John Marion Cavitt
CAVITT, MISOR, KIPLINGER, MILLS, SMITH, ROSS
Posted By: Lynnette M Cattron (email)
Date: 1/8/2002 at 14:28:57
From the notes recorded by Helen Cavitt of Maude Cavitt Mills oral history & from oral history of John William Cavitt copied by his daughter Helen Smith. Oral histories kept by Lynnette M Cattron.
John Marion Cavitt was born in Rush Co., Indiana, November 30, 1839, and when five years old moved to Van Buren Co., Iowa, where he lived on a farm with his parents until 1861. On June 25, 1861 he joined the tenth Missouri Regiment as a corporal and fought in the battles of Pittsburgh Landing and Corinth, Mississippi, being discharged at Corinth, Miss., on account of rheumatism.
His father, William C. Cavitt, was of English descent and a farmer, his mother, Judicy (handwritten note says Judicia) Misor, was of Dutch descent. In 1864 his parents and he immigrated to Lakeport, Lake Co. California by wagon.
In the year 1864, sometime in April, a wagon train of emigrants left Van Buren Iowa, bound for California. Among those on this train were John, James H. Cavitt, Hannah Cavitt Ross, and her husband, Aaron Ross. Good progress was being made on their way, everyone was happy and all looked forward to the day they would reach the great state bordering the Pacific. Upon reaching a point where traffic was carried on between Salt Lake City and Montana, the news was current of rich gold strikes in Montana. Several emigrants of this train decided to quit the CA trip and go to Montana instead. Aaron Ross, Hannah Cavitt Ross were some that went to MT. John and his brother went on to the Sacramento Valley in California.
In 1865 John, his brother, and 20 others joined the Gold Rush to Helena, Montana, to seek their fortunes in the gold fields but this did not prove profitable.
John with his brother Jim worked as teamsters after a year of mining, making trips to Omaha, Milk River, and Fort Benton. In 1868 John started down the Missouri River in a flatboat to Omaha and then went back to his old home in Iowa and went to farming.
After two years of farming he again went to California to visit his parents, and returned to Indiana and married Amanda Jane Kiplinger (Jan. 1871). He then again returned to Iowa where he resumed farming for two years. Marcia was born here.
John then moved back to Indiana and worked for his father-in-law on his farm north of Rushville for 3 years. John was born, and Ora two years later. The family then moved to Kennings farm, which they rented. Maude and Voorhees were born here. In 1881 they moved to Pierce City, Mo. with brother Jim, for about 6 months, then on to Sedwick, Kansas, where he farmed for two years.
He then moved back to Indiana where he lived until 1897. He bought the farm on Cavitt Hill-lived here until his wife died in 1894.
In 1892 John M. and his daughter Marcia went by wagon to Texas. Ora went from California to Dallas, Texas, and met his father and sister, and came back to Indiana. John returned the trip by train, with Ora bringing the team home to Indiana alone.
In 1897 John M went to California where he lived 2 years, then back to Indiana, then back to California until 1907. Then to Montana and Galata taking up a homestead in Grandview.
These oral histories are kept by Lynnette M Cattron, great great great granddaughter of John Marion Cavitt.
Cavitt and Ross Family in Early Days of Montana
Van Buren Biographies maintained by Rich Lowe.
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