Ioway
Mississippi River From Pike's Peak
Wagon and Oxen Illustration, 1848
Covered Wagons
Immigrant Transportation
Pioneers Travel in Groups
Early Travelers Face Danger
Pioneers Leave CivilizationThe Duffield Family Comes to Iowa
In the spring of 1837 the Duffield family was moving to Iowa. Everything they owned was packed in a covered wagon pulled by two oxen. When they reached the wide Mississippi River, many other pioneer families were already lined up on the Illinois side. The Duffields waited until it was finally their turn to ride the ferry across the river.
A Day's Work
The oxen pulled the wagon onto the
flatboat that would ferry them across the river. The eight Duffield children
hopped aboard. The men rowed hard, but the boat still drifted downstream in
the current. When it reached the Iowa side, the men jumped ashore and pulled
the flatboat back up to the landing. Crossing the river had taken almost all
day!
"Going to the Ioway settlement?" someone asked.
"Yes, where might the trail be?" Mr. Duffield replied.
"Leading out between the big bluffs there," the man answered, pointing
west.
The Duffields followed the trail. They passed near the camp of Chief Keokuk.
The Indians were busy making maple syrup from the trees that grew along the
streams.
A Little Help From Some Friends
Next the Duffields had to cross
the Des Moines River. But there was no ferry and no bridge. The water was
too high and the current too swift to ford it.
From across the river several Indians watched the Duffields. Mr. Duffield
borrowed two large canoes from them. He lashed the canoes together and tied
rough boards across the top. Then he took everything out of the covered wagon
and loaded it onto the raft. He took the wagon apart and loaded the pieces.
Everyone climbed on. The Indians helped paddle. Slowly the raft crossed the
river, carrying the Indians, the ten Duffields, their dogs, everything they
owned, and the wagon parts. The old horse was tied to the back and swam along
behind. When they reached the shore they unloaded, took the raft apart, put
the wagon back together, and loaded it up.
A Determined Spirit
Crossing a river was hard and dangerous work for pioneers. Sometimes it required creative thinking— as with the Duffields and the native Iowans. But for those pioneers who were determined to settle in the Iowa land, the rivers were used as paths to new lives.
