Michael and Ruth Plaster, in 1857, made the 2,000 mile journey over the plains of the Oregon Trail to Brownsville, Linn County, Oregon. They had seven children at the time. Traveling on the Oregon Trail was difficult, and women planning to leave would gather for important social events with friends in the months before to sew quilts together. An article on the Oregon Trail says that "When it came time for a family or a group of families to leave, the farewells were often grandiose and sad...During the journey, women did most of the things they did back home; cooking every meal, taking care of the children, gathering food and fuel for the fire. Women had to do these things in dust, rain, hail, in tents or in the open air." Ruth's parents are listed as William Burress and Eleanor Frakes in the Oregon Biographical Index.
1819
Mar 30
1819 • The Panic of 1819, the first major financial crisis in the United States, begins. |
1820
Aug 7
Age: 1y
residenceLittle York, Hardin, Kentucky, USA ⇓ Also living in Little York is a Job Burris. On the same page, a Charles and David Dougherty are also living. 1 Source ⇓ |
1820 • Revolution breaks out in Lisbon against John VI of Portugal. |
1836
Jun 23
Age: 17y
marriageMichael Plaster Schuyler County, Illinois, USA ⇓ "Schuyler County Illinois I Do hereby Certify that I Did Join to gether in Marriage Michel Plaster & Ruth Burrass on the 23 day of June 1836". Signature of the justice of the peace is difficult to make out. 4 Sources ⇓ |
1836 • The city of Houston, Texas, is founded. |
1838
Mar 22
Age: 18y
birth of childAnn Marie Plaster Lee County, Iowa, USA ⇓ |
1838 • Supporters of Infante Carlos, Count of Molina, are victorious in the Battle of Maella during the First Carlist War. |
1840
Age: 20y
residenceTownship 66, Lee, Iowa Territory, USA ⇓ Michael and Ruth (Burress) Plaster are living with their oldest daughter Ann Marie Plaster, who is about one or two years old. On the next page is a 20-30 year old Joseph Burris. 1 Source ⇓ |
1840 • One of the predecessor papers of the Herald Sun of Melbourne, Australia, The Port Phillip Herald, is founded. |
1843
Jan 10
Age: 23y
birth of childMargaret J Plaster Gentry County, Missouri, USA ⇓ 1 Source ⇓ |
1843 • Brazil becomes the second country, after Great Britain, to issue nationally valid postage stamps with the release of its "Bull's Eye" series. |
1846
May 16
Age: 27y
birth of childThomas Jefferson Plaster Gentry County, Missouri, USA ⇓ 1 Source ⇓ |
1846 • Prince Osahito, fourth son of deceased Emperor Ninko of Japan, becomes Emperor Kōmei. |
1849
Oct 1
Age: 30y
birth of childElizabeth Ellen Plaster Athens, Gentry, Missouri, USA ⇓ 1 Source ⇓ |
1849 • France issues Ceres, the nation's first postage stamp. |
1850
Sep 24
Age: 31y
1850 • United States Senator Daniel Webster gives his "Seventh of March" speech in which he endorses the Compromise of 1850 in order to prevent a possible civil war. |
1850
Sep 24
Age: 31y
1850 • The University of Sydney (the oldest in Australia) is founded. |
1852
Sep 10
Age: 33y
birth of childEmily L Plaster Gentry County, Missouri, USA ⇓ 1 Source ⇓ |
1852 • The new Palace of Westminster was opened in London. |
1856
Feb 28
Age: 36y
birth of childLaura Hanna Plaster Gentry County, Missouri, USA ⇓ 1 Source ⇓ |
1856 • Taiping Rebellion: Suspecting treachery on the part of East King Yang Xiuqing, Shi Dakai garrisons Anhui and begins his march back to the Heavenly Capital, having defeated a strong Xiang Army detachment. |
1857
Age: 37y
movedOregon ⇓ The Plasters were pioneers on the Oregon Trail from Missouri to Oregon, a journey of 2,000 miles. In the "Oregon Biographical Index", it mentions that Ruth Burress and her husband Michael Plaster traveled to Oregon in 1857 from Gentry, Missouri over the plains. This photo is not of them, but of some travelers from that time period. See gallery for more info on the Oregon Trail: https://johnsonfamily.talldude.net/ruth-burress-124/gallery/oregon-trail/all 2 Sources ⇓ |
1857 • The Spirits' Book (Le Livre des Esprits), one of the Five Fundamental Works of Spiritism, is published by French educator Allan Kardec. |
1860
Age: 40y
1860 • The American South has c. 4 million slaves. |
1860
Mar 22
Age: 40y
birth of childGeorge Washington Plaster Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, USA ⇓ 5 Sources ⇓ |
1860 • Battle of Guayaquil: Ecuadorian forces led by Juan José Flores and Gabriel García Moreno take the port of Guayaquil from Supreme Chief Guillermo Franco, who is backed by Peruvian forces. |
1870
Age: 50y
1870 • Infanticide is banned in India. |
1878
Apr 3
Age: 59y
deathBrownsville, Linn, Oregon, USA ⇓ A newspaper article published in the Oregon State Journal says that she died "Near Brownsville Apr. 3, 1878, Butter Plaster, wife of Michael Plaster, aged 59 years and 3 days." 2 Sources ⇓ |
1878 • The Treaty of Berlin makes Serbia, Montenegro and Romania completely independent. |