Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-02-23
A NARRATIVE

of Mrs. Jane Adaline Wilson, daring
her recent captivitg among tie Canaan
che Indians.
1 was born in Alton, Ill.,, on the 18th
of June, 1887, and am therefore in the
seventeenth year of my age. My faith,
er's name was William Smith; my
mothers maiden name was Cox. l had
five brothers and four sisters. l think
it was in 1899 that we moved to Missouri
and settled at a boat-landing or ferry
called jamestown, on the North Grand
river. Ny father kept the ferry.
About eight years ago we moved
from that place to Texas, and settled
near Paris, in Lamar county. Here my
father and mother died within one day
of each other, leaving six orphan child
rem behind them. Three of my broth
ers had died before the death of my
parents. Ny eldest brother who was in
a ranging company, now came home to
settle nv fathers affairs and make pro-
vision for our support. He secured
homes for us with the different neigh
bors, but took the youngest sister, our
pet, with him to place her with one of
our aunts. One days journey from
the place where he left US he was at
tackled by the winter fever, and died in
one week. | have three sisters older
than myself. Their names are Eliza
beth, Cynthia and Caroline. Ny broth
er James and sister Ellen are younger
than myself. Ellen was four years old
when my parents died. Caroline is a
dwarf, and the neighbors thought that
the medicine the doctor gave her stopped
her growth. She was a dear child, and
we all loved her because of her misfor-
tune. Here Jane was unable to re-
strain her feelings, and burst into tears.
1 lived with several neighbors until the
first of February, when l was married
to Mr.. James Wilson, young farmer
lust beginning life with little property,
consisting in cattle and horses. he
was but nineteen years of age when we
we're married. We knew but little OF
life, forI was not yet sixteen. L fear
we were crazy in getting marrled SO
Young. Poor grill when her thoughts
went back to this period of her life, she
wept as if her heart would break. =
We had heard that people became rlch
very fast in California; SO We concluded
to move, and commence life in that dis
tant country. We gathered together
the little property we possessed. and
Joined a party of emigrants consisting
of SO men, 1a women, and II children.
The father and brother of my husband
were among this number. There were
in all 29wagons, and the whole compa-
nv was placed under the command oi
Mr.. Henry Hickman. We started from
Hunt county on the 9Th of April last
and took the route for FL Paso. We
arrived at the Guadalupe mountains
about the first of June. Here the Mas
calero Apaches stole from US 19 head
of cattle; six men started IN pursuit,
but were driven back by the Indians.
We went thence to El Paso. My hus-
band not being able to travel well with
Hickman's train, he determined to re-
main at Ell Paso till the arrival of an
other party of California emigrants.-
Five of the men stayed with us. While
here the Mexicans stole nearly all the
property we had, and left us unable to
proceed on our journey. We could dc
nothing now except make our way back
to Texas. About the last of July we
started on our return, with the frag-
ments of our property which the thieves
had spared. On the first day of Au.
gust, my husband and his father left us,
and fell into the hands of the Indians
i saw them no more after this. I was
told that they had been murdered
Yeu may perhaps be able to imagine
my feelings when ! found myself thu
bereayed and destitute in a land o
strangers. My misfortunes seemed
greater thar. / could bear. but l kneE
not that heavier trials were in store TO
me.
Unabledo continue my journey | re
turned to FL Paso, where / remained til
September 9th, when started one
more for Texas with my three brothers
in-laTs in company with small part,
consisting Of Eve Americans and on