In 1858 he left Kentucky for the purpose of locating in Missouri, but about one year after landing in that State the gold fever broke out in Pike's Peak and he left Missouri in 1859 for that place with a view of mining for gold. He did not reach for the reason he met en route a party of men who were employed by the government to haul goods from Nebraska City to Salt Lake City, and he joined them at a salary of forty dollars per month to drive across the plains. The men who employed him were known a firm: Russell, Major & Waddle. [In 1861, these three gentlemen secured their place in history by creating the wildly famous, financially disastrous, and short-lived Pony Express.]

The goods were hauled in wagons, drawn by six yoke of oxen to the wagon. There twenty-seven wagons and that many drivers. About this time the Mormons in Utah defied the laws of the United States and soldiers had to be called in to quell them.

The wagons were loaded with corn, and on this corn the freight bill was twenty dollars per hundred. Wagons were unloaded at Camp Floyd, forty miles from Salt Lake City, and the teamsters, received their wages, forty dollars per month. We were three months going from Nevada City to Salt Lake City.

Seven of the teamsters, Mr. Walker being one of the number, bought a wagon and team and went to California where three and one-half years were spent. Returning to Nevada was admitted to the Union he voted for the adoption of the State constitution.

In 1864 he left Nevada for Kentucky, via San Francisco, Panama, and New York City, a distance of 10,000 miles, landing at his childhood home, finding his mother well, who rejoiced to see him, but she was not any happier than her son, who had left the parental roof to see the world. Mr. Walker states that he endured many hardships in during his travels, but that his experience was well worth the price.

This story was posted on 2011-01-29 11:57:53

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