By

Leone Knapp Sherod

and

Evelyn Knapp Spaller

    Excitement was in the air. Evening talk centered around the possibilities of a move to the far west. Uncle Claude was preparing to ship his family and belongings out by train. Uncle Al and Uncle Lee had already gone on to the new frontier and were now living on their homesteads at Sunprairie, Montana. Their letters were full of enthusiasm about the opportunities and the 360 acres of free land. They told of the rush of settlers from all over who were eager to take up homesteads.   

   Dad was born in 1868 somewhere along the Mississippi River. Hard work was the accepted thing and schooling was possible only when work was slack. He learned reading, writing and arithmetic but he got little formal education. He was of Irish, Dutch and English extraction, his ancestors having come to America in early times. His family pioneered in Minnesota. In later years they moved to Nebraska and there became people of consequence with a fine farm. Grandpa Knapp was killed in a runaway accident. The runaway team threw the buggy over a cliff. Older brothers took over the farm and deprived Dad and his younger brother of their inheritance. Dad Knapp carried the pain of their greediness with him, but he did not waste time feeling sorry for himself. He had a team and a wagon and he struck out on his own. Sometimes he rented a farm. Sometimes he share cropped. Often he worked extra hours shucking corn or doing whatever work it took to keep the family in clothes and food. In later years, when his mother was old and blind, she stayed with Dad and Mother Knapp. We children remember Grandmother rocking and smoking a little clay pipe.

   Dad was a handsome athletic man. He was friendly and outgoing. He loved people and was always teasing and joking; but also quick tempered when things went wrong. On the 7^th of October 1892, in Oklahoma, he married Florence Udell McNeil. Her family opposed the marriage. Florence was the only girl in the family and Charles Knapp had little to offer. He made her a good husband and they made the other children and me good parents.

   Mother was born in Ohio in 1874. Her family moved to Nebraska as that country was being settled. Both o f Mother’s grandfathers had been killed in the Civil War. Grandpa Brewer, a native Virginian, was killed at Vicksburg. He was an officer and a newspaper correspondent. Grandma Brewer was a believer in spiritualism and knew when he was killed. She went about telling the neighbors although the official notice didn’t reach her for several weeks. She raised up her large family out on the prairies, giving them good educations. The boys were all teachers or doctors and important men in the new state. Grandma Brewer was remembered by all who knew her as a very brilliant and dynamic personality. Many stories are told of her wit and shrewdness and quotes from her can still be heard in the family.

   Mother’s father worked for the railroad to supplement the farm income. He drew his two weeks pay one Saturday night and presumably started to walk the fifteen miles home to spend Sunday with the family. He was never heard of again. A twin brother spent many years trying to find some trace of him, following up leads in several states. It was generally believed that while walking over the rough deserted terrain he was robbed and killed by renegade Indians. The family moved to Oklahoma, taking part in the great Oklahoma land rush.

   Grandma McNeil later married Grant Robinson and they had one son, our Uncle Babe.

   Florence McNeil, although fatherless, had been tenderly reared, the pride of doting Uncles and four brothers. She was well educated for her time and place and was ready to start teaching school when she married. There was determination behind her gentle ways and if she ever regretted her choice no one ever knew it. Her marriage began a life rich in giving, sacrifice and love. She was a wonderfully sweet and loving wife and mother and she was adored by all her family.

   They had many experiences during these years of raising a family and moving about. They lived for a time in Indian Territory and Mother was sometimes frightened and got the children in the house when Indians would ride into the yard to water their horses or just to snoop around. Once in a soddy house on the Kansas plains a prairie fire swept through the tall prairie grass, sweeping right over the little sod house. Mother told how she wrapped the baby, Fred, in a quilt and put him on the floor. It was over in a minute and they went out and threw water on the burning eaves.

   Mother was always able to make a home wherever she was, whether in a soddy on the plains, a log cabin or a big white house. The house was always spotlessly clean, crisp curtains at the windows and braided rugs on the floors. No matter how humble our home we were always proud of it. We loved to invite our friends home with us. The house was always bustling with activity and laughter. Neighbors, friends, stray relatives and often just strangers passing through all found a welcome there. In the evening Dad would take the fiddle down from the wall, they boys would get out the guitar and banjo and the house would literally rock with old timey toe-tapping music.

