MZF0104.xml Guide to the Samuel I. Gaskill Wagon Train Log 1878-1885 Gaskill (Samuel I.) Wagon Train Log Kim Allen Scott, 2008. Anne Foster Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities Montana State University Library, Archives and Special Collections, Manuscript Collections 2026
P.O. Box 173320, Centennial Mall Montana State University Bozeman, MT 59717
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2026-03-06. Finding aid written in English Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard), 2nd Edition. 2026 Updated for standards compliance and preparation for digital collection creation. Montana State University Library, Archives and Special Collections, Manuscript Collections Samuel I. Gaskill wagon train log Gaskill, Samuel I. 0104 Collection 0104, MtBC, us 4 items 1878-1885 Samuel Irwin Gaskill lived in New York and Missouri before immigrating to Montana Territory by wagon train in 1878, eventually homesteading in Gallatin County, near the town of Salesville, Montana Territory (now Gallatin Gateway, Montana). The Samuel I. Gaskill wagon train log describes the trip taken from Shibley's Point, Missouri, to Virginia City, Montana, between May 8, 1878, and July 31, 1878, as well as settlement in Granite Gulch, Virginia City, West Gallatin, and Salesville, Montana Territory from 1878 to June 12, 1885. The log describes incidents of overland travel, the organization and regulations of the train, a prairie storm, the Bannock War of 1878, as well as cash book notations of Gaskill's purchases in later years. Collection materials are in English

Samuel I. Gaskill was born January 20, 1859, to Samuel William Gaskill and Mary M. Sayer Gaskell, in New York. He married Hattie M. Maryott (also spelled Maryatt or Mariott; 1854-1936). In the late 1870s, the couple lived in Missouri, where their son Frederick Irwin (1878-1969) was born. The family then immigrated to Montana Territory, also in 1878, accompanying a wagon train led by Nathan Lay and James Lemons. Gaskill and his wife first settled in the area of Virginia City, Montana Territory, but by 1880, moved to Gallatin County, Montana Territory, in proximity to the other settlers who had comprised the membership of the 1878 wagon train. Gaskill filed a homestead claim near Salesville, Montana Territory (now Gallatin Gateway, Montana). Three more children were born to the couple: Charles Emery (1881-1956), Ida Gaskell Jensen (1880-1934), and Verna Gaskell Peterson (1886-1955). Several other family members, including his parents and his younger brother Federick Grant Gaskill also moved to the area. Gaskill later worked as a watchman for the Colorado Smelter in Butte, Montana, and then at a lumber company in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He died suddenly in Coeur d'Alene on January 4, 1907, and was buried in Missoula, Montana.

The Samuel I. Gaskill wagon train log describes the trip taken from Shibley's Point, Missouri, to Virginia City, Montana, between May 8, 1878, and July 31, 1878 as well as settlement in Granite Gulch, Virginia City, West Gallatin, and Salesville, Montana Territory from 1878 to June 12, 1885. The log describes incidents of overland travel, including the organization and regulations of the train, a prairie storm, and the Bannock War of 1878 as reported in Idaho, Utah, and Montana newspapers. Most of the later entries are cash book notations that detail Gaskill's purchases as well as his activities.

The original handwritten journal consists of a bound ledger book of 560 sequentially numbered pages. There are also three transcribed versions of the diary. Gaskill's name has been variously spelled "Goshill," "Goskill," "Gosnill" and "Coskill" in the three transcriptions, but appears as "Gaskill" in the 1880 U.S. Census and other genealogical documents.

This collection is open for research.

A positive photocopy of a typewritten transcript of an original diary owned by a sister of E.R. Heeb of Bozeman, Montana, was donated to Montana State University on April 8, 1964. A carbon typescript, prepared by Merrill G. Burlingame from a copy in the possession of Virginia Thompson of Bozeman, Montana, was donated by Burlingame in 1964. A final version of the diary, photocopied from The Todds: A family history including all the descendants of Preston S. Todd and Elvira Epperson (Bozeman: D-Bar-S Promotion Agency, 1972) was donated by Francis Lay of Hereford, Texas, on May 30, 1996, and supplemented with genealogical notes. On November 29, 2007, Cindy Foley of Kalispell, Montana, donated the original log book which was subsequently added to this collection.

This collection was processed 2008 August 1

[Creator Name], [Date of Creation], [Brief Description of Object], Folder [#], Box [#], [Collection Name], [Collection #], Montana State University (MSU) Library, Bozeman, MT

 Shibley's Point (Iowa) Virginia City (Mont.) West (U.S.)--Description and travel Montana Bannock Indians--1878--Wars Frontier and pioneer life--West (U.S.) Prairies--West (U.S.)--Description and travel Railroads Frontier and pioneer life Expeditions and Adventure Native Americans Overland Journeys to the Northwestern United States Railroads Transportation Montana Original log book 1878-1885 1

Pages 1-50, 51-100, 101-150, 151-200, 201-250, 251-300, 301-350, 351-400, 401-450, 451-500, 501-560

 Transcription by Merrill Burlingame from copy held by Virginia Thompson 2 Photocopy of transcription held by Virginia Thompson 3 Photocopy of pages from The Todds: A family history 4

(Bozeman: D-Bar-S Promotion Agency, 1972)