Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1924-10-17

and hazardous journey, from Spring
/ field, ILL.,. 70 Healdsburg, Cal, back in
! 1864, in her fathers covered wagon,
drawn by four yoke of oxen, she Is
exceedingly Interested IL the fact
/ that the famous and historically ae-
curate moving picture drama entiti-
| ed 1.-THE Covered Wagon" is going
/ TO be shown at the Bradley Theatre
here the first three days next week.
Mrs. Reynolds cannot be classed
as a movie fan, rs evidenced by the
/ fact that she mas not been in sucn
/ a theatre for at least ten years. But
still she il all enthused because this
picture of experiences encountered
on the Western plains is TO be shown
| in Putnam and, though close to eighty
years Of age, she expects 10 be in the
Bradley audience on one of the days
Tie. The play is thrown o. sne silver
screen. IL would appear that the only
thing that will prevent her from
comparing her experiences, with those
pictured in the film version of the
covered wagon days, will be i'll health
II Is the hope Of everyone who knows
Of her ambition, that nothing will pre-
vent her from seeing the picture.
start y or lalIf ornta
Ii was back in the early days of
the Civil War that Mrs. Reynolds
started with her father and mother
and five brothers and sisters from
their farm in Illinois, for California.
They had three vehicles to ride in
and transport household goods, provi-
sions etc.
There was the freight wagon. so
called, that was drawn by four yoke
Of oxen. The lower part of this wag-
on was fitted up so rs to provide
storage space for provisions and the
like The floor of the wagon embrace
ed the sleeping quarters of most of
The family. Another wagon, drawn
by four horses, provided additional
sleeping quarters, and in it WAS car
fied bedding and many other things.
including a sheet iron stove for
cooking purposes. A third vehicle.
a carry-all was provided for Mrs.
Tucker, mother Of Mrs. Reynolds and
her daughters This vehicle was the
pullman Of transportation on this
trip. 1t was drawn by span of
mules. To the daughters Of the fam
lis went the responsibility of the
care of the mules, Harvesting and I'M
Harvesting. feeding, and driving.
Though only fourteen years old. Mrs.
REYNOLDS was good sized girl and
not only did her full share of the
work. but delighted in doing it.
From Springfield. the wagon train
Travelled its snail-like way through
farming country, forest lands and
over good roads, wretched roads and
veritable quagmires of mud. II was
strenuous journey and 1t took about
month TO reach st. Joseph. Missouri.
Arrive at St. Joseph
Now St Joe, as that place is known
even To this day. was the gateway
20 the far west for travellers from
the east The railroad from the
East went no farther than st. Joe.
Il was the stopping off place and If
one wanted 70 keep going westward,
he had "a buy and equip his covered
wagon.
Great long ''trains" of covered wag-
ons left st. Joe almost daily, bound
for the western plains or California =
pioneers reaching out into an unsettl-
ed. unknown, dangerous country, to
settle with their families and wrest
f
Joining one Of these trains" Mrs.
( Reynolds father. with the family,
started on the journey to California.
I Besides the vehicles spoken of pre-
/ viously, Mrs Reynolds father took
along three cows and two spare hors-
/ es. The cattle provided fresh milk
twice a day and from a part of this,
butter was made.
The train of covered wagons made
about fifteen miles a day and follow
ed. without deviation. the government
stageeoach road This was the desir-
able thing 10 do not only because IL
was the best road TO travel. but the
safest. for there was always the dan
ger from Indians who did not take
kindly TO the white people coming
into their land.
Stop at Settlements
Every twelve or so miles along the
highway. the train arrived at govern
ment stations. where there was fort
I ress and companies of soldiers on
| duty. Here one found quite a colony
Of settlers and stores. The travellers
IN the covered wagon caravan always
stopped at the stations for day Oh
two, To rest themselves, their hors-
es and cattle, for the journey across
the open country was arduous and
wearying. II was at these stations.
Mrs Reynolds states. that supply
of meat and other needed provisions
or apparel. were purchased
Between station, as the wagon
! train moved slowly along the way dur
ing the daylight hours. the men were
busy driving oxen, horses and cattle.
+ The women sewed and busted them
selves in useful ways and the young
people tramped along, picking flow
ers but never wandered beyond sight
of the wagons. Sometimes they rode
Oft ON horseback. whole groups of
them together. and oftentimes they
had races
AZ night. the wagons Of the train
were lined up at the side Of the
road and then each family became
engrossed with the everfing meal.
The women mixed bread in the morn
ing. before starting out and al night
did the baking. making enough 10
last at least tweuty-four hours and
frequently forty-eight hours Each
family had its camp fire and almost
every night there were large groups
Of people about one or the other.
There was music. both vocal and in
steumental. story telling and fire.
quently, sermons, for there happen
ed 20 be a clergyman in the caravan.
These nightly events were not only