Henry Leighty Search for Gold

Henry Leighty was my great grand father on my fathers side. I quote  from a letter he wrote when He was 90 years old.

In the spring of 1850 I was stricken with the California fever as I wanted to see some of the world while I was in the prime of life, and if  I failed to get much gold would get experience enough and see enough of the world to pay me for the trip and hardships I would have to undergo, which is no small matter. But I will say here that I am more than satisfied as it was a great lesson to me to see that western country in its wild state. So man by the name of Craigo, a married man; Jake Mickey, a single man; and George Barnhart, single; and myself fitted up a prairie schooner and four yoke of oxen and on the last day of March 1850, struck out for the then wild and woolly west. We made arrangements to meet another wagon with three men at Hannibal, Mo. Had the worst weather I think I ever experienced while crossing Missouri. Such cold rain it looked like our cattle would perish as the had no shelter at night. Struck the Missouri river at Weston. Fort Leavenworth is right across the the river from Weston. We were a little ahead of the grass, and lay there ten days waiting for it as we had no money to buy feed to carry with us. Our cattle managed to live on very little feed, and ranged through the hills. Once we had got quite a scare as our cattle got so far away we had quite a hunt for them. While on the hunt we ran across a fortune teller and we all got our fortunes told. Some of the boy's fortunes were so bad they almost turned  back. Mine didn't look very good. She told me that I would not have much luck in California, but after leaving there would eventually accumulate quite a fortune. I did not feel like turning back as I had started with the determination to see California or die on the way. So according to my best recollection, we crossed the river in May and pulled out for the plains. At that time there had not been a furrow plowed in Kansas, Nebraska or any of those western states. There were Indians, buffalo, elk, prairie dogs, rattle snakes & coyotes. The only trouble we had with the Indians was their eternal begging. The squaws wanted sugar and coffee. The bucks wanted whiskey and tobacco. But we declined as they would soon have starved us out. But I will have to give them credit for their good behavior in not molesting us in any way. They were so numerous they could have taken full possession of everything we had. But we could hear of emigrants having trouble, but the thing is it was mostly the emigrant's fault.

MORE LATER    Now we ready to cross the Platte River.