Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1854-02-18
4 Ft t. 4 "
NARRATIVE

. Of The SrttrlHgS ef Mrs. Jane AdeS'ne
:. ,Wison, during her. Captivity among
-, tie, Camarche Irdians. ...,., q,
II was born in Alton, Illinois, on the
-l2th day5o June, 1887, and am, there
fore, in tho 18th year Of my age. My
fathers name was-William Smith: my
mothers maiden name was Jane Cox
j had FIVE brothers and four sisters. ]
,hink it was in the year 1876 that we
moved to Missouri and settled nt boa,
landing, or ferry called jamestown, on
rhs North Grand River. My father kept
tho ferry.
AGou: cightyears ago wc moved from
this place to Texas, and settled near
Paris. Lamar county. Here my father
and mother died within one day ofeach
o,her,, leaving six orphan children be-
hind hem. Three Of my brothers had
died before the death of my parents
My eldest tru,her who was in rang
ing company, now came to settle my fa.
theirs affairs aud make provision for cur
support. He secured homes for US with
different ncighbcrs, but took the young
est sister. our pet, with him 10 place her
with one our aGnts.
Ono days journey from tho place
where he left us, he was attacked by
tho winter fever. aud died in one week.
| have three sisters elder than myself.
Their names are Elizabeth, Cynthia &
Caroline. My brother James and sis
ter Ellen. are younger than myself El'
len was four years old when my pa.
rents died. Caroline is dwarf, and
the neighboss though, that the medicines
,hs. ttie doctors gave her stopped her
growth. She was dear. child and we
all loved her because Of her misfortune.
THere Jane was unable to restrain her
feelings and burst into tears. lived
with several neighbors until the first
of last February, when l was married
TO Mr.. James Wilson, ayoung farmor,
Just beginning life, with q little pro-
perty, consisting of horses and cattle
He was bu, nineteen years ofage when
we were married. We knew but lit.
,ls Of life, for l was not yet sixteen:
i fear we were crusy in getting married
willie wc were so young Poor girl!
when her thoughts went back to this
period Of hor life. slte wep, as if her
heart would break. ,i rri.
IN We had heard that people became
richvery fast in California, SO we ccu.
cluded 10 move and commence life in
tina. dis,au. country. We gathered to.
gether the little. property wc possessed
and Joined party ofemigran's consist.
Ing Of fiity.,wo men. twelve women and
several Children. Tho fa,hcr and bro
,her Of my husband wcro among this
number. There worein all twenty-five
Wagons, and the whole company was
placed under the command Of Mr.. Hen
~ Hickman. We started from Hunt
county on the 9Th Of April last, and
took the route for Ell Paso. We arrir.
ed a, tho Gcundalupe Mountains abuu,
The frs, Q! June. Hore the Mescalero
Apaches s,olo from US nineteen head oi
cattle; aix men started in pursuit, hut
were driven back by the Indiana. We
wen, thence to Ell Paso. My husband
no. being able to travel with Mr.. Eick.
mans train, he determined to remain at
Fl Paso till the arrival of another Of
Califnrnis emigran's.- Five of Mr.. He.
men s,aid with US. While here the Mex
leans stole nearly all the property VIC
chad, andl US unable proceed on our
Journey. We could do nothing now
excep. make our way back 10 Texas
:? Ahou, tho last of July we started on
our return, with the fragments Of our
property which tho thieves had uparcd
On The first day Of august, my husband
and MS father LEFT Us, and fell into the
chands Of the Indiana. | saw them no
.inore after this. was told that they
8bsd beun murdered. You may porhap.
4. be able to imagins my feelings when !
found myself thus bereaved and desti'
;u,s in land ofstrangers. My misfor'
tunes seemed groa,er than | could bear
bu, knew not that heavier trials were
in store for me. Hrf
Unable to continue my journey, rc.
,urnsd to Ell Paso, whorc remained
ill Sept. 8, when | started once more
for Texas with my three hro!horS.ip,law
in company with small party consist
Inc of fgc Americans and one Mexican
MIR, Hart, who owned and commanded
this train, having somo busincsa in Tex
"a which required his immediate alton.
= ZION, travelled very rapidly, and hopcc
in a few days more TO De in tho mids
ofmy friends
As We had seen only ono Indian OIL
nm rou!s, wo ilatlcrod ourselves that W.
" should no. be indicated by any Of the
t,ibe, which inico, .hiS route. Whe,
nssr ,he bo.doro Of Texas, some OF ou
n,r,v stole ,hrco animals from Mr.. Har
and and ran oa. MIR. Hart, anxious to o
yar,ake tho thieves, started in pursuit
,ak;ur with him my eldest hrother-in
Iaw g lad uome fourteen ycais Of age
leaving myself Mexican and the tw'