America E. Rollins Butler

Oregon Historical Quarterly
December 1940 Volume 4

The America (Rollins) Butler diary, was published in the Oregon Historical Society Quarterly in 1940.  It was titled "Mrs. Butler's 1853 Diary of Rogue River Valley" and was a look into her life on the first months on the 1852 trail, her family's brief stay in Yreka, California and their subsequent move to southern Oregon in 1853.  I am encluding only those passages that relate to her 1852 travel.  The remainder of her diary is well worth the read for both the genealogist and the historian.  It was made available for publication by their son, G.S. Butler.  The introduction was written by Oscar Osburn Winther and Rose Dodge Galey.

    "Herewith is another of these interesting day by day accounts.  It is the diary of Mrs. Ashmun J. Butler, nee America E. Rollins, who crossed the plains in an oxen-drawn covered wagon in 1852.  With her husband she went first to Yreka, California, where in that year many of the Golden State's peripatetic population rushed in response to rich gold discoveries in this isolated mountain region in the upper reachers of the Sacramento River.  In 1853 the Butlers went to southern Oregon.

    America Rollins Butler was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky, in June, 1826.  As a child she lived with her parents first in Morgan County, Illinois, and in Missouri.  When she was 21 her mother died, and she accompanied her father back to Illinois, where she taught school and where, on January 1, 1850, she became the wife of Ashmun J. Butler.  Then came that irresistible urge to join the great migration, and on April 19, 1852, the Butlers left Illinois and headed westward across the Great Plains towards the new El Dorado.

     The first stages of the overland journey are related in Mrs. Butler's diary.  Their journey lasted five months to the day, for on September 19 the Butlers were in Yreka, the last lap of the trip having been made by way of Tule Lake, Oregon--scene of Fremont's famous encampment, where the witnessed the broken remains of eight emigrant wagons-evidence of an Indian massacre of only a few days before.

     It was a relentlessly cold winter that greeted these newcomers at Yreka.  Then on February 13, 1853 tempted in part by the free land in Oregon, the Butlers mounted their horses--Mrs. Butler wearing men's clothing--and went northward over the Siskiyous into the Rogue River Valley of southern Oregon where they secured what became known as the Butler Donation Land Claim near the present site of Medford.  Here they remained.  Mr. Butler died in 1859 leaving one son.  Six years later the widow married Jacob Thompson, another pioneer.  In 1910 she died at the age of 84.

     The body of the diary is presented without change.  The dates for each entry have, however, been arranged by the editors in a uniform position and form, and chapter and division titles and occasional footnotes have been added."

Missouri:
Monday, April 19, 1852.  This morning is clear bright and frosty.  Bidding farewell to friends and Illinois.  Crossing at Quincey (refers to crossing the Mississippi Rover into Missouri from Quincy) enroute to California.  Pitched our tents 5 miles from Quincy Lewis Co.  Friends & acquaintances camp with us enlivening the scene & procrastinating the Long! Farewell! to the last moment.

Tuesday, April 20.  After passing almost sleepless night, we are again on our winding way through mud and watter one foot deep.  Passing Lagrange we take the Bluff.  Here comes a Lady on horseback.  Wht!  She is in pursuit of her hausband the rascal S___ Bram does not kiss wife & child after an absence of 17 hours 30 min 15 sec.

Wednesday, April 21.  A white frost but clear.  Everything is in a perfect rush, children crying horses fretting men hurrying in all directions.  Here the Country is poor and broken nothing but swamp water to drink.  Very little attention is paid to agriculture or anything else of importance.

Thursday, April 22.  Ruff roads our teams are tyreing down we propose stopping this afternoon at three O clock unyoke every animal and let them runn at large.  Supper is over now for the cattle & horses 17p cattle & three horses are gone.  The hunters have killed a vinison  plenty of fresh meat and other luxrys of the woods.

