"Following is an account, copied word for word from notes made in pencil in his notebook, by my grandfather, George R. Hamerick, of travel by wagon train from Missouri to California in 1863. George M. Taylor"
| Places Travelled or Described Just as Recorded in Hamrick Overland Journal |
Miles Travelled If Noted |
Date in Journal | Approximate Present Day Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Widow Holt's | April 22, 1863 | Mercer Co., Missouri | |
| Rivana, 1 1/2 miles North of | April 23, 1863 | Ravanna, Mercer Co., Missouri | |
| Missouri line in Iowa, 6 miles north of Coridon, 11 miles S.W. of | April 24,1863 | Iowa | |
| Grand River and Charlston River, between and Keokuck to Council Bluffs, State road leading from | April 25, 1863 | On the Road that leads to Council Bluffs, Nebraska Camped in Decatur Co., Iowa | |
| Decatur, Decatur Co. on state road and Decatur, 3 mile West on Grand River | April 26, 1863 | Decatur Co., Iowa | |
| Mount Air, 4 miles of | April 28, 1863 | Ringold Co., Iowa | |
| Bedford, 14 miles east of | April 29, 1863 | Taylor Co., Iowa | |
| Nodina River | May1, 1863 | Page or Taylor Co., Iowa | |
| Sidney, passed through Missouri River bottom | May 5, 1863 | Fremont Co., Iowa | |
| Nebraska, City of | May 6, 1863 | Near Missouri River in Otoe Co., Nebraska | |
| Nemaha | 16 (first notation | May 8, 1863 | Nebraska, Train will follow Big Blue to Platte at Kearney City~ known as "Southsiders" |
| A small creek | 19 | May 9, 1863 | Nebraska, the Frontier |
| Salt Creek | May 10, 1863 | Nebraska, became a State in 1867 | |
| Big Blue River, crossed | 8 | May 12, 1863 | Still in Nebraska, this trail known as "Southside Route" because emigrants travelled south, below the Platte on the Big Blue and its tributaries |
| Mail station, first seen 3/4 mile from River | May 12, 1863 | Many mail stations on this route had been Pony Express stops just 2 summers before | |
| Walnut Creek | 15 | May 13, 1863 | Nebraska |
| Beaver Creek | 18 | May 14, 1863 | Nebraska |
| Beaver Creek, up 8 miles | 8 | May 15, 1863 | Nebraska |
| Beaver Creek, head of Big Blue, south western course 8 miles | 20 | May 16, 1863 | Nebraska |
| Blue River, 8 miles up | 8 | May 17, 1863 | Nebraska |
| Blue River, northwestern to Platte River | 18 or so | May 18, 1863 | Nebraska heading toward Platte River |
| Platte River | 20 | May 19, 1863 | Nebraska~ On the Platte River |
| Vally Citty Ft. Kearney, camped 2 1/2 miles Kearney City | 21 | May 20, 1863 | Settlement important to overland trailers, in present day Buffalo County, Nebraska |
| Kearney Citty, Blacksmith shop Grand Island | May 21, 1863 | Middle of Nebraska | |
| Platt | 20 | May 22, 1863 | Nebraska |
| Plumb Creek, crossed | 20 | May 23, 1863 | Nebraska |
| Platte River | 11 | May 24, 1863 | Nebraska |
| Mail Statin | 23 | May 25, 1863 | Nebraska, another probable Express Stop, one of 157 original |
| Cottonwood Springs Express Office, 1 mile N.W. | 25 | May 26, 1863 | Lincoln Co., Nebraska |
| Platte River | 4 or 5 | May 27, 1863 | Nebraska |
| Fremonts Slough Burial on Knoll Fremont Spring, 5 miles East of Trailton (?) Bluffs, on Platte 2 mile from | 20 | May 28 and 29, 1863 | Nebraska |
| Platt River | 28 | May 30-31, 1863 | Nebraska |