The Oregon Trail
1843

    In ever increasing numbers, the immigrants began crossing the plains usually traveling in caravans on drawn covered wagons.  In these were conveyed wives, children and all the earthly possessions of these dauntless pioneers who braved the heat of summer and the cold storm of winters, crossing streams and mountains, constantly exposed to attack by Indian tribes who resented the invasion of these white usurpers of their dominions.
    Many died and were buried by the roadside but on and on moved the caravans building bridges and ferries.
    Most of these colonists gathered at Independence, Missouri and started from there together.  The first notable caravan was of 1843 numbering more than a thousand persons; men, women and children and about five thousand domestic animals.  Fourteen hundred people followed the Oregon Trail in 1844, and three thousand came in 1845.  The caravan of 1852, was said to consist of more than eight thousand persons and nearly thirty thousand domestic animals.
    These were the folks who with those who followed later, settled in the valleys of the state along the rivers and established communities.

  These accounts and others following, were written by Harley Hallgren for the 1934, Temple's Golden Jubilee Celebration.

Return to Church History 1843

Return to Home Page