September the 29th Ad 1848 Started from Johnson County Indiana on the Above Date For the State of Iowa I passed through the State of Ilinois By the way of Paris the county Seat of Vermilion co to West Direction to Virginia To Springfield the capital of State To Bardstown on the Ilinois Rivir To Warsaw on the Missippi River 12 miles below the Rappids of the Missippi Crossed . . Stream to Alexandria in State of Missouri at the mouth of the Des Moins then on Sunday October the 8th . . up the Desmoins River to Keasauqua count seat of Vanburon co Iowa 45 mi Which is situated in the Great . . of the Des Moins River thence to Iowaville 25 miles above . . to Agency City 12 miles to Ottumwa 6 miles = N East to Farfield 30 County Seat of Jefferson Co The Land Office of the South East District of the State of Iowa Thence to Mt Pleasant Henry County 125 miles To Burlington the Missippi County Seat of Des Moins Co -- 30 Then proseded East through State Ilinois. . To Mt Vernon 2 miles then to Bedford 30 miles then to New Lancaster 18 miles Then to Green Bush 12 A Small town in the NE corner of Warren County 13 miles from Mon Mouth the County Seat of Warren Co Thence to Peory on the Ilinois River in Peory County Went by way of Leroy Troy and St Augustine 50 mi Peory is one of the most Commertial parts of the Ilinois River and is situated in the midst of a splendid country and is situated at the mouth of a like of the same name 12 miles long and 5 broad Then we proseded to Blomington the County Seat of McClain Co 40 miles this Town is situated in the finest Country in the West Prairie being High land Roling . . well wartered this town is a fine inland town Then to Urbana 52 miles county seat of Campaign County Then to Danville 32 miles this town is situated in the worst part for the milksick in the west So said this is the poorest town that I saw While I was gon Then to Covington . . 11 miles County Seat of Fountain Co This town is situated on the Wasbash A . Canol A Beautiful town Then to Crawfordville 30 county Seat of Montgomery Co – Then to Danville 30 miles County Seat of Hendrix Co Then to Moorsville 15 miles And thence Home 26 miles in Johnson County on October the 29th 1848. In this rout we travled by Waggon 877 miles in full Besids travling many miles on Horse and foot in full of all my travels one thousand miles will not excuse the Distance traveled on sd rout Jas F Robberts J S Rolston Charles Applegate In company

Journal from 1st Aprile 1850 At Sugargrove Powesiek County State of Iowa For Jas F Robberts I hired Henrick Jenkins to work for 4 months Cominced Aprile the 1st 1850 for which I pay him $50.00 Baut hay and sold to Cole for . . I commenced on $15.00 Borrowed Money I baut corn at 25 cents and sold at from .75 to $1.00 for bushel I baut Hay at from $1.00 to $2.00 per . . and sold at $14.00 I work 3 yoke of steers and 1 yoke of cows I find cows can stand more heat that steers I Broke 50 acres this season The weather has been very warm this summer and seasonable with showers Grass is Extronary Good I commenced mowing on the 20th of July I only Broke 15 acres at house this summer the rest I got $2.00 per acre I have paid from 0 cents to $1.00 for Bushel for corn this season and from $3.0 to $4.00 per 100 lbs for Flower bacon and . . 5 to 7 ½ cts for lbs Beef from 2 ½ to 3 cts Horses high cattle high yearl old steer $8.00 per head Father Adaline and Almarinda come to see me on 24th of August and stayed until Sept the 9th Father is well pleased with this country he tried to buy land started home with blue . . . 9 feet and 1 inch high I have up 12 ½ ton of hay and hired 37 ½ ton put up at $1.00 per ton my hay is very good clear and brite corn generally good my corn is very lite this season being . . corn Crows working very much our corn at this time Roxys Father Sent me a . . Warrant for 160 acres by . . of Madison County Iowa From August up to 12th of September is very wet and this Day it rains very hard and blows.

September 14th 1850 Cloudy and Rain cutting up corn Census taker took the census of this settlement to day The whole no of Familes in this County at this time is 107 Supposed to average 6 person to the family would make 642 Souls in this County at this time And But 1 Deaf and Dum person in the county No Blind or Insane person in the County at this time May the Giver of Evry Good and Perfect Gift prosper the County is my Wish

Sept 17th the Weather is very warm for the season beautiful for cutting Corn and Hay People generally Healthy

22 Very pleasant weather Warm Health good in the Neighborhood meeting in the Grove to day for the time Baut 122 lbs of Beef to Day at 2 ½ and 3 cts per ob

24th cloudy and foggy very warm Pasturage good yet Baut 5 lbs of sugar 10 cts per lbs ½ peper 1 ½ tobacco 25 cover green yet for the season

28th clear and warm nothing new got 1st turn of New corn meal to Day

29th Heavy Frost this morning Went to Union Prairie for Mrs Cheasman on Sertan Acct

