Primary tabs
370
The Diary of Salome Paddock Enos.
Introduction by Louisa I. Enos.
In 1812 Gaius Paddock sold his home in Woodstock, Vermont, expecting to take his family west to try their fortunes in the new country. But the War of 1812 broke out before they got started, and there were rumors of Indian uprisings in the West. So it was thought best not to make the journey then. There was no vacant house in the little village (there was a house shortage even in those days), so the family was obliged to rent a vacant store building and they lived there until they really made their start for the West in September, 1815.
Salome Paddock, the third daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gaius Paddock, was married to Pascal P. Enos on the 4th day of September and she and her husband started with her family on their journey to the West. The Paddock family consisted of the father and mother, two sons and six daughters. The oldest daughter, Mrs. Jane Richmond, did not come with them, but a few years later joined them in Illinois.
Salome Paddock Enos kept a diary of their route West. Unfortunately it is very brief, only the names of the towns they passed through, the places they stopped for the night, and the distance travelled each day. Probably she was too tired to write very much.
After reaching St. Louis, Mr. and Mrs. Enos went on to St. Charles. In 1817 they moved to St. Louis and in 1821 to Madison Co., Ill., where Mr. Enos had bought land. In 1823 he was appointed Receiver of Public Moneys in the land office then established at what was called the Springfield District; Mr. Enos arrived with his family September, 1823. Pascal P. Enos died April 29, 1832, and Salome Paddock Enos, October 23, 1877.
371
Itinerary Diary of Salome Paddock Enos.
Left Woodstock, Vt. Sept. 3, 1815 (Sept. 4 is the correct date) commenced our journey toward the west traveled 11 mils slept at Mr. Hascals Barnard.
Tusday weather bad took leave of our hospitable friends and traveled 18 mils put up at Fullers in Stockbridge Pittsfield.
Wensday weather still rainy crossed the green mountains through Parkerstown road very bad slept at Read in Rutland 13 mls.
Thursday wether fine crossed Otter creek passed through the towns of Castleton Poultney Granville the first town in the State of New York put up at Hopkins in Hebron 30 miles.
Friday weather fair but windy traveled 28 miles through Salem slept at Days in Cambridge.
Saturday crossed the river Hosock (Hoosac) traveled the towns of Lansingburge Troy crossed the Hudson by ferry Albany put up at Russels in Bethelehem 33 mls.
Sunday weather very warm traveled through Queman (Coeymans) Baltimore Hockhocking Athens put up at Botsfords in Scatskill 31.
Monday weather insupportably warm crossed Scatskill river passed through Sargeetias (Saugerties) put up at Ratcliff in Kingston 24 miles from Scatskill.
Tusday weather excessively warm traveled through Springton Tuttleton crossed the rivers Rosenolle and Wallkill put up at Mullens in Shawangunk 26 miles.
Wensday Sept. 13 weather cooler passed the towns of Montgomery (crossed the River Wallkill) Goshen and Florida slept at Randolphs in Warwick 28.
Thursday left Warwick traveled through Vernon (the first town in New Jersey) Hamburg slept at Philips in Newton 28 miles.
372
Fryday Left Newton passed the towns of Johnsonburge Hope and put up at Lomeson in Oxford a wreched inn miserable beyond description 27 miles.
Saturday weather fine left the bed-bug tavern at an early hour took breakfast at Drums in Geenwich crossed the River Delaware by bridge of the most beautiful construction I ever saw (cost 8500 d) traveled the towns of Easton Bethlehem slept at Weitters in Hanover 26.
Sunday weather rainy passed the day at Weitters till 4 P M left that friendly family crossed the River Ralah (Lehigh) over an elegant bridge (cost 2200 d) into Allenton a beautiful village built principally of stone slept at Dorney's had a fury for a land-Lady.
Monday Sept. 18 left the abode of the infernal traveled the town of Kutztown put up at Schwartz in Reading slept in a Dutch bed for the first time 32 m.
Tusday weather fine crossed the River Schuylkill traveled the towns of Linkeine Womolsdorff (Womelsdorf) slept at Yong's in Myerstown 24 ms.
Wensday weather good left Myerstown passed the towns of Lebanon Millerstown Palmyra forded Sweetaran River (Swatara River) in Hammelstown (Hummelstown) put up at Willmots in Harrisburge.
Thursday weather fine left Harrisburge crossed the Susquehannah by ferry one mile in width traveled the towns of Mechanicksburghs Carlisle slept at a Dutch inn in Wallnut Bottom 24 ms.
Friday weather rainy travel to Shippingburgh (Shippensburg) put up at Porters 12 miles.
Saturday weather still bad P M weather fair left Shippensburghs traveled 4 miles broak a waggon put up at Wunderlich in Southhampton.
