Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/310

300 River; thence the route traveled lay through Pella, Oskaloosa, and Winterset, in Iowa, to Council Bluffs, or Kanesville, as then called, which was nearly all wild country.

They camped at these old Indian meeting grounds by the Missouri, resting the horses for a couple of weeks and awaiting the arrival of other members of the party. The company as finally organized consisted of the following: Captain, Thomas Mercer, who was accompanied by his wife and four children; Aaron Mercer and wife; Dexter Horton, wife and child; Rev. Daniel Bagley, wife and child; Rev. W. F. West and wife; Ashby West, James Rossnagle, Wm. Shoudy; George Gould, wife, son and daughter; John Pike, an uncle of Mr. Warren's; Daniel Drake, and the four young men Warren. There were several others who were with this train at the start, but did not continue with it the entire journey. This was, it will be noticed, a small company, and shows the disposition of the emigrants of the '50s to break up or form small parties, as the big companies of the '40s had been found unwieldy. There were about fourteen wagons and forty horses. Sixteen men of the company constituted the guard, and each was thus required to stand guard every fourth night, two men at a time, the first watch being relieved at midnight.

In the above list we recognize the familiar names of Horton and Bagley, as well as Mercer. These became pioneers of Seattle, Horton engaging early in mercantile pursuits, trading up and down the Sound, and finally undertaking the banking business, being for a time in partnership with W. S. Ladd of Portland. He acquired property and erected some of the best buildings in that truly queenly city, the New York block being projected almost before the ashes of the great fire were cold. Rev. Daniel Bagley became identified with the religious and