   Dad was in great demand as a fiddler for country dances and often the few dollars he would bring home helped to keep food on the table.

   Dad loved to fiddle and sitting down, tapping his feet, a wide grin on his face, he played many of the old classics. He played by ear, playing the hornpipes, waltzes and popular music of his time. A wooden Indian couldn’t have kept his feet still.

   Fred, the first child was born in Oklahoma in 1893. Then came a little girl so lovely and precious that no name was ever found good enough for her. She died in a few months known only as Sister Knapp. She is buried near Kingfisher, Oklahoma.

   Bee Bell was born in 1896 in Lincoln, Nebraska. He was named for a greatly loved doctor friend.

   Leone came next, she was born in Kansas in 1898. Edgar, or Buster as we all called him was born in Oklahoma in 1900. Many wild and wonderful tales are told about these four, aided and abetted by Uncle Babe and various cousins.   

   I, Evelyn, was born in 1909 near Lockridge, Oklahoma.

   Mother’s brother, our Uncle Press lived near us. They had four boys, John, Wade, Roy and Glen. Roy, being my age, was my dearest playmate. One night I went to spend the night with them thinking it strange that Aunt Myrtle should choose the same night to stay at our house. The next morning Uncle Press took me home in the buggy. With a wide grin he lifted me out and said, "You have a new baby brother." The shock and injury that such a thing could happen when I was away from home was almost too much for a four year old. I immediately moved out of their room and upstairs with Leone.

   My first memories are of this home near Lockridge. (Lockridge has now disappeared, stores, railroad, cottongin, schools, homes. The old townsite is now a huge wheat field.) Our home was a two story white house, a big barn and trees. A little creek behind the barn was a good place to play and crawdads could be caught there.

   Fred had gone to work now. He was very smart and had learned telegraphy. He had a job in a town some distance away. His visits home were wonderful events. The boys would wrestle him. There was lots of laughing and carrying on. He married very young, a lovely girl named Minnie Simpson and we all loved her very much.

   One day Buster was watching after me while Mother and Dad went into town. A big tree grew up along side the house and by pulling and coaxing he got me up this tree and up on the roof of this two story house. As we sat out on this roof enjoying the vast view, we saw the folks coming home away down the road. I’m sure that only the wings of angels kept us from falling in our mad rush to get back down before their arrival.

   Dad was very nervous about storms. This was a storm area and everyone had storm cellars. Tornadoes, or cyclones, as we called them were common. Dad would scan the skies for storm clouds and often at night would waken the family and hustle us all off to the storm cellar. Mother had little fear of storms and after a long tiring day would rather stay in bed. After getting the kids all in the cellar Dad would come with Mother, sometimes literally carrying her in his arms.

   The possibility of moving to Montana hinged on the success of the crop. It would take quite a stake for such an undertaking. This was a good farm and about 100 acres of wheat had been planted. Skies were anxiously watched for rain for the crops and also the dreaded hail storms. For once the often cruel Oklahoma climate cooperated. The crop was good and by the first of July was harvested and marketed.

   The preparations for the trip reached a new peak. There were many decisions to be made ... how much equipment to be assembled. We would take two wagons. Dad would use mules for the trip. Uncle Press and his family would also have two wagons, but would use horses. There was much discussion on which would take the trip better, the horses or the mules. B’s horse Billy, a beautiful sorrel with racing blood, would be led behind the wagon and could be used in an emergency .

   The wagons were equipped for the long trip overland. Overjets were fixed for beds. Cupboards were in the back that opened and closed. Canvas covers were fixed to keep off the sun and rain.

   Our wagon was fixed more comfortable for Mother and the small children. Frank was a little over a year old and very frail. He had been a sickly baby and the Doctor had given us little hopes he would live. This was Mother’s biggest worry, that the traveling would be bad for him. B and Buster would drive one wagon.

