It isn't always easy to find records of, or clues to, your ancestors who came overland to the West Coast, but there may be more resources available than you think. I've put together what I hope are some helpful suggestions on my webpage, "Finding Overland Trail Ancestors" (link above). I've also compiled lists of names from various published or manuscript accounts of individual trips (also linked above). This time, I have taken a different approach, and have compiled two lists of people who arrived in Oregon in 1853. The first list is of people who, when applying for an Oregon Donation Land Claim, said they arrived in Oregon on a certain date. [The names and dates were derived from the Genealogical Forum of Oregon (GFO) compilations of genealogical information in donation land claim paperwork.] The second is a list of manuscripts held by the Oregon Historical Society [OHS] that describe 1853 overland trips, with a compilation of names mentioned in each manuscript [Manuscripts and names included are those listed in "Overland Passages: A Guide to Overland Documents in the Oregon Historical Society," compiled by K. White and M. C. Cuthill.] An every-name index to both lists is included.
Before you try to use the lists, let me describe some of their limitations [and there are quite a few]:
-Clearly, these lists do not include everybody who came overland to Oregon in 1851. Few people got mentioned in journals, and not everyone filed a donation land claim. The list I made from the GFO compilations only includes those people who gave a definite date for arrival in Oregon. [If all they said about their arrival was "1853" or "September 1853," I didn't include them. I limited my list in this way because I was trying to match individuals to specific wagon trains.] Also, most of the records are for arrivals between 20 July 1853 and 2 November 1853, because arrivals before and after those dates were less likely to be for travelers arriving in Oregon over the Oregon Trail.
-Probably not everybody on the list was an overland traveler. In most cases, the GFO compilations give no clues as to whether the applicant came overland, came by ship, or came up from California. [That's why I left off the very early and very late arrival dates.] The names in the OHS catalog are probably mostly overland travelers, but an "every name index" could include mention of friends they left behind, people they wrote to, people in towns they passed through, etc.
-Even though I only included people who gave a definite date for "arrival in Oregon," these are not all that definite. Most people took "arrival" to mean reaching the Willamette Valley [Foster's, Oregon City, or Salem, most often], but some people clearly used entering Oregon Territory [i.e. crossing the Snake River] as their date, or crossing over the Blue Mountains to the Umatilla River. From my personal knowledge of some of the wagon trains, I know there are many discrepancies of two to four days in dates given by members of the same trains, and in some cases the "arrival" dates of people on the same train are as much as two weeks different. Therefore, I have pooled the arrival dates into arrival periods of several days to a week. People listed in one time period were not necessarily traveling together. Also, since my pooling of dates is in most cases pretty arbitrary, members of the same train could show up in different groups [e.g., the time period just before or just after the main party].
-It probably goes without saying that names are not necessarily spelled correctly. I've tried to be careful with my transcribing, but remember that these names have been deciphered from original handwriting and transcribed and typed any number of times before me. In the case of journal entries, they may never have been spelled correctly in the first place. Don't forget to look for "look alike" and "sound alike" names when you go through the lists.
If you are interested in people who came to Oregon in 1853, I suggest you look in the INDEX for surnames that match [or sound like they could refer to] the names you are looking for. If you find something interesting, check it out on either the Donation Land Claim Arrivals List, or the Oregon Historical Society Manuscript List. In those sections, I have included suggestions for following up on whatever you find.
THE SURNAME INDEX
The following listing includes all the surnames on this page having to do with the 1853 overland emigration to Oregon. Names followed by a letter refer to names and arrival dates taken from the Donation Land Claim compilations of the Genealogical Forum of Oregon. Those followed by a number are taken from manuscripts at the Oregon Historical Society.
ABBET - G
ABBOTT - F / 3
ADAMS - J, V
ADKINS - Y
ADORABLE - 26
AGER - H
AIKEN - T
ALBEE - R
ALEXANDER - S, V / 11
ALLEN - C, G, L
ALLENSWORTH - L
ALLYN - J / 1
AMMONS - M
ANDERSON - J / 1 / Asa
APPLEGATE - L
ARCHIBALD - K
ARMOND - Asa
ARMSTRONG - 24
ARMSWORTH - R
ARNSPIGER - L
ASHBY - D / Asa
ASBERRY - 2
ATHERTON - W
ATWOOD - H
BABCOCK - M
BACKENSTO - J
BAGLEY - Y
BAILEY - Asa
BAIRD - J
BAKER - L, T, V / 8
BALL - H
BALLNE - Asa
BALTIMORE - L
BANKS - S
BARCLAY - Y
BARGER - C
BARKER - N, R
BARNARD - M
BARNEBURG - D / Asa
BARNES - Asa
BARNETT - W
BARNEY - W
BARNS - Asa
BARR - T, Z
BARRETT - 1
BARTON - P
BATCHELLOR - R
BATES - 9
BAUMGARTNER - W
BAVINGTON - P
BEAL - Z
BEAMER - D
BEAN - Z
BEAVER/BEAVERT - S / 1
BEELER - W
BEEM - F
BEESON - G / 19
BELL - L
BELSHAW - P / 2, 3
BELVINS - 18
BENJAMIN - Asa
BENNETT - Y
BENTLEY - 22
BENTON - M
BERRY - N
BERTON - 24
BETHEL - Asa
BETHERS - 6
BETTS - F
BIDAMON - 1
BILES - 8
BILYEU - D
BINGHAM - T, W
BISHOP - S
BISSLE - Asa
BLACK - J / Asa
BLACKBURN - G
BLAIR - T
BLANTON - L
BOGGS - W
BOLEJACK - S
BOLTON - V
BOND - P, W, Y / 18
BOOTS - 21
BOWEN - H
BOZARTH - N
BRAGG - N
BRAILE - 16
BRANNAN/BRENNAN - 25
BREEDING - S
BREWER - P, S, W, Y
BRIGGS - Y / Asa
BRIGMAN - P
