My Genealogy Home Page:Information about David Samuel (1863) Eslick, Jr.
David Samuel (1863) Eslick, Jr. (b. September 23, 1863, d. August 23, 1958)
Notes for David Samuel (1863) Eslick, Jr.:DAVID SAMUEL ESLICK, HALF BROTHER TO AMON MCCORMICK ESLICK MARRIED ANNIE LAURA HURLEY FEBRUARY 5, 1890 IN MARSHFIELD, MO.ANNIE RELAYED THIS
STORY THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN THE SPRINGFIELD LEADER NEWSPAPER ON SEPTEMBER 15, 1929.
"RODE COVERED WAGON, SHE WANTS PLANE RIDE."
HAVING EXPERIENCED THE JOLTS AND THRILLS OF A COVERED WAGON TRIP ACROSS COUNTRY IN FRONTIER DAYS AND THE DANGERS OF LIFE IN EARLY GOLD MINING CAMPS IN CALIFORNIA, MRS. HURLEY AT AGE 74 IS EAGERLY WAITING HER FIRST AIRPLANE RIDE.
"I'VE TACKLED EVERYTHING ELSE AS IT CAME ALONG," SHE SAID YESTERDAY."PEOPLE WARNED ME THAT I WAS RISKING MY LIFE WHEN I RODE ON MY FIRST TRAIN, AND AGAIN WHEN I MADE THE TRIP ON THE FIRST ELECTRIC TROLLEY RUN IN SPRINGFIELD.BUT YOU SEE I'M AS SPRY AS EVER. SO THE FIRST CHANCE I GET FOR A TRIP IN THE AIR I'M GOING TO TAKE IT."
A PIONEER EVEN IN FRONTIER TIMES, MRS HURLEY AT 16, ELOPED WITH HER 18-YEAR OLD LOVER IN ORDER TO MAKE THE LONELY TRIP WEST IN A COVERED WAGON.WITH HER HUSBAND AND HIS FAMILY, SHE LEFT HER HOME IN WEBSTER COUNTY THE DAY AFTER THE WEDDING TO MEET OTHERS WHO WERE HARKING WESTWARD AT KANSAS CITY.PERHAPS NO GIRL EVER HAD A MORE THRILLING HONEYMOON. "WHEN WE HAD 13 WAGONS AND 30 MEN AND BOYD TOGETHER, A BIG ENOUGH TRAIN FOR PROTECTION AGAINST WILD INDIANS, WE STARTED WEST.THE WAGON BOSS PLANNED THE DAY'S TRIP, FIGURED OUT THE WAY, AND HAD CHARGE OF CORRALLING THE WAGONS AT NIGHT...YOU KNOW FIXING THEM WITH THE TONGUES INSIDE TO MAKE A BARRICADE AGAINST ATTACKERS, WITH AN ENCLOSURE FOR US IN THE CENTER.I WAS JUST A GIRL, AND SOMETIMES I WAS THE LEAST BIT UNEASY, LIKE THE TIME WHEN MY HUSBAND WENT BUFFALO HUNTING AND GOT LOST.THE WAGON TRAIN MOVED ON AND IT SEEMED AGES BEFORE HE CAUGHT UP WITH US.THEY HAD KILLED THE BUFFALO THOUGH, AND HAD CUT CHUNKS OUT WITHOUT ATTEMPTING TO SKIN IT.IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO STAY AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE WAGON TRAIN."
"I'VE SAT ON THE CREEK BANK AND HELT THE REVOLVER WHILE MY HUSBAND FISHED MANY A TIME.WHY, FOR DAYS WE WOULDN'T SEE ANY HOUSES, NOT ANYTHING EXCEPT SAGEBRUSH AND GREASER GRASS.SOMETIMES WE WENT WEEKS JUST STOPPING AT NIGHT, AND THEN WE WOULD CAMP FOR TWO OR THREE DAYS, GRAZE THE STOCK AND COOK UP ENOUGH FOOT FOR A WEEK OR TWO."
"THERE WAS ONE COW ALONG, AND IT SEEMS UNREASONABLE, BUT THEY WOULD MILK IT IN THE MORNING, SHUT UP THE MILK IN VESSELS AND CARRY IT ALONG, AND BY NIGHT IT WOULD BE CHURNED TO BUTTER, JUST BY THE JOLTING OF THE WAGONS."
