"Many nights we lay in our tent, or under the wagons, we heard either the loud barking of the gray wolf, or sharp querulous tones of the coyote, snapping and snarling [near] our head."
Most people know that traveling the Emigrant Trail in the mid-nineteenth century was hard. They know the pioneers faced danger, disease, and even death. What they may not consider, however, is the endurance and strength of pioneer children. In Stories of Young Pioneers, Violet Kimball has collected memoirs, letters, and journal entries of children who were ages six to nineteen when they made the overland journey. Readers ages ten and older will discover in these pages a window into the lives of emigrant children on the trail.
The book is organized by topic--including animals; fun and recreation; and adventures and ordeals--and peppered with detailed profiles of the individual youngsters. Feel the mixed emotions of thirteen-year-old Kate Scott as she leaves the comfort of her home and friends in Illinois for the untamed Oregon Territory. Sit in the driver's seat with thirteen-year-old John Stoughton as he drives his oxen across rocks, water, sand, and icy mountain passes. unwind after a long day by joining in a hand of cards or, better yet, a night of music and dancing. Young historians will find Stories of Young Pioneers exciting reading and a well-researched tool for learning about life on the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails.