Most people know about the hardships and dangers the pioneers encountered on the Emigrant Trail in the mid-nineteenth century. What they may not consider, however, is the strength and courage of pioneer children in the face of these difficulties. In Stories of Young Pioneers: In Their Own Words, Violet Kimball has collected memoirs, letters, and journal entries of children who were ages six to nineteen when they made the overland journey. Readers ages twelve to sixteen will discover in these pages a window into the lives of emigrant children on the trail.
The book is organized by topic—including romance, animals, fun, and recreation, as well as danger, disease, and death—and peppered with detailed profiles of individual youngsters. Feel the mixed emotions of thirteen-year-old Kate Scott as she and her family leave the comforts of their home and friends in Illinois in search of a new life in the untamed Oregon Territory. Sit in the driver's seat with thirteen-year-old teamster John Stoughton as he drives his oxen across rocks, water, sand, and icy mountain passes. Unwind after a long, arduous day by joining in a hand of cards or, better yet, a night of music and dancing. Young historians will find Stories of Young Pioneers not only exciting reading but also a thorough and well-researched tool to learn more about life on the Oregon Trail, California Trail, and Mormon Pioneer Trail.
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