The Stout-Hearted Seven Orphaned on the Oregon Trail

by Neta Lohnes Frazier Author

An almost incredible true tale of tragedy, persistence, and youthful courage on the Western frontier. Based on an account written by one of the survivors, the story still has the power to astonish readers. In 1844, the Sager family set off on the Oregon Trail, a dangerous and adventure-filled journey. Tragically, the parents succumbed to fever on the way, orphaning the children - the youngest just three months old. Cared for by other families in the wagon train, the children were eventually brought to Whitman Mission at the site of what would become Walla Walla, Washington. There, the children were adopted by missionaries Marcus and Narcissa Whitman and settled into frontier life until, three years later, in the midst of a measles epidemic, the mission was attacked by Cayuse Indians. The Whitmans and two of the Sager children were killed in the ensuing massacre, and the other five children, now orphaned a second time, were captured and held hostage by the Cayuse. One died of illness just days after the murders, but the surviving four sisters were eventually ransomed. A decade later, the eldest sister, Caroline, described her experiences in a manuscript that provided the basis for Frazier's remarkable book, a classic of frontier literature. Children today will be amazed at the strength of the Sager children in the face of tragedy and hardship.