   Helping Uncle Press with his wagons was Charles Sherod, a neighbor boy. He was a shy handsome boy. We all knew him well as he was Leone’s boy friend. Due to his shyness and bashful was he was the object of pranks and teasing. My mother made me a little corset to dress up in to play grand lady. It was a beautiful little garment and it fit me just as it should. One day my brothers put this little corset on me and told me to go out and ask Charley how he liked it. His red face and embarrassment was all they had hoped for.

   On the 22^nd of July all preparations had been made and it was time to hit the road. Neighbors and friends gathered that morning to see us off and to wish us well. I’m sure it was with mixed feelings that we started off on this long journey.

   It was a beautiful day the 22^nd of July 1914 when we started from near Lockridge bound for Montana. It was about 9:30 on a Wednesday. We didn’t drive far until it was noon. We camped by a small brook and ate our dinners. We journeyed on passing through Reeding and camped a mile north of Kingfisher our first night. B and Buster brought up the rear of our little wagon train. Jogging along the dusty road with the hot sun beating down made them drowsy. Of a sudden they woke to find the team had turned in at a farm house and were patiently standing at the front door.

   We woke feeling fine after our first nights sleep out of doors. Camp fires were built to cook the breakfast. It tasted so good out in the open air and our appetites were immense. We drove through sand and black jacks all day. We didn’t go through any towns but we crossed toe Cimmeron River. We were caught in a big rain and got pretty wet. Camped for the night a few miles from Drummond. We traveled 24 miles.

   Passed through Drummond okay. Ate our dinners a few miles from Lahoma and spent the night at Meno. We liked staying near a big city and B got his hair clipped close. Came 20 miles.

   We ate our dinners a few miles south of Helena and then drove on through Helena and camped 9 miles south of Cherokee. Made 20 miles.

   We drove through Cherokee and on 5 miles north on the Salt River. Here we camped for the rest of the day. Resting the horses and making minor repairs. Women washed the clothes and the young folks waded and bathed in the river. Traveled 14 miles.

   Came through Driftwood and New Burlington, ate our dinners a mile south of Kiowa, Kansas. Stopped for the night at Gerlane, Kansas. We traveled 32 miles this day began to feel our old home far behind.

   We crossed the Medicine River this morning and went through Medicine Lodge. Camped on Elm Creek the rest of the afternoon and washed our clothes and bathed in the evening. This made us feel good after our hot dusty days travel. Only made 19 miles.

   Today we crossed Elm Creek and came through Sawyer. Camped along side the road 3 miles north of Sawyer. Ate our dinners and let the horses rest. We hadn’t much more than started when it began to rain. We got wet. We drove through Pratt and camped for the night about 2 miles north of Pratt. We made 24 miles today.

   We camped for dinner at a school house about 7 miles from St. John. Drove on through St. John and camped for the night at Rattle Snake Creek. The mosquitoes almost ate us up. Came 23 miles.

   Got up this morning tired from fighting mosquitoes all night. Camped for dinner 6 miles south of Gret Bend, Kansas. Came on through Great Bend and crossed the Arkansas River. Camped for the night about 5 miles from the river. We traveled 26 miles.

   Had an uneventful day, went through Albert, Kansas. We ate dinner near Otis. Traveled about 5 miles and camped for the night.

   Being Sunday we didn’t start out early as usual. Camped at noon away off from no-where. We got close enough to a farm house to buy some eggs, butter and bread for dinner. We took an extra long noon. Had some terrible roads, began to think we’d already reached Montana. Got to Smokey Hill River at 6:00 o’clock where we camped and stayed over until Monday noon. We went bathing in the river. Only made 15 miles today. It was good to get some eggs, butter and bread. Our meals were pretty much the same. Mother made hoecakes. We ate a lot of fried potatoes and things that could be cooked over a campfire. It was a real treat when we stayed over long enough to cook a pot of beans. Washing and bathing had to be done when we camped on a creek or river.

   Had dinner before we left camp. Passed through Ellis and camped in about 4 miles. Came 15 miles today.

