HISTORY NEBRASKA MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID
RG1092.AM: William Albert Hockett, 1838-1918
Reminiscence: 1846-1914; mostly 1846-1851
Salem, Iowa; Oregon: Settler
Size: One folder
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The collection consists of the reminiscences of W.A. Hockett regarding his family’s journey on the Oregon Trail from Salem, Iowa to Oregon in 1847. The reminiscences, written in 1914, were based on Hockett’s memory as well as letters written by Hockett’s father. The reminiscences mention six families starting out together and some of the names mentioned include Henderson Lewelling, Spicer Tease, John W. Fisher, Enos Mendenhall, Nathan H. Hockett (W.A. Hockett’s father), and Thomas Hockett (W.A. Hockett’s uncle). He describes encounters with Indians, illness and death of members of the wagon train, and life in Oregon and California after arriving on the West Coast. Hockett returned to Iowa with his uncle in 1851 via the Isthmus of Panama. Also included in the collection is a poem by W.A. Hockett entitled, “I Ain’t Dead Yet.”
INVENTORY
William Albert Hockett reminiscences (PDF)
ADDITIONAL OR RELATED MATERIALS
The Library/Archives collections contain various other reminiscences and accounts of overland journeys.
Subject headings:
Fisher, John W., -1847
Hockett Family
Hockett, Nathan H., 1812-1847
Hockett, Thomas
Hockett, William Albert, 1838-1918
Lewelling, Henderson
Mendenhall, Enos
Oregon Trail
Overland journeys to the Pacific
Robinson, J.M., -1847
Salem (Iowa)
Tease, Spicer, -1847
Revised TMM 05-01-2008
