H4481.45

Doll with china head, and hands, cloth feet, red clothes, ca. 13", blue eyes, blonde hair From the History Information Station: Ojbect: Doll, kid leather body and bisque (unglazed porcelain) head and hands. Dressed in muslin camisole, petticoat and pantaloons. European, probably German or French, c. 1875-1900. History: A doll might not be of much practical use to a pioneer child, or to a woman setting up house in a grand new town. But immigrants were prepared to do more than just survive: They came to set up new homes, to plant new family roots. And often it was the playful, beautiful things they brought which let them feel at home in California. A treasured doll was also a consolation on the dangerous trip out West. Travel was hard, food was often scarce and death not uncommon. "I remember distinctly one girl of my own age who died and was buried on the road," wrote 13 year old Martha Morrisson." Her mother had a great deal of suffering." Martha Gets into the Mud Some children were young enough that they quickly forgot the difficulties of the Western migration. But others remembered. Martha Morrisson traveled across the plains to the Far West in 1844 when she ws 13 years old. She remembered how her father refused to stop for anything until his fmaily reached the Pacific Ocean. "We did not know the dangers we were going through. We did not get to the coast till the middle of January. We went down the river in an open canoe, including all the children; and when we got down there was no way to get to the place my Father had determined on, but to wade through the tremendous swamps. I knew some of the young men that were along laughed at us girls, my sister and me, for holding up what dresses we had to keep from miring; but we did not think it was funny. We finally waded through with all our goods.

Used: California