   Came 30 miles today. Didn’t see any towns or anything. Camped near Wakeeney.

   This was one of our biggest days, came 33 miles. Passed through Wakeeney and camped for the night near Voda. A man let us drive into his field where there was plenty of good grass and water for the horses.

   This morning we passed through Voda and camped at the outskirts of Quinter. Went through Grainfield and camped in about 3 miles. Came 25 miles.

   Passed through Grinnel and camped for dinner on the west side of Oakley, Kansas. I picked up a couple of old fence posts from under a fence. A man came down where we were camped and said he would fix us for getting those posts, but he didn’t do anything. We were always looking for wood we could pick up to use for our campfires at night. Often there was no wood available and we gathered cow-chips for our fire. It was a chore we didn’t care for and the smell was hard to get used to, but they made a good hot fire. Camped about 8 miles from Oakley. Came 25 miles.

   We got a late start as one of Uncle Press’s horses got one of his feet badly cut in a wire fence. Crossed the Saline and Salmon Rivers, and passed through Mingo. Camped near Brewster. Came 26 miles.

   Ate our breakfast and left camp. Came through Edson and made camp about 1:00 o’clock in Goodland and laid over until Monday morning. Only came 16 miles. The men went to a ballgame in the afternoon and the boys went to church that night.

   Stayed over in town today. Got the horses shod. Traveled on through Goodland and camped for the night.

   Today we passed through great open pastures, no fences in sight. Camped for dinner near Bird City. We killed a rattle snake and saw our first prairie chickens. Camped 9 miles from Bird City out in the hills of Kansas. Came 26 miles. Sometimes to break the monotony I would ride with Charley in his wagon. Evelyn and Roy rode for miles straddling the coupling pole of the wagon.

   Crossed the Republican River and passed through Benkelman, camped for dinner near Doan, came into Haigler about 7:30 and couldn’t find any place to camp so drove into a feed yard and spent the night. This was a big day with 34 miles.

   We didn’t get an early start as Daddy had to fix one of the wagons. We followed the Republican River all morning. Passed through Sandborn and land. Camped about 20 feet from the river where there was lots of water and grass. Then we crossed through Wray, Colorado. Entering another state was a happy event and made us realize that we were getting nearer our destination. About 3 miles from Wray we were caught in a rain storm. Part of us went into a school house for shelter. After the shower we traveled on about 3 miles and another rain hit us so we put up for the night near another school house, about 6 miles from town. We had some bad electrical storms through this area. We could see along the road where it often struck poles and fences. Made 24 miles.

   About daylight it began to rain and part of us began to get wet so got up and didn’t go back to bed. We had breakfast and drove through Wray. We drove about 14 miles through sand hills and camped for dinner 9 miles east of Yuma, Colorado. WE ate dinner then passed through Scramn and Yuma. We camped about 5 miles from Yuma, in a pasture, having traveled 28 miles.

   We came past a large lake but didn’t hit any town, making 17 miles before dinner. We traveled all afternoon seeing no towns or much of anything. Camped for the night 12 miles east of Sterling. This was a big day, 30 miles.

   We drove 11 miles and camped for the rest of the day about one mile east of Sterling, close to the Platte River. We watered the teams and didn’t do anything the rest of the day. They boys went to town, also swimming and fishing, but didn’t catch anything. We went to bed and fought mosquitoes all night.

   The men took some of the horses up to town and got them shod. The women washed clothes. We ate any early dinner and started on about 11:00 o’clock. Stayed awhile in Sterling and did a little shopping. It rained all night and we camped for the night on Ponee Creek about 13 miles from Sterling.

   We drove over a great many hills. The boys hunted most of the morning. They killed several rabbits, a welcome change in our diets. They also killed three prairie dogs, the first we had ever seen. We passed through Stoneham and stopped for dinner near there. We didn’t see any town in the afternoon and it rained until night. We camped for the night in the east part of Raymer, by the stockyards. Making 24 miles.

