goldfields

To reach Sapling Grove in Kansas Territory we had to travel down the Missouri River some fifty miles [from Weston in Platte County] and then cross at the place known as Independence Landing. Then to go west about ten miles to the Missouri line and across into Indian Territory. On reaching Sapling Grove no one was there but we saw fresh wagon tracks and followed them to the Kansas River. They belonged to parties who had come, some from Arkansas, and some from different parts of Missouri to cross the plains.

Lots of signs like this in historic Kansas

The plan was to meet at Sapling Grove on May 9th. Sapling Grove was a popular camp site on the the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails, just west of the Missouri border. It had an excellent spring and plenty of wood, grass, and water, all necessities for travelers. It was only three miles or so from the Kansas River.

Back in the winter, John Bidwell had journeyed around Missouri drumming up interest in the venture to California. He had even corresponded with interested parties in other states. But when it came time to leave, he was discouraged to see that most people where he lived were dropping out. Still, he stuck to his plans and found when he got to the rendezvous that there were other pioneers ready to go after all.

What kind of provisions did Bidwell pack for his expedition?

It was understood that every one should have not less than a barrel of flour with sugar and so forth to suit. I laid in one hundred pounds of flour more than the usual quantity, besides other things.

An extra barrel of flour. That’s the kind of practical, foresightful man Bidwell was.

“Other things” would be foodstuffs like cornmeal, salt, coffee, a slab of bacon, and dry beans. Maybe, if he could afford them, a few specialty items like cider vinegar, dried apples, dried ginger, cinnamon, or cayenne pepper. As for the extra flour:

This I did because we were told that when we got into the mountains we probably would get out of bread and have to live on meat alone, which I thought would kill me even if it did not others.

Ben and Nancy Kelsey load their wagon

At almost the last moment, everyone abandoned the idea of crossing the plains. I cast about, however, and found in Platte County a man by the name of [George] Henshaw who was willing to go. He was old, quite an invalid, and nearly helpless.  He had a fine black horse that he allowed me to dispose of. I sold him for a yoke of young cattle and a one-eyed mule for Henshaw to ride.

With that much of an outfit we drove into Weston. To complete the outfit, we here purchased what we could and then joined R. H. Thomes, who was about ready to start. A merchant by the name of Nye, seeing our determination to go to California, said if we would wait a week he would let his son Mike go with us.

It’s hard to know what would induce George Henshaw to undertake such a journey. He probably hoped to improve his health, and had no idea of the dangers and difficulties he would endure. Searching records, I have found a George Henshaw born in 1790 — a man 51 years old would have seemed quite old to young John Bidwell.

I wonder, as he rode his sorry one-eyed mule, if he ever regretted giving up that fine black horse.

Michael Nye was probably 20 years of age at the time. In California he lived for many years in Marysville, and later moved to Crook County, Oregon, where he died in 1906. He was the last surviving member of the Bidwell-Bartleson Party.

As the time approached, I became very anxious about the expedition but supposed a few would go with me. Finally I could not find a single member of the company who were sure to go. I went forward with my preparations, however, and to the extent I could, I purchased an outfit which consisted of a wagon and some provisions, a rifle, and ammunition.

Attaboy, John!

The rifle was “an old flint-lock rifle, but a good one.” He had been told by experienced hunters that cap or percussion locks were unreliable if they got wet, but if he lost his flint he could always pick up another on the plains.

How Stuff Works has a good description of how a flintlock fires, with this diagram.

It is interesting that presumably, until this time, John Bidwell did not have a gun. Or if he did, he traded it for this old but reliable flint-lock.

When May came, I was the only man that was ready to go of all who signed the pledge. In Weston, however, there was a man who had never signed the pledge but who had said from the beginning that he would go to California when May came. This was Robert H. Thomes, a wagon maker at that time.

Robert Thomes settled in Tehama County. He was a life-long partner with Albert Toomes, who came to California by the southern route, arriving only a short time after the Bidwell-Bartleson Party arrived. They met and worked together as house builders in Monterey, before getting their land grants at Tehama.

Of his overland journey, Robert Thomes said:

We suffered great hardships, and got into very tight pinches for food and water,but we made up for it when we got among the fat beef and venison of California.

Thomes and Bidwell would remain friends the rest of their lives. When Robert Thomes died in 1878, Bidwell was the executor of his estate.