1853 – June – Diary of Dr. Thomas Flint

The Bixbys are a legendary name in the history of Long Beach and the Rancho Los Alamitos, and deservedly so.  The true start of the family fortune goes back to the early 1850s when cousins Benjamin and Thomas Flint and Lewellyn Bixby returned home to Maine from Gold Rush California, where they had some success as merchants.  After visiting with family, they took the train to Indiana, Illinois and Iowa and bought 2,000 sheep and drove them 2000 miles overland to California, parallelling the Oregon Trail, dealing with friendly and hostile Indians, new Mormon converts on their way to Salt Lake City,  and making their way south from Salt Lake City along the Old Spanish Trail (roughly today’s Interstate 15) through the Las Vegas and Mojave deserts before arriving in San Bernardino area on New Year’s Day 1853.  Thomas Flint kept a diary of that trip.   Here are the June 1852 excepts.

Wednesday, June 1st:

An uncomfortable night. Thunder, lightning, wind and drizzling rain. Every little while large trees were toppled into the river with a crash, being washed out by the caving of the banks and blown by the wind. The crashing came so frequently that I had to feel my way out to the bank to satisfy myself that I was not near being precipitated with my outfit into the raging Missouri which was rising rapidly from melting snows at its sources. Wrote Dr. Gould — waited impatiently for our teams to report and take away our goods but did not come until well along in the afternoon.

Thursday [June] 2nd:

In Kanesville (Council Bluffs) making preparations for the plains. A town of huts and full of sharp dealers who live off the emigrants by trading, as it is the outpost of the white man for Indians occupy the country across the river.

Friday [June] 3rd:

Went put to assist in bringing in the sheep and cattle. Remained in town with Hendrickson and Jennings, while the others started up the river for the ferry 12 miles above. Helped drive a short distance. Bought another wagon and got what additional supplies we needed. Ripe strawberries on the table.

Saturday [June] 4th :

Started Jennings to overtake train with wagon and ox team. Bought a saddle mare and outfit for $125.00 for my own use. The horse I got in Terre Haute proved a rough one to ride. Lewell came back for some articles not thought of before. Overtook the train at the ferry and camped on the bottom lands near by. Grass excellent.

Sunday [June] 5th:

Wind too strong to attempt crossing the river so had to lay by which is always more troublesome than driving on trail or being busy some way to keep the attention of both men and animals. Horses stampeded in a shower. Ben and Hendrickson after them, returned with them about dark.

Monday [June] 6th:

Commenced ferrying across the Missouri River with one flat boat propelled by oars. 150 head of sheep at a trip. Two other boats were employed ferrying across Mormons. Worked hard all day and only half over. River wide and rapid. Crossed ten loads of sheep. Lewell, Jim and John remained in Nebraska.

Tuesday 7th :

Work at ferrying today. All over but one boat load of horses. Found that the one I had purchased in Kanesville (Council Bluffs) had strayed. Took another and went in pursuit back on the trail, caught it a few miles away, but too late to cross the river, so camped with G. W.Frasher, [1] who has 223 head of cattle to ferry over. Paid $57 tolls.

Wednesday 8th:

Wind blowing a gale. No crossing. Impatient, but no more so than those waiting with their stock to cross. About 700 cattle and 3,500 sheep held up by stress of weather — besides many Mormons.

Thursday 9th:

Assisted Frasher in an attempt to make his cattle swim across the river, but failed. Crossed myself in the boat with the horses. Lewell returned to meet me at the ferry. Took a drink from a spring on West bank of the Missouri and started west over a rolling prairie covered with grass 4 to 6 inches high. Overtook the train and camped near the Elkhorn River.

Friday 10th:

Drove to the ferry and crossed the Elkhorn River. Tolls $41.80. Camped about a mile out on soft bottom land. No high land within several miles. Consider ourselves fairly on the plains. Reports that there are no emigrants nearer than 60 miles ahead. Woeful stories of Indians on the trail ahead. 15 of us in the train. Ben, Lewell, myself, White, Pulman, Jennings, Joe and Dan Hickman, James Force, Henderson6[2], John Trust. Pleasant weather.

Saturday llth:

Started early. Ben and Lewell have the habit of starting the sheep at 4 o’clock in the morning. We of the last watch start about 6 o’clock. My watch being from 1 to 3 o’clock A. M. Have the whole country in sight to ourselves. Level prairie to sand bluffs on the north. Pleasant weather.