   We passed on through Raymer and Buckingham. We saw two wolves this morning. The boys shot some rabbits for dinner. Stopped for dinner on the east side of Keota. Saw two more wolves in the afternoon. Passed through Shigo. What a thrill, we saw the Rocky Mountains for the first time! Having come 26 miles we camped on the outskirts of Grover for the night.

   We came on through Grover this morning. Saw another wolf. This must be wolf country. (We learned later theses were probably coyotes.)

   We woke this morning to find it raining and chilly with a heavy fog. Had dinner a couple of miles from Cheyenne and after dinner we came on into Cheyenne and stayed until 6:00 o’clock. We really took in the town! They were having a celebration. Aunt Myrtle rode the ferris wheel with some of us young folks. We watched the cattle roping and rodeo for awhile. We had some pictures taken on the way out to camp. Camped by a big lake about a mile from town. Only made 20 miles today.

   Left camp a little after 6:00 this morning. Traveled through hills most of the morning. Camped for dinner on a creek, then on over hills that seemed almost like mountains. Traveled all day without seeing any towns. It started to rain and about 5:00 o’clock we struck a ranch house and stayed the night near by. Came 26 miles.

   Only came 20 miles today. We got a late start as our horses were gone this morning. It was late before we found them and got started. Went up hill and down. We didn’t stop for dinner till late. We camped on Chugwater Creek just across the creek from the town of Chugwater. We hurried to eat our dinners because of the rain. It really cut loose after dinner and we stayed in camp. The men went to town in the afternoon. We ate supper and went to bed early.

   Stayed in camp this morning while we got some horses shod. Ate an early dinner and pulled out. Crossed Chugwater Creek and on through town. Drove in a valley all afternoon and camped in the hills about 18 miles from Chugwater.

   We drove in the foothills of the mountains this morning. It was rough traveling, having to double up the horses at times. Camped in the west part of Wheatland. Came through a valley all afternoon. Camped for the night on the Laramie River. We caught a few little fish. Came 18 miles.

   We crossed the Laramie River and passed through two small towns. Drove through hills most of the morning. Camped for dinner at Haltville Junction. More rocks and hills all afternoon. We killed our first sagehen and the boys saw two deer. We camped late about 9:00 o’clock on Horse Shoe Creek, two miles from Glendo. Came 28 miles, a long day.

   Left Camp at 7:30 this morning. We drove about 5 miles and camped on the North Platte River. We stayed here all day. The women washed clothes, the men rested and made repairs. The children made a holiday of it, playing along the river and picking the beautiful bright red buffalo berries. They were the first we’d seen and they looked good to eat but we found them very sour. Mother even cooked some of them to see if they were eatable that way, but we had to give up on them. There were other campers here too, a man and two boys. They were traveling south and had a string of good horses. In the evening they all came over to our campfire, bringing their fiddle and guitar. Dad and the boys got out their musical instruments and such music as rang out in the night! We all sat around the campfire enjoying this break in our travels. About midnight the company went back to their own camp. Dad and Uncle Press were convinced these travelers were horse thieves. Dad got our horses up and tied them close to our wagons and Uncle Press laid in the brush all night with his shotgun. All was quiet.

   We left camp early, bidding our neighbors a farewell as we each started out in opposite directions. We followed the river about 7 miles and then crossed it. Passed through a small station, also Orin junction. Camped for dinner near the river. We followed the river on to Douglas and stopped and got groceries and horses shod. We camped on the river, after crossing it again. The boys went into town. We came 28 miles.

   We left camp at 7:00 o’clock, driving up and down hills. The boys killed some sage hens. We stopped on a creek and cleaned them. Mother sliced the breasts and fried them like steak. They were delicious and a change from our usual fare. We picked some wild currants. Saw a wolf. We stopped for dinner on a small stream about 15 miles from Douglas. We drove through sage hens and rabbits all afternoon and killed all we could use. Camped for the night away off from no-where, close to a sheep range. Came 25 miles.

   Came 21 miles today. This was the first Sunday we traveled all day. Only saw one man all day. Saw six antelopes in the evening. Camped for the night on Bear Creek.

