There were eight of us children and Father and Mother when we set out from Missouri in two covered wagons with overjets and wagon sheets over the bows. We left early and made 25 miles the first day.
When we knew we were coming to a town, my sister, Irene, and I would stick our heads out the round hole in the back and wave to the boys and girls. We thought this great fun. At night we would build a campfire and we children would play and enjoy it so much.
We stopped at Grandfather’s place, and he gave us 10 cows. Then we children had to walk and drive them. When we got into Oklahoma we saw prairie dog towns. We thought it was hilarious to run hard toward the town and watch the alert little dogs sitting on top of their holes, then flip down into the holes when we were almost on them.
Mabel Newberry
Bovina, Texas
Back in 1955 a call went out from the editors of the then CAPPER’s WEEKLY asking for readers to send in articles on true pioneers. Hundreds of letters came pouring in from early settlers and their children, many now in their 80s and 90s, and from grandchildren of settlers, all with tales to tell. So many articles were received that a decision was made to create a book, and in 1956, the first My Folks title – My Folks Came in a Covered Wagon – hit the shelves. Nine other books have since been published in the My Folks series, all filled to the brim with true tales from CAPPER’s readers, and we are proud to make those stories available to our growing online community.
