Sickness in Missouri

The great amount of sickness in the county where we lived and also Pa's desire to become a cotton planter, which was then considered the most independent occupation, caused Pa to decide to move to Texas, which was then attracting a great deal of attention.

This led Pa and Cousin Oliver to make a trip to Texas in the summer of 1852. On their return to Missouri preparations were made for the journey to Smith County, which was the county in which we intended to settle.

Beginning of Journey

We started the middle of November and were on the road six weeks. Pa had four wagons with four horses to each, and a hack with two horses for the family.

Uncle Tommie and Cousin Robert had a wagon each.

Because of much rain, we often had to stop for creeks and rivers to run down, as there were no bridges, and the roads were merely places cut thru the timber, and often very rough.

The wagons were heavily loaded. In every wagon there was a Negro appointed to watch and lock the hind wheel of the wagon in descending steep hills. On one occasion, from some cause or other, one of the wagons was not locked. The wagon plunged up-side down into a deep gully