BRINGLE - K
BRITON - Asa
BROWN - E, F, M, S / Asa
BROWNSON - M
BRUCE - 18
BRYANT - L
BRYDOLF - 24
BUCKINGHAM - W / 20
BULLFINCH - 25
BULLOCK - D
BUOY - E
BURNETT - Z
BURGE - 16
BURT - Y
BUSHNELL - W, Y
BUSTER - D / Asa
BUTLER - C, N, Y / 24
BUTTERFIELD - 24
BUTTS - W
BYRD - N
CALDWELL - F, S
CAMPBELL - S / 3
CANNON - P / 25
CANTRALL - N
CAPIAS - 6
CARLTON - 6
CARMON - 25
CARNS - Z
CAROTHERS - L
CARPENTER - N
CARSON - N / 24
CARTER - R
CARTWRIGHT - J, R
CASE - H
CASON - 22
CATE - G
CATHEY - T
CETON - Asa
CHAMBERS - 16
CHANDLER - S
CHAPMAN - J
CHARLES - N
CHENERY - D
CHITWOOD - N, S
CHRISTIE - 24
CHURCH - N / 24
CHURCHILL - H
CISCO - 4
CLAFLIN - 16
CLANCY - E
CLARK - P, S, Y / 6 / Asa
CLAYTON - M
CLEAVER - L
CLINE - P / 20
CLOUSE - Asa
COAL - 5
COATS - R
COCHRAN - Y
CODINGTON - 24
COFFEY - D
COFFIN - Asa
COLBY - 22
COLE - 5
COLEMAN - P
COLLIER - S
CONDRA/CONDREY/CONDRY - T / 19, 25
CONE - W
CONGER - L
CONLEE - W
CONNER/CONNOR - R / 5, 6
COOK - F
COOKSEY - Z
COOLEY - L
COONTS - 3
COOPER - M, T
COPENHAUER - L
CORNUTT - T
CORNWALL/CORNWELL - T / 23
COULSON - Y
COX - N / 21
COZBY - 5
CRABB - F, G
CRABTREE - N, T
CRALLMER - Asa
CRAMER - 9
CRANK - 23
CRANSTON - V / 21
CRESWELL/CRISWELL - N / 6
CROSIAR - G
CROUCH - G
CROW - R, T / 6
CROWDER - L
CRUZAN - D / 23 / Asa
CULBERTSON - P
CUNNINGHAM - K, P, R / 24
CURL - D
CURRELL - Asa
CURRIN - L
CURRY - F
CURTIS - T
CUSICK - S
CYRUS - H
DANA - M
DANIELS - P
DARNIEL - Y
DAUGHERTY - L
DAVIDSON - Y / 24
DAVIS - G, M, P, T, Y / 24
DAY - A / 16
DEADMOND - S
DEARDORFF - F
DEBAUN - L
DECKARD - M
DENNING - Z / 6
DeWEESE - C
DICKEY - S
DILLARD - E / Asa
DIMMICK - T
DINWIDDIE - R / 7
DITMARS - T
DIXON - F
DODGE - S
DODSON - K
DONEGAN - 25
DOOLEY - G
DOUTHIT - A
DOWELL - 19
DRAPER - F
DREW - 8
DREWRY - Asa
DRINKWATER - R, V
DRISKELL - M
DRIVER - M, S
DRURY - Y
DUCKER - 13
DUDEN - 25
DUEST - 24
DUKES - W
DUNLAP - 9
DUNNING - 1
DYER - M
EARL - Asa
EASTABROOK - Z
EASTON - Asa
EBERLEIN - S
EBY - 24
EDELMAN - F
EDES - Asa
EDWARDS - S / 6
ELDER - Asa
ELIOT - 12
ELLMAKER - L
ELY - L
EME - M
ENSLEY - T
EPHRAIM - 1
EPPERLY - R
ERWIN - J
ESTES - P
EVANS - J, L, R
EVERY - B
FARRENS - N
FATE - L
FAWCETT - 24
FERGUSON - W
FIELDS - Asa
FINK - Asa
FISHER - N / 6
FISK - R, Z
FITZPATRICK - G
FLANERY - F
FLEENER - G
FOLEY - Z
FORD - M
FORDYCE - D
FOSTER - S
FOTHERGILL - R
FRAKES - G
FRANKLIN - 6
FREELAND - N, P
FREEMAN - R
FRIEDLY - J
FRYREAR - P
FULLER - K, S
FUNK - R
FURMAN - M
GABY - B
GALE - Y / 12
GARDNER - N, V
GARNET - 13
GARRED - P
GARRETT - V / 24
GASH - Z
GAZLEY - L
GENGER - K
GEORGE - 19
GHOLSON - S
GIBSON - M / 24
GILBERT - J
GILLILAND - S
GODLEY - Y
GOLTRA - S / 10
GOODALL/GOODALE - B / Asa
GOODLIN - L
GOODMAN - N
GOODWIN - 16
GOSS - Asa
GORIG - R
GRAY - H, L, M, Y, Z / 6, 13
GREEN - Asa
GRIFFIN - L, N, Y / 22
GRIMES - F
GRISHAM - K
GROSHONG - M
GROUND/GROWNDS - C / 24
GRUBB - J, Z
GUEST - R
GUNSAULES - N
GURNEY - M
HACKSHAW - M
HALBERT - H
HALEY - P / 24
HALL - K, N, Z
HALLADAY - H
HALLIBURTON - T
HALICK/HALLOCK - H / 24
HAMILTON - R, Y / Asa
HAMPTON - V
HANCOCK - Asa
HANKS - 4
HANNA - L, M
HAPTONSTALL - P
HARBIN - M
HARDENBROOK - N
HARDMAN - H, L
HARMON - 16
HARPOLE - L
HARRINGTON - 22
HARRIS - L, T, W
HASTINGS - A
HAUGH - M
HAUGHAM - M
HAWKINS - 13 / 24
HAY - W
HAYDEN - Z
HAYES - K, P
HECKER - 6
HELM - J
HEMENWAY - N
HENDERSHOTT - Asa
HENDERSON - M, R, S, T
HENEY - N
HENKLE - N, P
HENSHLEY - 22
HENSON - W
HERBERT - R
HERRIN - H
HICKS - H, V / 21
HIGGINSON - T
HILL - L, R, S, Z
HILLINSHEAD - Z
HILTS - G
HIMES - 8 / 16
HINES - 22
HITE - V / 11
HOBART - T
HOBSON - N
HOCKERSMITH - Y / 12
HODGEN - N
HODGES - P
HOFFMAN - Z / 13
HOGAN - M
HOGUE - F
HOLT - C / 9 / Asa
HOLTEN - 19
HOULT - J
HOWARD - C, F / 6, 18, 24
HOWE - Z
HOYT - 25
HUBBARD - L, R
HUBER - 23
HUDSON - P
HUFF - Z
HUFFMAN - 24
HUGHES - D / 16
HULL - J
HUMPHREY - N
HUNT - Asa
HURD - 16
HURLBERT - Y
HUSTON - H
HUTCHINSON - C / 16, 24
HUTTON - T
ILIFF - Z
IMBLER - P
IRELAND - H
JACKSON - J, P / 23
JAMES - S
JANUARY - L
JENNINGS - Y
JESS - 14
JEWETT - L / Asa
JOB - P
JOHNSON - P, R, T, W / 13
JONES - G, H, L, T, V, W / 1
KAGER - Y
KEITH - 1
KELLOGG - Z
KELLY - H, L
KELSAY - W
KELSOE - P
KENDALL - R
KENDRICK - 6
KENNEDY - N, Y
KENOYER - R / 6
KENT - 15
KERNS - N
KEYS - L
KILBORN - L
KILLINGSWORTH - R
KIME - S
KINCADE - R
KINDT - G
KING - P / 22
KINKAID - J
KINNEY - Z
KIRK - Y
KISER/KIZER - P / 1
KNOFF - T
KNOX - L, M / 21
KOMPP - L
KRAMER - N
LACY - W
LADD - L, T
LADY - P
LAMB - 21
LANDRETH - V, Y / 5
LANE - D, F, J / 16 / Asa
LANGDON - T
LARSON - H
LATIMER - 24
LAUGHLIN - Asa
LAWRENCE - 6
LEE - S
LEAVER/LEEVER - B / 23
LEMAY - M
LEMLY - P
LENK - Asa
LEONARD - Y
LEEPER/LEPER - 1, 24
LEWIS - N, P, R / 9
LICHTENTHALER - R / 6
LIGGETT - R
LIGHT - 16
LINDLEY - L
LINVILLE - E, M
LISTER - Y
LITHCOE - 10
LIVINGSTON - M
LOFTUS - E
LOGAN - M
LONG - M, P / Asa
LONGMIRE - 16
LONGWORTH - R
LOVE - D / 20 / Asa
LUCE - S
LUPER - G
LUTZ - R
LYNCH - D, R
MACK - K
MACY - P
MAILS - Asa
MANSFIELD - G, K, L
MANN - Y
MANUEL - Asa
MARKHAM - P
MARKWOOD - R
MARTIN - P, R, Y / 2, 3
MASON - S / 6
MASSEY - J, K
MATLOCK - Y
MATTHEWS - R, Z
MAUPIN - M
MAYHEW - L
McATEE - G
McBRIDE - P
McCALLISTER - C
McCARTHY/McCARTY - 3 / Asa
McCARTNEY - E
McCARTY - P
McCLAIN - T / 17
McCLUNG - S
McCLURE - A, Y / 18
McCORD - L
McCORMICK - P
McCOY - F
McCREEDY - N
McCULLOCH - M
McCULLOUGH - P / 16
McCULLY - N / Asa
McCUNE - L
McDANIEL - P, S
McDOWELL - H
McGEE - F
McGUIRE - M
McHARGUE - L
McKEE - H
McKINNELL - Z
McLAUGHLIN - M
McMAHON - F
McMULLEN - R
McNEMAN - D
McNUTT - 12
McPHERSON - V
MELVILLE - 16
MENDENHALL - C
MERCER - M
MERRILL - M
METZLER - V
MEWETT - 1
MILL - 19
MILLER - M, N, P, S, T, Z / 11, 12, 19, 20
MINFORD - 21
MIRES - F
MITCHELL - 16
MONAHAN - A
MONTGOMERY - B, E
MOORE - N, P, Z / 14
MORGAN - Y / 5
MORRIS - K, M
MORSS - L
MORTON - P
MOSIER - F
MOUNTS - S
MULKEY - C, F, L, Y
MURPHY - J
MURRAY - N
MYNATT - P
MYER - J
NAIL - M
NASH - Asa
NAUGHT - R
NEALY - M
NELSON - L
NEWLIN - P