Sunday [June] 12th:

On the trail again. Had to drive 20 miles or more to water. Camped about % past 6 o’clock, tired. Teaming on though it is Sunday, some of the party not knowing it until mid-day. Less trouble to move on the trail than to care for the stock laying by. Some wolves around but they gave us no trouble. Pleasant.

Monday [June] 13th:

Eleven o’clock A. M. Arrived at Shell creek. Found excellent springs here. Stopped until after dinner. All hands washed up. White had headache, so gave him some compound cathartic pills. Did not drive much today as the sheep are beginning to have sore feet and one yoke of oxen some foot-sore, so drove them singly. Camped. Mosquitoes awful. Pleasant.

Tuesday [June] 14th :

Put off as usual before the last watch started. Ben and Lewell were a long distance ahead. Dan Hendrickson gave chase to a wolf but it proved more than a match for his horse and dog. Extracted a tooth for Hickman. No wood on the route today, nor good water. Camped on the bluff near Loupe Fork. Stormy.

Wednesday [June] 15th:

Today finding we had driven too fast from Elkhorn River concluded not to hurry — found we had accidentally got some 6 miles above the ferry on the Loupe Fork, so had to drive down the river to the crossing. Mosquitoes very troublesome. Five Omaha Indians came into camp and remained until dark. The first aborigine seen. Smoked the Pipe of Peace with them. Tobacco scented with Killi- kanic. They by signs informed us that they had been unsuccessful on a buffalo hunt and of course a little of something to eat would be acceptable. Pleasant weather.

Thursday [June] 16th:

Ferried our wagons, sheep and horses across the Loupe Fork and swam the cattle. $100.00 paid for ferriage. Camped on the west side. Mosquitoes large and furious. Pleasant.

Friday [June] 17th:

Heavy dew last night. Took a severe cold. Neglected to guard against the dampness sufficiently. Rode part of the day in a wagon. Heat until noon oppressive. Breeze in afternoon. Drove to bluff for camp. No wood near. Travelled about 17 miles. Pleasant.

Saturday [June] 18th:

Feel quite well from effects of a cathartic. Passed 2 graves today, 4 yesterday. The trail this forenoon runs along steep, sandy bluffs on the right for 2 miles — then turns through them to an extensive plain. Horses frightened last night and ran into the sheep, breaking a leg of one which butcher Jennings made mutton of. Sandy bluffs in the west some distance. Pleasant.

Sunday [June] 19th:

Driven out of camp early daylight in the morning by mosquitoes. Drove 7 or 8 miles to an elevation above the general level where there was no blood suckers. Camped for the sabbath and a good rest. The ground had been dug up about there and I picked up the bones of a human foot and other parts of a skeleton which wolves had cleaned of the flesh. Did not report the find for fear some of the boys might feel superstitious about it. Good grass which our animals enjoy, and cannot get out of sight for miles. Pleasant weather.

Monday [June] 20th :

Ben started early with the sheep. Three of our men got tired and homesick. Joe and Dan Hickman being persuaded by Dan Henderson8 to go back with them. Second watch late in starting. Got along well though short of three men. A big wolf snapped out one of the sheep in the lead. Camped in the bluffs near some ponds. Mosquitoes not bad. Pleasant.

Tuesday [June] 21st:

A hard day’s drive brought us to Prairie Creek where we camped. Road a great part of the way in sand hills. Heavy thunder storm about 10 o’clock A. M., after it mosquitoes very aggressive. Considerable game in the ponds, but we got none.

Wednesday[June]  22nd :

Travelled over a level prairie to Wood River, a 15 mile drive. Arriving at Va past 12 o’clock. Crossed on brush bridge similar to the one over Prairie Creek. In the morning George W. Frazer overtook us with his train. Cool and pleasant.

Thursday [June] 23rd:

An Indian undertook to run off Frazer’s horses. Same character of country as passed over yesterday. Places accurately described in the Guide Book we have — camped at Prairie Dogtown. Well named.  He is a relative of the woodchuck. Pleasant.

Friday [June] 24th:

A steady drive of 12 hours brings us to the two deep ravines opposite to Grand Island. Frazer had a stampede just before camping. His ox teams with the wagons in a wild rush. No damage done but two women in the wagons were somewhat frightened. Pleasant.

