Martin Luper - to
Martin said the trip was hard and showed what a man was made of.
Martin settled six miles south of
The diary of the
Martin Luper, wife Frances Dunbar, children, Sarah Jane 12 years, (daughter by former marriage), Lewis, 5 years, James 3 years, George 1 year—Martin's two brothers John and Jasper.
Left
Had three big covered wagons and a spring wagon for mother and children—two horses spring wagon, drove two horses, 4 mules and oxen on wagons, drove through 50 head cattle mostly cows—300 Ibs provisions to the person—1200 pounds to a wagon—Asa Munn, the cook. Arrived in Oregon in Sept 1853—took nothing but best of stock—4 yoke to wagon, good lock chains—warm clothing and bedding—most troublesome Indians in Omaha (Pawnee???) after crossing Mo. River, they were a thieving lying set. Poorest feed and worst roads on last part of trip where teams were most exhausted.
Sent via
There were nearly 100 wagons on the train. There were poor outfits so lost many outfits. Indians really no problem. Wagon trains before and after were wiped out.
April 5 |
Camp 15 miles West at |
6 |
2 miles W. of Burlington[1] |
7 |
Mt Pleasant |
8 |
Camped 15 miles west of Mt Pleasant |
9 |
4 mi W. of |
10 |
15 mi W of |
11 |
At |
12 |
4 mi W of Fremont, weather bad |
13 |
Laid by for snow and wet weather |
14 |
Camped 7 mi W Oakaloos |
15 |
To |
16 |
At |
17 |
Laid by high water |
18 |
Camped at Pleasantville |
19 |
Camped 10 miles west |
20 |
1 mi N.W. Indian |
21 |
29 mi N.W. Indian |
22 |
At Winterset |
23 |
Drove 4 mi N.W. of Winterset, 5 days in rain and mud |
28 |
Camp at Winterset on Prarie |
29 |
Camp 36 Mi W of Winterset |
30 |
Camp 4 mi W. Gampgov |
May 1 |
Nacitenoc, Indian town at Ferry |
2 |
Camp 13 mi west |
3 |
At National Jolay R—-11 o’clock on bridge |
4 |
2 mi W. of sliver creek |
5 |
Cross |
6 |
Stops 1 mi |
7 |
12 mi W of Mo river |
8 |
At Elk Horn, Tributary of |
9 |
Forded Elk Horn, to wagon box |
10 |
Stopped 16 mi B.H. Elk horn |
11 |
Frost 1 inch thick |
12 |
On |
13 |
At First bend on River |
14 |
10 mi W. |
15 |
20 mi W. |
16 |
High wind one half day |
17 |
Prairie Creek |
18 |
|
19 |
Camp at |
20 |
At Platt R, Bend |
21 |
Again at Platt |
22 |
Camp on Platt R-on sand-laid by h[alf] day to wash-Lewis (Bud) 5 yrs, fell in creek [4] |
23 |
3 mi W. of Platt R. |
24 |
On River again |
25 |
On River again |
26 |
On |
27 |
12 Mi W. of Ancient Bluff, at a distance these Bluffs resemble ancient castles fortifications |
28 |
Camp at Chimney Rock, So side of Platt |
29 |
Resemble high chimneys 400 ft high. Camp hill by Scott fluff. These at a distance look tike a City fortification at distance of 36 mi. look very near |
30 |
Camp near Glene Rock from here
get first view of |
31 |
6 mi west of Rawhide |
June 1 |
Pass |
2 |
Camp near Devil Creek |
3 |
On |
4 |
On River again |
5 |
River again… |
6 |
Laid over to wash |
7,8 |
On River near the old ford, no more water for 26 miles |
9 |
Near |
10 |
At Sage Spring creek |
11 |
Camp at Sweetwater, independence Rock, this grand rock is 125 ft. long, on it carved names of -thousands of travelers. |
12 |
Camp at Devil Gate—greatest curiosity on route—great canyon in Mts. Which river flows with greatest velocity, perpendicular walls 100 ft apart and 400 ft high |
13,14 |
Camp on Sage Creek 4 mi W 2nd ford, |
15 |
No water or grass for awhile |
16 |
3 mi. w. on Pacific Spring—fist water of |
17 |
1/2 day
stop to wash on |
18 |
Cross desert, big sand to river distance 50 miles no grass or vegetation, only sage |
19 |
Camp near Sulpher Spring on Green R. |
20 |
Pay $8.00 per wagon for ferry over |
21 |
