passed the big town of Montgomery,[1] which was laid out for the capital of Iowa some 4 years since. There is not a lot, or street but is distinctly marked out with stakes but guess there it not a house within 5 miles of it ....
When within 28 miles of this place one of the Whitmarsh bois took the team from Mr. Davises Wagon, which stood on a little knowl a little a head, and one side of my small wagon, and while I was after a bucket of water, this wagon started back down the knowl, and turned against my wagon, and upset it with Ann, Aurelia & Franklin in it, broke the forward ex. and hind boulster. I got a good seasoned hickory stick and by 9 O'clock next morning we had a new one in. This is the only accident that we have met with, since we started. We have all been verry well, with the exception of Ann, she got jared some when turned over, which is more I believe than I ever could say while in Princeton.
Flour is worth $12 pr bbl. Bacon 15, Sugar 9, Cheese 25 &c. Tin cans that will hold 20 or 25 gallons of water they sell for $5. and in Princeton they sell for $.250.[?] The fraight on my things and my part of the expences was about $17. I got Flour for 1.90 Bacon 10cts[?] Sugar 5. Meal 1 pr lb... This is the 22nd. We intend to cross the river to day if possible, though it is raining. There is a little better prospect of Baglies going with now, ...
Very rispectfully Yours
Charles Stevens
Portland, Oregon Teritory 31 Oct. 1852
Brother Levi & Sister Emma Kelsey & the Girls
We arived in this place on tuesday the 26th inst ... I have
- ↑ No record has been found in regard to a town called Montgomery being considered for the capital of Iowa. A letter from Miss Ruth A. Gallaher, librarian of the State Historical Society of Iowa, says: "We have no record of any town by that name with any claim to be the capital. Is it possible that the man meant Monroe or Monroe City? This town was platted in Jasper County in 1847, on land purchased by the state for a capital, but the site was rejected by the legislature less than a year later. This site was about twenty-five miles east of the present capital, Des Moines. If this location agrees with the position of the emigrants at that time, it may be the place meant. The dates are right for it." The location of Monroe would also agree with the route Mr. Stevens gives.