NEWTON - L
NICHOLS - P, Z
NICKSON - Z
NICKUM - T
NORTH - 24
NOWLAND - W
NUMBER - K
OATMAN - H
OGLE - P
OGLESBY - L
OLIVER - 24
O'NEIL - S
ORR - R / Asa
ORRICK - 13
ORTON - L
OSBORN/OSBURN - N, R / 6
OWEN - J
PACKARD - S
PALMER - J / 21
PANKEY - M
PARISH - E
PARKER - M
PARKS - W
PARRIS - M
PARSONS - P / 2, 3
PARVIN - P
PAYNE - P
PEARSON - S / 19
PEASE - 1
PEEBLER - R
PENDLETON - C
PENGRA/PENGREE - M / 25
PENNELL - 6
PENNINGTON - Z
PENNY - Asa
PEPIOT - F
PERKINS - B, D / 16 / Asa
PERRY - D / 21 / Asa
PETTY - Y
PHILLIPS - N, S, Z
PIERCE - G
PITNEY - Y
PITTMAN - 1
POE - L
POLAND - 19
POPPLETON - L
PORTER - M, R / 16
POTTS - F
POWELL - H, J, R
PRESTON - Y, Z
PRICE - G
PROMODE - Asa
PURDY - L
QUINE - R
QUIVEY - M
RAMBO - M
RAMSAY - P
RANCH - H
RANDALL - N / 24
RATCLIFF - P
RAY - N, Y / 16
REDICK - A
REED - E, F / 21 / Asa
REEDER - N
REINHART - 9
RENARD - 21
RHEA - E, N
RICE - S / Asa
RICHARDS - 24
RICHARDSON - N, R
RICHES - R
RICKARD - Z
RIDENOUR - J
RIGGS - H
RILEY - W
RINEHART - K
RITCHEY - P, T
RITTER - L
RIZEOR - G
ROBB - H
ROBBINS - R
ROBERSON - M
ROBERTS - P, T
ROBINSON - M, N, W
ROBISON - H
RODGERS - S
ROE - 24
ROMANE - H
ROOT - 23 / Asa
ROWELL - R
ROYAL - Y
RUGGERS/RIGGERS - Asa
RUBLE - R
RUNCH - R
RYALS - L
SAAR - M
SAMSON/SAMPSON - R / Asa
SAMUELS - 1
SANFORD - M
SARGENT - 16
SATTERFIELD - F
SAVAGE - S, Z
SAVERY - W
SAWTELLE - E
SAYLOR - Y
SCHIEFFLIN - D
SCHRAMM/SHRAMM - Z / 18
SCONCE - F
SCOTT - D, H / 12, 24 / Asa
SEARS - G, Y
SEW - 13
SHACKELFORD - N
SHAKLEE - Z
SHAW - Z
SHEETS - M
SHELTON - R / 16
SHILLING - 21
SHINN - 1
SHIPLEY - P
SHISLER - 6
SHORT - A, D / 21 / Asa
SHRIVER - M
SHRUM - S
SHULTZ - Z
SHUPE - S
SHURK - Asa
SICKMAN - 24
SIMMONS - P, S
SIMONS - T
SIMPSON - R, S, T, W
SINNOTT - F
SKINNER - 12
SKIPTON - T
SLICK - Z
SLOAN - S, T
SMALL - K, L, M, S
SMALLY - 24
SMITH - C, H, J, M, N, P, R, S, T, Y, Z / 22
SNIPES - N
SNOWDEN - Z
SOMMERVILLE - J
SOUTH - K
SOUTHWORTH - F
SPARKS - S
SPEER - Asa
SPENCER - L
SQUIRE - 5
STANNUS - S
STARR - H, J, M, S, T
STEARNS - T / 19, 25
STEPHENS - H, R
STEPHENSON - V, W
STERLING - T / 9
STEVENS - Z
STEVENSON - H / 20
STEWART - L, S, T, W, Y / 20, 21
STOCER - Asa
STONE - R
STONG - 21
STORMONT - P
STOWS - Asa
STREET - 1
STRONG - N
STUCKER - H
SULLENS - N
SUTTEN - 19
SWAGGARD - S
SWANK - K
SWARTOUT - 19
SUMPTER - F
TARTER - P
TATOM - T
TAYLOR - K, N, Y / 21 / Asa
TEEL - S
TEMPLETON - F
THIELE - W
THOMAS - Z
THOM(P)SON - M, N, P / 19, 24
THORN - W
THORNTON - R
THORP/THROP - F / Asa
THURMAN - 18
TICHENOR - 24
TITUS - W
TODD - M
TOLMIE - 16
TOWER - S, T
TRIMBLE - G
TUCKER - M, S
TURNER - S
TURPIN - P
TYCER - L
ULLERY - L
UMPHREYS - L
VANDERPOOL - D
VANGLITE - Asa
VAN OGLE - 16
VEATCH - R
VENATOR - G
VENERABLE - 24
VERNON - R
VERTRUSE - 24
WAGNON - T
WALKER - H, J, P, R, V
WARD - L, V / 22 / Asa
WALLACE - 24
WALLING - 4
WARMAN - T
WARNER - 20
WARNOCH - P
WARREN - Y
WARRINER - T
WASHBURN - P
WATERS - A / Asa
WATKINS - P
WATSON - Y
WATT - 16
WEATHERLY - T
WEAVER - H
WEDDLE - R
WEEKLY - C
WELCH - D
WELLS - H, M, W
WELTON - Asa
WESLEY - 1
WEST - E, K / 23 / Asa
WHARTON - 13
WHEALDON - S
WHEATON - M
WHEELER - S
WHITE - E, F, Z
WHITLOW - S
WHITNEY - E, T
WHITWORTH - M
WILCOX - C
WILCOXON - 1
WILLIAMS - M, P, T / 25
WILLIS - S
WILSON - H, K, M, R, T / 1 / Asa
WINES - Asa
WINGERT - V
WIRTS - W
WISHMIRE - 9
WITHERS - E, M
WITT - Asa
WOLFORD - T, V / 21
WOLVERTON - M
WOOD - E, M, N, V / 1 / Asa
WOODCOCK - P / 26
WOODRUFF - V
WOOLERY - 16
WOOLRIDGE - N
WRIGHT - L
WYCOFF - P
YOUNG - Z
ZEVELY - R
ZOOSMAN - H
DONATION LAND CLAIM NAMES
One source of information on when our Oregon Trail ancestors got to Oregon, and with whom, is the Donation Land Claim record. Some claim filers gave their date of arrival in Oregon, which can be compared with dates given by other pioneers to see who else arrived on the same date, an indication [but no more than that] that certain people arriving on the same date might have been traveling together. Sometimes [but not always], people traveling together filed for their donation land in the same area on the same day, or within a few days of one another.
The original Donation Land Claim data are on file in the Oregon State Archives at Salem, but you'd have to spend a few years going through a lot of papers to make comparisons such as I suggested above. Fortunately, the Genealogical Forum of Oregon, Inc. [GFO], has done the basic work for us. In their several volumes of "Genealogical Material in Oregon Donation Land Claims" [available from GFO], they have recorded the claims in numerical order, and have recorded for each claimant the date [when given] he or she arrived in Oregon. It is still a time-consuming exercise to go through all the volumes to pick out all the claimants in the year or other time period you're interested in, but it is possible - as I recently proved to myself with the records for 1851, which I have presented below, so you don't have to do the work all over again, yourself.
This is not a complete list of 1853 travelers because (1) not everybody filed a land claim, and (2) not everybody gave a date of arrival in Oregon. [Because I was interested in matching individuals to the wagon trains they came on, I did not include records that had as their arrival date (for example) "1853," "Sept 1853," or "between August and October 1853." Those records are in the GFO publications, if you want to expand your search.]. There were other problems with the study, also. For example, the claim summaries in the GFO publications do not say whether the applicant arrived in Oregon on the overland trails, came north from California, or arrived by steamship. [I got rid of some of these non-Oregon Trail folks by omitting arrival dates before 20 July and after 12 November, but I'm sure there are still quite a few in the list. I probably lost some overland travelers by setting these arbitrary dates, but certainly the bulk of overland travel in 1851 came between those dates.]
