Martin Henderson Ringo (1819-1864)
On
June 3, Mary noted that they made camp at a place called Rock Creek, an area with large rocks that had many names carved into them. Mary wrote, "and
conspicuously on a nice little square is a Seses Flag. I know by this
southerners are ahead." ["Secesh" was short for secessionist.] 
Left: Mary made some observations about an Indian burial.
The next two weeks were trying for all as the wagon train waited for word about
the boat that would ferry them across the South Platte. There were heavy
storms off and on. One had high winds that blew over some wagons even though
they had heavy loads.
On July 8, Mary expressed her relief at getting off the South Platte River. Much of the last two weeks had been spent waiting for the boat and making the crossing. On this day, they traveled 10 miles to the California Crossing and camped there for the night. They would tackle California Hill in the morning. 
Chimney Rock was next to come into view. Mary said she could see it from 20 miles away. This significant landmark told the travelers they would soon be leaving the Great Plains.
Mary Ann Peters (1826-1876)
paternal 2nd great-granduncle/great-grandaunt
 |
| The inside front cover of The Journal of Mrs. Mary Ringo; a diary of her trip across the Great Plains in 1864. (Library of Congress) |
In
1864, Martin Ringo, and his wife, Mary Peters, made
the decision to move from their home in Gallatin, Missouri to San Jose,
California. They hoped the California climate would improve Martin's health. He contracted tuberculosis while serving as a wagon master and
freighter during the Mexican War (1846-1848). Mary's sister, Augusta, and her husband, Colonel Coleman Younger, lived in San Jose, a circumstance that would ease the family's adjustment to their new home.
Another factor that likely influenced the couple's decision was the Civil War. It was in its third year with no end in sight. Missouri was a deeply divided border
state that ranked third behind Virginia and Tennessee in the number of battles that had taken place
within its borders. Additionally, Union troops were regularly ambushed by pro-Confederate guerrilla fighters called bushwhackers. This group also used robbery, arson, and murder to terrorize Union sympathizers throughout the state and along the Missouri-Kansas border.
 |
The majority of the Ringo's trip was made through U.S. territories. (Wikimedia Commons) |
– MARY'S JOURNAL –
Like many others, Mary kept a journal during the long trip, writing something almost every day. She described daily life, her concerns about the dangers that could be encountered, the ever-changing landscape, and landmarks along the way. Her
daughter, Mattie Bell Cushing, began transcribing the journal in 1942 and published it in 1956. She kept her mother's spelling, punctuation,
and capitalization. This excerpt from the foreward was written by
Mattie:
On
the eighteenth of May eighteen hundred sixty-four, a party of
adventurous people started on the hazardous trip across the continent to
California. Among them was my father Martin Ringo, age 45 years, his
wife Mary Ringo, age 38 years, brother John, age 14 years, Albert, age
11 years, sister Fanny, age 7 years, Enna, age 4 years, Mattie
(myself), age 2 years.
We had two large covered wagons one drawn by oxen and one by mules,
we brought a lot of things, a large bed and dresser, a number of heavy
books besides all the things necessary for a long trip. My father had
been in the Mexican War, was stationed at Sacra-mento for some time where
he contracted tuberculosis and he thought it would be better for him in
a milder climate, but he didn't get to live there.
Mary was about four
months pregnant with their sixth child at
the time of the family's departure from Gallatin.
– LIFE ON THE TRAIL –
Covered
wagons were typically ten feet long and about four feet wide. Family members often took turns walking next to the wagons, since their belongings and supplies took up most of the space inside. If the terrain was rugged, they walked to lighten the load for their teams. The
travelers slept in tents, out in the open, or under the wagons. If the weather was particularly bad, the family might even squeeze inside a wagon and sleep on the load.
Progress was slow because oxen and mules walked at about 2 miles per hour. On a good day, wagons could make 20 miles. River crossings, steep inclines, difficult terrain, wagon repairs, and unexpected delays all impeded progress.
Life on the trail was challenging in many ways. Daily routines were more difficult. Mules, oxen, and cattle had to be cared for, and finding good grass and water could take a great deal of time. Diseases such as cholera and dysentery, both caused by unsanitary conditions, killed about 1 in 10 emigrants. Accidents, such as gunshot wounds, falling off a wagon, getting run over by a wagon wheel, and drownings at river crossings, were not uncommon. All these, as well as Indian attacks, were part of most journeys.
The weather played a big role in the journey. High winds could overturn wagons. Heavy rain turned trails
into mud, making them temporarily impassable, and swollen, fast-flowing
creeks and rivers were not safe to cross.
