-Maternal Grandmother of:
Clarence L. Bryant; Viola Bryant; and Winnibel (Flora) Bryant Prentice-

The Wakeman Community Library extends its thanks to William "Court" Prentice for his donation of the beginning of the Diary of Laura Clark. This account was in the email received from Mr. Prentice. "Years ago, my father's (he is now 86) grandmother, Winnibel Flora Bryant, was found to be rocking herself by the fire, reading old pages of something- or-other. As she finished reading each page she'd toss it in the fire. When asked what it was that she was reading she said something like " Oh, just an old journal of my grandmother's, no one remembers her anymore, I don't expect anyone would be interested in this old account of her trip by wagon to Ohio, from Connecticut. Whomever asked the question disagreed, and saved what remained." What follows is what remains of her account of her journey from Milford, Connecticut, to Ohio in 1818.

I.
An alteration in the weather produced an effect of mind which rendered the afternoon much more agreeable. I on Somerset about one o'clock, and such travelling as we had all day cannot be imagined or described. The wheels rooted and up to the axle trees was as slippery as ice. Horses and cattle would slip down and in some places impossible to keep them on their feet. Our shoes would ball up so that we could hardly walk, nor to go as much as three miles to two all day. If yoou could see me trying to get along in this manner you would despair of ever crossing these mountains into Ohio. I would advise no person ever to undertake this journey without plenty of money, a good substantial team and some one capable of taking care of them and by no means to be heavy loaded. I already think as David Smith says; "T'is enough to kill man and beast to endure the fatigues of such a journey." Worse going up possible in the afternoon. The sun had scarce shined an hour before it clouded up and began to rain again. Then, a very severe thunderstorm, cleared off again, but clouded up and rained hard before sun-down; hard rain and starlight in the evening, so you see what variable weather there is upon these mountains. Snow lies upon the ground yet, it is said amongst the mountaineers, to be very backward weather, yet they never raise any corn and very little wheat. Raise chiefly hay and oats which they find ready market for at the highest price. There are so many travellers up on this road.

We did not go but three and a half miles in the afternoon, joined teams nearly all the way. Did not arrive at the inn 'til near night. Cold, wet, tired and weary, relieved to rest. Drove that day ten and one half miles.

Thursday morning May 7th-
Started to rain, cold enough to freeze us to death. Poor place to put up- no fire to warm us but with much difficulty got some breakfast and renewed our long and tiresome journey again. Found worse travelling than ever. Got stuck in the mud once so (badly) that we had to put the whole team together and pry with rails at the hubs to get out. Often got into the axel trees. Still obliged to go in to the tots and woods sometimes one side of the road and sometimes the other. The like of the mud I never saw nor no other person that ever left the State of Connecticut. The oldest people upon the mountain say that they never saw the like before. The coldness of the weather, the snow and the backwardness of the spring that there has not been more than two or three days of pleasant weather this spring. I think that there might be a possibility without mud, but I should never like to try it again. The time that it must take one to cross, cannot or mustnot be expected to have dry weather long enough for the road to dry and then to get over. Think by this time you will be tired of mud, and will return to the former subject. Drove four and a half miles to the foot of Laurel Hill by noon to bait and take a new start to rise the dread mountain which is said to be the worst place in all the horrible mountains. Got at the foot of the mountain, one of our horses' shoes came off, the staple (bolt) in the yoke broke. Blacksmith hard by soon got ready to start. Road amazing steep and rocky. Some places paved f or some distance by one rock. Ledges higher and higher which was very hard for the team. Drove only 7 miles that day, fine encouragement - got downhearted some of the (time) which was no more that we could expect. I had heard of the road before hand but had no distant idea of the badness of the (going). If I should write whole volumes to you and you was then to got to the (same place) you would surely s ay: 'The half had not been told" you. I think that if we could all have been yet in old Connecticut at that time we would have been content to stay there awhile. But, "no cross, no crown" the short time in which some people go this journey, shews they do not have so hard times. Have to give the highest price for everything; hay $1.25 per hundred; .75 for oats; six cents a pound for bread. This the chief we had to buy as there was no sauce to be had. Drove two miles.