   We got an early start, stopped at a ranch house and filled our water jugs. We came to a crossroads where they sign had been changed and we took the wrong road. We got all tangled up in the hills. About 8 miles from the main road we camped for dinner. Had to go four miles to water the horses, didn't leave camp till 4:00 o'clock then started back. Finally found a road leading to a ranch house where we camped and got some water. We are on Wind River. Traveled 25 miles today, but didn’t make much progress.

   Rained during the night and still raining in the morning, so we decided not to leave till noon. We put on a big pot of beans for dinner. Our usual meals were hoe cakes and syrup for breakfast. We ate lots of canned salmon and tomatoes, eggs and bacon. Whenever we had the chance we cooked a pot of beans. We left camp at noon, winding around hills and fences. Made about 10 miles before camping for the night on a creek. We built a large campfire and roasted several rabbits.

   Got an early start and soon came to a large pond of water. The men killed several ducks and we rested awhile. Camped for dinner on Crazy Woman Creek. The kids caught a lot of fish. We had dinner and passed on by an old post office. We stopped for the night about 3 miles from the creek, near a pond of water. We saw several herds of sheep, on herd had 43,000. Came 20 miles.

   We didn’t start very early and when we died we carried two passengers to Buffalo. We camped for dinner on the outskirts of town. Then drove on and camped for the night on Lake DeSmit. Part of us went to the lake in the evening. This was one of our big days, 32 miles.

   We started at 7:00. Crossed several creeks. We went out and looked at an old battlefield. There were 76 privates, 3 officers, and 4 civilians killed by the Sioux Indians on the 21^st of December 1866. William Fellerman was the commander against Red Cloud. There were no survivors. The monument is about 20 feet high. We camped on a little creek 9 miles from Sheridan. We picked some wild plums. After dinner we came on through Sheridan, getting some horses shod and some groceries. Drove about 3 miles from town and camped on Goose Creek for the night. Made 27 miles.

   We stayed in camp all day today giving the horses and people a chance to rest. Aunt Myrtle and I climbed some hills and the boys fished and hunted. The boys went to Ft. Kenley in the afternoon and the women went swimming. Had supper and went to bed early.

   This has been a memorable day! Today we crossed into Montana! We started out at 6:00, passing through several mining camps. We crossed Goose Creek and camped for dinner near Ranchester. Watered our horses at an irrigation ditch. Passed through Ranchester, also Barkman. We began to be fery excited as this was only 4 miles from the Montana line. It meant we were nearing our destination. It was a happy sigh of relief that we crossed the line and gave a backward farewell glance at old Wyoming. Camped on mile inside Montana and we all rested well our first night in our new state. Came 28 miles.

   We woke with the fresh air of Montana in our lungs and anxious to be on our way. Started out at 6:30, passing through Aberdeen and Wyola. We crossed the Little Big Horn several times. We forded it once and water came up into the wagons, getting things pretty wet. We got to the Crow Indian Reservation and camped for dinner about 8 miles from Lodge Grass. Some Indians stopped for a long time at noon trying to trade for B’s horse, Billy. Billy was of racing stock and the Indians were presistent in their efforts to get him. We passed through Lodge Grass and Iona and camped for the night on the Little Big Horn. Three Indians came down to our camp. They ate supper with Uncle Press. They sat with us around the campfire listening to Dad and the boys make music. They tried to coax me to dance. Came 29 miles today.

   We forded the Little Big Horn this morning and stopped about a mile from Custer’s Battlefield. We stayed all afternoon. We went to see the battlefield. Three hundred U. S. soldiers were killed by 20,000 Sioux Indians on the 25^th of June 1876. There is a stone where every soldier fell and a large monument with the names of all the dead. We had a lot of Indian company and the boys went fishing. Only came 17 miles.

   Passed through Crow Agency. The Indians rode along side our wagons for miles, still trying to trade for Bill. Camped for dinner on the Little Big Horn. After dinner we forded the Little Big Horn and the Big Horn. When we forded the Big Horn the wagons rolled over big boulders and the water came into the wagons. We passed through Hardin, where Charley left for Billings on the train. We camped about 12 miles from town. Made 30 miles.