Also, I found that "date of arrival in Oregon" was not as definite as it sounds. Most people felt they had "arrived" when they reached the Willamette Valley, but clearly some folks were using crossing into Oregon Territory as their arrival date. [I found dates for people that I am positive were on the same wagon train that were up to two weeks apart.] Also, some people did not file for several years after arrival, and more than one probably guessed at the actual date. For these reasons, I found that the search for trail mates was unrealistically limited [and also made a very long list!] if I recorded everyone separately on the exact date they gave. Instead, I compiled the names into time periods of arrival - somewhat arbitrarily, but also based somewhat on the volume of traffic arriving during various time periods. [Because of the artificial nature of my time divisions, be sure to look over several groups at a time to see possible trail mates.]
A follow-up study that can be done using these names is to compare them with the names of 1853 overland travelers included in manuscripts held by the Oregon Historical Society (list below this one). For example, your ancestor may not be noted in a trail journal [only a few of the thousands who traveled the overland trails were mentioned by name], but you might find that people who seem to have been traveling with your ancestor are mentioned. Journals and reminiscences often name the date and place the wagon train departed for the West - those facts may confirm or rule out the train as the one you are looking for.
A. 20-29 July
DAY, Adam
DOUTHIT, James H.
HASTINGS, Burres L.
McCLURE, John R.
MONAHAN, Martin
REDICK, Thomas Harvey
SHORT, John Wesley
WATERS, Henry Owen
B. 1-2 August
EVERY, George
GABY, Elijah
GOODALL, Oliver Perry
LEEVER, Cornwall Thacker
MONTGOMERY, Andrew
PERKINS, George W.
C. 5-8 August
ALLEN, William
BARGER, Gilford P.
BARGER, William B.
BUTLER, Ira F.
BUTLER, Peter
DeWEESE, George W.
GROUND, Edward
HOLT, James E.
HOWARD, Royal Varney
HUTCHINSON, Thomas H.
McCALLISTER, John
MENDENHALL, Jacob
MULKEY, Philip
PENDLETON, Rice
SMITH, Isaac
WEEKLY, William E.
WILCOX, Thomas J.
D. 9-12 August
ASHBY, George B.
BARNEBURG, William
BEAMER, Henry
BILYEU, John
BULLOCK, Charles J.
BUSTER, Samuel Clinton
CHENERY, Albion P.
COFFEY, John
CRUZAN, Andrew J.
CURL, Bartlett
FORDYCE, Asa G.
HUGHES, Isaiah J.
LANE, Mordecai
LOVE, John D.
LYNCH, James T.
McNEMAN, Noah W.
PERKINS, Edward T.
PERKINS, John B.
PERRY, James
SCHIEFFLIN, Clinton
SCOTT, Samuel R.
SHORT, Merrill
VANDERPOOL, James W.
WELCH, George
E. 14-19 August
BROWN, William
BUOY, Hanniah
BUOY, James
BUOY, Laban
CLANCY, Cornelius
DILLARD, Samuel
LINVILLE, John
LOFTUS, Edward H.
McCARTNEY, John B.
MONTGOMERY, Martin
PARISH, David J.
REED, Alexander
REED, James C.
RHEA, Elijah W.
SAWTELLE, Henry C.
SAWTELLE, John
WEST, Calvin B.
WHITE, William C.
WHITNEY, Elkanah
WHITNEY, William M.
WITHERS, John E.
WOOD, Edmund
F. 20-25 August
ABBOTT, James A.
BEEM, Milton
BETTS, George W.
BROWN, Samuel
CALDWELL, William
COOK, Nicholas
CRABB, Andrew J.
CRABB, Joseph
CURRY, George Law
DEARDORFF, Joseph
DIXON, Joseph
DRAPER, Reuben
EDELMAN, Leonard W.
FLANERY, Elijah
GRIMES, Edward L.
HOGUE, James P.
HOWARD, Jonathan B.
LANE, Alonzo
McCOY, Thomas K.
McGEE, Abraham E.
McMAHON, James
MIRES, John H.
MOSIER, Jonah H.
MULKEY, Solomon
PEPIOT, Reges
POTTS, Oliver P.
REED, Thomas J.
SATTERFIELD, George W.
SCONCE, Robert H.
SINNOTT, Edward
SOUTHWORTH, James
SOUTHWORTH, William H.
SUMPTER, Alexander
TEMPLETON, James C.
THORP, Elizabeth
WHITE, Sanford H.
G. 26-29 August
ABBET, Isaiah
ALLEN, Wesley
BEESON, John
BLACKBURN, Henry
CATE, John T.
CRABB, Joseph N.
CROSIAR, James
CROUCH, Benjamin A.
DAVIS, Miles
DOOLEY, William
FITZPATRICK, John
FLEENER, James
FRAKES, Robert G.
FRAKES, Joel T.
HILTS, David B.
JONES, Silas W. R.
KINDT, Peter
LUPER, John
LUPER, Martin
MANSFIELD, John C.
McATEE, James R.
McATEE, William H.
PIERCE, Amos B.
PRICE, Joseph Sr.
RIZEOR, Thomas H.
SEARS, Christopher
TRIMBLE, Alexander P.
VENATOR, Jezreel
H. 30 Aug - 1 Sept.
AGER, Jerome B.
ATWOOD, Aucelius F.
BALL, Addison
BALL, David
BALL, Francis
BOWEN, John B.
CASE, Laban
CHURCHILL, Alvah
CYRUS, James
GRAY, Thomas
HALBERT, George W.
HALLADAY, Wells
HALLOCK, Heman S.
HARDMAN, Aaron
HERRIN, David N.
HERRIN, John S.
HICKS, Laban
HUSTON, Joel B.
IRELAND, Alpheus
ISLEY, Daniel
JONES, Jefferson
KELLY, Gilmer
LARSON, Elisha
McDOWELL, David
McKEE, John
OATMAN, Harrison B.
OATMAN, Harvey B.
POWELL, Joab
RANCH, Peter
RIGGS, Michael
ROBB, Rowland H.
ROBISON, John
ROMANE, Francis M.
SCOTT, John
SMITH, George
SMITH, Richard
STARR, Milton B.
STEPHENS, Benjamin L.
STEVENSON, Samuel L.
STUCKER, Henry C.
WALKER, Enoch F.
WALKER, John Jr.
WALKER, John Sr.
WEAVER, Hans
WELLS, Giles
WILSON, John P.
ZOOSMAN, Moses
J. 2-5 September
ADAMS, Stephen B.
ALLYN, Henry
ANDERSON, William B.
BACKENSTO, John F.
BAIRD, William C.
BLACK, John W.
CARTWRIGHT, Darius B.
CHAPMAN, Daniel
CHAPMAN, Henry H.
ERWIN, Samuel H.
EVANS, James M.
FRIEDLY, Jacob H.
GILBERT, Orson
GRUBB, John
HELM, Benjamin F.
HOULT, Enoch
HULL, Andrew J.
JACKSON, John
KINKAID, William B.
LANE, Horace
MASSEY, Isaac
MURPHY, John
MYER, Benjamin F.
MYER, Nathaniel
MYER, William C.
OWEN, Milton P.
PALMER, John H.
POWELL, Calvin
POWELL, Charles W.
RIDENOUR, David
SMITH, Hiram
SOMMERVILLE, Alex
SOMMERVILLE, Joseph
STARR, Milton C.
STEPHENSON, Joseph
WALKER, Minus
K. 6-8 September
ARCHIBALD, Stephen James
BRINGLE, Daniel
CUNNINGHAM, Pleasant T.
DODSON, McMinn
FULLER, James M.
GENGER, George W.
GRISHAM, John
HALL, Zachariah
HAYES, John B.
MACK, James W.
MANSFIELD, Samuel
MASSEY, Sylvester C.
MORRIS, George J.
NUMBER, Philip
RINEHART, Lewis
SMALL, Thomas H.
SMALL, William B.
SOUTH, John D.
SOUTH, John R.
SWANK, Peter C.
