Fort Smith-Santa Fe Trail & Gila Trail to Fort Yuma |
George Tweedy was 8 years old in 1852 and on the Johnson wagon trail |
Family lore told me they travelled on the Santa Fe Trail, but... that trail had two branches, one began in Independence, Missouri, and then on to Santa Fe in the New Mexico territory. There was also a southern route. This went from Fort Smith, Arkansas, following the Canadian River into New Mexico, and then on to Santa Fe.
Using some keyword searches it did not take me long to track the Tweedy family on the Fort
Smith-Santa Fe Trail. I located the
name of the wagon train captain, William Johnson, and the date he left on their
journey, 17 April 1852. Knowing these dates allowed me to research events and the family's path for that year.
If you use
some logic with your internet searches, you will find details about your
ancestors travels and the trails they used.
For example, I was able to locate the name of the wagon master, William
Johnson, I located descendants of other families that were on that particular
wagon train. Captain Johnson’s parents lived near Fort
Smith, Arkansas, and were also on the 1852 wagon train lead by their son. In my mind's eye, I could easily see Alfred Johnson, son of
Captain Johnson, and their families, talking to my kin, Robert D Tweedy and his family, around
a night fire, hopefully, over coffee served in an enameled steel cup. You could even hear the coyotes.
The journey
was a long one. There was harsh terrain and the normal difficulties of travel by wagon on less than
prime roads. There were also hostile Indians. The Johnson wagon train made it to Sante Fe
and then went on another trail that would lead them to California. This was the Gila Trail, which went from Santa
Fe into southern New Mexico, southern Arizona territory, to the Colorado River crossing in
the southwest Arizona territory.
Fort Yuma 1860s |
Work with a
map, follow the route travelled by you ancestor. You can find where they crossed rivers, what
Indian tribes were hostile, what dangers they faced. Captain
Johnson’s 1852 wagon train had a particularly hazardous journey. War had broken out between the Yuma Indians
and the settlers and US Army. The Yuma
tribe conducted a series of bloody raids against both setters and the US
military. The Yuma Indians raids succeeded in closing down the small military fort near the crossing of the
Colorado River.
US Cavalry circa 1852 |
Fortunately, for my
Tweedy kinsmen, and all on Captain Johnson’s wagon train, help arrived before the party had to make the Colorado River crossing. US Army Captain Heintzelman
with 150 cavalry troopers deployed in the area to protect the river crossing. Captain Heintzelman and his men engaged a large group of over
300 Yuma warriors and defeated them. The
fort which had been abandoned earlier, was reoccupied by the US cavalry and named Fort Yuma. The Colorado River
crossing was secured. Johnson’s
wagon train reached Fort Yuma late in October or early November. Their journey from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to
Fort Yuma, Arizona Territory, took six months. From there the trip became somewhat less
dangerous and they arrived in what is now the Los Angeles in the winter of 1852.
When you
research, do not neglect your geography. Maps are a joy and tell stories.
Learn how to use them, to explore with them.
© 2018 Barry R McCain
© 2018 Barry R McCain
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