The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1909-10-07
ALL THE WAY ON HER PONY.
How an Eight Year Old Girl Crossed
the Plains in 1882.

One of the features of the com
ing meeting of the Independence fair
will be reunion of old settlers, es-
pecially of persons who followed the
trail in Immigration days. And one
of the most interesting perSonages
who will attend is Mrs. Letitia Lips
comb of Martin City, this county.
Mrs. Lipscomb crossed the plains
when a child of s years. During the
entire period of five months She
rode horseback and helped to drive
the herd of cattle and other live
stock which it was necessary to take
along.
Mrs Lipscomb was in Independ-
ence recently visiting her sister-in-
law, Mrs. William u. Hickman, on
East Pacific street 1t was Mr.. Hick-
man who suggested the "Old Set
tiers" feature of the fair to the
| board of directors a few weeks ago,
and they asked him to take charge
lof that feature.
II suppose We can count on you
to attend our meeting, Lettie, said
Mr. Hickman.
OF course YOU can" replied Mrs,
Lipscomb. II think | can almost
claim the honor of being a plains
man
Mrs Lipscomb is the widow of
Nathan Lipscomb. She is a daughter
of Darby Cantrell, a pioneer of Jack
son county, who settled in the early
days in the southwestern corner Of
the county, at place called at that
time Little Santa Fe.'
Nv CaEtrel aiterward decided to
cmigrate to California. Several of
his neiehbors said they would go
with him. In the Spring of 1852,
they made their preparations. The
start was made about the first of
April. California and all the inter
vening territory was a wilderness.
1t was necessary to take along not
only the equipment for housekeep-
ing but farming tools and vehicles
and even a supply of all kinds of live
stock
The live stock after being branded
was turned into a common herd,
which was driven along close to the
wagon train. Members of the var
ious families attended to driving
the live stock.
Lettie Cantrell was then girl of
s years old, full of energy and fond
of outdoor life. Fearing that she
would grow tired of riding in the
big prairie schooner for weeks and
months over the dreary plains her
father purchased for her little In
dian pony, a saddle and riding
whip.
These are for you to use when
you get tired riding in the wagon"
he said But the first taste of horse
ri MI t a1y pan f its al
the little girl, and she insisted on
making the entire trip in that way
From the time they left their old
; home III this county till they halted
at their new home in Sacramento
Valley, California, there never was
day when the little girl did not
make a full hand at driving the
cattle.
There was no trouble at that time
with the Indians and the trip was
made without any particularly try
ing incidents. The company went
Fort Laramie and Fort Bridger.
They arrived at their destination in
September.
In 1870 Lettie Cantrell made her
first visit back to the old Missouri
home. Just as she was starting her
father remarked to her:
You will get there in as many
days as it took us months TO come
out" For a railroad had crossed the
vast expanse and the trains made
the trip in about five days. After a
visit of six mon his she went back to
California. In 1877 she made another
visit to her old home in Missouri.
In the spring of 1877 she married
Nathan Lipscomb farmer living
south of Kansas City. She has since