Friday, April 23.  Knox Co[unty].  We have found all our cattle but one cow & three horses are missing.  We are now ready to start and are now bidding a long fare well to two of our friends that have accompainied us, Mr. Colvin and Bowles.  Sand hill  it is raining hard  The men have just come up with horses and corws  corn can be had at 40 cts per bushel

Saturday, April 24.  Dark and lowering are the clouds and Oh, what miserable road  stumps mud holes swamps hilles &c  Occasionally someone gets swamped mired or stuck as it is called   then comes the tug of war  Now it be[g]ins to rain  O how it pores  wer stop righ[t] in the mudy road and here remain all night getting wet

Sunday, April 25 Schyler Co[Schuyler County] sunday morning dark foggy and dismal  We continure our journey notwithstanding it is the holy Sabbath  11 O clock the sun is coming forth in all his majestic splendor making everything bright and beautiful  It seems to unite and harmonize our ever thought feelings and make us the admiring worshippers of the great giver of all good

Tuesday, April 27.  We leave Lancaster this morning in the (sic)  Our company have seprated in three divisions today owing to some mistake in the roads.  Bowles Powell & Co. go to the upper mill on Scharidan River  in crossing have got one of their wagons in the river  have wet and damaged many articles

Wednesday, April 28. Putman Co[unty] we are ready to start but word from our Capt. ordering us to hald and wate for the rest of the Company  he has sent a man to conduct them through to us where we shall remain until they come  Hurding our cattle in the swamps today  corn 75 cts

Thursday, April 29.  Farewell to Missouri  spirit land of my mother  home of my childhood  I greet thee for the last time  fare the well  We are on our winding way once more  What a lovely country  hill after hill presented to view clothed in all the virdue of spring & her delicate little flowers of every hue  blue white yellow & prink greet us at every step

Iowa:
Saturday, May 1. May bright happy May.  We greet you once more with heart felt joy.  We have again decamped  all are well  very bad roads.  As we advance today two of our wagons are broken.  They are again repaired and we persue our journey.

Satruday, May 2.  We leave 6 O clock.  It has rained incesantly this morning  all ready to start.  I am sick  Mrs. Tait has agained caused trouble in camp.  They are now confronting her with some of her falsehoods.  Or We will have to separate

Monday, May 3.  All of our wagons fourteen in number are in one compound of mud an filth; on the bluff of the Fulton River after realizing one of the hardes thunder storms that I ever knew.  I am just creeping forth for the first time today & oh how wet and dismal it looks

Tuesday, Mar 4. We are water bound waiting for the river to fall  nothing of importance today accepting very bad weather  the same dull monotony reigns as usual

Wednesday, May 5.  We pass trhough Prinston to day a town of considerable importance in this part of the world.  It contains two or three hundred inhabitencs an is the largest town we have seen.  here we succeeded in getting 5cts worth of candy & 25cts of maple sugar  quite a treat in this company of 40 persons.

Thursday, May 6.  This morning is dark cloudy and raining  they are all starting but Mr. Butler  he has not found his cattle yet  two hours after the others left Mr. Britton has found the cattle and we proceed on our way arriving at the ferry.  Some trouble in crossing consequence of our not arri[ving] as soon as our Company.

Friday, May 7. It is raining this morning and is very muddy.  We met two of the bloomers at the river.  We camp this evening in a swampy hollow.  Nothing of importance occuring   Mrs. Tait with a mind as changing as the wind has adopted the bloomer dress.

Saturday, May 8.  Start early and pass the train  our wagon takes the lead of course much to the chagrin of some of the rest.  Two more blo[omers] this morning  Mrs. Ballen & Miss Balbot.  They are so tall they look very antick.  We are crossing one of the most beautiful and majestic prairies that I ever have seen.  After traveling a few hours we cannot see the timber.

Sunday, May 9.  Leaving this beautiful Prairie to day  we take the road through the timber and cross a very ugly creek  bright day and all buoyed up with success and spedy arrival & unbounded wealth in California.

Saturday, May 15.  Saturday morning very cold and frosty  some freezing  Everything right  cattle and horses all found  Women all in a good humor  We start with freezing toes and fingers tho cold dark & stormy  we hope for better times but dare not anticipate.

Sunday, May 16. It is all clear and bright yet cold with frost  travailed six or eight miles.  Called to a halt   quite an accident  Mrs. George's child has fallen out of the wagon and both wheels have passed over his body  called a physician  some hopes are entertained for its recovery

The diary ends at this point until Wednesday, December 15 when they arrive in Yreka..  It appears that they are out of provisions and the lateness with which they arrived indicates that they had suffered some hardships on the journey.  It was snowing hard and a foot of snow fell two days later.  They had followed the Oregon Trail to Green River where they cut off for Tule Lake and across to Yreka.  See Ashland, Oregon, Tidings, November 28, 1910. Sunday, February 15, 1853 they start for the Rogue river valley and arrive February 19, 1853.
 

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