[or-roots] 1843

[Cecil Houk]

Nineveh Ford was my gr gr grandfather
FROM:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cchouk/ford/n-ford.htm
              Nineveh Ford's narrative
    Time & Place: Room 8 Chemeketa Hotel
     Salem, Oregon  Monday June 17th 1878
    Present: Ford & the writer: "AB"

         Mr. Ford said:  I was born in North Carolina on July 15th 1815.
Emigrated to Missouri in 1840, and from Missouri to Oregon in 1843.  My
attention was directed to Oregon by reading Lewis and Clark's journal. The
scenery described in that took my fancy; and a desire to see that and to
explore the country and return home to North Carolina in 3 years induced me
to start.  From information from traders and trappers I was confirmed in my
intentions.

    [Note: Although he does not mentioin him, Nineveh's younger brother
Ephraim Ford made this crossing with him.  Ephraim settled in Yamhill County
about three miles South of McMinnville.  And Walt's Aunt Charlotte was with
this wagon train.]

         In the spring of 1843 Peter H. Burnett of Platte County Missouri
and other prominent men were making up a company to go to Oregon.  It was in
my neighborhood in Platte City.  I was acquainted with the parties.  There
was another object: One grand objective we had was the prospect of obtaining
a donation of land if the country was worth staying in.  That was the object
of Burnett and others to come and colonize this country, to take possession
of the United States domain West of the Rocky Mountains.  It was not at that
time settled to belong to the United States.  The controversy was up and
there was some influence got to bear to induce people to colonize.  The
question was agitated in relation to the right and title of the United
States to the country.  I never heard that the Government desired to
colonize.  It was all a private movement and we came on our own
responsibility.   We had not any assurance that the Government would assist
or protect us in any manner.  Freemont Company which fell in after us I
understood was employed by the Government.  But we did not travel together
and we knew nothing of their going when we were making up a company.  We
rendezvoused at West Port West of Independence Jackson County Missouri.  We
Started from there in April.  There were between 500 & 700 souls in the
party and 113 wagons.  Our Captain was Peter H. Burnett.  He was chosen
Captain at West Port.  We had as additional officers Nesmith for ordirly (?)
sergeant, he kept the roll of the emigrants, list of wagons and so forth.  I
do not recollect of any other officers.  Our Pilot was John Gannt(?).  He
was a Mountaineer (?) and had been as far as Fort Hall.  He engaged to pilot
us as far as Fort Hall.  I kept a Journal but my house burnt down and it was
destroyed.  We were not molested by the Indians beyond horse stealing and
driving off cattle and having to pay to get them returned.  They were
friendly generally. We saw but few.  They appeared to be wild and shy and
afraid of the wagons.  Ours were the first wagons they ever saw, and the
first that ever crossed the plains from Missouri with the exception of
eleven wagons that came out in 1842 to Fort Hall and there stopped.  The
persons in that train packed through from Fort Hall.  We came to the Buffalo
Country on the Platte and there we made boats of beef and buffalo hides -
putting them around wagon beds; and for some we made frames.  We swam our
animals from bar to bar where we could get a footing until we could get
across.