Wolves, Rivers & Taverns: The 1840 Journey from Kentucky to Iowa

As 17-year-old Nancy and her family made their way from Kentucky to Iowa, the Underground Railroad movement was active.  It was, as we know, a politically charged time for the nation and would lead us into one of the most devastating and bloody wars we, as a country, would ever face. 

Abolitionists were involved in a dangerous business, of course, since owning slaves was still legal, and running them down as rightful property was expected. 

Although we generally think of the Underground Railroad as a series of specific routes, according to The Atlantic writer Adam Goodheart in his March 2015 article, "The Secret History of the Underground Railroad: Eric Foner explores how it really worked,” that wasn't the case. Goodheart explains "Yet its tracks ran not just through twisting tunnels but also on sunlit straightaways. Its routes and timetables constantly shifted." 

National Park Service Map of Known Underground Railroad Routes

The National Park Service map pictured above is of known Underground Railroad routes. The Park Service updates the map as more routes are discovered. See a larger image in the Gallery.

​New York Times writer Nikole Hannah-Jones, a descendant of slaves, in a recent interview with NPR’s Terri Gross, talked about the discovery that some of her ancestors settled in Iowa. 

But, Iowa was not the westernmost edge of the many routes to freedom. Little has been written about Clarina Nichols' contribution to the Railroad and civil rights in the Kansas Territory. We’ll talk more about Clarina Nichols in future posts. However, western Underground Railroad treks went as far as and around the Pacific coast. 

Covered Wagon & Oxen

The 1842 trip from Kentucky to the "New Terrytory of Iowa"* took Nancy’s family about four weeks. They were as well- equipped as emigrants could be at that time. They had two large wagons filled with household goods, beds, bedding and other necessities.

​They were fitted with a yoke of oxen, driven by a hired man. Nancy and her father drove the second wagon. Nancy’s younger brothers rode alongside on horseback. They pitched tents at night, traveled six days a week and rested on the Sabbath.
Read More...

---

Towns were still being laid out in 1842. With two large and full wagons, oxen and horses, pitching their camp every night was undoubtedly an ambitious task. Wagon trains were just beginning to make their way west. 

One of the greatest challenges for emigrants was crossing rivers. Since they were traveling from Kentucky, through Illinois and into Iowa, their journey involved crossing the Ohio and Missouri Rivers. Ferrymen used rope ferries to transport wagons, livestock and people. Nancy describes these crossings over steep stretches. It must have been terrifying. 

Nancy's father was known as an abolitionist and the family was not always well-liked. They found the experience crossing Missouri, then a new territory, to be very unpleasant because of the political climate. Missouri was, for a time, a slave state. Iowa, their destination, was not.
 
Nancy describes numerous taverns on the journey, where drinking and gambling were enthusiastically pursued. One night, the group "stopped early as it was and fixed food and so on for man and beast... they had a bar in the tavern and were drinking and having considerable of stir around all night."*
 
Camping in the general location to taverns seemed to have been necessary. Nancy mentions several encounters with unruly, drinking men. Although these activities make exciting and romantic stories, it seems they were not far from reality. Times were tough and rough.

The Threat of Wolves

And, then there were wolves. In an effort to keep wolves at bay, the Jones family protected their stock with circled wagons and large fires. Nancy said, "We couldn't see them but they gave a hideous howl. Seem to make the hair rise on your head they were so close."* The only weapon they had was an ax.

But in spite of some anxious experiences, the Jones family, parents, sons and daughters made it safely to Iowa. When Nancy’s family finally reached Washington, Iowa, her father, Edward Jones, began building a large home for his family. Devastating challenges soon followed. 

A few weeks after arriving, both of Nancy's parents became ill. Nancy explains, “They Commeced Arrangeing to build when Pa and Mother were Taken Sick the Same day were Sick two weeks and Died.”* The six children were on their own. Nancy took charge of the parent-less family.

Nancy’s future husband soon arrived on the scene. He and Nancy married, finished building the house and gave the children a home. 
​
This is where a whole new life began that, although small in the overall scheme of things, made a tremendous difference to the lives of several enslaved people as they ran from enslavement to freedom. 

*Quotes from Nancy Kendall’s journal with original wording and spellings.

---