Journeying West Before 1840

Mary DeWees moved from the east to Kentucky in 1787. She and her family went by wagon to McKees' Ferry, and from there they went by flatboat to Kentucky. Her diary of the event is on the web at at least two places. This is a useful document, because it's still early in the migration, just as America is becoming a nation in its own right. One thing besides the fact that the road is wide enough to travel along is that they go from inn to inn (or at least house to house) with little sleeping in the wilds. Contrast that with the piece I posted yesterday and you will find a real difference between the romanticized and the real. If you would like to read the entire diary, you can read it here.

Here is an excerpt of the land trip from October 1 to October 14:

October 1st:
Crost the Conostogo, a good deal uneasie for fear my sickness should return, the Conostogo is a beautifull creek with fine prospects arround it, after refreshing ourselves we took a walk up the Creek and I think I never saw a more beautifull prospect, you cant imagine how I long'd for you my friends to Join our little Party and to be partakers of the Beauties of nature that now surround us, we are seated beneath the shade of intermingling trees, that grow recling oer the creek and entirely shades us from the noon day sun, Several since I sat here has crossed some on horse back others in boats, whilest a fall of water at a little distance adds dignity to the scene and renders it quite romantic - As the sun was setting we rode through Lancaster a Beautifull inland town, with some Elegant Houses in it. I was quite delighted with the view we have from the Corner of the street where the prison Stands of the upper part of the town which at Once presents to your sight a sudden rise with houses, trees, and gardens, on either side that has a very pleasing effect.

2d:
'Tho but a few days since my friends Concluded I Could not reach Kentucky, will you believe me when I tell you I am setting on the Bank of the Susquehanah, and can take my bit of ham and Biscuit with any of themReturning health has made the face of nature gay, Given beauty to the sun and pleasure to the day. Just cressd the river in company with Mrs. Parr and her daughter, not the least sick, what gratitude is owing from me to the great author of nature who in so short a time has restored me from a state of Languishment and Misery to the most enviable health

3d
Past through York Town, a pretty little town, and lodged about a Mile from that place.

4th:
This day we rode through abbottstown a trifling place, find the roads much better from Lancaster upwards than from Philade. to Lancaster, reached Hunters Town 113 miles expect tomorrow to Cross the south Mountain weather exceedingly pleasant.

Oct 5:
Left Hunters Town and proceeded to the Mountain, which we began to climb about 10 O'Clock sometimes riding some times walking; find the roads much better in places than we expected, 'tho in others excessive stony the length which is ten miles renders it very tedious, Oblidgenly favoured with good weather we have halted on the top of the Mountain to refresh ourselves and horses this afternoon decended the west side find it much worse than the east side the road in places for a mile in length so very stony that you can scarce see the earth between. 'tho at other places beautifully watered by fine springs, took up our lodging at the foot of the Mountain, the people very civil the house right Kentucky.

6
Left the foot of the Mountain, crost the falling spring and proceeded to Chambersburgh a handsome little Town with some pretty stone and brick Buildings in it. after passing the Town we crost the falling Spring again, one of the finest springs in this part of the world by which several Mills in this neighberhood are turned Obliged to stop sooner than usial one of our horses being Lame, find the people a good deal shy, at first, but after a little while very sociable and Obliging, treated with some very fine apples which begin to grow very scarce with us, I am much afraid we shall be like the Children of Israel long for the garlick and Onions that your city abounds with.

7th:
Set off for the north mountain which we find so bad we are Obliged to foot it up, and could compair ourselves to nothing but a parcel of goats climbing up some of the Welch Mountains that I have read of. Sally very desirous to Know whether this Mountain is not the one thats in Mr. Adgates song - find this the most fatiguing days Journey we have had, the roads so very bad and so very steep that the horses seem ready to fall backwards In many places, you would be surprized to see the Children, Jumping and Skipping. some times quite out of sight some times on horse back some times in the waggon, so you see we have variety, 'tho sometimes would very willingly dispence with some of it - Believe me my dear friends the sight of a log house on these Mountains after a fatiguing days Journey affords more real pleasure that all the magnificent buildings your city contains. took up our lodging at the foot of the Mountain and met with very good entertainment

Oct 8th:
Left the foot of the mountain and crosd scrub hill which is very bad indeed I had like to forgot to tell you, I have lost my Children, dont be concerned for the loss for they are still in the family, the Inhabitants of this Country are so cruel as to deprive me of them, but they were Kind enough to give them to Sister Rees, and I am a Miss from Philada. you may rest assured I dont take the trouble to undecive them, unless Sally (as She often does) Crys out where's my Mar, the Children are very hearty and bear fatigue much better than we do, 'tho I think we all do wonderfull, you would be astonished to see the roads we have come some of which seems impassible, Rachael Mostly passes half the day in Spelling and Sally in Singing every house we stop at she enquires if it is not a Kent.y. house and seldom leaves it 'till she informs them she is a Kenty. Lady