Friday Morning May 8th-
Found it as cold and cloudy as ever. Pursued our journey with tolerable good spirits. Drove seven miles by noon, not withstanding the rocks and mud which was at the foot of the mountain. Felt encouraged but the good luck in the forenoon seemed to forebode future evil for we had scarcely got started for afternoon when our horse wagon upset into a mud hole. We then had every ----- to take out. Got the wagon over, looked up and started. Had not got more than ten rods and over it went again. This was a double portion! Everything to take out and before we could get loaded again it begain to rain, quite hard, but got started and meeting a wagon, turned out, ran over a stump -broke the cross piece to the ox wagon. This did not wholly stop us but made it bad about going downhill. We then had got to go two miles to a tavern. Every step of the way was a mud hole. There was seven men returning and working upon the road. They gave us all the assistance in their power. They had no t eams but shouldered the wagon out of the mud and made a choice of the best places to go and helped us along, step by step till it got to be after dark and going up the last hill, within one quarter of a miles of the tavern our team gave out and we could not get them anothet step. Put them all together in a line but without effect. Gave it up. Went to rest in our wagons. Took our team to the tavern. Feel poor but not wholly discouraged yet. Saturday, May 9th found that the sun had risen pleasant which we had not seen before a week. This added fresh vigor to our wearied minds. Got our team together to try to get out of the mud and at last started. Drove on to the tavern. Had to unload part of our wagon to get it mended; this hindered us all the forenoon. Then had one mile to go before we came to Chestnut Ridge which is the last mountain. Got along about the same through the rocks and mud as the former description. Our wagon being so much heavier than the other wagons tha t it was with much difficulty they kept it from turning over. The bolt has held on to it a great many miles with all his strength. I would advise everyone that is coming out here to have a wagon made the width of the road. Got along without any accident that afternoon. Descended Chestnut Ridge, arrived at a tavern before sun-down, found good quarters, had things for our convenience. Bought domr potatoes and being reduced to bread and meet they were very palatable. Drove that day eight miles to Mrs. Blyston's.

Sunday, May 10 -
Found it still good weather which was still favorable (?). We bid adieu to the mountains and I trust an everlasting farewell never to revisit them again. The mountains end within forty miles of Pittsburgh which makes it one hundred and ten miles over them.

These mountains are insome places very barren especially over Three Brothers, and in other places very good land. Over the Eastern part the timber is chiefly pine and the ground covered in Wintergreen leaves which yielded plenty of fruit whenever we could find time to gather them. The western part of the mountain is well timbered; It is not so much mixed together as in Connecticut. Some places it will be all oak, other places all chestnut, especially upon the ridge. I expect the mountains are liable to great winds. The sturdy oaks and lofty pines lie shivered to pieces and torn up by the roots, which denotes that the Boreas blustering winds are often felt among them. From there we begun the mountain. The Pittsburgh turnpike was130 miles and we did not ride more than 20 miles of it. We was either in the deepest mud hole or ascending or descending the r ocks and mountains. Drove that day 13 miles. In the morning before we had drove a mile, we upset our horse wagon for the third time, turned it against a bank, crushed in the cover and had to take it all off to unload. This helped us along as well as the rest of our bad luck ! Got the wagon up, loaded again and started. Still found bad going; coould get no place to put up at. Got two bushels of oats and did get our beds into a barn. Liklihood of its raining prevented our sleeping in our wagons. I slept well all night.

Monday, May 11th --
Stopped at the first tavern, bought some hay to bait and started for the turnpike. Fortunately for us, we got on the pike just before it started to rain. Rode all afternoon, drove 15 miles. Put up at Turtle Creek, twelve miles from Pittsburg.

Tuesday, May 12th --
Still rained and continued to rain until noon. Drove notwithstanding the rain; clear in the afternoon. Got into Pittsburg between two and three o'clock. Went to several stores, traded some and prepared to cross the river. Pittsburg is a very handsome place, is said to contain fifteen hundred houses and nine thousand inhabitants. Crossed the Allegheny River, which is about half a mile wide.

