No subject

Families that Settled at the End of the Oregon Trail," Mulino, OR, 
Gail J. McCormick Publishing Company, 1992, printed by Maverick 
Publications, Bend, OR, pp. 63-76:

"The decision to undertake the long journey to Oregon was made by 
Elizabeth Amanda Trullinger, mother of ten children. Her three 
oldest sons, Gabriel, 24 (b. 1824, m. Sarah Glover), Nathan H., 22 
(b. 1826, m. Frances Greshen), and John Corse, 20 (b. 1828, m. 
Hannah Boyle), had heard that hunting and fishing were good in the 
Oregon Territory and were ready to leave when Elizabeth decided it 
would be best if the whole family went together. The other children 
were Amanda, 18 (b. 1830, m. John Wright then Mr. Hodson), Mary Jane 
15 (b. 1833, m. Andrew Cutting then A.B. Falkner), Elizabeth Ellen, 
12 (b. 1836, m. Harbision Morgan), twins Eliza (. 1838, m. Rene 
Matson or Mattoon) and Evangeline, 10 (b. 1838, m. William Lowe), 
Daniel Perry, 8 (b. 1840, m. Emily Wood), and little Sara, 5 years 
old (b. 1843, m. Mr. Todd). Along with Nathan's wife, Frances, and 
father, Daniel, they set out for Oregon on April 6, 1848, with three 
wagons. One was drawn by four yoke of oxen. Their entourage included 
cows, chickens, pigs and several horses. A family had to be quite 
well-to-do to travel the Oregon Trail as they had to be outfitted in 
advance for six months of travel.

Elizabeth Amanda John and Daniel Trullinger married on April 27, 
1823. She was the daughter of Archibald Johnson, brother of Andrew 
Johnson, Vice President under President Lincoln. He later became 
President when Lincoln was assassinated. (Note by TGE: Not true. 
Andrew Johnson had no brother by the name of Archibald.)

Elizabeth was described as a very wise and determined woman who 
looked after the health and education of her children. She was also 
a poet, song writer and herb doctor. Her strong character was an 
inspiration for her children and grandchildren. Daniel Trullinger, 
at the age of 22, was a part-time minister for the Christian Church. 
He was also a farmer in Indiana.

The family arrived in Oregon and took the Barlow Trail from The 
Dalles. When they arrived at the toll gate, near what is now 
Rhododendron, they had to pay by promise as they did not have enough 
money left to pay the toll. They arrived in Oregon City on September 
14, 1848, and wintered there.

The first year in Oregon, Gabriel worked in Oregon City at his 
native trade of cabinet-making. Nathan and Frances headed ten miles 
south of Oregon City and settled on Milk Creek near what is now 
Union Mills. They built a cabin and started to cultivate the land. A 
donation land claim was filed for this land in the Trullinger name.

In 1849, the excitement of the Gold Rush broke. Father Daniel with 
sons, Gabriel and John Corse, traveled by horseback to California. 
Daniel, being forty-seven years old, soon found panning gold too 
hard a work for his age, gave up and returned home.

Gabriel and John stayed for two years and returned home with a small 
fortune, having sometimes panned $80 per day in gold. John is said 
to have brought back $18,000. 

The United States was offering free land for the claiming in Oregon -
 320 acres for single people and 640 acres if you were married. 
Apprehensive that gold might become overly plentiful and land 
therefore would become more valuable, Gabriel and John decided to 
return to Oregon and look for land to settle."