9th:
Crost sidling hill and were the greates[t] part of the day in proforming the Journey the roads being so excessive Steep, sidling and Stony that it seemed impossible to get along. we were obligid to walk the greatest part of the way up 'tho not without company there was five waggons with us all the morning to different parts, this night our difficulties began we were Obliged to put up at a Cabin at the foot of the hill perhaps a dozen logs upon one another, with a few slabs fer a roof and the earth for a floor. & a wooden Chimney Constituted this extrodnary, ordinary the people very Kind but amazing dirty, there was between twenty & thirty of us, all lay on the floor, Except Mrs. Rees the Children and your Maria, who by our dress or adress or perhaps boath were favoured with a bed and I assure you we that thought ourselves to escape being fleaed alive

10th:
after Breakfasting at this clean house, set off for Bedford in our way crosed Juneata, past through Bedford a small county town, some parts of the road very bad and some of it very pleasent, for a considerable distance, we travelled along the Juneata which I thought very pretty, we put up at a house where we were not made very welcome but like travellers we learn'd to put up a few sour looks unoticed

11th
Set off for the allagany Mountain which we began to assend in the afternoon, found it as good as any part of our Jouney we assened in the waggon not with out fear and Trembling, I assure you, we got about Six miles and fell in with a french gentleman and his family going to Pittsburgh we all put up at a little hut on the mountain which was so small that we preffered lodging in our waggon to be crouded with french men & Negroes on an erthen floor -

12th:
and pretty comfartebly arrived the at the top of the Cloud capt allogany It was really awfully pleasing to behold the clouds arising between the mountains at a distance, the day being drisly & the air very heavy rendered the clouds so low that we could scarce se fifty yards before us, this Evening got of the Mountain, It being twenty miles across we passd through Burlain a small town, as the Election was held at this place we could not be accomadated proceeded to a dutch house in the glades where we were Kindly entertain[d]

Oct 13th:
Proceeded to Larel Creek and ascended the hill, I think this and many more of the the scenes we have passd through, we have seen nature display'd in her greatest undress, at other times we have seen her dress'd Beautifull beyond expression, The road excessive bad, some of the Land fine, The Timber Excellent and grow to an amazing heighth the Generality of it from 50 to 60 foot hegh. the day by reason of the Badness of the roads could not reach a stage the hill being 20 miles across and our horses a good deal tired, we, in Company with a nother waggon were obliged to Encamp in the woods, after a Suitable place at a Convenient distance from a run of water was found and a level piece of ground was pitched upon for our encampment, our men went to give refreshment to the Horses we Females having had a good fire made up set about preparing Supper which consisted of an Excellent dish of Coffee having milk with us, those who chose had a dish of cold ham and pickled beats with the addition of Bread, Butter Biscuit, & Cheese made up our repast after supper, sister, the Children, and myself took up our lodging in the waggon the men with their Blankets laid down at the fire side, the wind being high with some rain, disturbed our repose untill near day light, when we could have enjoyed a comfartable nap had we not been obliged to rise and prepare breakfast which we did on the

14th:
Set out for Chestnut ridge, horrid roads and the Stony's land in the world I believe, every few hundred yards, rocks big enough to build a small house upon. we arrived at Chenys Mill towards the middle of the day and parted with our Company. Chenys Mill is a beatifull situation or else the scarcity of such places makes us think it more so than it really is. we were overtaken by a family who was going our way, which renders it more agreeable travelling than by ourselves I think by this time we may call ourselves Mountain proof. at the close of the day we arrived at a house and thought it prudent to put up for the night, the people are scotch Irish, exceedingly Kind but Surprizingly dirty, we concluded (as the Company that was with us made up 18 besides the family) to lodge in our waggon which we did It rained very hard in the night but we laid pretty Comfortably.

Oct 15th:
After Breakfast we sat off for Miller Town, you would be surpized to see the number of pack horses which trave[l] these roads ten or twelve in a drove, in going up the north mountain Betsy took it in her head to ride a horse back, and Daddy, undertook to escort her on thier in a narrow path at the edge of a very steep place they meet with a company of these packers, when her horse took it in his noodle not to sti[r] one foot, but stood and received a thump behind from every pack that pass'd and whilst Betsy was in a state of the greatest tripedation expecting every Moment to be thrown from her horse, her Gallant insteed of flying to her assistance, stood laughing ready to Kill himself at the fun, but the poor girl really looked pitiable - We put up at a poor little Cabbin the people very Kind which Compensates for every Inconvenency.