. Hastings was surprised to see me as she had heard I was dead.. I received no letters by the Tennissee but Huldah wrote to Dennis and I do not understand why it is that I have not received anything Write, write, Write to Oregon we are daily expecting a steamer and she may bring me something. I have received one letter from Isbel in which he speaks of the Arly suit. I shall board with Mrs. Hastings when I remain in Californial. Remember me to Mr. & Mrs. Taite and say to them that I should endeavor to see William as soon as I can find him out and that I expect you to remain with them until I return or make other arrangements at all events do (not) take the child to Iowa. If I do not come soon before I return Oregon I shall send you a draft on New York. Your affectionate husband To Francis Tryon Humbolt Fairfield, Connecticut April 20, 1850 San Francisco S.H.Tryon . ************************************************************************ 13 Subject: Re: Tryons Date: Wed, 08 Apr 1998 00:49:42 -0500 From: Dennis J Brevik <dbrevik@ix.netcom.com> To: Larry Bradshaw <llbradsh@iastate.edu> References: 1 Glenda & Larry- I have received the letters in good order and have begun studying them. Thanks a lot for copying me. There is a wealth of information in there. Really interesting stuff! Just recently I read a fictional journal of a 13 year old on the Oregon Trail. The incidents in it were factual in that they occurred on at least one wagon train. So I was able to relate to Socrates in his adventures on the trail and had a good idea what he had encountered. Dan PS Are there more? Gosh, I hope so! ***************************************************************************************** END OF PART 5