Chapter 01

Disaster

Kenneth ’Ken’ Nichols has a good farm in Virginia that’s doing well. However, a very strong thunderstorm in the summer of 1848 changes everything for Ken and his family. Lightning starts a fire on the edge of the next property, but the strong wind blows toward Ken’s farm and sets his crops on fire. Most of the good crops he started harvesting a few days before are now a blazing ruin. The whole family and all of the neighbors are out working to contain the fire to save what they can of the crops, but it’s too late for most of Ken’s crops before they can get ready to properly fight the fire. For five hours they fight the fire, grudgingly giving up the ground when the strong winds blow burning debris past them and they have to pull back further or risk being trapped and killed by the fire.

Into the night they continue to fight the blaze with little effect on the fire. However, a couple of hours after sunset the wind dies down and a heavy rain starts. The rain extinguishes the fire, so most of the people go home. Ken and his three oldest sons stay out in the rain walking the fields to make sure all of the fire is out before they go home for a meal.

The full extent of the damage is known the next day. One neighbor lost half of the field the fire started in, two others lost part of their first fields beside the Nichols farm when the fire spread sideways. The bulk of the damage is to the Nichols farm with most of the crop fields destroyed, except for the two fields already harvested and the one field beside them. Not all is lost, but far more is lost than the farm can afford to lose. All they can get from the harvest will see them get through the winter, but they’ll not have grain to use for next year’s planting. Just when Ken was able to put a little aside from last year’s crops the fire destroys the farm.

Plans

The next day Ken and his family work hard to harvest what they’ve got left of their crop. When they finish the harvesting they work on the burnt out fields to plow the ashes under while hoping something will grow in what’s left of the season to provide some grazing or fodder for their few animals. Although the farm is mostly a crop farm they do have a few cattle as well as the horses and mules they use to work the farm.

While he works Ken thinks about his situation. To plant crops next year he’ll need seed, and to buy seed he’ll need to borrow money from the bank in Lexington, Virginia. Once he does that any other problem will likely see them lose the farm. It’s a bleak future he sees. Then he remembers a talk with Mr James, the owner of the mercantile store. Mr James spoke about the new lands being opened up in the west and he said something about ’free land’ for new settlers who go there. Ken didn’t think much of it at the time, but he now thinks it’s worth looking into.

On the Wednesday two weeks after the fire Ken is in town to get some supplies. When he pays for them from his small savings he asks, “Mister James, do you still have the newspaper articles about the land in the west you spoke about last month?”

Mr James smiles as he replies, “Yes, I do, Mister Nichols. I kept the articles aside when I used the rest of the papers. I’ll get them for you.”

A few minutes later Ken is reading about being able to claim six hundred and forty acres of land in the Oregon Territory just by going there. Reading further into the article he sees his eldest son can also claim the same amount of land. Between them they’ll have about triple the land they currently own and work. Another article tells about the Oregon Trail with some of the problems in getting to the west from the east. From the article it’s clear the trip isn’t impossible, but you do have to be prepared for it and be ready to work hard to get there. It also makes it clear you need to leave early in the spring to make the trip with safety.

Ken thanks Mr James when he hands the articles back. That night Ken talks to his family about moving to Oregon. It’s a long evening of talking about the idea of moving to Oregon and the troubles in traveling there.

Preparations

There’s very little to do on the farm now there’s no crops to harvest, so Ken and his boys get out the timber Ken stored in the back of the barn to build extensions on the house and barn. The trees he cleared two years ago are properly dried out and seasoned to be of use too. First is to cut the wood into the sizes needed to build some decent wagons strong enough to make the trip to Oregon. Ken was taught how to build wagons by his grandfather and father, so he knows what to do. He left where he grew up to become a farmer because he wasn’t needed in the family wagon building business run by his three oldest uncles and their sons.

Although the wagons aren’t exactly the Conestoga style they’re close enough to be called Conestoga Wagons. The wagons are built in the same manner with the same basic shape and sizes, but they’ve a few changes: a driver’s seat at the wagon’s front, they’re a little wider, have a hitch at the back to pull another wagon, while the more upright back has less of an angle on it, plus the four wheels are all the same size and are a lot wider than usual. When Ken finishes the two new wagons he works on the two farm wagons to make them stronger and more suited for the long journey. He attaches high arched bows to put a cover on each of the wagons and he changes the tongues of the farm wagons to attach to the rear of the new wagons. This way he can have four wagons pulled by two slightly larger than normal mule teams. All four of the wagons are well caulked and tarred to make them as waterproof as they can be.

