The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1904-06-16
A Letter Written for The Reporter
over Fifty Years Ago.,

over Fifty Years Ago.,
Mr.. BENJAMIN Bellamy, of California,
while looking over some old papers at
the Bellamy home west of Leon last
week, came across an original manuscript
which was written for the old Leon
Pioneer, now THE REPORTER over htty
years ago by Geo. w. Bibbey, but for
some reason was never completed or
published, and brought it to our Office.
1t tells of an exciting journey across
the great plains in 1850 and we regret
that the writer did not complete the
narrative. We give all that was
written and it will be read with interest
by many of the older residents OF tins
county who were acquainted with Mr..
Bibbey.
EDITOR LEON PIONEER:
In the spring of 1850 we left Mercer
county, Mo-, and set out on our way
bound for California. Our company con-
sisted of eighteen men. We were all
we'll armed and had good outfit for the
trip. We crossed the Missouri river on
the 9Th day of May and proceeded on our
way westwardly. We passed on fine
and made good time until we met train
of government wagons from Eft. Laramie
and TT. Kearney, some $50 miles this side
of TT. Kearney and Is miles east of the
Platte river. The transfers directed
us to take left hand road, the emigra-
ton ahead of us having taken the right
hand road and misled us and the first
thing that we knew we were in plain
view of large Indian village Of the
Pawnee tribe. This village is situated
on Honey creek, it being past fording at
the time of our arrival. BY 3 o'clock in
the evening about one hundred wagons
had stopped there and the Indians came
out and demanded pay for the grass our
stock was consuming. AT first we con-
cluded that we would stand them battle
before we would pay them for the grass.
At that time some four or five Indian
chiefs came forward and made some
lengthy speeches and frightened the
women and children. We finally con-
cluded to treat with them and formed
our wagons in corral enclosing about
an acre of ground and each company
paid them some flour, meal, Coffee sugar,
rice, fruit, tobacco, etc., such as they
could spare and the chiefs distributed
their mite to each family. We left
there next morning. Nothing more OF
Importance occurred until we reached
Fort Kearney, where we found the
J cholera raging in all it's fury and we
passed through where they were dying
on every side.
J We reached Salt Lake valley on July
22d and left July 9th. We took the
south route there and had to cross a
J salt desert 81 miles in width. On this
desert there was great deal OF suffer
ing both by man and beast. l saw men
J offer to give good farms or mortgage
In.
mention lust for one pint Of water
Many had to have water hauled to them
This laws directly south of the Great
Salt Lake. After we left this desert we
| travelled about $50 or 200 miles when we
came to a spur of the mountains running
south. In going around this spur it re
| CURED four days travel. On going dowI
the east side we CAM up to train O.
l five or six wagons and two CARTS This
train consisted Of five men and elgh
steers. They ventured to camp b!
/ themselves and during the night th'
Indians stole their cattle. The morning
/ following the men were trying to tract
the cattle when two Indian men and ;
/ bow came running down from the noun
/ tain and said their cattle were up in
l canon and that the Indians who stol'
/ them were asleep at that time. Their
! were twenty mon there and leaving on
| man to guard the teams the other nine
| teen went up into the mountains wit
1 their guides. They found no cattle o
/ any trail thereof and the guides too
them to the top of the mountain to thei
wigwams and sat down. The white mel
insisted on the guides showing ther
their cattle and they got stubborn an
shook their heads and would go no fal
Their. The men stated that there wer
two rifles discharged of their content
and they left the boy sitting there
Some of the men came back on the cas-
side while the rest of the compan
crossed over to intersect the road 0
the other side. After returning to thei
] teams they discovered, by means Of
spy glass, two of their cattle some tw
and half miles in different direction
After we left there and passed aroun
the point of the spur of the mountain
had camped and put our stock out !
Craze, there came man on horseback
a long hand gallop who appeared to
in great trouble. On inquiring of hi
what was the matter he said that thel
were six Of them travelling togethe
they had started from Pleasant Grow
Illinois, together and when they got
: this mountain they had but two hors'
and only one gun and that was a sh
1 gun. He said, Eve started to {
through canon where we would ha'
y saved about three days travel. On 6
ing through this canon we met wi
some twelve Indians and they appear
friendly and offered their services
pilot us"
Driven to Desperation.
Living at an out of the way place, ,
rnnto from civilization a family is Oft