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Preferred Citation

F.W. Brooks, Journal of a Trip to California, 1849 April-August, Accession #10494, Special Collections, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

This collection was given to the University of Virginia Library by Albert N. Barnes of the Mariner's Museum, Newport News, Virginia, on March 4, 1982.

Scope and Content Information

This collection consists of two diaries, a condensed original in pencil and a later copy in ink with fuller details, both describing the same trip across the prairie to the gold fields of California, May 5 to August 15, 1849, probably by F.W. Brooks, an agent of Francis J.C. Peesley.

The penciled account is preceded by a copy of instructions in ink from Peesley to Brooks written at Burlington, Iowa, and dated April 7, 1849, concerning arrangements for exchanging mail until his arrival in the gold fields, "I shall write you at New Helvetia, Suter's place and probably to his care. If the party do[es] not winter at San Francisco you will have letters addressed me at that place by last of December so that I can easily find you on my arrival."

He urges him to write at every opportunity after he leaves Fort Laramie, and "as soon as you arrive in Sacramento if you cannot get letters immediately forward from New Helvetia you must take measures to get your letters to San Francisco as I shall wait until 1st January to hear from you but not longer." The volume in ink includes an additional entry for April 2 and a summary of the entire trip at the end of the volume not present in the penciled version.

The writer begins his diary at his crossing of the Missouri River at Iowa Point on May 5, 1849, by ferry after having joined Captain Hindley's party. On May 7, he found supplies of bacon, beans, and flour left behind by a previous party. They passed by a funeral for one of the St. Louis Company who died of smallpox (May 9); scarcely avoided a stampede (May10) forded the Big Blue River (May 11); since leaving the Missouri River, they have passed four new graves of emigrants and have heard rumors of trouble in the Burlington Boys Camp a day behind them (May 12); now his party consists of 21 wagons and 60 men (May 15); saw several antelope, but were unable to kill them; opportunity to send letters back to St. Joseph (May 16-17); describes the circumstances of Mr. Shield?s homicide of his traveling companion, Mr. Harris, a blacksmith from Burlington and convicted rapist, for insulting his wife (May 19); describes Fort Kearney and a trading post near Grand Island on the Platte River (May 19); mentions the visit of a band of Sioux Indians returning from their chase of Pawnees (May 20); saw and killed his first buffalo (May 22); camped in the Platte Bottom unable to make a fire because the buffalo chips were soaked (May 25) and continued along the Platte River (May 26-31).

They next camped at Scotts Bluff, Nebraska near the Robidoux blacksmith shop and trading post (June 2); were joined by Captain McCulloch's company from Missouri and the captains decided to make cottonwood canoes to take themselves over the Platte River and avoid waiting for the ferry, almost losing several men in the swift current; these were saved by some men from Captain Hay's Ohio Company behind them (June 11); an argument broke out with another team to the rear of the Ohio Company over use of the boats in crossing the river, showing a keen sense of competition in reaching the gold fields ahead of others (June 11); and they left the Platte River (June 13).

Camping along the Sweetwater River (June 14); the second lightening of the wagons commences, including box goods, a keg of powder, and flour, and throwing away spare tools, "our long drive, teams failing and the necessity of keeping our position compel it our only means of saving ourselves alive" (June 17); they pass the Big Sandy River and Green River (June 22-23), ferrying the wagons over the Green River (June 24- 25); George and Reuben Worrell are sick with a bowel complaint (June 27); and found a large encampment of Shoshones (June 28).

He then describes the hot springs near the Bear River in Wyoming (July 2-3); reaching Fort Hall near Portneuf, Idaho (July 4); American Falls (July 6); rumors of plentiful gold ahead, "every male has left Oregon" (July 7); Goose Creek, Idaho (July 10); description of hot and cold springs (July 12-13); difficulties because the [Mary's River?] area very dry and dusty at this time (July 19-26); some other teams made a side trip to the Salt Lake region in Utah to exchange their worn out cattle for fresh ones with the Mormons; some Indians have shot cattle in the train ahead of them; and laments there is no water or grass for their animals (July 27-28); preacher Brace from Mercer County, Illinois, preached them a sermon; the writer discusses the loss of cattle and human illness from drinking bad water in the "Mary's River Sink" area; and expresses happiness at reaching the Salmon Trout River (July 29-31).

They are finally in timber country (August 5); saw the Donner party cabins with bones strewn around the buildings at Donner Pass, California (August 7); arrived at summit of the Sierra Mountains in good time but the road was very steep and winding; passed Truckee Lake, California (August 8); in good timber area (August 10); talk with the first miners they have run across on the journey (August 12); have arrived in the gold digging area, about thirty-five miles from Johnson's (August 14); and all hands help build a log warehouse for storage (August 15).

At the end of the penciled volume are accounts for provisions and equipment, some dated in April, presumably before the trip began. The conclusion of the account in ink summarizes the journey. They had traveled about 1,950 miles from the Missouri River in 98 days, with an ox train of twenty wagons. One wagon left for the Oregon Road and one old wagon was left at the Hot Springs. They actually only traveled for 80 of the 98 days, so averaged about 25 miles per day along with driving their cattle. He also discusses all the fallacious rumors about the reputation of their leader, Captain Hindley and finishes with his advice for those contemplating the trip across the prairie.