SWANK, William
TAYLER, Marion
WEST, Edward H.
WILSON, James L.
L. 9-11 September
ALLEN, William Anderson
ALLENSWORTH, Simon H.
APPLEGATE, Squier H.
ARNSPIGER, George
ARNSPIGER, Simon P.
BAKER, William A.
BALTIMORE, Philip
BELL, Nathaniel
BLANTON, John
BRYANT, Perrin
CAROTHERS, Erwin
CLEAVER, John W.
CONGER, Jonathan
COOLEY, George
COPENHAUER, Michael
CROWDER, Solomon W.
CURRIN, John
DAUGHERTY, Daniel C.
DEBAUN, Edwin
ELLMAKER, Enos
ELY, Philologus
EVANS, Thomas R.
FATE, David
GAZLEY, Samuel
GOODLIN, John
GRAY, Joseph G.
GRIFFIN, Squire
HANNA, Calvin B.
HANNA, William
HARDMAN, Benjamin
HARDMAN, Joshua
HARPOLE, James W.
HARRIS, Hugh
HILL, Pleasant M.
HUBBARD, David
HUBBARD, Eli
JANUARY, Jonathan
JEWETT, Reuben
JONES, Heman
JONES, Vincent
KELLY, Ira
KEYS, Thomas
KILBORN, Marvin
KNOX, Thomas L.
KOMPP, Casper
LADD, Thomas B.
LINDLEY, James
MANSFIELD, Isaac L.
MANSFIELD, James
MAYHEW, Warner W.
McCORD, Thomas
McCUNE, Joseph
McCUNE, Robert Y.
McHARGUE, William
MORSS, Benjamin
MORSS, John M.
MULKEY, Elijah
NELSON, John
NEWTON, Ambrose
OGLESBY, William
ORTON, Ira
POE, William B.
POPPLETON, Edgar
POPPLETON, William G.
PURDY, William H.
RITTER, John H.
RITTER, Solomon
RYALS, William
SMALL, George
SPENCER, Octavus A.
STEWART, Lorenzo
TYCER, James E.
TYCER, Lewis
ULLERY, John S.
UMPHREYS, Thomas
WARD, George R.
WRIGHT, John S.
M. 12-16 September
AMMONS, Dee R.
BABCOCK, Mortimer O.
BARNARD, Elijah P.
BENTON, Albert
BROWN, David
BROWNSON, Julius
CLAYTON, Henry W.
COOPER, Harben M.
DANA, George B.
DAVIS, Levi
DECKARD, Anderson
DRISKELL, Thomas T.
DRIVER, Isaac D.
DRIVER, Thomas
DYER, George M.
EME, Claude
FORD, James K.
FURMAN, John
GIBSON, James
GRAY, Robert
GRAY, Samuel
GROSHONG, William
GURNEY, Robert M.
HACKSHAW, Cornelius
HANNA, James G.
HANNA, John B.
HARBIN, Edward V.
HAUGH, John
HAUGHAM, Moses
HENDERSON, Martin
HENDERSON, Perman
HOGAN, William H. H.
KENNEDY, William
KNOX, Samuel B.
LEMAY, Lewis
LINVILLE, Thomas H.
LIVINGSTON, Henry A.
LOGAN, James
LONG, George
MAUPIN, Boyd
McCULLOCH, Alfred E.
McCULLOCH, William N.
McGUIRE, Thomas J.
McLAUGHLIN, Robert
MERCER, George
MERRILL, Josiah M.
MILLER, Philip
MORRIS, Daniel
MORRIS, Elijah
NAIL, James R.
NEALY, Nelson
PANKEY, James
PARKER, Sylvester
PARRIS, John Howard
PENGREE, P. J.
PORTER, James A.
PORTER, Thomas W.
PORTER, William D.
QUIVEY, Erastus
RAMBO, Isaac
ROBERSON, William J.
ROBINSON, Reubin
SAAR, Peter
SANFORD, James
SANFORD, Josiah
SANFORD, Richmond
SHEETS, Zebulon
SHRIVER, George
SMALL, Henry
SMITH, William L.
STARR, Elizabeth C.
STARR, Philip M.
THOMSON, James
THOMSON, Jeremiah
TODD, John
TUCKER, Thomas
WELLS, George A.
WHEATON, John
WHITWORTH, Thomas
WILLIAMS, Jefferson
WILLIAMS, Milton H.
WILLSON, Sarah
WILSON, William
WITHERS, Peter
WOLVERTON, John
WOOD, Alexander
N. 17-20 September
BARKER, Clement
BERRY, Joseph F.
BOZARTH, Jonathan
BRAGG, Thomas
BUTLER, Benjamin
BYRD, John T.
CANTRALL, Philip
CARPENTER, Robert A.
CARSON, George W.
CHARLES, Martin L.
CHITWOOD, Jefferson
CHURCH, Andrew
COX, Benjamin
CRABTREE, Washington
CRISWELL, Joseph M.
FARRENS, John
FISHER, Henry
FREELAND, Edward A.
GARDNER, Isaac M.
GOODMAN, Benjamin P.
GOODMAN, Charles
GRIFFIN, Benjamin L.
GUNSAULES, Manuel
HALL, Pulaski
HARDENBROOK, Bradford
HEMENWAY, Ansel A.
HENEY, James
HENKLE, Jacob Jr.
HENKLE, William
HOBSON, James R.
HODGEN, Isaac Robert
HODGEN, Jacob Adkin
HODGEN, James
HUMPHREY, John P.
HUMPHREY, Thomas M.
HUMPHREY, William John
KENNEDY, Mordecai
KERNS, James A.
KRAMER, John A.
LEWIS, John
MARKS, William N.
McCREEDY, William Andrew
McCULLY, John M.
MILLER, Jacob
MOORE, Jacob J.
MURRAY, Absalom
OSBORN, John D.
PHILLIPS, Robert Y.
RANDALL, John H.
RAY, Robert Allen
REEDER, Simon M.
RHEA, Lewis
RICHARDSON, Thomas J.
ROBINSON, John H.
SHACKELFORD, Paul D.
SMITH, Samuel
SNIPES, George R.
STRONG, Horace M.
SULLENS, Isaac M.
TAYLOR, Stephen D.
THOMPSON, Hollen B.
THOMPSON, John W.
THOMPSON, Press C.
WOOD, Rev. Jesse
WOOLRIDGE, John
P. 21-25 September
BARTON, Benjamin R.
BAVINGTON, John
BELSHAW, Charles
BELSHAW, George
BELSHAW, George Jr.
BOND, George W.
BOND, John
BOND, Solomon
BREWER, David
BRIGMAN, Isaac
CANNON, John C.
CLARK, Nelson
CLINE, John
COLEMAN, Nathan G.
COLEMAN, William J.
CULBERTSON, Andrew
CUNNINGHAM, William M.
DANIELS, William B.
DAVIS, Isaac S.
DAVIS, William M.
ESTES, John
FREELAND, Benjamin
FRYREAR, John B.
GARRED, Felix
HALEY, Patrick R.
HAPTONSTALL, Samuel
HAYES, Ebenezer
HENKLE, Ichabod
HODGES, Charles
HUDSON, John R.
IMBLER, David
IMBLER, Silas
IMBLER, William J.
JACKSON, Samuel B.
JOB, James Chambers
JOHNSON, James
KELSOE, William
KING, David
KIZER, Nicholas
LADY, James W.
LEMLY, Pleasant G.
LEWIS, Jesse
LONG, James
MACY, John
MARKHAM, Nathaniel
MARKHAM, Thomas D.
MARTIN, Enos
MARTIN, Lewis
McBRIDE, David H.
McCARTY, Morgan G.
McCORMICK, William
McCULLOUGH, William S.
McDANIEL, John
MILLER, Enoch Johnson
MOORE, Joshua
MOORE, William
MORTON, Peter S.
MYNATT, John G.
NEWLIN, James M.
NICHOLS, John J.
OGLE, Howard
PARSONS, Henry
PARVIN, James
PAYNE, James H.
RAMSAY, Thomas L.
RATCLIFF, William
RITCHEY, Elizabeth (McNeally)
RITCHEY, Matthew D.
ROBERTS, Reuben S.
SATTERFIELD, James L.