The last task to ready the wagons is to make the canvas covers for all four of them. Most people make a cover of single layer of canvas for each wagon, but Ken knows, from the articles he read, he needs to be ready for any weather that can occur. So he spends some of his savings to buy materials to make multi-layered covers for all of the wagons. A canvas layer is measured, cut to fit, and sewn together. Then a cover of cotton boiled in linseed oil is made of the same size, but with the seams at different points to the canvas cover. Last is another canvas cover of the same size with the seams in a third spot, and the three are sewn together along their edges. A set of front and back covers of overlapping sections are made in the same way for each wagon. Once placed on the wagons each wagon is very waterproof with flaps people can slip through when they need to, and the flaps have cords to tie them together against the weather when they need to.

Ken and all his sons work on the wagons during the day, while in the evenings the whole family is involved in many talks about what to take. The plan is for the two large wagons to be loaded with the heavy items then left that way for the full length of the trip while the two light wagons will be loaded with their clothes, food, water, and other lighter items. Extra guns and munitions are the first items on the list of items to purchase, due to the many listed dangers on the trail. But first they finish making a list of everything they’re taking from the farm.

Once they work out what they’re taking they start to load the bulk of the gear they’re taking from the farm into the wagons. At that point Ken decides to make cover boards for the front and back of the new wagons, and the back of one of the converted farm wagons. By putting boards in they can stack things better and higher in the new wagons, they just have to make sure what goes up high isn’t heavy. They start by packing the farm equipment and tools into the lower part of the two new wagons, tie them down well, and pack around them with whatever they can to fill the gaps to minimize the chances of anything shifting. Winter is nearly over when that’s done, and now they need to wait until the weather improves before they pack any more of their gear and supplies.

While waiting for the weather to improve Ken visits his neighbors to sell most of his stock and to buy other stock he needs for the journey, as well as asking if anyone wants to buy his farm. Deals are made, and soon all of the stock he has left is sixteen mules with four horses. He only needs twelve mules at six for each wagon pair, but he thinks having two more mules for each wagon will make the work easier on them while giving him a few extras if there’s any trouble on the trail. The neighbor where the fire started buys the farm and remaining gear from him at a fair price.

Ken uses the money from the sale of the farm to start buying the extra things they’ll need for the journey, or at the other end of it. Most of the journey use items go into the back of the first farm wagon. Now the only things left to buy are the extra food items then they can load the remaining furniture they’re taking and the last of their personal gear.

More Trouble

Right near the end of winter there’s a sudden late heavy rain. Ken’s youngest son, six-year-old Boone, is caught out in it while away from the house. He gets home, dries off, and puts on clean dry clothes. The next day he isn’t feeling well, and that night he has a high fever. The following morning his mother, Martha, takes Boone in to see the doctor.

Not sure what the illness is the doctor advises bed rest and fluids until he’s better. When asked, he’s unable to say how long the fever will last or even if Boone will survive the illness.

For the next three days Boone lies in his bed tossing and turning in the fever. While his grandmother, Mary White, tends to Boone the rest of the family is busy packing the furniture and other household items into the four wagons. When a wagon is fully loaded with everything in it and tied down the canvas cover is put on then tied down very tight as well.

A week after the rainstorm all is ready for them to leave, except Boone is still in a raging fever and any movement hurts him. Ken and Mary are in a quandary as this is the day they have to leave to travel the Oregon Trail in good weather but they can’t, due to Boone’s illness. The matter comes to a head when the doctor calls to see Boone.

After his examination the doctor tells the parents, “I don’t know what’s wrong with the boy. I’ve no idea how long the fever will last or if he’ll live through it.” All who hear him are shocked and saddened by the last part. “I’ve not heard of anyone being in a high fever this long and living through it. I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do for him.”

After the doctor leaves Mary says, “Ken, you need to get the family on the road. Help me get my bags and Boone’s bag out of the wagon. I’ll stay and nurse him. Send me a letter to tell me where you end up, and we’ll be along after he recovers enough to travel. When you go through town buy me supplies for two weeks and have someone bring them out to me.” They talk for a few minutes more, but end up doing as Mary tells them to. A little later Mary’s three bags and Boone’s single bag are sitting on the floor in the main room with two beds, two plates, two cups, two forks, two knives, two spoons, a skillet, a pot, a cooking spoon, and an ax.

Mary sees the family off then she goes inside to sort things out. Both of the remaining beds, the worst two of them, are set in front of the fire in the main room with their things beside them. The rest of the house is an empty shell, even the nice cook stove is packed on one of the wagons. Mary will have to do their cooking over the fire in the fireplace.