October 1st 1850 Warm on the thunder . . Rain Cuting up corn

Oct 2 Roxy put to Bed with a fine child Lit frost We call his name Cornelius G

3 John Deming came to se us on a visit Braut news all was well when he left after he had been here some 10 days to the . . eyes of the worst sort and could not start home until the 26th of October pleasant fall

Wednesday Dec the 24th 1857 On this day me and my wife Elizabeth, Mary Elon, Sarah Ann and Cornelius our children started from my Fathers 5 miles West of Edinburgh Johnson County Indiana for our homes in Sugar Grove Powishiek County Iowa and on this day it was cloudy with some appearance of snow but thawed some little. We made 7 mildes and stayed with our old neighbors G D Hauks. Christmas day we started Early with a Cloudy day some rain fell through the day. We made 22 mildes and stopt 6 milds west of Waverly on Bluff Mills with a man by the name of Carter a . . Quaker. Our bill was 30 cents. On Friday the 26th We started Early in a cold and cloudy morning we made 29 mildes to day and stopt with a man by the name of Graham nine milds west of Danville the County Seat of Hendrix County. This morning we passed through Moorsville thence 7 milds Plainfield thence to Danville 9 milds. The country we passed through to day is a fine improved grain growing country.

Saturday the 27th We started Early in a rainy sleaty morning went 3 milds and the roads being so slick with ice that I had my horses . . to day we made 25 miles This day we traveled over some of the . . kind of roads and some of as fine land as is in the State the high lands are very rich and well adapted to the culure of corn wheat and gras in the evning the most of the ice . . in the roads and made them very sloppy we stopt with the Widdow Wimer 5 milds East of Rockville the County Seat of Park County. Bill 60 cents. On Sunday the 28th we started early in rainey muddy weather but we are now on the plank road paying 2 cents per mile . . Rockville Early and a fine town it is thence to M . . on the Wabash and Wabash and Evy Canal a fine vilage here we Faried the Wabash paid 25 cents and to the Wabash Hills and Cliffs is 1/2 mild this bluff is about 75 feet hig and a very long and . hil to travel up for the next 4 or 5 milds it is very broken through a poor barren country then we came to the Grand Prairy the best of Land . . was about 1/2 felow deep this Country is thick settled but has the appearance of being very sickly, the buildings are old and out of repair We stop to nite with a fine man a member of the Metodis Church he lived in 100 yards of the meeting house.

monday Dec 29th Our Bill was 50 cents and we . . Started in good time to day we had very muddy roads we . . throught a fine country on to Georgetown this a fine vilage some 200 houses situated at the edge of timber on a great roling peace of prairie West of town is a fine well cultivate country today we made 16 miles Stopt a Coopers Tavern took Supper and breakfast and had our horse fed. Bill 2.50

Tusday 30th Started Early come across the open Prairie to Butters Point 6 mules thence to a little town 11 miles made 17 miles through as bad roads as could be today a rainy snowy Day in the Evening it comenced freesing So as to tick to we wheels Bill 75 cents treated well

Wednesday 31st Started Early 4 mils to got there at noon Roads very bad and Froze 1/2 inch thick mud from 1 foot to 2 feet Deep Salt ford of . . very high faried (at the Tavern 10 miles East of Urbansh) in one of the poorest boats that ever saw made 12 miles to day stopt on the right side of the road with D Peters. Bill 60 cents.

January the 1st 1852 Thursday started tolerable Early and O what Roads the slew was from . . to Belly Deep and Ice fro 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick . . 4 miles this morning We had to cross some 50 slews from 20 to 50 yards wide My Horses took them fine as could be this was a cool raw day as we have had for the trip made Urbanah (8 miles0 at noon had had 1 shoe put on . . and roled on to Sangamon that we faried between . . down and darker passed midle town 1/2 mile and stopd on the left side of the road Made 27 miles today Bill 75 cents

Friday the 2nd Started Early made Mount Pleasant 15 miles tolerable Road most of the way except the slews they was very bad thence to Mel Lowreys 3 miles making 18 miles to day When we got there Mel and Em was not at home Jack Hite and Fletcher Jones was there they were like wild people when they told us that Mel and Em live there We got out and went in and made out selvs at home . . in the nite a while D Lowrey came and went after Mel and Em when they came Roxy had supper almost ready and Smith Jones came in the time. W enjoyed out selves this settlement as well as heart could wish. This is the best country that I have seen in the State . . Prairie is as good as Heart can wish Though the boys has got no timber though they think they ahve enough They have not as much timber on 3 acres as ought to be on one acre We staid 7 days in the Settlement if they had timber they would be well situated Mell Lowry has 160 acres of as fine Prairie as Ever I saw any where he has 45 acres Wm L Drybread has 320 acres and 160 of that broke 100 of it fenced and he raised good corn on his place this year. . . corn to feed to cattle Corn sells better in the shock then in the crib. The Illinois Centeral Rail Road will not . . from where they live