SHIPLEY, Robert
SIMMONS, Charles M.
SMITH, America F.
SMITH, William Henry
STORMENT, James W.
TARTER, Robert
THOMPSON, Samuel G.
TURPIN, John J.
WALKER, Michael
WARNOCH, Presley
WASHBURN, Thomas
WATKINS, James
WILLIAMS, Albert E.
WOODCOCK, Martin
WOODCOCK, William C.
WYCOFF, Peter
R. 29-30 September
ALBEE, Simeon
ARMSWORTHY, Levi
BARKER, Jacob
BATCHELLOR, David
CARTER, Joseph
CARTWRIGHT, Theodore
COATS, Alden B.
CONNOR, Thomas J.
CROW, Malcom M.
CUNNINGHAM, John
DINWIDDIE, David T.
DINWIDDIE, Hugh
DINWIDDIE, Thomas R.
DRINKWATER, Joseph
DRINKWATER, William
EPPERLY, John
EVANS, Berry
FISK, James E.
FISK, William A.
FOTHERGILL, John
FREEMAN, John
FUNK, William
GORIG, Francis
GUEST, William
HAMILTON, Anderson
HENDERSON, Ira A.
HERBERT, Joel
HILL, William C.
HUBBARD, Franklin E.
JOHNSON, James
KENDALL, Joseph W.
KENOYER, Jeremiah
KILLINGSWORTH, John
KINCADE, Thomas
LEWIS, Hananiah
LEWIS, William
LICHTENTHALER, Jacob
LIGGETT, John
LONGWORTH, Basil N.
LUTZ, John S.
LYNCH, William W.
MARKWOOD, David
MARTIN, John W.
MARTIN, Stephen O.
MATTHEWS, Thomas
McMULLEN, William
NAUGHT, John
ORR, John H.
OSBORN, Nathan
PEEBLER, David
PORTER, Edward
POWELL, John
QUINE, Henry W.
RICHARDSON, Andrew J.
RICHES, Charles
ROBBINS, Marquis L.
ROWELL, Z. M.
RUBLE, William
RUNCH, Jacob
SAMSON, Henry
SHELTON, William
SIMPSON, Francis J.
SMITH, Henry
STEPHENS, William J.
STONE, Samuel
THORNTON, H. G.
VEATCH, Harvey C.
VEATCH, Sylvester E.
VERNON, George W.
WALKER, William
WALKER, William T.
WEDDLE, Anthony
WILSON, Gholson
ZEVELY, John M.
S. 1-5 October
ALEXANDER, Elias J.
BANKS, Thomas
BEAVERT, John
BISHOP, Hiram S.
BOLEJACK, Abraham
BREEDING, James M.
BREWER, Elvira
BROWN, Horace C.
CALDWELL, Stanley A.
CAMPBELL, Andrew J.
CHANDLER, James M.
CHITWOOD, James
CLARK, Robert F.
COLLIER, Champaign
CUSICK, Robert George
CUSICK, Solomon
DEADMOND, Blueford
DICKEY, John
DODGE, John
DRIVER, Samuel M.
EBERLEIN, John M.
EDWARDS, James
FOSTER, Robert
FULLER, Esquire A.
GHOLSON, Benjamin
GILLILAND, Alexander B.
GILLILAND, Lyman B.
GOLTRA, William H.
HENDERSON, Margaret
HILL, Reuben C.
JAMES, Berry
KIME, James
LEE, Hugh
LUCE, Jacob
MASON, Barbara
MASON, George W.
MASON, Jeremiah
MASON, Peter
MASON, Simeon
McCLUNG, John
McDANIEL, Larkin
MILLER, James
MOUNTS, Henry R.
O'NEIL, Felix
PACKARD, Rezin B.
PEARSON, Thomas
PHILLIPS, Joseph D.
RICE, Austin
RICE, Harrison
RODGERS, John W.
RODGERS, Thomas
SAVAGE, Barzilla
SHRUM, Henry
SHRUM, Thomas
SHUPE, Michael R.
SIMMONS, Benjamin
SIMPSON, Hermon
SLOAN, William
SMALL, Bernard O. R.
SMITH, Martin
SMITH, Samuel S.
SPARKS, Nathan M.
STANNUS, Samuel
STARR, Azariah W.
STEWART, Robert
SWAGGARD, Nelson
TEEL, Joseph
TOWER, Washington L.
TUCKER, Woodson
TURNER, Samuel
WHEALDON, Alfred
WHEELER, Simeon
WHITLOW, John
WILLIS, Albert G.
WILLIS, Martin
T. 6-10 October
AIKEN, James
BAKER, Williamson P.
BARR, Jesse
BINGHAM, Isaac
BLAIR, Colbert P.
BLAIR, Thomas J.
CATHEY, William G.
CONDREY, Furney G.
COOPER, Henry W.
CORNUTT, Alfred
CORNWELL, James M.
CRABTREE, Job
CRAWFORD, Alexander
CROW, Gearrison
CURTIS, John
DAVIS, Abram
DIMMICK, Ziba
DITMARS, Abram
ENSLEY, Solomon
HALLIBURTON, William C.
HARRIS, Leonard W.
HENDERSON, Aaron
HIGGINSON, Frank J.
HOBART, Anson
HUTTON, John
JOHNSON, James C.
JOHNSON, James H.
JONES, Joseph
KNOFF, William
LADD, James L.
LANGDON, Abram G.
McCLAIN, William J.
MILLER, William
NICKUM, John L.
RITCHEY, George W.
RITCHEY, Samuel C.
ROBERTS, Nelson
SIMONS, David
SIMPSON, William G.
SKIPTON, Thomas
SLOAN, Enoch D.
SMITH, David
STARR, John
STEARNS, A. P.
STEARNS, David E.
STEARNS, Samuel E.
STERLING, James
STEWART, James
TATOM, James
TOWER, Hull
WAGNON, George P.
WARMAN, Thomas
WARRINER, William C.
WEATHERLY, Ansel
WHITAKER, Jacob
WHITNEY, James
WILLIAMS, Isacher
WILSON, John
WOLFORD, John
V. 11-14 October
ADAMS, Riley
ALEXANDER, Joseph R.
BAKER, Henry
BAKER, Jehu
BAKER, Moses Madson
BOLTON, Daniel
CRANSTON, Samuel
DRINKWATER, William
GARDNER, Abner
GARRETT, Robert
HAMPTON, John C.
HICKS, John W.
HITE, Joseph
JONES, John K.
LANDRETH, Squire
McPHERSON, Joshua
McPHERSON, Wilham
METZLER, John M.
STEPHENSON, John
WALKER, Joseph C.
WARD, Michael B.
WARD, William
WINGERT, Samuel
WOLFARD, Erhard
WOOD, Francis M.
WOODRUFF, Emerson A.
W. 15-20 October
ATHERTON, John B.
BARNETT, Ephraim
BARNETT, George H. Jr.
BARNEY, Harlow
BAUMGARTNER, Christopher
BEELER, John
BINGHAM, William T.
BOGGS, James
BOND, Nathan W.
BREWER, Oliver
BUCKINGHAM, Elizabeth
BUSHNELL, James A.
BUTTS, Thheodosia
CONE, Oliver
CONLEE, James R.
DUKES, Sampson
FERGUSON, William F.
HARRIS, John S.
HAY, Clark
HENSON, Ezra
JOHNSON, Alexander M.
JONES, Joseph M.
KELSAY, William
LACY, John S.
NOLAND, Pleasant C.
PARKS, George B. W.
RILEY, Joseph B.
ROBINSON, John
ROBINSON, Noah T.
SAVERY, Green Berry
SIMPSON, Green B.
STEPHENSON, Robert E.
STEWART, William C.
THIELE, Frederick August
THORN, Joel
TITUS, Martin
WELLS, John
WIRTS, Martin
Y. 22-27 October
ADKINS, Edward C.
ATKESON, George L.
BAGLEY, Eli
BAGLEY, Joseph
BARCLAY, Isaac
BENNETT, Charles
BOND, Allen
BOND, Isaac W.
BREWER, William A.
BRIGGS, Nathaniel P.
BURT, Aaron
BURT, Cyrus
BURT, Martin
BURT, Omar
BUSHNELL, John C.
