Pioneers -- Our Laura Ingalls Wilder Forum

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Date Posted: 11:26:20 04/17/03 Thu
Author: Ann
Subject: Pioneers

From watching Frontier House and Pioneer Quest, I wonder how many real pioneers "struck out." Obviously, people back then at least didn't have to contend with being used to modern-day conveniences and then going back a century, but surely not all of them were really up to pioneer life either.
I mean, people such as the Ingalls were pretty well prepared for pioneer life, with Pa having farming skills, carpentry skills, experience with animals, etc.
But there must have been people from cities who dedided to try to homestead to seek their fortune, have an adventure, recover from some economic loss, or whatever. If they didn't know much, or anything, about farming, animals, building a home, etc., they would probably have had a pretty hard time of it also. I wonder what percentage of them gave up and how many muddled through?
Are there any books about people who were real "tenderfoot" or city people who struck out to settle in the frontier?

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[> Re: Pioneers -- Jennifer, 10:58:23 04/18/03 Fri

I know there are books out there but I can't think of any. Alec from Frontier Girl has read several - I'll ask her. I will tell you one thing I found interesting is to read some of the diaries from people foraging the Oregon Trail. http://www.isu.edu/%7Etrinmich/00.n.dairies.html

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[> [> Re: Pioneers -- Ann, 11:19:42 04/18/03 Fri

Thanks for the link, Jennifer! I just bookmarked it for future reading. I glanced through the front page. The story about the family who pickled a family member who died and carried him in his casket across the country sounds fascinating. Gruesome, but fascinating!

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