Saturday[June]  25th:

A monotonous drive brought to camp between Elm and Buffalo Creeks. Wild cammomile by the way very fragrant. Our stock is getting accustomed to camp life and make the camp their common center, seemingly for sociability and protection. Strong southerly winds all the afternoon and into the night. Some lightning. Our camp three miles above the bridge over Buffalo Creek.

Sunday [June] 26th:

Started early to overtake Ben who got ahead with the sheep. Caught up. Some buffalo came in sight — first seen. Two old bulls came up to the head of the sheep apparently to see us then started for the hills. Ben and I ran them down but could do but little execution with our revolvers. Dined by a good spring on bank of Buffalo Creek where we camped. Pleasant.

Monday [June] 27th:

Camped on Buffalo Creek or a branch of it. Frazer’s train close by. As the moon was coming up at about Vk Past 12 o’clock in the morning we were suddenly called by the guard crying in alarm, “Ho ho, come here quick”, almost at the same instant I heard the click of a flint lock and heavy report of a gun. My pistol, whether awake or asleep was always at my right hand. The unusual movement of the stock had awakened me for at no time while on the journey did I sleep soundly. Pistol in hand I hurried to where my saddle mare was staked and found James Force dead, two heavy bullets about an ounce each had been shot through from right to left side of the chest which were found one in the blanket — the other just under the skin at point of exit. My mare had been cut loose from her stake-pin but she could not be held as she would drag the strongest man, white or Indian, in the direction of our tent. That was what most likely wakened Force for it was after the time he should have called his relief on duty. The mare was a pointer and would point an Indian, wolf or any wild animal like a dog. So the men or guard used to rest beside her. Though I was immediately at the spot where Force was lying, there was not an Indian in sight — but was most likely in the brush on the bank of the creek. We hunted the banks somewhat but did not deem it provident to get too close to thick patches of brush nor could we get the dogs to hunt, so we kept guard until daylight.

In the morning we dug a grave and having rolled Force in the blanket he was killed in, sorrowfully deposited him in what we would be glad to consider his last resting place, but we well knew the hyenas of the plains would soon dig him out and scatter his bones to the four winds of heaven.

When collecting our stock and some ways from the camp we saw an Indian climbing out on the opposite side of the creek. We had an Indian appetite and wanted him, so made a rush after him. He was a little too much ahead to be reached by our rifle shots and besides was a fleet runner which may be expected under such circumstances, so that he made the bluffs in safety. About half of our men and of Frazer’s were so frightened they hid themselves in such places as seemed to afford protection from Indians. James Force was an Englishman as he said, about 35 years of age who had inherited quite a fortune and spent it in riotous living, then became a sailor for a time, finally had the California fever and determined to strike the overland trail to work his passage on, and that was the way we picked him up. One day I asked him if he did not think he had made a mistake in spending his money, he said no, for he had had the enjoyment of it and he did not know how much longer he would live. Two Omaha Indians had been in camp a few days before who carried between them an English musket, old style, with a flint lock and they used for wadding, scraped slippery elm bark dried, such as we found in the wound, hence supposed they had endeavored to steal the horses or a part of them. Today we saw large herds of buffalos. Some came very near and Lewell shot one for fresh meat, assisted by some of Frazer’s men. Camped together (Frazer’s and our trains) after a hard shower which cleared off cold. Before 12 o’clock at night we had two stampedes of cattle and horses (sheep never do it), nothing lost however. We surmised Indians were the cause of the stampedes, at any rate the men were terribly wrought up and could see in fancy, Indians behind every bush. No more sleeping on guard.

Tuesday [June] 28th:

William C. Johnson and his wife Mary, left the train they had travelled with thus far and joined ours. Johnson taking one of the ox teams with his wife in the wagon. They were married a short time before leaving Keokuk. Her part of the camp work was to make the bread. No buffalo in sight today. Warm in the middle of the day. Cactue in blossom, yellow in color. After a late drive camped by a small lake. No stampedes as usual of late.

Wednesday 29th:

Struck camp early. Plies in the bluffs very annoying in the morning but did not follow us long. Passed a party of Texas Mormons in camp on Skunk Creek. Soon after we camped. Ben and John caught some fish for supper.

Thursday 30th:

Moved on in good time. Passed the Two Springs, so- called in our guide book 3!/2 miles out. A foggy and chilly morning. Took our nooning on Mestayer Creek. Afternoon we had showers making the trail muddy in places. Cool all day. Camped on the river a few miles above the forks of the Platt.