BUSHNELL, Ursula
BUTLER, Thomas
CLARK, Thomas
COCHRAN, James H.
COULSON, Isaac
DARNIEL, Anderson
DAVIDSON, John
DAVIS, Thomas
DAVIS, William R.
DRURY, William
GALE, James N.
GALE, Joseph
GALE, William
GODLEY, Calvin C.
GRAY, John F.
GRIFFIN, Alexander
HAMILTON, Joseph
HOCKERSMITH, Jackson
HURLBERT, Jaret F.
HYDE, David N.
JENNINGS, Joseph C.
KAGER, William P.
KENNEDY, John P.
KIRK, Madison
LANDRITH, Cyrus
LEONARD, Joseph
LISTER, Thomas
MANN, Jesse M.
MARTON, Gustin
MATLOCK, Edward L.
McCLURE, James F.
McCLURE, Vincent S.
MORGAN, John
MORGAN, Lewis
MULKEY, John L.
PETTY, Joseph N.
PITNEY, John
PRESTON, William
RAY, William
ROYAL, Thomas F.
ROYAL, William
SAYLOR, H.
SEARS, Valentine
SMITH, George C.
SMITH, John A.
STEWART, John
TAYLOR, Stephen C.
TAYLOR, Stephen T.
WARREN, Emmet L.
WARREN, Willys
WATSON, James
Z. 28 Oct. - 2 Nov.
BARR, Lucretia
BEAL, Tavenor
BEAN, Napoleon B.
BURNETT, John S.
CARNS, John
COOKSEY, Hiram
DENNING, Stephen P.
EASTABROOK, Bradley
FISK, William M.
FOLEY, Euphrates J.
GASH, Oliver Perry
GRAY, Robert D.
GRUBB, John O.
HALL, John
HAYDEN, Thomas
HILL, Hanks N.
HILLINSHEAD, Jonathan
HOFFMAN, William
HOWE, George W.
HULL, Nathan
ILIFF, Joseph
KELLOGG, John J.
KINNEY, Patrick
MATTHEWS, Francis S.
McKINNELL, Henry
MILLER, George W.
MOORE, Caleb
MOORE, James
NICHOLS, John M.
NICKSON, William
PENNINGTON, William H.
PHILLIPS, Samuel
PRESTON, William P.
RICKARD, Andrew
RICKARD, Casper
RICKARD, John
SAVAGE, James
SCHRAMM, Ferdinand
SHAKLEE, Peter
SHAW, William
SHULTZ, George
SLICK, Samuel I.
SMITH, Richard
SNOWDEN, Conrad
STEVENS, John H.
THOMAS, Erastus N.
WHITE, Daniel B.
YOUNG, Joseph
MANUSCRIPT NAMES
Sources of information on overland travelers include journals written during the trip, letters written back home describing the trip, and later life reminiscences of the trip. Some of these have been published; many more are in manuscript form at various libraries and museums. Sometimes, you may be lucky enough to find something actually written by one of your ancestors; sometimes, you'll find them mentioned in someone else's writing.
Trail writings are found in many collections. "Platte River Road Narratives" by Merrill J. Mattes [University of Illinois Press, 1988] includes brief descriptions of journals and reminiscences found around the country, including 121 items for 1853. Mattes' abstracts often include the place a wagon train originated and the dates of travel. Below, I have abstracted some of the information from an especially valuable publication for trail info seekers:
K. White and M-C. Cuthill (1993), Overland Passages: A Guide to the Overland Documents in the Oregon Historical Society. Portland: Oregon Historical Society Press. 125 pages.
What is especially useful about this publication is that there is an every-name index of people mentioned in the manuscripts reviewed. Not every name included is of an Oregon Trail traveler - the compilers made no effort to separately categorize names of fellow travelers, people met on the way, people back home, etc. - and, of course, seldom is everyone on a given wagon train mentioned by name, Nevertheless, here are more clues to who came when and with who.
Below, I've given a brief summary of each of the Oregon Historical Society manuscripts that cover the year 1853. Included are: the author of the manuscript; the OHS manuscript number [note that several contributions may be included under the same manuscript number]; a title and/or a brief description of what the manuscript includes; departure and arrival dates and places, if given; and a list of the people mentioned in the manuscript.
1. ALLLYN, Henry - Oregon Historical Society Mss #1508: "A
record of daily events during a trip from Fulton County, Illinois,
across the plains to the Willamette Valley in 1853." 204
pages handwritten.
Departed Fulton Co., IL 28 March 1853, arrived Willamette Valley
6 Sept 1853.
ALLYN, Elizabeth and Henry; ANDERSON; BARRETT; BEAVER, Elias and
James; BIDAMON, John; DUNNING - Franklin, James, John & Mary
Emeline; EPHRAIM, Betsy and Joseph; JONES; KEITH; KISER, Ann;
LEPER; MEWETT, Waltenberg; PEASE, I; PITTMAN; SAMUELS, James;
SHINN; STREET; WESLEY, James and John; WILCOXON, E. I.; WILSON
- Franklin, James, John, Simeon, and William; WOOD, Martha
2. BELSHAW, George - OHS Mss #1508: "Diary of George Belshaw."
2-volume diary.
Originated in Lake Co., IN; left Council Bluffs, IA, 15 May 1853,
arrived Willamette Valley 27 Sept 1853.
ASBERRY; BELSHAW, George, Samuel, Thomas; MARTIN, Stephen; PARSONS
- Oscar and Richard
3. BELSHAW, Maria A. Parsons [Sister-in-law of George BELSHAW,
above] - OHS Mss #1508: Untitled 46 page typed copy of diary.
Originated Lake Co., IN; departed Council Bluffs, IA 15 May 1853;
arrived Marysville, OR 9 Oct 1853.
ABBOTT, A; BELSHAW, George, Samuel, Thomas,William; CAMPBELL;
COONTS; MARTIN - Charles, Mary Parsons, and Stephen; McCARTHY,
Fayette; PARSONS - Elizabeth, Harriet, Helen, Henry, Marcia and
Oscar
4. CISCO, Aaron - OHS Mss #174: Six letters on trip [no dates]
from Ohio to Oregon.
CISCO - Aaron, Francis, Luther, and Nathaniel; HANKS - Harriet,
James, and William; WALLING, Albert
5. CONNOR, John O. - OHS Mss. #1508 - Extracts from the diary
of John O. CONNOR. 7 pages.
Left Fort Laramie, WY 23 June 1853, arrived Portland, OR 28 Sept
1853.
COAL, Mark; COLE, E; CONNER - Aeron, Daniel, John O., and Sam;
COZBY; LANDRETH, William; MORGAN, Peter; SQUIRE
6. CONNOR, Thomas J. - OHS Mss #1508 - 12 page diary, typed
copy.
Left Andersonville, IN 9 March 1853, arrived Salem, OR, 7 Oct
1853.
BETHERS; CAPIAS, George W; CARLTON; CLARK, Nelson; CONNOR, Thomas
J.; CRESWELL, Will; CROW, M. M.; DENNING, John and Stephen B.;
EDWARDS, James; FISHER, John C.; FRANKLIN, William; GRAY, Dennis;
HECKER, J. F.; HOWARD, John; KENDRICK, W. H.; KENOYER, J.; LAWRENCE,
Boyd; LICHTENTHALER; MASON - David, George, Jonathan, Joshua,
and Peter; OSBURN; PENNELL, H. C.; SHISLER
7. DINWIDDIE, David - OHS Mss #1508 - Overland from Indiana
to Oregon - the Dinwiddie Journal. 14 page printed diary.
Left Porter County, IN, 15 March 1853; arrived Willamette Valley
October 1853.
DINWIDDIE, David
8. DREW, Susan Isabel Biles - OHS Mss #1508 - Crossing the
plains in 1853. 9 pages of reminiscences.
Left Louisville, KY Spring 1853; arrived Woods Prairie, WA, 22
Nov 1853.
BAKER; BILES - Charles, Clark, David, George, James, Susan; DREW,
Susan Isabel Biles; HIMES
9. DUNLAP, Caroline Cock. 140 pages of typed reminiscences.
Left Council Bluffs, IA, 24 Apr 1853; arrived Olympia, WA August
1853.
