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George Winslow Gravesite.
Courtesy of the National Park Service, Long-Distance Trails Office, Salt Lake City, UT. |
This revered grave of 49er George Winslow, discovered in the 1870s, has been carefully preserved ever since by the private landowners on whose property the grave sits. OCTA placed its marker here in 1990, as part of the 1990 OCTA convention in Omaha.
While the grave is located on private property, visitors are welcome. To reach the site, go north from Fairbury, Nebraska, on State Highway 15 for about four miles from its intersection with US 136. Turn west on a gravel road. Proceed for about 1.5 miles to a gate into the pasture. If the gate is open, cars may be driven on the obvious lane to the gravesite. If the gate is closed, walk the easy 1/4 mile to the site. And be sure to close the gate behind you!
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Oregon Trail swale near the Winslow Grave.
Courtesy of the National Park Service, Long-Distance Trails Office, Salt Lake City, UT. |
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On April 16, 1849, the twenty-five members of the Boston-Newton Joint Stock Association left Boston, Massachusetts, to travel overland to the goldfields of California.
On May 29 at Soldier Creek, near present-day Topeka, Kansas, one of the founders of the Association, 25-year-old George Winslow, a machinist from Newton Upper Falls, was suddenly taken violently ill with cholera.
The company remained in camp for three days, and Winslow appeared to be recovering. Late in the afternoon of June 6, the company reached the point where the Oregon-California Trail crosses the present Nebraska-Kansas state line. There, David J. Staples, Winslow's brother-in-law, described a "terrific thunder shower, lightening flashed sometimes dazzling to the eyes. Rain falling in torrents." George Winslow's death probably resulted from exposure to this storm. At 9 AM on June 8, "painlessley as though going to sleep, he died."
"He was borne to the grave by eight bearers. The last chapter of Ecleasiastees was read." As a token of their respect each member of the company placed a green sprig on the grave.
A headstone inscribed "GEO. WINSLOW, NEWTON, MS AE 25" was set at the head of the grave. On a footstone, the year "1849." The headstone is now incorporated in the granite monument.
Through the efforts of George W. Hanson of Fairbury, the state of Nebraska, and the sons of George Winslow, the granite monument was erected here and dedicated October 12, 1912.
There is at least one other emigrant grave on this ground between the forks of Whiskey Run Creek. On May 23, 1850, Elias Daggy wrote, "Travel 5 miles the road making several sprangles which now come together -- where there are two graves -- Geo. Winslow -- Newton Mo. [Mass.] age 25 -- 1849 & R. Depew -- St. Louis Mo. died June 25th 1849 age 62."
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