Researching the Oregon Trail - Captain John Knox Kennedy, Big Platte, and Fort Laramie
In which I relate some history of the Oregon Trail and key stops along the way, as well as describe Jane’s brother John Knox Kennedy and a bit more about their journey along the trail; I also share information gleaned from the book Trail of Innocents, written by Everill Cummins, about the Kennedy Train.
Some Family Members Move West - A Letter from Walla Walla, Washington, 1864
In which I share an excerpt from my nonfiction book, A State Divided, that explains some family history, as well as share a July 1864 letter from Jane Kennedy Hale, now settled in Walla Walla, Washington.
Some Family Members Move West - A Letter from the Oregon Trail in 1862
In which I share more letters from the Oregon Trail, this time from Jane Kennedy Hale, the widowed wife of James’s brother Meshack, who was killed by Confederate sympathizers; Jane, who traveled with the “Kennedy Train” led by her brother, eventually settled with her son William in Walla Walla, Washington.