BATES, Tom; CRAMER, Ralph; DUNLAP, Caroline Cock; HOLT; LEWIS;
REINHART, Sara Cock and William; STERLING, Jack; WISHMIRE
10. GOLTRA FARRINGTON, Elizabeth Ellison - OHS Mss #1508: 23
page handwritten journal.
Left Kansas City, MO, 29 Apr 1853; arrived Oregon City 29 Sept
1853.
GOLTHRA - Elizabeth Ellison, Nelson, Nora, and William Harris;
LITHCOE
11. HITE, Joseph - OHS Mss #1508 - Joseph Hite Family. 6 page
typed diary.
Left Kanesville, IL 6 May 1853; arrived Oregon City 19 Oct 1853.
ALEXANDER; HITE, Elizabeth and Joseph; MILLER, J.R.
12. HOCKERSMITH, Martha J. - OHS Mss #615: 6 pages of typed
reminiscences.
Left Bloomfield, IA 5 Apr 1853; arrived Salem, OR, Aug 1853.
ELIOT; GALE - Daily, Howard, J. Marion, John, Newton & William
J.; HOCKERSMITH, Jackson and Martha J.; McNUTT; MILLER; SCOTT,
Felix; SKINNER
13. HOFFMAN, William - OHS Mss #537: 49 page typed journal.
Departed Weston Ferry, Missouri River 21 May 1853; arrived Jacksonville,
OR 31 Oct 1853.
DUCKER; GARNET; GRAY; HAWKINS, John; HOFFMAN - Betsy, Carrie,
Florence, Mary Jane, and William; JOHNSON; ORRICK, Benjamin; SEW,
Royal; WHARTON
14. JESS, James - OHS Mss #676: The Jess family in southern
Oregon; 10 page typed family history.
Left Indiana March 1853; arrived Gresham, OR Oct 1853.
JESS, Alexander M.; MOORE, Jacob J. and Martha J.
15. KENT, Horace A. and Deborah G - OHS Mss #95 - 6 pages of
reminiscences.
Left Illinois Feb 1853; arrived Oregon City 27 Nov 1853.
KENT, Deborah G. and Horace A.
16. LONGMIRE, James - OHS Mss #1004 - 28 page typed reminiscences
Left Evansville, IN 6 March 1853; arrived Puget Sound, WA, 9 Oct
1853.
BRAILE; BURGE, Andy; CHAMBERS, McLean; CLAFLIN, William; DAY,
Joseph; GOODWIN, Frank; HARMON, Hill; HIMES - George H., Judson
and Tyrus; HUGHES; HURD; HUTCHINSON; LANE, John; LIGHT, E. A.;
LONGMIRE - David, Elcaine, John, and Tillatha; McCULLOUGH; MELVILLE;
MITCHELL; PERKINS; PORTER, Allan; RAY, Samuel and William; SARGENT,
Asher and Nelson; SHELTON, Levi and Martin; TOLMIE; VAN OGLE;
WATT, Ivan; WOOLERY
17. McCLAIN, Martha Ann Tuttle - OHS Mss #1055 - 40 pages of
reminiscences
Left Knoxville, IA 18 Apr 1853; arrived Jacksonville, OR via Applegate
Trail, arriving Oct 1853
McCLAIN, Martha and William Jackson
18. McCLURE, Andrew S. - OHS Mss #732 - 3 volume handwritten
diary
Left Shaker Prairie, IN 21 March 1853; arrived Deschutes River,
OR, 11 Sept 1853.
BELVINS, F. M. and William F; BOND, Allen and Rachel; BOND, William
and Hetty; BRUCE, David; HOWARD, William; McCLURE - Andrew S.,
Elizabeth, Harrison, James, Jane, Nancy and Sally; SHRAMM, Jacob;
THURMAN, William
19. STEARNS, Orson A. - OHS Mss #328 - 16 pages of reminiscences
Left from Freeport, VT 6 Apr 1853, arrived Rogue River Valley
30 Sept 1853
BEESON; CONDRA; DOWELL, B. F.; GEORGE, Abel; HOLTEN, John; MILL;
MILLER, John; PEARSON; POLAND; SUTTEN; SWARTOUT; THOMPSON
20. STEWART, Agnes - OHS Mss #1508 - account of the "Lost
Wagon Train"
Left Alleganey, PA 16 March 1853; arrived in the Cascade Mtns.
29 Oct 1853.
BUCKINGHAM; CLINE; LOVE, David; MILLER; STEVENSON; STEWART - Agnes,
John and Thomas Warner; WARNER - Elizabeth, Fred, Janet, John,
Mary and Tom.
21. TAYLOR, George N. - OHS Mss #1508 - 33 page typed diary
Left Iowa 14 Apr 1853; arrived Oregon City 12 Oct 1853.
BOOTS; COX, Thomas; CRANSTON; HICKS; KNOX, William; LAMB - Jacob,
James, John and Mary Anne; MINFORD, Agnes; PALMER, Judson; PERRY,
Margarette and Viola; REED, Ira; RENARD, William; SHILLING, Martha
Jane; SHORT, George; STEWART; STONG, John; TAYLOR, George N.;
WOLFORD - Amelia, Charles, Devolt, Earhart, Elizabeth, John and
Mary
22. WARD, Dillus Burgess - OHS Mss #1508 - 55 pages of reminiscences
Left Arkansas 9 March 1853; followed Santa Fe Trail first segment;
arrived Waldo Hills, OR 1 Oct 1853.
BENTLEY, Ivan and William; CASON, Hilary; COLBY; GRIFFIN; HARRINGTON;
HENSHLEY; HINES, Gustavus and H. K.; KING; SMITH, Bob; WARD, B.
S. and Dillus Burgess
23. WEST, Calvin B. - OHS Mss #692 - 33 page typed
Left Defiance, OH 30 Apr 1853; arrived Foster's Ranch, OR, 13
Aug 1853.
CORNWALL; CRANK; CRUZEN, A. J.; HUBER; JACKSON; LEAVER: ROOT,H.F.;
WEST,
Calvin B.
24. WEST, George Miller - OHS Mss #1508: 49 page typed manscript.
Left Burlington, IA 28 March 1853; arrived Willamette Valley1853.
ARMSTRONG; BERTION; BRYDOLF, Fannie; BUTLER - Ira, Nute, Parradine,
Peter; BUTTERFIELD, Dave; CARSON; CHRISTIE; CHURCH, Dan; CODINGTON,
Joe; CUNNINGHAM, James; DAVIDSON, Hosa; DAVIS, Charlie; DUEST,
George; EBY; FAWCETT, Charles and Zeb; GARRETT, Sam; GIBSON, George;
GROWNDS, Ed; HALEY, Berryman and John; HALICK; HAWKINS, Joe; HOWARD;
HUFFMAN, Tom; HUTCHINSON, Sandy and Tom; LATIMER, Mat; LEEPER;
NORTH, Sam; OLIVER; RANDALL, Dick; RICHARDS, Tom; ROE, James;
SCOTT, Zachariah; SICKMAN, Dave; SMALLY, Jay; THOMPSON; TICHENOR;
VENERABLE; VERTRUSE, Pete; WALLACE, Cal
25. WILLIAMS, Velina A. [Stearns] - OHS mss #1508 - 34 page
typed diary
Left Freeport IL 5 Apr 1853; arrived Klamath Lake, OR, 30 Sept
1853.
BRANNAN/BRENNAN, William; BULLFINCH; CANNON, George B; CARMON,
George; CONDRY; DONEGAN; DUDEN; HOYT, Herman; McLANE; PENGRA,
Byron J. and Charlotte E.; STEARNS - Adam, Arminda M., Avery P.,
David, Dorcas, Edwin A., Fidelia, John R., Leonora, Louisa, Myron
N., Mary A., Newell D., Orson A., Oscar L., Samuel, Susan W.,
and Theresa; WILLIAMS - Alonzo W., Aseneth, Frank, Henry Orsa,
Issacher, and Velina A.
26. WOODCOCK, William C. - OHS Mss #982 - 11 page typed diary.
Left Albany, NY 1 Mar 1853; arrived St. Johns, OR 29 Sept 1853.
ADORABLE; WOODCOCK - Horace, Martin and William C.
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