Four hours later Mr Davis, the new owner, arrives at the farm with the supplies from town Ken bought for Mary and Boone. Mr Davis was buying his own supplies when Ken went through town and told him about the situation, so Mr Davis brought the purchases for Mary out to her. He says, “Mary, I don’t need this house yet. But I will by the time spring ends because I need to get it ready for my Jim and his Betty for their wedding in June. I’ll let you stay here until then.”

While taking the box of supplies from him Mary says, “Thank you, Mister Davis. One way or the other, we should be out of here well before then. By then Boone will either be dead or he’ll have recovered enough for us to go somewhere else.”

“I know he isn’t contagious, or so the doctor said, but why didn’t you just load him up and take him in the wagon?”

“Every time he moves he screams in pain.” She walks over to lift the blanket covering the boy and she points at his legs, “See how his legs are all tied up in knots! Whatever is wrong with him makes it too painful to shift him, let alone ride in a wagon all day long.”

“Damn! Poor mite. I’ll have someone drop around to check with you every day or two. If you need them to go and get you supplies just tell them what you want and give them the money. I can spare them for a few hours to get the supplies for you.”

“Thank you, Mister Davis. We should be right for the next two weeks. There should be enough here in what you brought, and there’s enough cut wood out the back to last that long. It should all be over, one way or the other, before we run out of either.” Mr Davis nods his agreement then he takes his leave of the pair.

Passing Time

For several more days Boone lies in the bed with the high fever, and Mary spoons broth into him whenever she can. She keeps the pot on the side of the fire so she has it warm for him whenever she feels it’s safe to give him some. Mr Davis, or one of his workers, visits every other day to see how Mary and Boone are. Their supplies are almost finished when Mr Davis and his daughter-in-law to be arrive to look at the house. Betty soon has her future father-in-law going to town with the money and list of supplies Mary has ready, then the young woman asks Mary about the house. By the time Mr Davis is back Mary is hired by Betty to give the house a very thorough cleaning and to help make some curtains for the windows from the cloth Betty will supply.

The days pass and the fever finally breaks, then Boone’s health starts to improve. Two weeks after the fever breaks he’s able to get up and move about well enough to help with scrubbing all of the floors during the day as part of the cleaning of the house. In the evening he helps with the sewing of the curtains, after Mary teaches him how to sew properly.

During spring letters arrive from Martha telling Mary where they are and how the journey has gone so far. They receive a letter about every other week, at first. Then they get fewer with longer gaps due to the distances between places where they can post letters.

The day before the wedding of Jim and Betty the house is ready with everything set up for them. Mary and Boone turn to look at the house for one last time. They’re sitting in a wagon on loan from Mr Davis to move their few things to the house they’ll be living in from now on. Mary has a job helping to cook and clean at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in Lexington, Virginia, and part of the arrangement is to share a house with one of the other ladies who helps with the cooking and cleaning at VMI.

Boone’s health continues to improve after the fever passes, but he’s left with a mild limp due to the damage done to his left leg muscles while he was in the fever. He exercises and works hard to build up his strength and stamina. At VMI he does work around the house they live in, like chopping firewood and helping to clean the house. When Boone gets older he does paid work running errands for the staff at VMI.

Life Moves On

Martha’s letters turn up at times, and, from the contents, Mary knows some letters have gone astray on their way east due to Martha touching on things told in earlier letters not in the letters they received. At first the mail is forwarded to them by Betty. After Martha, Ken, and Boone’s five siblings get to Oregon and choose land to settle on they’re able to give Mary the address of the store in the nearest town as a place to send mail for them. So Mary sends them the new address for Boone and herself. Ken and Martha are able to claim land for themselves and both of their eldest sons when they reached Oregon. They’re lucky to be some of the last few to claim land under the old local system because the system is reported to be changing soon. They now have three of the six hundred and forty acre claims to work. Working as a team they’re able to prove all three of the claims and to quickly obtain the full titles to all of the land.

It’s a few years before Mary declares Boone to be well enough to go on the trip to Oregon, but now neither wants to go. So they write to his parents with their decision to stay in Virginia. Both households send a letter each way every month or two as they settle into their new lives on both sides of the continent.

Boone continues to grow healthier and stronger while learning a lot of things from Mary and Heidi, the other cook / cleaner they share the house with. Both of the ladies teach Boone how to cook, make and mend clothes, and everything else they can think of, like speaking German.

