vou.u.]  § Andrew Fackson Grayson. ay 
_the store was closed. Now that we have passed the second turning 
point in his life, let us carefully consider the third and greatest one. 
It was the old, old story; Grayson met and fell in love with Miss 
Frances J. Timmons. “In proposing to me,’’ says she, ‘Mr. 
‘Grayson told me of his future plans; that it was his intention to 
leave forever the country of his nativity, and endeavor to cross the 
Rocky Mountains and dwell upon the far off Pacific shores—in 
‘California—which was then a /erra incognita to most of the world 
and especially to the denizens of the Ouachita region; such a region 
they had never heard of; I only knew it from my geography.’’ They 
‘were married July 21, 1842. 
While in St. Louis, Grayson had learned a great deal about 
this remote region from the trappers of the American Fur Com- 
pany, some of whom were his old schoolmates. They gave such 
glowing descriptions of the beautiful land of California and Oregon; 
of the fine climate and abundance of game, that his spirits were 
filled with a desire to come and live here. Having become familiar 
with the fauna and flora of his own State—few knew the forest better 
than he—his zealous nature yearned for a new field for activity; he 
longed for new objects of study in nature’s yet unexplored recesses. 
In the year 1844 Mr. Grayson and wife moved to St. Louis for 
the purpose of making preparations for the long journey across 
the plains. 
In the S¢. Louzs Reveille of February 20, 1846, appeared the fol- 
lowing notices: 
HO FOR CALIFORNIA! 
At the suggestion and desire of a number of my friends, who propose emigrating 
with me to California, and deeming it actually necessary that some one should take 
the lead, whereby we may be able to organize an expedition and preserve good 
order while on the route, I have consented to take the charge upon myself, and 
pledge my life to the safe conduct of those who are disposed to join usin our 
journey to that country. Should any one of the company, however, be considered 
more efficient than myself, by a majority at the rendezvous, I shall be most happy 
to resign him the duties of the command. 
As it is my intention to take my family with me, which is quite young, I sin- 
cerely hope that we may have an orderly and well organized company. Those who 
design going should be at Independence, on the Missouri river, by the 15th of April 
next, as that will be the time of our departure from that place. 
_ Emigrants should be well provided with arms and ammunition, good ‘teams of 
mules or oxen, and provisions for at least six months. It is better not to be bur- 
dened with any heavy and unnecessary articles of house furniture, but good assort- 
