Imagine leaving everything behind—your home, your friends, and even your sense of security—to cross thousands of miles of uncharted wilderness in a desperate bid for a new beginning. That’s exactly what Lavinia Honeyman Porter and her family did in 1860. Armed with little more than three yokes of oxen, a covered wagon, and a will to survive, they set out on a harrowing journey across the Great Plains to California.
But this wasn’t just any journey—it was a trial by fire. They faced relentless hardships: life-threatening storms, treacherous terrain, the looming threat of disease, and the constant fear of attacks. To make matters worse, Lavinia’s husband was no seasoned frontiersman—he was a man of refinement, unprepared for the brutal realities of life on the trail.
Through Lavinia’s vivid diary, we gain a rare glimpse into the daily struggles and triumphs of life as a pioneer, and the incredible endurance it took to survive. Her story captures the grit, sacrifice, and unshakable hope that defined the spirit of the Westward Expansion.
So, stay with me tonight, the campfire is ready, and the story is about to start. My name is Matt, and this is Wild America.
00:00:00 Lavinia Honeyman
00:01:12 Introduction
00:04:42 Chapter I
00:16:41 Chapter II
00:31:12 Chapter III
00:40:16 Chapter IV
00:51:40 Chapter V
01:04:27 Chapter VI
01:23:59 Chapter VII
01:34:40 Chapter VIII
01:46:33 Chapter IX
02:00:04 Chapter X
02:19:07 Chapter XI
02:34:11 Chapter XII
02:44:02 Chapter XIII
02:59:04 Chapter XIV
03:13:00 Chapter XV
————————————————————————————————————————————————
All materials in these videos are used for educational purposes and fall within the guidelines of fair use. No copyright infringement is intended. If you are or represent the copyright owner of materials used in this video and have a problem with the use of said material, please contact me via my email in the “about” page on my channel.
————————————————————————————————————————————————
As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Wild America sometimes utilizes similar historical images, AI representations and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Wild America is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are American history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.
————————————————————————————————————————————————
source
love this story. I can't imagine how tough those days were…
❤
Maybe the Indigenous, native Americans, don't want you to end their ancestral way of life ???
Wid nature is wholly savage,just look at the prey,predator balance of nature !!
Background music to this story is great, but other stories are hard to listen to, the background music is tooo load. I do love your podcasts
, great stories, well presented.❤
So enjoying this. This time has always been an interest of mine.
My grandma moved from a reservation in Oklahoma to Visalia Ca. In 1920. Dust bowl wiped them out.
Holy heck! The ads!
Way too many advertisements. Ruins the story!!!.
Too many ads !!!
As hazardous a journey it surely was, i can't help but to imagine how beautiful, how exciting and miraculous it must have been. No highways, billboards, no 7-11s , fences nor keep out signs, no dams, canals nor litter. The prairies, mountains, clear skies, buffalos, wolves, little critters and wild flowers all as nature created.