GIRD Family of the American FRONTIER (1827-1883)

In April of 1853, my Gird Ancestors left out of St. Louis, Missouri, the
"jumping-off" place as they said in those days. In Oxen-drawn wagons,
taking the old Sante Fe Trail south, they crossed the plains, and headed for
California. They walked behind the wagons that were drawn by yokes of
Cherry-red Oxen, the dust boiling up behind each wagon, choking them
and covering them with dust from the trail. The wind on the Plains was fierce
and the storms terrifying, often having to ford muddy streams, swollen from
heavy Spring rains. And then as the weeks past, the warm Summer finally
arrived, but soon that Summer sun, that same sun that was so welcome before, 
began to beat down on them, day in and day out, till they were sure they might
perish.

They plodded along & prayed that whatever challenges they would face the
next day, that they would be able to overcome them. Imagine being a thousand
miles from nowhere, the only sounds you hear each day are the clip-clop of the
animals hooves and the squeaky old wooden wheels and the wagon chassis that
groaned under the weight of the load as it bounced and jostled along the hot
dusty trail. They traversed "the Great American Desert" as it was called then,
& onward, looking forward, as they pushed to make 15 or maybe even 20 miles
each day. Buffalo chips were used for fuel for cooking. I imagine they walked
all day and tending the stock and then camping each night out on the prairies with
wild animals and the threat of Indian attack. I imagine the terror that
Martha Gird  might have felt in watching the huge Prairie Wolves come into
their wagon camp  at night and attack the smaller,  helpless stock animals,
and thinking how thankful she was that it was only some of the stock the wolves
were after. She might have been so tired each night that she could have
quite possibly  just lay down on the Trail and died from sheer exhaustion, but
she had supper yet to cook and the animals to attend. Their feet would hurt,
and they probably got blisters, and maybe they would even bleed. Their muscles
so sore from work they were not accustomed to doing. Mosquitos and flies
and other insects left their skin with bites and stings and their skin became
leathery & parched from the wind and sun.
Strewn along the Sante Fe Trail were the terrible reminders of those who
didn't make it. Precious belongings  had to be set out to lighten the load and
shallow graves of children that must be left behind, all lone out there on those
wild prairies. They would never be able to visit their graveside again. Here and there
were the bones of those that animals have gotten to and they must have prayed
that they wouldn't have to bury one of their loved ones out there.

And I think about young Martha who was more a girl than a woman,
who had led a more gentile life in Illinois, and now she was "great with child".  

 

They crossed through Pawnee Indian Territory through Kansas and into the
Southwest desserts, pressing on, ever on to their new home. They were six
months on the Sante Fe Trail getting to California, making good time in those
days. Their only map was the stars at night and sun in the day...and the narrow
trail of  wagon ruts that disappeared in the horizon...seemingly ceaseless tracks
in the primitive trail that led West. They traveled through barren
lands that stretched for hundreds of miles & over the steep rugged Rocky
Mountains, heading Westward into the scorching sun, trying to beat the
coming winter snows that surely would be your doom...knowing you had to
make it in good time no matter what...to California, and hopefully, to a brighter,
happier future, God Willing.

The song you hear is a tune known as Tam glen.
It is a Gaelic tune, probably of Scottish/Irish origin.

~ Updated September 6th, 2001

BACK to GIRD FAMILY ROOTS and Branches...

GIRD FAMILY BIOGRAPHIES

<><><><><><><<<<<<<<><><><<<<>>>><><><>>>>>>>><><><><><><>

California ~ Gird Family Christmas ~1898

H. H. Gird
"Rancho Monserate"
More about this family...coming soon

 ©

"A BURNING TORCH and a FLAMING FIRE
 - the Story of Centenary College",
an historical account by William Hamilton Nelson. © 1931

Includes historical images of the old College in Jackson,
East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana,
& of the new college when it was moved to Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana.
This page contains excerpts from the book with my notes pertaining to
Henry Hatton GIRD (III), also included.

 

The Following are LINKS to Sites all posted with
 LONG ISLAND GENEALOGY Web Site.
It is a great site and chocked full of stories, files,
civil & military records, and articles of interest to the
family genealogists and/or historians. Fascinating reading!

http://longislandgenealogy.com

The First 7 links listed below are my sites at:

http://LongIslandGenealogy.com/gird.html
http://LongIslandGenealogy.com/teddie.html

The Richard Gird Story
   ~ of Tombstone Silver Mines Fame -Ariz. Territory 1880s
...to be updated SOON

Gird Pioneer Stories
             ~1853 Crossing the Prairies to California (part 1)

• More Pioneer Stories
  ~1853 Crossing the Prairies to California (part 2)
• Misc. Gird Photos
• All Surnames in Stites File ~ the story of a STITES ancestor
• Genealogy and Reminiscences of William Smith
  ~of Rev. William Smith >Richard E. Smith & Mary Brush
• Genealogy of Mary (SMITH) CRANE-GIRD
  ~ of Mary Smith-Crane GIRD > Richard E. Smith & Mary Brush

  *********************************************************

Other links at Long Island Genealogy
for seeking these Surnames (not my listings):

• Life and Activities of Capt. John Underhill ~ our STITES ancestor
• All Surnames in Brush File
• <- A Monument to Richard "Bull" Smyth
  
• All Surnames in The Combined Long Island Smith File
  - contributions were made by this author.
  Read the Legend of Richard "Bull" Smith, founder of Smithtown,
  on Long Island, NY. & related stories (my ancestor)
• Thompson ~ of Gird>Smith>Job Smith & Eliz. Thompson
  >John Thompson (my ancestor)
• See photo of John Thompson's House built in 1700s
  on Long Island, Setauket, NY and related story
  ~ of Eliz. Thompson > John Thompson.
• Concklyne-Conkling-Conklin ~ Elizabeth Brush & Richard E. Smith
  > Thomas Brush> Rebecca CONKLING > John Conklyne

• See photo & related story of the CONKLYN family
  of "Conklin House" in Huntington, Long Island, NY.
  
• All Surnames in Conklin File

...And JUST FOR FUN & Interest...

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
 Found among the papers of the late Diedrech Knickerbocker.

I just thought you might enjoy this story. We have ancestors buried at
the Old Dutch Burying Ground of Sleepy Hollow, mentioned in the story.

***********************************************

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><<<>>><><><><><><><><><<<>>><><><><><><><><><

Searchable Surname Index - Annie's Webs
Search through my GEDCOM files for your missing relatives.

Downloadable records

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><<<>>><><><><><><><><><<<>>><><><><><><><><><

BACK

Table

Author

Home

Guestbook

Write to me : "Annie"

Midi: Tamglen

All stories, photos, or any other information pertaining to this web site
are the property of this author Or are protected otherwise by copyright.
All rights reserved. © 1999

No part may be used for commercial purposes nor without express written consent of the WebPageMaster.

Thank you for stopping by.

- Teddie Anne "Annie" Driggs © 1999/2000

This Web Site was created & prepared by Teddie Anne Driggs © 2000

All Special Gird Family Graphic Designs & icons by Teddie © 1999/2000

Copyrighted 1999/2000 / 2001 - all rights reserved