"WHEN THE FIRST TRAIN EVER RUN OUT ON THE PLAINS CAME BY, THE OXEN BROKE AND RAN FOR MILES.IT WAS THE FIRST LOCOMOTIVE WE HAD EVER SEEN, AND WE WERE ABOUT AS SCARED AS THE TEAMS."
AFTER A THREE MONTH TRIP THE YOUNG COUPLE REACHED CALIFORNIA AND STAKED A CLAIM.AT ONE TIME, MRS. HURLEY'S HUSBAND OWNED A CLAIM ON SPRUCE MOUNTAIN, WHICH LATER SOLD FOR THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.THEY LIVED NEAR THE FAMOUS EUREKA MINES DURING THE BOOM THERE, RIGHT IN THE MIDST OF THE ACTIVITY.
"ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS GOT SHOT ONE NIGHT DOWN AT A SALOON, AND NOBODY EVEN ASKED WHO DID IT.THERE WASN'T ANY LAW, NOT A POLICEMAN, AND LOTS OF THE TIME NO CHURCH.THE MINERS TRADED NUGGETS FOR MONEY EXCEPT WHEN THEY TOOK THEIR LITTLE SACKS DOWN TO THE BANKS, AND THEN THEY SPENT IT ALL ON THE "HURDY GURDY'S" AS THE FRONTIER DANCES WERE CALLED."
OFTEN, MRS. HURLEY WAS THE ONLY WOMAN IN CAMP WHERE SHE LIVED.I'D GO MONTHS AND NOT SEE ANOTHER GIRL.HOUSES WERE OF SOD AND ADOBE, WITH A FEW TENTS.I"IVE LIVED IN ALL KINDS OF DWELLINGS, AND EATEN ALL KINDS OF MEAT THAT'S FIT TO EAT, DEER, BEAR, ANTELOPE, ELK, BUFFALO."
SHE WAS ONLY SIXTY MILES AWAY AT THE TIME OF THE MOUNTAIN MEADOW MASSACRE, "WHEN THE RICHEST TRAIN THAT EVER CROSSED THE PLAINS WAS HELD UP BY THE MORMONS AND EVERY PERSON KILLED EXCEPT A LITTLE BOY AND GIRL WHO ESCAPED."WHEN ASKED IF SHE WAS SCARED, SHE SAID, "A LITTLE, BUT WE GOT SO USED TO IT."
MR. HURLEY'S FOUR CHILDREN WERE BORN IN CALIFORNIA BUT THE FAMILY MOVED BACK TO MISSOURI."IT TOOK WEEKS TO COME ON THE TRAIN. WE HAD TO TAKE OUR OWN SLATS AND BLANKETS AND TURN THE SEATS DOWN FOR BEDS, BUT THE CONDUCTOR WAS NICE AND STOPPED ONE PLACE IN THE COUNTRY SO WE COULD SEE A COUSIN OF OURS AND GET A BASKET OF FOOD SHE HAD FIXED."
MRS. HURLEY LOVED PICTURE SHOWS, ESPECIALLY WILD WEST FILMS WITH TOM MIX AND HARRY CAREY."I LIKED 'THE COVERED WAGON' AND 'THE PIONEER TRAIL', THEY WERE JUST AS NATURAL AS LIFE, ONLY DRESSED UP A BIT, AND I DIDN'T MIND THAT."
More About David Samuel (1863) Eslick, Jr. and Annie Laura (Hurley) Eslick:
Marriage: February 6, 1890, Marshfield, MO.
Children of David Samuel (1863) Eslick, Jr. and Annie Laura (Hurley) Eslick are:
- Louis Elra Eslick, b. March 7, 1891, d. date unknown.
- Everett Leroy Eslick, b. March 27, 1893, d. date unknown.
- Fay Edith Eslick, b. May 14, 1895, d. date unknown.
- Boy Eslick, b. October 16, 1896, d. date unknown.
- Gladys Lucile Eslick, b. October 14, 1900, d. date unknown.
- Alma Irene Eslick, b. March 10, 1903, d. date unknown.