Friday January the 9th 1852 Started from this Settlement at 12 o clock in a cold day made 13 miles to day passed the . . town of Leroy here we stayed. On the left hand side of the road and was well treated Horses fed and Bill 65 cents

Saturday the 10th Started Early it being cold passed through Bloomington County Seat of McLain County thence to a small town name not known made 25 miles to day Stopt with a man by the name of Mcclure here we was treated the meanest of any place on the road he was one of your loud Professing Christians one of your Hell Deserving men I warn all men that pass that way to shun him as they would the Devil

Sunday the 11th Started against it was lite in one of the coldest days that we have had yet. The murcury stood 10 degrees blow . . passed some small towns tod day and on to Peoria Dark when we crossed the bridge but no chance to stop . . we made 4 miles from town and it as cold as Norway today we made 29 miles Stopt on the Right Bill 75 cents

Monday Mornings the 12th Cold as Iceland or Coldir if Possible made 7 miles to One Gideon Thomases were we stopt at 11 o clock and stayed until the second morning on the account of cold

Tuesday 13 very cold as much so as yesterdays wind severe from the NW Bill Horses in warm stable, Hay all the time 2/3 bushel of corn 1 bushel of Oats 9 1/2 lbs of Flower 2 Beds 2 nites and House room 2.00

Wednesday the 14th Started Early not quite so cold as yesterday made 27 miles stops out the Right 8 miles East of Knoxville with a man that was well to do in the world we got 3 stare . . . 1 Bed Horses fed nite and morning Our Bill was $1.12

Thursday the 15th Started Early passed on to Knoxville had 3 horses shoed 40 cents To day we made 27 miles stopt at the Butter hose for nite and morning 2 beds Bill 75

Friday 16 Started by lite in a snow storm But they are so common that I have thaut necessary to move thru all for we have not had a fare rise and left of the sun since we started but soon cleared up and we had a fine day except the wind it was as high as it ever was made 30 miles Stopt at Dehay tavern 5 miles East of Burlington Our Bill 1.00

Saturday 17th Started 10 o clock snowed last nite ½ inch and is very cold made 8 miles to day crossed the Father of Warter on Ill The ice was some 2 ½ feet thick and in piles as large as hay shocks the roughest looking river that I ever seen But one of the greatest places for sleighing that I ever seen Wiggons was running in all directions over the ice – We stopt in Burlington and done some trading There is a great deal of business done in this place in winter. As well as summer left town in the evenings the wether is very cold Treated well to nite Bill .75

Sunday the 18th Started in good thu slow file last nite 1 inch deep Outrageous cold this morning Wind from SW . . in 3 miles we got on the plank Road thence to Midle Town there we made a turn in the road that made us face the Wind exactly thence 4 miles I could not stand the cold any longer We stopt at Messingers Tavern 9 miles being all we made to day I think this one of the coldst days I have saw Bill 1.00

Monday the 19th Started at 10 o clock wind not so high as yesterday but cold for gods sake plank Road is fine fare . . passed . . London this town has improved fast since fall thence . . . Pleasant this day is too cold to take notes it is more cold than . . if possible at this place we took the Washington Road went some 4 miles also tried to stay all nite no chance we tried again no then we tried at a place . . . the excuse was that the weather so cold and we had to drive 4 miles after nite . . . made 20 miles and was well we ate . . supper and breakfast . . Bill was 1.00

. . the 20th Started Early this morning . . this day the roads are very bad here it being on the braes of Skunk river and in a poor part of the State the Hills was verry . . most of the road today was timber or brush on both sides we made 20 miles and stopt one nite west of Sandyhook had Supper 2 Beds and Breakfast and Horses fed Our Bill $1.00

Wednesday the 21st Started Early weather cold but not so bad as for the last . . days Our Road runs on the Brokenest. ground to day that we have had on our trip – to day we made 27 miles Stopt 3 miles west of Scigourrey Was well treated Supper Beads and Breakfast Horses cared for Our Bill 1.00

Thursday January 22 Started early cold morning roads good we travile . . for Home made 27 miles road measure but got be . . and took the rong road and traveled about 5 miles square off the road then turned round and came back to the road and Stopt with Thomas Walker we was well treated Our Bill was nothing

Friday January the 25 1852 Started in good time for Home. We got to Montizuma and was received by my Friends as one visen from the dead Especily by Gideon Willson my well . . Friend in time of need from thence we started for Sugargrove this day is the pleasants day we have had in this month we have in sight of this long expected place some 8 miles before we got to the HOME of the Weary and I think that it was the most pleasing sight I ever saw there we will be sheltered from storm Home Home be it ever so poor there is no place like Home about 3 o clock found our friends all well and here ended Our pilgrimage on the 23rd day of January 1862

James F Robberts