Little Catherine was reported named after her father's sister, who had died in 1843, at the age of 22 years. Her father, William Montgomery Pike, was killed on the trail in October of 1846 when a pistol accidentally discharged.
In mid-December Harriet Pike left her two small daughters behind at the lake camp to travel with "The Forlorn Hope" in an attempt to seek relief for the stranded company.
Mrs. Murphy, the grandmother, was left in charge of the Pike daughters. The only sustenance that was available to feed little Catherine was a gruel made from snow water and a slight sprinkling of course flour. Her grandmother kept a small stash of flour hidden, lest other members of the starving group might take the treasure. Every day she gave Catherine a few teaspoons of the gruel. The meager rations were not enough to sustain the poor infant.
On February 22, 1847, Patrick Breen recorded in his diary, "I burried pikes child this morning in the snow it died 2 days ago."
Little Catherine was reported named after her father's sister, who had died in 1843, at the age of 22 years. Her father, William Montgomery Pike, was killed on the trail in October of 1846 when a pistol accidentally discharged.
In mid-December Harriet Pike left her two small daughters behind at the lake camp to travel with "The Forlorn Hope" in an attempt to seek relief for the stranded company.
Mrs. Murphy, the grandmother, was left in charge of the Pike daughters. The only sustenance that was available to feed little Catherine was a gruel made from snow water and a slight sprinkling of course flour. Her grandmother kept a small stash of flour hidden, lest other members of the starving group might take the treasure. Every day she gave Catherine a few teaspoons of the gruel. The meager rations were not enough to sustain the poor infant.
On February 22, 1847, Patrick Breen recorded in his diary, "I burried pikes child this morning in the snow it died 2 days ago."
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