Tuesday 3rd October 1848 The morning being pleasant and clear we proceeded on our journey in fine spirits passing through Lewisburg the County Seat of Greenbrier, where we spent several hours in dealing and looking over the town, which is a very pretty one. There we took the turnpike leading to the Ohio River and traveled 7 miles when we put up for the night in a vacant house. Wednesday 4th October 1848 We breakfasted and proceeded meeting a great many persons, wagons, carriages and stages, droves of horses, cattle, ect., continually. We traveled on about 10 miles and stopped, rested our horses, ate a bite and again resumed our journey crossing "Seiver Mountain", on to "Hickman ? Tavern", which I would advise my friends to shun in crossing that road. They would charge for an apple if it was not for shame sake, even that they forget at times, however we spent the night with them which offended an eye. Thursday 5th October 1848 We proceeded crossing "Big Duel" Mountain, which is 4 miles from the foot to the top on the east side and about 5 miles on the west. We found some very good water on the mountain, where we stopped and ate a bite, rested, and again resumed our trip 12 miles further to the "Locus Lane Hotel" kept by "Dr. Cooper". where we spent the night. It is a very beautiful situation for a country life, most of any throughout Fayette Co. Friday 6th, October 1848 After breakfasting we proceeded about 11 miles, stopped, dined, and again resumed our journey. Reached New River where we camped out for the first night, on the bank of the river. Saturday 7th, October 1848 After breakfasting on a large rock, substituted as a table we renewed our journey. Crossing the bridge over "Gawly" at the mouth where it empties into New River, which constitutes the Kanawah River. From thence 10 miles stopped, dined, and again proceeded 11 miles, then put up for the night camped as the night before, being pleased with the novelty. Sunday 8th, October 1848 Being a beautiful morning we proceeded with cheerfulness through the County of Kanawah, crossing the "Fault Rock/Fork" , which is beautifully situated on the river bank. They extend about 8 miles along the river. It is quite disagreeable to travelers in passing through them as they use so much stone "rock" as to render it quite unpleasant. However this is a great curiosity, from thence to Charleston the County Seat of Kanawha, which is a beautiful river town delightfully situated on the bank surrounded with cedars and arborvoire trees with various other evergreens and a very great variety of flowers. There we crossed the Kahawah River, drove the horses in to the boat and remained in the carriage. The boat we crossed in was a horse ferry boat. We were somewhat alarmed at first but before we reached the opposite shore our fears had subsided. We proceeded 3 miles beyond, put up for the night, camped near a widow lady by the name of "Thomas". Monday 9th, October 1848 After breakfasting we proceeded crossing "Coal River" in a ferry boat. when Pa had some difficulty with the Gentleman who had the bridge torn down, from thence 10 miles then stopped, rested our horses, ate a bite, and again proceeded through "Putnam Co.", 8 miles then put up for the night. Tuesday 10th, October 1848 We proceeded on 3 miles, when our buggy tire broke but fortunately we soon reached a blacksmith shop and had it replaced and resumed our journey passing by the "Blue Sulfur Springs", 3 miles beyond we stopped, ate a bite, and again proceeded passing through Barboursville, a village in Cabel Co., from thence on to the Ohio River, where we camped near the river and could hear the steamboats running nearly all night. Wednesday 11th, October 1848 We breakfasted and proceeded on our journey leaving the Lewisburg Turnpike and taking one leading down the Ohio River, traveled 6 miles then crossed the Big Sandy, at the mouth where it empties into the Ohio River. There we left our native state that dear old Virginia. The big Sandy is the line between VA and KY. After crossing the river we sat on the bank shore in KY and looked back in VA and crossed in Ohio from thence on through Greenup Co., KY. Traveled 10 miles after crossing the river, as the country is very broken and poor. Put up the night very disheartened at the appearance of the country in Kentucky and also in the inhabitants of that part. We camped the night in the state of our destination. pamrooney@prodigy.net