Travelers could send letters to friends and family at stagecoach depots, forts, and former Pony Express stations, which often became telegraph stations. (The Pony Express became obsolete after Western Union completed the first transcontinental telegraph system in the U.S. on October 24, 1861.) Supplies were replenished in small towns along the way.
– GALLATIN, MISSOURI TO FORT KEARNY, NEBRASKA –
May 18–June 12
The map below shows the approximate route from Gallatin, Missouri to Fort Kearny, Nebraska based on Mary's journal entries.
The Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails all converged near Fort Kearny in the Platte River Valley. It was the most convenient point for people to meet others heading west. The
Ringos became part of a wagon train that eventually grew to have 70
wagons. Mary began her journal the day they departed Liberty, Missouri.
By
1864, there were ferries across some of the rivers on the way to
California. These eased the dangers of river crossings. The Ringos used a
ferry for the first time when they crossed the Missouri
River from Liberty, Missouri to Leavenworth, Kansas. It was a slow process since ferries could
typically carry only one or two wagons and their teams.
Left:
Westport Landing near Independence, Missouri was an important
"jumping-off" place for emigrants. (The Scotts Bluff National Monument
William Henry Jackson Collection–National Park Service)
 |
| An example of a type of ferry. |
"Bissell's Ferry, Windsor, Connecticut—in continuous existence since about 1648," from Crossing the Connecticut, published 1908. (Internet Archive)
Tragedy struck on June 7.
On the 8th, the men had
a successful buffalo hunt.
Left: Wagon Train by William
Henry Jackson circa 1930s, the
Museum of Nebraska Art. Note
the bison in the distance.
On the 9th, Mary wrote,
We travel 18 miles over what is called the "Nine mile prarie" it has been the
hardest drive for our cattle that we have had, some places you could hardly see
the men in the wagon for the dust, I was glad indeed to camp, we had good
water and plenty of wood.
The wagon train reached the Platte River three days later. (Platte is the French word for flat.) The river is characterized as being "a mile wide and an inch
deep." On the way, they passed through a town where almost all the houses were made of dirt. Mary noted that there was good grass for the stock here and many large buffalo skeletons. She wrote letters to her sisters, "Mrs. McCown and Mrs. Miller."
– FORT KEARNY TO CALIFORNIA HILL –
June 13-July 8
The wagon train had to bypass Fort Kearny, but Martin was able to check if there was any mail for them and he mailed Mary's letters to her sisters.
Left: Old Fort Kearny by William Henry Jackson, undated. (An Eye for History, 21)
The wagon train would follow the Platte River for the next 200 miles. Many
diarists mentioned that traveling along this river was the easiest,
most pleasant part of the journey. For the most part, the landscape was
treeless, flowers and grass were abundant, and the valley was wide. It made "wheeling" easy.
Since there were few trees on this part of the journey, firewood was scarce. On the 21st, "Mr. Ringo, Johnny, and Allie take the wagon and go up a canyon some 2½ mi. and get plenty of good dry Cedar." On
June 22, Mary wrote that the wagon train watered in Fremont Lake. They
made 21 miles, found good grass, and saw antelope for the first time.
So
far, the wagon train had traveled along the south side of the Platte
and South Platte Rivers. Now they had to cross the South Platte in order to pick up the trail as it continued along the North Platte River.
 |
| Map of the Platte River drainage basin, showing the North and South Platte Rivers. These tributaries join to form the Platte River which flows into the Missouri River. (Wikimedia Commons) |
Mary
carried on with her usual work doing the wash and preparing meals. She also joined other women, and probably enlisted the help of Johnny and Albert, to gather buffalo chips for their fire, since wood was still not plentiful here.
Until now, there had been few encounters with Indians and all were friendly. However, this piece of information had to be disturbing, even though Mary didn't comment on it.
By July 2, the wagons had moved several more miles to the location
of the boat. The crossing began on
the 3rd, but the process was slow
because the Ringo's wagon train had
to share the boat with another wagon train.
The swift current and shifting
sands of the South Platte River
made this experience the most
perilous one the travelers had
encountered so far. Wagons or
supplies could be swept away,
and it wasn't unheard of for
people to lose their lives.
 |
| Crossing the South Platte by William Henry Jackson, undated. (An Eye for History, 25) |
On July 8, Mary expressed her relief at getting off the South Platte River. Much of the last two weeks had been spent waiting for the boat and making the crossing. On this day, they traveled 10 miles to the California Crossing and camped there for the night. They would tackle California Hill in the morning.
