Washington Bailey

Born in October 1831 in Adams County, Ohio, Washington Bailey later moved with his family to Fountain County, Indiana. In 1853 he joined the rush to California, traveling west by ox train across the plains and mountains before eventually returning to the Midwest.

Bailey is remembered for A trip to California in 1853: Recollections of a gold seeking trip by ox train across the plains and mountains by an old Illinois pioneer, published in 1915. The book is valued as a firsthand narrative of overland travel during the Gold Rush, describing the long trek west, the hazards of the trail, and the realities of mining life in a plain, direct style.

Records associated with his book and grave memorial indicate that he died in January 1922 in Le Roy, Illinois. Though not a widely known literary figure, his work survives as a compact and memorable personal account of a major chapter in American history.