Sunday Sept. 24 weather fine drove 6 miles traveled on foot over the three Broters (Brothers?) at the foot of last broke one waggon found entertainment after walking two ms at Dubbs' in Dublin 18.
Monday weather verry fine left Dubbs traveled 15 miles to the top of Sideling Hill slept at Willsons.
Tusday weather good left Willsons drove four miles overturned a waggon in desending the mountain and broke it two
373
hours to repare crossed the Juniatta River put up at Tots in Bloody Run the inn good.Wennsday A. M. pleasant P. M. rainy traveled 15 mils put up at Mullens at the foot of Dry Ridge and Bufow Creek.
Thursday weather pleasant left Mullens traveled 15 ms over dry Ridge to the foot of the Allegany mountains crossed it put up at Kimbels a cross Dutch Inn 23 ms.
Fryday weather still pleasant left Kimbles traveled 17 miles to the foot of Laurel Hill 4 miles to the assended two miles put up at — 23.
Saturday weather fine left the Dutch hut traveled two miles to the foot of the mountains assended chestnut Ridge five miles over passed Mount Pleasant put up at Conrads three miles beyond the town 23 miles.
Sunday Oct. 1 left Conrads traveled 14 miles of the worst rode that was ever passed by mortals put up at Crimins an excelant inn.
Monday traveled Northamp, Mechanicksburg and put up at McCulloughs in Pittsburg 20 miles.
Tusday spent the day in Pittsburg visited the Glass factory in company with Mr. Taylor, Mrs. Enos and two Gent of the town Mr. Deming Mr. Collier and Sisters walked to the Hill that overlooked the town thought it dirty and irregular built returned read Rookbey (Rokeby) till evening attend church.
Wennesday weather fine left Pittsburg 5 o'clock P. M. on board our boat sailed five miles put up at Sargents in Pine Town five miles.
Thursday morning foggy sailed from Sargents passed Middletown slept at a priviat house in Logtown 15 miles.
Friday weather rainy passed Beavertown and Big Vever river which the High Ohio receives at that place put up at Forsters in Georgetown 23.
Saturday still rainy passed the town of Possom slept at little Hut on the bank on Virginia side 14 miles.
Sunday Oct. 8 weather continues rainy sailed 17 mils to Charlestown slept at Greathous passed the town of Stubensvill (Steubenville) on the Ohio shore.
374
Monday weather pleasant left Charlestown sailed 27 mils passed the town of Wheling (Wheeling) Warren slept at Purdys on Virginia side.
Tusday weather faire but windy so much so that we were obliged to lye by half of the day sailed 18 miles slept at Russels on Virginia bank.
Wennesday pleasant sailed 34 miles slept at Greens in W. Newport.
Thursday weather warm sailed sixteen miles to Marietta found it to be a small town in the forks of the Ohio and Muskingum slept at Cook in Belpre 28.
Friday very fine left Cooks at an early hour passed that celebrated Island of Blanerhasets (Blennerhassett) one mile in length slept at a little hut on the bank or rather staid for sleep we had none sailed 33 miles.
Saturday pleasant runn forty miles slept at Harreses found them pleasant hospitable people rare qualifications for the inhabitants of this country.
Sunday Oct. 15 weather fair runn 34 miles passed Point Pleasant (where the Kenawha empts itself into the Ohio it is a river of considerable magnitude 400 yards wide at its mouth) Galliopolis a town of considerable note slept at a private house.
Monday weather rainy runn 36 miles passed Great sandy river which is the division line between Virginia and Kentucky slept at — .
Tusday pleasant and warm run 36 ms passed Portsmouth a pleasant town on the Ohio slept at P Timin's in Elixandria situated in the forks of the Ohio and Scioto a miserable town Our friend Noble very sick.
Wensday weather fair Mr. Noble better runn 30 miles passed Louisvill on the Kentucky shore salt works at that place slept at Lockhearts in Washington.
Thursday verry warm run 36 miles passed Georgetown stoped a short time at limestone a handsom town on the Kentucky bank met with our friend Collier here slept at Mitchels in Charlestown.
Friday rainy and wind runn 28 miles passed Augusta a beautiful little town on the Kentucky bank slept at Flocks in
375
Nevilletown this night our fellow passengers (Mr. Taylor and Noble) had their trunks broken open and robed of watch and money to a considerable amount the theft supposed to be commited by one Anderson a discharged soldier who worked his passage down the river on board one boat.Saturday Oct. 20th still rainy spent the day in Neville in hopes of detecting the theif but to no effect. Slept at the house of a merchant by the name of — found them to be an agreeable friendly family rair qualifications for the inhabitants of the bank of the Ohio.
Sunday 21 morning foggy run 14 miles to Columbia.