This river comes in about north-east and south west and unites with the Monongahela at the lower end of Pittsburg and forms the Ohio which runs for 28 miles before it turns west and finally round to south. This 28 miles down the river we went, all the way to Beaver, and there left it. Crossed from Pittsburg in a scow. About three or four o'clock came up with a family of Quakers that were going to Ohio. Drove fifteen miles; hard thunder shower in the evening.

Wednesday, May 13th --
Started early, rode by the Ohio all day, which seemed like the road by the river up to New Milford, nothing upon the right hand but rocks, and upopn the left hand but water, yet the river runs the other way from what the Housatonic does. Got nineteen miles, had to drive 'til after dark to get to an inn, put up five miles from Big Beaver. At noon we stopped to get hay and saw a man lying dead, and upon inquiring found him to be the father of a family then moving to the Ohio from Trenton on the Delaware River. The people were Dutch and could talk but very poor English. The landlord told us that they came there the night before to put up and as he went out to his wagon to fetch things he fainted and his son that was with him called for assistance; the family (?) soon went but never could discover the least life; they said to all appearances he was in perfect health at one moment and the next a corpse. He was a large-framed man of about 56 years of age, and had always been stout and healthy. How suddenly he died and left his disconsolate family to mourn his life and persue their journey with one less. The family now consisted of ten; a mother, and nine children -five sons- that were able to make the journey. The youngest was ten years of age. The family were sitting around the corpse with great solemnity upon every countenance. They were making the coffin in the same house and I expect they would bury him in the afternoon and start upon their intended route in the morning. Travelled a lonesome road all day - put up with two families that were moving. Slept in a room where there were 26.

Thursday, May 14th --
Went up the river bed in a western direction to Greensburgh, stayed there all night ten miles from the Ohio line which divides it from Pennsylvania. Laid round all day then drove 16 miles. Had a good place to put up at. Retired to rest which closed the day.

Friday, May 15th --
Sun rose pleasant, which we seldom see. Started in hope of viewing the Ohio state that day, having ten miles to go; bad road and uphill in the forenoon, in the afternoon was some better. Crossed into the Ohio state that day, about three o'clock into the town of Petersburgh, Columbiana County. Drove 14 miles, four of them in the State of Ohio. Put up four miles from Boardman. Were very much rejoiced to get into the Ohio. Expected as soon as we crossed the river in Pittsburg to be in Ohio, but found to our sad disappointment we had then fifty miles to go, but at least got there after a journey of 31 days from New Milford. A few miles before we got into this state the Doctor started to go to Huron to make some preparations against I should get there. He took with him a pack that contained a shirt, pair of stocking, pair of trowsers, with some Conneticut cakes, dried beef and cheese and he left us. Think Bronsom or some of the boys would go with me from Medina. The Doctor had sca rce gone when Abel fell out of the ox wagon and the forward wheel run over his leg but happily it did not break it. Put up at a Dutch tavern in Springfield, between Petersburgh and Poland.

Saturday, May 16th --
Started again, in the rain, for Boardman, went through Poland which is in Trimble County. Arrived at Boardman at noon. Went to a Mr. Newton's from Roxbury that lived over from a Mr. Boardmans. After a short acquaintance with Mrs. Newton, found her to be an old acquaintance of your. She was formerly Olivia Warner, sister of Marvin Warner. She could talk to me about a great many Britain (New Britain, CT) people. Enquired a great deal as to you, your circumstances and your father's family; said she lived in Grandfather's house at the time I went to Roxbury with Aunt Margaret and that she recollected my countenance the first moment she saw me, ssaid she had little thought of seeing me in the wild woods of Ohio! We stayed there all the afternoon and all night, found our own provisions except Mother & myself drank tea with her in the afternoon. They have everything there for their comfort as much as in the old States - drove ten miles ------