After Mary teaches Boone how to read he’s allowed to read the books in the VMI library. Whenever he has spare time from other tasks Boone is allowed to sit in the back of the classrooms to listen to what’s being taught. However, he’s to remain silent while in the classrooms and he isn’t allowed to speak, nor to ask questions. Although he gets no formal recognition of what he learns he does learn a lot on a wide range of general subjects and the military training they give to the official students. Between the classes, the library reading, plus hearing what the students and staff talk about Boone gets to know the subjects well as he’s there for many years - more than double the years of the cadets!

Other Work

During the break between one scholastic year ending and the next one starting there are a few things to be done around the Institute to get ready. However, most of the work is in the two weeks just prior to the new school year, thus there are many weeks in the break when Boone has no work at VMI. Mary and Heidi still work to cook and clean for the staff who stay at the Institute, but Boone has no work and no pay at VMI.

From when he’s ten years of age Boone finds extra paid work at the horse ranch of Mr Gray. Some of the best horses in the state are raised at the ranch, many people say some of the best horses in the country. Much of the work Boone does is the same sort of fetch and carry of items he does at VMI. However, with Boone doing a lot of that work it means an adult doesn’t have to do it, so they can do something more demanding. The work conditions and the daily pay of a dollar are the same, but it’s still better than no pay at all; although he does have to live on the ranch while he works there. In later years Boone does some weekend work at the Gray Ranch when he’s not needed at VMI. So he earns more money at those times and he can put more into his savings for the future.

The summer when Boone is twelve years old he’s working at the ranch when some new horses are delivered. One of them is a fourteen and a half hands high chestnut Morgan stallion. The horse looks to be a perfect example of the breed. However, once the horses are put into the corral beside the barn no one can get near the stallion. One by one all of the other new horses are brought out, shoes checked, and released into another field. But whenever anyone goes near the chestnut stallion the horse becomes wild and attacks them. So they leave him there by himself.

Everyone at the ranch is standing outside the fence looking at the Morgan horse when Mr Gray says, “I was warned this horse would be a handful, but they never said he’d be this hard to handle. They call him ’Brownie.’ He’ll be a good stud horse, if we can tame him.”

Boone looks at the horse, glances over at the empty water trough in the corral, then asks, “Are you going to leave him in the corral for a while, Mister Gray?” Mr Gray gives a nod, so Boone adds, “Then I best put water in the trough for him.” A nod, so Boone turns and walks away.

A minute later Boone is back with a bucket of water in each hand. He says, “Open the gate, please, Mister Jim.”

The ranch hand asked is nearest to the gate, so he opens it to let Boone into the corral while saying, “Aren’t you afraid Brownie will attack you, Boone? He’s had a go at everyone else.”

“Everyone else has tried to catch him. I’m just walking over to put water out for him. Also, I’m a lot smaller than you lot and he’ll see me as less of a threat to him.”

Boone pours the water into the trough and turns to get more. There once was a well and pump to feed this trough, but it dried up years ago and there’s been no need to dig a new well because they no longer keep any animals in this corral for long. This means Boone has a job to get the water from the well and pump on the other side of the barn and to carry it here. When Boone gets to the gate he finds two full buckets of water waiting because one of the other hands brought them over. Boone hands over the empty buckets, picks up the full ones, and goes back to the trough to pour these two buckets into it. The horse stands on the other side of the corral watching Boone walk back and forth with the buckets.

It takes a lot of buckets of water to fill an empty trough, so Boone is still going back and forth ten minutes later when Brownie moves to the far end of the trough to have a drink. When Boone approaches him the horse watches Boone with wary eyes, but all Boone does is to pour the water in, turn around, and go back for the new buckets of water. For the next few trips the horse drinks while Boone goes back and forth with the buckets, but Boone doesn’t directly approach the horse at all.

After twenty minutes of bucket work Boone returns one pair to get the next two while asking, “Can someone please get me a wheelbarrow load of hay for the hay rack and a large bucket of grain?” Two of the hands nod to him, turn, and walk toward the barn. A little later he returns with the two empty buckets to see a wheelbarrow of hay and a bucket of grain are just inside the gate, waiting for him. Boone puts the buckets down, walks to the barrow, lifts it by the handles, and pushes it over to the hay rack on the other side of the water trough, a little past the horse.

Brownie watches Boone while he takes a wide path around the horse to come up to the hay rack without getting close enough to scare the horse. After a few minutes of work the hay is in the rack ready for the horse to eat, then Boone takes the wheelbarrow back to the gate. When he turns to take the grain over to the hook on the wall Brownie is at the hay rack. Boone shrugs, picks up the bucket of grain, and slowly walks over to where he has to hang it. Brownie turns to face Boone when he gets to about ten feet from the horse. Boone speaks softly as he says, “I’ve only got some grain here for you. Let me hang this up and get out of the way.”