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"A Journal of our Travels across the
Mountains to California""Following is an account,
copied word for word from notes made in pencil in his notebook, by my grandfather, George R. Hamerick, of travel by wagon
train from Missouri to California in 1863. George M. Taylor"
Months of Journal
Places Travelled or Described
Just as Recorded
in Hamrick Overland Journal
|
Miles Travelled
If Noted |
Date in Journal
|
Approximate
Present Day
Location |
| Widow Holt's |
|
April 22, 1863 |
Mercer Co., Missouri |
Rivana, 1 1/2 miles North of
|
|
April 23, 1863
|
Ravanna, Mercer Co., Missouri |
Missouri line in Iowa, 6 miles north of Coridon, 11 miles S.W. of
|
|
April 24,1863
|
Iowa |
Grand River and Charlston River, between
and Keokuck to Council Bluffs, State road leading from
|
|
April 25, 1863
|
On the Road that leads to
Council Bluffs, Nebraska
Camped in
Decatur Co., Iowa |
Decatur, Decatur Co. on state road
and Decatur, 3 mile West on Grand River
|
|
April 26, 1863
|
Decatur Co., Iowa |
Mount Air, 4 miles of
|
|
April 28, 1863
|
Ringold Co., Iowa |
Bedford, 14 miles east of
|
|
April 29, 1863
|
Taylor Co., Iowa |
Nodina River
|
|
May1, 1863
|
Page or Taylor Co., Iowa |
Sidney, passed through
Missouri River bottom
|
|
May 5, 1863
|
Fremont Co., Iowa |
Nebraska, City of
|
|
May 6, 1863
|
Near Missouri River
in Otoe Co., Nebraska |
Nemaha
|
16 (first notation) |
May 8, 1863
|
Nebraska, Train will follow
Big Blue to Platte
at Kearney City~
known as "Southsiders" |
A small creek
|
19 |
May 9, 1863
|
Nebraska, the Frontier |
Salt Creek
|
|
May 10, 1863
|
Nebraska, became a State in 1867 |
Big Blue River, crossed
|
8 |
May 12, 1863
|
Still in Nebraska,
this trail known
as "Southside Route"
because emigrants travelled
south, below the Platte
on the Big Blue
and its tributaries |
Mail station, first seen 3/4 mile from River
|
|
May 12, 1863
|
Many mail stations
on this route had been
Pony Express stops just
2 summers before |
Walnut Creek
|
15 |
May 13, 1863
|
Nebraska |
Beaver Creek
|
18 |
May 14, 1863
|
Nebraska |
Beaver Creek, up 8 miles
|
8 |
May 15, 1863
|
Nebraska |
Beaver Creek, head of
Big Blue, south western course 8 miles
|
20 |
May 16, 1863
|
Nebraska |
Blue River, 8 miles up
|
8 |
May 17, 1863
|
Nebraska |
Blue River, northwestern to Platte River
|
18 or so |
May 18, 1863
|
Nebraska heading
toward Platte River |
Platte River
|
20 |
May 19, 1863
|
Nebraska~
On the Platte River |
Vally Citty
Ft. Kearney, camped 2 1/2 miles
Kearney Citty
|
21 |
May 20, 1863
|
Settlement important to
overland trailers, in present
day Buffalo County,
Nebraska |
Kearney Citty, Blacksmith shop
Grand Island
|
|
May 21, 1863
|
Middle of Nebraska |
Platt
|
20 |
May 22, 1863
|
Nebraska |
Plumb Creek, crossed
|
20 |
May 23, 1863
|
Nebraska |
Platte River
|
11 |
May 24, 1863
|
Nebraska |
Mail Statin
|
23 |
May 25, 1863
|
Nebraska,
another probable Express Stop,
one of 157 original |
Cottonwood Springs
Express Office, 1 mile N.W. |
25 |
May 26, 1863
|
Lincoln Co., Nebraska |
Platte River
|
4 or 5 |
May 27, 1863
|
Nebraska |
Fremonts Slough
Burial on Knoll
Fremont Spring, 5 miles East of
Trailton (?) Bluffs, on Platte 2 mile from |
20 |
May 28 and 29, 1863
|
Nebraska |
Platt River
|
28 |
May 30-31, 1863
|
Nebraska |
June Places Travelled and Described
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