Life on the Trail for a Single Woman Traveling Alone

Rebecca Ketcham, an unmarried female traveling from Ithaca, New York to Oregon, had received $240 from friends and relatives to help her reach Oregon where she was to become a school teacher.
In her traveling party were two significant members of New York society:  Philip Schuyler and James Van Rennsalaer.  It was Philip's father, in fact, who had financed Rebecca's trip.  Also along on the party were Lucy Dix Schuyler and her husband, and her unmarried sister Camilla.  Fifteen adults in all traveled in Rebecca's party.

Rebecca joined the group at Independence, Missouri, having traveled by stage coach from Oswego to Elmira, Dunkirk, Erie, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and St. Louis.  That must have been quite an ordeal in itself!  Total transportation costs: $34.58.  She wrote: "I almost wonder how I could have undertaken such an expedition".  She was in good spirits and seems undaunted by the vastness of her journey.  She spent time with 18 year old Philip Schuyler and shared the washing with Camilla Dix.

Although there were four women traveling in this party, Rebecca's place among them seem highly insecure.  Her journal shows that instead on being in the wagons with the women, she was excluded by them and often found herself riding horseback with the men.  As one point, riding an old, tired horse, she wrote:

"The wagons soon passed me, and then I was with that slow horse behind all the rest.  I felt angry and hurt both, and very much afraid.  I had been told females were in great danger of being taken by the Indians because they think a high ransom will be paid for them.  For myself I have no particular desire to go among the Indians in that way...Well i thought it would be  a very easy matter for them to knock me off and take my horse, if they did not care to take me."

Rebecca discovered fairly early on that she had been cheated out of a part of her travel money, as she had been charged more than the others for joining the party, and was required to work as well.  Indignantly she wrote:

"I had the curiosity to ask James how much Mr. Gray* charged him for taking him over...he said from
$50 to $100.  Thinks I to myself, if that is the case, I don't work any more...Charge me $150 and then expect me to work my way.  I think I shall find more time to write hereafter."

Rebecca shared the work of the wagon party and apparently shared their food as well.  There was considerable uncertainty about what provisions were supposed to be covered by her $150 as she wrote: "I supposed we were to be furnished with mattresses - but instead of that we were furnished with nothing, only the men and boys with two blankets apiece."

Sure was not an easy trip for a single woman to make!!

*Note: William H. Gray was the captain of the wagon train.  More experienced than most, he had crossed the country several times. 

More on Rebecca's cross county trek and what happened to her out West next time...

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Today in Pioneer History:  On October 22, 1903, the infamous hired killer, Tom Horn, is hanged for having allegedly murdered Willie Nickell, the 14-year-old son of a southern  Wyoming sheep rancher.