This is most dangerous stream on Route either to ford or ferry, much property and many lives lost |
22 |
Camp on branch of green River, ice 1/2 inch in a.m. |
23,24 |
Laid by on branch creek, 8 mi to Mts. |
25 |
0n Ham, fork of |
26 |
2 mi W Balsam for day |
27 |
Camp on |
28 |
Camp Talles Creek, snow 6 in deep |
29 |
Camp on Willow Spring |
30 |
To Soda Springs, 6 mi Junction to Subletts
Hall road, 5 mi. from here find true guide to |
July 1 |
Cross Naut Pert R [Nez Pierce?] |
2 |
Seven miles W. Pert River |
3 |
Aspen Hollow to Snake, met a load of Whisky going east-boys got drunk |
9-14 |
Road passes between rock and creeks |
15 |
Leaving snake river |
16 |
No more water for 18 miles |
17 |
10 mi to W. Raft R. |
18 |
Camped |
19 |
Marsh |
20 |
Creek of Marsh |
21 |
Creek |
22 |
River |
23 |
|
24 |
|
28 |
Camped by creek |
29 |
No more grass for 25 mi. |
30 |
Creek water, no grass |
August 10 |
To Salmon Creek, cross |
11 |
Camp at Salmon falls |
12 |
Shoot Creek, ferried the wagon box, streams rapid and difficult to cross, swam stock across |
13 |
A vine here killed some of our stock, pass several creeks |
14 |
Camp on dry creek-ascent hill to summit |
15 |
Descent to Horse Creek, no more water for 12 miles |
16 |
Creek |
17 |
|
18 |
Pass Creek and springs 12 mi to W. Raft River |
19 |
To Boise R, 36 mi on Boise R., laid over |
21 |
|
22 |
Laid over |
23 |
here we are again across Snake R, swam stock across |
24 |
From |
26 |
Camp Malhern R, laid over[9] |
28 |
Camp on Birch Creek, last of |
29 |
At |
30 |
Roads lead up hill, steep and bad |
31 |
Camp on Burnt-Creek |
Sept 1 |
To |
6 |
Camped Muscay R. one half day |
7 |
Camp at foot of Blue Mts, |
8 |
Camped on |
9 |
Camped 2 mi below falls |
10 |
On Umatilla again |
11 |
Camped on Butter Creek |
12 |
Stayed over |
13 |
Camped on Willow Creek |
14 |
Laid by |
15 |
To |
16 |
Laid over, to |
17 |
Laid over |
18 |
To |
19 |
Camped on creek |
20 |
Leaving creek – Oak hollow, first since leaving states.[10] |
21 |
Camp in Injun town[11] |
22 |
To bachelor creek |
23 |
Gat of |
24 |
|
25 |
Cut and carry grass for stock in Mts.[12] |
26 |
Yigzog [Zigzag or Sandy] river |
27 |
Devils backbone |
27 |
Camp at Fosters. First farm at foot of mts.
In valley. Here immigrants can get what they want for themselves and stock
which is needed after awful hills to |
Mules, horses stand journey with care – many kill their teams by hard driving and running buffalos. Oxen stood journey even better, but slower than horses.
Martin settled six miles south of
(In 1947, Hattie wrote: “He lived in a cabin a few years. Moved into new house in 1857 (picture). 5 acres orchard & berries.)
Another letter, 1948 Hattie wrote: Not much of
Martin was manager of the wagon train
Hattie was born
On the high grass: One morning, father did not see the cattle. He got on a horse to look for cattle. Came home, found them lying down in tall grass. He bought out a bachelor claim, near 400 acres. Lived there three years, then had fences and big house. Later three big barns, orchards. John had barn.
Jasper was the only one not prosperous.
From http://iagenweb.org/pottawattamie/hist-pottawattamie.htm
Early inhabitants were Mound Builders who dwelt on
In the 1840's several thousand Mormons arrived in the
area from
[1] Crossed
[2] SE of
[3] Now
[4] Probably
near
[5] First view of the
[6] Crossed “
[7] Equiv. to $200 in 2004
[8] Bruneau Hot Springs?
[9] Cross
into
[10] Think
this is reference to not having seen oak trees since they entered the Rocky
Mts. “Leaving creek” (Columbia R.!) is probably reference to the trail veering south
from “The Dales” to skirt the south side of
[11] Took “
[12] Crossed