Family:
Bibliography
-
Shannon, Michael, SHANNON letters, posting to SHANNON-L, 11/14/1999. Author address: Pdd101940 at aol dot com. Information from this source tagged as [Ref: Michael Shannon 11/14/1999].
- date:
- [Ref: Michael Shannon 11/14/1999],
- parents:
- [Ref: Michael Shannon 11/14/1999]
Sources for death Information
- date:
- [Ref: Michael Shannon 11/14/1999],
- place:
- [Ref: Michael Shannon 11/14/1999]
Research Notes:
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LETTER FROM JOHN S. SHANNON TO HIS COUSINS IN LINCOLN COUNTY, MISSOURI
WRITTEN ON A WAGON TRAIN TO CALIFORNIA IN MAY OF 1863
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The following is a transcript of a letter written in May of 1863 by John S.
Shannon to his cousins in Lincoln County, Missouri, while he was traveling to
California on a wagon train. The transcript preserves the spelling and
punctuation (or lack of) of the original.
John S. Shannon was born to James Shannon and Elizabeth Alexander on April
15, 1832 and died in California on February 4, 1864. The letter was preserved
by his cousin, Elizabeth Shannon Reid and is now in the possession of her
great grandson, Russell M. Reid of Louisville, Ky.
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North Platt May the 19 / 63
Dear cousin I seat myself to write you a few lines I am well now but havent
been so all the time the morning we crossed Loupe River I got parted from the
train and did not overtake it until noon and the mind blew from the north west
with a misting rain and I got verry cold and chilly and I took a severe cold
from it and had a spell of bleeding in twenty four hours but did not bleed
much at a time yet it all most prostrated me for a while I rode in the wagon
almost two hundred miles I havent bled any since that was before we got to
Gurney my sistem has been in alter fit since I have been on the plains than it
has been for a long time I havent taken any physic since I left I have
traveled about twelve hundred miles since I left you and have not rested but
one day
The country we traveled over is a level plain with but little variation
where we first struck Platt the bottom was verry wide often so wide that we
could see no bluff at all the River is about one mile wide below the mouth of
South Platt and so shallow that a person can wade half across with out getting
over his boots we have killed one Buffalow there was a large hird of them
crossed the road before us and the boys run up on one and killed him with
their revolvers I was standing on the front of the wagon if I had of been alle
you may beleve I would have been in the chase I thought it was as good steak
as ever I eat it is getting dark and I will have to quit until another day So
good Knight
Larima may the 21
We are camped four miles from Larima Some of the men are gone over to the
fort and I am in hopes I will get a letter as I havent hird from none since I
left we have the mumps and sore eyes both in the train the health of the train
is tolerable good John Lowell is well and harty the peaks of the rockey
mountains are rearing their heads up in front of us we will get in to the
black hills tomorrow we havent lost any stock yet we havent had any stampedes
yet the mules stand it fine the horses have gone down a good deal we trail
from twenty five to thirty five miles a day I must close excuse bad writing as
I am writing on my knee give my, love to your father mother and sisters and
receive a due portion your self give my respects to all my friends who may ask
for me
John S Shannon [Ref: Michael Shannon 11/14/1999]
Pedigree of John S SHANNON
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John SHANNON
/-----
John SHANNON
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Robert SHANNON
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Thomas SHANNON
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Annal (SHANNON)
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Samuel SHANNON
| \-----
Agnes (SHANNON)
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James SHANNON
| | /-----
Thomas REID
| | /-----
John Col REID
| | | \-----
Mary McKEAN
| \-----
Jane REID
| \-----
Jane STUART
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James F SHANNON
| | /-----
James REID
| \-----
Mary REID
| | /-----
Alexander REID
| \-----
Annie REID
John S SHANNON
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Lita Ann Dryden ALEXANDER
Descendants of John S SHANNON