Mythology, traditions and history - The Clan Macfie Society

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Eugene C. Barker claims that from 1770 to 1820 two million persons had moved west,
composed of people from the Atlantic States and from Europe. 1 The Scotch-Irish moved from
Kentucky, Virginia and West Pennsylvania; they moved chiefly on the northern route. Other
nationals moved west to Louisiana and Texas and thence to Wyoming, New Mexico, Colorado
and San Diego.
The movement was very substantial from 1850 onwards. I have examined the fourteen
volumes listed below looking for references to the clan. In the period 1850-1859 Scotland sent
36,561; Ireland provided 1,029,486, most of whom were from areas other than Ulster; Canada,
according to Carrothers, sent sixty percent of her immigrants to United States. It is certain that
a part of the enormous growth of the middle and western territories and states were in receipt of
clan members; even, as in Canada, they mined, they were engaged in the fur trade, they farmed,
they fished, they ran river boats on the long rivers. They may have been local politicians but
there are no reports of our clan being engaged in community effort.
The routes they followed may be indicated. When people started to move to Oregon a local
leader brought them from Baltimore, Maryland, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, to St. Louis and
Independence. From there they proceeded to Williamette Valley. Another route was the Santa
Fe Trail, starting from Leavenworth to Dodge City, passing along the Arkansas River, from
Hutchinson and then divided on the way to Las Vegas, either by Wilson Bar or by crossing the
Arkansas River near Bent's Fort to La Junta. A trip in 1834 failed but in 1842 and 1843 men
and women crossed the Rockies from Independence, Kansas, through Fort Hall, through
Waiilatpu to Whitman and by boats from Walla Walla to the Williamette Valley. A southern
route from Richmond to Chatanooga in Tennessee,then to Memphis, to the Butterfield Southern
Overland Mail route took persons to El Paso, Texas. A road was developed which went to
Tucson, to Los Angeles or San Diego.
The Indians fought for their lands, and many treaties were needed before the white man
could be assured of the safety of his family. In the upper reaches of the great rivers, there were
"Indian Territories", and around the Great Lakes, in 1790-1800; in 1850 land west of
Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri and Arkansas was still "Indian Territory". In reality "settlers" in the
west were not "colonists"; they operated from a chain of forts until 1850. The Americans
"colonized" from 1850 onwards; the Canadians did the same twenty five years later.
The trips to the Pacific might be accomplished in one generation, or even two or three. I
had assumed that in the history of the areas through which the trail led one might find that
some members of our clan would have made a contribution in the pioneer areas.
1 Barker, E.C.; Mexico and Texas, 1821-35. New York. 1965