The Trussell Migration West in 1838/39

In the middle of the Winter of 1836/1837, Abigail Trussell, widow of James Trussell died. About that time, Laura's brother offered the Trussells a section of Ohio River bottom land if they would just migrate west to live upon it. The life in New Hampshire was a hard one and Amos and Laura had been reading their relative's letters describing the richness of the Ohio Valley for some time and Abigail's death substantially reduced their ties to New Hampshire, so they decided to take Brother Shorah up on his generous offer. In the early fall of 1838, they set out for Ohio. Amos and Laura, packed their belongings and their children and set out on a long journey. It is likely they took stage from Boscawen to Providence. From Providence to New York, they took the train -- one of the first railroad segments in the U.S. had just been completed on that route. From New York to Philadelphia the trip was by steamboat. From Philadelphia to Pittsburgh by canal boat -- the canal had also only recently been completed. Then they crossed the Ohio River to Steubenville where Laura's parents lived. All this was accomplished in only eleven days. The Trussell Family then spent the Winter of 1838/1839 in Steubenville with the older Jewetts. In the Spring of 1839, father and Son-in-law constructed a large flat boat and the family used this as a means of transporting the everyone and all their belongings down the river to Long Bottom. They even took a span of horses with them.