Journal of Travels from St. Josephs to Oregon (Reprint of an Earlier ed.)

Riley Root (1795-1870) was an American teacher, inventor, farmer, and pioneer.

He was born on his family's farm in Greene County, NY, and despite a limited early education later attended Westfield (Mass.) Academy to prepare for teaching, also taking a course in surveying.

He taught school for several years and in 1821 purchased a farm in Camden, NY, where he resided until 1836 although he spent much time in the interim in surveying.

In 1836 he joined a party planning to build a college town in what was then considered the far west, arriving at Log City in Knox County, Illinois in July that year.

Using his expert mechanical ability he helped erect the first house in Galesburg, also assisting in building the first church, and the following year shaped millstones with his own hand to be used in the horse-powered gristmill he erected.

He was active in further developments in the town until April 1848 when he travelled in a train of 25 ox-drawn wagons overland to Oregon, arriving in the autumn.

The following spring he went to California where gold had just been discovered, remaining some time in search of the precious metal until ill-health forced him to return home, taking a route via Panama and New Orleans, and arriving back in Knox County in January 1850.

On his return he wrote this book giving a graphic account of his trip and a description of the processes of mining gold on the Pacific coast.

The book also includes a detailed account of the Wailatpu Massacre (also known as the Whitman Massacre).

Root had married Lavinia Butler in 1821 with whom he had five children, only two of whom survived.

Lavinia's early death in 1834 left Root in charge of his two daughters and he divided his time between them in his later life, much of which was spent in research along scientific lines.This edition of Root's 1850 Journal retains his spelling, at times inconsistent and idiosyncratic, as originally printed, and includes a facsimile of the original title page and two decorative tailpieces.