| . |
How many emigrants
traveled west between 1840 and 1848?
Number of emigrants
moving to Oregon & California:
|
YEAR
|
Oregon
|
California
|
|
1840
|
13
|
0
|
|
1841
|
24
|
34
|
|
1842
|
125
|
0
|
|
1843
|
875
|
38
|
|
1844
|
1475
|
53
|
|
1845
|
2500
|
260
|
|
1846
|
1200
|
1500
|
|
1847
|
4000
|
450
|
|
1848
|
1300
|
400
|
Unruh, John D., Jr.
The Plains Across. Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Press,
1982. (p. 84)
.
.
The number of emigrants heading west actually started to decline in 1848
but then dramatically increased after the discovery of gold in California
in 1849. What is often overlooked concerning the migration is the
number of “gobacks,” people who became discouraged part-way into the journey
and returned to the States. It is estimated that in 1841 ten percent
turned around and returned to Missouri. |