Sunday Morning, May 17th -
Left Mrs. Newton's, went on through Canfield and into Elsworth, a straight western course, then took a north-western course into the woods where it was five miles to a house except one near the entrance. Got to this one about four o'clock. Thought it was too early to take up lodgings and afraiid to enter upon the woods for fear we should not get through and having no fire materials thought it would be too dangerous to lie in the woods exposed to the ravenous fangs of the wild beasts. However we at last entered upon the route through the woods, put forward with all possible speed. Roads amazing bad, scarce a tree was (taken) out for the road but had to crook around and it was very difficult to get along with our ox team it being so long - were obliged to walk almost every step; in this way we travelled along midnight past, sometimes resolved to give it up and lodge in the woods -then think we could see out of the woods and go a little farther, and so on. At last to our great j oy we discovered a little opening and a small log hut , tied up our horses and cattle and took up lodgings with them for the night. Drove that day 15 miless to Richard Shonts, Milton. You can fancy to yourself my situation walking in the water until seven o'clock. My thoughts then revolted back to you, thinking I could see the Dear Children placed around their mother, enquiring of each other where they now think Laura (is) but it is well you do not always know. Considerably unwell all day and so much so in the night that I was obliged to get up and set up a part of the night.

Monday, May 18th --
Found myself still unwell but resumed our journey as usual. After leaving Ellsworth went through thid unsettled place, across a corner of Milton and into Palmyra, Portage County -still obliged to walk. Crossed the Mahoning River, discovered the axel tree to the ox wagon was broke. We then had to go on about two miles to a carpenter -got there about noon. Was obliged to stay all night about two miles from Palmyra Centre.

Tuesday, May 19th --
Were obliged to wait 'till 10 o'clock in the morning. There were three men called for breakfast, soon discovered them to be the Proprietors of the towns of Wakeman & Jessup, from Trinity, Connecticut. While we were coming down the river from Pittsburg we discovered a hollow rock and Amos having some chalk with him I wrote my name, the town and state where I came from and the day of the month - and as Mr. Wakeman came along, he read it and knew who we were - they told me they has been inpursuit of us ever since. We visited with them for awhile, gave him some direction to give the Doctor, supposing him by this time to be on the pine-lands. We then left them. He had not got over half a mile when the whipple-tree to our wagon broke. This they mended themselves, which hindered 'till about noon. Went on through Palmayra and learnt that Nancy Botsford lived upon the road. This gave me some encouragement to travel along in hopes of seeing someone from home that I had been a cquainted with before. Jeramiah and myself left the wagon to go on before so as to spend awhile with Mrs. Botsford and they were very glad to see me and said that I should stay with them all nighth and they would go with me in the morning to the tavern where we were agoing to. Wished to inquire about all Britain people.

Wednesday Morning, May 20th-
Mrs. Botsford went with me to the tavern, and there, very unexpectedly, met the Doctor [author's husband] . He had been to Medina, found the distance to Medina to be 50 miles andhe gave up going, stayed with Bonsom & Lines one day and then came back to meet us. He travelled 40 miles a day. Bade Mrs. Botsford adieu and started on again - got into the woods several miles from a house and the bold to our ox wagon broke. As we supposed ourselves to be some distance from a blacksmith, we concluded to take a plough bolt which lasted 'til we got to a blacksmith. We went through Franklin into Stow - put up at Mr. Whitmore's from Roxbury, Conn.

Thursday, May 21st-
Started in hopes of soon getting to Medina. Went through Northampton and Bath, where we baited at noon. Our people bought a cow for $28.00 and engaged pork, wheat, Indian corn and potatoes. This hindered us so that we did not get started 'till the middle of the afternoon. Bad going and such hills as we did not expect to find in Ohio. The distance we had come in Ohio was 60 or 70 miles and had found no hills at all except inthe town of Northampton near to the Cuyahoga river, which we crossed twice - put up 14 miles from Ransom's, drove that day 10 miles. Hard thunder shower that night and the rain came through so that we had to scamper for quarters.

Friday, May 22nd-
Started in expection of arriving at Ransom's that night. Found mud aplenty - went through Grainger - had to hire a man to help us with his team. The horse that worked with ours failed so that they had to take her out that day. I lost my woolen shawl and had to go back about a half mile but had the good luck of finding it. Drove 'till dark about 10 miles and put up 4 miles from Ransom's.

