Scope and Contents
The Jane Eakin Diary of a Trip Across the Plains from Illinois to Eugene, Oregon in 1866 consists of nine typed pages from a travel journal that Eakin kept during the summer of 1866 when her family migrated to Oregon from Illinois. Eakin’s entries are brief. They mark the progress of her family’s wagons, note the weather conditions, and recount illnesses her family suffered. Some of Eakin’s references to campsites are specific – such as “stayed in Frog” – but many of them are less specific, such as “camped in a man’s yard.” Consequently, tracing her family’s progress is difficult. Eakin notes when other wagon trains joined them; she mentioned the “Montana train” and her sorrow when they parted company. She also offers observations about other travelers; she said she did not like the Oregon train because the women were “rough, course and ugly” and the men swore. The Eakin family joined other family members who had already settled in Eugene (the McCornack and Pattison families).
Dates
- 1866
Creator
- Hanna, Jane Eakin, 1849-1932 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to the public. Collection must be used in Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room. Collection or parts of collection may be stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives in advance of your visit to allow for transportation time.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish collection materials must be submitted to Special Collections and University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.
Biographical / Historical
Jane Eakin (1849-1932), also known as “Jennie”, left Chicago Heights, Illinois, in April 1866 and began a four-month journey by wagon to Eugene, Oregon. She traveled with her family – including her parents, one set of grandparents, and a number of siblings (she mentions five in her diary). Little is known about Eakin’s life before or after her migration to Oregon. She appears to have married later and changed her surname to Hanna.
Extent
0.1 linear feet (1 container) : 1 folder
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Jane Eakin was a pioneer whose diary describes a trip across the plains from Illinois to Eugene, Oregon in 1866.
Existence and Location of Copies
This collection has been microfilmed. Microfilm reels are available for purchase, or via Inter-library Loan. When requesting reels for this collection, please request: “Women’s Lives, Series 3, American Women Missionaries and Pioneers Collection, reel(s) 92.”
Processing Information
This collection received a basic level of processing including minimal to no organization and rehousing.
Description information is drawn in part from information supplied with the collection and initial surveys of the contents.
This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
- Diaries Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Oregon National Historic Trail -- Description and travel Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Overland Journeys to the Northwestern United States Subject Source: Archiveswest
- Pioneers Subject Source: Archiveswest
- Pioneers -- Oregon Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Women Subject Source: Archiveswest
- Women Pioneers -- Oregon -- Diaries Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Guide to the Jane Eakin Diary
- Status
- Complete Description
- Author
- University of Oregon Libraries, Archivists' Toolkit Project Team, Amanda Steele, and Chasmodai Cassidy
- Date
- 2011
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives Repository
