SRFHS Meeting and Presentation

Whiteside County's Oatman Family

Pat Pressman will present a program that will focus on a legendary pioneer family, Royce and Mary Ann Oatman who traveled in covered wagon over 1800 miles from Vermont to Western Arizona in a covered wagon. During that time they spent four years in Ustick Township in Whiteside County where they farmed from 1846 to 1850. Of particular interest will be the story of a kidnapping in 1851 of two sisters and a struggle to survive, a search, a discovery and finally, an amazing rescue in 1856.