Monday 22 fine run 6 miles to
Journal continued from Oct. 23d, 1815, to Sept. 14th, 1816, embarked on board one boat for Shawneytown, fellow passengers Dr. Cool Mr. Poland and — left the city of Cincinnati at 11 o'clock (with little regret after a residence of almost a year) passed the Great Miami river the boundary line between Ohio State and Indiana territory the town of lawrenceburgh on the Indiana bank found much difficulty in landing on account of the rapidity of the stream which was at last effected by the assistance of the inhabitants a little below Grape island 12.
Sunday 15th weather rainy river still rising runn 12 miles put in at Big Lick creek took our friend Nicoll on board at this place.
Monday 16th weather fine put of early runn 11 miles to Fredericksburgh stoped their for oars obtained them runn to Vevy (Vevay) 12 miles had a visit from esquire Holton and left Dr. Cool their.
Tusday 17 morning foggy day pleasant passed the Swits settlement Kentucky river and the town of Fort William at its mouth also the town of Madison a flurishing hansom settlement distance 40.
Wensday 18th weather fine runn 26 miles to the falls passed much fine hansom country on either side of the Ohio could not pass the falls for the want of pilots walked in the evening to the harbor saw a beautiful steem-boat, and harbor filled with barges and keels had a sleepless night.
376
Friday 20th (Thursday 19th) weather pleasant procured a pilot crossed the falls at ten oclock, run to Salt River 25 miles night rainy.
Friday 20th morning rainy runn 9 miles and landed untill the return of Father who had gone back in quest of the dog while waiting our party went out a sporting and brought in two fine turkeys one of which we roasted for dinner 11 oclock Father returned put out agane run 29 mils runn into spring creek Indiana shore.
Saturday 21 weath cloudy and unpleasant, passed much hilly uneven country, the appearance of the inhabitance, savage in extrem put in at a small creek, distance 52 miles night rainy.
Sunday 22 morning rainy accompaneyed with thunder, afternoon pleasant country more level passed a barge that was assending the river saw but few settlements distance unknown put in for the night on Indiana shore.
Monday 23 morning foggy pleasant day winds high in the afternoon, passed the hanging rock called Lady Washington saw three keels assending the river, cave on the banks of the river landed on a willdernes shore Indiana distance 35.
Tuesday 24th passed much handsome country but few settlements Green river on the left a large beautyfull streem, landed again in the wilderness on Kentucky shore 50 miles.
Wensnesday 25th day fine winds high which retarded our progress left Mr. Hopkins at Hendersonvill who had accompanyed us from Louisvill, put in at an excellent harbor a new town Mount Vernonp
Thursday 26th fair high winds was passed by a fine large Steemboat was surprised to see with what velocity she stemed the current passed the Wabash a beautiful river on the right P. M. reached the much wisht for port of Shawneetown found it to be a wreched sunken place steemboat desending the river which surpassed the former in beauty and grandeur.
Friday 27th weather fair exchanged our boat for a horse got our baggage on board our waggons, at 4 oclock commenced our land journey for St. Louis traveled 6 miles over a bad road put up at a log cabin.
Saturday 28th weather good, roads intolerably bad passed the U. S. Saline salt works and Saline creek put up at Browns
377
accomadations bad, cross Landlady and exorbitant price distance 15 mi.Sunday 29th pleasant broke our waggon put up at Jordens found them to be kind hospitable people just to reverse to our night before entertainment distance 18 miles.
Monday 30th cloudy roads better traveled over the pyraees found pleasant beyond my expectations forded big muddy put up at a miserable cabin had an Idiot for landlady and a savage for a landlord 17 miles.
Tuesday October 1 thretened with rain, roads fine, crossed little muddy, took breakfast at Jacksons, traveled to Flacks distance 26 miles had a dutch landlady with evry accomplishment that is attached to that class of beings.
Wensday 2 morning rainy left Clarks at an early hour traveled 18 miles to breakfast roads very fine traveled two miles further left the Cascaska road for the St. Louis which proved to be a bad exchange put up at Pattersons distance 32 miles.
Thursday 3 left pattersons crossed the Kaskaska river traveled ten miles to breakfast crossed a twellve mile pryrarie partly on fire put up at Cottens distance 30.
Thursday 4th weather good, left Cottens traveled to French villiage five miles from St. Louis wherry P. M. spent in following French directions to no effect put up at MacKneels.
Friday 5th
Charges paid at warehouse $2.62 Ë
Shawneetown Sept. 27th 1816.
Deposited by Pascal P. Enos with David Appirson Co. the following articles to be shipped to Moses Scott of St. Louis
3 Beadsteads, two large Trunks
1 Bureau 2 dos Windsor chairs
1 Rocking chair, two Tables one
small chest & trunk.