– CALIFORNIA HILL TO FORT MITCHELL, NEBRASKA –
July 9-July 17
California Hill was the first significant challenge the travelers encountered because the terrain had changed dramatically. Wagons had to be pulled up the 1½-mile slope that rises to a plateau 240 feet above the valley between the North and South Platte Rivers. Tens of thousands of wagons left ruts that are still visible today.
The Windlass Hill descent into Ash Hollow on the other side was considerably more difficult. The hill has a 47% grade (25° angle) for about 300 feet. Wagons were lowered using ropes, or they made the descent by being dragged with their heavy iron-rimmed wheels locked. Sometimes the wagons slid down. Deep ruts can be seen here, as well.
The most common wagon brake was the rough-lock. It slowed the wagon by making the wheels drag on the ground. (Ash Hollow State Historical Park, Mark Swan, Oct 2022)
 |
| Left: Wagon ruts can still be seen on California Hill near Brule, Nebraska. Right: Bluffs and outcroppings at Ash Hollow. (Alchetron.com) |
From Ash Hollow, the wagon train would travel along the south side of the North Platte to Casper, Wyoming, a distance of close to 270 miles. When they were underway again, Mary commented on how sandy the road was—it was hard on the cattle. Now that the terrain was becoming more rugged, she mentioned that there many sudden vertical drops or cliffs which she called "jump offs."
On the 11th, Mary, who was now six months pregnant, took a walk and climbed to the top of a high bluff while Martin was repairing a wagon. She found the grave of W. Craner, a man who was accidentally shot. Later she learned that two men who were "returning to the states" happened to live near her uncles in Missouri. One of them said he would deliver her messages and tell Mary's uncles he saw her family. Mary, and most likely the children, were frightened that night when wolves start howling near the camp.
Mary noted that July 13 marked eight weeks since the family left Missouri. The wagon train was 200 miles behind schedule due to 22 days of delays.
Over the next few days, the travelers passed several well-known landmarks. Courthouse Rock was the first. Mary wrote, "I would have been delighted to have gone up close to it but it is some 3 miles from the road at the nearest point."
According to the National Park Service, this national historic site rises 325 feet above the North Platte River Valley. Its spire was 200 feet high in 1850; in 2024, it measured only 120 feet due to erosion from wind, rain, and even lightning strikes.
 |
| Chimney Rock Region of North Platte River, Wyoming by William Henry Jackson. (NPS) |
The next day brought alarming news about Indian attacks.
On July 16, the wagon train used Mitchell Pass to cross what is now the Scotts Bluff National Monument, a region that consists of five distinctive, imposing rock formations called "The Five Rocks of Scotts Bluff."
 |
| Scotts Bluff by William Henry Jackson, 1937. (An Eye for History, 31) |
The Ringos were now only a few miles from Fort Mitchell and about 25 miles from the Dakota Territory (now Wyoming) border. The next part of their journey would be more difficult as the terrain gradually changed from the semi-arid High Plains of western Nebraska to the high desert of Wyoming.
(to be continued)
* * *
* * *
– SOURCES –
– Gatto,
Steve. Johnny Ringo. [Protar House, 2002]
– Jackson, William Henry. An Eye for History: The Paintings of Henry Jackson.
National Park Service History Electronic Library & Archive, 2003.
– Ringo,
Mary. The
journal of Mrs. Mary Ringo; a diary of her trip across the Great
* * *
– FURTHER READING –
– William Henry Jackson (1843-1942) was a prolific photographer and painter who
documented the settlement of the American West and beyond through his work.
*An Eye for History: The Paintings of Henry Jackson is available to view as a PDF
file through the National Park Service History Electronic Library & Archive.
*William Henry Jackson's Long Career is a brief overview of Jackson's photography
– The article, Traveling the Emigrant Trails, has detailed descriptions of the wagons,
provisions, tools, food, other items needed to make the 2,000-mile journey on the
Oregon Trail. It's part of a U.S. National Park Service series, The Emigrant Experience.
– The Jeremy Neeley article, "A Most Cruel and Unjust War:" The Guerrilla Struggle
Along the Missouri-Kansas Border, is eye-opening. I vaguely remember this horrific
piece of history from high school but not the details that Neeley provides.
– Take just three minutes to learn about Jesse James and the Younger-James gang
in the article, "Bushwackers," on the website, Civil War on the Western Border:
The Missouri-Kansas Conflict, 1854-1865. [Three of Coleman Younger's nephews
were in the gang, along with Jesse James.]
* * *
Howell-Richards Family History – May 2026