   We made 22 miles today, leaving camp about 7:00 o’clock. Traveled all morning and saw no towns, very hilly. Camped for dinner 7 miles from Custer City, near a house, and watered our horses. After dinner we drove on through Custer City. We camped on the Yellowstone River for the night. After supper Uncle Press went to town to meet Charley when he returned from Billings.

   We didn’t break camp today. We stayed over on the river and washed clothes. Had planned to leave after dinner, but it rained and we had to bring our clothes in before they were dry. The boys fished during the day and the men stayed around town visiting with the natives. The rain drove us into our wagons in the evening and continued on into the night.

   When we awoke the sky was clear and the sun shining. We got up and got breakfast, then built a big fire around the bushes out of the wind and hung our clothes out to dry. Fixed and early dinner and left camp about noon. We followed the river all afternoon making about 18 miles before we made camp near the river at a school house.

   We drove over hills all morning. We got on the wrong road and got down in a little creek where we camped for dinner. The boys shot some ducks. We left camp about 2:30, climbing hills and at last got on the right road. Camped on a small creek 9 miles from Sumatra. Came 27 miles.

   We started out at 7:00 o’clock. Pulled up some fierce hills and passed through Sumatra. Camped for dinner near town then drove on about 10 miles and camped for the night near a mud hole. Make 20 miles.

   We started out early this morning. Four antelope were near by. Tom, the red mule, got sick so had to put Billy in his place. Stopped for dinner on a small creek. We drove through more hills and stopped for the night near Sand Springs. Traveled 30 miles.

   Stopped in Sand Springs this morning and watered the horses and bought a few groceries. Made about 10 miles before stopping for dinner. In the afternoon we passed a store, didn’t see anything much. Spent the night near a house 10 miles from Antin. Made 23 miles.

   We were on the trail by 7:00 o’clock. Saw a wolf. We stopped at a ranch house and watered the stock. We camped for dinner near an old bachelor named Gus Stone. Charley liked the looks of this country and stayed here. He went to work for Gus Stone. (Later he took a homestead in this vicinity & he took Leone as his wife .) We fooled around and didn’t start on till 3:30. Then bidding Charley a fond farewell we drove on through pine valleys and up and down hills. Camped for the night about 16 miles from where we are to ferry the Missouri River. A big cloud came up before we ate our supper. It began to blow and we had to put out our campfire and go to bed without much to eat. It didn’t rain. Only made 15 miles.

   We got up early expecting to cross the river today. We drove up and down hill all morning, stopping for dinner near a house on Squaw Creek. After dinner we came on over very rugged roads. Had to double up the teams on one hill and take the wagons up one at a time. The men worked the roads for a couple of hours along the Missouri River before attempting to take the wagons. We made it without any upset. We followed down the river quite aways before fording the Musselshell River. We camped for the night between the two rivers. Due to bad roads we only came 16 miles.

   We ferried the Missouri River at Kissmith this morning. This little river outpost was along ways from any where. It was a hangout for moonshiners, whiskey runners and horse thieves. The river was wide with a muddy color. Had to double up the teams to get up out of the river bottom. It began raining and the black sticky gumbo mud began to gather on the wheels. We camped for dinner about 11:00 o’clock near a mud hole. We had to double up the teams to get the wagons up the hills. We drove over to a ranch house and camped for the night. We were all excited and anxious as we were only about 12 miles from our Uncle’s place. B saddled up Billy and went on to find them. He got lost and spent the night in a hay stack in sight of Uncle’s place. Came about 17 miles.

   Uncle Lee came over where we were camped this morning. We were all so glad to see him. One of Uncle Press’s horses got down during the night. It died and we couldn’t move on till the afternoon. All of us got into Uncle’s place that night except Uncle Press, John and Wade. They came on in the next day.

pictures:  Leone Knapp, Bee & Evelyn Knapp

Charles Knapp

Press, Al, Lee,  Florence, & Claud McNeil