Wakeman, Huron County, O h i o
June 14, 1818
I have five sheets that contain my journal and if you wish to keep them choice take a piece of paper and sew them in. I have put a number at the beginning of each sheet, so that I trust you will meet with no difficulty in placing them so as to find them out.. If you get the Ohio Gazetteer, look on the map and find the different towns and Counties, you can tell where we went after we came into Ohio. I have some little journal written since I came in here which I will add to this, seeing there is blank paper that wants filling up.

The first night we came we slept in Mrs. Cornfield's bed, ate breakfast with them the next morning, Friday, May 29, spent all the forenoon unpacking things, and found they had come as safe as I expected, nothing broke except two of the teacups I got to the store that were put into the trunk and the end of my butter-boat that was put into a tea pot-- my tin was rubbed and bruised some. The under bed tick that had the things put up in is almost worn out -- two holes in the coverlet you gave me for my chair, and the cover to the wagon is so worn out it is hardly worth making up. When we waited for the wagon to be mended I took one breadth off and that is very poor. After we had top boards put on three breadths was enough. There was some put into my tea kettle and when we turned over it got damp and when we turned over again discovered it had rusted and w anted taking care of. When we put up I boiled it out in and had to put it in a new place and the hinge broke off so that it is very unhandy to use without a handle.

I am well suited here as I expected to be and more so -- find Mrs. Canfield a good neighbor and a fine woman to live with -- her home is more convenient for two families than any other in town -- the house is built of logs with a chimney in the middle, two fire places with an oven. The back or west end is curtained off for a milk room opens into Mrs. Canfield's room which is the north room. The front is not parted so we have only our entry way by the side of the chimney without any doors to go out of one room into the other. The house stands in a lot containing about 12 acres cleared -- six of it sewn with wheat last fall and three or four acres they are planting with corn and potatoes. They have a garden on the south end, and one on the north end. The back is a green where we can spread cloth and clothes. Our house faces east. The rooms are as large as common front rooms, two windows in each room containing twelve panes of glass. In my room which is the nor th one there is one window in front and one at the side. In the other room there is one in front and on the back side a door.

good decent floor made of boards nailed down. Overhead the house is enclosed tight and good enough for anyone to livee in. The people live much better here than I had any idea of, nothing wanting but money to make people live as we do in Connecticut.

Saturday, May 30 --
Borrowed some flour from Mrs. C. & went to washing and baking.

Sunday, May 31 --
Rained all day and I wanted but little of being homesick all day.

Monday, June 1st --
The doctor went in pursuit of provisions and I went up to stay with Lechter. He found grain in Florence and got the promise of pork in a few days, carryed his grain to mill, returned at night and brought your letter that contained much dismal news. Oh how rejoyced I was to have a letter from you! I perused t and re-perused it with a great deal of pleasure although it had been written some time (ago?).

Tuesday, June 2nd was the day I went to meeting with Lecta and the following days you have a journal in your letters. If paper was plenty I should still keep my journal but as it is I shalll not.

I intended to have read over my journal and corrected it but now it is night and I must send them in the morning....I shall leave it for you to correct as you read it. If you feel inclined to complain of bad writing perhaps when you do, think how much I have written. Farewell my dear mother and friends for the moment. L.C.
Two days to get the ox-wagon mended and not more than two hours with men and fifty cents expense was all our ole wagon cost to get us here. The harness came in two several times but tied it up with string. The whole expense from N. Milford to Medina (was) $126.90, of which our share was $21.68. So our expense from Southburgh to Wakeman was $59.09.

Thus my dear mother and friends, you see what a variety of scenes we have passed to get through and am still through the goodness of God alive and in good health. If I have written anything to you that will grieve you on my account I shall be very sorry -- but I think scenes that are passed and gone are hardly worth recalling. I wish you to receive this as written out of pure good will and without a capacity of doing such a long array of writing justice. I am dear Mother your ever affectionate daughter.

Laura Clark

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