Author Archives: nancyleek

About nancyleek

Nancy is a retired librarian who lives in Chico, California. She is the author of John Bidwell: The Adventurous Life of a California Pioneer.

“Cheyenne” Dawson in California, part 7

Posted on March 9, 2017 by nancyleek

At that time Sutter was on the Sacramento, and wanted colonists; but I, with ten or twelve others who were in a hurry to get into employment, decided to try the Spanish settlements south of us, and after a day … Continue reading →

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The Adventures of “Cheyenne” Dawson, Part 6

Posted on March 7, 2017 by nancyleek

The Bidwell-Bartleson party of American emigrants arrived at the ranch of John Marsh on November 4, 1841. Now they at last knew for sure that they were in California. But it was not exactly what they had expected. Here is … Continue reading →

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What is the Oldest Building in Chico?

Posted on March 1, 2017 by nancyleek

A little background about why this question came up: I was in Marysville on Monday with my OLLI class. We were touring churches in the area that have pipe organs. St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, on the corner of C St. … Continue reading →

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“Cheyenne” Dawson, Part 5

Posted on February 25, 2017 by nancyleek

At Soda Springs the company of emigrants split in two. The more cautious of them took the advice of their trail guide and remained on the Oregon Trail, but 32 men, plus Mrs. Kelsey and her baby, stuck to their … Continue reading →

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“Cheyenne” Dawson, Part 4

Posted on February 24, 2017 by nancyleek

“Cheyenne” Dawson’s account of his journey to California was written down many years after the event, but he had a clear and lively recollection of the expedition. Here he is, telling how the company fared after they abandoned their wagons … Continue reading →

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“Cheyenne” Gets His Nickname (Nicholas Dawson Part 3)

Posted on February 22, 2017 by nancyleek

There were two men in the Bidwell-Bartleson Party named Dawson: Nicholas and V.W. Almost nothing is known about V.W., including what the initials stood for, but he went by the nickname “Bear.” The two men were not related. It was … Continue reading →

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The Adventures of Nicholas “Cheyenne” Dawson, Part 2

Posted on February 20, 2017 by nancyleek

Nicholas Dawson was born in Beaver County, Pennsylvania on January 22, 1819, making him just 6 months older than John Bidwell. He received a good education for the day, good enough to be employed from time to time, like Bidwell, … Continue reading →

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The Adventures of Nicholas “Cheyenne” Dawson

Posted on February 19, 2017 by nancyleek

A stand-out member of the Bidwell-Bartleson emigrant company, and almost the last surviving member of that band, was Nicholas Dawson. During his adventures on the trail he earned the nickname “Cheyenne” from an incident that typifies Indian encounters in the … Continue reading →

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A Kinder Man I Have Never Known

Posted on February 10, 2017 by nancyleek

In the 1880s Hubert Howe Bancroft asked John Bidwell if he could supply any information about several early California pioneers, Dr. John Townsend among them. On May 23, 1884 Bidwell wrote back with short recollections of the men he had … Continue reading →

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Bidwell to Townsend

Posted on February 9, 2017 by nancyleek

Here is a letter from John Bidwell to Dr. John Townsend, written on April 5, 1849. He congratulates Townsend and his wife on the birth of their son, John Henry Moses Townsend, born November 26, 1848. An indication of Bidwell’s … Continue reading →

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